Intentional Faith: A "How To" Guide - How to Love People Like God

Introduction:

The Cross in Exodus (Exodus 12:1-13):

1. What is the prophecy of the messiah's suffering?
2. How did Jesus fulfill this prophecy on the cross?

   John 19:28-29 - After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

   Exodus 12:22 - Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin.

3. What does this prophecy mean for us?

   Revelation 20:14 - Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.

So What Happens to Me When I Die?

1. You Don't .

   John 11:25 - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”

2. You go Immediately to heaven.

   Philippians 1:23 - My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

   2 Corinthians 5:8 - Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

3. You eventually get your Glorified Body .

   1 Corinthians 15:54-57 - When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Exodus 12:1–13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. On a scale of 1-5, how scared are you of dying? 1 = can’t wait to go, 5 = I am terrified of death. Why do you rate yourself that way? How often do you think about your own death?
   

3. What does the Passover depict regarding Jesus Christ? What are some of the images of Passover in Egypt that are fulfilled in Jesus’ death on the cross?
   

4. Explain, specifically, from 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 how the death of Jesus defeated death for us.
   

5. What would you say to a friend who says to you, “I am afraid of dying!”

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Introduction:

The Cross in Genesis (Genesis 3:15):

1. What is the prophecy of the Messiah's suffering?

   John 8:44

2. How did Jesus fulfill this prophecy on the cross?

   Hebrews 2:14 - through death he (Jesus) might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.

   Hebrews 2:15 - and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

3. What does this prophecy mean for us?

   Revelation 12:11 - And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

How to Conquer Satan (Revelation 12:11):

1. Perceive how satan is conquered: By the Blood of the Lamb.
2. Personally receive Jesus Christ: Have a Testimony .

   1 John 5:4 - this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith

3. Persevere to the end: All the way to Death .

   Romans 16:20 - The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Genesis 3:15, Hebrews 2:14-15, and Revelation 12:11

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. When it comes to Satan, do you lean more towards giving him zero thought (as if he’s NOT prowling around like a lion) or giving him too much thought (you are overly focused on him)? Explain why you lean that way.
   

3. Specifically, how did Jesus’ death on the cross defeat Satan?
   

4. What exactly does it mean to have a testimony (Revelation 12:11)? What are some elements of a testimony?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Introduction:

The Fulfilled Promises of God... (Ruth 4):

1. Come at a Cost . (Ruth 4:1-12)

   Colossians 3:2 - Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.

   Colossians 3:16 - Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.

2. Exceed my Own Expectations . (Ruth 4:13-17b)

   Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

3. Are bigger than Me . (Ruth 4:17c-22)

   Judges 21:25 - In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

   2 Samuel 7:16 - "And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever."

   Luke 1:32-33 - "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will no end."

   2 Corinthians 1:20 - For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.

   Number 23:19 - "God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?""

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Small Group Discussion
Read Ruth 4:1-22

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Talk through all that Jesus had to sacrifice to fulfill His Father’s promises. How would your life be different if you meditated upon these truths multiple times a day?
   

3. What does the average American expect from life? What should the Christian expect from life?
   

4. How do you see yourself holding God to promises that He never made in His Word?
   

5. Why is it freeing to know that life isn’t about you and that you’re important but not THAT important?

Breakout
Share any frustrations or disappointments that you are experiencing in this current season of life.

Read Romans 8:28 and pray for each other in light of the truths found in this verse.

Introduction:

The Redemption of God... (Ruth 3):

1. Cannot be earned by my efforts but Only Received by Faith . (Ruth 3:1-5)

   Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

2. Brings me guaranteed Rest and Protection . (Ruth 3:6-14)

   Philippians 1:6 - And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

   Jude 24 - Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy.

3. Reveals itself in my life in Tangible Ways . (Ruth 3:15-18)

   2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves, to see if you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

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Small Group Discussion
Read Ruth 3:1-18

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What does it mean to be redeemed? How can we stay passionate about our redemption and not lose sight of how awesome it truly is?
   

3. How do you see the sin of pride showing up in your life right now? Why should we never view ourselves as better than unbelievers in our lives and in our culture?
   

4. Do you ever struggle with an assurance of your salvation? How can true believers fight against their doubts and lack of assurance?
   

5. If the Holy Spirit lives within you, what evidence will show up in your life? In other words, what are the marks of a changed life?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Introduction:

The Rudeness Quiz:

The Kindness of God... (Ruth 2):

1. Puts me in the Right Place at the Right Time . (Ruth 2:1-7)
2. Transforms my Character . (Ruth 2:8-10)
   1. I should help those who cannot Repay Me . (Ruth 2:8-9)
   2. I should humble myself instead of Embracing Entitlement . (Ruth 2:10)
3. Rewards my Faithfulness . (Ruth 2:11-23)

   Psalm 23:6 - Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

   "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

   Psalm 63:3 - Because your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you. Thus, I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Ruth 2:1-23

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. How has the Lord put you in the right place at the right time in the past?
   

3. Why do we often fail to thank and praise the Lord for the gifts of kindness that He has given us? Share what you are most thankful for right now.
   

4. How do you see yourself struggling with unkindness and entitlement? How can you fight against these trends in your life?
   

5. What rewards does the Lord give to His faithful and obedient servants?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Introduction:

Providence: God's purposeful direction of Human history, every single human life, and every single thing that He has created .

The Hand of God... (Ruth 1):

1. Draws back His Wandering People . (Ruth 1:1-7)

   Judges 21:25 - In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

   Revelation 2:4-5 - "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first."

2. Reaches out to grab Hold of the Lost . (Ruth 1:8-18)

   Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

3. Directs the bitterest of paths towards His Sweetest Blessings . (Ruth 1:19-22)

   Romans 8:18 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Ruth 1:1-22

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What is providence? How do you see God’s providential hand at work in the first chapter of Ruth? How do you see His providential hand at work in this world and your life?
   

3. What is repentance and why is it so essential for living the Chrisian life? Why do many churches and professing Christians ignore the biblical call to repentance?
   

4. How have you seen the Lord direct a bitter path towards His sweet blessings in your own life?

Breakout
What is the Lord calling you to repent of right now? What steps need to be taken to turn away from your sin and turn towards true change?

Pray that every member of your breakout group will humble themselves and walk in repentance.

Introduction:

1 John 2:19 - They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

How to Rescue a Stray (James 5:19-20):

1. Learn how to Recognize a stray. (Jas 5:19a, 20a)

   Matthew 9:13 - For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

   Romans 5:8 - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us...

2. Remember what's at stake. (Jas 5:20b)

   Revelation 21:8 - But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

3. Take Responsibility . (Jas 5:19b, 20a)

   2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 - All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation... Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

4. Encourage Repentance . (Jas 5:19b, 20)

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Small Group Discussion
Read James 5:19-20

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. How do you know when someone is “wandering from the truth”? How do you know when to stop pursuing a stray?
   

3. What is the motivation behind rescuing a stray? How much does this motivation move you?
   

4. Why is repentance a necessary part of receiving Jesus? Can you receive Jesus without repenting? Why or why not?
   

5. Have you been going after a stray? Share your experience with the group (no names!).

Breakout
Who do you know who has “wandered away” from Harvest? Pray for them, and call / text them NOW.

Introduction:

How to See Prayer Answered (James 5:13-18):

1. Make prayer the Norm . (Jas 5:13)

   1 Thessalonians 5:17 - pray without ceasing…

2. Call for Help . (Jas 5:14-15)
3. Deal with Sin openly. (Jas 5:16)
4. Believe that prayer Works . (Jas 5:17-18)

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Small Group Discussion
Read James 5:13-18

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Why do you think most of our prayer requests are about physical needs, and relatively few are about spiritual needs?
   

3. Why does James instruct us to call on church leaders for prayer (Jas 5:14)? What do you think is the purpose of the oil?
   

4. How would you respond to someone who says “I tried praying - and it didn’t work.”?
   

5. What was the point of the Elijah illustration (Jas 5:17-18)? What does this teach us about answered prayer in our lives?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Introduction:

If I'm Going to Tell the Truth: (James 5:12)

1. I must understand Truth is the highest priority .
2. I must stop Seaking Deceptively .

   Matthew 5:33-37

   Matthew 23:16-19

3. I must speak Honestly .
4. I must reckon with the Consequences for lying .

   Matthew 5:34-37

5. I must do What is true .

   Colossians 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

   Ephesians 4:25 - Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

   Matthew 7:12 - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

   1 John 2:3-6 - And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

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Small Group Discussion
Read James 5:12

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What are some reasons we may not take our responsibility to tell the truth seriously? How valid are those reasons?
   

3. What are some excuses people make to minimize the wrongfulness of lying?
   

4. What types of lies are you most prone to telling? For example, exaggeration, excuse making, stonewalling (“I’m fine”), etc.?
   

5. Does the connection between keeping the Lord’s commands and being truthful make it simpler or harder to tell the truth? (1 John 2:3-6; Matthew 7:12)

Breakout
Pray that the Lord will impress on our hearts the imperative to be truthful, and that as a congregation we will be committed to telling the truth in love..

Introduction:

Five Things to Say to Yourself When You Are Losing Your Patience with People: (James 5:1-11)

1. Lost people act like Lost People . (Jas 5:1-6)

   Matthew 6:21 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

2. Things won't Always be as they are now. (Jas 5:7-8)

   Romans 8:18 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

3. Don't forfeit your Rewards . (Jas 5:9)

   2 John 8 - Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

4. Faithful people are patient. (Jas 5:10)
5. Patience is Good for me. (Jas 5:11)

   Job 1:22 - In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

   Job 42:5 - I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you...

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Small Group Discussion
Read James 5:1-11

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Do you struggle to be patient with people? What kinds of things do people do that require extra patience (no names!)?
   

3. How is the Christian life like being a farmer, according to Jas 5:7?
   

4. Which of these 5 reminders from James on how to be patient with people is the most helpful to you? Why?
   

5. Which person from the Bible (besides Jesus Christ) do you find most inspiring to you in your walk with Christ? Why?
   

6. How is patience ultimately a benefit for the one who has to show patience (Jas 5:11)?

Breakout
Pray for one another to be patient with people.