Week 2 - Surrender
Discussion Guide
Are you all in? This week we learn what it looks like to live a surrendered life. Surrender is hard and something we have to do every day, but it makes for the most fulfilling life. Our church is made up of you and me; each of us has an important role to play. God wants to use us, but we must be willing to surrender all we have to Him each day.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
1. What’s the most valuable possession you have? What would it take for you to let it go?
2. Introduce, learn, celebrate. Read Acts 20:24, Luke 9:23, and John 10:10. What is the mission the Lord gave Paul? Is this mission the same one we have? What is the cost of following Jesus? How would the verse from Luke change if you take out the word “daily?” Does it sound “fun” to follow Jesus, according to this verse? Why is it worth the sacrifice? What makes for an abundant life?
3. Attend a weekly service: Read Acts 2:42-47. What do these verses teach us about the early church? How did the early church use their homes and resources? Why is attending a service in person with the family of God so important?
4. Serve on a ministry team: Read 1 Peter 4:10. To which believers does God give a spiritual gift? What is it to be used for? Are some gifts more significant than others? How can you use your gifts to serve? How does serving bless you and others?
5. Connect in a Life Group: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Galatians 6:2, and Proverbs 27:17. Why do we need reminders to encourage each other? What is the most helpful thing a friend can do?
6. Give generously through tithes and offerings: Read Matthew 6:21 and Proverbs 3:9-10. How can we align our hearts to God, based on the verse in Matthew? Why should the Lord get our best and first? What is the outcome of giving God our best? What should be our motivation behind the giving of our tithes and offerings?
7. Quiet time: Read Luke 22:39,40, Mark 1:35, and Romans 12:12. How did Jesus prioritize His time with God? What did this routine do for the disciples? How will / do you make your quiet time a priority in your day?
8. Action Step: Will you take time this week to ask God how He wants you to be “all in” at our church? What do you need to surrender? Are you willing to surrender your life to be “all in” with what God’s doing?
Deeper
9. Read 1 Kings 17:10-16. In the story of Elijah and the widow, what would you have done in the widow’s position? In the story, it is easy for the widow to be focused on a handful of flour when God wants to do something so much more. Why is this a great example of giving your “first fruits”? In your life, what is the thing that is hardest to trust God with it?
10. Read Malachi 3:10-11. What does God say He will do if we trust Him with our first fruits? Why does He wait for us to give our first fruits before He blesses us? Was there a time when no matter how much time you put in or how much money you saved, you ended up behind in your bills and responsibilities? Have you ever seen God’s blessings by trusting Him with your first fruits? Is the blessing that God gives us in return always the same as the investment?
11. Read Genesis 4:3-7, Proverbs 19:3 and Hebrews 11:4. Why was God less pleased with Cain’s gift than with Abel’s gift? Was it the value of animals compared to the value of vegetables? Check out Luke 21:1-4. What does God value above anything else? Have you ever tried to give God the leftovers of your resources? Why does this hurt God?
12. Final Thought: Read Genesis 22:1-14 and Matthew 6:21. With what “first fruit” did Abraham trust God? What did Abraham’s son represent? God also wants our first when it comes to our future, family, dreams, and even our problems. What would it look like to give God the first fruits in your marriage? In your dreams? In other areas? Overall, which areas are you best at giving God your first fruits? In which area(s) do you need to trust God?