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Summit Church
FEARLESS Pt 4 | Fearless Suffering | Jim Ladd
Locations & Times
Summit Church
7200 S Clinton St, Centennial, CO 80112, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Three Secrets of Fearless Faith:
1. Fearless Faith Is Not Confused by Suffering
1. Fearless Faith Is Not Confused by Suffering
Faithfulness is not proven by escaping suffering.
Faithfulness is proven by trusting God through suffering.
Faithfulness is proven by trusting God through suffering.
We instinctively confuse comfort with God’s favor
The center of Christianity is a suffering Savior
Suffering often reveals God’s glory more clearly than prosperity
The center of Christianity is a suffering Savior
Suffering often reveals God’s glory more clearly than prosperity
RESPONSE:
Confession: What pain have you secretly been using as evidence that God has left you?
Confession: What pain have you secretly been using as evidence that God has left you?
Three Secrets of Fearless Faith:
2. Fearless Faith Sees Its Story in God's Story
2. Fearless Faith Sees Its Story in God's Story
Their suffering was not meaningless
God was building something bigger than one lifetime
Your suffering may shape people you will never meet
God was building something bigger than one lifetime
Your suffering may shape people you will never meet
Illustration
A cathedral builder spends his whole life laying stones on something he may never see completed. But he builds faithfully anyway.
Because the story is bigger than him.
A cathedral builder spends his whole life laying stones on something he may never see completed. But he builds faithfully anyway.
Because the story is bigger than him.
RESPONSE:
Write names of future generations you are praying for: prodigals, children, marriages, future believers
Write names of future generations you are praying for: prodigals, children, marriages, future believers
Three Secrets of Fearless Faith:
3. Fearless Faith Stays Inside Its Own Circle
3. Fearless Faith Stays Inside Its Own Circle
Throw off what hinders
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Throw off what hinders
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Fix your eyes on Jesus
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Fix your eyes on Jesus
RESPONSE
Deal with God about Your Race. When you are ready:
- stand as a declaration of your commitment to endure
- Or come forward for prayer
- Or write down “weights” you need to throw off
- Or name the race God has called you to keep running
Deal with God about Your Race. When you are ready:
- stand as a declaration of your commitment to endure
- Or come forward for prayer
- Or write down “weights” you need to throw off
- Or name the race God has called you to keep running
Small Group Discussion Guide
Icebreaker Questions
1. What is one challenge, hardship, or difficult season that unexpectedly taught you something valuable about yourself or God?
2. When you think of “strong faith,” what kinds of people or stories usually come to mind?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think we instinctively connect comfort, success, or prosperity with God’s favor?
2. The passage places miracle stories and suffering stories in the same category of faith. Why is that surprising or difficult for us?
3. Have you ever gone through suffering that made you wonder if God had abandoned you? What helped you continue trusting Him?
4. Why is it important that the center of Christianity is a suffering Savior and not merely a victorious King?
5. How can believing in resurrection and eternity change the way we interpret present suffering?
6. Jim asked: “What if this hardship is not interrupting your discipleship? What if this IS your discipleship?” What thoughts or reactions does that bring up for you?
7. Can you think of someone whose faithful endurance in hard times impacted your life spiritually? What did their example teach you?
8. How might your current faithfulness affect future generations, even people you may never meet?
9. What are some “weights” that can hinder believers even if they are not necessarily sinful?
10. Why is comparison so dangerous in seasons of suffering?
11. What does it practically look like to “fix your eyes on Jesus” during hardship?
Closing Prayer Moment:
Close by inviting group members to share:
• one “weight” they want to surrender,
• one hardship they need endurance for,
• or one person/future generation they are praying for.
Pray together for perseverance, hope, and fearless faith.
1. What is one challenge, hardship, or difficult season that unexpectedly taught you something valuable about yourself or God?
2. When you think of “strong faith,” what kinds of people or stories usually come to mind?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think we instinctively connect comfort, success, or prosperity with God’s favor?
2. The passage places miracle stories and suffering stories in the same category of faith. Why is that surprising or difficult for us?
3. Have you ever gone through suffering that made you wonder if God had abandoned you? What helped you continue trusting Him?
4. Why is it important that the center of Christianity is a suffering Savior and not merely a victorious King?
5. How can believing in resurrection and eternity change the way we interpret present suffering?
6. Jim asked: “What if this hardship is not interrupting your discipleship? What if this IS your discipleship?” What thoughts or reactions does that bring up for you?
7. Can you think of someone whose faithful endurance in hard times impacted your life spiritually? What did their example teach you?
8. How might your current faithfulness affect future generations, even people you may never meet?
9. What are some “weights” that can hinder believers even if they are not necessarily sinful?
10. Why is comparison so dangerous in seasons of suffering?
11. What does it practically look like to “fix your eyes on Jesus” during hardship?
Closing Prayer Moment:
Close by inviting group members to share:
• one “weight” they want to surrender,
• one hardship they need endurance for,
• or one person/future generation they are praying for.
Pray together for perseverance, hope, and fearless faith.
Throw off what hinders
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Fix your eyes on Jesus
Throw off entangling sin
Run YOUR race
Fix your eyes on Jesus