Grace-Snellville - Teachings | gfc.tv

Heart Sometimes we hear this message in our culture: “You can be whatever you want to be!” At some point, however, most of us learn that this statement—though motivating—isn’t always true. For example, I really wanted to pitch in the pros, but my fastball never did quite comply. Maybe some of you have experienced a similar disconnect between what you want to be and what you can be. Contrary to our culture, the Bible teaches that God wires each of us uniquely, with real giftings and real limitations. Perhaps a truer version of that motivational message is: “You can be whoever God has made you to be.” Even so, not all of us step into the fullness of that promise for any number of reasons. 1 Samuel 10-15 is a warning for us as it documents the ways King Saul’s choices limit and eventually lose him the leadership for which he had been anointed. And then, in 1 Samuel 16, we meet David, who rises from anonymity to become the most famous king in the nation. David’s rise and reign raises all kinds of questions. How did David step into this fullness of who God had made him to be? Why did David succeed where Saul fell short? A major part of the answer comes in God’s admonishment to Samuel just before the prophet meets the young shepherd boy who would be king: “The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (v. 7). This Sunday will be a “heart” Sunday at Grace. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: September 17, 2017 “But the LORD looks on the heart” // Scripture: I Samuel 16 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Last week in 1 Samuel 13-15, we saw the ways King Saul’s choices limited and eventually lost him the leadership for which he had been anointed. This week, in 1 Samuel 16, we meet David, who rises from anonymity to become the most famous king in the nation. Saul used religion as a way to attempt to manipulate God. He quickly abandoned God’s direction because of his circumstances, and tried to hide his choices in religious activity. David’s actions in the future will make his heart seem much worse off than Saul’s, but we will see that he constantly returns with a heart turned toward God. How did David step into this fullness of who God had made him to be? Why did David succeed where Saul fell short? A major part of the answer comes in God’s admonishment to Samuel just before the prophet meets the young shepherd boy who would be king: “The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (v. 7). As we align our hearts to the heart of God, we can begin to experience in our lives the shift from simply a moment in time to a sustained movement of God to turn our hearts back to him. May we each experience a new heart as we seek God through His word, wonder, and worship. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What was the difference between Saul’s heart and David’s heart? What sort of person did God select to be his king? What are some of the ways we can ensure that our hearts are aligned with the heart of God? Mirror (Where am I in the story How’s your heart? What does God see when He looks on your heart? Do you most closely reflect the heart of Saul or the heart of David? What are some steps you can take to ensure you have a heart for God? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How can the fact that God sees the truth of your heart and the heart of others around you change the wa...

Do you have any rituals in your life? Technically, the word “ritual” comes from the older word “rite,” which was used to describe religious observances and ceremonies. But these days, the word “ritual” has lost much of its religious roots. I often hear people describe their habits at the beginning of the day as their “morning ritual,” and many of the world’s best-known athletes are famous for complex at-bat rituals and pre-game routines. Some of these rituals–like clipping fingernails during a timeout or throwing octopi onto the ice at a hockey game–are absurdly superstitious. But what is the role of ritual in our relationship with God? As we continue reading Saul’s story in 1 Samuel 13-15 this week, we will see that ritual is valuable but not sufficient. Moreover, that which is necessary remains far less certain but still quite trustworthy. And–if Saul’s story is any indication–learning this latter lesson makes all the difference between leading well and losing everything. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: September 10, 2017: “Perhaps” Scripture: I Samuel 13-15 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes What is the difference between true religion and blind superstition? This is the question that Jon helped us answer from I Samuel 13–15 this week. In these chapters we watch Israel’s first king (Saul) struggle to become the leader that God was calling him to be. In stark contrast to his son Jonathan, Saul traded in a dynamic relationship with God for static rituals to try to manipulate God. Saul, compelled by insecurity, fear and pressure found himself trying to check off a list of spiritual do’s and don’ts with God, hoping to compel God to be on His side. Jonathan acted very differently. Jonathan, compelled by his dynamic relationship with God, sought to serve God and dared to risk his security and certainty to join God in what he thought “perhaps” God might be doing. We, too, are invited to step into the “perhaps” of life with God and our dynamic relationship with Him instead of simply responding to the pressures of life with a superstitious, static ritual that tries to manipulate God on our own behalf. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion Relationship is more important than ritual. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture SEE IT – (What is the story saying?): What impacted you most from Jon’s sermon this past Sunday? Why? What insight do the stories of I Samuel 13–15 give you about Saul as a person and as leader? (insecure, pragmatic, etc.) How does Saul’s leadership differ from Jonathan’s leadership in these stories? (Jonathan focuses on God and gets victory, Saul focuses on victory and loses God) What do you think it means that God values obedience more than sacrifice? (I Samuel 15:22) Mirror  (Where am I in the story?): What is the difference between religion and superstition? When was the last time your faith became more of a static ritual than a dynamic relationship? How have you tried to get God to serve you in the name of faith, instead of giving yourself to serve God? Window  (How does the story change how I see those around me?

Most of us know the value of being grateful for what we have. But that doesn’t stop us from thinking about what we want. And sometimes, we even get what we desire. But what is it that we really need? Answering that question can be one of the most difficult things of all. This week, we’ll read parts of 1 Samuel 7-12 to learn from Israel’s successes (and failures) in learning what God knows we all need. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: September 3, 2017:  “Appoint for us a King” Scripture: 1 Samuel 7-12 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Most of us know the value of being grateful for what we have, however, that doesn’t always stop us from thinking about what we want. And sometimes, we even get what we desire. What we need to ask ourselves is, what do we really need? Answering that question can be one of the most difficult things to figure out. This week, we read parts of 1 Samuel 7-12 to learn from Israel’s successes (and failures), and the main point is: God has the wisdom to know we all need. THE MAIN THOUGHT What/who is going to rule your life? SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): In Chapter 7, what was Samuel calling the people to? What feeling did this generate in the people? How does this show the relationship between God & His people? In chapters 9-11, how do we see God’s hand orchestrating Saul’s kingship? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What do you think of Samuel’s example in 8:6 of going to the Lord when he was troubled? When the people heard about the king they would get, why do you think they still wanted him? What were they focused on? How can we create space in our lives for the Spirit to change us? Despite our choices, God is still there; how do you remember that? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How do you discern quality of leadership? Look at Saul’s example in chapter 9 of letting God’s Spirit transform him. Do you really believe God uses people, despite their “baggage”? (10:22) BE IT – Practice Change UP // Exercise 15 minutes Enter into two minutes of silence. Let God remind you of all the times He has delivered you. Change IN // Group Activity 5 minutes Together share times when you’ve been tempted to abandon risky faith in God for the illusion of visual certainty: something that feels more predictable than God’s unseen presence. Were there times you resisted temptation and stayed with God? How did that work out? Change OUT // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes Be aware of those around you this week. Who is struggling to believe God is still on the throne? Ask God how to come alongside them to help them hear God is mighty and a faithful God and is for us and not against us. CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the core of our faith hinges on the astonishingly bold claim that the Creator of the Cosmos invites each of us into a personal relationship with himself. That fact should make us wonder–how merciful must our God be to welcome me (with all my shortcomings, sins, and weaknesses) into his life?! Just as important, however, is to ponder what it means for us to invite his life into ours. This week in 1 Samuel 4-6, we will hear again how the God of Hannah’s reversal and the God who spoke to the boy Samuel is nonetheless the God of sovereign freedom who simply will not be manipulated, controlled, or coerced by human intentions. And, as we shall see, that is very good news. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: August 27, 2017:  Rise and Reign: What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-7:2 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes What should you do with the presence of God in your midst? As we continue to journey through the book of I Samuel together, this is the question that frames our conversation this week. In I Samuel 4-7, we see the three different postures that three different pockets of people take when the Ark of God (the presence of God) is in their midst. First, the Israelites “disrespect it” by trying to manage and manipulate God—carrying the ark into battle with presumption. Second, the Philistines “reject it” when God will not fit nicely and neatly into the trophy case of other gods. Finally, the people at Beth Shemesh “neglect it” by simply letting it fall out of use for 20 years. Each of these postures demonstrates how we sometimes treat God’s presence in our own lives. Too often we place God in a box—disrespecting, rejecting, or neglecting His presence if or when He doesn’t do what we want Him to. God, however, will not be controlled or manipulated. Instead, He invites us to respond to His presence with respect, acceptance, and love. THE MAIN THOUGHT We need to hear. God wants to speak. So, why not learn to be the kind of person who listens to His words? SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What is the Ark of the Covenant? Why was the Ark of the Covenant special? What three things did the Ark of the Covenant have inside it? (10 Commandments, Manna, Aaron’s rod) What did these three things symbolize about God’s relationship with Israel? (Law, Provision, Deliverance) What is the difference between the Ark and an idol? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What were the three postures the different pockets of people in I Samuel 4-7 took toward the Ark of God (presence of God)? (Disrespect it, Reject it, Neglect it) How do we disrespect, reject, or neglect the presence of God in our own lives? Which of these three postures do you struggle with most in your relationship with God? Why? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How should we posture ourselves to the presence of God in our lives? How do spiritual disciplines like: prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, and study help you practice the presence of God in your life? How do we sometimes use these disciplines to try to manage or manipulate God instead of using them to allow God to form and mold us? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Boxed Up Place a box in the center of your room. Ask the group to think about and name out loud the many different things boxes do. Then take some time to talk about the different things you put into boxes. Transition the conversation to talk about how we often want to put God in a box when...

The scene was total chaos. Political, moral and spiritual decline was rampant. A nation was in disarray. Even the spiritual leaders of the day seemed speechless for words that could really make a difference. Opinions were a dime a dozen, but no one seemed to be able to come up with the right words to move things forward. In case you thought I was talking about the landscape of the events this past week, I’m not. This was the condition of Israel at the beginning of the life of Samuel. And it is into this landscape that God began to speak—first to one person and then through him to an entire nation. And from the chaos, clarity began to emerge. Death, destruction, disarray and decline gave way to destiny, deliverance and dynasty. Words created a new world. But not just any words. These were the words of God—words that have the power to change everything. Join us this week as we once again return to the book of I Samuel and learn together how to be people that steward the words of God to bring clarity in the midst of the chaos. We need to hear. God wants to speak. So, why not learn to be the kind of person who listens. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: August 20, 2017:  Rise and Reign: New Day Dawning Scripture:1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-4:1a ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we returned to the book of 1 Samuel and learned how to be people that steward the words of God. The scene in Israel was total political, moral, and spiritual devastation. The nation was in disarray. Opinions were a dime a dozen, but no one seemed to be able to come up with the right words to move things forward. It is into this dim landscape that God was determined to speak—first to one disoriented person, Samuel, and then through him, to an entire nation. And from the chaos, clarity began to dawn and a new reality began to emerge. Death, destruction, disarray and decline gave way to destiny, deliverance and dynasty. In the midst of the physical and spiritual darkness, God is not content even if his own people have become complacent. He is determined, bending over backwards, to bring change and clarity in the midst of noise and distraction. God dares to speak and desires that we hear his voice. He invites us to leave our disorientation behind and truly hear and know him. He demonstrates through Samuel that the pathway for hearing God’s voice is through community. We need to help each other consider the question: What if this really is the voice of God? Words create a new world. But not just any words. When we hear the voice of God and speak the words of God, His words have the power to change everything and give us something life-changing to say! THE MAIN THOUGHT We need to hear. God wants to speak. So, why not learn to be the kind of person who listens to His words? SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?):  What was the physical and spiritual situation in Israel? How did God move into the chaos to bring about change and transformation? What sort of person did God seek out? What sort of person did Samuel become? Why? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): Which character in the story do you most closely relate to? Why? What are the words that God is speaking to you? What is one way you can listen to Him better? How can listening change the way you see the chaos around you? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How could becoming a person who listens to and obeys God impact your family, community, and workplace? What are the possibilities and new realities he is revealing?

If you could reverse one thing in your life, what would it be? In 1 Samuel, Hannah’s story of reversal sets the stage for the great story of the rise and reign of Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David. This entire section of Scripture, in fact, reminds us that in God’s world the possibility of reversal is as real as the child Samuel born from a once-barren womb. Where might God’s reversal bring fresh hope and a new song to your life? DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: August 13, 2017:  Rise and Reign: “For not by might shall a man prevail” Scripture: 1 SAMUEL 1:21-2:11 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes It is no secret today that much of our world is in turmoil. Even the testimony of the horrific events from this past week that have now dominated our headlines, remind us of how divisive and destructive things can be. And it is into this same kind of atmosphere that the story of I Samuel begins. Coming right on the heels of the rollercoaster ride of the book of Judges, where each person was doing what was right in their own eyes and there was no king, comes the rise and reign of Israel’s greatest kingdom moment in all of the Old Testament. It’s a rise and reign that points to the person of Jesus. And it’s a rise and reign that, like Jesus, starts in the unlikeliest of places. It starts with a woman named Hannah, who is barren. But, in her barrenness she prays to God and God answers her prayers and reverses her situation. And through her reversed situation, God begins to bring reversal to all of Israel. THE MAIN THOUGHT Reversal is possible. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What do you remember about Hannah’s story? What was Hannah’s problem? What was Hannah’s prayer? What did God do? What did Hannah do in response to what God did? Why was this reversal important to Hannah? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What were the three areas of reversal that Jon identified this week in Hannah’s prayer and throughout the book of I Samuel? (power issues, provision issues, personal issues) Which of these three areas resonate with you most? Where do you want to see a reversal in any or all of these issues? Why? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): : What do you think it would look like to be an agent of reversal in the world? As a church? As a person? How can you be a part of that kind of reversal? What keeps you from being part of that? Why? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Stories of Reversal Exercise 10 minutes Divide your group into two teams. Then place five minutes on a timer. Have each team come up with as many different reversal stories in the Bible as they can. Then have each team read off one story from their list at a time—alternating with the other team until one team has run out of reversal stories to share. The team who still has stories on their list when the other team has finished is the winner. Celebrate with both teams while you call attention to all the reversal stories in the Bible that the teams have listed. Remind the group of Jon’s points from Sunday’s sermon: 1. Reversal is real, 2. Reversal is the rule, and 3. Reversal is a matter of trust. Change IN // Testimonies of Reversal Group Activity 15 minutes Make some room this week to invite your group to share places where they have seen God reverse something in their own lives. Invite each person in the group to share the place they have seen God bring the greatest reversal in their life.

Disciples, make disciples. This message from Buddy Hoffman, founding pastor of the Grace Family of Churches, was recorded at Grace Midtown in August of 2016. As we move into a new season of ministry, we want to be stirred by these words of Buddy which express that which drives and motivates us as a church. If you want to know the DNA of Grace, then watch this talk from Buddy. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: August 6, 2017:  Disciples, Make Disciples // Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes As we move into a new season of school and activities, we want to remember the core of who we are at Grace. It’s easy to miss the essentials in the midst of the flurry of activity. This morning, we watched a video of Buddy Hoffman teaching on discipleship. THE MAIN THOUGHT Keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion Disciples, make disciples. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What was Jesus’ way of living? (Mark 2:14) What did the disciples do? (Acts 14:21) What did the early church do? (I Corinthians 4:14-20) Mirror (Where am I in the story?): How do I know if I’m a disciple? Would I be comfortable saying to someone, “Imitate me?” (v.16) Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How can we reach the world? (Acts 5:28) What is the power of multiplication? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Ready // Exercise 10 minutes Consider yourself sent! The way to be ready, then set, then to go is to start at the feet of the Father. Take some time to hear from God. He has already called you to be a disciple-maker. Now ask Him what that needs to look like in your life this semester. Change IN // Set // Group Activity 15 minutes Share together what you heard from God. How do those things bring you each back to the basics, back to the core of disciple making? Talk about how you’ll support each person as they walk out God’s call on to disciple making this semester. Change OUT // Go // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes This week, listen for stories of people around you who may feel stuck and alone. Commit to sharing one of these three Jesus stories with them so they can experience the compassion, delight, and faithful heart of the Father. CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.

I can hardly believe that summer break is nearly over (even though this Hotlanta weather will probably persist with “summer-like” conditions for several more months). For many of us, this shift of seasons triggers an urgent rush to wring the last bits of carefree leisure from this sun-gilded season. And then, overnight, a host of new rhythms and routines kick in: homework on schoolnights, football on Fridays, church on Sundays, Kidzlife/LUG on Wednesdays, (more) traffic on weekdays. In the midst of all this, however, it is easy to overlook prayer–times preparing with and listening for the voice of God. But as we shall see this week, prayer matters much to the shape of our seasons and our circumstances. On Sunday, our reading of the Word from 1 Samuel 1 and our worship will lead us to prayer for our schools and for our educators and for our kids who are on the brink of another new year. DOWNLOADS

I once heard a well-known preacher say that he had changed so much through the years of his marriage that it was almost like his wife had been married to three or four different men during that time. And he’s right. Even if we don’t realize it in the moment, we all change over time, hopefully for the better (though sometimes for the worse). Similarly, the passage we’ve been reading in Colossians 3 assumes change in our relationships, in our circumstances, and in ourselves. How do our house rules adapt through the rhythms and the changes of life? And how might they even contribute to change for the better? DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: July 23, 2017 : House Rhythms // Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4:1 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Colossians 3 assumes change in our relationships, in our circumstances, and in ourselves. Even if we don’t realize it in the moment, we all change over time, hopefully for the better (though sometimes for the worse). How do our house rules adapt through the rhythms and the changes of life? Paul recognizes the tension between the new life we already have in Christ and the full expression of that new life that won’t be revealed until we see Jesus face to face. In every aspect of our lives – marriage, family, vocation – we are in process and will experience change. The perfect bond that can bring unity and harmony during the changes of life is love. Love protects our relationships with healthy rules, and love can be expressed practically through the rhythms of life. Let’s make space for Jesus’ love to grow in our family. THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Love is the perfect bond that brings unity during the normal changes of life. CHANGE 5 questions to help us GROW or SEE IT 1. What are some things that happen when rules become more important than relationships? *have each person pick one example of a rule that might prevent connection instead of protecting it. 2. What are some things that you feel are changing right now in your own life? *have each person share one example of a positive change and one example of a negative change. 3. What are some attitudes that Paul tells us to “put on” as we move through change? (v12-17) *have each person choose one attitude and describe how you can practice that in your family. 4. What is the most important attitude we need? How can we truly communicate love together? *take turns sharing highlights of how your family has communicated love to each other this summer. 5. What are some practical ways to express love through the rhythms of life? *take some time to talk together about some practical ways you can “keep each other’s tanks full.” CHALLENGE 3 exercises to help us GO or BE IT (choose at least 1) UP (Our relationship with God): Keeping Rhythm Together with God (Give everyone a blank sheet of paper and some crayons) Read through Colossians 3 together. As you listen, think about what your family and your life together would look like if it reflected the values that Paul uses to describe our new life in Jesus. Take some time to draw a picture to demonstrate what this might look like in your family. Talk about your drawings together as a family and thank God that your house rules! IN (Our relationships with each other): Keeping Rhythm Together with Love Take turns challenging each other to a staring contest (w...

There is an old story about a philosophy professor who once gave his students a final exam containing only one question: Why? While some students labored to write on themes of purpose and destiny and existence, one student simply wrote, “Why not?” and received an “A” on the exam. Or at least that’s how the story goes. It is almost certainly an urban legend. Nevertheless, Why? remains one of the most important questions of our lives and leadership. And when it comes to defining and living out our house rules in a godly way, knowing why we do what we do is absolutely essential. In Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul shares his inspired ideas about family living. Throughout his instruction, however, he reminds us again and again of the answer to that Why? Do you know why? DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: July 16, 2017 : Our House Rules: House Reasons Scripture: Colossians 3:17-4:1   ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we continued our series Our House Rules. Like we have seen, every house has House Rules. Last week we saw how these House Rules are worked out in House Relationships. This week we are answering, “Why are our House Rules important?” Asking the why questions gets us to the level of our motivations. In Colossians 3, Paul answers the questions of why in some fascinating ways. The repeated reason Paul gives us over and over is: Jesus is Lord. But what kind of Lord is Jesus? Jesus is the kind of Lord that steps into our messy and messed up situations with a purpose and a plan to lead us to His beautiful destination. Following Him to this beautiful destination requires us growing in maturity and maturity means learning to cope with our ambivalence, so we can hang in to the very end with what God is doing- knowing He is for us, not against us. THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. The reason we live our lives in new ways is because we have a new Lord—Jesus is Lord. CHANGE 5 questions to help us GROW or SEE IT 1. Which of the following kinds of questions do you ask most? (What?, How?, Where?, When? or Why?) Why? As each person in your family answers which kind of question they ask most. Then demonstrate the only way for us to really understand what each other value is by asking the question “Why?” The last few weeks we have talked about what our House Rules are and how these House Rules are lived out in our relationships. This week we want to look at why these House Rules are important. 2. What is Paul’s reason for the new way of life that he is calling people to in Colossians 3? *Review together Jon’s sermon and what Jon said was the most important reason Paul gave for living this new way of life—Jesus is Lord. 3. What kind of Lord is Jesus? *Remind your family Jesus is the kind of Lord that starts right where we are—right in our messy and messed up situations and moves us to beautiful destinations through His purpose and His plan. 4. What are some of the messes that families face today? What are some of the messes or messed up places in our family? How might Jesus want to change these things? *Try to come up with the top three things Jesus might want to change in your family. Start by naming as many things as you can as a family and then narrow those things down to the top three things Jesus might want to change. 5. What does the word ambivalence mean?

When I was a freshman on the Furman baseball team, my job was to chalk the field before every home game. I think they chose me because there wasn’t much chance I’d get into the game that year. Nevertheless, I took the responsibility seriously, carefully outlining both batter’s boxes and making sure the white foul lines were arrow straight in the dirt each day. During the years that followed, I passed on my passion for chalking to other freshmen. But for that entire first year, I knew my role on the team and tried to do it as well as I could. Families aren’t exactly like baseball teams, but the importance of everyone knowing his or her responsibility remains. Wise house rules depend on healthy relationships and clear responsibilities. This week, we will continue our Family Camp July by reading the second half of Colossians 3. There, Paul speaks specifically about our responsibilities for key family relationships. And what he has to say is actually much more significant than chalk lines on smooth dirt. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: July 9, 2017 House Relationships // Scripture: Colossians 3:17-4:1 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we continued our Family Camp series called Our House Rules by discovering together how good house rules help us create healthy relationships. In this message Jon shared with us that according to Paul in Colossians 3:17-4:1, relationships are the most valuable and important things that we have. Connecting and living in healthy relationships means learning to love and treat each other the way God has loved and treated us. It means moving from selfishness to selflessness in every relationship of our lives. THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. House rules help us live in healthy relationships. CHANGE 5 questions to help us GROW or SEE IT 1. What is your most valued possession? What is the most important thing that you have? *Encourage each person to share what is most valued and important to them. 2. What does Paul say is the most important and valuable thing that we have? Where have you seen healthy relationships in your life? How does God show us the way to live in healthy and hopeful relationships? *Review together Jon’s sermon and what Jon said was the most important thing in our lives (relationships). Talk about how God’s relationship toward us shows us how to live in relationship with each other. 3. What kinds of things get in the way of us having healthy relationships in our lives? (bitterness, anger, fear, etc.) Why do you think these things make relationships unhealthy? What kinds of things can we practice in our house to help us live as a healthy family? *Ask each person to talk about a time that they were angry, bitter, fearful or upset and how those things started getting in the way of their relationship with another person. Then transition the conversation to talk about how encouraging each other, trusting one another and valuing each other can become healthy practices of your family. 4. What do you think it means to be selfless vs. being selfish? How did Jesus show us to do this? Where is one place that you have seen someone in our family be selfless this past week? *Compare and contrast how Jesus acted in his relationships and how we sometimes act in our relationships. Then go around and have each person identify one example of someone in your family acting selflessly this past week. 5. How can our family practice good relationships with our friends and neig...

It’s a phrase that can refer to anything from taking off your shoes before entering to the playability of a ping pong shot after it bounces off a low ceiling. Umpires and coaches meet at home plate before baseball games to discuss the particular ground rules for that particular field, and playful lists of “house rules” can be found populating many a Pinterest page. Every house has them, whether they are printed on a piece of decorative wood or are simply known by frequent repetition. But what are your house rules? And what kind of house rules reflect God’s heart for communities that hope to follow Jesus well? Scripture speaks frequently to these questions, but Colossians 3 is one of my favorite places to find answers. This month, we will be learning from these beautiful verses as our kids (older than 2nd grade), students, and adults all gather in main worship together for our Family Camp July. We will have lots of fun and games (and food trucks this week!). Along the way, I hope that we will all gain greater insight into God’s heart for these guidelines. After all, we all want to live in a home where we can say–with conviction–that Our House Rules! DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: July 2, 2017 House Rules // Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Every house has rules. What kind of house rules reflect God’s heart for communities that hope to follow Jesus well? Scripture speaks frequently to these questions, but Colossians 3 is a great place to find answers. This month, we will be learning from these beautiful verses, and along the way, we will all gain greater insight into God’s heart for these guidelines. After all, we all want to live in a home where we can say with conviction that Our House Rules! THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Consider your own House Rules & whether they reflect God’s House Rules. CHANGE 5 questions to help us GROW or SEE IT 1. Do you ever encounter rules that you don’t understand? *have each person pick one example of this 2. What are your current house rules? (v. 5-11) *have each person pick one house rule 3. How does this show what your house values? *have each person express how these are important to what your family stands for/against 4. What were Paul’s house rules? (v. 12-17) *share four verbs that reflect Paul’s values listed in the passage. 5. What places might God be asking your “house” of family and friends to step into this month? *discuss together ways that your house could cultivate Paul’s house rules in your own context CHALLENGE 3 exercises to help us GO or BE IT (choose at least 1) UP (Our relationship with God): Jesus Only Spend time together talking about how God has emptied out all the fear, guilt and shame from your lives and has filled you up with Himself. So now what does that look like in your everyday lives – letting Jesus overflow out of you, in your words and actions? (v. 17) IN (Our relationships with each other): Key Relationships Take a minute to go around the table and have each person speak one word into each person’s life by telling him or her how they see Jesus overflowing in their words and actions. Discuss ways that your family can improve how you reflect God’s house rules. (v. 13-17) OUT (Our relationship with the world): Agents of Mercy Take a walk as a family around your neighborhood this week.

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he…” This week, we’re finishing our series called “Unstuck.” We’ve seen how Jesus has the power to set us free, even from the most unlikely prisons. Sunday, we’ll see what happens when Jesus gets a reviled tax collector named Zacchaeus unstuck. Once again we find Jesus saving the least deserving people, much to the shock of the onlooking community. But it’s not just this “wee little man” who gets unstuck in this story–the ripples go into the whole community. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: June 25, 2017 Unstuck: Hiding & Hungry // Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we finished our sermon series called Unstuck, by looking at the story of Zacchaeus. In this story, Jesus goes to the outskirts of society as he passes through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem to find a man named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus is hiding in a sycamore tree, hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus. He is a tough man who, as a chief tax collector, is extorting his own people to make himself rich. He is the local mafia kingpin of his day and was most likely despised by his fellow countrymen because of his work. He is a man who has it all, except for the one thing he needs—Jesus. In this surprising story, Jesus in his mercy comes to Zacchaeus, meets him in his hiding spot (which God has been doing since Genesis 3 with Adam and Eve), calls Zacchaeus by name, and goes with Zacchaeus into his house. This is what salvation is all about—God meeting us where we are, coming into our house, and setting us free from all the things that tend to get us stuck in our own lives. Zacchaeus, who is stuck in his finances, stuck in his relationships, and stuck in his unforgiveness, finds that Jesus can give him the freedom and forgiveness his heart has longed for. This week, Aaron challenged us to let salvation come to our house (right now—not just one day) for these very same things. THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Mercy is the miracle. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture  (What is the story saying?): What did you learn about Zacchaeus from this week’s sermon that you didn’t know before Aaron spoke? Why was that important to you? How did Aaron describe Zacchaeus? What did Aaron say was significant about Zacchaeus being in a sycamore tree? How was Zacchaeus stuck? What did Jesus do to get Zacchaeus unstuck? How did Zacheaus respond to Jesus? Why is this surprising? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): From Genesis 3 all the way to today, we as humans tend to hide from God. Why do you think we hide from God? How was Zacchaeus hiding in this story? Where is your tendency to hide from God? What does it look like for Jesus to call you by name and come into your house? What has been the most radical response to Jesus that you have ever made in your life? How has that changed you? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): Jesus had a way of always seeing the world through the lens of grace and mercy. What does looking at the world through grace and mercy look like? How might looking at the world this way change the way we view our finances? How might it change the way we deal with our relationships? How does it help us deal with forgiveness of ourselves and others? BE IT> – Practice Change UP //Name Calling In the sermon today, Aaron talked about the fact that Jesus called Zacchaeus by name. This is God’s nature. He knows who we are. But the even greater truth of Scripture is not just that God calls us by name; it’s that He gives us His name.

Sunday is Father’s Day. And as I’ve learned over the last 18 months, being a father is so much more than just having kids. Fathering is both the most challenging and most rewarding effort I’ve ever undertaken. And then, when I think of the way Scripture speaks of God as Father, I am led to awe at God’s responsibility of “fathering” the entire cosmos. On Sunday, we will look at both of these sides of fatherhood–as earthly fathers and as children to our heavenly Father. Aaron Keyes and I will be sharing a conversation about the ways we have been spiritually fathered by Buddy Hoffman and how that experience was so integral in the inspiration of the new album that 10,000 Fathers recorded in the home of Buddy and Jody this spring. That album releases this Sunday, and it is very special. Then, Kyle Borgognoni, our college pastor and the newest dad on our staff, will be preaching from the Gospel of Luke about the times when Jesus helped dads and moms get “unstuck” in challenging situations with their own children. It’s going to be a significant day, and I look forward to sharing it with you. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: June 18, 2017 : Unstuck:Unstuck: Jesus & the Only Begottens // Scripture: Luke 7:1-11-17, 8:40-56, 9:34-44 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Fathering is both the most challenging and most rewarding effort you can undertake in life. When we think of the way Scripture speaks of God, as our Father, we are in awe of God’s responsibility of “fathering” the entire cosmos. This week we looked at fatherhood – as earthly fathers and as children to our heavenly Father. Jesus overflows in the delight of His relationship with His Father. As the only begotten One, Jesus reflects and demonstrates the imprint of God in every situation. In Luke, Jesus specifically communicates some key aspects of God, the perfect Father, in three encounters with special “only begotten ones.” First, Jesus goes out of His way to encounter a widow who has just experienced the loss of her only son. In reviving her son to life, Jesus reveals the deep compassion of God for each of us. Later, He is approached by a desperate father who has just lost his only daughter. In restoring her to her parents, Jesus declares the intense delight God has for each of us. Finally, Jesus hears a desperate mother’s pleas for her only son, who is possessed by demons. In rescuing him from bondage, Jesus confirms the faithfulness of God to deliver each of us. In all of these encounters, Jesus communicates the heart of God – a heart full of compassion, delight, and faithful love. As we face situations this week that seem to be keeping us stuck and far from God, may we rest in the truth of the perfect Father who is revealed to us so clearly in the life and actions of Jesus. THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. God, the perfect Father, is clearly revealed to us in Jesus. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture  (What is the story saying?): What is the significance of the concept of being “only begotten”? How did their encounters with Jesus help each of these families get unstuck? How did Jesus demonstrate and reflect the heart of the perfect Father to each of them? Mirror (Where am I in the story?):  Which story do you most closely relate to? How does the way Jesus reveals the heart of God in that situation speak to your own circumstance? What aspect of the perfect Father,

Years ago when Michael W. Smith, Petra and Striper (Yes—I went old school there with that last one) ruled the Christian music industry, a little band emerged that changed Christian music forever. They called themselves DC Talk. This Christian rap and rock trio would eventually win multiple Grammy awards for their Albums including Free at Last and Solo. But none of their records are probably as familiar as the world renown album called Jesus Freak. Jesus Freak peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and six of the albums seven singles reached number one across various Christian radio formats. The album was widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential albums in the history of Christian music. One song on the Jesus Freak album entitled “What if I Stumble?” starts with this quote from Brennan Manning: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” In the song that follows this quote, the group contemplates the authentic journey of following Christ in the midst of both Christian religiosity and their own frailty to live up to a kind of Jesus standard in their own lives. Twenty plus years later I still remember that quote. In fact, as I think back on it, it was this quote and many other thoughts like it that catalyzed me on my own journey to make sense of what it looks like in real life to follow Jesus well. Too often paralyzed by a religion that seemed all about the rules and very little focused on the person of Christ that I was reading in the Scriptures, I soon realized that I was in need of not just a change but an entire reformation. For too long I had defined Jesus through the narrow confines of my legalistic idea of Christianity. Now Christ was challenging my Christianity and helping me redefine what it means to be Christian. And while I still have many more miles to travel on this journey, one thing remains—I’m choosing to let Christ lead me to what it means to be Christian instead of letting a form of Christianity dictate the way I see Jesus. In fact one of the foremost values of my life is “Christ before Christianity…because following a person is different than fitting into an institution.” This week at Grace Snellville, I would love to keep this conversation (that has so saturated my personal life) moving with you. For anyone who has ever found themselves stuck in the rules of religion and devoid of the vibrancy of a life of faith found in relationship with a living person, this week’s message is for you. It’s also for everyone who like me is just doing their best to allow Jesus to reframe everything about what it means to live life as a Christian. So, come join us this Sunday and let’s get Unstuck from Religion together. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) DATE: June 11, 2017 : Unstuck: Stuck in Religion // Scripture: Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11, Matthew 12:9-14 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes When we look at the present-day Church, in many ways it seems that it’s missing Christ. When we look at Jesus in the gospels, He’s not just bringing religion, he’s bringing a transformative Kingdom. He’s not fitting into the religious world of His day. In this story, Jesus does something different—He heals the man right in front of everyone. The Pharisees had wondered if He would heal on the Sabbath, but Jesus was healing the Sabbath. The man with the withered hand was hoping for a word from God, Jesus was helping with the work of God, and the Pharisees were standing in the way of God.