WEEK 3 : Set Apart, Not Checked Out
Ice breaker: Play a couple “Minute to win it” games. Examples attached.
Pray: Holy Spirit, would you speak to us and teach us today, helping us to surrender our will and forming us to be like Jesus.
Time felt very short in these games, right? We often forget it, but in this weeks’ passage of 1 Peter, he reminds us just how short our lives on this earth really are.
How can we live faithfully with the time God has given us on earth? Let’s look at what Peter modeled in his life.
Read Acts chapter 3.
Notice Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of prayer. Early Christians stopped what they were doing to pray the Lord’s Prayer every day at 9am, noon, and 3pm. They also fasted every Wednesday to remember Jesus’ betrayal and every Friday in remembrance of the crucifixion.
1. Peter prioritized and scheduled prayer and fasting. Do you?
Challenge: Set alarms to go off 3 times a day every day this week and when they do, pause what you’re doing and spend at least a minute in prayer.
Could you fast at least one meal this week and use the time that you would have spent eating to pray for lost people you know to believe in Jesus?
Peter healed this man in the power of the Holy Spirit, then boldly shared the gospel AGAIN.
2. Tell about a time you shared your faith in Jesus with someone. How did that go? Do you feel ready to share tomorrow if the opportunity arose?
One of the best ways to share about Jesus is by telling what he has done in your life. Turn in pairs and allow each person 2-4 minutes to share about how they met Jesus, how their life changed, and the purpose and hope they have now. (You will likely need to set a timer! We need to learn to share this story briefly so we don’t lose people’s attention.)
Check out this 8-minute video on Right Now Media (everyone can get their own free account at mcc.church/groups), “Citizens of heaven while residents on earth.”
3. What stood out to you from the video?
Read 1 Pt. 1:13 – 2:3.
4. Look back at 1 Peter 2:1. How can you rid yourself of these things? (Hint: see 1 Peter 1:22)
5. The nourishment Peter writes about in 2:2 comes through time in the Word of God, at church, and with other believers. What steps are you taking to nourish your soul?
Challenge: Put yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by lost people this week. Just spend time getting to know them with no set agenda, and then start praying for them regularly.
Lord, help us to LOVE like Jesus, being ready to share about the hope that you have given each of us. Jesus, help us to KNOW you personally so we can share honestly about the impact you’ve had on our lives. Give us a burden for the lost so that we truly live like our mission on earth is to engage with the lost and share hope in Jesus. Make us holy like you are holy, so that through our love for one another the world would be drawn to know you. Amen.