Don't Worry

What kind of things do you tend to worry about? When you catch yourself worrying, what do you do then?

I love that the Bible isn't just a book of old stories or an outdated self-help book. Instead, it is “living and active,” “inspired by God,” and helpful for those of us who are seeking Good wisdom, even in the 21st century!

We all worry, but here in Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus addresses worry head-on. Before we consider this passage, let's consider what we've heard Him say so far in Matthew 6:

*Don't practice your religion just so others will be impressed

*God sees what others don't, so keep your eyes fixed on Him

*Talk to Him

*Be careful not to set your heart on temporal things

*Don't act like a “pagan”!

Hmm, I see a trend here - focus on God Himself. I think there's more of that to come.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So Jesus is doing a few things here:

First, He's using His creation to make a point. Just like it would be silly for us to picture birds worrying over their feathers as winter approaches, or flowers to fuss about how and when their buds blossom, Jesus is saying that it makes no sense for us to worry about our needs. Again, like in past sections, He reminds us that “pagans,” or those outside of the faith, worry about these kinds of things. But those who follow Christ can live in relationship with a “heavenly Father” who loves them, sees their needs, and promises to provide for them.

That leads to the second thing Jesus is doing here: reaffirming God’s love for us. Fathers have a God-given responsibility to provide for and to protect their families. In a broken world, not everyone experiences that as they grow up - some have wonderful fathers who live out their roles as dads well (not perfectly), but others do not have protective, loving fathers, and yet others have a gap in their lives where a father should have been. No matter what kind of background we're from, God wants us to trust Him as our heavenly Father - one who is good and loving and able to meet our needs. Are we “not much more valuable than” all of creation? Indeed, we are!

And thirdly, Jesus explains the antidote for worry: seek Him first. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus warned His listeners not to seek praise from others or to pursue treasures on earth, not because it's wrong for someone to compliment us or for us to earn a paycheck. But, as the mathematician Blaise Pascal once said, “inside of every man is a God-shaped void that only He can fill.” We all seek something. The word translated here in v. 33 as “seek,” also means search for, desire, demand. When we actively seek God, we'll get to know Him and experience the love of our heavenly Father. But it's up to us to choose to seek Him.


Discussion

How can this make a difference in my life?

1. “Catch yourself” worrying. What do you worry about? Look at Philippians 4:6a - what command is there? Why is it significant that this is a command?

2. How can it help to consider nature when we worry? Read Psalm 19:1-4. Have you ever experienced some extra peace or calm in an outdoor setting? How could you carve out time to consider God's goodness in His creation?

3. “Seek Him” - look at the following verses. How do they speak to the idea of seeking God first? Mark 1:35, James 4:8a, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-7 What one thing can you do this week to seek Him?

Spending, Saving, or Investing?

Let’s say you’ve been given $1,000. You are deciding what to do with it. And you’re thinking about either spending it, saving it, or investing it. What is the difference among those three things?

· Spend: Spending involved exchanging what you have for some good (like a pizza) or service (like an uber ride) of equal value. You choose to trade your money for that good or service because to you, the good or service is more important to you at the moment than the money is. If the money was more important, you wouldn’t make the trade.

· Save: Saving involves setting aside a trade of your money for a good or service, in order to spend it at a later time for something else you’d like. Maybe you are setting money aside for a new outfit or a new car.

· Invest: Investing involves setting money aside in order for you to get more money back in the end. You save with the intent on getting your money back with interest.

In the world of finances, there’s a place for each of these, as well as a place for giving. The Bible has a LOT to say about money, and the passage in Matthew 6:19-24, which we are going to look at tonight, sure seems to be talking about money. But in reality, Jesus here is talking about PERSPECTIVE. A way to see the world. A way to consider your life.

Matthew 6:19-24
“19Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

In verse 19, Jesus tells us to not lay up for ourselves treasures on earth. It’s better rendered, “Stop storing up treasures for yourself!” Commentator R. T. French says of this verse, “A present imperative in the negative often implies that the act prohibited is already occurring, as against an aorist subjunctive, used to prevent something contemplated but not yet actual.” What does THAT mean? It means that the tense of the Greek is talking about STOPPING something you’ve already started doing, instead of choosing not to do something that hasn’t started yet. In other words, Jesus is telling us that we are ALREADY storing up treasures for ourselves, and He is imploring us to stop doing that.

Now, there are two reasons for why we should not be pursuing the storing up of material possessions and earthly wealth. First, because, as the old adage goes, “You can’t take it with you.” It’s a temporary thing. It goes away faster than you can snap your fingers. There are hundreds of professional athletes who sign multi-million dollar contracts and then within a few years are completely broke. According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 78% of former NFL players face bankruptcy or financial stress within two years after retirement. Allen Iverson, Evander Holyfield, Terrell Owens, and Sheryl Swoopes are just some examples of star millionaire athletes who lost it all after retirement.

So Jesus is warning us against pursing something that is temporary – here today, gone tomorrow. But there’s a second reason, and it runs much deeper. Namely, pursuing earthly wealth and material possessions reflects one’s heart. What are your priorities? What do you LOVE? What are you most after?

What are some reasons that people tend to pursue earthly wealth and material possessions?

· Security – We want our needs taken care of without worry.

· Personal esteem – We think more highly of ourselves if we have nicer clothes, a bigger bank account, fancier cars, etc.

· Power and Independence – If you have more money, you think you have more control over your life; that you don’t have to rely on others.

· Pleasure – More money = more play time and more fun. You can take trips, buy luxury items, etc.

There is nothing inherently wrong with each of these things. However, they can reflect a heart that seeks the gratification of ourselves, instead of pursing the things of God. In Mark 4, in the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about the seed that falls on the thorny ground. As the plant grows, the weeds grow around it, and choke the life out of the plant, and the plant dies. Jesus says one of the things that is a “weed” or a “thorn” that chokes out our spiritual life is the “deceitfulness of riches”. Why are riches “deceitful”?

Jesus here in Matthew 6 reminds us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. When we seek material gain, it is an indication that our heart is not in the right place. And it’s not possible to have your heart set on both money and God.

So the question really is: What is your life going to be about? Are you going to spend your life – giving your life in exchange for something of equal value, are you going to save your life – try to gain as much as you can here and now, or are you going to invest your life – living in such a way as to multiply your life?

This last option is what God calls us to do. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, the master entrusts his wealth to three stewards, each of whom is granted a certain amount to take care of. The first two multiply their wealth for the master, but the third one doesn’t. And the master returns to praise the first two, but has harsh words for the last one. The expectation is that we would multiply our lives.

Now, according to Jesus in Matthew 6:20, what kind of treasure should we be pursuing?

God talks all the time about pursuing heavenly things. Eternal things. Not earthly or temporary things. And so in the end, this is a call to having an ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. A call to see your life for eternity, not just for the time being.


Discussion
1. What are some things that are eternal in nature?

2. Why do these things make good investments?

3. How can you invest in your relationship with God? What are some practical things you can do in this area?

4. How can you invest in God’s Word? How much time do you take in God’s Word on a weekly basis?

5. What does it mean to invest in people?

6. Who are some people in your life right now that you can invest in?

7. What are the benefits to YOU for making these investments in these three key areas? Think eternally and during your time here on earth.

8. Read 2 Timothy 2:2 – How do you see this principle of investing in eternal things playing out in this passage?

9. Read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 – What does this speak to in terms of eternal reward?

Talking With God

If you had the opportunity to spend the evening with someone you have long admired but never met, what would you want to talk about? What would you tell them? What would you want to ask them? Would you prepare for your time together or just see how the evening developed?

Interacting with others, especially with those who are in the public spotlight, can be somewhat daunting. It’s easy to walk away from an encounter with a celebrity wishing you’d said something different or remembered to ask a certain question - or even feeling foolish for something you said or did. But when we know someone well, interacting becomes less stressful and more natural, especially when we grow to know who they really are and not just who we think they are. Knowing about someone and having a relationship with someone are two completely different things!

Last week, we looked at some verses from the beginning of Matthew 6 where Jesus addressed the difference between religion and relationship. He warned His hearers to consider the heart behind their acts of devotion - namely, giving to the poor and fasting - encouraging them to remember that they have a heavenly Father who sees what they do, who will reward them for what they do “in secret.” As we read Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus continues to address the contrast between being religious and having a relationship with God:

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

So let’s look at 2 things in this passage: Jesus gives some perspective on prayer, and then He gets practical about what prayer looks like for anyone who calls himself a follower of Jesus.

Perspectives on Prayer

Jesus again, like He does in the areas of giving to the poor and fasting, assumes that His listeners are praying. We are all created with a spiritual dimension - in fact, anthropologists have yet to find a culture that does not have some kind of religion. But He points out two kinds of wrong thinking in the area of prayer:

Do not pray like “hypocrites.” In the Greek, the word meant a stage actor, or one with two faces, hence our term “two-faced.” These religious leaders tried to appear to be men of God, praying loudly in public for others to see, but really, their focus was on themselves. Their intent was not spiritual, but selfish.

Do not pray like “pagans.” The word translated into “pagan” or “heathen” here referred to one who was alien to the worship of the true God, or a “non-covenant person,” one who stood outside of God’s covenant. Their prayers were not to be copied, because their understanding of God was incorrect - their long, repetitive prayers reflected hearts that simply hoped God would respond if they prayed long enough and hard enough to convince Him.

Woven into His warnings is Jesus’ unveiling of a new perspective: God as a heavenly Father who knows us and loves us. Our prayer life can reflect who He is, rather than be focused on us, our reputations and our fears.

Prayer in Practice

“The Lord’s Prayer,” as verses 9-13 is typically known, is often a prayer that church-going children memorize, no matter the denomination. And while the prayer itself is beautiful and worthwhile, it is essentially a model Jesus gives us for prayer, broken down into 5 sections or types:

Praise or adoration (v. 9)

This is simply recognizing who God is - His goodness, power, love, etc. He is holy, which means set apart - and we can and ought to remember who He is when we talk to Him

Submission (v. 10)

We can choose to yield to God’s will and ask Him to do what He wants in our lives and in the world around us

Supplication (v. 11)

We can ask God to meet our needs because He knows what they are and is willing and able to provide for us

Confession (v. 12)

This simply means “to tell or make known, to acknowledge a wrongdoing, “ and simply allows us to experience God’s forgiveness when we acknowledge our sin to Him

Acknowledging our need for His protection (v. 13)

We recognize our need for His protection from our tendency to go our own way and from the spiritual forces of evil

Discussion

Jesus wants us to approach God in prayer - regularly! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” As we do, let’s consider the following discussion points from this section of Matthew 6:

1. How would you explain what prayer is to someone who is unfamiliar with the concept? When you pray, what does that look like?

2. Jesus keeps using the term “Father” to refer to God in this section as well as in many other verses in Matthew. Look up several of these verses to see what else Jesus tells us about our Father: Matthew 5:16, 48, and 48; Matthew 6:1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 14, 15, 18; Matthew 10:29; Matthew 12:50; and Matthew 18:14) List what you find out about God’s character.

3. Look at the 5 “types” or elements of prayer Jesus models in the Lord’s prayer and consider the other passages for each one:

Praise - Psalm 100, Ephesians 3:20-21

Submission - James 4:7, Hebrews 12:9

Supplication - Philippians 4:6-7

Confession 1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:4, 7

Acknowledging need - 1 Peter 5:8, Psalm 86:1-3

4. What role does forgiveness play in our prayer life? Ephesians 1:7-8a, Colossians 1:13-14 (relationship with Him possible because He forgave us in Christ….)

Our ability to forgive others is a reflection of our understanding of God’s forgiveness towards us col 3:13, james 5:16

Ephesians 3:12 - in HIm and through faith in Him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence

“Forgiveness does not mean simply overlooking or ignoring the other person’s failures. God’s forgiveness should be our model. God forgives us based on what Christ did for us on the cross.” Gary Chapman

In the Spotlight

Athletes' lives are public, for good or bad.  From the time you started playing when you were little, people paid attention to you.  And now, there's an entire section of the Daily Campus devoted to sports.  There isn't one devoted to the happenings in the school of business or in Sprague Hall.

In what ways are you known for your sport?  What are the potential downsides of being known because of your sport?  What are some potential benefits?

Jesus had a lot to say about the public me versus the private me.

Matthew 6:1-4, 16-18
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Much of what God says is in complete opposition to what we see in the world around us.  Think of an award you've received.  How did you get it?  Someone saw you do something, or was aware of your stats or your record of community service or of your GPA, and because it was worthy of the award, you were recognized publicly.

But here, Jesus seems to be talking about keeping some pretty important things "secret".  What is He actually saying?

In verses 1-4, Jesus is not instructing His listeners to give to the poor.  Jewish culture, based in Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 15:7-8, was a culture that understood giving to the poor.  Jesus says "when you give to the needy".  So this isn't a command to give.  Rather, Jesus is addressing the heart behind the giving.  A couple of weeks ago we talked about the idea of "it's all about me" - and how, really, it's NOT all about me.  Jesus here is addressing the idea of doing these good things for the purpose of receiving praise from men.  It's ok to desire praise from God, but seeking praise from men is exactly the opposite of what God intends for us.

Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24 is a helpful reminder as we consider the public us from the private us.

1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain....
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Discussion

1. Think of a time when you received accolades for something - an award, or some praise from someone for something you did.  What did it feel like?  

2. In what way can such accolades or praises fuel our pride?

3. Is there something - anything - healthy about being "praised by others"?  

4. How can we let our light shine before men so they see our good works (Matt 5:16) and thus glorify God in heaven, yet make sure that we aren't seeking praise from people?

5. How can you balance the public elements of your life and faith as an athlete with Jesus' encouragement to serve Him "in secret"?

6. Remember 1 Samuel 16:7 - "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." How can we make sure we are paying attention to our own hearts?

The Power to Obey

Have you ever had a situation where someone is telling you to do something that is really beyond your ability?  What was that like?  How did you feel about it?

I once had a class in high school that was well beyond my ability.  I had hopes of going into aeronautical engineering (building airplanes and rockets and space ships), but that required a ton of skill in high level math.  I was a good math student, but in my senior year, I hit calculus.  Well, not only couldn't I do the computations I was asked to do; I did not understand what the heck we were even talking about.  And I knew right there that I needed to pursue a different career.

If we wanted to earn our way to heaven, all we have to do is be good.  Well, that's not exactly true.  In Matthew 5:20, Jesus tells us, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."  How righteous is THAT?  Well, the Pharisees were people who lived up to the letter of the Jewish law.  Every detail.  They were sticklers for it.  So how can we be more righteous than that?  Jesus would go on to give six examples of what this would look like - each time taking an Old Testament example and expanding it to include our attitudes, our thoughts, and our desires.  And then He summed it up in Matthew 5:48, saying, "Therefore you are to be perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect."

In other words, if we want to earn our way into heaven, all we need to be is perfect.

Well, who can do that?  Nobody, of course.  It's impossible to be perfect.  To be totally sinless in our actions, our thoughts, our desires, and our attitudes.

Even as Christians who have been forgiven by Jesus Christ face an impossible task - obeying God's every command.  Our eternal life is not based on performance, but nonetheless the Bible is full of dos and don'ts.  Nobody can keep them all.

The Apostle John understood this.  And he wanted to remind us that God Himself provides us with the power to obey Him.

John 3:31-36
31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

I want to focus on verses 34 and 36.  

In verse 36, John says that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever does not obey the Son will not.  Why does it say "believe" and then "obey"?  Here's why.  There's a real connection between belief and obedience to God.  You see, while we talk all the time about Christianity not being about performance, there ARE lots of commands in the Bible.  Lots of things we are supposed to do, and lots of things we are supposed to NOT do.  

What are some things we're supposed to DO and NOT do?

Is it possible to live up to these expectations?  Why not?

Religion tells us that the way to eternal life is to do what God wants you to do (obedience).  Christianity says that no amount of doing what God wants you to do can erase our fundamental problem of sin, but it DOES say that we should do what God wants us to do.  But obedience FOLLOWS salvation; it does not precede it.

So we ought to obey God and live the Christian life as He wants us to, but it's really hard.  Thankfully, our eternal life is not based on it; rather, it comes as a result of our having eternal life.  

And in verse 34, John gives us the key to success:  It's found in the power to live this life, which is the Holy Spirit.  In verse 34, we read that God has given those who believe the "Spirit without measure".  That is, the fullness of God dwelling inside each believer.  That's an amazing thing, and it's this power that we have access to in order to live as God calls us to live.  

Discussion

1. What is the difference between a view of good works leading to salvation, and salvation leading to good works?

2. Why is it so hard to do the things that God calls us to do?

3. Consider these three passages and discuss how they relate to us trying to live the Christian life:

- Romans 8:26 - "In the same way, the Spirit helps us with our weaknesses"

- Ephesians 3:20-21 - "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

- Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

4. We live in the power of God's Spirit through faith, not by "trying harder".  Galatians 3:1-4 says, "1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?"

When we accept that we cannot merit God's favor by good works, but that it is a gift of God received by faith, we acknowledge that we need to rely on Him.  Paul here is saying that the Galatians got that, but then fell back into the old way of thinking, that living the Christian life is to be lived in our own effort.  Why is it always a challenge for us to not fall back into performance-based thinking?

More of Him, Less of Me

At the start of his book, "The Purpose Driven Life", Rick Warren shocks our senses by telling us, "It's not about you." The reason this shocks our senses is that from the moment we enter the world, it sure feels like the world is all about us.

As babies, when we cry, someone tends to our needs. Parents move heaven and earth to feed us, clothe us, house us, educate us, bring us to sporting events, you name it. We make decisions about US. We do things to make US happy. We choose a school and major and a job that suits US. We pick a church that fits OUR needs. We live in a house that WE like.

It sure seems like it's all about us.

But it isn't.

John 3:22-30
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.  24 (This was before John was put in prison.)  25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.  28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

Here's the scene.  John the Baptist is doing his job, baptizing people who wish to repent of their sins.  But then he is told that Jesus and His disciples are also baptizing people.  Now at this point you might wonder what John's reaction might be to what some might consider to be a "rival" ministry.  How would you feel if you kind of had the market on something, and you were doing a good job with it, and then all of a sudden someone better than you comes along and starts doing your thing?

In sports, it could be a new underclassman who is just a little bit faster than you, a little bit more skilled.  At work, it could be a new employee who gets work done a little more efficiently, can handle a little bit bigger workload than you.  How would that make you feel?

In team sports, there's only so much playing time to go around.  Every minute one player is in is a minute another player is not.  The coach at Conn College, one of the schools recruiting our daughter Abby to play basketball, told her that he has no problem playing freshmen.  And if you're good enough, you can play right away.  Awesome, right?  What a blessing to get the opportunity to play the first moment you don the uniform.  But what happens if you're a sophomore or junior or senior and a new player comes along who is better than you and gets your playing time?  

In the first instance, it's easy to be thankful to God for His provision and His grace and His blessing.  But what do your prayers look like when things are flipped around?  Do you now pray, "Oh God, why is this happening to me?  Why are you taking this from me?"  These prayers often reflect that we see the world through the lens of....US.

How much of your attitude and perspective is all about you?  

John here points out at the end of this section a phrase that we need to have seared into our brains and into our hearts.  Some translations render it this way:  He must increase, but I must decrease.  As hard as it is to believe, we exist for His purpose and His pleasure, not for our own.  Our life will be more full of peace and joy if we recognize this and seek to increase Him and decrease ourselves, and to remember why we're here in the first place.

Discussion

1.  What is your reaction to the idea that your own life is not about you?  How does that hit you?

2.  Think about your prayer life.  What are the things you tend to pray for?  Do they tend to be you-centered more often than not?  Why?

3.  How often do you rejoice at the success of others?  What if that success comes at your expense?

4.  What are some ways we can rationalize or justify an "It's all about me" perspective?

5.  What would it look like in your life to let Christ increase while you decrease?  Any tangible changes?  What would it look like in your sport to apply this?

6.  Mark 8:35-37 - "35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"  

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

What do these two verses say about this topic?  In what way can you say that these passages reflect where you are at?

The Film Doesn't Lie

Former Pro Bowl NFL quarterback, now a television analyst, once said, "The film doesn't lie." What did he mean by that? When looking at the film of a 2015 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, he said,

"When you look at this, you see every play, every guy, what his responsibility is, and you make a value judgment. I'm not saying I'm always right, but you base it on what you see on the tape."

In other words, the film is Jaworski's best tool for evaluating quarterback play. It's better than on-the-spot gut reaction, because the film reveals things he misses with the naked eye. The film shows things that you just cannot pick up in the moment. Film highlights the things you are good at, and it exposes your flaws and mistakes. You cannot hide from the film.

The Bible often acts as film for us, as we'll see.

John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Verse 16 links us to the story Jesus referred to in Numbers 21:4-9. For God loved the world like THAT, that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. He then goes on to talk about why it is that some people do not believe in Him. Verse 19 and 20 are key.

(1) People love the darkness instead of the light. Human nature is such that we are sinful. We have a natural disposition towards selfishness, self-centeredness. We want what we want. In a very real way, this explains so much of what we see on television and read in the newspapers. You want to know why there's racism in the world? Sin. You want to know why people beat their children? Sin. You want to know why there is war? Sin. You want to know why there are so many people in jail? Sin. Our natural tendency is away from God and towards self-gratification, even at the expense of others.

(2) We don't want to come to the light for fear that our sin will be exposed. So here's what happens. There are people in the world that are total strangers. Then we meet them and they're acquaintances. Then maybe they become friends. Then perhaps best friends. At each of these levels, what happens in our relationship? We get to know each other better. As we get to know each other better, what is inside us comes out. People who know us better know our hearts better than those who we don't really know. The deeper the relationship, the more vulnerable we get with each other. That means the more our sin is exposed.

And here's the problem. We don't want our sin exposed. We know some of the things we have done in the past, we know some of the things we think in our minds, we know some of the things we desire in our hearts. And we know there is some real ugliness there. Some things that would totally embarrass us if it were known. And so some people, when faced with the prospect of a relationship with God, would prefer to shy away because they'd rather keep doing what they're doing, they'd rather their sin not be exposed, than to be vulnerable and real with their sin.

Here's the thing to remember: God knows our sin. He knows every hair on our head. He knows all our deeds. He knows what's inside our hearts. He knows every thought we have. He understands us better than we understand ourselves. And yet He loves us anyway. That's the amazing thing. In Romans 5:8, we read, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We can draw near to Him with confidence, without fear.


Discussion
1. We aren't asking you to share any details, but have you ever done or thought anything that you wouldn't want to share with the group because it would be too embarrassing for you or bring you shame?

2. How does our view of God impact our willingness (or lack thereof) to draw near to Him?

3. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" How does this speak to the human condition? Why should we pay attention to it?

4. Read Hebrews 4:12-13 - "12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." How does the Bible reveal what's inside us? How does it expose our sin?

5. What does it mean to you that God knows all your sin, and STILL loves you so much that He gave His life for you?

6. How should this give you confidence drawing closer to Him and to other Christians?

7. How can we make AIA a place where people can come and be authentic, without fear of being rejected because of things they may have done?