Week Five: Playing the Game with Greatness and Grace

From January 3 through February 7, we will be getting the teaching from John Ortberg's When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box. Due to copyright issues, a recording is not available. So, I guess you'll have to show up! Each week, however, I will provide some questions from the discussion guide to help you process Ortberg's key points. Enjoy!





1. What did you feel as Ortberg described the great race between Sea Biscuit and War Admiral? Which other great competitions – personal, spiritual, athletic, academic, or political – did it bring to mind?

2. Some things hinder us from running a strong spiritual race while other things encourage us to continue strong in the our faith. Which things tend to demotivate us and lead us to quit and choose easier paths? Which things tend to inspire us and help turn a potential quitter into a committed competitor?

3. What does it mean to win with grace? What does it mean to lose with grace?

4. Check out the following Bible passages and consider what they have to say about this topic: Psalm 37:39-40; Matthew 6:34; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Timothy 2:3; 4:5; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 12:1-3.

5. On your gravestone, the “dash” between the date you were born and the date you will die represents the life you live. How are you spending your dash so far? What accomplishments do you feel good about? When have you stayed in the game even though it was tough? When have you opted out when the going got tough? What would people who know you best say about how you handle difficulties in your life?

6. What does it mean to be the kind of person someone would want to sit next to? Why does this even matter?

Week Four: Choose Your Moves Wisely

From January 3 through February 7, we will be getting the teaching from John Ortberg's When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box. Due to copyright issues, a recording is not available. So, I guess you'll have to show up! Each week, however, I will provide some questions from the discussion guide to help you process Ortberg's key points. Enjoy!

1. Why is the E-Z chair the most dangerous item in the house? What has been your experience with getting too comfortable in life, and how has it affected which moves you take in the game?

2. What kind of “assignments” does God call people to do? Why are we inclined to (at least initially) to say no to God when he extends a call to us? What encourages us to say yes to him?

3. As you heard the story of Johnny the Bagger, what did you think and feel? What has Johnny the Bagger learned about life, calling, and choosing the next move that you can apply to your life?

4. John Ortberg refers to “shadow missions” in his book – substitute games we are not meant to play. What are the main shadow missions that you gravitate toward and try to win when you allow your natural temptations to take over?

5. What do you think are the biggest obstacles that keep you from “rolling the dice” and stepping out in faith in answer to God’s call?

6. To what extent are you so comfortable that you don’t want to take on the challenges of the game?

7. What are your fears related to the challenges God has given you, and in what ways are they holding you back?

8. To what extent does busyness crowd out what you would consider to be the most important things in life?

9. How are you filling your calendar to honor God’s call in your life?


Note: Questions above are adapted from Rothberg’s Participation Guide.

Back in the Box: Resign as Master of the Board

From January 3 through February 7, we will be getting the teaching from John Ortberg's When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box. Due to copyright issues, a recording is not available. So, I guess you'll have to show up! Each week, however, I will provide some questions from the discussion guide to help you process Ortberg's key points. Enjoy!


Week Three: Resign as Master of the Board

1. What benefits do we get from try to gain and keep control of our lives?
2. How much of our lives do we control, really?
3. Why do we maintain the illusion that we are in control of our lives?
4. What do we gain when we choose to resign as Master of the Board – when we say “yes!” to God and surrender control of our lives to him?
5. How would you describe the differences between the richness of having and the richness of being?
6. How does giving stuff away to benefit the kingdom of God make us rich in being?
7. Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses gave them a strong warning to never lose sight of who is Master of the Board. (See Deuteronomy 6:10-12; 8:10-20.) Why was this warning important to Israel? What does this warning say to you about the danger of having riches and therefore assuming that you are Master of the Board?
8. When we try to engineer our own lives, how are our attitudes toward life, God, and other people affected?
9. What keeps you from surrendering your life – your gifts, energies, resources, “stuff,” and heart – to God?
10. What did Jesus teach will happen when we freely yield our little centers of control to God? (See Matthew 16:24-27; John 12:24.)
11. What evidences have you seen of God bringing to fruition something new and wonderful after you have given him complete control?
12. Spend some times reflecting on what yielding control to God might mean for various areas of your life. Are there areas you struggle to give up leadership? Make a list identifying what in life is important to you. Ask yourself to what extent you trust God in those areas. Identify steps of trust you can take to let God be Master of the Board.

Note: Questions above are adapted from Rothberg’s Participation Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the Box: Keeping Score

From January 3 through February 7, we will be getting the teaching from John Ortberg's When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box. Due to copyright issues, a recording is not available. So, I guess you'll have to show up!  Every week, however, I will lift out some questions from teh participation guide to help you process key points from the series.



1. Who taught you to keep score for your life?


2. What was modeled for you?

3. What did you learn about defining success vocationally, financially, socially, intellectually, physically, and spiritually?

4. How do you compare yourselves with others as a means of scorekeeping?

5. How do you compete with others as a score keeping method?

6. How do you resonate with climbing the ladder as your measure of success?

7. What affect do these methods have on relationships and personal contentment?

8. How does Jesus’ modeling of descending the ladder impact your thinking?

9. How does our culture value the outer you more than the inner you? What nurtures the inner you – the most important, lasting things? What happens to the inner you when we overly focus on the outer you?

10. How will you foster the inner you more effectively?



For Personal Bible Study:

1. What do the following biblical stories infer about keeping score? Gen. 4:1-16; 1 Sam. 18:5-16; Esther 5:7-14; Phil. 1:12-26

2. What God scoring principles are reflected in the following biblical passages? Mark 10:42-45; Is. 2:12; 1 Tim. 6:10-11; Psalm 49:16-17; John 6:27; Luke 12:7; Phil. 3:7-9; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Eph. 6:8

Note: Questions above are adapted from Ortberg’s Participation Guide.

When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In the Box

From now through February 7, we will be getting the teaching from John Ortberg's When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box.  Due to copyright issues, a recording is not available.  So, I guess you'll have to show up!

Questions…

1. If life is like a game, what is your goal or objective? How do you know if you win in the game of life? What are among the most important tips for playing the game of life well?
2. When have you ever wished, as John Ortberg did, that you could keep all the accomplishments intact as a permanent memorial to you success? What was the big lesson John learned after he victoriously crushed his aging grandmother?
3. What sorts of attitudes and behaviors emerge when we forget that it all goes back in the box? Why do we so quickly forget this truth? What helps you remember it?
4. What struck you from Ortberg’s contemporary retelling of Jesus’ parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21)? How is the rich fool’s story your story? Where are you in your story?
5. What lasts forever (eternal)? What goes back in the box (temporary)? Which of these two motivates more of your decisions in life?
6. In light of Ortberg’s teaching, what are you trying to win, and what strategy are you using to succeed?
7. Love of God comes from time with God. How will you develop your love of God in 2010?

For further study, read and reflect on the following scriptures:
Deuteronomy 8:17-18; Psalm 24:1, James 1:17; Job 1:21; Ecclesiastes 2:18-23; 1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 6:19-20; 1 timothy 6:6-8; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 90:12.

Note: Questions above are adapted from Ortberg’s Participation Guide.