I Rep for Jesus

THE TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

What it means to “rep” for Jesus.

• Living with a healthy of .

| 2 Corinthians 5:11 | 2 Timothy 1:7 | 1 John 4:18 |

• A growing life of as evidenced through .

| 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 | Acts 9:1-19 |

• A heart for the ministry of .

| 2 Corinthians 5:13, 18, 19, 21 |

• Everything I is a direct of //.

| Exodus 17:15-16 | 2 Corinthians 5:20 |

• I get to be God’s “” to reach my .

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

What Do You Think?

From Sunday’s message, what particular point stood out to you, challenged you, or raised a question for you?

The Story of Your Life.

1. Who is your favorite influencer and why are they your favorite?
2. On Sunday, Pastor Kyle talked about what it looks like to be an “ambassador” for Christ in our modern world. Tell about a time when someone you know represented Jesus very well in a challenging situation.

Digging Deeper in God’s Word.

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that once a person is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come. Summed up, this is what a transformation story looks like: coming to Christ, letting go of an old way, and surrendering to His way. One of the best stories like this in the Bible is the Apostle Paul’s conversion in Acts 9:1-19. Read it together, have a few members of the group recap the story and then answer the following questions.
   1. What does it tell us about God/people/transformation?
   2. Most folks don’t have such a dramatic transformation story. How have you seen God use your personal transformation story with others?
2. When it comes to being an ambassador for Christ, everything we do is a representation of God to the people around us. The following verses give us further insight into what that looks like. Read them together and share how it encourages you to be the best model of Christ you can be.
   1. Psalm 37:23-26.
   2. Matthew 5:13-16.
   3. John 8:32.
   4. Romans 12:1.
   5. 1 Peter 3:15.
   6. Ephesians 6:18-20.
   7. Luke 14:23-24.
   8. Romans 1:16.
3. Read this quote and then answer the following question:

“If you give it to God, He will turn your test into a testimony, your mess into a message, and your misery into a ministry.” -Rick Warren

If you look at the quote in order, it almost outlines a process from giving something to God to finding your calling in ministry. If you had to pinpoint where you are right now in this journey, where would you place yourself in terms of this timeline? Ex: still giving it to God, being tested, dealing with the mess, in ministry, turning into a ministry, etc.

Personal Reflection and Application.

1. Have everyone share one thing someone else said that struck a chord with you from this discussion.
2. Break up into smaller groups and pray for one another.