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End of Opening Slides

By Andy Stanley Facilitator: Martin Edwards No matter what you believe No matter how you believe Jesus invites you to… Follow By Andy Stanley Facilitator: Martin Edwards

Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

The Recap Session 1 – A Call to Follow Jesus says join me and you will change Session 2 – What it looks like to follow Jesus A single step of faith allows God to prove his faithfulness Session 3 – Fearless Jesus asks us, “Why are you so afraid?” Overwhelming faith allows you to love those hard to love Session 4 – Follow Wear Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Session 5 – The Fine Print What does it mean “fine print”? - details of the transactions - information about the benefits/costs Should we be concerned with the fine print?

Session 5 – The Fine Print Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Mark 8:34-37

Session 5 – The Fine Print When you were a child, what did you dream your adulthood would be like? How does your current reality align with those childhood dreams?

Session 5 – Fine Print Play Video

Table Talk – Session 1 Talk about a time when you knew you were supposed to do something that was difficult. Did you do it? What was the outcome? Talk about a time when you’ve seen someone demonstrate extraordinary faith in the midst of difficult circumstances. How did that change or influence your view of faith? Have you ever seen someone else pay a price for his or her decision to follow Jesus? How did that person’s experiences influence your own faith?

Table Talk – Session 2 Has your faith ever cost you something? If so, how has paying that cost changed your relationship with God? Read Mark 8:34-36. How do Jesus’ words challenge you? In what ways do they give you comfort? Are you currently being nudged to do something, say something, quit something, start something, or give up something? What can this group do to support you?

Session 5 – The Fine Print “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can (would) anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Mark 8:34-37 You need to figure out: Do you value the future of your soul -- more than you value anyone or anything on the planet?

Moving Forward Salvation is free – Costs you nothing! Following Christ will eventually cost you something!

Pray for Your Spouse Your Family (immediate and extended) Your Friends (believers and non-believers) The Church (global) Our Church Body (local) Our Nation Finally for yourself

Preparation for Session 6 Day 1. Read Matthew 26:6-9. Consider how these verses illustrate the dangers of judging someone’s behavior when we don’t know what is going on in his or her heart. Day 2. Read Matthew 26:10-13. The disciples made a judgement even though they didn’t have all the facts. When have you been guilty of doing the same? What does that illustrate about the nature of following Jesus? Day 3. Read John 12:4-6. Why do you think John includes the detail in verse 6 in his gospel? Why are his observations about Judas important to the story? Day 4. Read Matthew 16:14-16. Think about the relationship between following and Judas’ betrayal. What qualities of a good follower did Judas lack? Day 5. Read Luke 5:1-5. Why would Jesus’ followers demonstrate more faith in this story early in his ministry than in the story from Matthew 16, near the end of his ministry? What doe this tell you about challenges you may face as you grow in faith?

Stay Tuned! “FOLLOW” – Session 6 Coming soon; to a Community Group near you. “FOLLOW” – Session 6 By: Andy Stanley