Steve Welch Rockford Campus July 9, 2023
Seek (Part 1)
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
REMINDERS
Check out the summer schedule for upcoming events.
TOGETHER IN LIFE
Steve asked us what silly things we had done to impress others or to get their attention or approval. He shared the story of a bike jump gone wrong. Share a story from your life with the rest of the group.
TOGETHER IN THE WORD
THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 6:1–4
Note: We encourage you to read the entire text together as a group out loud.
Big Idea
The first thing we need to know about giving is that we need to purify our motives. It is too easy to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. An appropriate fear of the Lord can free us from the need to hide as He gives us the strength and humility to do what should out of love.
Warm Up Questions
- Steve asked if our actions are fueled by a love for God. How can you tell?
- Think of a time when you know for sure that you did something out of love for God. What was different about that?
- Does love for God come easy to you most days or is it something you have to work toward? Why do you think that is?
Activity: Pause and Pray
As we inspect our hearts, take time out to thank God for His unfailing love. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:10). Ask for His help in discerning any areas where your heart is in the wrong place. You may have to rely on help from others to see what is in your blind spots.
Be Careful
Verse one begins with “beware,” “be careful,” or “take heed.” There is a danger here that is easy to fall into and may not be obvious. The danger is to make our offering about us instead of about God. Jesus says if your goal is praise from men, you won’t get anything more.
QUESTIONS
- To the best of your knowledge, what is your goal when you give?
- Are you tempted to tell others about your good deeds? Does it bother you to keep them a secret?
- Do you think there is any danger in being too secretive about good works? Where does it place our focus?
Unmasking Hypocrisy
Jesus says not “if” but “when you give,” which tells us giving is assumed. This is not a call to give, but a call to do it in the right way. By understanding hypocrisy’s true nature, we stand a better chance of beating it. “Hypocrite” was their word for an actor, and in spiritual matters it means to pretend to be something you’re not.
| I. Howard Marshall: 3 Kinds of Hypocrites in Matthew | |
| Mask | Reality |
| Pretending to Follow Jesus | Trying to Trap Jesus |
| Critical of Others (pretends to have high standards) |
Uncritical of Self (it’s ok if I do it) |
| Do the right things | Have wrong motives |
QUESTIONS
- Being called a hypocrite is never fun. Have you ever been called a hypocrite? What were the circumstances? Based on the table above, was the person right?
- Which of these three kinds of hypocrites would you say you run into the most? Which kind do you struggle with most in your own life?
- In our culture, authenticity has become a virtue all its own. While honesty is a virtue, unmasking sin is only the beginning. Once we have identified it, we need to work toward change to become what we should be. Is there an area in your life where you are wearing a mask? Is it hiding sin or something else?
Trusting the Father Who Sees
Your loving Father sees what you do. Sometimes we use this truth to remind little children to be careful what they do, and that’s absolutely right. No sin goes unnoticed. But it also means that no good deed goes unnoticed. No sacrifice, no gift, no patience, no forgiveness, no mercy goes unnoticed. (Consider Matthew 10:42, for example.) Your loving Father knows. Our task is to learn to fear God more than we long for approval from men, and God uses trust and repentance to refine us.
QUESTIONS
- How does it feel to know that God sees your good deeds? Is this something you think about often? Does it motivate you? Is it easy to believe and remember?
- Think of a time when you went out of your way to do something good for someone and they didn’t notice. How did it feel at the time? How does knowing that God sees change the situation?
- Sometimes knowing God sees can be discouraging because we think that if God saw, things would be different. Jesus said “the Father will reward you.” When do you think that reward will come? From what you know of God, do you think this reward will be disappointing? What’s one thing that would make the wait easier?
- What does it mean to have a healthy fear of the Lord? Consider how God appeared to Israel in Exodus 19 & 20. Moses said God showed up in thunder and lightning and fire not so that they would be afraid but that they would fear Him. How does it feel to know the Father who sees you is the same God who appeared on that mountain? Is there anything you would do differently if you were more confident that this God sees you and loves you?
TOGETHER IN PRAYER & ACTION
Our application question this week is this: how does my internal life differ from the external image I project? Reflecting on your answers to the questions above, what’s one area where you need to drop a mask, an external image that hides the way things really are? How do the love of God, the power of God, the presence of God, and the promises of God speak to this area? Name one thing that would be different if you lived with integrity in this area and ask someone to check in on you in the next week to see how the change is going and encourage you in your progress.
Bonus: read aloud the lyrics to the classic hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy.” (If your group likes to sing, go for it!) Close in prayer thanking our awesome God for looking down in love and for the hope of His promises.
