VIRTUES: “Gratitude: Will You Be The One?” (Week 4)
Preacher: Justin Matthews
Worship: In Psalm 100 we are called to give God praise. The reason? Because He is God, our Creator and He’s good. We should come before Him with thanksgiving. As you spend time in worship this week, reflect on who God is to you and why you would give Him praise.
Check-in: As you check-in, share an update with the group on the one thing you committed to change in the past week, or what stood out for you from your devotions/Sunday service.
Synopsis of Message:
On Sunday Justin concluded the series on virtues by preaching on “Gratitude”. His message was largely based on Luke 17:11-19. Here we see how Jesus healed ten lepers but only one came back to give thanks. While we might not struggle with leprosy in society today, we still see two distinct groups of people. The world around us is so self-absorbed and “me” focused, often living with a sense of entitlement and pride. To be counter-cultural, opposite to and different from the prevalent culture in which we find ourselves, we need to grow in the virtue of “Gratitude”. Justin challenged us with the question: Will You Be The One?
Discussion Questions:
- Counter cultural living is a hallmark of a radically resilient disciple. This means not following the nine lepers but rather be like “THE ONE”. Justin shared that “Gratitude removes the (religious) clutter”. Look at the anchor verse in Romans 12:2 and consider the thought patterns you may have that may need to change. What would help you remove the clutter that holds you back from behaving in a counter-cultural way?
- We see in the passage that THE ONE man came running back to Jesus with gratitude. He displayed changed behaviour. Those who live with gratitude deal with challenges differently. In Hebrews 12:1-2 we learn how to do this. Share with the group what is currently “obscuring your vision”, preventing you from keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus and what might help you to keep your eyes fixed on Him.
- Go around the group and share one thing you’re grateful for and how you can live out this gratitude in your daily life. How can you be THE ONE?
Important Reminders:
- Welcome Home Dinner: Tuesday, 27th February 2024 – sign ups close on the 25th.
- Seniors Gathering: Thursday, 7th Mar 2024.
