Giving Up Comfort | I Give Up | Week 2
Opening
Ask your group to share what is most comforting to them? After everyone has shared, ask people to contemplate if that comfort prevents them from fully following Jesus. (Note for leaders: all comfort is not wrong. We do need to ask this question regularly though.)
Overview
Our culture is obsessed with convenience and comfort. From cooking gadgets that will do it all to refrigerators that also stream Netflix, we are trained to accept nothing less than maximum comfort. Comfort does a few things to us though. The pursuit of comfort can consume us. Comfort can numb us. Inversely, sometimes we reject comfort so that we can feel superior to others.
While all comfort is not wrong, comfort can prevent us from following Jesus. If we have everything we think we need, it is hard for us to see our need for Jesus. We can follow all the “rules” we think apply to being a Christian and never actually follow Jesus and give up things to be with Him, to be like Him, and to do as He did.
Discussion Questions
- Where has comfort stopped you from following Jesus?
- Can you share a story of giving up comfort to obey Jesus?
Practice
Matthew 19 16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Read the Matthew 19 passage out loud slowly. Pray and invite the Spirit’s clarity and conviction as you proceed prayerfully through the exercise. Perhaps you need a time of quiet for reflection or time for repentance. Maybe you need to rejoice together if someone has given up comfort to follow Jesus. Ask your group members, “If you were to have this interaction with Jesus, what would Jesus’ response to ‘What else must I do?’ be to you?” It might be different than it would be to the rich young ruler. If you have time, let the group members make a list of the things they would say that they have done well, just as the rich young ruler did. Those things did matter. But then have them write down the things that they would like to keep for themselves. If people feel comfortable, have them share with the group.
Practice for the week
What would it look like practically for each member to give up that thing they listed this week? How could they invite the presence of God in the giving up of that comfort? Let them write it down to practice this week and then have a conversation about it at your next group meeting.
Closing
Share prayer requests and then pray specifically for the requests and how each members will practice giving up comfort before the next group meeting.