SERIES: What Am I Doing with My Life?
Week #2 – Finding Significance in Life
Mark 10:35-44
BIG IDEA: Success isn’t bad. It isn’t even unbiblical. It just isn’t the same thing as significance.
MESSAGE PREVIEW:
What do we mean when we talk about success and significance? Let’s look at a couple of definitions:
- Success: the attainment of wealth, positions, honor, or the like. The accomplishment of one’s goals.
- Significance: meaning or importance
What two truths can we learn as we study this encounter between Jesus and the twelve disciples when it comes to success and significance?
- We chase success more than significance. (Mark 10:35-41)
- Real significance is found in service. (Mark 10:42-44)
ICEBREAKER QUESTIONS
Begin your session with prayer and use the following questions/discussion to get the conversation started…
Pastor Brian began his message this week with a quote by Mark Twain: “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”
Q: Do you agree with the idea expressed in this statement? Why or why not?
Q: Do you believe that finding out your purpose is an important part of life and learning how to live? Why or why not?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Ask and discuss the following questions
Q: How can success be a good thing? How can it be a bad thing? How could success and the pursuit of success blind us in our search for significance?
Q: What are practical ways a person can chase success over significance? Has this ever happened to you? Tell us about it.
Q: How does the request of James and John strike you? What would you have thought as one of the other disciples if you had heard this?
Q: What did Pastor Brian suggest was true biblical success? (Matt. 22:37-40) How focused are you on succeeding in this way? How do you personally stay focused on this?
Q: Read Luke 9:46. How do we, as believers, “argue” and try to prove (consciously and unconsciously) that we are the “greatest”?
Q: In what specific ways did Jesus model serving to His followers?
Q: How have you found significance in serving others? How can we practically serve others in this specific season in our world? How can we serve during COVID-19 and the social unrest around us?
Q: Were there any other takeaways from this Sunday’s message?
Q: What are you going to do in response to this Sunday’s message? How can you apply these truths to your life over the next seven days?
CONLUSION:
As you end your time this week, give group members a chance to reflect and then respond (personally and/or privately) to the following questions:
Q: When you look at your life, which would you say you are pursuing more: success or significance?
Q: Are you happy with your answer? If so, what can you commit to doing this next week to keep going? If not, what can you commit to doing or changing that can help you have a different focus?
Q: Who or how can I practically serve this next week? How could this service help me experience a new level of significance?
Take some time to pray for your group members. Pray that God would give them the opportunity and strength to not only listen, but to also do what He is leading this week. Pray that each of us would choose significance over success. Pray that we would learn more and more the importance of serving others.
Here are a few reminders:
Church on Your Street: One of the ways we can serve others is by loving those closest to us…on our street! Don’t forget to go to www.bayarea.church/live and click on the “Church on Your Street” icon. Participate in this effort and then take some time to share stories of how God is using you as you love your neighbors.
Bay Area Family Gathering: This is our annual members meeting where we look back a what God has been doing in and through our church, look ahead at what we believe is to come, and look up to God in prayer and worship. We will also vote on our 2020-2021 annual church budget. You can join this gathering either in person or online. Register for either in person or online at www.bayarea.church/events.
Gathering: We are worshipping in person and on line! If group members are ready to worship in person, they can go to www.bayarea.church/regather to register for next week’s service. Note: everyone must register every week. If they would rather continue worshipping at home, they can go to www.bayarea.church/live for the live link and online resources.
Reading Plan: Encourage your group to participate in the Psalms Bible reading plan that is posted at www.bayarea.church/live as well.
SCRIPTURES FROM THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE:
- Mark 10:35-44, Matthew 22:37-40, Luke 9:46-48
NEXT WEEK’S MESSAGE: “Fatherhood”