Gratitude – Study #2
Romans 12:1-2 This week’s teaching
Turn genuine gratitude for mercy into an every-day sold-out expression of the passions of God
GETTING STARTED
– get after discussing…
Author Irving Stone wrote, “Talent it cheap. Dedication is expensive. It will cost you your life.” This week’s teaching spoke of being sold-out in an extraordinary way to living out God’s passions. So…
Word picture time! Share what comes immediately into your mind when you hear the phrase, “He/she is SOLD OUT!”
To what things to people “sell-out”? (for example, “building your own business”)
What does it look like when someone is “sold-out”? Do you think it is possible to be too sold-out to following Christ?
IN THE WORD
In the Scriptures, we find real people wrestling with being fully dedicated to God and His purposes. It is, of course, much easier to talk spiritual language and even to speak one’s full commitment to Christ; it is another thing to express that dedication in the way we decide to think and choose and actually live. Let’s look at three young men who, against the flow, lived a “sold-out” commitment to God’s will.
Read together: Daniel 3:1-18
Who were these young men (background, homeland, current situation)?
Discuss/describe the pressures these young men were under?
Why do you think they refused to bow down before the image of the King (or of a Babylonian god)? How would you describe their convictions? Cf. Exodus 20:3-6, 32:1-5, Deut. 8:18-20, Isaiah 42:8, 48:11
Take Romans 12:1-2 and using what you find there, how would you describe what these 3 young men were given courage to do? What part of what they did came from a renewed mind? What part came from a presenting their bodies?
Now, read Daniel 3:19-30. How did God honor them? How would you describe it.
MY LIFE – OUR MISSION
What kind of pressures do our young people face today to personally, sinfully compromise? List as many as you can:
_______________________________ ______________________________
_______________________________ ______________________________
Can you identify any Scripture for these pressures that could give them courage and conviction to “present their bodies” to the Lord and motivation to “renew their minds”?
It is significant that there were three who stood together (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:12), with a 4th Person (likely the Lord Jesus in a “pre-incarnate” appearance). Joining them in the fire. Our mission is to “connect people to life-defining relationships in Christ.” Clearly, these three (4!) illustrate the importance of us expressing our gratitude to God TOGETHER, in relationship.
Finish by PRAYING for any pressures-to-conform that you and those in your Connect Group might be facing these days. Standing together, presenting yourselves to the Lord, renewing your minds (rather than conforming) is a critical posture for us, that God might present a remarkable – even miraculous – witness through us.
Today’s teaching continues a November-long CCC family/team initiative to respond with generous gratitude to the Lord God.
Please register [ by NOV 11] for our UL 320 CELEBRATION DINNER (November 17, 5:00 PM) at www.ccames.org/unleashed Thank you!
“Blessings!” Pastor David Staff