Small Group Guide

Here’s a small group guide based on the sermon transcription:

Small Group Guide: Even If Believers – Submission and Obedience

Opening Discussion:
1. What does being an “even if” believer mean to you?
2. Share a time when you struggled to submit to an authority figure. How did you handle it?

Key Takeaways:
1. Submission is a crucial aspect of Christian faith, modeled by Jesus himself.
2. Rebellion and stubbornness are equated with witchcraft in the Bible (1 Samuel 15:23).
3. We are called to submit to both good and bad leaders, as long as their commands don’t contradict God’s Word.
4. Submission is a lifelong process that requires daily filling of the Holy Spirit.

Discussion Questions:
1. How does Jesus’ submission to the Father challenge or inspire you in your own life?
2. Why do you think God equates rebellion with witchcraft? How does this change your perspective on submission?
3. Discuss the statement: “We do not obey the person, but God’s authority in that person.” How does this impact your view of difficult authorities in your life?
4. How can we balance respectful submission with standing firm in our faith when faced with ungodly demands?

Practical Applications:
1. Daily Spirit-filling: Commit to spending time in prayer and Bible reading each day this week to be “filled with the Holy Spirit.”
2. Authority Audit: Identify areas in your life where you struggle with submission (work, church, government, etc.). Pray for God’s grace to help you submit in these areas.
3. Respectful Communication: Practice expressing disagreement respectfully, even with those in authority over you.
4. “What’s in the well” Exercise: When facing a difficult authority, examine your own heart reactions. What does your response reveal about your character?

Scripture to Meditate On:
– Ephesians 5:18-21
– 1 Peter 2:13-18
– Daniel 3 (Story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego)

Closing Prayer:
Lord, help us to be “even if” believers who submit to your authority and the authorities you’ve placed in our lives. Give us the strength to stand firm in our faith while showing respect to those over us. Fill us daily with your Holy Spirit so that we may become more like Jesus in our obedience and submission. Amen.