Catch up on how things have been since the last time your Impact Group met. Allow anyone new to introduce themselves. Then ask group members:
Ask for a volunteer to read Matthew 6:25-34 to the group, praying a short prayer that however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d get to know him better because of your time together.
Watch Video One
[video coming soon]
The word ‘worry’ means concern. It’s not wrong to be concerned about things. But there is a kind of concern that causes us to fixate on potential problems that might arise in the future.
Jesus seeks to turn our attention away from our worries. To examine the birds and flowers.
| The Birds | The Flowers | |
|---|---|---|
| In your own words, what do they not do? | ||
| What does God do? | ||
| How does God view us in comparison? | ||
Birds and flowers don’t live in the future. They trust God’s provision for them today.
Jesus promises protection and provision for his people in these verses, but what about Christians who suffer and die? Did God’s provision run out for them?
These verses do not promise us an easy life. Rather, they encourage us to see what kind of world we’re living in: a world where we are not on our own but have a Father who cares for us. This care means that even if we go through seasons of suffering and lack, and even if we die, God will never let go of us. We can know the promise of an eternity with him forever.
Our lives will never be free from fears, grief, and pain. But if we’re able to see that our lives our safe in the hands of our Father, we can begin to live free from worry.
In these verses, Jesus is addressing worry. Worry tends to be a thought process and it normally arises as a result of a specific threat or future possibility. This is not to be confused with anxiety disorder which is a more generalised state of dread and fear, the source of which can be harder to identify.
Whatever our experience of anxiety is, Jesus’ words on worry bring us good news. For all of us, it’s good for us to turn our attention to the provision of our Father and seek his kingdom. However, there might be times when the severity of our anxiety means we need some extra help.
If you or a member of your group is feeling particularly anxious, there are good God-given avenues of support that you might look to. A great place to start would be to talk to your CU Staff Worker. They will be able to help you explore further support from your GP, university welfare services, or a local church leader.
Watch Video Two
[video coming soon]
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus is outlining his vision for the kingdom of God: the revolutionary way that his people are to live.
Rather than ‘running after’ things we might worry about, Jesus calls us to run after his kingdom.
Jesus is addressing a crowd here. He’s saying: you should together seek the kingdom of God, and together, you will find provision.
Jesus knows that life has its worries, but he calls us to draw our anxious attention towards his care and the concerns of his kingdom. This is something that we can all practice in our day to day lives.
Talk your group through this 4-step exercise to help them bring the worries that they are experiencing to God. Explain each step and then leave space for your group to think. They might find it helpful to write things down.
If there are people who don’t follow Jesus in your group, encourage them to be involved in as much or as little as they feel comfortable.
Step One: Name the Pressure. What is one of the things that is worrying you?
Step Two: Identify the Cause. In this worry, what do I fear losing or never getting?
Step Three: Remember. Who is God? What has he promised me?
Step Four: Share. Is there someone that you could share this worry with? Having thought about that, share your worry with God.
Finish this time of meditation with a prayer, thanking God for his provision and care.
For some of us, having deeper conversations about life and faith is something that we feel worried about.
Share in 2s and 3s:
Back together, discuss:
Spend some time praying for one another, and for those that God has put in your life.
Thank You – Thank everyone for coming, and ask someone to thank God for your time together in prayer.
Ask – Ask those who are new to reading the Bible if they’d like to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in Mark’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate one of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life alongside one of you.
Church and CU – What does the CU have planned ahead? And what help would group members value in finding a local church?
Others – Who else could you invite to join your CU Impact Group next week? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
See You Soon – Tell the group where and when you’ll meet next week, and arrange who will bring snacks. (You might like to alternate healthy and less healthy weeks!). See if anyone would be up for sharing a meal or just hanging out in the meantime!
Can we set cookies? We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We’d also like to set analytics cookies that help us make improvements by measuring how you use the site. More about cookies.
By clicking the Accept button below you are giving your consent for us to set cookies.