Icebreaker:
Share a time when community helped carry your burdens or restored you to a right way of living.
Do you have examples of communities that tear you down instead of building you up? Why do people participate in those types of communities?
Rule # 1: Never forget your purpose
Rule # 2: Don’t be conformed by the world
Rule # 3: Seek out people who will tell you the truth
Rule # 4: Your life can only be justified by Jesus Christ
Rule # 5: Live for the Right Thing
Rule # 6: Live Free!
Rule # 7: Live in community – your church
Going Deeper:
Open to Galatians chapter 6.
Verses 1-2:
- Verse 2 says that by sharing in one another’s burdens and restoring people to faith we are obeying the law of Christ. What is the law of Christ? (Matt. 22:37-40)
- How does this law affect the way you live? (You can’t obey it by doing faith/life alone)
- Why do we need to be careful when we restore other people to faith?
Verses 3-6:
- This section is all about living life by comparison. Why do we do this?
- What is the result?
- How to we combat this way of living?
Verses 7-10:
- Verse 7 comes right out and tells us not to be deceived because God can’t be mocked (NIV). What does this mean?
- Pastor Doug told us that our bodies respond to the conditions of this world. How do you see that reflected in your daily life?
- What are the indicators in your life that show what you are “sowing?” Are you sowing in the right places?
- How do you train yourself to sow spiritually?
Verses 11-16:
- In these verses Paul bemoans those who focus on circumcision instead of the cross. Why do we lose focus?
- How does community help us focus on the cross?
Verses 17-18:
- Does your body or life show the scars of Christ? What does that look like?
Reflect:
- Pastor Doug referenced Philippians 3:10 in closing on Sunday, “to know the power of His resurrection.” Paul wanted to experience that victory over death. Doug challenged us to think about the things that are putting our lives to death. How are you going overcome those things with community and the cross this week?
- Take some time to pray over one another and ask for Christ to give you victory over death this week through his power.
