START TALKING

Share a story about how boundaries (a fence, lines on a road, boundaries on a field or court, etc.) allowed you or something in your life to function or prosper but when you or someone/something got out of those boundaries, it led to chaos and drama.

START THINKING

Read Titus 3:1-2. In this boundary that Paul gives us to follow, is the boundary for you or for other people in your life? Why?

How would you rephrase this boundary in your own words? And what do you think is most difficult about this boundary? How do you think it would eliminate drama and increase mission if you followed it?

Read Titus 3:3-8. In this brief passage, Paul sums up the entire gospel message. What sticks out to you about that? What are things about the gospel that many people misunderstand, but Paul corrects and clears up in this passage?

Where do you see the mission we are on in Titus 3:3-8? In other words, because of the gospel, what does this passage say should be evident in our lives and the result of us living on mission?

START SHARING

Read Titus 3:9, Philippians 2:14-15, and 2 Timothy 2:23. What is the common message in these three passages, and what do you think it means that this theme is repeated over and over to the new Christians following Jesus in these new churches?

When have you found yourself involved in what was really a "foolish and stupid argument" or a "foolish controversy"? How did it cause division? How did this drama get your focus off of living on mission?

Thinking about the example you gave above, how did - or how would - refusing to talk or argue about it protect you from being divided with others in your life? What makes this so difficult? And why is it so important?

Think about the four boundaries from this message:
1. Commit to take the high road.
2. Refuse to talk or argue about things that divide and don't matter.
3. Fight for unity and peace.
4. Don't associate with a divisive person.

Now share how you experience Jesus giving the example in each of these. And share which of these you may have found most difficult, and as a result it gets you off mission and embroiled in the drama.

START DOING

What do you sense the Holy Spirit telling you to do with the boundaries and drama we've discussed? And what are you going to do about it?

What will you do this week to follow these scriptures so that you can be "blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"? How will you do this so that your mission can increase?

START PRAYING

Pray for each other and what you shared in the previous question. Pray that we each shine like lights in this world as we live out the difficult but important mission that being a Kingdom ambassador is for each of us!