11.15.20 HUDDLE

Zach Below   -   November 15, 2020

OPENING QUESTION

  1. What is your favorite thing about fall?

 

 

INTRO

This is the last week of our series, Talking Points. This week we want to revisit the four words that help us relate like Jesus in Culture, Politics, and Relationships.

 

 

IDENTITY

One key point when engaging in culture, politics and relationships is to always remember that your first and most foundational identity is disciple. On Sunday, Pastor Bret pointed out that the Bible never debates atheism, but it is constantly battling idolatry.

 

  1. What do you think it means to have an idol?

 

  1. What are some of the major idols in our culture?

 

  1. Respond to the following quote from David Clarkson, “Though few will own it, nothing is more common. If we think of our soul as a house, idols are set up in every room, in every faculty. We prefer our own wisdom to God’s wisdom, our own desires to God’s will, and our own reputation to God’s honor.” Do you agree/disagree? Why or why not?

 

 

HUMILITY

The second word to remember when engaging in culture, politics and relationships is humility?

 

  1. How would you define humility? What does it look like in daily life?

 

READ TITUS 3:1-8

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

 

  1. How does this passage speak to humility? Or, said another way, what does humility look like in this passage?

 

  1. How is Jesus’s life the ultimate form of humility?

 

  1. Respond to author John Dixon’s definition of humility from his book Humilitas, “the noble choice to give one’s power over for the service of others.”

 

 

LOYALTY

The third word to remember as we relate and engage with politics, culture, and relationships is loyalty.

 

Read Luke 6:22-23

Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

 

  1. How does this text speak to the topic of loyalty?

 

  1. Have you ever experienced anything like this text is talking about or do you think that doesn’t really happen anymore?

 

 

CHARITY

The fourth word to remember when it comes to engaging culture, politics and relationships is charity.

 

Read Luke 6:3-36

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

 

  1. What does charity look like in this text?

 

 

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM—ABORTION

When want to practice using these four words as we discuss a difficult issue. When we discuss emotional topics such as abortion, we all need to remember that while for some this may be nothing more than a political issue, others have real and painful experiences with it. As such, we need to be overly gracious in our discussions, remember the four words we’ve discussed, and lean into Jesus’s words on mercy in Luke 6.

 

When it comes to the topic of abortion, it is important to remembered that it is not directly mentioned or discussed in the Old Testament or New Testament. In fact, Jesus never even mentioned it. Does that mean that Jesus didn’t care about it? Of course not.

 

  1. In light of how Jesus followers should approach this topic, Pastor Bret said, “What we do as a disciple is learn the character, message, and worldview of Jesus, and then ask what he would do if he were me.”

 

How does this idea help inform us on how to approach a topic like abortion?

 

  1. What does it look like to be truly “Pro-life” . . . as in all of life, not just for the unborn?

 

  1. The first Christian Emperor of Rome did not sit on the throne for over 270 years after Jesus’s death. Yet, the church in that Roman culture literally revolutionized the world in regard to the sanctity of life. They were known to go out in the woods and find babies that the Romans left out for exposure and they were recognized for their generosity for the poor to the point that they revolutionized society.

 

In light of that, how did the early Jesus followers illustrate the power of lifestyle over law? What would that look like today?

 

  1. Do you believe there is a risk for people to simply allow their vote to be a “proxy” for their actions? How might sanctity of life convictions be acted on “outside” of the Government? What is one way we can live that out in our daily life?

 

  1. What does it mean to be free from the idol of Political Party?

 

 

CLOSING QUESTION

When asked about how to know how to help when there is so much need and hurt in the world, pastor Andy Stanley said, “do for one what you wish you could do for all.”

 

  1. What is one thing you wish you could do for everyone? And . . . who is one person that you could do that for right now? (don’t share the name if it is someone your group knows)

 

 

CLOSE IN PRAYER