Placing Problems in the Proper Perspective

THE TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

in life , but don’t .

| 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 | James 1:12 | John 16:33 | 2 Corinthians 11:25-30 |

through life’s by having an .

| Ecclesiastes 3:11 |

4 ways to keep an eternal perspective:

1. Shine the light of the by being a for the sake of Jesus.

    | 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 | Matthew 28:19-20 | Matthew 5:16 |

2. yourself daily in .

    | 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 | Matthew 28:19-20 | Matthew 5:16 |

3. everything against the .

    | 2 Corinthians 4:17 | 1 John 2:17 | Philippians 3:13-14 |

4. When you’re feeling down and out, .

    | 2 Corinthians 4:18 | Matthew 6:20 | Psalms 90:12 | Philippians 1:21 |

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. Have everyone in the group share a high and a low from their week in 60 to 120 seconds.
2. On Sunday, Pastor Obie talked about the power of keeping an eternal perspective to deal with life’s challenges. In his last point, he talked about the power of “zooming out” to look for a bigger picture whenever we feel down and out. What types of things help you grasp hold of the bigger picture of life when you’re struggling?

Digging deeper in God’s Word.

1. John 17 has often been referred to as Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer.” It’s literally what He prayed for His disciples and for future Christians who would believe in Him through their testimony. Immediately after this, Christ was betrayed and arrested. This text also offers some unique insights about living this life with an eternal perspective. Read John 16:33-17:26 and have a few members of the group recap the main tenets of the passage.
   1. What does this passage tell us about God/people?
   2. What insights does this passage offer into living with an eternal perspective?
   3. In light of this, is there anything you need to do differently?
2. The Bible is full of great verses that unpack what it means to live with eternity in mind. We’re going to read some of them now. Read them one at a time and discuss what insights they provide into living with eternity in mind or keeping an eternal perspective.
   1. Matthew 6:19-21.
   2. Matthew 19:28-30.
   3. Romans 2:6-11.
   4. Ephesians 6:5-8.
   5. 1 Peter 1:3-5.
3. Read the following two quotes from two distinguished theologians and answer the question after it.
   1. “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” -Martin Luther
   2. “Five minutes after we die we’ll understand what’s most important and what’s been important all along. We’ll see with eternity’s clarity. We can either take off the blinders now, while we still have our earthly lives to live, or wait for them to be taken off after death when it will be too late to go back and change what we’ve done on earth. May what will be most important to us five minutes after we die become most important to us now.” -Randy Alcorn
   3. How is God challenging you to live with an eternal perspective right now?

Personal reflection and application.

1. Have everyone share one thing someone else said that struck a chord with you from tonight’s discussion.
2. Break up into smaller groups and pray for one another (preferably men with men and women with women).