Game Plan for Life #6, 3rd F Bible Study – Playing Hurt

Some things can’t be adequately summarized in a back blast, and this week’s F3 small group session was just such a thing.  The openness and sharing was rich, and as Mayhem noted toward the end, represented the power of the 3rd F activities and of men in small groups being transparent.  The PAX assembled and enjoyed some pizza courtesy of Dirty Bomb.  YHC was running late from work, so the food was appreciated.  Rambo posted early for our usual pre-study chat/fellowship.  The materials were put in place, chairs circled, and a group of seven dove into the challenging topic of sin and addiction and everyman’s battles.

Disclaimer:  Not a professional or seminary graduate, be courteous and realize not all PAX are in the same place on their journey and with their faith.  Feel free to share or not share.  Purpose is to strengthen understanding of the Word of God, the Gospel message, and its application in our lives and in the lives of those we influence and interact with.

Warm Up:  Review of previous week’s main points (finances) and opportunity to share anything God’s doing in our lives.  Opening prayer.

The Thang:

• Played Game Plan for Life video segments
• Went through discussion questions on the topic of sin and addiction – PAX shared great examples from their own lives and from things they’ve observed about the destructive nature of sin.

Key Scriptures and >>Coaching Points<<:

James 1:13-15 

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

 Galatians 5:17

 ¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

 >> God loves us and is interested in our struggles. Without God, we have nowhere to turn for answers to explain the emptiness we feel inside. Without Him, there’s nowhere to turn for hope. <<

Romans 6:6, 9-14 (ESV)

 ⁶ We know that our old self^[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.…

⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³ Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

>> We must see ourselves as we really are – as sinners. We have all deliberately run from God and rejected Him.  Our sin is the root of our suffering and struggles.  <<

>> The message of the Bible is that God offers forgiveness for sin and freedom from the habits and addictions that hold us. Jesus died on the cross to restore our broken relationship with God.  <<

The Scripture says that we should “encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception” (Hebrews 3:13). It also says to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect” (James 5:16)

COT

MOLESKIN:

• Just as the pit crew is a support team keeping the race car running at optimal performance, we need men around us for encouragement, accountability, and support.
• Sin has affected every one of us. It is destructive and will cripple us in life.
• We need each other’s encouragement in the game of life – God designed life to be a team sport!
• The responsibility is yours! You need to decide who gets to shape your life.

We each have a personal life story with plenty of drama, baggage, hurts, and wounds to go along with it. As much as others have hurt us, we have hurt others through our sin and neglect.  The best thing you can do though, men, is to talk through your story, get help whenever you need it, and walk alongside other men who can help you stay in the game.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).