Reluctant Followers: When the Going Gets Tough

In our trials, the weight of our circumstances can become louder and more powerful than our realization of God’s promises. That’s why we need the wisdom of God, without which we become unstable doubters who preoccupy ourselves with comparison. Simply stated, when the going gets tough, enduring believers seek wisdom. -Pastor Dave

Open: Describe a time you had to endure a difficult season: As you look back to this time, what were the things that got you through?

Read: James 1:1-12; Job 28:12-23; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; Colossians 2:2-3 1.

Discuss:

1. James uses sarcasm to make an important point. Verse 4 ends with a believer “lacking in nothing” to the beginning of verse 5, “If you lack wisdom.” Are both of these statements true? How can we “lack nothing” but need wisdom? Define wisdom: Describe times in your life you lacked wisdom.

2. How does God respond to our request for wisdom? What does this tell us about God’s character? List different ways we receive wisdom from God.

3. What role does faith play in receiving wisdom for trials? How does doubt make us unstable? Have you ever doubted in the midst of a difficult season? How did God increase your faith in order to overcome the doubts?

4. In what ways do we have a natural tendency to compare in our trials? Why does James use the illustration of riches as a picture of comparison? What predominate ways do you compare today? Why is comparison so dangerous?

5. In 1:12, James seems to consider “life” as a “test” in and of itself. Ultimately, passing the test leads us to a “Crown of Life.” What makes this so significance? How should this encourage us to endure the trials of life and cause our hope to increase?

Pray: Pray that you would endure the trials of life by receiving God’s gifts of wisdom, faith, and unshakable hope.

Memorize/Meditate: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5

Reluctant Followers: Enjoy What? The Difficult Journey of Christianity

Many people want to follow Christ…but it’s not the easy journey we think it should be. Pressure to conform, difficult seasons, overwhelming circumstances, painful experiences, and staggering temptations can make our glorious journey with Christ downright messy. These moments can cause us to walk along the path, hesitantly…even reluctantly at times. But God uses these painful moments, these difficult seasons, to not only demonstrate His power, but to accomplish His purpose in our live. -Pastor Dave

Open: Describe a moment when you were reluctant in your Christian walk: What made you reluctant? What was the result?

 Read: James 1:1-4; Mark 3:20-21; Matthew 13:55-57; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; 1 Peter 4:12-13

Discuss:

1. Give some examples of circumstances that cause Christians to be reluctant or hesitant in their faith: What do you find similar about each of these examples? How do trials and suffering cause many Christians to be reluctant in their walk with Christ?

2. Who is James? How does being the half-brother of Jesus give him a unique perspective to write the reluctant Jewish churches? In what ways did James experience hesitancy in his faith journey? How did he become the leader of the Jewish Church?

3. James is specifically writing to the Jewish Church. What were the circumstances facing the Jewish Church that led James to write this letter?

4. James begins this letter with an unnatural response to trials. He tells them to “count it all joy.” How do you respond to James’ exhortation? Does it seem fair? Possible? How do you normally respond to hard times?

5. Is James’ promise of steadfastness compelling to you? Does it seem worth it? Why or why not? If you made this the “goal of your life,” to grow in holiness even if it meant suffering, how would that change your life? What decisions would you make differently? How would you have to adjust your priorities?

Pray: Pray that in whatever difficult circumstance you might be facing or will face that you would have supernatural joy and trust in God’s sovereign plan.

Memorize/Meditate: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 O

I'm In: For the World

God has a “world-sized” role for every Christian in His global purpose. Whether people go to distant countries or stay at home is a secondary issue. God calls all believers to view the world through His eyes of compassion. We are charged to pray for the lost around the world, give toward gospel causes throughout the world, and go to serve the needs in the world. -Pastor Dave

Open: Describe the last time you were gripped by a physical and spiritual need around the world.

Read: Matthew 9; Luke 10 1.

Discuss:

1. Why do many Christians struggle with missions? Which needs around the world grip your heart the most? Why? How do the challenges of proximity and despair hinder our efforts around the world?

2. Jesus had compassion for people. What did He notice about the people that caused His response (notice the reactions to Jesus’ work and miracles in chapter 9)? How were the people being “harassed” and “helpless”?

3. Describe the characteristics of Biblical compassion: In what ways do we have “incomplete” compassion? What hinders us from doing something about the needs that we see? Describe the contrast between the metaphor of the sheep and shepherd with the harvest and laborers: How is the church the answer to Christ’s request for laborers?

4. Jesus called us to pray for laborers. Do you think most Christians pray these types of prayers? Why or why not? How should God being called the “Lord of the harvest” correlate with our prayers (how should our prayers be affected by this title)?

5. It’s easy to pray for missions. It’s a little harder to give to send others. What makes going on short-term mission trips so frightening? Have you ever been on a short-term mission trip? Why or why not? How does missions make us more aware of God’s work in our own lives?

Pray: Pray that you would grow a deeper heart of compassion and concern for the needs of the lost around the world. Pray for Crossroads as we send and go to support our global partners.

Memorize/Meditate: Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38

I'm In: With Christ

God is on a rescue mission to seek and save the lost. And He has commissioned believers to help fulfill this Divine operation. But many are so preoccupied with service to God that we forget our mission for God. Our attitudes toward the lost begin to contradict God’s action for the lost. 

Open: Have you ever lost something that you desperately needed? Describe the details: Did you find it? If you did, what was your reaction?

Read: Luke 15; 2 Corinthians 5; Jude

Discuss:

1. Jesus was sitting with two different groups at the beginning of Luke 15. Who were these two groups? What were the differences between these two groups? What made this a unique situation for Jesus? Who comes to your mind personally when you consider these two groups?

2. Jesus responds with a parable. The first one is a story of a shepherd who finds the lost sheep. What characteristics relate to God’s attitude toward the lost? How does this parable relate to your salvation experience? What surprises you most about this story?

3. The second story, the woman who loses a coin, is much like the first except for a few details. Which details create a twist in the story? How does this passage relate to the attitude and work of the church? How do we see God’s invitation to join in His work to find those who are lost? Describe your role as an ambassador?

4. The third story is a story focusing on 3 different characters. What is unique about each character? How do we relate to the two sons? Describe the context of the son squandering his father’s money: Why would this be a big deal in the culture of the day?

5. How do you see the “older brother” in many Christians today? In what ways do we forget our identity as it comes to sharing the gospel? How can business in serving cause us to miss God’s mission to rescue the lost? What areas do you need to change to become more faithful to gospel proclamation?

Pray: Pray for the “one” that God is calling you to help “find.” Pray that you will have boldness to share your story and they will be receptive to the gospel.

Memorize/Meditate: And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.  Jude 1:22-23

I'm In: With the Church

Truth and love are the two wings that make the church fly. When separated from one another, either virtue is nothing more than a mere word. Love deprived of truth deteriorates into self-love and truth divorced from love breeds self-righteousness. As the church, we must live in both the knowledge of truth and the mission of love. -Pastor Dave

Open: Have you ever had a season of life where you felt unbalanced? Describe the details:

Read: 2 John 1-6; Acts 19-20; Ephesians 5; 1 Timothy 1:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:14-16; 1 John 3:11, 16-18; Revelation 2:2-4 1.

Discuss:

1. In 2 John, why does John begin this letter by calling himself the “elder” instead of the “apostle?” What does this tell us about the approach of his letter? Which city was John pastoring?

2. Describe John’s “eureka” moment in 2 John 4: What did he find them doing? What does he warn them of? What is the “commandment” he is referring to? What does it mean to love one another?

3. How are both truth and love essential traits of Christians? How about the church? How did Christ demonstrate both of these qualities throughout His ministry? How does our culture force-feed us a false notion of love? How does our culture view truth?

4. Explain the history of truth and love in the context of the church in Ephesus: What was the end result of their journey? In what ways do you see an imbalance of truth and love in the church of our culture today? Are you personally balanced with both truth and love? Why or Why not?

5. How should our love for Christ nurture a deeper desire for the Truth of Scripture? What are some ways this happens? How does living out love grow the Truth more deeply in us?

Pray: Pray that you would live balanced with both truth and love and that Crossroads would be a church that exceeds in both truth and love in our region.

Memorize/Meditate: I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 2 John 1:4-5 O

I'm In: With Jesus

Jesus invites ordinary people to be a part of His extraordinary work. But His invitation is anything but safe. It’s risky, treacherous, and even dangerous. It doesn’t cost us anything, but it demands everything. It’s a call for our faith to move beyond life as usual…to join a higher calling with a deeper surrender.

Open: Have you ever had something that you really wanted to do, but hesitancy hindered you from doing it? What stopped you from this “I’m in” moment?

Read: Luke 9; 1 Kings 19:19-21

Discuss:

1. Describe the context of Luke 9: What does it mean that Jesus was setting “His face toward Jerusalem?”

2. What makes Jesus’ statements in Luke 9:57-62 seem harsh? How does the context help our understanding of these statements? Describe the three different characters that are invited or desire to follow Jesus: Describe their responses? How are each unique? How do we express these same excuses? What makes following Jesus so difficult?

3. What do you make of Jesus’ response to the excuses given? How do these responses reveal that following Jesus calls us to consider wherever, whenever, and whatever is necessary? What excuses do you struggle with the most?

4. Describe the meaning of the following statement: “It is much easier to follow Jesus without a specific commitment.” In what ways do we attempt to live for Christ generally, but find it more difficult when it’s specific? What are specific things that God has asked you to do in your journey with Christ?

5. Jesus uses farming language that conjures memories of Elisha’s journey as a prophet. Describe Elisha’s journey in 1 Kings 19:19-21: How did Elisha respond to God’s invitation? How does this connect perfectly with Christ’s call to not “put your hand to the plow and look back?” What does this mean? How do our commitments, even good ones, keep us from the most important things with Christ?

Pray: Pray that you would have the courage to answer Christ’s call to wherever, whenever, and whatever in your spiritual journey.

Memorize/Meditate: Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 O

Rewriting Your Story

The 7 Final Sayings of Jesus: It Is Finished

Jesus’ cry on the cross, “It is finished!” was not the last word of a worn out and wasted life. Instead, it is perhaps the single greatest word ever spoken. Jesus wasn’t crying in defeat, He was shouting in victory. The war was over, death and sin had been defeated.

Open: Have you ever had unfinished business or an incomplete project? How did it make you feel? What eventually made you finish the task?

Read: 19; Matthew 27:50-51; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22; Romans 8:3-4; Hebrews 2:14-15; 9:11-14; Colossians 2:13-14 1.

Discuss:

1. If you read the Gospels, they speak as if there was more that the disciples and followers expected Jesus to do in His ministry. Describe the areas of your life where you feel as if there is unfinished business: Why do you feel that way? How does Christ’s death on the cross point to the answer? Which of the seven sayings of the cross have connected with you most? Why?

2. Jesus’ cry on the cross, “It is finished!” was not a cry of defeat but a shout of victory. Why? How was this word, tetelestai, used in the first century? What does this tell us about His work on the cross? Specifically, what did Jesus “finish” on the cross?

3. How did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament law and prophecy? In what ways do you see so many people paralyzed by fear, worry, and striving? In what ways does the finished work of Jesus on the cross answer these realities? How does shifting our focus on Christ change our anxiety and striving?

4. How did the enemy, Satan, seek to end Christ at the cross? How did Christ crush the stronghold of Satan through the cross? How does Satan have power, but no authority over Christians?

5. In what areas of your life do you need to find satisfaction in Christ’s finished work of the cross? How do you plan to daily remind yourself of Christ’s finished work for you?

Pray: Pray that you would grasp the finished work of Jesus Christ in your life. In the areas where you feel unfinished, pray that you would have the strength and endurance to press into Jesus.

Memorize/Meditate: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

The 7 Final Sayings of Jesus: I Thirst

Two simple words describe the intensity of the cross, “I Thirst!” The One who made the expanse of the oceans and intricacies of the rivers…the One who causes the rain to fall from heaven, Who calmed the fiercest seas, the Water of Life…was dying of thirst. But it wasn’t merely a desperate request to meet a physical need; it was a distinct reminder that the promises of God can satisfy our thirsty soul. 

Open: Have you ever said the phrase “I’m dying of thirst”? Describe the context of this statement.

Read: John 19; Psalm 22; 69; Exodus 17:1-7; John 4:4-15; 7:37-44

Discuss:

1. Do you believe that we are a thirsty culture? Describe what makes us thirsty.

2. How does Jesus’ statement on the cross, “I thirst!” demonstrate the reality of His human suffering? He was offered drink twice during the crucifixion. Why does He reject the first time but take a drink the second time? How does this prove that He was showing us an example? The first heresy after Christ ascended was focused on His humanity and divinity. Explain: How does this moment validate His humanity?

3. This is the first example of Jesus crying out over human pain on the cross. Why did Jesus say these words? How do these words fulfill Scripture? How did Jesus get His power to endure through the promises of God? Do you believe we have a deficiency of the Bible in our day? Why or why not? How do the promises of God help us to endure?

4. List some passages where images of water represent God. How does this theme express the reality of our thirst? Describe “empty souls,” “parched souls,” and “satisfied souls”. In what category would you place yourself? Why? In what ways does Christ satisfy our thirst?

Pray: Pray that you would find satisfaction in the work of Christ in your life and that you would resist the temptation to quench the thirst of your soul in anything else.

Memorize/Meditate: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 O

The 7 Final Sayings of Jesus: My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me

The greatest agony that Jesus experienced on the cross wasn’t physical but spiritual. It wasn’t the torture, the crown of thorns, the nails or the cross. His loudest cry came at the moment when God the Son felt the weight of forsakenness, abandonment, and judgment for the first time in eternity. But His shout wasn’t a cry for help; it was a confident call from an anchored hope. - Pastor Dave

Open: Have you ever faced a situation that seemed hopeless? Describe the circumstances and the feelings you experienced in the moment:

Read: Matthew 26:36-56; 27:32-50; Genesis 3:8-10; Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13-14 1.

Discuss:

1. While on the cross Jesus said, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” What makes this question so mysterious and difficult to reconcile with our thinking of God? Have you ever been forsaken? How does this prove that the spiritual realities of the cross were the most intense part of Christ’s suffering?

2. Matthew 27:42-43 describes the mocking that Jesus experienced on the cross. How does the challenge in verse 43 (“He trusts in God, let God deliver him now…”) correlate with Jesus’ cry in verse 46? How does the three hours of darkness describe the force of this moment?

3. In what ways did Jesus join humanity in forsaking God the Father? Why does it feel that God forsakes us? Does He forsake us or not? How does shame play a part of the experience of abandonment?

4. How was Jesus our substitute on the cross? What did Christ take for us? What did we get in return?

5. The statement “My God, why have you forsaken me?” is a quote from Psalm 22. In what ways is this Psalm a cry of hope more than a cry of help? Describe the ABC’s given in Psalm 22: Where do you need to see hope rise in your life?

Pray: that in your moments of deep questions and the feeling of hopelessness, forsakenness, and abandonment that you will find your hope set confidently in Christ and His promises.

Memorize/Meditate: I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 O