Be Near

by May 13, 2018Cultivate, Sermon

God wants to be near us. He wants to spend time with us and to teach us how to become the people He wants us to be. But for many of us that’s not our routine experience. Today we’ll talk about how to experience God’s presence in an amazingly powerful way. We’ll talk a out a man that figured it out, and left behind instructions on how we can do it too. And practicing this will, literally, change your life.

Discussion Questions

Think of a scenario where you worked diligently at something to get better at it (e.g., playing an instrument, your profession, even a video game) and eventually achieved a high level of proficiency. How did it feel once you had become proficient? Was it worth the time and effort you invested? Why?

Read these verses which are all commands: Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23, Col 3:10. What are they telling the reader to do? Read their context. What do they say the result will be?

Consider the commands in the previous question, and read these verses: Col 3:2, Josh 1:8, Ps 16:8, Ps 119: 97.  What do they tell us we are to do? Discuss ways that you might do this on your own or with a group.

Read Matt 13:44-46. What’s the point Jesus is trying to make in these mini-parables? Can you think of a modern day scenario that would communicate the same idea?

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 and consider the phrase in V5 “…we take every thought captive…” What does this mean? Why take “thoughts captive?” Consider reading the verse in NIRV or The Message translation if you’re not sure. How is this verse similar to 1 Cor 9:27?

Read Psalm 23. How many verses are there? How would you summarize verses 1-3 and 4-6? How do the pronouns change between verses 1-3 and 4-6?  Consider memorizing this Psalm.

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