Opening
Consider opening your group asking God to give each person courage to live as God leads, relying on the Spirit to discern their freedom and responsibility.
Overview
Boundaries determined by poor motives will derail our lives. Boundaries motivated by inferiority, intimidation, or injury are unstable. Boundaries motivated by superiority, selfishness, or segregation are uncaring. Fear or pride are at the root of those boundaries and they will destroy our relationships. They threaten a relationship’s ability to thrive, or even survive.
If we want healing, restoration, or to run on mission with someone else, we must have boundaries that are grounded in different motives. Jesus empowers us to say “yes” when love requires us to be selfless. He also empowers us to say “no” when mission and conviction are at stake.
Discussion Questions
- Jesus stepped across boundaries to restore people to wholeness and to community. Name a few things that stop you from following His example.
- Where is God asking you to persist?
Practice
Matthew 16 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
Ask for a volunteer to read the verses from Matthew 16 out loud. Make time for everyone to read the passage to themselves and then ask for another volunteer to read the passage aloud. Before this reading, prompt everyone to notice if the Holy Spirit highlights a specific word or phrase from the reading. After the reading, sit in silence for three or four minutes. Make space for anyone to share what the Spirit brought up for them. Complete one more reading out loud, prompting everyone to respond to God during the reading. Give three to four minutes of silence before asking if anyone wants to share what God revealed to them.
Practice for the week
Write down the boundaries you notice in your life. Where are they motivated by fear or pride? Is there a place where you are not hearing “no” or saying “no”? Where do you need to hear “yes” or say “yes”?
Closing
Pray for your group members, specifically related to things they shared during their reflections on the reading of the Bible.
