9-28-08 Leader Guide

Small Group Leaders Guide
September 28, 2008

Series: One Week To Live
Message 4: Act Generously

Getting Started:
1. What do you think will be remembered most about you after you die?
2. Name a famous person in the Bible and what you most remember him/her for.


Going Deeper:
3. Read Ephesians 1:14. Why do you think the word, “deposit” is used here? If the Holy Spirit is the deposit that guarantees the inheritance, what do you think the nature of this inheritance is?

• Usually, a deposit is a small representation of the total amount but with sufficient value to come back for.
  

4. Read Ephesians 1:18-20. When will the inheritance that is referred to in this passage be paid out?

5. Read 1Peter 1:18. When thinking about what you will hand down to later generations, (to your children, grandchildren, or students, etc.) how do you decide what you want to hand down? How will you know that what you are handing down is what you mean to hand down?

6. In the 1Peter 1:18 passage, what were the forefathers handing down? What do you think is meant by the word, “empty” in that passage?

• Do you think the forefathers knew they were handing down something empty to later generations? Probably not.
• What is the difference between what the forefathers handed down and what we may be handing down?
  

7. Hypothetically, if you had the choice to leave each of your children 2 million dollars and nothing else or an example of a life lived for God and nothing else, which would you choose? If you knew you were going to die this week, and it was your life being used as the example, would you change your answer?

• Sometimes, all a person needs to make the difference between success in a given area (in this case, handing down a good example of a life lived for God) and failure, is intentionality.
  

8. Talk about ways to show generosity. What can a person be generous with that has nothing to do with money?

• Time
• Prayers
• Compliments
• Encouragement
• Home-made cards and notes
• Home-grown flowers
• Practical help
• Kindness
  

9. Some have said that we are the least generous with those who are closest to us. Have you noticed yourself being more kind or showing more grace or generosity to a friend than to a spouse or family member? Why do you think this happens? What will you do about it?


Putting it into practice:
10. What does it look like in your life to be leaving behind something of value for those you care about? If you’re not intentionally handing down something of value to those you love, make it a priority. Pray about this in your groups.

11. On Sunday, we talked about passing your faith along. Share one or two people that you would most like to see come to know Jesus.


Quote Of The Week:
Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
--Psalm 112:6