We can sit in the comfort of our homes as we follow the downward spiral of celebrities in the media and think to ourselves, “Wow, that person is really messed up!” And in doing so, we can be deceived by the illusion of our own goodness. Yet when the truth of who you are meets the truth of who Jesus is, you discover the truth that sets you free. Free from the illusions of your life. Free to pursue God with confidence. Free to worship him out of the reality of who we really are.
Discussion Questions
In what situations are you likely to present a fake or masked version of yourself?
What keeps us from realizing our own need for God? What do you feel like there is in your life for which you need forgiveness?
Read Luke 7:41-47. What is keeping Simon from realizing his own need for forgiveness?
The comparison game can blind us from our own mess by comparing our lives with those around us who are heading in a downward spiral. But who should we really be comparing ourselves to? How do we compare to Jesus?
Why is it that the longer someone walks with Jesus, the less desperate they seem to become for Him? In what ways have you lost passion/desperation in your relationship with God?
How can you renew your desperation and gratitude for Jesus?
Moving Forward
The tell-tale sign of whether you’re becoming a victim of the “illusion of your own goodness” is the amount of gratitude in your heart. How is your gratitude demonstrated in your relationship with God?
Changing Your Mind
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.
Midweek Moment – Illusions #2: Self-Delusions
Introduction
We can sit in the comfort of our homes as we follow the downward spiral of celebrities in the media and think to ourselves, “Wow, that person is really messed up!” And in doing so, we can be deceived by the illusion of our own goodness. Yet when the truth of who you are meets the truth of who Jesus is, you discover the truth that sets you free. Free from the illusions of your life. Free to pursue God with confidence. Free to worship him out of the reality of who we really are.
Discussion Questions
Moving Forward
The tell-tale sign of whether you’re becoming a victim of the “illusion of your own goodness” is the amount of gratitude in your heart. How is your gratitude demonstrated in your relationship with God?
Changing Your Mind
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.
Luke 7:47
[Questions sourced from http://www.groupcurriculum.org]