Before We Get Started

For our discussion today we will be using the sermon series discussion guides. If you would like to follow along you can access this discussion guide on the website at mosaicchurchaustin.com and then select “community group resources” in the menu options.

Prayer

Because the main goal of our time together is to establish relationships and learn how to walk with one another in all that God has called us to be and do, we’d like to begin by praying for one another. So, does anyone have anything you’d like us to pray for, or  anything to share regarding how you’ve seen God moving in your life that we can celebrate together.

This Week’s Topic

Our dear friend, Pastor Jim Laffoon, was with us this past Sunday talking about Building on a Fault Line. In our discussion today we will talk about how and why relationships and church community can be so difficult, but how Jesus and His gospel both free us and empower us to love one another with the love of Christ and put the gospel on display for the world to see.

Discussion Questions

Other than Jesus and/or your spouse (if you’re married) what’s the greatest relationship you have? What makes it so great?

Proverbs 17:9,17

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

What is it that makes relationships so hard?

How many of us have ever been hurt by someone we thought we could trust?

C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

“In friendship…we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting–any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”

Why do you think God allows those hurts and offenses to come into our lives and relationships?

What are our options when that happens?

What does it take for us to run from those relationships?

What does it take for us to stay and work through those differences?

Where can we find the power to love like that?

Romans 5:7-8

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

How did Jesus respond to us when we offended and hurt Him?

Closing Thought