Do Not Be Afraid - Covenant Church

OUTLINE:

1. Courage to Face the World
2. Courage to Face Ourselves
3. Courage of the Christ

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

When you think of “courage,” what person, event, image comes to your mind? Describe what requires courage or what it looks like.

Read Matthew 1:18-25. What does this passage show you about God’s character and about being his follower? What challenges, encourages, or sparks questions for you in this passage?

When faced with the decision of whether or not to take Mary as his wife, Joseph focused on what he gained more than what he gave up. Consider what Joseph faced giving up. In what ways did facing what he would gain require courage?

What kind of costs face us presently in obeying God’s Word? How can we focus on what we gain in Christ vs what we potentially give up?

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian writer imprisoned for criticizing Stalin in the 1940s, wrote: “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either-but right through every human heart-and through all human hearts.” The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This truth is why repentance is a regular part of every Christian’s life. John Newton said to one of his friends later in life, “I am a very old man and my memory has gone. But I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great Savior.” In what ways do we as individuals, community groups, and a church, live into this truth, regularly repenting and receiving Jesus’s saving forgiveness? What hurdles do we face and how can we encourage one another in practicing this truth?

What courage did Jesus show us in his life, death, and resurrection? Knowing that he lived, died, and rose again for you, how can his love for you encourage you this week?