D I S C O V E R

THE JOY OFSHARING JESUS

L E A D E R G U I D E

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THE JOY OFSHARING JESUS

D I S C O V E R

L E A D E R G U I D E

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this publication arefrom the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, © 1973, 1978,1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan BiblePublishers.

Discover Your Bible series. Discover the Joy of Sharing Jesus, © 2002 by Faith Alive Christian Resources, 1700 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI49508-1407. All rights reserved. With the exception of brief excerpts forreview purposes, no part of this book may be reproduced in any mannerwhatsoever without written permission from the publisher. Printed in theUnited States of America.

We welcome your comments. Call us at 1-800-333-8300 or e-mail us ateditors@faithaliveresources.org.

ISBN 1-56212-860-4

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Contents

To the Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Glossary of Terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Lesson 1Prayer: The Essential Ingredient. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Lesson 2Open Doors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lesson 3Living a Grace-full Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 4Ready to Give an Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

AppendixHow to Share Your Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Recommended Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Evaluation

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To the Leader

Prepare the Lesson

This leader guide is meant to assist small group leaders, not to substitutefor your own personal work. Always answer the study guide questionsfirst, using the suggested basic steps of preparation. Then use the leadermaterial to enrich your understanding of the passage.

Do not take the leader guide to the Bible study group. You do not want togive the impression that you have an answer book. The answers are in theBible; you are a guide to help your group find the answers in God’s Word.

Prepare thoroughly before each group session so that you can leadwithout frequent references to your notes. This will leave you free toconcentrate on your leadership responsibilities. You will also be able to keepbetter eye contact and listen more carefully.

Get Ready to Lead

Learn to think in questions. As you prepare the lesson, ask yourselfquestions and discover your own answers. There is no better way toprepare yourself to anticipate the group’s questions and help othersdiscover truths from God’s Word.

Lead with Questions

Use questions to direct the discussion. Draw out positive contributionswith questions. Break down difficult or unclear questions with smaller,concise questions. Respond to wrong answers or problems with questions.If you learn to lead others to the truth by questions, you will be a good Biblediscovery leader. The questions in this study are designed to be used withthe New International Version of the Bible, but other translations can beused too.

Help to Apply

Gently help group members discover the meaning of God’s message fortheir own lives. Be careful not to be judgmental of those who are not yetapplying these truths. It’s the Spirit’s work to apply God’s Word to the heartsof men and women. Tactfully let the group know how the Spirit is applyingit in your heart and life. Pray faithfully for the Spirit’s work in others.

Keep application low-key. Be careful not to put any personal pressure ongroup members to apply the truths. Simply try to help group members seethat there is a relationship between the Bible and life. Avoid the use of directpronouns in application. For example, instead of asking, “What does this

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mean to you?” ask, “What does this mean in our lives?” or instead of asking,“What will you do?” ask, “What action does this passage suggest?”

Leadership Training

lf there is more than one group, leaders are strongly encouraged to meetregularly for discussion of the lesson, for prayer, and for mutual support.Every leader should have a copy of the Coffee Break Evangelism Manual withDirector’s Handbook. This book is a basic “how-to” for establishing andleading a Bible discovery group. Reread the book or portions of itperiodically and review it at the beginning of each season. Leading with Lovein the Coffee Break Core Values series is another important tool forleadership development. Leaders will also find it helpful to attend one ofthe many leadership training workshops offered each year.

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Glossary of Terms

Acts—a term used to describe the historical events (acts) of several apostles,especially Peter and Paul, in the early period of the Christian church.A physician named Luke wrote the narrative commonly called the Actsof the Apostles.

apostle—another word for one of the twelve disciples who werecommissioned, or sent out, by Christ to proclaim the gospel. Christ alsoappointed Paul an apostle.

clear conscience—having no personal “baggage” to hide from others; livingfree of sinful patterns that would discredit what you say.

Colosse—a city located in present-day Turkey (near Laodicea) whereChristianity took root. There is no evidence that Paul visited the place.Paul’s letter to the church there is called the epistle to the Colossians.

Corinthians—residents of the city of Corinth, the primary commercialcenter and capital of the Greek province Achaia. Paul’s letters 1 and 2Corinthians are directed to the Christian church he established there.

devote—commit oneself to live a life of wholehearted service to Christ andhis teachings.

Ephesus—a seaport city and significant commercial center located inpresent-day western Turkey. The apostle Paul spent a significantamount of time in this city, and an important Christian communitydeveloped there. Paul also wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus calledthe epistle to the Ephesians.

Galatians—residents of Galatia, a province in present-day north centralTurkey. The Galatian believers were reverting to a form of legalismwhen Paul sent his corrective letter to them.

glorious inheritance—a place in heaven or glory, which Christians willreceive when they die.

gospel—literally means “good news.” The gospel is the message that God’sSon, Jesus Christ, took the punishment for our sins upon himself, dyingon the cross, and rose again for the salvation of his people; that heascended into heaven; and that he will someday return to fully establishhis kingdom.

Jacob—grandson of Abraham; he had twelve sons whose descendantsbecame the twelve tribes of ancient Israel.

John—a disciple of Jesus who wrote one of the four gospel accounts in theNew Testament. He was a close personal friend of Jesus and an

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Lesson 2Colossians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:6b-13; Galatians 6:9;Philippians 2:3-8

Open Doors

Introductory Notes

Joe was a single dad whose wife had left him with three small children.His Christian next-door neighbors befriended him. They helped encouragehim in countless ways—bringing meals, babysitting, and providing alistening ear. As helpful as their relationship was, the neighbors knew Joeand his children needed a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

They began to talk with him about his faith and soon invited him to theirchurch. By the time Joe came to church, he was very open to hearing thegospel message about Jesus Christ. His neighbors had consistently modeledChristlike compassion and love.

This lesson touches on how we can encourage openness in the people wecontact. The first step is to build a trusting relationship. Christians are oftenviewed with suspicion, so our lives must not hinder the message we bring.Christ is our ultimate example as we seek to show his love to others. Wecannot expect people to be open to our words if we have failed to open ourhearts and lives to them first.

Optional Opening Share Question

Discuss a time when you felt very welcome. What contributed to thisfeeling?

Most group members should be able to think of such a time. Maybewhen they went to a new school for the first time and another child be -friended them. Or maybe when a neighbor arrived with a welcome gift afterthey moved into a new home. Note that we look for open doors not becausewe view people as projects, but because we never want to get in the way ofChrist. We don’t want to hinder the gospel message by our actions orattitudes. This does not mean that we should pretend to be perfect. Weknow that we fall short of that standard. However, our lives must confirmour message. Lee Strobel, a former atheist who came to faith because of hisneighbor’s witness, says that he knew his neighbors were not perfect buttheir actions were genuine.

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1. Colossians 4:3

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so thatwe may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

Note: Paul was imprisoned—“in chains”—for his faith when he wrotethis letter. “Us” (v. 3) refers to the individuals who were with Paul atthe time. Several are mentioned in Colossians 4.

a. What does Paul’s “open door” image suggest?

Paul is teaching that God provides opportunities for believers to enterpeople’s lives. He prays that God will allow him to present the gospel in acompelling way. When have you experienced an “open door” in your life?Have you ever experienced a “closed door”? Group members may think ofexamples from their careers or education when they were “at the right placeat the right time.”

Encourage group members also to think of their experiences when Godseemed to be opening doors to share their faith with others. Note that Paulalso refers to open doors in 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12.

b. What will hinder doors from being opened?

If God decides to open a door, then it will be opened. However, things likeour lack of prayer or study or faith can hinder the doors from being opened.Perhaps the greatest hindrance is insensitivity. Paul followed Jesus’ exampleand approached people with compassion and sensitivity. If someonecautiously opens a door a crack, how do we encourage him or her to openit a little more? Perhaps by putting the person at ease. How can Christiansbecome more sensitive to people who have not yet come to faith?

2. 1 Thessalonians 2:6b-126bAs apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but wewere gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8Weloved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not onlythe gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dearto us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; weworked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while wepreached the gospel of God to you.

10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous andblameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that wedealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God,who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Note: When Paul uses the term we, he may be including his companionsSilas and Timothy.

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a. Why would Paul use the family image to describe his relationship with theThessalonians?

Family relationships have always been a vital building block of society.Paul here tells the Thessalonian believers that he views his relationship withthem in terms of a healthy family. Those who respond to God’s message areincluded in God’s family. They need to be treated as such. What does itmean to treat others “like family”? What words describe healthy familyrelationships? How can this approach open more doors? Group membersmay suggest words like loving, tender, listening, understanding, empathy.Obviously, we must have the same kind of attitude toward those who arenot yet members of the family of God.

b. What can we learn from Paul’s relationship with the Thessalonianbelievers?

Paul had earned the right to share what he believed because he had livedwith the Thessalonians for a time as well. How would you describe Paul’srelationship with the Thessalonian believers? What was Paul delighted todo? Why do you think he was delighted to do this? Paul told theThessalonians that he and his friends had lived exemplary lives amongthem. Do we need to live perfect lives in order to have credibility withothers? What positive impact on others does Christian living have? Doeshonesty about our shortcomings diminish or enhance our message? Whyor why not? If you are leading a grow group, you may want to take a fewextra minutes with these questions.

c. Describe Paul’s effort to reach people.

Today we would say that Paul was giving “110 percent” as he reachedout to the Thessalonians with love and care. How might such an effortaffect the way we live? Would this approach require a shift in ourpriorities? Take a few minutes to make this discussion as practical aspossible. The requirement for us is no different than it was for Paul. Somegroup members may feel that they don’t have adequate time or energy todevote to this effort. Of course, we all are busy people, and Paul was a full-time missionary. We can’t expect to be in such a relationship with dozens ofpeople. Help your group members understand that it’s OK if we have sucha caring relationship only with one or two people at a time. When we aredealing with people, quality is more important than quantity.

3. 1 Thessalonians 2:13

And we also thank God continually because, when you received theword of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word

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of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in youwho believe.

a. What is the ultimate source of our message?

The ultimate source of our message is God as found in the pages of Scrip -ture. It therefore is a consistently activating and challenging message. Whatdifference does it make that our message is from God’s inspired Word?When we speak with people, we should make it clear that our messagecomes from the Bible and not from our own thinking. In fact, showing thema passage in the Bible will help them to see the actual source. This is also away to encourage people to look at the Bible for themselves.

Why is it important to indicate the source of our message? It is im por -tant because our message does not simply evolve from human wisdom. Forexample, Jesus’ claim to be God is not simply a matter of our own opinion; itis a claim that Jesus made for himself. To disagree with this truth is to dis -agree with Jesus himself. Many people today think the Bible is no differentthan any other religious book. Some of your group members may havequestions about the trustworthiness, accuracy, or authority of the Bible. Ifsuch questions are raised, suggest that group members read Hard QuestionsPeople Ask About the Christian Faith by Case Van Kempen (Faith Alive, 2002, 1-800-333-8300) or Questions of Life by Nicky Gumbel (David C. Cook, 1996).Of course, be sure to offer to talk with them further about their questions atanother time.

4. Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we willreap a harvest if we do not give up.

a. What does “doing good” mean?

Encourage your group members to be as specific as possible with theiranswers. If appropriate, have them think through (or even open) theirdaytimers or appointment books. What entries would they place under theheading “Doing Good”? Generally, “doing good” includes doing goodworks and making daily choices that are consistent with the Christian faith.What does a life of “doing good” look like to other people? Is it a life ofrules and regulations or a life of kindness and compassion? Explain. Whymight Paul suggest that weariness is also a part of this life? Paul recog -nizes that investing time and energy in other people is often a long-termcommitment. It is only human nature to experience a certain level of fatigueeven when our actions and motivations are godly.

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b. How do we keep from becoming weary in “doing good”?

We must take time for spiritual refreshment. How might we do this?Jesus went on a personal retreat to be alone with God. He encouraged hisdisciples to do the same. If we would be effective witnesses, we must taketime to pray and to be renewed by God. If you are leading a grow group,discuss ways in which people can be energized in their faith walk. Askgroup members to share specific times they have experienced such refresh -ment. Note: The harvest in this text refers to believers’ receiving the rewardof eternal life.

5. Philippians 2:3-43Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humilityconsider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look notonly to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

a. How do “selfish ambition” and “vain conceit” close doors?

What does Paul mean by “selfish ambition” and “vain conceit”? Whatdoes that look like today? How does a selfish, conceited person act or talk?Group members should have no trouble identifying with Paul’s command.We all know people who have highly inflated impressions of themselves.Paul, how ever, takes us to the other end of the spectrum: humility.

Humility is the most effective way to reach people who have yet to be -lieve in Christ. Why is humility so effective? No one likes to associate withpompous and arrogant people. Our sufficiency is not in ourselves, but inChrist. So we must take a humble approach and communicate our com pletedependence on God and his love for the world. What can we do to com mu -nicate sincere humility? How can we avoid sounding condescending?

b. How should we view other people?

We view them the same way Jesus and Paul did. After all, people are madein God’s image (Gen. 1:27) and are therefore significant in God’s eyes. Howdo we place other people’s interests ahead of our own? Is this a realisticapproach today? As you discuss these questions, be sure to note again that wemust not view people as “projects.” Rather we must treat others as we wouldlike to be treated. If you are leading a grow group, take a few minutes todiscuss the implications of humans being “imagebearers” of God.

6. Philippians 2:5-85Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:6Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,7but made himself nothing,

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taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness.

8And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfand became obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

a. How do these verses picture Jesus?

Jesus is pictured here as genuinely humble and obedient to the Father’s will.Was Jesus’ humility forced upon him or did he willingly assume it? It

is obvious from this passage that Jesus gave up his heavenly status tobecome a human servant. Note the phrases “made himself nothing” and“taking the very nature of a servant” and “he humbled himself.” Theseteach clearly that Jesus was not coerced into a state of humility. What didthis act cost him? Jesus’ obedience cost him a great deal, including death onthe cross where God’s wrath against the sin of all humankind was pouredout on Jesus (Isa. 53:4-6).

b. What does Jesus’ example teach us?

Jesus’ example of humility, service, and obedience is the best way toapproach people. This is how Jesus and his disciples approached people.Why is this way of humility so difficult to achieve in our day? Is humilityviewed as a sign of weakness or strength? Explain. What is true humility?True humility involves knowing who we are in Christ—sinners redeemedby the blood of Jesus Christ. We can never say that we have arrived spiri -tually. We always view others as imagebearers of God, no matter howdistorted that image may be.

7. Summary

What kind of attitude and actions does God use to open doors?

God expects his followers to be fully committed to the Scriptures and to alife of service to others.

The Scriptures in this lesson may have convicted some of your groupmembers concerning ways in which they fail to exhibit such attitudes andactions. If you sense that some members are struggling, take a few minutesfor silent prayer and reflection. You might close with a simple prayer ofcommitment and rededication to “live a life worthy of the calling you havereceived” (Eph. 4:1-2).

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D I S C O V E R Y O U R B I B L E S E R I E SBible Studies for Small Groups

THE JOY OF SHARING JESUSHave you wanted to share your love for Jesus with others, but didn’t know where to start? This study will motivate and train participants to discover the joy of sharing Jesus! This prayerful approach starts with connection and concludes with joyful confidence.

The Discover Your Bible series inspires readers to discover together what the Bible says and means. Participants dive into the text using questions that spark meaningful conversation and personalized application. Every lesson is designed to be a framework that guides groups on a unique and transformative journey. Discover more at DiscoverYourBible.org.

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