Nothing To Fear – Hebrews 2:14-18 IMPEL study (October 31, 2021)

ACCOUNTABILITY*:

There’s freedom here for leaders to design questions that address the specific needs of those you’re discipling. Group members can pick the questions they need the most help with or come up with their own.** (NOTE: Accountability is not forcing someone to do something or being controlling over their lives and decisions. It is not behavior modification or adding new rules that are not found in Scripture).

Open your time with a prayer, asking God to grow you in your love for Jesus. Go around the group and briefly share the highs/lows of the week. After catching up, consider this question, relevant to our reading: “How does the fear of death affect your life?” (Try to remember how people respond, as these may be the areas you’ll want to delve into when applying Heb 2:14-18).

TRUTH:

What do you observe about these verses? What do you learn about God from these verses?

• According to the reading, what is humanity’s biggest problem?
• Why did Jesus become human?
• How does Jesus set us free? (Remember: God is holy so He cannot live with sin, but humans sin and thus face the penalty of death. Since humans have wronged God, a human must be involved in making things right with God. (To “make atonement” or “propitiation” means that Jesus’ death appeased God’s holy, righteous justice toward sin.)

EQUIPPING:

Make the truth understandable and usable, allowing the disciple to engage with the truth in a personal way. (As the leader, choose the questions you think would be most helpful for the people in your group.)

• Jesus breaks the powerful fear of death. How does this truth speak into the fears you shared at the start?
• How does this truth help you to be brave and take risks for Jesus?
• How does Jesus’ own experience of suffering and temptations encourage you in your daily trials? In which ways do you emulate Him, and in which ways do you struggle?

MISSION:

We want to use our gifts to serve others in need and reach the lost, spurring one another on to love and good deeds. Rather than adding something additional to our busy schedules, consider how God has already providentially placed us where we live, work and play to be ambassadors of his love.   

• As Jesus is merciful and compassionate toward us, He asks us to be the same toward others. To whom can you show mercy and compassion?
• How might this passage help you to live and respond differently in the coming days?

SUPPLICATION:

Protecting time in prayer in the group is vital for transformation to take place. Pray about the needs of the people in your group and what they shared. If you didn’t have enough time to pray the week before, consider starting with prayer the following week.**

• Spend some time praising Jesus: For becoming human, defeating death, atoning for YOUR sins and becoming YOUR merciful, faithful high priest. Pray these truths would liberate you from the fear of death.
• Pray for that person to whom you can show mercy.
• Pray for someone with whom you can share this wonderful good news about Jesus.