Wardrobe Regrets and Hairstyle Horrors
10/29/2023
Looking at old pictures can be embarrassing. Things we thought stylish eventually become dated. Time eventually sees the passing of every fad. What’s true about fashion and hairstyles is also true about more essential things such as beliefs and ways of living. Join us for part 9 of Philippians: Relentless Joy, where we will discover how the mind of Christ changes how we understand our past, future, and other people.
Passage
Philippians 3:12-21
Principle
The mind of Christ redefines our ##past##. (Philippians 3:4-7 & 17)
The mind of Christ inspires hope for the ##future##. (Philippians 3:12-14 & 18-21
The mind of Christ transforms how I ##think## ##about## ##others##. (Philippians 3:15-16)
Practice
- Admit you need a new way of thinking. (Galatians 2:20)
- Invite God to transform you. (Revelation 3:20)
- Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Small Group Questions
Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couples or family devotion, or with a small group.
Hangout
It has been said that you can spell “love”, T-I-M-E. What does that mean, and do you agree? Read Chapter 5 of An Unhurried Life by Alan Fadling to dive deeper into this subject.
Hear
Read 1 Corinthians 13
- What is the first word used to describe love? What is the significance of this being the first word to define love? How would the absence of this word affect the rest of the words used to describe love?
- If all someone had was a minute-by-minute description of your activity over the past week, what might they conclude about what or whom you love?
Read Luke 10:25-37
- What prompted the lawyer to ask Jesus, “Who is my neighbor”?
- Why did the priest and Levite fail to help the man on the road to Jericho? What did it cost the Samaritan to stop and help the man? Based on this parable, who loved their neighbor? How do you know that?
- Can you recall when you felt loved because of the time someone invested in you? Can you recall when you have loved someone by investing your time in them?
Read and respond to the following quotes:
- “I may complain that loving everyone in the world is impossible, but that’s not what Jesus commanded. [Jesus] directs us to care for the person who is … crossing our path. Proximity provides the opportunity to love.” – Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life
- “My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted until I discovered that the interruptions were my work.” – Henri Nouwen, Turn My Mourning into Dancing
- “Could we be running past the work God is giving us because we have a hurried, narrow vision of what we’re ‘supposed’ to be doing?” – Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life
Huddle
Whom do you most love? How can you demonstrate that love through an investment of time this week? Talk about it, invite accountability, and take time to pray together.
Daily Reading
This week’s reading plan focuses on passages highlighting the importance of a transformed mind. As you read, invite the Holy Spirit to renew and change your mind to be like Christ’s.
- Day 1: Philippians 2
- Day 2: Philippians 3
- Day 3: Philippians 4
- Day 4: 1 Corinthians 2
- Day 5: Romans 12
- Day 6: Hebrews 8
- Day 7: 2 Corinthians 10
Think Deeper
- Have you ever known someone fixated on the past? What made that person do that?
- Can you think of a person who used an unfortunate past to help others?
- Are you running from past mistakes? Do you have hope for the future?
Suggested Reading
What’s So Amazing About Grace, by Philip Yancy
An Unhurried Life, Alan Fadling
Check out these and other books from our suggested reading list at https://bit.ly/AspireSMB.