(5 mins) What is your favorite television show or movie and why? Share with your group.

Transcription

1 4. Stay Pure

2 Start With An Icebreaker Question (5 mins) To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question: What is your favorite television show or movie and why? Share with your group. Please Read What To Expect (2 mins) Let s get a big picture of what we ll be learning today Television shows and movies often disregard purity before and during marriage and often encourage sex before and outside of marriage. In Session FOUR, we will learn and discuss how God calls each of us to a life of purity and why it is so important to our relationships! At this time, please prepare for the DVD teaching of this small group session. Take out a pen or pencil to write down notes on the next page. Press PLAY on your DVD. 34

3 VIDEO Notes Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4) But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3) It is God s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5,7) "Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house. (Proverbs 5:8) Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-19) Passions need parameters. 1. Make a commitment to. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (Psalm 119:9) 2. Manage my. I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully on a girl. (Job 31:1) I will set before my eyes no vile thing. (Psalm 101:3) 3. Magnify the. But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. (Proverbs 6:32) 4. Maintain proper. He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20) Three Responses i.. ii.. iii.. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) Answers: 1.) God s standards 2.) mind 3.) consequences 4.) relationships 35

4 DISCUSSION Questions (20 mins) At this time, please break into smaller groups of 2-4 for the discussion question section. Have a great discussion! Tip of the week: Confidentiality is important. If possible, what is said in small group, stays in small group. One motto groups use is: Share nothing, to nobody, never outside of the group. 1.) In his video message, Pastor Chris Hodges tells us to never consider ourselves above temptation. But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. (Proverbs 6:32) When we consider how much sexual immorality affects us, we will see how great the consequences are and how damaging it is to our soul. Everyone will be tempted in this area and that s why this caution is so often repeated in the Bible. What are some practical ways by which you can proactively protect yourself and stay pure? (i.e. Staying away from watching movies or shows with sexual content) 2.) Listed below are a few practical steps toward living a pure life: Make a commitment to God s standards (Psalm 119:9) Manage my mind (Job 31:1, Psalm 101:3) Magnify the consequences (Proverbs 6:32) Maintain proper relationships (Proverbs 13:20) Of these 4, select at least ONE and share how you plan to incorporate this into your life. (i.e. Manage my mind - I will begin memorizing scripture to combat ungodly thoughts that come into my mind) 3.) When God calls us to stay pure, we all respond in 1 of 3 ways: Defensiveness: Defending something that is against the standard of God s word. Remorse: Deep regret or guilt that comes from condemnation. Repentance: Being willing to change your mind and life according to God s standards. Think of a time when God asked you to do something or to stop doing something. In which of these 3 ways did you respond to that call from God? How did that response play out?

5 WHAT WILL You Do? (5 mins) One of the values we have here at New Hope Windward is that we can t do life alone! Small groups exist to provide encouragement, direction, laughter, and support through the ups and downs of life. This week, commit to start incorporating your answer from question #2 into your life. Select ONE person from your group to hold you accountable to fulfilling this commitment. Don t forget to exchange contact information! My accountability partner is. CLOSE IN Prayer (3 mins) Take a few minutes to close your time together with prayer and to pray for each other s prayer requests. Below is a sample prayer to read if you choose to. You can also choose to write down each other s prayer requests to remember throughout the week. Sample Prayer: Lord, thank You for being a good and gracious God who does not condemn us, but Lord You offer us a way out of our sin. Thank You for everything that we learned in today s small group session. Whether single or married, You ve called each and every one of us to live a life of purity so help us to live according to that call. Help us to eliminate anything or anyone from our life who may cause us to stumble. We love You Lord. In Jesus name, Amen. Group Prayer Requests: Name Request 37

6 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 1 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: Psalm 139:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 2 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 38

7 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 3 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 4 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: Psalm 101:3 I will set before my eyes no vile thing. O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 39

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