Jump To A New Conclusion

Conversation Starters

• Which of these World Records is false? A 38-year-old-cat, five pounds of mayonnaise eaten in three minutes, a 1,146 foot-long flag, a human body covered with 73 pounds of bees, or a 5-foot and 6-inch cucumber? (The last one is false: the real record is 5 feet and 7 inches!)

• What Olympic event would you want to compete for a gold medal in?

• Which “jump” would you rather take: skydiving, bungee jumping, or into a pool from a high dive platform?

Review

Ask eGroup members to share their favorite points from the sermon, what spoke to them, a phrase or moment from the sermon they related to the most, or questions they have. If members have a hard time recalling the sermon, talk through your notes and share your favorite points.

Make It Personal

• Are you more likely to listen to someone until they’re finished or interrupt when you know what they’re saying?

• Who’s someone you know who is quick to jump to conclusions? Share about a time you jumped to a wrong conclusion.

• Read Luke 1:39-45 and look at Elizabeth’s beliefs. The conclusion that you come to is based on the belief that you start with. What are some wrong beliefs we might have about ourselves? Give some examples of how those can affect our conclusions.

• What wrong conclusions have you come to about yourself? Be specific. (e.g., I’ll never get married, I can’t do this job, my friends don’t really care about me, etc.) What beliefs are those conclusions based on?

• • Have you ever struggled with either of these beliefs? “What I do equals who I am,” or, “If I don’t perform, I don’t have worth.” How does that belief(s) affect your conclusions? (What other specific beliefs have you struggled with?)

• Read Ephesians 2:1-10.  Based on this passage, what are some beliefs about yourself you should be starting with? What are some other passages in the Bible that can help us start with the right beliefs about ourselves? (Check out this article for some examples.)

• • If you started with the belief that God formed you for a purpose, what in your life would change?

• What’s a stumbling block you’ve been tripping over? (e.g., a memory, hypothetical situation, unforgiveness, a regret, etc. Talk about the impact it’s had.)

• • What do you need to do to jump over that stumbling block to a new conclusion?

Act On It

This week, JUMP. Ask yourself what belief you want to start with each day this week, keep that belief in front of you, and use it to jump to a new, right conclusion.

Prayer Requests And Prayer

Ask eGroup members to share any prayer requests they have. Record any notes or prayer requests to pray for members during the week.Father, thank You for the right things we can believe about ourselves because of Your love and grace. Show us the things we’ve been believing that aren’t true, and help us replace them with right beliefs. In Jesus name, amen.