Leaders: please email your attendance and meeting details (place and time) to findjesus@baysidesanjose.com

Life Groups have 4 components and are designed to be 2 hours in length

(1) Opening – 10 minutes (hang out, share a testimony, worship, ice breaker)

 (2) Application study – 45 minutes – Sermon based application and reflection.

Follow these guidelines:

• Review the Sermon – Assess Your Life based on the Sermon – Apply the Sermon
• Read the passages and discuss how to implement them in life. Use the questions given below or create your own.
• Discussion: As you go over each sermon point and each scripture, discuss – How it gripped you, what you’re struggling with, how are you trying to apply this truth to your life?
• When have you? How will you? What does it take to?
• Application is intentional acts of obedience. Remember the old Quaker saying: “What is the manner of your life in regard to these things?”
• As you go through the discussion, remember that the goal is application. Our goal is to be doers of the word and not just hearers only – James 1:22
• There is no need to reteach the sermon or to read every scripture but feel free to refer to your sermon notes from the worship service.
• What other application points were given during the message?

Sermon Notes:

God Never Changes, But You Can – Malachi 3:6-18

(1) Resolute, Relentless Refining (3:6)

• Malachi 3:6
• Numbers 23:19
• James 1:17
• Hebrews 13:8
• 5 unchanging truths because God does not change:

 

(2) Returning Repentance (3:7)

• Malachi 3:7

 

(3) Rebellious Robbery (3:8-12)

• Malachi 3:8–12
• Acts 5:1-11

 

(4) Reckless Religion (3:13-15)

• Malachi 3:13–15

 

(5) Righteous Response (3:16-18)

• Malachi 3:16–18
• 4 Signs of genuine repentance:

Questions:

After reviewing the sermon and discussing each sermon point and scripture, feel free to use some or all of these questions depending on time restraints.

1. How have you “wearied” the Lord? Do you “fear” Him? How has the Lord Responded?
2. If given the chance next Sunday to declare war on sin, what sins would make it into your 3-point sermon?
3. How had Malachi’s peers robbed God?
4. How does the Lord challenge the people to put him to the test?
5. What was futile about their worshiping God with a “what’s in it for me?” attitude?
6. How will everyone get their just desserts in the end?
7. What distinguishes the righteous from the wicked?
8. When have you struggled with bad things happening to good people? Good things happening to bad people?
9. What does it feel like to be in relationship with such a God who “does not change”?
10. If you could change one thing about God, what would it be?
11. In what ways do you rob God every day?

(3) Ministry time – Accountability, Sharing and Prayer: Men with men, women with women. Transparency (2 or 3 minutes each about what we are going to do with what we’ve discussed). What were you convicted about? How will you apply it, deal with it? What is shared at this time is only for the men or only for the women in your group.

 (4) Fellowship – Getting to know one another, food or snack. A connection time! Have fun!