Family Growth Term 1 2019

WEEK 5 – Against Hypocrisy

Big idea

The religious leaders lived lives that looked good, but they didn’t really love God. Jesus shows the way to really live for God.

Bible passage

Luke 11:37-41 and Luke 12:1-7

All Ages Activity

Look up “messy room frantic kid gif” in an internet browser.

Look at the gif showing a teenager hiding his messy room behind a curtain to make it look perfect.

Discussion:

We often pretend things are better than they are.

In your family or growth group think of times when you may cover up the truth to look good, for example:

– Hiding the mess before guests arrive.

– Describing a fabulous holiday when in reality, you argued most of the time.

– Posting happy, exciting photos on social media even though you get sad and lonely at times.

– Showing your mum, a clean room with all the mess hidden under the bed or in the cupboard.

– Letting your parents think you are a hard-working student when you are playing computer games.

In the passages above Jesus was talking about some serious pretending the pharisees were doing – the word for this is hypocrisy. They were pretending to love God and follow his ways. They looked impressive, they knew the scriptures and the laws and attended the temple regularly, but Jesus was able to see everything in their hearts and know they did not love God or live out His ways. Jesus tells us to guard against hypocrisy – there is nothing we can hide from Him anyway. We need God’s love to shape all that we do, we don’t need to impress others.

Prayer idea

Dear Lord.

Thank you for this family/group. Please be with us and help us not to be hypocrites in our faith. Please help us live lives following your way. Please help us start right here in this group by sharing ourselves more deeply and truthfully with each other.

In Jesus name and by the Holy Spirit,

Amen