Icebreaker
Money being no object, what would you do to pamper yourself?
- (Matthew 22:34-40), Who does Jesus tell us to love? Why do you think Jesus calls them the greatest commandments?
- Genesis 3:1-11 What was the difference in Adam and Eve’s response to their nakedness, before eating the fruit and after? (vs 7, 8, 10)?
How does our sin, the sin of others, shame, vulnerability, hurt and fear affect how we react to God? How does it affect our relationships with each other? How does it affect how we treat our self?
What was God’s response to their sin? (9, 11) How does this show that God is relational? What is God’s response to our sins? (Romans 5:8, 2 Cor 5:21, Hebrews 9:27-28, 1 John 4:10)
- Read Matthew 6:22-23: How does sin affect how we perceive the world around us?How does sin affect how we respond to or process events and information?
How does sin affect how others interpret our response to events and information?
Can you think of a time when you and someone else witnessed the same event and saw it completely differently?
In what way does scripture help us to counteract the effects of sin on our perception? (Romans 12:2, 2 Tim 3:16-17)
- Why is it important for us to discover what is in our hearts; the good, the bad and the ugly? (Psalm 139:23-24, Psalm 119:29-30)
- How does having a relationship with Jesus help us to confront our sin and restore our relationships with God, others and our self? (John 8:31-32, Ephesians 3:12 and Hebrews 4:15-16)
How can understanding ourselves better, help us to build better relationships with God, each other, and our self?