GROWTH QUESTION #1
Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS
MEETING AGENDA
- OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
- GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
- ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
- TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
- GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
- CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.
GROWTH QUESTION #2
What did you learn from this week’s sermon?
GROWTH QUESTION #3
What was your most important accomplishment this week?
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT) - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
opening question
What is something that is easier to start than it is to finish?
INTRODUCTION
- Hebrews 11 showed us many examples of people who lived by faith.
- Hebrews 12 now calls us to live out our own faith with endurance.
- The Christian life is compared to a race that God has set before us.
- To run well, we must remove what slows us down, keep our eyes on Jesus, and refuse to give up.
- This passage teaches us how to stay faithful when following Jesus gets difficult.
KEY # 1
REMOVE WHAT SLOWS YOU DOWN!
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT) - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up…
- Hebrews says to “strip off every weight that slows us down.”
- Some things may not seem sinful at first, but they can still slow down our spiritual growth.
- A weight is anything that distracts us, drains us, or pulls our attention away from God.
- Sin does more than slow us down; it trips us up and keeps us from running freely.
- We cannot run the race God has for us while holding on to things that keep pulling us backward.
Romans 13:14 (NLT) - Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
- Following Jesus means we intentionally remove what feeds sin and put our focus on Him.
INTERACTIVE QUESTION
What is one thing that can easily slow people down spiritually if they are not careful?
KEY # 2
RUN THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE YOU!
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT) - …And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
- Hebrews says, “Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
- Every believer has a race to run, and God is the one who sets the course.
- The goal is not to compare our race with someone else’s race.
- Endurance means we keep going even when it gets hard, slow, uncomfortable, or tiring.
- Faithfulness is not proven by how we start, but by whether we keep following Jesus.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT) - So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
- God calls us to keep doing what is right even before we see the full results.
INTERACTIVE QUESTION
What helps you keep going when you feel tired, discouraged, or tempted to quit?
KEY # 3
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!
Hebrews 12:2-3 (NLT) - We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up…
- Hebrews says we run this race by “keeping our eyes on Jesus.”
- Jesus is the champion who begins our faith and brings it to completion.
- We do not overcome by focusing only on our problems, our feelings, or our failures.
- Jesus endured the cross because He was focused on the joy that was coming.
- When we think about what Jesus endured, it gives us strength to endure what we are facing.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT) - I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on...
- A focused life is a faithful life.
interactive QUESTION
What is one practical way we can keep our eyes on Jesus during a difficult week?
closing QUESTION
What is one step you need to take this week so you can run your race with more endurance?
GIVING
True giving is measured by the sacrificial love behind the gift rather than its monetary value.
Mark 12:42-44 (NLT)
42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.
PRAY
QUESTION #1
Who are you praying for to be saved?
QUESTION #2
Who can you invite to the next meeting?
QUESTION #3
What are your prayer requests?