Harris Creek Baptist Church

Worship isn’t just something we do on Sundays, it’s how we live every part of our lives. In Colossians 3:18–4:6, Paul shows that when Jesus changes your heart, it shows up in your home, your work, and how you treat people in the world. Real worship looks like honoring Christ in your private life, working like you ultimately answer to Him, and being ready to share the gospel with others.Make your private life worship for JesusMake your professional life worship for Jesus (work for your boss’ boss)Make your public life worship for Jesus Life Group Discussion:In what ways is it easiest for your faith to slip in your private life (home, roommates, family, dating, etc.)? Why do you think that is?What challenges make it hard to honor Christ in your workplace or school environment?Can you think of a recent moment where you felt an opportunity to talk about faith but hesitated? What held you back?

JP reminded us that our true identity is no longer defined by the world but by Christ, because our old life has died and our new life is hidden with Him. When we exchange our old identity for the one Jesus gives, it changes how we think, how we live, and ultimately who we live for, marking our lives with love, unity, and gratitude.Your new identity changes how you think Your new identity changes how you live  Your new identity changes Who you live for Life Group Discussion:What are some “earthly things” that most often consume your thoughts, and how can you intentionally shift your mind toward things above?Which of the qualities in Colossians 3 (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love) do you most want God to grow in your life?Paul had deep gratitude even in suffering, how can remembering your future with Christ help you respond differently to hardship today?

So many voices are telling you that you need more, more rules, more experiences, more self-discipline, but the gospel reminds us that Jesus is already enough. Tune down the noise of culture, influencers, and expectations, and get back to the only voice that defines your faith, Jesus Christ.Don't let legalism judge youDon't let mysticism distract youDon't trust asceticism to change you Life Group Discussion:Have you ever felt pressure to look like you “have it all together” spiritually? Where do you think that pressure comes from?Why do you think people sometimes chase spiritual experiences instead of simply pursuing Jesus?Have you ever tried to change spiritually just by “trying harder” or setting stricter rules for yourself? What happened?

Real faith isn’t just believing in Jesus once, it’s continuing to walk with Him every day. Don’t chase the counterfeits of the world; Jesus has already paid your debt and proved He is enough.Continue to live your life in ChristDon’t be captured by counterfeitsYour charges are canceled. Christ’s work is complete.Life Group Discussion:What does it practically look like for you to live with Christ, not just for Christ, in your daily life?When you’ve felt distant from God in the past, what usually caused the drift?Do you ever feel like you still must “earn” God’s approval? Why do you think that is?

Following Jesus isn’t easy, the climb is real, but it’s worth it because the victory is already won in Christ. The mystery we’ve been searching for isn’t success or status; it’s Christ in you, the hope of glory. And when He lives in you, you don’t just endure the journey, you help others grow, knowing one day it will all be worth it.Expect the sufferings of Christ in youExperience the mystery of Christ in youExtend the maturity of Christ through youLife Group Discussion:When has following Jesus cost you something socially, professionally, or personally—and how did you respond?If you truly believed the power of God lives in you, how would that change your confidence, anxiety, or decision-making?What fears or excuses keep you from sharing Jesus more openly?

Jesus isn’t just part of your life, He is Lord over all of it: over the universe, over the Church, and over you. If you’ve trusted Him, your life isn’t your own anymore, you were created by Him and bought back for Him. Real freedom begins when you fully surrender.God the Son Over All God the Son Over the ChurchGod the Son Over YouLife Group Discussion:Where in your life is it easiest to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, and where is it hardest (dating, career, money, image, ambitions)?What gifts, passions, or abilities might God have given you that you’re currently not using for the Church?If you truly believed you were bought with a price, what would change this week in your habits, relationships, or decisions?

The gospel creates a real before-and-after in our lives, changing what people see on the outside through love, hope, and faith. It transforms us on the inside with new strength and confidence that God is for us. And it moves us into a new Kingdom, where we don’t just act better, we live rescued and changed by Jesus.The Gospel changes the outsideThe Gospel changes the insideThe Gospel changes your KingdomLife Group Discussion:Where do you feel like your actions don’t always match what you say you believe?When life gets hard, what do you usually run to for strength or control?What would it practically look like this week to live like you belong to a new Kingdom instead of just trying to be a “better person”?

JP taught that spiritual drift isn’t usually rebellion but routine, doing the right things while losing real desire for God. Jesus’ message to Ephesus shows the answer isn’t trying harder but repenting and returning to our first love. When we rebuild rhythms that stir our affection for Him, our faith becomes real again.Discipline without desire leads to drift Lost love is restored through repentance Return to rhythms that stir affectionsLife Group Discussion:What spiritual habits do you keep out of routine rather than relationship?How could admitting drift strengthen your relationship with God instead of producing shame?What specific practices or environments help you feel closest to God?

JP’s sermon taught that many of us struggle to love God because we’re afraid, He’s disappointed in us. But God is love, and His perfect love removes our fear because Jesus already took our punishment. We don’t love God to earn love; we love because we’re already loved.God is lovePerfect love casts out fearsGod loves youLife Group Discussion:When you think about God, do you naturally picture love or disappointment? Why?In what areas of your life do you need to let God’s love replace fear right now?What helps you remember God’s love when you mess up or feel unworthy?

When we believe in Jesus, our faith shows up in real ways: we love God’s people, walk in obedience, and live with confidence that Christ has already won the victory. Because of that faith, we don’t just survive the world around us, we live joyfully, grounded in who Jesus is and what He’s done.We Love His childrenWe Obey His commandsWe are Victorious over creationWe Enjoy faith in Christ Life Group Discussion:Who is someone in your life that’s hard to love right now, and what might it look like to love them like Jesus does?Which of God’s commands do you find easiest to follow—and which feel the hardest right now?Where do you need to start believing that Jesus has already won, instead of living like you’re trying to win on your own?What spiritual habits help your faith feel alive and meaningful?

Real love doesn’t start with us trying harder, it starts when we finally grasp how deeply God loves us through Jesus, even in our sin. When that love takes root, it changes everything: healed people love people, and a life transformed by grace becomes a life poured out for God and others.The command and capability to love Is from GodThe proof and purpose of God’s love in JesusRemember your sin to rekindle your loveLife Group Discussion:What “environmental inputs” (community, media, habits, worship, Scripture) are currently shaping your heart—for better or worse?Where might God be inviting you to love someone this week by laying down comfort, convenience, or control?How have you seen gratitude for God’s forgiveness deepen someone’s love, joy, or obedience (maybe even in your own life)?

JP taught that access to God’s Kingdom means little if we don’t truly love Him. From 1 John 2:15–17, he showed that pleasure, possessions, and position apart from God pull our hearts away from loving Him.The pursuit of pleasure apart from GodThe pursuit of possessions apart from God The pursuit of position apart from GodLife Group Discussion:What desires or habits are shaping your appetite right now, and how are they affecting your love for God?What is something you want right now, and how can you tell if that desire is rooted in gratitude or coveting?In what situations do you find yourself most concerned with how others see you?

Love always changes your life, and Jesus says the most important thing about you is not what you believe, but who you love, starting with God and flowing out to others. This year’s invitation is simple but weighty: sit in God’s love, let it reorder your priorities, and watch your love for Him grow into real, tangible love for people.This Command Is the BenchmarkThis Command Is a BlessingThis Command Comes with a BarometerLife Group Discussion:What areas of your life (time, money, habits, relationships) most clearly reveal what you love the most?Where do you notice restlessness or dissatisfaction in your life, even when things are “going well” on the outside?Who is the hardest person in your life to love right now, and what makes that difficult?

Pastor John Elmore reminded the church to grasp the gravity of Christmas, that Jesus, fully God and fully man, humbled Himself to come for us. He called listeners to receive Christ as the servant who willingly came to die and save sinners. Finally, he challenged believers to live transformed lives that glorify Jesus in everything we do and offering back to Him all that He has first given us. Do you grasp the gravity of Christ?Have you received the gift of Christ?How will your life glorify Christ? Life Group Discussion:What practices or rhythms help you slow down and truly reflect on the significance of the incarnation?Is there anything that makes it hard for you to ask Jesus for help or surrender control to Him?This week, what is one practical way you can “play your best for Him” in your everyday life?

True joy isn’t fragile happiness, it’s a settled gladness rooted in Jesus, often born out of waiting and disappointment. Psalm 98 shows that joy comes when we receive salvation, grows as Christ reigns in our lives, and lasts because God rules with righteousness. Because Jesus is the solution to our deepest brokenness, we can live with unshakable joy and hope, knowing how the story ends.Joy comes when we receive salvationJoy grows where Christ reignsJoy lasts in righteous rulingLife Group Discussion:What’s a season or “well” Jesus has pulled you out of, and how does remembering that shape your joy today?Who is someone you know that consistently lives with joy, and what do you notice about how they order their life?How does trusting God with justice and fairness change the way you respond when you’re hurt or wronged?

Christmas isn’t just a nostalgic routine, we’re being reminded of the greatest announcement in history: the King has come, the King is Lord, and the King came to save us. Don’t tune out the miracle; respond, trust Him, and share the announcement that changes everything.The Announcement: The King is Here! The Announcement: The King is LORD!The Announcement: The King came to save us!Life Group Discussion:If Jesus showed up in your everyday life today, at work, school, or home, how would you honestly respond to His arrival?Where do you struggle to trust Jesus’ authority, and what lies or fears make that hard?What’s one area of your life right now, stress, sin, fear, or pressure, where you need to turn to Jesus for rescue instead of trying to fix it yourself?

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22–23, Isaiah 9:2, Luke 1: 78–79, Haggai 2:7, Isaiah 2:4, and Ephesians 2:14–17Jesus has already come, He’s with us right now, and yet we still feel the ache of wandering, darkness, and chaos in a world that’s not fully restored. Advent reminds us to hold onto hope in that tension, trusting that the same Jesus who came once will come again to make everything whole.Jesus is with us in the wandering Jesus is with us in the darknessJesus is with us in the chaosLife Group Discussion:How does remembering Jesus’ first coming give you confidence and hope while you wait for His return?What kinds of darkness, personally or in the world, make you long for Jesus’ light the most?What would it look like for you to “wait, watch, and hope” for Jesus in the middle of the chaos you’re experiencing right now?

JP compared spiritual growth to physical therapy, most of us “get by” but don’t put in the work to get healthy. Galatians 6 shows what real disciples do: help others, confront sin, stay in the Spirit, and keep showing up. The ideal follower of Jesus prioritizes Him above everything else.Deliver the distressedImprove without comparison Support the mission Confront sinInfluenced by The Spirit Persevere in discipleship Love all people, especially those hereExalt Christ aloneLife Group Discussion:How do you balance helping others without taking on their burdens entirely?What habits or practices help you focus on your own growth?How can confronting sin bring freedom instead of guilt?

Nate reminded us that we’re all being led by something, and following the flesh only leads to anxiety, chaos, and ultimately destruction. But when we choose to walk with the Spirit, He grows real fruit in us, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Real change doesn’t happen overnight, but through daily steps of surrender as God builds roots that eventually produce fruit.The Spirit and the flesh are in conflictActs of the flesh lead to deathWalking with the spirit leads to fruitLife Group Discussion:Where do you most feel the “tug-of-war” between what your flesh wants and what the Spirit wants?When you look at the list of “acts of the flesh,” which ones tend to show up in your life, and how do they impact you?Nate said spiritual growth is often slow, like the bamboo tree building roots. Where do you think God might be growing “roots” in you right now?