Use Your Inside Voice

Pastor Steven said this message was one he had considered doing during the series Savage Jesus. Never heard that sermon series? Check it out here!

Conversation Starters

• If you could have any celebrity narrate your inside voice, who would it be?

• You get to go back and repeat one grade in school — which would it be?

• When’s a time it’s hard for you to be quiet? (Or, when’s it easy for you to get loud?)

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

• How would you define what an inside voice is after hearing this message? On a scale of 1-10, how critical or positive is your inside voice? (1 is extremely critical, 10 is extremely positive)

• Describe what your inside voice sounds like and some things it might say. (What kinds of thoughts have become normal to you?)

• • When are some times your inside voice is loudest? Why?

• Read Mark 3:20-31. How would you define cynicism? Where do you see cynicism in this passage?

• Where in your life are you dealing with cynicism? What are some ways your inside voice plays into that?

• • “Cynicism has become our strategy for dealing with disappointment.” How have you found that to be true in your own life? What are some other reasons we might lean on cynicism as a defense? (Share how your inside voice supports your cynicism.)

• • “Cynicism is counterfeit wisdom.” What does that mean to you? Can you think of examples in your own life when you’ve used cynicism in place of wisdom? (How can we distinguish cynicism from truth?)

• Read 1 John 4:4-6. It takes faith to contradict your circumstances. If someone could hear your inside voice, would what they hear match up with the beliefs you’re trying to project? (i.e., Does your internal match your external? Are you talking like where you come from?)

• • Are you living like verse 4 is true? How might your inside voice change if you started trying to live this verse as best you can?

• • Read verse 5 again. Voices become viewpoints — what you hear gets inside your heart. What voices and viewpoints have taken root in your life? What do you need to do to change what you’re hearing?

Act On It

Read Mark 3:28. One way to translate the beginning of this passage is “Amen, I tell you the truth.” This suggests Jesus felt free to vouch for Himself and the truth of His word without requiring others to validate it. He didn’t wait for others to validate Him, and He wasn’t driven by their agendas.Start each day this week with your own “amen” — use your inside voice to validate yourself.

• Reading scripture that confirms who you are

• Removing voices or influences that contradict what God says

• Praying for God to show you how He sees you

• Reciting positive affirmations each morning

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 helping us understand how we can use our inside voice for good. Challenge us this week in how we talk to ourselves. Help us recognize where we’ve allowed cynicism to replace wisdom and faith so we can better show Your light to the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.