High School Week 2 (April 9): Chase The Kingdom
Series Verses:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalms 1:1-3)
“You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.” (Deuteronomy 14:2, NLT)
Discussion Goal: Chase the kingdom to grow your faith.
Start Talking (Conversation Starter)
What’s something you’ve started but failed to finish? (e.g., a book, a show, a project, etc.)
Think It Through (and Talk It Out)
Leader Tip: Choose questions that resonate with your group’s age, experiences, and current understanding. There’s no pressure to cover all the questions — pick the ones that fit your group the best.
What are some things you see people chase? (e.g., money, trends, popularity, likes on social media, etc.)
Have you ever chased after something? (e.g., a grade, person, position on a team, etc.) Did you get it? Was it all you thought it would be?
Read Matthew 6:28-33. Jesus said when you seek (or chase) the right things, you can trust God will give you what you need. What does it mean to chase the kingdom of God and put God first in your day-to-day life? Give some examples.
What are some of the right things you need to start chasing?
⬆️ BIBLE BITE: God is our King and rules in power over us and all of creation. He wants people
to follow Him out of love and trust. Jesus often preached about God's kingdom. (e.g., Luke
4:43, Matthew 6:33, Luke 17:20-21, Matthew 13:31-33, Matthew 6:9-10, etc.) When we chase the
kingdom of God, we are following God and doing His will.
When we chase the kingdom, we’ll grow in our faith as we stay focused on God and committed to living for Him. Read 1 Timothy 6:-12. In verse 11, Paul told Timothy what to run away from and what to chase instead. The more we chase those things Paul listed, the more we will grow in our faith and live for God. Which of those things that Paul listed stands out to you?
Which one do you want to focus on or begin to chase this week?
Pray: God, thank You for showing us how to chase Your kingdom first, even when it’s different from what the rest of the world is doing. Help us see the areas in our lives where we need to begin chasing the right things, and give us the endurance we need to keep chasing them in order to grow in our faith and live for You. Amen.
Additional Questions
Read Matthew 16:24-27. What does this verse say about the things we should chase?
What’s one thing you want to start doing to chase the kingdom better and grow your faith? (e.g., spending more time in God’s Word, serving others, living generously, etc.)
Last week, we talked about how growing our faith takes commitment. Is there something you’ve already been chasing that you want to keep chasing with more commitment?
⬆️ LEADER TIP: In verse 26, Jesus is saying it isn’t good to have everything the world has to
offer, but lose the thing that really matters. And we can’t have them both either — a person
can’t face in two directions at once, right? If we turn to chase the kingdom, that’s
automatically turning away from the world.
Chasing the kingdom and living for God looks a lot different than what the rest of the world is doing. What are some thoughts or actions you want God to help you change so you can live for Him? (e.g., I have to be like everyone else, I want to live for me now and live for God later, living for God isn’t worth it, etc.)
When you seek God’s kingdom and what He has planned for you, you find your purpose. What does the word purpose mean to you? How does chasing God’s kingdom help you find it?