ICEBREAKERS
Make sure to start off with prayer. Then choose one or more questions to open up with.
1. What is the happiest day of your life?
2. What are the first words that come to mind when you think about summer?
REVIEW & TALK-IT-OUT
Go through each main point and scripture from the message and use the corresponding questions in discussion with your group.
POINT 1: THE CHOICE TO REJOICE IS NOT TO ESCAPE PRESSURE, BUT TO EMPOWER YOU WHEN YOU’RE UNDER PRESSURE.
Philippians 3:1 (NIV)
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)
Nehemiah said, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
TALK-IT-OUT #1:
Why do you think God teaches us to rejoice, even in hard times?
POINT 2: OUR CONFIDENCE IS IN CHRIST, NOT IN THE WORKS OF THE FLESH.
Philippians 3:1–9 (NIV)
It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh — though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
TALK-IT-OUT #2:
Have you ever experienced a legalistic environment? If so, what was your experience like?
POINT 3: WE ARE NOT MADE RIGHTEOUS BY WHAT WE DO. WE ARE RIGHTEOUS BY OUR FAITH IN CHRIST.
Philippians 3:9 (NIV)
...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
The cross makes up the difference between Gods standard of righteousness and your best life. Our confidence is not in our works but in his righteousness.
TALK-IT-OUT #3:
Have you ever struggled with trying to earn approval from others or from God?
TALK-IT-OUT #4:
When you consider what Jesus did to save you from your sins, what does it make you want to do or stop doing?
POINT 4: ONE OF THE GREATEST KEYS TO LIVING A LIFE OF JOY UNDER PRESSURE IS TO KEEP LOOKING AND PRESSING FORWARD.
Philippians 3:12- (NIV)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
TALK-IT-OUT #5:
What choice can you make this week to move your life forward toward God's best?
WRITE-It-Out
Encourage your group to start writing things down. In a journal or on paper, do the following exercises.
- List out the scenarios and situations in your life right now that are difficult for you to have joy in.
- List out a choice you can make in each of those scenarios or situations that will help you have joy in it.
Live-It-Out
Encourage your group to start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
- Intentionally make the choices you listed out in question 2 of the write-it-out section.
- Complete Growth Track. Every Saturday in Tacoma 6:00pm, and every Sunday at all of our campuses. Bellevue 9:45am & Tacoma 11:30am.
- Serve together as a group with Summer Love. To view serving opportunities with Champions Foundation, click HERE.
Closing Thoughts
- Finish group with prayer requests and praise reports.
- More resources are always available here: Group Resources.