Unit 2 - Group Discussion Guide

DISCIPLE FOUNDATIONS

A New Way of Life (Walking in the Spirit)

Icebreaker

• What compliment do people give you the most?

• What do you depend on to make you feel secure?

We learned in the last unit that we are new creations in Christ, yet many of us struggle to see a difference between our new life and the old one.

• Have you experienced this?  Share.

Jesus said in John 10:10, that He came to bring “abundant life.”

• How would you describe an abundant life?

• Why do you think that we struggle to experience this “abundance” in our lives? What gets in the way?

Read Romans 7:14-19, 24

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing...Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

• Have you ever felt the way Paul describes himself in this passage?  How did this affect your relationship with God? With others?

• What is one area of your life you wish you had the power to change?

Read John 15:1, 4-5

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper...Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.”

• Why do you think Jesus gives us this illustration?  What does it teach us about how to begin living according to the Spirit?

• What good can we do apart from remaining in Christ?  Is this freeing or frustrating to you?  Why?

Remaining in Christ requires closeness and dependence to sustain life.  Just as a branch will wither if it is no longer close to the vine or receiving nutrients from it, our lives will wither without a close and life-giving relationship with Christ.

• What activities help you feel more connected to God? What happens when you miss it for awhile?

• What are ways you can cultivate a posture of closeness and dependence on God?

• What are some signs that we are trying to sit on the throne of our own life again? 

• Where are areas of your life where God is seated firmly on the throne?  What areas have been hard for you to “give up your seat?”

In those areas, we need to be willing to give Jesus His rightful place in our lives.  But how?   Walk through the steps below.  Discuss each: What does it mean?  How have you or do you need to apply it?

• Confess.  1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us for our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

• Take off any old attitudes or thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5

• Put on God’s truth.  Memorize scripture that applies to this area of your life and pray it regularly.

Next Steps:  

• Share with the group which Next Step you are putting into practice this week (if any).

• If you have children, share what you are learning with them and help them find the action step that is most appropriate for them.

• As a group, encourage each other in your next steps.  Partner up with someone of the same gender in the group.  Text each other during the week with encouragement. Pray for each other.

(Do not feel the need to do a new next step each week! You can always come back at a later time to choose a new step to work on.)

Next Steps - Choose one of the two areas below and then either a “walk,” “jog,” or “run” step.  The walk steps are beginning steps, the jog steps intermediate, and the run steps more advanced.

1. Surrendering Control to God

2. Confessing anything in my character that does not look like Christ

Parent Action Steps - Choose one or more of  the Action Steps below based on the ages of your children.