Big Idea
Our deepest desires drive our boldest actions.
Ice Breaker
The following is a true story of a 19 year old woman from Honduras. She made a two-thousand mile journey with her family to the U.S. border. The family climbed over the border fence and were taken into custody. Within 24 hours of crossing she gave birth to a son. She stated that her vision was that her son would be born in America so he could be a U.S. citizen.
She had much determination.
Share with the group how your body feels and what emotional and physical challenges you face when you are 9 months pregnant (men, listen carefully).
Reflect together on this woman’s determination and what she desired for her son and her family.
Share a time when you accomplished something because you had a deep desire or vision for it. What sort of desire(s) drove your actions?
Next Step
What are we holding onto that keeps us from Rahab’s faith?
Additional Discussion Questions
It may be difficult to identify easily what we are holding on to that keeps us from faithful actions like Rahab’s. Consider the following questions to spur more reflection in this important area:
- What are some of your core desires and core fears?
- What do you tend to turn to in order to obtain a sense of security and significance?
Share your thoughts with the group.
We all want our faith to grow and to live out our faith with faithful action, but what is the fuel that ignites this? It comes from our authentic connection to Jesus. What we live out in the Christian life (Rahab’s actions, for example) flows from what we believe and what we experience with Christ.
John Piper writes that the Christian life can be thought of as a “battle to see”. He goes on to say that when anyone truly “sees” or encounters Jesus the only response is desiring more of Him. He truly is sweeter than honey, but the enemy tries to blind us so that we don’t see, savor, and enjoy Jesus–he tries everything: the lust of the world, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (I John 2:16).
Reflect as a group on what is helping you from year to year to more and more to connect with Jesus. Examples: time alone with Christ in His Word, time alone to reflect, time in creation, worship music, church attendance, praying together with others or pursuing Christ together in your small group.
Group leaders: consider praying together as a group, asking God to clarify a good path moving forward for each group member to enable each one to “see” Jesus more and more so that deeper connection with Jesus can fuel deeper desires for Him. This journey then leads to actions for His kingdom.
Another way to help your group think through this is to reflect on the question: “What does my redeemed heart need this week with Jesus?”
Notes & Quotes
Why do you tell someone 5 times to “be strong and courageous”?
Because it’s important.
“Strong” in the biblical sense means to lash yourself to something that is strong so you won’t move.
“Courageous” means to test the strength of something. So, you act in a way to test it. A great example of this is marriage. I tie myself to God and therefore I am tied to my spouse with the strength of God.
This is what Rahab let go of:
- Security of current life
- Home
- City
- People
- Religion