Built to Last: Turn Moments into Memories
Ephesians 5:15-16
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out— what did God do in and through you (Phil 2:13)? Celebrate those together!
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Read:
Review: Work as group to put together a picture of the series so far:
o Building on the “Rock” is not only knowing Jesus’ words, but need to put Jesus teachings into practice (making choices that acknowledge/ count on, the truth of Jesus’ words.
o Resolving to forgive makes room for God (not Satan) to work in the situation, trusting Him with what needs to be done.
Read the passage together: Ephesians 5:8-20
Reflect:
Discuss the difference between quality and quantity time in your own experience of growing up
o What are some of your best memories of family time where you felt most like you are loved, you belong.
o If you had one or more parents who were “present” in your life consistently, share what that meant to you
Discuss the phrase, “Be very careful” and “Be on your guard” in Eph 5:15 and Matthew 16:5-12 (same phrase used in each, translated differently to carry meaning in context)
o Be careful of what, exactly? (Eph 5:8-10)
o What does it look like to “be very careful” in the sense Paul is talking about here (Eph 5:15-20)
What is the connection between wisdom and being alert?
o Where else in Scripture do we see “watchfulness” as a facet of wisdom vs. foolishness? (Matt 24:42, Matt 25:1-13)
o How does the effort to “Find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph 5:10) help us with living wisely? (Eph 5:15)
o Paul is saying to not only “have nothing to do with ‘the fruitless deeds of darkness” but to actually ‘expose them’ (Eph 5:11). If these are indeed “evil days'“ (Eph 5:16), wouldn’t that ‘exposure’ offend someone— how is that wise? How is that loving? Why would that “please the Lord”?
How does “Make the most of EVERY opportunity” and “Be very careful” connect here?
o What “opportunities'“ is Paul talking about here?
o How does the “cumulative effect of being present” with our families help us to “find the opportunities” when they arise?
o What kind of family would grow out of this type of watchfulness and these kinds of opportunities— describe it together.
Respond: (Divide the group into pairs)
o If “Little blocks of time over a long period of time add up to quantity time”, how are we doing with that?
o Spend some time now asking the Lord to show you how to make wise use of your time when the “days are evil”.
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