Men's Small Group Blog

This week we are going to start a discussion on Serving / Servanthood (Thanks to article from Hampton Keathly-found on Bible.org).

Servanthood– There are various definitions of Servanthood but as it applies to Christians:  A devoted and helpful follower or supporter: “a tireless servant of God”

Mark 10:45– Jesus said, ‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many.

Philippians 1:4– Each of you should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had.

The link is attached but is lengthy (likely another Friday discussion).  The following is a summary with questions.

https://bible.org/seriespage/mark-8-heart-servant

But what exactly is servanthood? Servanthood is the state, condition, or quality of one who lives as a servant. Further, a servant is first of all one who is under submission to another. For Christians, this means submission to God first, and then submission to one another. Then, as one in submission, a servant is one who seeks to meet the real needs of others or of the person he is serving. To put it another way, servanthood is the condition or state of being a servant to others, of ministry to others rather than the service of self. It means willingly giving of oneself to minister for and to others and to do whatever it takes to accomplish what is best for another.

However, when serving others and their needs, if the underlying motive and goal is some form of self-love, like the praise of others for the service rendered, then one’s service is in reality hypocritical. This type of service is really aimed at serving selfish ends—usually in the futile pursuit of personal significance through something like praise, power, or status.

Christ’s plan and that which produces maximum blessing to the world and the church is servanthood. A servant is one who, even when in positions of leadership seeks to lead and influence others through lives given in ministry for the blessing of others and their needs. The Lord Jesus came as a servant with a commitment to serve. Just think, if He had come to be served, our redemption could and would never have taken place. Likewise, our failure to live as servants throws up a huge barrier to effective ministry as representatives of the Lord Jesus.

Questions:

1. Can one be saved by Faith alone?
2. If you serve others only for the purpose to make yourself look good or feel significant, does it matter? Can Servanthood be Selfish?
3. What are some examples that Hinder us from Servanthood?
4. Why is servanthood so important to the Christian Life and to Christian ministry?

This week we will discuss Advent. Definition- Advent:  the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.

Advent: Advent is a season of preparation and waiting for the celebration of Jesus birth at Christmas. Christians take part in advent as a way to celebrate the promise of the Savior, both at birth and looking forward to his return.

Thanks to the NUMC Blog in 2016 and from Buckhead Church material below.

Buckhead Station is right beneath our church building, a convenience for our staff team for those meetings and appointments that are up and down the main line. And there’s no greater feeling than rushing through the turnstile and down the stairs to the platform just as the train is pulling in. Timing is that thing that stands between enjoying public transit and being completely frustrated by it. Back in the day before MARTA released their smartphone app, complete with arrival times, delay reports, and station updates, frustration was norm. It was all a guessing game. You never really knew when, or if, the train would show up. It was hard to feel prepared and on top of things.

This was the teaching of John the Baptist in Luke 3, that we must be prepared for God’s arrival. Luke quotes Isaiah, saying, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. In other words, do not be caught off guard. Live expectantly and with anticipation of God’s coming, of His presence. This is Advent. The season of preparation for the Lord’s arrival and presence in our lives.

• What are the things that bring on stress for you during this holiday season? obligations? gift buying? The family commitments? Finances? And at what point, for you, does the central message of Christmas get muddied up in the busyness of everything?  Do these things/ to-do list keep you from being present?

• What are the top roadblocks (not excuses) that keep you from being more present?
• What are the biggest benefits of being present consistently?
• Who are the people in your life that remind you of God’s presence in your life?
• What can you do today to be just a little more present in one person’s life?

Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 8:16–18; Matthew 6:31–34; John 6:48–51

When you were a kid, did you ever wish you could see into the future? Most kids wonder what will happen to them as the years pass by and they grow older. Where will they go to school? Will they go to college? What about a career? Will they get married and have a family?

This kind of thinking doesn’t end when a person reaches adulthood. Singles wonder whether there’s a spouse for them out there somewhere. Parents dream about what their kids will grow up to be. College freshmen wonder about their eventual career path; older workers prepare for—or worry about—their retirement years.

Human nature compels us to look ahead with wonder. Dreams of the future make the drudgery of work today worthwhile. Anticipation of future events gets us up in the morning and forces us to plan for tomorrow. It’s what separates a man from his best friend, his dog.

The Israelites in today’s story were no different from us today. Faced with an uncertain future and an immediate need for food and water, they started grumbling. While they’d labored hard during their years of slavery, at least in Egypt they’d always had plenty of food and water. Now here they were, out in the desert, and they and their kids were hungry and thirsty. Put yourself in their place, and try to look at the situation from their perspective. Chances are you’d have had a few pointed questions for Moses as well.

God heard them, and responded by promising to provide for them. Those of us who attended Sunday school know the story well—each morning, flakes of bread appeared on the ground; in the evening, quail covered the camp. But they couldn’t hoard what they gathered, and they couldn’t store it. Moses instructed the Israelites to gather only what they needed for the day—no more, no less. Tough to do when you’re thinking about what the kids will eat for breakfast!

Why was limiting what they gathered important to God? Because the Israelites needed to understand what we all need to learn—that we can sustain a relationship with God only in the present.

Our past is nothing more than the story of how we got to where we are, and dwelling on it causes us to become stagnant and unsatisfied. We can’t find God by worrying or dreaming about the future, either, because that just makes us want to control whatever lies ahead.

Yes, we have concerns and hopes and dreams for the future. But this story tells us that we can live out our relationship with God only in the here and now. God longs for us to trust him every hour and every minute of today.

Questions:

• Do you have methods of slowing down and living in the present?
• What prevents you from slowing down?
• What worries about the future do you need to place in God’s hands?
• What hinders you from developing your relationship with God today?
• Consider the fact that the present, while fleeting, is the testing ground for your faithfulness to God and his plan for your life. Then pray for the wisdom to make the right decisions and place your plans and concerns for the future in God’s good hands.

I’m convinced of something more and more as I grow in my walk with The Lord over the years. Something that I consistently need to be reminded of over and over again, even though I keep thinking “I’ll get it” sooner or later. Something that remains over a long period of time and proves itself to be true time and time again.

Nothing I’m about to say will be shocking or brand-new information, but rather a reminder of what you and I need to hear over and over again.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:30

We simply need Jesus.

We need more of Jesus.

And over time, we need to increase our love for Jesus.

Now before you or I go “yea yea I know that….duh,” do we actually know this in a way where we live this way?

Or are we caught up in the rat race of our culture and lives? Busy with productivity, responsibilities, families, workplaces, relationships, money, etc.

As a follower of Jesus, what drives you? “All the things” you are supposed to do as a Christian or an increasing love of Jesus?

Because at the end of the day, if we truly grow in our love for Christ, everything else will follow and will take shape the way God has designed it. We could be “just as busy” as we are today, but with our love for Christ increasing, we’ll go through live accomplishing exactly what God has called us to do. To love Him with all of our hearts, minds, strength, soul, and to love others and make disciples.

Are we making disciples? Are you making disciples? When is the last time you shared the Gospel with someone? When is the last time you led someone to Christ and then invited them into your life to disciple them?

I know those are tough questions for me and for you, but they are necessary for us to keep asking ourselves. They reveal where our hearts truly are and what we are making most important in your life.

If that’s currently not Jesus, don’t beat yourself up. Repent and move forward. Ask God to increase your love for Him, read the Bible, pray, and start loving people well for the glory of God and for the good of others.

Let today be a reminder for you and for me that we simply need to increase in our love for Jesus more and more each day. And by doing so, our lives will reflect more of Jesus in everything and everyone we are involved with and God will be glorified.

Questions:

• The author says “We simply need more Jesus”.  What does that mean to you?  In other words, what does it mean to get more Jesus?
• We are all guilty as the author says of being caught up in the rat race to some degree but is that the primary thing that keep you from pursuing Jesus more than you do now?
• Making disciples for Christ sounds like such an intimidating and difficult goal but we don’t have to go into ministry to help others move closer to Jesus.  What simple things can we do in our day to day lives to be more effective in this area?
• The author says our life should reflect more of Jesus in everything we do.  What does that mean to you and what steps can we take to move in the right direction?

Thanksgiving is next Thursday, so today’s verse includes thanks as the theme.

Philippians 4:6-7 says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We previously have discussed the idea that we need to “pray like we mean it” or God will ignore what we ask for.  Along the same lines, today’s passage says we need to present our requests to God with thanksgiving.

Pause here for just a minute and picture what true thankfulness looks like.  Picture the joy in the eyes of the thanks-giver.  Genuine gratefulness is a very attractive thing.  Also picture the receiver of the thanks – softened heart, warm smile, etc.  It makes it a lot easier for us to keep giving if our gifts are received with Thanksgiving.

So when Paul encourages the church at Philippi to pray with Thanksgiving, he is really instructing them on how God wants them to pray and how they are most likely to have their prayers answered.

So as you talk to God this week before Thanksgiving, Pray like you mean it AND Be Thankful like you mean it!

• Have you ever given a gift that wasn’t received with thankfulness? If so, how likely were you to be generous to that person or group in the future?
• Does God NEED our thanks? If not, why would Paul tell us it is important to God?
• What is something you need to express thanks for that you have not yet?
• Do you think God thinks it is too petty for us to express thanks for simple things like food, shelter, and clean water?

Luke 6:27-29, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also”.

Matthew 5- (Sermon on the Mount) Love for Enemies: ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The topic for this week was to start a series on “Lent” which started yesterday but in light of the most recent “mass shooting” we would like to have one more discussion of “Love your Enemies”.  Last week we were only able to get to the first 2 of the following questions, we have added a few additional questions.

Questions:

• What is your faith costing you?
• How are you willing to suffer for Jesus Christ? (we are not in a war-torn area or an area that Christians are physically persecuted, so suffering might mean something different in 2018 USA).  How does your answer affect the way you handle insults or disapproval?
• Why is responding in love and not retaliation the most powerful form of witness for Christ?
• Do you find it hard in today’s political climate/Social climate to love others or Groups of people that you don’t agree with?
• In light of the shooting at the Florida school, it is very easy for us to pray for the families of the victims but what about praying for the shooter?  Is that hard for you to do?
• If you were to say a prayer for the Florida school shooter what would you pray for?
• We touched on this over the last couple of weeks but why do you think Jesus so heavily emphasized praying for those it is tough to pray for?

Our verse today is inspired by the recent snow & ice that resulted in salt being spread on the roads.  It reminds us of the many uses of salt, as long as it maintains its “saltiness”.

Matthew 5:13-18 says “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

One of the primary uses of salt in Jesus’ day was to preserve food.  Salt kills harmful bacteria in food by starving it of moisture.  In doing so, it effectively helps the food stay together instead of breaking down.  Similarly, when we follow Jesus’ example, any number of things are more likely to be preserved and stay together – our family, our community, our body, and our mind.

Then Jesus gives us a graphic example of what happens when we lose our “saltiness” – we get thrown out and trampled underfoot because we no longer good for anything.  Ouch!  It is bad enough to be thrown out but then to be trampled on sounds particularly bad.

Salt also adds flavor to food and makes it more appealing.  In the same way, Jesus followers can add flavor to our world but only once we allow Him to enter our lives and help us become “salty”.

Questions:

1)      If Christians are the salt of the earth, how do they get their saltiness?

2)     How does a “salty” Christian affect the world in comparison to someone who has lost their saltiness?

3)     What are the biggest challenges in your life that keep you from becoming saltier?

4)     What are one or two things you can do right away to start enhancing your own saltiness and the saltiness of your family?

Our passage today is from Isaiah 43:18-19 which says,

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

There are two parts of this passage — 1) don’t dwell on the past and 2) God calling us to a new thing that he has in store for us.

Forgetting about the past is not easy and the things we tend to dwell on are failures and shortcomings.  Because God knows this about us, He speaks through Isaiah and tells us NOT to dwell on these things.

Then He says that He is doing a new thing and He is calling us to that.  In all areas of our lives there is room for new things but of course to do something new you have to stop doing something old.  It is like buying a new room full of furniture and trying to move it in without moving the old furniture out — you have to move the old stuff out first or you are going to have a mess.

The real “turbo charge” for anything new is to pray about it.  Enlisting God’s guidance will take you farther down the path and will help you stay on the right path.  It could be as simple as saying; “God, I’m really excited about (your new thing) and about doing it to become a better husband and better father, all for Your glory.  As I work in this direction, please help me keep focused and open my eyes to other things the YOU believe I need to be working on.”

Blessings to all as we develop in our community of faith and encourage each other to be the best men we can be in 2018 and beyond!

Questions:

1) What are some of the “old” things you would like to move out of your life to make room for the new in 2018?

2) What are some new things you would like to move in?

3) Why can’t we just read and listen to a bunch of self-help material instead of enlisting God’s guidance in this process?

4) Share a story about something in the past that seemed bad at the time but that ultimately God turned into a blessing in your life.