APRIL 7
THE ONE WHERE I KNOW MYSELF
Our identity must be rooted in Christ, or we will try and find ourselves in everyone else.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What is a nickname that you had growing up in your family or that you’ve received from the people you now call family or what are you known for in your family?
- Read Psalm 139:13-18.
Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say?):
- What do you notice and what are you curious about?
Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean?)
- What do you learn about humanity?
- What do you learn about God?
Now make some applications (what’s my response?)
- How are you encouraged, challenged, or convicted by this passage?
- What should be our response to this passage?
3. Read Genesis 1:26-27. All humans are made in the image of God, whether they know him or not. But through the fall of humanity in the garden we live as distorted images that only find our image fully restored to its intended state when we come to know Jesus and let him make us new.
A. Read Colossians 3:9-17. What are places in your life that you can point to where God is making you new (restoring you as the Image of God in the world)? Where are places you are stuck in your old identity (be honest and invite God and community to help you)?
B. Where is your identity wrapped up in things that don’t align with who God is and therefore who he has made you to be as His image in the world?
4. There were three points in the message:
- Our identity grows roots when we know the one who formed us.
- Our identity expands with a deep dependance on God (whatever our circumstances).
- Our identity flourishes when we trust God and others.
Which of these three points do you find yourself most needing to explore right now for your own identity formation?
5. How well are you connecting with and investing in the family of God (those who are exploring and pursuing a life with Jesus)? How could you engage that would help cultivate the kind of healthy family God envisioned for us and others?
KEY SCRIPTURE
Psalm 139:13-18 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Colossians 3:9-17 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
PRAYER
Read through the statements below about what God says is true of those who know Jesus:
a.) Read each statement out loud
b.) Soak in each statement
c.) Notice the statements you don’t believe or can’t relate to.
b.) Ask for God to help you believe what He says about you.
c.) In your group, pray out loud for each other and speak these truths over each other relating to things going on in your lives. (ie. God I pray for Jennifer and ask that as she is going through the loss of her job would you remind her that you have good plans for her and that you won’t leave her on her own.)
God says in Ephesians 1:3-14:
You are Blessed
You are Chosen
You are Holy and Blameless
You are His Child
You are Redeemed
You are Forgiven
You are Not Alone
You are Loved
You are Planned For
You have God with you
TAKE A NEXT STEP
- Daily practice the prayer questions above.
- How are you connected with and cultivating relationships in the family of God here at Gateway? Take a next step into community (Gatewaychurch.com/events).
- If you haven’t made a decision to follow Jesus, or haven’t been baptized (going public with that decision). Sign up for the Baptism Class at South (April 14th) or North (April 21st) and let us walk with you!
FOR THE PARENTS
Hey, families! Here’s a look at what we’re covering with your kids so you can help them continue to grow at home during the week.
THIS WEEK
This week we will learn about how Jesus wants us to show love and mercy to our neighbors.
THE BIBLE: “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
THE MESSAGE: Jesus taught that we should treat others the way we want to be treated—even if it’s someone we don’t like too much. That might mean forgetting about ourselves in order to help someone else. Jesus wants us to choose to do what He would do. If you don’t know how or what you should do in a
situation, ask your mom or dad or teacher at school how you can help.
THE BIG IDEA: God’s Story Is Written For Me!
ASK THIS
Because sometimes you and your kid need a conversation-starter that isn’t,
“So . . . how was church?”
- What does the story of the Good Samaritan show us about how we need to treat others?
- How can you help those in need?
REMEMBER THIS
God loves people. He cares about people. Because God loves us so much that He gave us something so precious to Him, we have to be willing to love others and tell them about God’s love for them. Jesus helped many people while He was on earth. People were often surprised by the people he helped and the people He chose to hang out with. Jesus loved everyone, even if they had not lived a good life. He showed kindness to everyone because He was a living example of how God wants us to live.
NEXT WEEK
Next week we learn that God never gives up on us!