Broken but Sacred (the Church) | Why I Don’t Believe Anymore | Week 1
Opening
Consider opening with a time when you struggled with your faith. (Group leaders please only do this if your struggle is more resolved. If it is not, please reach out to groups@waymaker.church. Someone would be happy to talk to you and walk with you.) Doubts and questions about faith are a normal part of following Jesus though we are tempted to pretend they are not.
Overview
One of the biggest temptations people who follow Jesus will have is constantly being offended by people in the church. Holding onto these offenses weakens our receptivity to God’s grace and truth, makes us bitter, cynical, and joyless, and invites the devil’s influence over our minds. Holding offense can ultimately destroy our faith in Jesus, his church, and his mission.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to release offenses so we can live in Jesus’ freedom. Jesus enables radical giving and forgiving to transform our perspective from flesh to spirit and empowers us to pray for our offenders so that our lives receive and reflect the Father’s love.
Discussion Questions
- What offenses have you been carrying with you?
- Is there an offense that you committed for which you need to ask forgiveness?
Practice
Matthew 5: 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Prayerfully read the Scripture passage out loud. With what group of people do you struggle the most as you follow Jesus in this way? Pause as a group and pray for those people. Pray for each other that God’s love will be cultivated for all people, even the ones that offend you.
If you have time, consider reading Matthew 18:12-20. How do you see God’s heart reflected in confronting a fellow believer when they have sinned against you? How can you reflect God’s heart in your confrontation?
Closing
Pray for each person to grow less easily offended as they mature. Pray that everyone cultivates a heart that has the courage to confront sin instead of gossiping about it or holding bitterness.