You Are Not It

Conversation Starters

• What’s been your favorite moment of LOVE Week this year? What organization(s) have you served with? How have you served?

• You’re walking down a city sidewalk when someone taps you and says, “Tag! You’re it.” What do you do?

• Pastor Steven’s oldest son just turned 16. Share the one thing you remember most about turning 16.

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

• Do you ever confuse yourself with your gifts or your work/role? Give an example of a way you might sometimes think you “are” what you “do.”

• What are some of the risks of getting our worth/identity from what we did, what we do, or what our gifts are? Talk about some other things people might get their identity from.

• Read Mark 9:17-29. The man owned his unbelief, but didn’t identify himself with it. Is there an area in your life where you need to follow his example? (What “it” are you defining yourself with in this season? e.g., feeling like you’re not enough, unbelief, debt, anger, something you did, etc. What is “it” robbing you of?)

• • You are not “it.” What does that truth release in your spirit? Talk about some practical things you can start doing to separate your identity from your “it.” (How can we get more aligned with who God says we are?)

• “It” is not you and you are not “it.” How has your “it” kept you from dealing with you?

• “Sometimes we are fighting somebody when we really ought to be fighting a spirit.” How do you identify with that? What can you do to flip your approach? (Where in your life are you fighting something naturally when you need to be fighting it spiritually? How are you dealing with “them” instead of dealing with “it”?)

• Go deeper. Read Ephesians 2:8-10.  Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved… ” but oftentimes we live the verse out this way: “For it is by __________ you have been saved.” Fill in the blank with ways we look for salvation instead of through grace. How does knowing that help you separate yourself from your “it”? (How does that help you define yourself by who God says you are?)

Act On It

All this week, agree that “I’m not it.” There is a righteous God who can and will restore our understanding of righteousness and our belief that we are children of God. Do something to remind yourself of this and to help you walk out and apply this message.For example, you could write this down and fill in the blank: “I’m not _______.” (e.g., I’m not my depression, I’m not God, I’m not what I did, etc.) and ask God to help you separate yourself from your “it.”

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 incredible grace You give us and for seeing us through Jesus instead of seeing what we’ve done or how we feel. Help us live in confidence this week, leaning on our true identity as Your children and believing everything You say we are. In Jesus’ name, amen.