Community Group Facilitators Guide: Week of October 6, 2013 Last week your group discussed together the stages

of the Ultimate Journey, and also how knowing where you are spiritually and what your next growth step is provides great motivation and clarity in the journey. This weeks sermon teaches us that our growth through all of these stages is fueled by grace. Connecting Question To begin, have group members share a specific simple way they have experienced grace in their life. (NOTE to group leader: this question is not limited to Gods grace, it can be grace someone has received from a person or organization.)

For groups meeting every other week Last Weeks sermon titled GPS was about the importance of where you are spiritually and what your next growth step is. You can begin discussion here by reviewing the circle chart of stages with the group The Growth Stages diagram is attached at the end of this guide

Why are these stages important to ones understanding of the Ultimate Journey? Something you can encourage your group members to do this week is to write several paragraphs about their spiritual journey in a notebook: how it began, where and how they have grown, down times, challenges, frustrations, satisfactions, etc. Though you wont be able to spend time on this as a group, it is a great way for people to reflect on where they have been and how God has been with them thus far in their journey. This week Have someone in the group read Pauls personal story of how he experienced Grace 1 Tim. 1:12-17 How does Paul describe his life? How does Paul describe Gods grace? Where do you see Gods grace giving Paul assurance, motivation, and resources? What negatives can these three gifts of grace counteract in the Ultimate Journey? Why are these three things critical for us in our Ultimate Journey?

Wrap-Up Question and Prayer Conclude your discussion by having everyone answer the following:

Which of these three gifts of grace are most relevant to you right now in your Ultimate Journey? And why?

Closing Question and Prayer Time Close in prayer by having everyone read together one of Pauls prayers for the church members he spent time with. These prayers were the outpouring of his heart for their growth, and it can be an expression of your heart/desire for your group members growth. Read together Ephesians 3:16-19 or Colossians 1:9b-12

Resources If you have group members struggling with any of these, below are some short resources you can point them to: How Grace Motivates article-http://liberatenet.org/2013/02/28/does-grace-make-you-lazy/ Discovery Booklet in our Resource Center- Safe & Secure: The Permanence of Salvation Quick Read Book in our Resource Center Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkerson The Growth Stages Diagram

BULLETIN OUTLINE The Ultimate Journey: Through It All 10.6.13 Tom Oyler, Lead Pastor Assurance (John 3:16, 5:24; Romans 1:7, 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:2, 13, 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:3, 6:19, 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 1:2; Colossians 3:10) Motivation (Acts 20:28; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, 58; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, 8:1-4; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 4:19) Resources (John 15:4-5; Acts 20:32; Romans 12:6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:28-29; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Hebrews 4:15-16, 10:24-25; 1 Peter 1:2-4, 3:18) LOOKING BACK The Ultimate Journey

Through It All
The word amateur comes from the Latin meaning lover. An amateur in sports is one who participates for the love of the game, not for financial gain. The Ultimate Journey is for amateurs, people who love God and want to bear fruit by/through and for Him. But if it is to be so, they are all ours through the gospel. Thinking It Through Every moment of the spiritual life is one of unmeasured need and superhuman demands, and the supply of enabling power and grace must be constantly received and employed.

~Lewis Sperry Chafer

Putting on Christ is not one among many jobs a Christian has to do; and it is not a sort of special exercise for the top class. It is the whole of Christianity.

~C.S. Lewis

Not infrequently, we choose our goals to prove our importance.

~Keith Huntenlocker ~Unknown

Salvation is not something we ACHIEVE, but RECEIVE.

Living It Out

1. On a scale of 1-10, how certain are you that you have eternal life and that you are complete in Christ at this very moment? Explain your choice. 2. What are some of the words you find yourself saying or thinking that reveal some of your motivations in the Ultimate Journey? 3. What resources are available to you for the journey and which ones seem most needed in our life right now? How will you access one of them this week? LOOKING AHEAD The Ultimate Journey Outward Bound Talk about an Ultimate Journey for three years the disciples followed Jesus everywhere He went and had front-row seats for His teaching and miracles. Throughout Galilee and Jerusalem they traveled with Him on a literal journey, but each was also on a personal journey of his own. History tells us that by the end of their journeys these men were well on their way to changing the world for God, but they didnt start out that way. At times they were startlingly childlike, and had to grow through the stages of maturity just like anyone else. But they had a master Teacher who saved one of His most powerful lessons for their last night together before His death. Looking It Up Read the following passages. For each, look for clues to help you asses where you think the disciples may have been in their growth (infant, child, young adult, parent): o Mark 8:27-33 o Luke 9:12-17 o Luke 9:46-48. Read John 13:1-15 and then answer the following questions: o o What lesson is Jesus particularly interested that the disciples learn? What can we learn about being a spiritual parent from the way Jesus engaged the disciples in this passage? What do verses 6-9 reveal to us about where Peter was in his growth? How did Jesus interaction with him help Peter mature? Do you think it is significant that Jesus taught the disciples this particular lesson on His last night with Him? Why? Do you struggle to follow Jesus example in this passage? Why or why not?