Sermon-Based Small Group Lessons

Worship Matters

Jason Seales

November 30, 2008

 

Focus Passage

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
     for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
    "Where is their God?"
3 Our God is in the heavens;
    he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
   eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
   noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
   feet, but do not walk;
   and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
   so do all who trust in them.

 

Outline of Sermon (The Life Changing Lessons)

This is for the leader’s use.  You don’t have to read through these for the group.

 

            Not available.

 

 

Opening Question

 

What was your reaction to Jason’s statement that “all people are worshippers and we are excellent at it?”

 

 

Digging for Truth

 

1.  Romans 1:25 states “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator…”  What are some of the things people exchange for God?  (Write some of these down for later use.)

 

2.  What was your feeling when viewing the video of people around the world reacting to Michael Jackson?

 

3.  Acts 17:23 says “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”  The people of Athens knew that something was missing in their lives.  Is there something missing in your life?  What do you believe a person has to do to “know God”?  If you have any doubts about whether you have ever come to know God, please talk with someone after the group meeting.

 

4. After we come to know God, how is it that we still battle who or what we worship?

 

5.  Worship is defined as “our response to God for who He is and for what He’s done expressed by what we say and how we live.”  If you had define your response to God with one word, what would it be?

 

            Who is God to you? 

 

            How would you answer the question, “What has He done?”

 

6.  How do we worship God by what we say and how we live?  What are some things that come to mind when we think about what a true worshipper of God looks like?  Will it affect how we think about and treat others?

 

7.  Jason asked some people why they attended worship and got some answers that seemed self-centered because they were “I” centered statements.  Are we guilty of worshiping because of what it does for us as compared to what it does to God?  How should we view our worship?

 

8.  Jason stated that “We worship what we value most.”  Have you ever really stopped and given thought to what we value most?  Take a minute to reflect on your life.  If someone looked at your money, time, passion & affections, what would they see.

 

9.  If it is true that whatever consumes us will eventually conform us, then that makes worship a really big deal.  What do some of the people eventually look like that we named in question 1?

 

10.  Jason said “If we get God wrong, we get life wrong.”  Do you agree with that?  Why or why not?

 

 

Closing Thought

 

We as believers should be able to say, “God, I want to be conformed to your likeness, so today I want to be consumed by you.”  What are the hindrances to being open to being consumed by God?  Maybe we should pray and discuss some of our fears and hesitancies about being able to make this statement.