AWAKEN – Week 1
Read 1 Thess 5:6-8 What does a “sober-minded” believer look like amid our current culture?
***For Leaders – Answers will vary
Read Matt 24:42-45: Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
What do you think are the most significant things that can lull “the master” (which is you J) to sleep at such a critical time?
***For Leaders – Different things can lull different believers into apathy so you must understand what activities trigger you into spiritual dullness. The other piece to this is the feeling of hopelessness. If people feel like they can’t change the outcome in their surroundings, they will stop trying to make a difference, but the master in this text does NOT feel that way!
The word master in the Greek refers to someone who has “significant authority over others.” What does this say about the influence a believer CAN have when a prevailing darkness seems to be occurring in the culture? How does staying “awake” or sober-minded affect their ability to influence?
***For Leaders – Pastor Josh shared that when he and Lisa meet with people, the number one thing they tell people as they listen is “that’s a lie.” So, we can tell ourselves lies about the things that are causing spiritual apathy in us and we can lie to ourselves that we cannot make a difference because it’s hopeless. The master of house goes face-to-face with the threat believing that he has what it takes to change the outcome.
Pastor Josh gave us three questions as a tool when facing difficulties:
- What does my faith look like expressed in my situation? A person asked themselves how their faith becomes active in the midst of the trial they are facing.
- What does God’s love look like expressed in my situation? The sober mind is thinking through the lens of love. Not impatience…not about winning…but love toward others.
- What does hope in the gospel look like in my situation?
The gospel is summed up in the work of the Cross. The blood of Jesus changes everything. I find hope there, because everything that was broken is changeable there.
All these questions are around faith, love, and hope…you can’t even ask them without putting on your thinking cap.
Share a scenario where you were you wished you were more sober-minded enough to ask one or all of the questions above.