02.11.07
Small Group Plan - February 11, 2007
“Extreme Makeover”
Involvement
Small Group Plan
February 11, 2007
Dear Small Group Leader,
Basketball Great Michael Jordan once said,
I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s precisely why I succeed
Fear of failure is powerful and fear because of failure can paralyze. But failure forgiven and learned from can lead to success and fear of God can be amazing.
OPEN IT / INTRODUCE IT …
· Describe a dramatic positive change that you observed in someone’s life. What were they like “before” and “after”?
· What made the change possible? What drove it or pushed it along?
· Is positive change always painless? Explain.
LOOK AT IT / STUDY IT …
Jesus calls Peter …
Luke 5:1-7
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
· If you had been fishing all night with no results, what would you have thought, said, or done, if Jesus told you to “let down the nets for a catch”?
· Why does Jesus even involve Peter in this miracle? Why did he make Peter a “partner” rather than simply produce the fish alone?
· What does Peter mean when he says, “Because you say so”? How does Jesus use this small opening of faith to move deeper into Peter’s heart?
Peter Fears The call …
Luke 5:8-10a
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
· Why did Peter’s mind immediately go from Jesus’ miracle to his own failure?
· Didn’t he feel honored to be a partner with Jesus in this miracle?
· When Peter said, “go away … I’m a sinful man” what was he revealing about his view of God and religion?
Jesus Reassures Peter …
Luke 5:10b
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
· What was Jesus seeing that Peter wasn’t?
· Why couldn’t Peter see what Jesus saw?
· How could Peter’s fear interfere with the future that Jesus could see?
· How did Jesus’ prediction for Peter come true?
Peter Embraces his call …
1 Peter 1:13-16
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
· With the old fearful Peter in mind, why is it significant that the “Made-Over” Peter would say such things as:
- “Prepare your minds”
- “Set your hope fully”
- “Do not conform”
· When Peter said, “As He who called you is holy,” what was he remembering about the One who called him?
· Imagine … How would Peter look back and what would he say about that day on the lake of Gennesaret?
USE IT / APPLY IT …
· Why and how does personal failure paralyze?
· Who are we listening to when we, like Peter, conclude that being “sinful” means that God would probably want to “go away” from us? How does this Jesus/Peter story change this viewpoint?
· Think of a time when “Don’t be afraid” brought comfort to you. How old were you? What were the circumstances? How did it reassure you?
· What is the difference between the paralyzing fear of failure and the amazing fear of God?
Close by asking God for the faith to listen to Jesus rather than Satan and to His Word rather than our culture.