Bgroup Lesson Jun 16
Big Idea: There is a phrase used to describe people who are considered to be the best of the best; those who stand out from the others and seem to exemplify the standard of excellence. The acronym used is G.O.A.T.. The Greatest of All Time. In the body of Christ we refer to men who are doing their best to lead well as a M.O.G. or Man of God, but what does a man of God look like?
A man of God is a man who is Under God (submitted to His authority)
A man of God is a man who is Out of God (obedient to His direction)
A man of God is a man who is With God (constant in communication with Him)
A man of God is a man who is Like God (striving to be more like Jesus)
In the above attributes we can see who a Man of God is. Now let's look at what a Man of God does.
Key Scriptures:
1 Timothy 6:11-14 (NLT) - But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
1 Timothy 6:6–10 (NLT) — Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
In his first letter to Timothy the Apostle Paul charged him to run from evil things. As men of God we all face temptations. We must be unwavering in our commitment to a holy walk before God. We have to be ok with not only fleeing evil ourselves but also leading our families away from that which would defile us. A real man of God pushes away from worldly things and seeks to maintain purity.
Discussion Questions: What are some of the attacks that are facing believers and their families today? How can you as a believer set boundaries in your life that will protect you from the evil of this world?
Paul told Timothy to pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Men of God don’t just run from something, they run to something. You can tell a man of God by what he is pursuing. As men of God we should be pursuing the following: righteousness, a godly life, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness just to name a few. It should be evident in our lives that we are always striving to be more like Christ in our thoughts, speech, and actions, living in a way that pleases our Creator.
Discussion Questions: What would you say is the main pursuit of your life right now? What are some of the indicators that help us identify what we are pursuing? What does the pursuit of a godly life mean to you?
Paul uses the phrase “The Good Fight of Faith” twice. The Greek word used is the word "agonizou" which means to agonize over the good (noble) fight. We cannot stop, quit, or give up! There is a war for our families and our integrity so as men of God we need to fight the good fight for our marriage, our family, our faith, our integrity, and the legacy we will leave behind.
Discussion Questions: The scriptures tell us that we have spiritual weapons to fight the spiritual battles we will face. Can you name a few? What are some of the attacks you have seen against believers and their families? How do you fight these spiritual battles?
Paul further told Timothy to hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you. The things that we value the most are the things we hold the tightest! There is nothing like the HUG or HOLD of a father figure. In a day where masculinity is misunderstood, we need men and dads who know how to hold. Hold your wife, hold your kids, HOLD to your values. When you are tempted to let go, don't! When you are tempted to quit, don't! Hold fast, live a life marked by conviction and integrity. Leave a legacy that others can follow.
Discussion Questions: In this world where so many start strong but quit the race before the finish line, how can you stay strong and finish strong as a believer? How has your Bgroup helped you to stay strong and not give up?
For us as believers, Jesus is the Greatest of All Time. He never faulted and never quit. He endured the cross and won the victory for us all. He gave us an example of holiness and integrity to follow. Take a few minutes and pray for those in the group that may be struggling to endure temptation. Encourage one another that we do not have to face temptation alone but have a support structure of fellow believers who will stand with us, pray with us and see us win the battle!