Think about the defining dates on your annual calendar. Perhaps it’s a wedding anniversary or the birth of your first child. Or maybe even the day you met Christ.

There’s a day on God’s calendar that defines not only how we approach eternity but how we come to grips with grace in the now.

As we’ve discovered in 2 Peter, having the “End in Mind” is less about predicting specifics and more about finding out what matters to God in the end. “What has value” and “what will matter” were the questions Peter and the apostles were asking.

The Day of the Lord is often seen as a perplexing subject and scoffing at its reality can lead to cynicism, paranoia, and even disbelief.

But what if instead of dialing down to the minute details we focused in on “why” this Day matters? What if we were caught up in the narrative that Our Father has been weaving together and will culminate on the day Jesus returns?

Join us this week as we learn to “love what God loves” and glory in this Day as we are transformed by His word and Spirit.

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

Title: End in Mind: The Lord Has a Day // Scripture: 2 Peter 3:1-10

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes

As we’ve discovered in 2 Peter, living with the “End in Mind” is less about predicting specific events, and more about finding out what matters most to God in the end. “What has value” and “what will matter” were the questions Peter and the apostles were asking when they considered how to live with the “End in Mind.” The Day of the Lord is often seen as a perplexing subject and scoffing at its reality can lead to cynicism, paranoia, and even disbelief. This week, instead of dialing down to the minute details, we focused in on “why” this Day matters so much. It defines not only how we approach eternity, but how we come to grips with grace in the now. As we “love what God loves” and let him “renew our minds,” we are transformed by His Word. His Spirit invites us into the narrative that our Father has been weaving together since the very beginning and will culminate on the day Jesus returns. It helps us live with the “End in Mind” in the arena of the mundane day to day rhythms of life.

THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
When our lives demonstrate our love for Christ and dependence on the cross, we move from simply living in the mundane to living with the “End in Mind.”

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes

Picture (What is the story saying?): In Titus 2:13, what does the grace of God empower us to look forward to? Why is keeping the Day of the Lord in mind so important? What does it mean to love what God loves? How does this help us live with the “End in Mind?”

Mirror (Where am I in the story?): How often do you think about the return of Jesus? How can the idea of the coming Day of the Lord affect the way you live today? What is one thing you can renew in your life today that will show that you love what God loves?

Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How do the people in your family, workplace, and neighborhood consider the Day of the Lord? How can your love for what God loves help the people around you begin to live with the “End in Mind?”

BE IT – Practice

Change UP // Exercise // 5 minutes

Have each person share a verse that challenges us to renew our minds. How do these promises help us prepare for the return of Jesus? Share one thing that you look forward to most about the “Day of the Lord.” Spend a few moments in prayer thanking God for the promise that he will renew our minds and return to set things right.

Change IN // Group Activity // 5 minutes Write down the 3 most important dates in your life. Share why these dates are so important to you. Now share the most important date from your relationship with God. Commit to share these dates with your family this week.

Change OUT // Life Application Assignment // 5 minutes Think of one way you can practically change the conversations around you from scoffing about “false news” to living with the “End in Mind.” How can you do that in a way that will reflect your love for what God loves? Be ready to share a story from your experiences this week when we meet together the next time.

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.