WHOLE AND HOLY
Followers of Jesus are called to follow and imitate him with thoughts, attitudes, and actions — to be whole people. They are also called to abide in him and draw nearer to him every day — to be holy people. “All of me (whole) becoming more like Jesus (holy).”
OVERVIEW
Following Jesus means living a life of discipleship. It means becoming more like Jesus in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. It means loving, trusting, surrending, and obeying Jesus more and more each day.
God wants us to give him our whole selves. He also wants us to become holy people.
“Holy” isn’t a high and mighty word that refers to extra-special extra-perfect extra-wonderful extra-religious people. “Holy” just means something that is set apart for God, that belongs to him and is being made new by him and for him.
The Bible says that followers of Jesus have already been made holy through his death and resurrection, and continue to be made holy through the power of his Spirit living in us. We are holy, and we are still being made holy. Both of these are true.
Following Jesus includes all the things you’ve talked about and learned in this series. But that's just the beginning. You’ll keep learning more about God your whole life. And you’ll learn more about following him, too, because this series isn't the whole story.
Besides all the themes in Head, Heart, Hands, you’ll learn that followers of Jesus are called to be peacemakers, joyful, thankful, filled with hope, and more. As you continue reading the Bible, praying, worshipping, fellowshipping, and learning, you’ll keep discovering more and deeper ways to follow Jesus and to become more like him.
Keep learning. Keep abiding. Keep conforming. Keep moving your head, heart, and hands closer and closer to Jesus, which is your true home and your true identity.
WARMUP
Begin with a conversation starter, then use these warmup questions.
- What’s one way you’ve grown as a follower of Jesus during Head-Heart-Hands?
- What’s one new thing you’ve learned about Jesus? About yourself?
- What’s one way you want to keep growing and learning?
- Are you still most strongly either a head or heart or hands person? How have you started getting stronger in the other ways too?
READ & REFLECT
Use one or more of these passages to see what scripture says about spending time in worship. You can also engage with the passage by copying out part of it, rewriting it as a prayer, rephrasing it as its opposite, summarizing it with a single word or phrase, making a list or chart of similar and dissimilar things, or turning it into something visual like a doodle, design, or flowchart.
TEACHING PASSAGES 1: Read Deuteronomy 6:1-7, Luke 10:25-28, Matthew 22:37-40
- What’s something you’ve learned about loving God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength?
- Why do you think this commandment is first and loving others is second?
- What is most challenging about following and loving God with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength? (Focus on the concept of all.)
- How have your thoughts, attitudes, and actions begun to sync up more closely?
- What have you learned about how your thoughts, attitudes, and actions are connected and overlap?
- What part of you (head, heart, or hands) has the most growing to do? Why do you think that?
TEACHING PASSAGE 2: Read John 15:1-17
- What have you learned about abiding in Jesus? (love and trust)
- What’s one way you’ve been conforming to Jesus? (surrender and obey)
- After the learning you’ve done in this series, do you see and understand new things in these verses compared to when you first read them? What?
SOME IDEAS ABOUT BEING A WHOLE AND HOLY FOLLOWER OF JESUS
- Retake the Identity in Christ self-assessment. Have you grown more aware and confident in your true identity? How and why?
- Check out the Head-Heart-Hands Self-Eval or the Signs of Growth. Use these for discussions about what you've learned and how you've grown.
