When The Gift Becomes A Prison

Conversation Starters

• Pastor Steven’s kids were kicking stuff around the house after watching “Kung Fu Panda.” What’s a movie you acted out or imitated when you were a kid?

• If you were going to medal in an Olympic sport based on your gifts, what would the event be?

• What’s the worst gift you’ve ever received? (Or, what’s the best gift you’ve ever received?)

Review

Ask eGroup members to share their favorite points from the sermon, what spoke to them, a phrase or moment from the sermon they related to the most, or questions they have. If members have a hard time recalling the sermon, talk through your notes and share your favorite points.

Make It Personal

• What are some God-given talents or gifts you have? Have you ever felt defined by them? (How has a gift become tied to your worth?)

• Jesus will break stuff — Pastor Steven gave examples of fishing nets, wineskins, and Him healing the man whose friends lowered him through the roof. When have you seen Jesus break stuff in your life? What do you need Him to help you break now? (e.g., thought patterns, attitudes, beliefs, etc.)

• “Discipleship by default or by design.” Some of us have been discipled by dysfunction, like an apprenticeship in anxiety or an internship in insecurity. How have you been discipled by default in your life? What would it look like for you to be discipled by design instead?

• Read Luke 6:1-5. Jesus was trying to give them permission to break the pattern of the Pharisees. The chaff is the tradition, the kernel is the truth. How has God been trying to separate the chaff or the husk from the kernel in your life? (i.e., removing what’s worthless and what’s not working.) What can you do to help remove the husk?

• “Anything can become a prison.” How have you experienced that? What is something in your life that is both a gift and a prison? (e.g. technology, money, intimacy, social media, etc. What would it look like to reevaluate that thing and put God back in first place?)

• God knows exactly what needs to fall off of your life. What’s something He removed that you’re grateful for? (Share how something or someone falling out of your life was a blessing in disguise.)

• Read Acts 13:21-22. David was a man after God’s own heart. This doesn’t mean his decisions were perfect, but that he kept the kernel. Keep the kernel — you need to let some things fall away in order to get to what’s true. What kernel do you need to keep? How can you prioritize it?

Act On It

This week, thank God for the threshing. As you examine your life and shake some things out, get excited. Be expectant for what God is going to do through you and reveal to you.

Prayer Requests And Prayer

Ask eGroup members to share any prayer requests they have. Record any notes or prayer requests to pray for members during the week. Father, thank You for the purpose You place on every good and perfect gift You give us. We want to be mindful of Your purpose — help us separate the husk from the kernel and live for You, and show us what it looks like to choose discipleship by design. In Jesus’ name, amen.