Feb 21st 2018 - Jesus' Suffering

With us being in the beginning of the Lenten season we need to remember a few key things: Endurance, Resilience, and Sacrifice.  As Christians we are tested more than we care to be on these matters.  Jesus resonated each of these even until he breathed his last breath.  His Sacrifice was because humans were/and are incapable of following the covenant that was established by God; because we continue to cave to temptation, we continue to be stubborn and go about doing things our way instead of God's way.  The challenges we are presented in our lives are not designed to break us or cause us to fail; but to get us to rely on the one who can, will, and has saved us.  To get us to realize that our life is meant to be sacrificed for others, to endure challenges that make us stronger.  Jesus came into his eternal state only after enduring the pain of the crucifixion and holding onto his faith. 

Once Again - Matt Redman
Songsheet

Endurance – Once Again 
Definition: the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.  


Scripture:  
• James 1: 2-3  - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 
• Colossians 1:11 - being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience 


Questions: 
• What does endurance mean to you?   
• How does our Faith require us to demonstrate endurance? 
• What is one trick you use to endure something unpleasant? 

Praise You in this Storm - Casting Crowns
Songsheet

Storm/Resilience - Praise you in this Storm 
Definition: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. 


Scripture: 
• 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed 
• Hebrews 12:2-3 We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners, so that you don’t become tired and give up 
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Questions: 
• What was one time you had to be resilient? 
• What makes someone resilient? 
• How can we demonstrate our resilience and embody the resilience Jesus portrayed?  


Discussion Point: 
Being resilient doesn't mean you don't feel the pain of what you are enduring, it doesn't mean you like going through the struggles life is throwing your way.  It means that even within these struggles, with the pain that is being inflicted upon you; you are  able to keep pushing forward, it means that though your body and mind may be broken, your spirit, your heart, and your faith are still fighting strong.  Life's storms, though massive and at times feel like they won’t end, do not cause you to waiver from the path.  You hold strong to your faith, your morals, and your sense of right and wrong.  Just because the world is against you, you still will do what is right for you and right for God.  Even as Jesus faced the pain, suffering, and anguish of the crucifixion he held onto what he knew was the next chapter for him, for us.  He willingly faced this storm for us, his resilience has stood the test of time. 

Jesus Paid it All - performed by Kristian Stanfill
Songsheet

Sacrifice – Jesus Paid it all 
Definition: an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure. 

Scripture: 

• Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them 
• Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Questions: 

• What would you ultimately sacrifice to truly follow Jesus? 
• How can you demonstrate to others the importance of sacrifice? 
• How can we carry on in life when presented with the consequence of a sacrifice that needs to be made  which doesn't "fit" our moral standing? 
• I.E: Abortion, the Death Penalty, sacrificing one to save many, etc. Etc. 

Discussion Point: 

Being asked to make a sacrifice is a hard pill to swallow.  A sacrifice can take on many different forms, whether a material item, not being able to do something we really wanted to do, giving up something of great importance to us, or laying our life down for another person.  These choices are not designed to be easy, they are designed to show us what is truly important in life.  They show us that there is more to life than objects, more to life than our "self" desires or interests.  Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to demonstrate to us that one life is not as important as many lives.