Sunday 30 May
Jesus is Not Your Sugar Daddy
Alan Aitken
Al talked about the false images of God that people can hold - and that many of these images say more about our obsession with ourselves than they do anything about who God might be. Then, Al walked us through 2 Corinthians chapters 11 & 12. In 2 Corinthians 11 & 12 the Apostle Paul talks about some of the difficulties of his life, and refers to an issue that God has chosen not to fix. From this text we can learn that we can expect life to be tough, and realise again how important it is to live now with eternity in mind. In place of our false views of God, Al challenged us to seek after right views of God, and provided some examples of what these might be. Al finished by reminding us that we can endure difficulty with God's help - some things God doesn't fix, and instead we have to learn to carry them.
Life Group questions
Jesus is Not Your Sugar Daddy
Stories
Have you ever asked God for something you really wanted (and you thought would make your life better) and not received it?
Have you ever heard Christians talk about their wealth or possessions and claim these as evidence of God’s blessing in their lives?
What are some of the different messages you have heard Christians give regarding the relationship between faith and money?
Scripture
Read 2 Corinthians 12:6-10
In verse 9, God is quoted as saying “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” What might this mean?
Why does Paul think God has given him this “thorn in his flesh”?
How is that a mature Christian such as Paul can say that he is delighted to be weak, insulted, or facing a difficulty? Do you think this is something you could ever achieve?
Strategy
Take some time (either now or another day) to reflect on all of the good things you already have in your life. How is this both an emotionally and spiritually healthy thing to do regularly?
What are the kinds of things you find yourself regularly asking God for? What do you think your motives are in each case?
How do you normally respond when a prayer goes (seemingly) unanswered? Is this how you would like to respond? Or is there a different kind of response you would like to practice?
Past talks