Pastor Brian McGuffin

June 29, 2025

Introduction

Recall a time in your life when you faced a significant/impossible event, bigger than you could handle - how did you manage/cope with it? What role did your faith and trust in God play in dealing with your struggle?

Scripture

Matthew 17: 14 - 20 ESV

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Discussion Questions

1. Begin by thinking about how you spend time in a day/week:

a) List as many things as you can think of that take up your day/week. Try to list at least 12 things.

b) How much of your day/week is taken up with God-related things? (e.g. Bible study, prayer, church activities, etc.)

2. a) How would you define faith?

b) How would you describe a person with i) little faith ii) medium/average faith iii) strong faith?

c) Think of a person who you think has strong faith. What is it about that person that makes you think that?

3. The story of the gospel is an invitation to trust God. Do you question your faith and trust in God? Why or why not? (Think of a situation recently where you faced an important decision. Did you ask God for help?)

4. How often do you find yourself praying with a posture of humility and submission? OR Are your prayers more often demanding and desperate?

5. How often do you put faith in yourself and your abilities before you put your faith in God?

6. a) Think of a time when you felt close to God. What were you doing?

b) Are there things you have done that have helped you feel closer to God?

c) Can you think of a time when you realized that God had helped to reshape/grow you?

Describe that situation.

7. Pastor Brian finished his sermon by asking us to begin our next-level of faith by ruthless self-assessment. He said we need real faith, even if it's a tiny amount...The power is not in the size of your faith. The power is in the object of your faith. He also said we need to become more aware of how big our God is and how weak and dependent we are.

a) If you want to begin your next-level of faith, what is one thing you could start doing?

b) Anything you should stop doing?

(Other things you could start? But - don't overwhelm yourself with too much.  God can guide you as you trust him more.)