Shaping the Boundaries

Pastor Greg CRAANEN, Sunday 24 September

Vision

To build disciples who represents Jesus to everyone, everywhere with everything

Introduction

Discipleship In The Home

Parenting. We all have experience with it. Some are currently parenting, others will be in the future but all of us were parented at some point in our lives. Some of us loved the way we were parented but others would prefer to start out fresh. Either way, we can all agree that parenting is not an easy task. None of us would claim to be experts. We can all learn more about how to raise families that are connected and committed to Christ. Following from our values-driven discipleship campaign, we are going to spend the next four weeks looking at how the disciple-making values drive our discipleship in the home.



Scripture

Read Galatians 6:1-8

Observation

What do these passages tell us about God?
What do these passages tell us about you and your life?
What did you like about this passage?
What did you not like about this passage?



Application

God has lovingly placed boundaries around us for our protection. Freedom is not about doing what we want but about being who we were created to be. We were created to be children of our heavenly Father. The kind of boundaries God places on us tells us about God and how we are to represent Him to others. We are told to “carry one another’s burdens” (boulders) but also “to carry our own load”(knapsack). That is, to take up our own responsibility even as we help others to do the same. One or our roles of parenting is to teach our children good biblical boundaries.

Discuss one or more of the following questions.
1.What boundaries did your parents impose upon you when you were children? Share one that helped shape you for the better and one that you thought was too restrictive.

2. What load (knapsack) should you be carrying but keep wanting to put down? How can the Life Group support you in taking up your responsibility?

3. What heavy burden (boulder) are you carrying at the moment that the Life Group can help you with? Otherwise, take some time to thank the Life Group members for helping you carry a burden in the past.

4. If you are a parent, share what boundary issues you are struggling with your child(ren). Get some suggestions from the other Life Group members (perhaps from their own experience) as to how you could impose age appropriate boundaries. Try it this week and give feedback next time you meet.