Discussion Guide
We’ve arrived at week three in our series Judged. This week our focus centers around “being in the world but not of it.” This is a tough concept for so many because…um…we ARE in the world if we are still alive! We work at our jobs, we take our kids to the dentist, we go to a ball game with friends, we watch YouTube. We must dig under the surface to see what Jesus is really getting at. How does God desire us to exist alongside those outside His family in a way that draws them toward His heart and not away from it?
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. Who is someone (famous or not) that if they turned their life to Jesus, you’d be amazed and thrilled? Who is someone in your own sphere of influence that seems like the last person who would ever become a Christian?
2. Read John 17:15–18. Do you ever wonder why God leaves us here on Earth instead of taking us straight to Heaven when we put our faith in Jesus? How do you see God sanctifying you in the truth? (sanctify: to slowly make you into the image of Jesus) Did you catch that Jesus sends us into the world? What does this reveal about our purpose as believers?
3. Read John 4:1–6. Can anyone share a time when someone went out of their way to care for you in the middle of a mess—without judging you? How full would our church be if we all had to get all the sin out of our lives BEFORE any Christian would even talk to you?
4. Read James 1:14-15, 2 Cor 6:14, Matthew 5:14-16. Am I isolated from the world? Do I only spend time with Christians? Do I only spend time with non-Christians? What do you think is a healthy balance? Do you ignore sin?
5. Read John 4:27–29, 39. What did the woman leave behind, literally and figuratively? In verse 39 what was the result of Jesus crossing the barriers that others placed on Samaritans?
Action Steps: What are some ways you could push yourself this week to love and listen to someone that is already in your life? A neighbor, someone at the gym, a friend at work. Ask God to help you stop creating lines and start crossing them with the people He places in your path.