Small Group Questions
Matthew 6:25-34
Sermon Title:Lies That Lead to Worry
Series: Scriptures that Changed My Life #8
Week of 7 August 2016
Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:25-34(NIV)25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
THEME/ CONCEPT: For most of us, worry is a way of life. While some worries are indeed warranted, much worry is misdirected imagination. Worry grows when we believe the lies of the evil one, such as earthly things are more important than our eternal priorities, or that God won’t take care of us. We win over worry by cultivating a growing awareness of God’s love, a deepening appreciation of God’s creative provision and a maturing confidence in our own worth. Application: turn your imagination from the lies of evil to the truth of God’s love, God’s care and your past experience of God’s faith provision.
Opening Question
A question similar to the following can help your small group start sharing and give everyone an opportunity to contribute. You might help your group members apply the scripture to their lives by sending them the question a few days before you meet to prepare for the discussion.
O1.Are you prone to be a “worry wart”? On the scale from “not a care in the world” to “anxious 24/7,” where do you naturally tend to fall?
Understanding the Scripture
A question like one of the following may help your group understand the content of the passage.
U1.This section of the Gospel would be in red type in certain Bibles as it’s the spoken word of Jesus. Who is Jesus’ audience for this passage?
U2.What is the larger context of this passage? Note that this section actually begins in Matthew 5 and is part of one larger sermon of Jesus. Pay particular attention that as Matthew 6:25 begins with “therefore,” we know it is “there for” a reason and is actually completing a thought begun earlier Matthew.
U3.Matthew 6:29 specifically names Solomon; how would Jesus’s audience have interpreted that reference? How do you?
U4.Matthew 6:34 reminds us to take each day individually. This is a repeat theme throughout Scripture. Compare Exodus 16 as well as Matthew 6:11. What are the common attributes of these passages? How do they differ?
Applying the Scripture
Small groups provide sacred space for this life-changing transformation and are essential in building authentic community. We have found when all our small groups live by a set of core values, we can stay on our mission of making disciples as a church. The five values can be found in the Small Group Leader Resources.
Every small group is different, use the questions that will be the most useful to your group members' growth. If you cover one goal one week, try to use a different section the next week to cover all the values.
Upward (Connecting to God)
A1.Of the enumerated “worries” in this passage, which do you find yourself most prone to dwelling upon? Least?
A2.We are admonished not to worry; Jesus does not state that we have a choice in this matter. Have you ever considered this as a “sin” to worry instead of trusting in God’s provisions? How are we to internalize this command?
A3.Why does Jesus reference the “pagans” in this passage? If He were speaking today, who might He reference instead of the term “pagans”?
Inward (Connecting to each other)
A4.Have you ever tried to rationalize why you do worry? What are some of the “legitimate reasons” you have tried to use to justify your worries?
A5.Share a time when you were worried about something that seemed, at the time, to be a major source of unease. How did the situation resolve? Did the worrying help the situation or hurt it?
A6.Have you ever experienced a time when you (or someone you love) was provided for in an unexpected, unforeseen, or supernatural (divine) way? Share that experience.
Outward (Serving through mission & outreach)
A7.We are reminded that God will care for us, as we matter more than the birds or the lilies; how then do we combine this truth with the fact that there are people in our own community who are homeless? How are we to respond to this reality in our community? What about those in the majority world where starvation and poverty are a way of life?
A8.Do you know anyone who struggles with chronic worry or anxiety? How might the message of this passage be a blessing to them?
A9.While many of us may struggle with worry on occasion, or even frequently, others also struggle with anxiety disorders. How might we come alongside someone who is wrestling with such anxiety?
Forward (Equipping)
A10.We are exhorted not to believe the lies of Satan, but to trust in God for His provision. Have you ever considered that some of the thoughts you entertain are not only ungodly, but are the thoughts (or types of thoughts) that the evil one wants you to dwell upon? How can we discern a thought’s origin? What are we to do with the thoughts that are not of God?
Onward (Discipling)
A11.If worry is misdirected imagination, what are some spiritual disciplines we might undertake to tame our imagination? Name one or two practices you already exercise that would help in this process, and one more that you don’t currently utilize that might help “take every thought captive.”
A12.While connecting in a small group is key for spiritual growth and fellowship among the Body of Christ, some people may be hesitant to participate or connect with others because of anxiety—particularly those who might experience social anxiety of one form or another. Do you know anyone who that may be the case? How might your group reach out to new members who might be reluctant to join because of such anxiety? Pray for guidance on how to be welcoming, encouraging, and affirming to such persons.
Closing Prayer
If your small group prays together, some of the following concepts might be helpful to invite the Holy Spirit to help each member of the group grow in areas that may have come up during the group's discussion.
Thank God for His continued provision for each of us, for this day’s bread.Pray for those struggling with burdens they feel they must shoulder alone, that they may learn to trust in Jesus. Pray for those mentioned during the discussion questions, particularly those who might be reluctant to join a small group due to anxiety, or any other “hang up”. Pray that the Holy Spirit moves in a might way to soften hearts. Pray with confidence that our hope and salvation is in Christ Jesus.