Mother’s Day: Session 12 (Spring 2021)

Session 12 – Small Group Study Guide

Download: Word | Download: PDF

Word: How this truth should be understood

1. Turn to Genesis 3:8-10, where Adam and Eve hid upon hearing the sound of God walking in the garden looking for them. Consider Adam’s response in v. 10 about being afraid. What do these verses teach us about the origin of fear?
2. Look at Matthew 6:25-27. Why does Jesus tell you NOT to worry about your lives? How do you think Jesus’ illustration about birds and flowers help drive home the point that you can trust in Him to care for you?
3. Pastor Gavin mentioned he only had time to look at a few of the truths to encourage us in our fight against anxiety. Go through the passage slowly and write down each truth that Jesus offers in our battle against anxiety.

Worship: How this truth affects your heart

1. What are some of the things you worry about (Pastor Gavin encouraged us to ask ourselves, “If I only had ____, I would be happy.”)? How do you respond?
2. During the message, Pastor Gavin challenged us with this heart probing question: “Do you really believe God will provide for you so you don’t have to worry?” We all reason within ourselves about why God won’t provide for us in our moments of worry. What are the distorted lies in your heart that prevent you from trusting in God to provide for you? How does this speak about what you value most?
3. How would your worry look different if you really trusted God? How might your response be different?

Work: How this truth works out in your life

1. In the sermon it encourages us to discern between Godly concern and sinful anxiety by asking two questions – Who am I trusting in? How am I responding? Take some time to consider your anxiety and determine what kind it is.
2. What are some truths that you hold on to fight the fear in your life? Write those down to be able to encourage your group later with those same truths.
3. Pick one area of worry in your life right now. Work through each point of the message by doing a personal inventory and assessment by: Identifying it, Exposing it, and Fighting it.

Sharing and Prayer

1. The theme of our study in John is “to awaken and advance faith.” As you think about this season, what is one area in which you’d like to grow in living out your faith? Write this down and prepare to follow-up and track God’s work in our future sessions!
2. What are some ways that you’d like to apply what you just learned to that one area you’d like to grow in living out your faith?
3. Share other prayer requests.