Group Discussion Guide
5.17.20
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In God’s Sight, I am Changed
Text: Ephesians 4:17-5:20

You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

For you once were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
Ephesians 5:8-13

OPEN
What is the best thing about your neighborhood or apartment complex?
What is the worst thing about where you live?
What is one thing you could say about your neighbors?
What is one thing your neighbors could say about you?

NEXT
Read the poem “We’ve All Been Exposed” below. Which line stands out to you? Which part of this do you identify with most?

CLOSING
When you are dating, people tell you not to date someone thinking you can change them.
Or you may have heard the phrase “a leopard never changes its spots.”
It begs the question…Can a person every really change?
If so, how can a person change?
We all sometimes find ourselves wondering, “Can I really ever change?”
What has been your experience with that?

WE’VE ALL BEEN EXPOSED
a poem by Sarah Bourns

We’ve all been exposed.
Not necessarily to the virus
(maybe…who even knows).
We’ve all been exposed BY the virus.

Corona is exposing us.
Exposing our weak sides.
Exposing our dark sides.
Exposing what normally lays far beneath the surface of our souls,
hidden by the invisible masks we wear.
Now exposed by the paper masks we can’t hide far enough behind.

Corona is exposing our addiction to comfort.
Our obsession with control.
Our compulsion to hoard.
Our protection of self.

Corona is peeling back our layers.
Tearing down our walls.
Revealing our illusions.
Leveling our best-laid plans.

Corona is exposing the gods we worship:
Our health
Our hurry
Our sense of security.
Our favorite lies
Our secret lusts
Our misplaced trust.

Corona is calling everything into question:
What is the church without a building?
What is my worth without an income?
How do we plan without certainty?
How do we love despite risk?

Corona is exposing me.
My mindless numbing
My endless scrolling
My careless words
My fragile nerves.

We’ve all been exposed.
Our junk laid bare.
Our fears made known.
The band-aid torn.
The masquerade done.

So what now? What’s left?
Clean hands
Clear eyes
Tender hearts.

What Corona reveals, God can heal.

Come Lord Jesus.
Have mercy on us.