When No One Is Watching (Week 4)

WEEK 4

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ICEBREAKERS

  • Best book you’ve ever read (besides the Bible)?
  • If you could learn one new personal skill, what would it be?
  • What’s your favorite way to get in some exercise?

 

OPEN IN PRAYER

 

MESSAGE REVIEW

Jesus, in the book of Mark, gave a clarion call to everyone about the fig tree that looked like it produced fruit but there was none to be found. Just as the bible speaks of wolves in sheep clothing, Jesus gave warning to watch for fruit in people. Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit. If someone has to tell you about their fruit it probably is not visible. A life that is not genuine cannot successfully bear fruit. You are only able to bear fruit when you are your true, authentic self. When you bear fruit people will call you by what they see in you. Let us learn to be “champion, first class, fruit inspectors”, as Pastor Ron stated. 

 

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!

  • Read Mark 7:15-20 The bible says what truly contaminates a person is not what he puts into his body, but what comes out. Jesus said to the disciples that words and deeds pollute a person, not food. It is what comes from their hearts. Do you perform routine “heart checks” with the Holy Spirit? Share how you process when you have something in your heart that needs to be dealt with?
  • Read Mark 11:12-14 Jesus was hungry and walked up to the fig tree looking for fruit. When He saw that it did not produce fruit, He cursed the tree and said, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!”  Discuss why Jesus had this response to the fig tree. How does this example teach us why it’s important to look for fruit in people?   
  • Read Mark 11:20-24 The bible says that the next morning, Peter remembered the fig tree that Jesus cursed and saw that it shriveled up and died. Jesus said to let the faith of God be in us when we speak to the mountains in our lives. He stated that we should boldly believe for what we ask in prayer that we will receive it. Do you pray bold prayers (do you speak to those mountains)? Ask the group if anyone would like to share a personal testimony of a time when they spoke to a mountain and it moved. 

 

PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS

Ask your members if they have any prayer requests or praise reports. Let us focus this week on recognizing fruit in others and speaking to those mountains in our lives.