Welcome to Sunday Fuel! This series of questions is designed to assist your personal reflection and fellowship with others about the sermon from this past Sunday.

Go to This Sunday’s Sermon (start at 17:55)

1. What form does your hypocrisy take? How do we live in a way to try to convince people we are good or worthy of their praise in some way? 

2. How does this hypocrisy impact 

• your prayer life—do you lose sight of Who you are really praying to or don’t pray at all because you’re afraid of what others think? 
• your relationships—do you hide your struggles and sins or only enough so they don’t think less of you? 
• your witness—do you refrain because you fear how people might view you or hide your faith so others would be impressed and think well of you? 
• your ministry to others—are you doing the right things so others will think well of you or are you frustrated that you aren’t receiving the acknowledgement you think you deserve? 

3. Take some time to confess your self-idolatry to the Lord. Admit how your hypocrisy dishonors Him. Pray for his help to reorient your life so you live before Him alone. Thank Him for the acceptance and approval He bestows on you through Christ. Ask Him to grow a greater concern for His glory than your own. Pray that you will rest in his redemption instead of meditating on what others think of you. Affirm your trust in the Lord that He sees and will reward your “secret” acts of service.

4. What is one step of faith you can take this week to orient your life around God in order to praise Him?

• Will you share openly and honestly with others in your small group and let others enter into your life?
• Take a break from social media to live a more private life for a season?
• Bless someone anonymously with your money, time, prayers, or encouragement?
• Reflect on ways you might shift your focus in parenting away from outward behaviors to helping your children orient their lives around Christ? 

Recommended Resource: When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch