START HERE | Loving Your Life Comes From Knowing Your Worth

Written By Matthew Mauk

Sometimes following God feels a little complicated. There seem to be many things to remember, prayers to pray, and guidelines for how we’re supposed to live. How do we even know where to start? In this three-week series, we’ll find our starting point in the words of Jesus. We’ll point our students toward the greatest thing Jesus calls us to do: love God, love others, and love ourselves. When it comes to faith, they can START HERE!

BOTTOM LINE
Loving your life comes from knowing your worth.

SCRIPTURE
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety- nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:1-7).

  • JUST FOR FUN
    What's one thing you thought was awesome last year but don't care about anymore?

    DISCUSS THIS
    1. Can you think of a time your feelings about yourself changed quickly based on what someone else thought or said about you? What happened?

    2. What does it mean to feel valuable? How would you explain it?

    3. Why do you think Jesus spent so much time with people who were seen as “less valuable” by society?

    4. How does it change the way you think about God to know He runs toward you when you mess up or wander off?

    5. You can’t love others well if you don’t like yourself. Why is it difficult to love others well if you’re constantly focused on yourself?

    6. How would your everyday life be different if you viewed yourself the way Jesus views you?

    7. How can your small group support each other in believing and living out this truth about your value?

    TRY THIS
    Leaders—one way to get to know God better is to spend time with Him. Set a reminder for every day this week to send your group a Bible verse to encourage them and help them
    get to know God better.

    FOLLOW UP/PRAYER REQUEST

Matthew Mauk
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START HERE | Start with loving God, because God loved you first