Good day, Community Group Leaders! Attached is your Week #9 group material, also available at www.mccag.org by clicking on RESOURCES > COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS It s difficult for me to believe that our ten- week CAGES message series is concluding next week. I pray that you and others in your group are able to identify some specific ways this series has encouraged personal spiritual growth. I suggest that your group plan to enjoy a potluck meal together soon, perhaps during your regular group meeting time one week. You may even wish to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together near the upcoming Holiday. Don t forget to ask your group to attend BLESS RICHMOND - a gathering of Richmond area congregations to pray, give thanks and feed the hungry of Richmond. This citywide prayer meeting will take place Sunday, November 24 th, 6PM at U- Turn Sports Performance Academy, 2101 Maywill Street, Richmond. Let s see how many Community Groups can REPRESENT! Please let me know your group s plans about continuing to meet after the CAGES series concludes by Friday, Nov. 21 st. COMING NEXT WEEK an online survey for your group members to complete! Once again, thank you for the wonderful way you have served the great people of our church and your pastors by furthering their message agenda for these ten weeks! Sincerely His and yours, Pastor Dwayne WEEK#9 BULLETIN INSERT The Cage of Excuses Luke 9:57-62 Following Jesus requires nothing less than a radical commitment of my lifestyle. Three kinds of people in the crowd around Jesus: Curious Convinced Committed Jesus challenges three excuses in us every day: Our comfort Our postponement Ecclesiastes 11:4 Our self-serving predisposition The Key: Give Jesus the unrestricted availability of your daily life.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Pencils/Pens Completed message notes bulletin inserts from Sunday Bible A copy of the Community Group Survey for each adult member See individual ORANGE activities for materials required. WELCOME/SNACKS 20 minutes OPEN (Ice Breakers) 10 minutes Choose from among these questions or activities: 1. With what celebrity or personal hero (not Jesus!) would you like to have a conversation? To what extent might you be willing to go, to follow that person in the hopes that it might happen? 2. What is the most flimsy excuse you have ever used in an attempt to justify something you did or failed to do? OR - What is your go- to excuse for not getting involved? 3. Play Simon Says (see ORANGE Material for applications of this game to the topic of Excuses) 4. Consider doing the Fix Your Eyes on God exercise. ADULT INTERACTION OVER SUNDAY S TOPIC/MESSAGE 35-40 minutes Choose from the following questions. Consider what will work best in your group. Be certain to refer to your notes from Sunday s message as you facilitate your discussions. Invite a volunteer to read aloud the passage covered in Sunday s message (Luke 9:57-62). 1. How would you describe the tone of Jesus responses to these three men? (Strong/stern; Perhaps Jesus was having a bad day?) How might you have reacted to Jesus responses? 2. What did Jesus mean when He said, The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head? (Foxes, birds, and other creatures had places of rest and safety to claim as home. However, Jesus and by inference, His disciples had no such place. So Jesus, the Creator of the universe, had no home among His own creation. In essence, Jesus was saying Following me will be neither easy, comfortable, nor predictable.) What is the implication of this for those who want to follow Christ today? How did Jesus response remind those present of the priority of true discipleship? (Jesus statement stresses that His disciples must be willing to sacrifice every comfort to follow Him. Following Christ means that He comes first in life.) 3. What did the man s request to go bury his father really mean (vv.59-60)? (Jesus response might seem callous and uncaring, but like always, there s a divine purpose behind His words. The play on words using the term dead suggests that those who are dead spiritually have priorities that are different from those who are following Christ. Following Jesus trumps everything else. Jesus wanted wholehearted and immediate obedience, not delays and excuses not even for good causes.) 4. What was acting as a distraction to the third man (vv.61-62)? (family, loved ones, friends, former life) What are some things in life that distract you from serving or following Christ wholeheartedly?
When we opt to serve ourselves rather than others (giving in to our distractions), what are we saying about following Jesus? (It s not a priority; what He asks can wait) What are examples in life when you ve told God first let me go do this? (Jesus said, But as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God. His choice of words implied this person was being invited to choose the higher priority to spread the news of the kingdom of God. Jesus calling involves personal sacrifices that sometimes are difficult but have eternal benefits. Leaving family in the cause of Christ is a difficult calling, but perfectly acceptable to the sold- out follower.) 5. Should we warn would- be followers of Jesus today about His expectation that they will follow him without reservation? What might happen if we do? If we don t? How would you answer the person who asked you, What is a Christian? 6. So, what do the active excuses in your life tell you about your own level of commitment to Christ? Prior to Sunday s message, would you have considered yourself a curious, convinced, or committed follower of Christ? What about now? 7. Who are you intentionally discipling right now? (This was Jesus final directive to us before leaving earth and the Great Commandment to all followers of Christ.) If no one, what s your excuse? GROUP RESPONSE AND PRAYER 10-15 minutes Choose from the following questions. Consider what will work best in your group. 1. How did your priorities change when you became a follower of Jesus? Have you kept your spiritual fervor or has it waned a bit? 2. In what ways have you pushed back against a call to follow Jesus more deeply? What keeps you from following Jesus more completely, and what could you do about it? 3. As much as a farmer looks back, that is how crooked his rows will be. But as much as a farmer sets his sight on one thing like a tree or a fence post at the end of the field that is how straight his rows will be. What are you tempted to look back at? What would help you to look straight ahead? 4. In what ways have you sacrificed personal convenience or even physical comforts to be Jesus disciple? What might God be calling you to sacrifice this week to prioritize living for His kingdom?
FIX YOUR EYES ON GOD Preparation: 1. Watch the three- minute training post Fix Your Eyes on God sent to you via email. It features Louie Giglio and is found on the RightNow Media site (go through this link if needed). 2. You may show this video to your group, if desired. Otherwise, use it to prepare yourself for the simple exercise below. Exercise 1. Divide your group into same- sex pairs. One member designated as "leader" and the other as "follower". 2. Instruct the follower to look only at the leader, refusing to be distracted by anything in the surroundings. 3. The leader should determine an intended destination before beginning, but not disclose this to the follower. The leader will give the follower instructions to navigate from one point in the room to another point, ultimately reaching the intended destination. The leader should walk with and stay in front of the follower so he/she can see the leader (leader might need to walk backward at times, although continuous eye to eye contact is not essential). 4. During the process groups can add elements like: Don't tell the follower the final destination, let it become evident; occasionally use your hands to guide the follower by holding his/her hands Discuss/Debrief After the exercise, debrief and discuss areas such as: This exercise requires absolute TRUST on the part of the follower We don't always know where God is leading us - sometimes we have stops along the way At times we can feel God close to us (holding hand) and at other times he seems more distant; yet he's always engaged in leading us It's important to not be distracted by things around us (objects that block our path, other people, things that look comfortable and inviting, etc.) Conclude with Luke 9:61-62 61 "Still another said, I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family. 62 Jesus replied, No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
Week #9 ORANGE Resources for Group Leaders and Parents DON T LOOK BACK MATERIALS: Role of wide tape (painter s tape is best) Coloring Page (optional) Crayons (optional) Preparation: Make a long straight line with tape on the floor (10-15 ft). Interactive Discussion If Jesus came into our group right now and asked you to follow him, what would you do? (Let children answer.) Now, what if Jesus told you that if you follow him, you will be sleeping out in the rain in cardboard boxes? Would it be easy to follow him? (Let children answer.) What if Jesus said, I want you to come and be my disciple right now. There isn t time to run back and say good- bye to your family. Would it be hard to follow Jesus then? (Discuss.) Of course, kids always have to tell their parents where they re going. But if you were grown up, this could be a choice you would have to make. Jesus was on his way to the city of Jerusalem, and he knew he was going to die on a cross. On his way, Jesus invited some grown- ups to come along with him; and some other people asked if they could go with Jesus. Not all of them ended up going with Jesus, however, because they had to make tough choices. Some of the people said they would follow Jesus, but first they had to take care of important matters, or first they had to say good- bye to their families. Jesus told them, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62 NIV) Activity Have you ever tried to draw a long straight line on the sidewalk with chalk? It s easy to end up with a wobbly line, isn t it? Well, it s even harder to cut a straight line in the soil with a plow. The person plowing has to use a big blade that cuts the soil. He has to keep his eyes straight ahead to see where he is going, and he has to concentrate really hard. If he keeps turning around to look behind him, what do you think will happen to the line in the dirt? (Let kids answer.) I d like two volunteers to help me out. (Choose volunteers.) I want you to take turns walking down this line. [Name of Child One], you will keep your eyes straight ahead, watching carefully where you re going. Don t look around, even if you hear us yell, Hey! (Try this with first volunteer.) [Name of Child Two], you will walk straight down the line, but when you hear us yell, turn your head and look at us while you walk. (Try this with second volunteer.) Discuss Who did a better job of walking a straight line? (Discuss.) It s not always easy to follow Jesus. But it always helps to keep our eyes on him, to watch and pray so we see where he wants us to go. When we take our eyes off Jesus, when we forget about him, that s when our lives start to go crooked. Prayer Jesus, we want to follow you. Help us keep our eyes on You and go where You lead us.
Simon Says Do What Jesus Says Playing the Game 1. Seat yourselves in a circle, or stand in a group. 2. Choose one person to be the leader, aka Simon. 3. Simon then orders all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which must be obeyed, but only when the order begins with Simon says. (For instance, "Simon says: 'Thumbs up!'" which, of course, all obey; then perhaps comes: "Thumbs down!" which should not be obeyed, because the order did not begin with Simon says.) 4. When someone follows an order that does not begin with Simon says, he or she is out of the game. (Have that person sit down, or step back from the circle.) 5. Continue giving instructions until only one person is left the winner! 6. Repeat the game as desired, allowing several children to be Simon mix it up a bit. Let s Talk About It (Lead a brief discussion with the children.) 1. What were some of the easier commands that you obeyed during the game? 2. What were some of the more difficult commands to accomplish? 3. What makes the game of Simon Says work? Expect answers such as: It s simple; everyone knows the rules; It s easy to spot when someone else messes up. THE BIG ANSWER: Most of all, Simon Says works because everyone agrees to be under the authority of Simon. As soon as you hear the game announced, you have already decided beforehand that you will do exactly what Simon says to do, and nothing else. 4. We ve talked about the authority that we give to Simon during the game. What does the Bible teach us about the authority of Jesus? Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. So how should we respond to anything Jesus says to do? (We should obey, without delay just like we do in Simon Says. No hesitation. No excuses.) Is that how you always obey Jesus? Are you avoiding sinful behaviors because you know that s what Jesus commands? What about obeying your parents, since that is one of God s commands? Are you telling others about Jesus, since that was Jesus last command to us before leaving earth? Pray In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked: Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Let s pray together right now that we will obey Jesus without delay and without making excuses.
Making Excuses Materials: Box of tissues; bucket with a little water in it; Washable markers I am sure that all of you have been absent from school. As you know, when a child is absent from school, his parents must write an excuse so that the school will know why the child was absent. Sometimes the excuses are pretty hard to believe and sometimes they can be very funny. I have some notes this morning that are good examples of excuses that parents have written for their children. "Please excuse Josh for being absent. I forgot to wake him up and I did not find him until I started making the beds - - by then it was too late for him to go to school." "John didn't come to school yesterday because he was feeling like he was going to be sick. Thankfully, he wasn't!" "Please excuse Janet's absence from school. It was Take Your Daughter to Work Day. Since I don't have a job, I made her stay home and do housework." "Please excuse Ricky from school yesterday. He spilled gasoline on his stomach and I was afraid he might explode." "Please excuse Mary for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch and when we found it on Monday, we thought it was Sunday." Activity 1. On a tissue, write down one excuse that you use when your parents ask you to do something that you simply do not want to do. Write it down carefully on the tissue itself. Making excuses is not new. People even made excuses in Jesus' day. Ask a volunteer to read Luke 9:57-62: As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good bye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. What excuse was Jesus warning the first man about? (That it would be uncomfortable to follow Jesus.) The second man? (Don t put off the most important things for less important matters; no delays!) The third man? (Our love for Jesus should be greater than our love for anything or anyone else. Jesus must come first!) Jesus is still calling today, "Follow me!" Will you follow, or will you make excuses? 2. Our own excuses (for not obeying our parents, not doing what we said that we would do, etc.) are almost always flimsy (weak); They just don t really hold water. Invite each child to read aloud the excuse he/her wrote on the tissue. Then, have him hold the tissue over the bucket and sprinkle some water on the tissue. (It will fall apart with just a little bit of pulling). Invite each child to do the above. (Wet tissues should be dropped in the bucket.) That tissue is like our excuses for not doing what Jesus, our parents, and others in authority over us, tell us to do. Our excuses aren t really reasons; they are flimsy and fall apart. Prayer Dear Jesus, may we never offer excuses for not doing what you tell us to do, including obeying our parents. Instead, may we be willing to give up everything and follow you. Amen.