This week we finally cross over into chapter 6 of the book of Matthew, where Jesus and his sermon start to move from the inner world to the outer activity. Help your members discuss how this plays out in the non-literal sense. This isn't merely a matter of a "secret santa" mentality. The heart of it gets at the kind of religiosity that requires people to not only notice, but to rate you higher on the Spirit-o-meter because of what you have done and achieved. It's gross, and it's not like Jesus.
Help your members discover all the ways our culture demands attention, accolades and a never-ending stream of behavior validation. In the Kingdom, it just doesn't (can't!) work that way, because that mentality is an emphasis on self. The Kingdom is an others-centered one, where the emphasis is always on everything but self.
Depending on both your group, and your sound system, I reckon y'all might have fun with this as an icebreaker.
The following is the basic outline for discussion-making. You can use it with any topic, video presentation, sermon, etc. The idea is to equip you, the leaders, to be able to custom-create the kind of questions your specific group needs to get them where they need to go. Use the following to help you not only make discussion, but to help you take a shot of asking other penetrating questions that get your group with its specific issues and personality chewing well!
Matthew 6:1-4
What re the key points of Jesus words for you?
What were the key points of Sunday's sermon for you?
What was the "one thing" you took away?
What surprised you?
What bothered you? Why?
Have you ever heard or come across a similar teaching or idea? Have you ever been taught something that was contradictory?
What is/was already part of your thinking on this subject?
What did you learn that was new to you?
*About God?
*About yourself?
*About others?
What changes of thought are necessary in light of what you learned?
What changes of action are needed?
How would life be different if you/we applied this teaching fully?
What are the hindrances, and what do we do about those?
What role can this group lay to help you take steps this week and beyond?
Specifically, Jonathan pointed out ways to break free from the exhausting cycle of trying to gain approval from others, or seeing yourself through other's eyes, based on your performance. You may want to discuss the following as application for the next week ( and beyond):
1. Admit your inner world to someone.
2. Abandon disclaimers.
3. Secretly do great things on a regular basis. (great doesn’t mean big) mat 6:3-4
4. Commit to do the right thing, not the fair thing.
5. Learn to receive well.
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