At our Everyday Heroes event, we celebrated freedom, despite the fact that many of us live is some sort of fear. What kinds of things make you afraid? If you are a believer, one of Satan’s biggest lies is that you should be afraid of what God might do to you. What does God’s Word say about our fear level of God?
Life group discussion questions are below!
If you are the discussion leader, have everyone in your group open to this page on their mobile device. Take turns reading questions and verses. Make sure nobody dominates the discussion. Remember, these are my questions for you… They are just meant to get you started. Your group probably has far better questions.
Celebrating our Everyday Heroes!
It was a great week delivering food to each of these departments, and a great Sunday to remember the events of September 11, 2001, and to thank our community’s first responders. THANK YOU to each of the team members who worked so hard to make this event happen in such a great way.
Why Fear?
Even though these men and women are always on the job, we still have things to fear, don’t we? What are some of the things that cause fear in people’s minds and hearts?
But, what is the single biggest fearsome thing, dwarfing them all?
For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
-Romans 2:5-6
In my message on Sunday, I tried to make the case that God’s anger is not for you any more.
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
-Ephesians 2:1-3
I love this. “Once you were.” All of us “used” to live that way. we “were” subject to God’s anger.
If this is all past-tense for us, why do so many believers live as if they had to be scared of what God might do to them?
You can read all of Romans 8 to see the very clear explanation of how God views us in Christ… Here are a few excerpts:
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
-Romans 8:1
We are made right with God
-Romans 8:10
so you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.
Romans 8:15
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
-Romans 8:33
Romans 8:38-39
What does the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) teach us about the way God accepts us when we have sinned?
How does this view of God make you respond differently than a fear-based view of God?
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
-Romans 2:4
How does this view of God cause us to treat others?
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
-John 13:34