Message Big Idea

Breakthrough involves surrender, a turning away from anything that is keeping us from whole-heartedly living as apprentices to Jesus.

Scripture

Isaiah 30:15, Luke 19:1-9

Icebreaker

Share a time when you got hopelessly lost. How did you find your way back?

Opening Thought

Author N.T. Wright said, “The trouble with [the word repentance] is that people have often not understood it. They have thought it means ‘feeling bad about yourself’. It doesn’t. It means ‘change direction’; ‘turn round and go the other way;’ or ‘stop what you’re doing and do the opposite instead’. How you feel about it isn’t the really important thing. It’s what you do that matters.” How does this statement influence your understanding of repentance?

Bible Discussion

1. Read Isaiah 30:15 in the Message translation. What is your first impression of the passage?
2. How does Isaiah characterize repentance?
3. Read Luke 19:1-9. What do you notice about Zacchaeus as you look at his story through the lens of repentance?

Life Application

4. Why do you think we resist repentance?
5. What sort of things offer evidence of repentance in someone’s life?
6. Some of us know what we need to do to turn to God, but sometimes we’re not sure. How might we discern the U-turns God wants us to make in our lives? What practical steps can we take to discover this?
7. As we end one year and begin the next, what do you need to turn away from to see God breakthrough? What do you need to put down, let go of and not bring with you into the New Year?

Challenge

Take some time to reflect on where God may be asking you to repent, to turn around and head in a different direction. Over the next week, confess to God what you need to turn away from. Father, as we lay these things down, we turn from them so that we can instead follow you. We open ourselves to the work of your Holy Spirit in us and through us. Lead us forward in the ways of Jesus. We surrender our lives to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.