2023 May 24  | World Changers: What Breaks God’s Heart

SMALL GROUP MATERIAL

Inward Prayer

Small Group Questions:

    1. Why do you think God’s heart breaks for things?
    2. Is there something your heart breaks for?
    3. God doesn’t call us to something only to leave us to fend for ourselves. He is with us, he provides for us, and he enables us to do the task. How have you seen God equip you before?
    4. Our responsibility is simply saying yes to Jesus, not sorting out every problem. How do you say yes to Jesus?
    5. Have your listeners ask God to put one thing, situation or person on their heart to be his hands and feet for this week.

Outward Prayer

MESSAGE NOTES

THE MAIN POINT

Our story is meant to fit into God’s bigger story, part of that includes seeking where God is moving and what his heart breaks for.

God’s heart has the capacity to break for everything, ours don’t, so we need to listen to where God is calling us to be his hands and feet.

THE BIBLE

Proverbs 3:5-6, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Isaiah 6:8

THE CONTEXT

As we join in on God’s big story to reconcile all things (make all things new), we must first learn what things God cares for and where his heart breaks.

So often our hearts break for many things, but we often feel helpless to do anything. We look at our own lives, our friends, our family, our city, our country, and our world and it often gets so overwhelming that we feel we can do nothing. Here is the wonderful news, we don’t have to fix everything, but we can partner with God on some things.

There are three words often used to describe God: omniscient (all-knowing) omnipotent (all-powerful) and omnipresent (all-present). In recent years we have tricked our brains and hearts into thinking that we can adopt some of these attributes. With our cell phones, the internet, social media campaigns, and 24-hour news we can often feel that we know everything, are present to anyone at any time, and through our phones can change the world with a click of a button. The reality is we cannot, and we should not. We are not God. But our role is to be Jesus’ hands and feet in the places we find ourselves, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to be a difference maker. We are to ask God to show us his heart and then respond, knowing that we can play our part. When the whole Church prays this prayer, the needs of the world will be met.

THE CORE

As you prepare the core of the message using personal story and questions keep in mind these points:

  • God will equip you. Just as God equipped Moses to lead the Israelites with Aaron and his staff, just as God kept his promise to give Joshua victory over the Canaanites, just as God gave Esther the courage to go before the king, he will also equip us for the tasks he gives us. As Paul puts it, “God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8). God doesn’t call us to something only to leave us to fend for ourselves. He is with us, he provides for us, and he enables us to finish the task.
  • We are all made unique and God will call us into different areas and different tasks.

THE APPLICATION

As you prepare the application, challenge and/or encouragement, keep in mind these points:

  • Our responsibility is simply saying yes to Jesus, not sorting out every problem. How do you say yes to Jesus?
  • Praying for God to break your heart for the things of his heart, is a dangerous prayer. What does it take to say, “Here I am, Send me.”
  • Have your listeners ask God to put one thing, situation, or person on their heart to be their hands and feet for this week.