Glorifying God with your Time - Part 2
February 5, 2015 | by: Dave Maniquis | 0 Comments
Posted in: Sermon Questions
PARTICIPANT'S GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP GATHERINGS
Sermon: Glorifying God with Your Time - Part 2, January 25th, 2015
Series: Busy: Finding Your Way In A Hectic World
Primary Passages:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17
Launching Discussion:
Do you think busyness is imposed by the culture we live in or is it self-imposed? In what way are the two connected?
Sermon Questions:
1. A main point Pastor Anthony made was, “If you want to glorify God with your time you must stop trying to include God in your time and accept the invitation to be included in His time.” It was also stated that we all have the same amount of time in a given day. Therefore, the true issue at hand becomes what you make the greatest time priorities of in your life.
- On a scale of 1 to 10 what is the greatest priority in your life and how does that affect how you live your life out as a disciple of Christ?
2. Studying hard, learning a valuable trade, working responsibly and hard, and sound money management have traditionally been our culture’s assurances for success. This, in turn, is rewarded by a comfortable life and then even retirement. Let’s face it, everyone wants to be comfortable in life and likes to kick back and relax.
- Based on the sermon and on your knowledge of Scripture what do you believe is the end game of the Christian life and how should that understanding have a bearing on your work and your leisure?
3. Since we are made in God’s image, we do mirror his attributes and His use of “time” insofar as He has created it and has chosen to use it to reveal Himself to us in Scripture. Based on that reality, please discuss the next questions.
- Is retirement, as we understand it in the modern world something you find in Scripture?
- Is so, can you identify it?
- If so, what are we retiring from? How could the modern understanding of retirement negatively affect how a person sees the Christian life?
4. On Sunday, Pastor Anthony introduced the notion of “left-over discipleship” which is often caused by a busyness issue. It typically results in an attitude where a Christian tries to just fit a “little Jesus in if He begins to support their lifestyle. But they have no problem removing Him if He ever detracts from that comfortable lifestyle—which is inevitable.” Instead of God being the “pie crust” shaping the pie of our life when it comes to daily time management, God just becomes a slice of the pie. Or, as it was expressed “He gets the left-overs.” This is a struggle and challenge we all face in our modern, comfort-oriented culture, which often encourages us to place its fleeting rewards up against the eternal promises that Jesus makes us.
In light of this, how do you characterize your daily life at the present time:
- One in which God’s Kingdom purposes, His “end game,” is integrated into every activity of your daily life, as taught in Matthew 6:33 and Ephesians 5:15-17?
- Or, one in which it is merely a “Kingdom Compartmentalization?”
Based on your response, share with the group what you plan to do to make God’s purposes more and more significant in your life-so that He is rightfully integrated into every area of your life.
5. Whenever Pastor Anthony devotes a part of his sermon as a preview of what you should expect as a key point for his next message it’s vital to take note. Because it’s what he believes both from God’s Word, and from his heart, that you need to know to truly grow in the Christian life. For us at Restoration, it’s a time to prepare in our groups for a deeper level of discussion over the next weeks on the central theme of the “shackles of busyness”-we often cuff to our own lives.
As the sermon concluded, these are the Glory Rhythms that reflect either the reality of Kingdom integration in the believer’s life or reflect just compartments that compete for her/his time:
A. Are you living for the Glory of God by making the most of Jesus’ Mission of Redemption in the World?
B. Are you living for the Glory of God by making the most of every opportunity with your family?
C. Are you living for the Glory of God by making the most of every opportunity in your job or school?
D. Are you living for the Glory of God by making the most of every opportunity when it comes to how you rest?
For your next group discussion, and especially if you are only meeting every other week, answer these rhythm questions and share how these currently look in your life as a disciple of Christ. Identify some steps you can take together as a group to help one another to “de-compartmentalize” your lives for the glory of Christ and His Kingdom.
