Simple Reminders
The primary idea you need to keep revisiting during this Following Jesus Pathway is that we are following and being formed by Jesus. This pathway can be learned simply or in great depth. We trust that you as a leader know your people and the dynamics of your group well enough to adapt and impart this topic with grace and wisdom.
This guide is designed to help you and others follow and be formed by Jesus. Remember to keep it Jesus-Centered.
We pray that you will be Spirit-Led and Spirit- Empowered as you lead and learn together.
Brief Commentary and Context
Repent and Believe Overview- Jesus offers us the Kingdom of God and calls us to rethink (repent: ‘metanoia’) everything we thought we knew about what would lead us to the good life and trust (believe: ‘pisteuō’) in him instead. This change of mind and heart looks like trusting Jesus as King of our lives rather than ourselves, and leads us away from sin into the love of God. Repentance and faith begin our journey with Jesus and are the ongoing means of our transformation and sanctification until the end of our lives.
Biblical Story to use as an example to learn the tool: Peter's denial and encounter with Jesus on the beach. Matthew 26:31-35, 47-75 and John 21:1-20
Peter declared the truth about Jesus and was convinced that he would never leave or betray him but that belief was challenged when he got into a difficult situation. Instead of proclaiming and believing the truth his actions and declarations told a different story and maybe one that revealed the deep rooted thoughts and understanding he had about Jesus and himself. The heartbreak of realizing that he had fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy about denying Him is compounded mightily by Jesus witnessing Peter's denial. Peter’s humiliation and sense of failure were deep, and Luke tells us that he went away, crying. We not only see his heartbreak but we also notice that he went back to his old lifestyle and vocation (fishing) possibly giving up and resigning himself to his failures. Jesus comes and encounters him on the beach, as Peter hears the truth and experiences the love of Jesus those places of shame, fear, and failure are addressed, repented from, and Peter’s correct belief about himself and Jesus is restored. Like Peter, it’s pretty easy for us to think we believe something until we encounter a difficult and challenging situation and we discover the truth about our core beliefs about God and ourselves. Sometimes those moments reveal sinful and broken areas we have yet to identify and repent from and they can also reveal the lie that the enemy wants us to believe over God’s truth. The tool we are learning today helps us to process situations and acknowledge thoughts, feelings and emotions, and come to an understanding of our core beliefs about God and ourselves and the lies we so easily agree with.
Read the Introduction below so that you understand the purpose and heart of the tool:
Download and Print these instructions that walk you through the tool:
Download and Print this template for practice :
Core Truths from the topic
Core Truths from the topic
Summary Scripture- Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “ The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Key Idea:
Repent (metanoia)- a change of mind, turning to live God’s way rather than our own.
Believe (pisteuō)- placing our trust and confidence in Jesus for all of life.
Core Truths from the Topic
Hebrews 6:1- “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.”
Matt. 3:8- “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”
Luke 15:7- “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Jn 1:12- But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Jn 20:31- but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Job 42:5-6- “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Rom. 2:4- Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
2 Cor. 7:10- For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Acts 5:31- God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Extra Resources to help you Prepare
INTRO THE HONESTY TOOL | An Engaging Cultivate Workshop with Jonathan & Melissa Helser
THE HELP TOOL : A Processing Tool for Teenagers | Cageless Birds
Healing for the Nations: https://healingforthenations.org/