Group Notes | October 15

START: A Fight Worth Fighting
October 15, 2017
Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Open:

Have you ever realized that children do not have to be taught to like sugar, to fight, or get angry? We seem to be born with these negative behaviors! Can anyone remember an early fight?

This week we continue the series “START,” as we seek God’s direction for the next step in our journey of faith. We want to evaluate whether the fights we are engaging in are from selfishness in our heart, or from a righteous motive that makes the fight worthwhile, with eternal consequences. Let’s look at the fights that are worth fighting.

Focal Passages: Proverbs 4:23-24, Galatians 6:3, Philippians 4:8, Ephesians 5:25-33, and 1 Timothy 5:8.

Discuss:

FIGHT FOR YOUR HEART:

  1. Read Prov. 4:23. Why do you need to guard your heart? What are some things you guard with “all diligence”? How do you guard your heart? Read Psalm 101:3a. What are some things that would violate this phrase?
  2. What is meant by the “issues of life” coming out of your heart? Read Matthew 15:16-18. How does this passage parallel Prov. 4:23b?
  3. In verse 24 what are you warned to put far from you? Why do people feel they have to use profanity to embellish their speech? Does God approve of it?

FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND:

  1. Now, more than ever before, your mind is inundated with information that is against all that the Bible teaches. What are some common commercials that encourage you to put yourself first? What are they teaching the children?
  2. Read Gal. 6:3. Why is putting yourself first against everything that Jesus taught? What are you to do instead? How does your answer match Phil. 2:3?

FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY:

  1. Read Eph. 5:22-33. Why is the husband’s role greater? Who will have the greater responsibility when standing before God? How much does Christ love the church?
  2. If you do not fight for your family, who will? Who else cares about your family? Why is Satan determined to destroy the children through media and schools?
  3. Read 1 Tim. 5:8. How serious does God view the husband/father who does not make it a priority to care for his family?

FIGHT FOR THE CHURCH:

  1. You just read how much Christ loves the church. How much is it? Why did He ordain the church?
  2. Read Heb. 10:24-25. How are we to treat the family of God inside the church?

What type of testimony to unbelievers is it when we do not get along?

  1. What are some of the benefits of meeting together for worship as often as possible? Fellowship within the church is as necessary to your spiritual life as keeping a close relationship within your family is to your family unit. Why?

Close

Most people apparently love a good fight. Books and movies made without some type of confrontation are minimal! But the truth from the Bible is that pride is the cause of trouble, and trouble generally leads to arguments and fights (Proverbs 13:10). Children need to be taught from early childhood that those type of fights are wrong because their basis is to satisfy the pride of the fighter. They are not fought to protect those things God holds dear. Fighting for things that have eternal consequences is an entirely different set of circumstances. Satan is the great divider of families, the one who is behind the scenes for books and movies that destroy the mind, speech and heart, and behind the strife that goes on in the church. Those fights need to be fought with the armor of God protecting the warrior! If you need help learning how to fight with the armor that God has provided for our fight against principalities and powers, join a Life Group that is committed to fighting for those things that will ensure you, your family and your church follows Christ so closely that when the world sees you, it recognizes that you have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)!

Memory Verse: Ephesians 5:15: See then that you walk circumspectly [carefully], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (NKJV)

Helpful Websites: www.biblegateway.com; www.blueletterbible.org. Within both of those sites there are resources such as Original Greek or Hebrew, the meanings, Commentaries, and more study materials.