Matt Zainea Rockford Campus February 27, 2023
GET IT TOGETHER – Wisdom, Folly and the Human Person
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
REMINDERS
- Group Leaders Spring Refresh – March 12 at 10:50am at Northview and March 26 at 10:50am at Rockford
TOGETHER IN LIFE
** Ice breaker – Would you rather go out for breakfast or lunch? Where’s your favorite place to go and what’s your favorite thing on the menu?
Matt shares a story about meeting with two different friends in the same day, one for breakfast and the other for lunch, and they both had observations about the church. One said our church was too outward focus and the other said are church was too inward focus.
QUESTION: Can you think of a time where two different people witnessed the same event, but came up with two completely different conclusions?
TOGETHER IN THE WORD
THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Note: We encourage you to read the entire text together as a group out loud.
** Do you only see what you want to see? When it comes to our own sin we often refuse to see the truth. Using text from Corinthians 3, Matt Zainea challenges us to face our sin and see the goodness of Christ’s mercy.
QUESTION: Why do you think it’s so easy for people to be deceived about themselves and their own sin?
*Matt Said: When we create divisiveness in the church, we destroy God’s holy temple.
SELF DECEPTION – We refuse to see our own sin. We don’t see the mercy we’ve already received.
- Biased Data Gathering – We see what we want to see.
- Biased Reasoning – We come to the conclusions that we want to come to.
- Biased Recollections – We remember what we want to remember – we rewrite history to support our views.
QUESTION: What could be some symptoms of someone who is self deceived?
QUESTION: What is the problem with being self deceived? How do you think that could affect someone’s every day life?
PRIDE AND POWER – We view these through the lenses of Pride and Power
- Society – Search engines learn our biases and feed us what we want to see.
- Church – We want things our way. And when we don’t get it, we become subversive and try to get people on our side.
- Personal – We think that our situation is always an exception and are justified in acting in an ungodly way.
QUESTION: How do you usually react when someone makes you aware of your own biases?
QUESTION: If someone has a different experience or a different way of looking at things, are you open to learning from them?
QUESTION: Do you ever invite others to speak into your biases? If you were willing to, how do you think that may impact your life?
QUESTION: Who do you have in your life that you might consider inviting them to speak into your sin?
Matt said: We need to be able to have healthy discussions about how we function as a church, but when it becomes a bitterness, it becomes a huge problem.
We fill in stories… Matt tells a story of a disagreement between he and his wife, Lesley. Lesley asked Matt to move something and when he did she quickly added, “No, don’t put it there.” Matt interpreted that as, “Why did you put it there stupid?” Followed by this quick interchange.
- Matt – “I’m so glad you’re my wife, because I wouldn’t want to work for you.”
- Lesley – “Yeah, if you worked for me I’d fire you.”
- Matt – “I’d quit before you could fire me.”
Thankfully, they were able to laugh about their interchange, but it’s an example of biased reasoning. Matt filled in a story, “She thinks I’m stupid.” It can happen so fast. But the Gospel is there to break the spell.
We must fight against self deception. Mercy should spontaneously pour out of us because we’re so filled with gratitude for the mercy of the cross. If you think this is easy, you’re not doing it.
QUESTION: If you’re willing, please share about a recent time where you filled in a story without asking for clarification. What were the consequences?
QUESTION: What do you think would help you remember the mercy you’ve received from Christ in the middle of a conflict?
GRACE AND PEACE – As believers, we need to view these through the lenses of Grace and Peace
- Society
- Church
- Personal
Craftiness – the discussion we’re having in our mind against the other person.
Divisiveness is poison to the body of Christ.
We deflect conviction. We must allow that conviction to hit us square in the heart.
SHAKESPEARE PLAY – THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
“The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘T is mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.”
Portia, The Merchant of Venice
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7
TOGETHER IN PRAYER
Proverbs 20:5 says, “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” It is impossible to see our own hearts without the Holy Spirit and trusted friends to help us draw it out.
Father, give us eyes to see our own sin. Give us hearts that are open to your conviction and help us to receive your gift of repentance. Give us an unwavering love for you, the church and one another. Remind us Lord of the mercy you have so graciously poured upon us and help us to extend it toward one another.
TOGETHER IN ACTION
QUESTION: Where in my life do I find it difficult to extend mercy?
QUESTION: Do you see areas of self-deceit that need repentance?
