WEEK SEVEN
LIVING THE EPIC LIFE
Group Preparation Options
Book Reading: Supernatural, Chapters 14-16
Heritage Sermon: Sunday, April 24 (watch here)
Heritage Sermon: Sunday, April 24 (watch here)
Group Time (90 min)
45 Min - The Epic Mission
A MUCH BIGGER PURPOSE
As we reach the end of this study, I pray your faith has grown. I hope you see God and His story as bigger than you ever imagined before.
Instead of "Jesus died for your sins" or "God has a plan for your life," I would personally describe the gospel more like this:
In this broken world there are powers of darkness that are obsessed with death - yours and mine. They hate God. They hate anyone who aligns with Him. Because of our sin, darkness had us in its grasp, but God waged war on our behalf, sending His perfect Son, Jesus, to win us back by defeating the enemy and overcoming sin and the grave. God is on a mission to rescue His lost sons and daughters. Incredibly, He allows us to participate in this mission. He even seals our victory by giving us supernatural power through His Holy Spirit.
In our very short time on earth, let us make the most of our lives by expanding His Kingdom. Love will be our greatest weapon, and we won't stop until every man, woman, boy, and girl within our reach joins us in eternal worship of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
WINNING THE WAR
We have been invited into the fight to rescue people from an eternity separated from God. The war for dominion continues across the globe, and our assignment is to enter enemy territory and save those who have been deceived and enslaved by darkness (Matthew 28:18-20). The most important thing we can do in this world is to share the truth and love of Christ. When just one person repents and puts their trust and hope in Jesus, the enemy loses ground, the Kingdom of God advances, and Heaven erupts in celebration:
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).
In other words, calling people to repentance and seeing the Great Commission fulfilled is one of the greatest acts of spiritual warfare. Consider that lens as you read the following words of Paul in Ephesians 6:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:10-20).
POWER FOR THE MISSION
God does way more than die for our sins and then ask us to tell others about it. He makes each of His children walking temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and offers us the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11). On the day of Pentecost, the curse of Babel was reversed. Instead of confusing the languages of human beings and scattering them across the world, the Holy Spirit descended and gave those present the ability to speak in every language. And it just so happens that someone from every nation on earth was present that day - the news of Jesus was now about to spread and reclaim the nations for Christ:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” - Acts 2:1-12
Amazingly, just as 3,000 lives were lost in judgment the day God's people bowed in worship to an idol (Exodus 32:27-28), look what happened on the day of Pentecost as Peter explained to the people what was happening:
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. - Acts 2:38-41
Why does God give us power in the Holy Spirit? For one reason only: To bring His sons and daughters home.
As we reach the end of this study, I pray your faith has grown. I hope you see God and His story as bigger than you ever imagined before.
Instead of "Jesus died for your sins" or "God has a plan for your life," I would personally describe the gospel more like this:
In this broken world there are powers of darkness that are obsessed with death - yours and mine. They hate God. They hate anyone who aligns with Him. Because of our sin, darkness had us in its grasp, but God waged war on our behalf, sending His perfect Son, Jesus, to win us back by defeating the enemy and overcoming sin and the grave. God is on a mission to rescue His lost sons and daughters. Incredibly, He allows us to participate in this mission. He even seals our victory by giving us supernatural power through His Holy Spirit.
In our very short time on earth, let us make the most of our lives by expanding His Kingdom. Love will be our greatest weapon, and we won't stop until every man, woman, boy, and girl within our reach joins us in eternal worship of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
WINNING THE WAR
We have been invited into the fight to rescue people from an eternity separated from God. The war for dominion continues across the globe, and our assignment is to enter enemy territory and save those who have been deceived and enslaved by darkness (Matthew 28:18-20). The most important thing we can do in this world is to share the truth and love of Christ. When just one person repents and puts their trust and hope in Jesus, the enemy loses ground, the Kingdom of God advances, and Heaven erupts in celebration:
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).
In other words, calling people to repentance and seeing the Great Commission fulfilled is one of the greatest acts of spiritual warfare. Consider that lens as you read the following words of Paul in Ephesians 6:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:10-20).
POWER FOR THE MISSION
God does way more than die for our sins and then ask us to tell others about it. He makes each of His children walking temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and offers us the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11). On the day of Pentecost, the curse of Babel was reversed. Instead of confusing the languages of human beings and scattering them across the world, the Holy Spirit descended and gave those present the ability to speak in every language. And it just so happens that someone from every nation on earth was present that day - the news of Jesus was now about to spread and reclaim the nations for Christ:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” - Acts 2:1-12
Amazingly, just as 3,000 lives were lost in judgment the day God's people bowed in worship to an idol (Exodus 32:27-28), look what happened on the day of Pentecost as Peter explained to the people what was happening:
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. - Acts 2:38-41
Why does God give us power in the Holy Spirit? For one reason only: To bring His sons and daughters home.
DISCUSS TOGETHER
How does this change the way you see your life purpose?
What adjustments do you feel the Lord leading you to make in life?
45 min - Final Encouragement
Now that you have completed this study, we suggest you end your session with the following group interaction:
End your group by praying with and for each other, especially praying encouragement for them in the area of next steps.
Thank you for participating in EPIC!
- Is there anyone who needs to take a step of faith by committing their life to the Lord (salvation)? If so, stop and pray with and for them.
- Is there anyone who needs to publicly pledge their allegiance to Jesus through baptism? If so, have them text "Baptism" to (229) 252-7950.
- What is everyone's next step? Consider:
- Growing in Spiritual Habits (Bible Study, Prayer & Fasting, Stewardship: honoring God with talents, treasure, temple, & time
- Joining the church (Discover Heritage)
- Committing to Small Group life
- Joining a Ministry Team (Team Life)
- Activity sharing your faith and inviting people into your world and entering theirs (share meals together!)
End your group by praying with and for each other, especially praying encouragement for them in the area of next steps.
Thank you for participating in EPIC!
NOTE TO GROUP LEADERS
Thank you for your willingness to walk with others in discipleship. We are here for you whenever you need us. We are praying for you and cheering for you. One tool we want to offer: ESPN.
Each time you gather together, make a point to:
E: Encourage (offer words of hope to everyone in your group)
S: Scripture (always let God's Word be your guide)
P: Prayer (prayer changes the atmosphere - we encourage you to begin and end your time together in prayer)
N: Next Step (if anyone is facing a particularly difficult circumstance in life, we have many Next Step tools available for you)
Reach out anytime:
Chrissie Forehand (Small Groups Pastor):
Thank you for your willingness to walk with others in discipleship. We are here for you whenever you need us. We are praying for you and cheering for you. One tool we want to offer: ESPN.
Each time you gather together, make a point to:
E: Encourage (offer words of hope to everyone in your group)
S: Scripture (always let God's Word be your guide)
P: Prayer (prayer changes the atmosphere - we encourage you to begin and end your time together in prayer)
N: Next Step (if anyone is facing a particularly difficult circumstance in life, we have many Next Step tools available for you)
Reach out anytime:
Chrissie Forehand (Small Groups Pastor):
Or send a note to:
Brian Lassetter (Discipleship Pastor):
Brian Lassetter (Discipleship Pastor):