From Emptiness to Fullness
Attempting to earn God’s favor through religious practice alone is futile; salvation can’t be achieved through our own efforts. This week, Ptr. Nathan Tee shares how it’s only through Christ that we can genuinely experience God’s favor and the freedom His promises bring.
Read Today’s Scripture Passage
Mark 2:18-22
Life Group Discussion Guide (choose one, delete text in red after)
1. Start with a prayer
2. Engage one another (15-30 mins)
– Share a time when you felt the pressure to prove yourself—whether to God, others, or even yourself. How did you deal with it?
3. Engage the mind (15-20 mins)
– Read the passage. What were the Pharisees’ views on fasting, and how did Jesus challenge their perspective?
– What do the two parables (the bridegroom and the old/new cloth and wineskins) teach about Jesus’ role and the difference between legalism and grace?
4. Engage the heart (15-20 mins)
– How does knowing that Jesus moves toward you, instead of requiring you to earn His favor, change the way you see your relationship with Him?
– In what ways have you, like the Pharisees, relied on religious acts (e.g., ministry) or practices to feel more righteous or “good enough” before God? Where do these feelings of unworthiness rather than belovedness root?
5. Engage the hands (15-20 mins)
– What is one practical step you can take to shift from a mindset of performance to a mindset of celebration in your faith?
– How can you use spiritual disciplines, like fasting, as a way to enjoy your relationship with Christ rather than trying to earn His approval?
6. Engage with God in prayer (20-30 mins)
– Praise God for His love that moves toward us rather than requiring us to earn His favor. Thank Him that in Christ, we are no longer defined by shame but are given the glorious identity of His beloved. Rejoice that our relationship with God is no longer based on performance but on the joy of being His bride.
– Repent for the times you have sought validation through religious performance rather than resting in the grace of Christ. Ask for forgiveness for any ways you have viewed God as distant, thinking you had to earn His approval. Pray for the faith to embrace your identity as His beloved and live in the fullness of His grace.
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