Winsome – Study #4
Receiving the Gift of the Good News
Sunday’s Teaching: This week’s teaching focused simply on the “how to” of receiving God’s gift of life found in Christ. Receiving the gift involves accepting God’s invitation to know the truth, to trust a Person, and to anticipate a future. This study is designed to sharpen us in both understanding how to receive God’s gift, as well as making it clear to someone else.
Let’s get STARTED – warm up by discussing the following:
Do you remember watching a parent or grandparent who “knew how to do something”? Perhaps it was a grandmother who knew how to bake a great apple pie, or a dad who knew how to “tune up” the car (remember when we shade-tree mechanics did this to our own vehicles?), perhaps a coach who new how to shoot a basketball or hold a tennis racket? Can you remember wanting to know “how to do it”? Recall “how” someone helped you learn?
What did you learn from someone…and how did that someone make it simple/clear?
If someone led you to believe in and trust in Christ, how did that someone make it clear?
Let’s Explore in the WORD
Take your Bibles and turn to John 4, and together do the following:
Read John 4:1-15 (BUT…stop at end of vs. 15, with the woman’s request)
Imagine at that moment you are standing there with Jesus, and he turns to you (as one of his disciples) and says, “OK (your name)…please explain to this dear woman how she can have the water I give.”
Have each group member take turns sharing how he/she would explain “taking a drink of Jesus’ water.” As you take turns, have the other group members be the woman. What questions arise as you listen to the one making the explanation?
Don’t be afraid to jump into this exercise! Doing this together will sharpen your ability to share the good news clearly. Learn from each other, as the Spirit of God directs you!
FINALLY…if you have time, plug a speaker into a smart phone, dial up the church app, go to “Media” (lower right), then “Resources” (upper right) and finally to the “Beyond the Sermon” podcasts.
Listen to Episode #7 (about 21 minutes).
Discuss what you find helpful here in sharing the gospel
Let’s Prioritize APPLICATION
Finish by sharing what God’s Spirit is doing in your lives when it comes to a growing heart for sharing the gospel with others. Perhaps something the Spirit said to you through the use of the WINSOME DEVOTIONAL. PRAY for God to lead and open up new doors for praying, caring, sharing.
REMEMBER…Share the “Hot Sheet” together of what is happening at CCC and… sign up as a group for the February 7-8 BETTER TOGETHER CONFERENCE!
http://www.ccames.org/marriage/
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