Good News for Cave Dwellers

Get Out of the Boat

Leaders’ Guide / Lesson Plan

Get Out of the Boat: Session Five, “Good News for Cave Dwellers”

Key Points of Session Five:

1. This lesson is all about “failure,” and how we can descend into the cave of depression and doubt when we fail. The good news for the group is that “God does his best work in caves.”

I. -Introduce the topic for the week --- Welcome everybody and introduce the topic of “failure, and what happens when we fail for God.”

-Welcome everybody and make any group announcements

-Prayer time --- invite joys and concerns and then offer an opening prayer. It’s great to let someone from the group say the prayer if you’ve talked about this with them beforehand. Don’t put anybody on the spot to pray.

-Starter Questions: Ask your group a couple of the following questions to get the conversation ball rolling:

1. Toddlers – they don’t care when they fall down – they’re not embarrassed, and they don’t even think of falling down as a failure. What, then, are we so worried about?

2. When people experience failure in their lives, how do they typically respond?

3. What aspect of failure is most difficult for you personally?

II. Play the Video

Talk about the Video –

1. Many Christians avoid talking about being in “the cave.” Why do Christians avoid talk about failure, and what did John Ortberg have to say that you found surprising?

2. What does the common response of withdrawal from failure, or self-protection do to our capacity for spiritual growth?

3. How does being in the cave allow God to do some of his best work? What is the importance of “taking action” as described by Ortberg?

III. Bible Study: Choosing Trust, not Fear

No small groups this time --- whole group together --

Read: I Samuel 17:32-37

David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ David said, ‘The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the Lord be with you!’

And…I Samuel 18:12-14

Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him.

1. Describe the relationship David had with God when all was going well in his life.

2. David experienced many bad things in his life --- Saul became jealous of him and tried to kill him with a spear. David ran for his life, and he had to leave his mentor, Samuel, behind. Saul’s son Jonathan was David’s best friend, and Jonathan was killed in a battle, which was a deep loss to David. David was eventually forced to live in a cave with those who were “in distress or in debt or discontented.” He was continually pursued and almost killed by King Saul. Eventually, even after becoming king, he saw his own children die, committed adultery and murder and lived in the midst of huge strife and turmoil.

After facing such losses and difficulties, how did David respond to God?

I Samuel 30:3-6

When David and his men came to the city, they found it burnt down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep. David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

3. Psalm 142 is called, “A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.”

Psalm 142

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A Prayer.
With my voice I cry to the Lord;
with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
When my spirit is faint,
you know my way.

In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
Look on my right hand and see—
there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for me.

I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, ‘You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.’
Give heed to my cry,
for I am brought very low.

Save me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison,
so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.

What do we learn from Psalm 142 about David’s communication with God?

What does David affirm about God?

How does David describe his situation?

What is David’s hope and request?

IV. Final Questions for Discussion / Wrap –Up

Acknowledging failure and learning to trust:

1. What about God gives us reason to hope?

A: God is our refuge, protection, and strength in times of trouble (Psalm 62). We can count on him. He is trustworthy and we can pour out our hearts to him.

2. What role did hope play in getting Peter out of the boat?

Trust in God held Peter up as he walked on the water. He started to fall as he lost focus and saw the wind. Focus on Jesus is the source of our hope.

3. In what times in your life have you entered “the cave” where there was not hope or trust?

With your group, talk about how the following are ways “out” of the cave, and ways to make the cave a useful place for meeting God.

A. Honesty --- tell God how we feel

B. Focus --- How can we find ways to keep our eyes on Jesus? (Scripture, Relationships, Worship…)

C. Trust --- How does God want you to trust him right now?

D. Action --- Name at least two concrete actions that can be taken from the cave that will make a positive difference in your situation.

E. Hard Questions --- What very hard questions do you need to ask yourself about your situation? What realities may God be calling you to deal with?

V. Prayer

Prayers that acknowledge the realities of our failures and ask God for the gift of presence and faith are a great way to end this session.

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!! YOU TEACHERS ARE SO FAR OUT OF THE BOAT YOU CAN’T EVEN SEE IT ANYMORE!!! I’M PROUD OF YOU!!!!

Facing our Challenges, Conquering our Fears

Get Out of the Boat

Leaders’ Guide / Lesson Plan

Get Out of the Boat: Session Four, “Facing Our Challenges, Conquering Our Fears”

Key Points of Session Four:

1. Key for this lesson is considering how Peter’s exhilarating walk was interrupted by “seeing the wind.” Fear takes over, and he begins to sink.

2. How do we choose to water-walk, even when fear is taking over?

I. -Introduce the topic for the week --- Welcome everybody and introduce the topic of “fear, faith, and our walk with God.”

-Welcome everybody and make any group announcements

-Prayer time --- invite joys and concerns and then offer an opening prayer. It’s great to let someone from the group say the prayer if you’ve talked about this with them beforehand. Don’t put anybody on the spot to pray.

-Starter Questions: Ask your group a couple of the following questions to get the conversation ball rolling:

1. What are your expectations of God when you launch into a new adventure with Him? Do you think that God might launch a new adventure in your life? What roles do obstacles and challenges play in your life with God?

2. What is God’s most common command in the Bible? Answer, “Fear Not.” 366 times. Wow.

3. How can being fearful be helpful? How can it hurt us?

4. Do you believe that God deliberately asks us to do things that expose us to harm and cause us to be afraid? If not, why not? If yes, what is his purpose?

II. Play the Video

Talk about the Video –

1. Talk about Lewis and Clark thinking the worst was over, only to find the biggest challenges ahead. How do situations like that affect your trust in God?

2. How does our faith become vulnerable to temptation when our lives don’t turn out as planned?

3. How does Joseph demonstrate what it’s like to not only survive, but to grow through challenges?

III. Bible Study: Choosing Trust, not Fear

No small groups this time --- whole group together --

1. Re-read the story of Peter’s water-walking in Matthew 14

a. When Peter starts to water-walk, sees the wind, gets afraid and starts to sink, what is Jesus’ immediate reaction?

b. Note that Jesus does catch him, but also asks why he doubted.

c. Since most of us aren’t literally stepping out of boats and walk on water, what kinds of things are “wind” for us – keeping us afraid and causing us to lose faith?

d. 366 commands in scripture to be “not afraid.” These are backed by the power and love of God. What do the following passages reveal about choosing to trust God rather than fearing challenges?

Psalm 23:4 “God is our shepherd, with us”

Psalm 27:1 “God is our light, salvation and stronghold”

Isaiah 43:1-4 “God has redeemed us”

Hebrews 13:5-6 “God is our helper”

IV. Final Questions for Discussion / Wrap –Up

“The High Cost of Fear”

1. Ask the group ---- “What does it cost to be afraid?” “What is its price?”
2. This section of the session is SO IMPORTANT. I think that this information and really thinking about what fear does to our relationship to God is key, critical to the entirety of what this lesson is about. Fear and Trust are opposites. We need to be aware of the consequences of fear, and how choosing fear over trust always makes it easier to choose fear the next time.

Some ideas:

Fear can strike when it is not helplful or wanted.

Fear is paralyzing, not motivating

Fear can cease to be occasional and become habitual, with us all the time

Fear threatens to keep us from trusting and obeying God

Fear that causes us to avoid a difficult situation kills personal growth. IF we take easy ways out, we feel badly about ourselves and believe that we can’t cope with challenges

Living in fear keeps us from experiencing our God-given potential

Living in fear destroys our joy and robs us of life’s delights.

Living in fear causes us to focus on the negative.

Living in fear causes us to focus on the negative.

Living in fear creates a loss of intimacy between us and other people. We become afraid to say what we think or feel, afraid of the pain of conflict.

Living in fear causes us to believe that God can’t or won’t take care of us

Fear limits hopes, dreams and callings.

3. John Ortberg writes, “Growth happens when you seek or exert control where you are able to rather than giving up in difficult circumstances. It happens when you decide to be wholly faithful in a situation that you do not like and cannot understand. It happens when you keep walking even though you see the wind. Then you discover that, somehow, you are not alone. As he was with Joseph, the Lord is also with you.”

4. For next time --- I’d encourage leaving the group with this challenge for the next session: Identify the areas in which you would like to step out in faith and trust God. What real steps do you need to begin taking to accomplish this goal?

Some will not feel comfortable sharing this the next time, and though it would be good for some to consider sharing, make sure that everyone knows they will not be forced to share this with the group --- BUT, covenant together that everyone will do this exercise this week.

What encouragement does this offer you?

V. Prayer

Prayers that acknowledge our fear and ask God for the gift of presence and faith are a great way to end this session.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU’RE DOING FOR JESUS, AND SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS!!!!!!!!

Getting Your Feet Wet

Get Out of the Boat

Leaders’ Guide / Lesson Plan

Get Out of the Boat: Session Three, “Find Your Calling and Get Your Feet Wet!”

Key Points of Session Three:

1. Key Biblical image is Peter’s asking Jesus to call him, and then taking the first step of faith. At some point, there has to be ACTION!

2. God calls each of us to a particular purpose, and gifts each of us in particular ways. This session is all about discovering those gifts and then starting to do it.

I. -Introduce the topic for the week --- Getting some Wet Feet

-Welcome everybody and make any group announcements

-Prayer time --- invite joys and concerns and then offer an opening prayer. It’s great to let someone from the group say the prayer if you’ve talked about this with them beforehand. Don’t put anybody on the spot to pray.

-Starter Questions: Ask your group a couple of the following questions to get the conversation ball rolling:

1. What would cause you to step out of your comfort zone and get your feet wet with something new?

2. What’s the difference between a calling and a career?

3. How do we really know when God is calling us to do something?

II. Play the Video

Talk about the Video –

1. Ortberg ends his story by talking about “Bob.” How does Bob’s story encourage or inspire us?

2. Why is it important to discern God’s calling BEFORE we step out of the boat? Is it ever possible to really discern from within the boat?

3. Is getting out of the boat really just about conjuring up more faith?

It may be important to remind participants that this isn’t just about “making” more faith. It’s about finding enough courage and trust to take a first step --- remember Biblical image of priests taking first step into the Jordan. As we take steps, we learn that God is trustworthy, and we take more steps.

III. Bible Study

Studying Peter ---

1. Divide into two groups, or depending on size of your group, you could do this as a whole.

2. What do we learn about Peter, from the following scenes in his life?

a. Luke 9:28-33 When Peter saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah, he was impulsive, blurting out about building shelters

b. John 18:1-11 As the soldiers and Jewish officials gathered around Jesus to arrest him, Peter cuts off Malchus’s ear. He is rash, and Jesus commands him to put the sword away.

c. Mark 8:31-33 After Jesus taught that he was about to suffer, Peter rebuked Jesus --- what does Jesus’ reaction tell us was wrong with Peter’s reaction?

3. Compare those scriptures with Peter in the boat – Matthew 14:25-28

There’s a big difference – this time Peter asked Jesus, and waited for him to tell him what to do. Jesus was in charge of the situation --- and once he received the call…he walked.

4. The bible doesn’t record the other disciples’ reactions that night in the boat – but if you had been one of the other disciples, how might watching Peter walk toward Jesus have made you feel? What would you have thought? What impact might that moment have made on the rest of your life?

IV. Final Questions for Discussion / Wrap –Up

1. Remind everyone about Ortberg’s exercise with the inflatable raft and the “leap of faith.” Talk about comfort zones, and what it takes to move into something intentionally uncomfortable. How far can we jump on our own?

2. What does Jesus say about our comfort zones regarding our physical needs? See Matthew 6:11 and 28-34 he commands us not to worry about our food, clothing, but to pray for needs one day at a time. We are to walk, step by step, into deepening levels of trust and faith.

3. John Ortberg writes, “If I have the courage to acknowledge my limits and embrace them, I can experience enormous freedom. If I lack this courage, I will be imprisoned by them.” What failures, fears, or limitations may be keeping you from getting out of the boat and discovering God’s calling for your life?

Prayer

Something like this might be appropriate --- a prayer about how God has uniquely gifted each of us – and a call for help as we seek to step out of our comfort zone in faith. Perhaps before the prayer, you could ask members of the group to name specific ways that God may be calling them to take a first step out of the “comfort zone.”

Tragedy of the Unopened Gift

Get Out of the Boat
Leaders’ Guide / Lesson Plan


Get Out of the Boat: Session Two, “The Tragedy of the Unopened Gift”

Key Points of Session Two:

God has given each of us a great gift. Each gift is immensely valuable and unique to each of us. God gives us the choice of how to use it.

God intends for us to use our gift in his service. As the Lord of the Settled Account and the Lord of the Reward, he will hold us accountable for the choices we make --- Ortberg makes the point that Jesus’ parable also shows God as Lord of the Reward – rewarding us for the service we give. Anticipate that some in your groups might have questions about this point --- and we will talk more about this concept.

It is a tragedy to leave the gift unopened. That is, to refuse to step out of the boat in faith and use our gift to the best of our ability.


Reading and Materials:
After last week, you’ll know more about specific materials you might need --- for instance, did folks in your group bring their own bibles, paper and pencils/pens? Did your dvd/tv setup work appropriately? This is a good time to think about your experience from the week before and make necessary changes.

A Note About Reading ---- You may have noticed (hopefully) that this study is built in 6 sessions, but the book has 10 chapters. If your folks have read at least to Chapter 2 by this session, they’ll be ok. Encourage them to read ahead and start covering multiple chapters per week in their reading so that they finish the entire book by the last session. The sessions won’t always break into an easy chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, etc. style, but the sessions will move chronologically through the book.

I. -Introduce the topic for the week --- Gifts

-Welcome everybody and make any group announcements

-Prayer time --- invite joys and concerns and then offer an opening prayer. It’s great to let someone from the group say the prayer if you’ve talked about this with them beforehand. Don’t put anybody on the spot to pray.

-Starter Questions: Ask your group a couple of the following questions to get the conversation ball rolling:

1. What is the most valuable, irreplaceable gift that you’ve ever received?


2. What is the risk in using such a gift? What is the risk in keeping it safe and unused?

3. What system or standards do we use to value gifts?

II. Play the Video

Talk about the Video –

1. Talk about Ortberg’s grandmother’s china. How strongly do you believe that God has given each of us a gift?

2. What parallels do you see between Jesus’ parable of the servants and the ways that we choose to use our gifts?

3. Talk about Ortberg’s concept of God as “Lord of the Gift,” “Lord of the Settled Account,” and “Lord of the Reward.” Have group members define each of these as they understand them from the parable and the video presentation. Conversation may free-flow here a bit, and that’s ok.

If conversation needs to be stoked --- you could ask something like, “How accountable do you think God intends to hold us for the ways that we choose to use our gift?”

How does our understanding of God as “full of grace” coincide with his desire for accountability?

If you want to go deeper, ask --- how do you feel about the punishment of the “wicked, lazy” servant who is thrown into the darkness of “weeping and gnashing of teeth?” Again, anticipate that some may be very bothered by this image. Key, for me, is the idea that such punishment is the inevitable and largely self-inflicted reality of a life lived “partially” by those who refuse to use and share their gift in the world.

III. Bible Study

1. Divide into three groups, or perhaps even in pairs (split up the couples).

2. Read I Peter 4:10-11 to the group. God intends for us to use our gifts. Talk about how God describes the use of our gifts in each of these three passages.

3. One group should take “Our Minds,” and look at Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:8, and Colossians 3:2.

4. A second group should look at, “Our Bodies,” through Romans 6:12-13, 12:1, and I Corinthians 6:19-20

5. A third group should look at, “Our Money,” through Proverbs 3:9; Luke 12:15; 14:28 and James 2:14-18

6. Give the groups 5-7 minutes to read and discuss their passages, and then take another 5-7 with each group taking turns to tell their findings to the whole group.

IV. Final Questions for Discussion / Wrap –Up
1. Do you agree with John Ortberg that fear keeps people from using their gifts? What other factors can keep us from using our gifts. --- Note: anticipate that people may volunteer, “we don’t know what they are.”

2. How can followers of Christ discover their gifts and learn to use them? -- encourage participants to think about the things that they are naturally good at, and that they enjoy doing. These are more often the places that God has uniquely gifted us. What gifts have they felt confirmed by other people?

3. What is the danger of comparing the gifts that God has given us to the gifts he has given other people?

4. What is the relationship between using the gifts God has given us and “getting out of the boat?”

V. Prayer

Something like this might be appropriate --- a prayer that God will help us to discover our gifts, and then to have the courage to use them. A prayer of thanksgiving for the people who have attended the group and for the conversation that was shared. Thanks that we are all now a step closer to using our gifts than we were before the meeting began.