Renovate: To Make New (Part 3): Review the Records

TO START:

To start group tonight have each member share one way they’ve seen God this week. Or play Pits and Peaks (have each group member share one high point and one low point from their week).

Also, please encourage your group members to participate in our annual 24 hours of prayer and fasting starting this coming Saturday, February 6th at 12:00pm! Head to roundrockchurch.us/livelovepray for more info.

TO READ

Before watching the video for the week, take a look at two passages in Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 & John 8:21-32.

TO WATCH

Now jump into this week’s session 3 video: https://www.anthology.study/Studies/Renovate

TO DISCUSS

Ask 1 of these 2 questions first after the video:

  • Talk about a time when you learned from failing. Did it change your perspective on failure? If so, how?

  • Who are 1-2 people in your life who have had the greatest influence on you?

This week, John talks about the fact that our stories are so important in shaping who we are and what we believe. In particular, he argues that our experiences during the first two decades of life have the greatest implications for shaping us. 

  • Is the idea that your experiences during the first two decades of life have influenced your current behavior new to you? Do you believe that’s true? Why or why not?

Additionally, John brings up the ways in which our experiences with our father or father-figures (Absent/Distant, Abusive, Authoritarian, Critical/Judgmental) can lead to a distorted view of God. This is not so hard to believe. For us, the easiest comparison we can make is between other imperfect human beings and a perfect God. 

  • So, what kind of relationship did you have with your father when you were growing up? How do you think that relationship influenced what you believe about yourself and how you behave?

  • If you had a good, healthy relationship with your father, do you think that has helped your relationship / belief / view of God as your father?

  • If you had a relationship more like what John was talking about in the video, does it give you peace knowing that our past and our personal history doesn’t define who we are? 

Near the end of the video, John read these powerful words from Jesus in John 8, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

  • What is one truth about God you have difficulty believing? What is one thing you can do this week to begin renewing your mind when it comes to your false belief? 

TO CLOSE IF YOU HAVE TIME:

PAUSE and THINK of some false beliefs that you’ve been prone to believe and THEN think of truths from God/Scripture that might set you free (John mentioned a view of these in the video) 

Examples:

  1. False Belief: I’m worthless; I will never amount to anything. 

    1. Truth: I was valuable before I was born; “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” - Psalm 139:14

  2. False Belief: Other people must meet my needs.

    1. Truth: God is the ultimate source of provision for all my needs; “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” - Philippians 4:19

  3. False Belief: I must perform/achieve to be accepted.

    1. Truth: God accepts me--not because of anything I’ve done; “[God] saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy” - Titus 3:5

  4. If you need more help - read Jeremiah 1:5 and/or Philippians 4:7

TO PRAY

This week, I want to invite y’all to pray for God to replace your false beliefs about Him and about yourself. Instead ask him to replace those false beliefs with the truth that sets us free! Take prayer requests for your group and then close with the prayer below: 

God, grant us the serenity to stop beating ourselves up for not doing things perfectly, The courage to forgive ourselves because we are working on doing better. And the wisdom to know that You, God already love us just the way we are. Amen. 

- Unknown Author, “The Other Serenity Prayer”

Matt DeLano