Group Discussion Guide – Margin Sermon Series – Week of January 22

Sermon Discussion Time

As you think back on this sermon series, is there a recurring thought that you’ve been experiencing? Maybe it’s about your load, margins in your life, or something in your circumstances. Take some time to share with the group ideas that have been forming in your head as we’ve walked through this series together.

These words are given to people who knew about Jesus but had shut the door to hearing more from him and letting his words and wisdom impact their lives. God desires to speak to us, to show us that there’s so much he wants for us and wants us to experience. When you hear this, what is your response? Is this something you’ve experienced or is the idea of God speaking to you something that you expect for other people but not for you?

Our wise God who cares for us so deeply knows that there are times when we will need some help to find the margins in our lives. Pharaoh sought help from Joseph when he was out of options and did not know what to do with the dreams God had given him. When you think of people in your life, do you have a Joseph? This is a wise and godly person who can give you an outside perspective on your situation and margin.
- Who is this person for you? If you are comfortable, share with the group a time when they have helped you gain perspective on an aspect of life.
- If you don’t have a Joseph, is there someone in your life that you believe could fill that role?

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the lack of margin in our lives. Sometimes we might feel helpless and hopeless that things will change. God has given us the margin that we need. It is how we choose to use it that makes the difference.
- Take a moment and think about areas in your life where you think you don’t have margin. Maybe it’s in the area of finances, social commitments, work boundaries, or other areas of life.
- What would happen if you decided to close the circle around this area, defining the boundaries of where your limit and your load sit?
- Who are people in your life from whom you could seek wisdom in this area? What do you think God has to say about this margin?

As a group, discuss ways that you feel God has been speaking to you through this Margin sermon series. Pray for each other that you will have discernment moving forward into the coming weeks to know what God has planned for the margins in our lives.
- Going forward into this week, are there people you need to be seeking wisdom from in areas of life where you may need to be closing the circle? Commit to reaching out to these ‘Josephs’ to hear their perspective on your situation.
- Check in with each other next week to see if God has given you more clarity as you move forward into the ‘more’ that he wants us to experience.