WEEK 1 We all know popular sayings and clichés that fit well on a bumper sticker or refrigerator magnet, and they are given the weight of scripture without actually being scripture. In fact, some of them are not just not in the Bible, but they are actually unbiblical and that can be dangerous. 1 SOUNDS TRUE will not set you free. Sincerity does not guarantee liberty. You can believe your way into bondage and disaster. Many popular Christian sayings sound true but aren t actually in the Bible. What are some common examples of this? What is the danger of believing something to be true that God never actually said? 2 Read Proverbs 3:5. What sounds right about the suggestion to follow your heart? How does this suggestion conflict with this Proverb? 5 Our hearts are too easily deceived. Sometimes we can have total peace in our hearts over a wrong direction that we do not recognize as wrong. And sometimes we can convince our hearts that something is right because we do not want it to be wrong. Why are our hearts so easily deceived? And how does Satan take advantage of our easily deceived hearts? 6 HEART TROUBLE My heart does not need to be followed but led. What did Rick mean by that statement? 3 HEART TROUBLE My heart is not a trustworthy moral compass. Behind follow your heart is the belief that your heart will always take you to the right place if you just have the courage to obey it. Read Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 1:24, and Matthew 15:19. What are these verses saying about the true condition of our hearts? 4 Can you think of a time when you wish you had not followed your heart? Or a time when you look back with thanksgiving that you didn t? Share about those experiences. 7 Read Luke 12:32-34. How are Jesus words an example of the lead your heart principle? How are you leading your heart? ACTION STEP The heart does not tell us what is right; Jesus does! And right now you are probably aware of some area of your life where Jesus is calling and your heart is stalling. Share with a friend an area of your life where you are struggling to get your heart to go where obedience would take you. Follow your heart is not in the Bible. The Bible says I need to follow Jesus with all my heart. Don t wait on your heart; lead your heart. Memorize Proverbs 3:5 and reflect on it as you go through this week. WEEK 1 August 8-9 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT Follow Your Heart
WEEK 2 We underestimate how much we overestimate our capacity to detect deception. We think something has great value because of how it looks, and we can decide something is true because of how it sounds. Many non-biblical sayings just sound like they are in the Bible. For example, God has a plan for your life sounds good. It is comforting to believe that God has our future all mapped out. But is that in the Bible? 1 Where do people get the idea that God has a plan for your life? 2 WHO IS YOU? Read Jeremiah 29:10-11. What would be a legitimate application of this text, and what would be taking it out of context? 3 If God has something very specific in mind for you, He will make it clear. But most of us are going to live our lives with more options and less clarity. Rick said, God s plan for your life is more like a coach with a game plan than a builder with a blueprint. What is the significance of that statement? 4 PROBLEMS WITH THE PLAN : (a) It makes knowledge more important than obedience. If God s plan for your life is a blueprint, then you must not move until you get clarity. You wind up doing nothing for fear that you ll do the wrong thing. But the Bible does not emphasize clarity nearly as much as it does obedience. Many Bible heroes did what God asked without fully comprehending the purpose or knowing the outcome. Why does God value obedience over understanding? WEEK 2 August 15-16 5 PROBLEMS WITH THE PLAN : (b) It makes God seem like a control freak. Believing in the sovereignty of God does not mean He must be a micromanager. How can portraying God as working off of a detailed blueprint actually make people angry at Him? 6 PROBLEMS WITH THE PLAN : (c) It makes you the star of the story. God has a plan for your life appeals to that fallen part of my nature that wants life to make a big deal out of me. But the reality is that in God s big story the applause all goes to Jesus. Read Romans 8:28-30. What is God s macro-plan for every life, and why is it essential to understand that I am not the star of the story? 7 Jesus is the plan so live on purpose. God s specific plan for one person reveals His plan for every person. Read Ephesians 1:9-11. How can we participate in God s plan? ACTION STEP As you go through this week remember that God s plan is for you to be more like His Son (Romans 8:30). Most of what happens in your life will be as an extra. It will go unnoticed, but it will not be unimportant. Here is the unspoken and unpopular truth: most of the Christian life is a daily grind of trying to be more like Jesus in small, inconspicuous, selfless, unapplauded ways. What are some of the unnoticed and selfless ways you can be more like Jesus this week? THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT God Has a Plan for Your Life
WEEK 3 We often give or receive what sounds to be wise counsel but turns out to be completely unhelpful. For example, God will never give you more than you can handle sounds wise but is it helpful? More importantly, is that true? What is spoken as a word of comfort can come across as more of a taunt, Cowboy up, you wimp! 1 THE PROMISE OF NOT MORE Not sinning is always an option. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. Our baptisms did not drown the devil. We can never avoid temptation completely, but we can always escape it. The Bible says that sin is never a believer s only choice. What are some ways that we try to rationalize disobedience? Why do we fail temptation tests if God promises to always provide a way out (see James 1:13-15)? 2 THE PROMISE OF NOT MORE Not suffering is never an option. We do not have to be overcome by sin, but we will be overwhelmed by life. God does not have to order this; it is simply the consequence of living in a broken, fallen world in need of redemption. Read 2 Corinthians 1:8. Paul and many other biblical heroes knew more than I can handle seasons. Share a time in your life where you felt like Paul. 3 THE GIFT OF TOO MUCH So we will rely on God. Suffering is a given, but it can also be a gift. Read 2 Corinthians 1:9. Why are we so prone to try to power through difficult seasons, and how does suffering remind us of our desperate need for God? 4 How does a person rely on God in a hard season? 5 The sinful flesh values self-reliance and wants to pretend it can just hunker down and power its way through anything. But we were created to need God, and we are actually in desperate shape when we are not desperate for Him. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Why is acknowledgement of our weakness critical to developing a deeper relationship with God? 6 THE GIFT OF TOO MUCH So we will comfort each other. It is true that hurt people hurt people. But it is also true that hurt people can help heal people. Read 2 Corinthians 1:10-11 and 1:4. How does God use the body of Christ as an instrument of His grace? Share an experience of this from your life. ACTION STEP Don t just ask God to remove your thorns; ask Him to redeem your thorns. Your scars are your story. What you have come through has prepared you for who you might be called to. No one can take away our scars, but we can give away our stories. As you go through this week ask God to show you how your weakness can be a witness for Christ. Look for the opportunities He will give you to share your story for His glory as you comfort others along the way. WEEK 3 August 22-23 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle
WEEK 4 Certain phrases are said with good intentions in an attempt to bring comfort: God must be up to something. God must think a lot of you to test you with this. God will never give you more than you can handle. All of these popular expressions place the culpability for people s struggles and trials solely on God. In a sense everything does happen for a reason because God has has wired the universe to operate on the principle of causality. But exercise caution attributing cause while attempting to explain every effect. 1 EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON but the reason is not always God. We should give God credit where it is due, but should not give Him credit for what He did not do. What are some of the problems with attributing evil acts to God? 2 When hard things happen, the reason could be our choices, the actions of others, or even the work of Satan. What are some examples in the Bible of each of these explanations? 3 One reason for hard things in life is the fallenness of the world. Read Romans 8:20-22. How do these scriptures shape our understanding of the fairness of life? 4 In the book of Job, God reacts strongly to the notion that He needs to explain Himself. How can the search for a reason be an affront to God? And why is it that understanding the reason for a difficult circumstance often proves to be unsatisfying? 5 Read Romans 8:28. Paul is not saying that God causes all things, but he is saying that nothing can cause God to stop working to bring good out of all things. Give an example of this principle from the Bible. Share an example of this principle from your own life. 6 INSTEAD OF SEARCHING FOR A REASON focus on where God is at work. The reason anything can work out for good is because God is at work. Sometimes we can see God at work and it helps us cope. But sometimes we cannot see God at work and must struggle to trust. It is not wrong to groan about the hardness of life, but how do we keep our groaning from becoming griping? How do we grieve with hope? 7 THERE IS A REASON why hope can trump the mystery and pain. Read 1 Peter 1:3. How does the resurrection of Jesus change how we interpret everything that happens in our lives? Why is the empty tomb the reason we can cope with mystery and pain? ACTION STEP When we cannot see what God is doing, let s remember what He has done and promises to do. We don t need to analyze the reasons, and we don t need to minimize the pain. We need to see God at work in Christ and emphasize the hope. As you go through this week take some time to remember God s promises and what He has already done in your life (write some of them down or share them with a friend) and take a moment to say, Thank you! WEEK 4 August 29-30 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT Everything Happens For a Reason
WEEK 5 We believe it is our inalienable right to pursue happiness, and we want our stories to end up happily ever after. So it is no surprise that our worship of happiness gets mixed with our worship of God and comes out as God wants you to be happy. That sounds true, but does the Bible say that? 1 Often God wants me to be happy says more about what I want than what God wants. Our culture believes in pursuit of happiness as an entitlement for all. Does the Bible affirm this? Why or why not? 2 THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY that happiness is a problem. We are created in the image of God, which means we are designed with a capacity to be delighted. Every good parent delights in their children s happiness, and God is a good Father. But a good parent does not give a child everything they want to keep them happy. Why, and how does this relate to our relationship with God? 3 THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY that happiness is a promise. The reality is that a lot of misery results from a mindset that I am entitled to happiness. What are some of the wrong conclusions we reach when we think God wants me to be happy? 4 Most of our journeys into disobedience are motivated by the belief that happiness is found somewhere else. How can the pursuit of happiness take us away from God (a subtle form of idolatry), and why is it ultimately an unfulfilling quest? WEEK 5 September 12-13 5 THE BIBLE SAYS that the kingdom is a better pursuit. Read Matthew 6:33 and 13:44. Happiness is the by-product of a better pursuit. Why is seeking the kingdom of God a better quest? 6 THE BIBLE SAYS that joy is a better gift. When our lives are focused on the reign of Christ the Holy Spirit is released to fill us with something better than happiness. Read Romans 14:7. What is the difference, if any, between joy and happiness? ACTION STEP The Bible does not say that God wants you to be happy. The Bible says God wants you to have something better. The Bible says we should pursue God instead of happiness. Dallas Willard once shared these words of wisdom with John Ortberg during a difficult season in Ortberg s life, You must arrange your days so that you are experiencing total contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God that and that alone is what makes a soul healthy. We all arrange our days around something important to us (things that make us happy ) our families, jobs, and personal interests. What kinds of things might have to change if you were to rearrange your days around experiencing total contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God? Begin to implement some of these changes each day this week and share your experience with a close friend. THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT God Wants You To Be Happy
WEEK 6 We live in a culture where no one has the right to say anyone is wrong. You shouldn t judge is one of our culture s highest values. Jesus did say, Do not judge, or you too will be judged (Matthew 7:1) but Jesus doesn t mean what many take those words to mean. If by do not judge Jesus was prohibiting all moral discernment, then Jesus did not follow his own advice. This lesson will explore what Jesus really meant by what he said. 1 Read Matthew 7:1. For many this text has replaced John 3:16 as the most referenced verse in the Bible. Why is that so? What cultural factors have shaped the view that judging someone else is so wrong? 2 Judgement calls have to be made. Read Matthew 7:6-17. Taken in context, even Jesus advocated making judgment calls. It is impossible to live, much less follow the teachings of scripture, without making moral judgments. The Bible is full of calls to recognize evil, name evil, and avoid evil. The Bible says it is wrong to not call wrong wrong (Isaiah 5:20). So, on what basis is right and wrong determined by most? 3 Judgement calls for the mind and spirit of Christ. Read John 8:10-11. Jesus was not afraid to name sin, and he was not afraid to be known as a friend of sinners. His practice of tolerance never accepted people where they were to the exclusion of calling them to where they should be. How does one do this live full of grace and truth? 4 JUDGE WELL! Stay with scripture. Too many Christians have far too much to say on matters where the Bible has nothing to say. The result is judging based on cultural preferences rather than scriptural principles. What are some examples of this? 5 JUDGE WELL! Start with yourself. There is no condemnation in Christ, but there is correction, and it must begin with a humble and thorough self-assessment. Jesus words in Matthew 7:1 were in the context of a greater message against religious hypocrisy. Read Matthew 7:3-5. How do these words temper our rush to judgment? 6 Read 1 Peter 4:17 and 1 Corinthians 5:12-13. What do these scriptures emphasize when it comes to judging people? 7 JUDGE WELL! Stick with mercy. Read Matthew 7:2 and James 2:13. We must not let being anti-sin trump being pro-people. Any judgment that focuses on condemnation rather than restoration needs to stop. When in doubt, lead with mercy. Why is the priority of mercy so critical to this conversation? ACTION STEP Don t use do not judge as a way to avoid needed conversations. This week give thanks to God that He would not just ignore our sin. God is so antisin that He sent His son to a cross. And God is so pro-people that the Judge took our judgment on Himself. So make judgment calls, but not with a plank in your eye. Make them with a cross in your eye. Let s be judged for loving people the way the Judge loved us. WEEK 6 September 19-20 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT You Shouldn t Judge
WEEK 7 It is frustrating to forget what we want to remember, but it can be even more frustrating to remember what we wish we could forget. And sometimes that frustration can feel more like condemnation when someone tells us, You ve got to forgive and forget. 1 FORGIVE AND FORGET? Forget about forgetting about it The phrase forgive and forget sounds biblical but the Bible doesn t say that. Why does it sound true? What are some of the negative consequences of believing it is a biblical truth? 2 God did not design our brains with a key that allows us to selectively delete events from our memory. We all have some scars we will never forget. No one has the ability to forget on command, and the Accuser tries to use this to his advantage. How does the Accuser take advantage of our inability to forget what we need to forgive? 3 Read Jeremiah 31:34. How does an omniscient God not remember things? 4 FORGIVE AND FORGET? But decide to remember the right way Read Hosea 9:9 and Genesis 8:1. When we think remember and forget we focus on mental activity, but in Hebrew thought these are action words. What light does this shed on the way that God remembers? What does this imply about the way we should remember Jesus when we take communion? 5 FORGIVE AND REMEMBER that my memory can be part of my testimony. It s hard to share what God has brought you through if you cannot remember it. The testimony cannot be bright if the darkness is not recalled (see Genesis 50:20). Forgiveness is not saying that the wrong wasn t that bad; forgiveness is declaring that grace is that good. How can painful memories actually be part of a testimony to the grace of God? Give an example. 6 FORGIVE AND REMEMBER that forgiving and trusting are two different things. In what way is forgiving different from trusting? Why is it important to make that distinction? 7 FORGIVE AND REMEMBER that disciples never forget the cross. It is not wrong to remember injustice. But as you recall how you were mistreated, also recall how God in Christ has treated you. How does remembering the cross help us deal with things we cannot forget? ACTION STEP The Bible doesn t say forgive and forget but it does remind us that it takes more love to choose not to remember than it does to simply forget. So, when you reflect on the hurts of your past, don t take those painful memories and stuff them in a closet. Bring them to the foot of the cross. Somehow remembering Jesus wounds helps us remember our own in a better way. WEEK 7 October 3-4 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT You ve Got to Forgive and Forget
WEEK 8 This series concludes with the most popular misunderstanding of what the Bible says. It is commonly believed with regard to salvation that being good is good enough. Apparently the most popular defense before the bar of God will be the evidence of one s basic goodness. But the Bible never says that. 1 BE GOOD is bad theology. Why does be good theology make us feel good? And why do so many think this is the basic message of the Bible? 2 While no one believes they can attain moral perfection, most are quite certain that God will grade on the curve. Jesus had no place for be good theology. Read Luke 18:9-14. What are some of the radical implications of this shocking parable? 3 MY GOODNESS is my greatest barrier to God. Religion makes the bar for goodness someone else. The feel-good comes from comparing yourself to someone who is not as good. Read Luke 18:18-19 and Romans 3:10. What are some of the religious ways we measure ourselves against others, and what is the danger of doing so? 4 Jesus exposed the one thing that religious and irreligious people have in common they don t really think they need God. Read Luke 18:24-25. Why is it so hard for some to give up be good as the way to God, and what does it take to realize that way is no good? 5 The disciples, having heard be good theology all their lives, were shocked by Jesus words. Read Luke 18:26-27. In what way is salvation impossible for men, and in what way is it a miracle of God? 6 GOOD NEWS is the gift of God s goodness through Christ. We are not saved by being good, but by believing in Jesus, and in God s promise to transfer His goodness to us. Read Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7, and 2 Corinthians 5:21. How can God declare us righteous if admitting we are not is necessary for salvation? 7 The Gospel is good news, not good advice. How does this make the message of Christianity different from every other religion? ACTION STEP The gospel is too good not to be true. Being good is not good enough. Jesus is good enough, and that is very good news to everyone who knows they will never be good enough. But that doesn t mean we shouldn t devote ourselves to doing good things (see Titus 3:8). So do good, but remember that your hope is built on His goodness not yours. WEEK 8 October 10-11 THE BIBLE DOESN T SAY THAT Being Good Is Good Enough