5.24.20 - Overwhelming God (Kenny Camacho)
SCRIPTURE: Job 38-42, Psalm 139, John 10
Our God is overwhelming: his presence is more than we can bear, and yet his concern for us is so, so much more than we warrant. We are unbelievably cherished by an all-powerful God! Generosity--abundant, frivolous, wild generosity--is in his very nature! The evidence is all around us...but it is most visible in the life of Jesus, who is God in the flesh. Jesus’s life and example remind us that we are made for more than a scarcity mindset, and “life abundant” begins with remembering the God whose image we carry within us.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
When was the last time you felt “overwhelmed,” in a negative way? Why do you think you had that reaction? What fears were you feeling?
Have you had a positive experience of feeling “overwhelmed”? What was that like? Where do you think the feeling came from?
In the message, Kenny tries to point out the scope of God’s attention, care, and generosity: he is the God of the BIG (as we see in Job 38-40) and the God of the SMALL (as we see in Psalm 139). What did this conversation stir up in you? Have you ever thought about God in this way before?
In John 10, Jesus offers a series of overlapping metaphors about shepherds and sheep. Read through these verses on your own and ask: what kind of life does Jesus intend for the sheep to have? What is he, as a ‘good shepherd,’ offering them?
If Jesus is the “gate” to the “sheep pen”...what on Earth do you think that means?? What are the implications of such a statement for us?
How do you think Christians ought to feel about being “overwhelmed”? In light of John 10:10, what do you think is necessary for any of us to experience the kind of abundant life God seems to intend for us?
What holds you back from trusting God with more of yourself? Talk to someone about what you are feeling and thinking this week!