Best of Both | May 21, 2023 | When Either/Or Won't Work

You make decisions every day! What to eat, what to wear, how to respond, etc. Sometimes, either/or simply won't do; you need the best of both. Think about it! Is it better to inhale or exhale? Is activity better or rest? Consistency or change? These are not problems to be solved but rather tensions to manage.

In the complexities of life, either/or makes things simple for you to choose, but things aren't always simple. Something essential and valuable is lost from the other side. Join the conversation around living wisely, looking at Jesus' example and teaching as he navigated tension masterfully! This series will help you find the Best of Both!

KEY VERSES

  • Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 NLT - 1 For everything there is a season,a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die.A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal.A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend.A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate.A time for war and a time for peace. 9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. 14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.

  • Matthew 22:15-17 NLT - 15 Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

HEARING WHAT GOD IS SAYING

One of the best ways to hear what God is saying right now is to look at what He has said in the Bible with a few friends. Discovery Bible Study is an easy-to-use way to hear from God, make good changes in our lives, and share with others what God is up to. Grab some friends, pick a verse or story from above and dive in deeper to this week’s message.

Recap

+ Reconnect

To begin the study, each person answers these questions:

  • What are you thankful for?
  • What is causing stress for our neighbors and people around us?
  • What can we as individuals or as a group do to help?

+ Recap

  • Have someone retell the story from your previous meeting.
  • Did you live out your response from last week?
  • Did you tell anyone else about the story from last week?

Discovering What God Is Saying

+ Read and Retell the Bible Story

  • One person reads the story out loud to the group.
  • Someone else in the group retells the story in their own words as they remember it, and others fill in what’s missing.

+ Read and Look

  • Read the passage again (different version if possible)
  • What does this passage say about God, Jesus, or His plan?

+ Read and Look Again

  • Have 1-2 more people retell the story as if they were telling a neighbor outside their home.
  • What does this passage say about people in general?

Doing What God Is Saying

+ Consider

  • What in me needs to change to better DO what God is showing me today?
  • How will you respond to/obey this passage in a tangible, perhaps even costly ways in the next 47 hours?
  • Have someone record these for prayer time, and for the beginning of the next meeting.

Sharing what God is saying

+ Praying Together

  • Take prayer requests
  • Pray together

+ Share

  • Who in your life needs to hear this story?
  • Who could you invite to study the Bible like this?

GIVING

Everything that happens at Canyon Ridge is because of your generous gifts. When you give to God through Canyon Ridge, you're helping reach thousands with the Gospel each week and making a difference for the people of Las Vegas and around the world!

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