Sermon Based Small Group Lessons
When Hope is Gone
Dr. Les Hughes
2008 August 10
Opening Question
(New groups:
Share your name and the answer to the following question.)
Tell
about a time life seemed hopeless.
Focus Passage
Digging for Truth
1. When God forces you to say “Just
Give Me Jesus” He’s getting ready to do something in your
life. Have you ever experienced
that truth? What did God do?
Why
do you think God wanted to do that in your life?
2. Have you ever blamed God when things go
wrong? Is that a good thing or a
bad thing to do? Why or why not?
3. Martha said to Jesus “Even now (after
Lazarus is dead), I know whatever You ask of God, He’ll
give you.”
Martha
showed great faith in Jesus. How
strong is your faith compared to her?
What
made her faith so strong?
How
can we work to grow our faith?
Why
would we want to grow our faith?
What are the benefits?
4. Saying “Just Give Me Jesus”
must be a present reality and not just a theological truth. Is the God of the Bible the God of your
present reality?
Are
you experiencing God in your life?
If not, what could you do to experience more of God?
5. Are you a Martha or a Mary? Why do you suppose they are the way they
are? Why is it difficult for a
Martha to be a Mary?
6. Saying “Just Give Me Jesus”
means periodically God commands us to do something that makes no logical sense.
(Life removing
the stone from a body 4 days in the grave.) Martha informs Jesus that the body will
stink.
Jesus
doesn’t ask for our logic, He asks for our obedience. Has God asked you to do something
illogical?
7. Does it stretch your faith to know that
God has the power even to raise the dead to life?
8. God often wants some action on our
part. He doesn’t show His
will first! Have you ever
experienced this scenario with God?
What did He require of you?
9. Do you sometimes send mixed signals to
God, showing your faith in someway but holding on in others?
Closing Thought
10. What is God calling you to do in your
life now? How can you show faith in
Him this week?