Real Life. Real People. Real Jesus. 

1. What Does My Life Say About God?
Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Discussion Question:
Where do you think your everyday life currently gives people the clearest picture of what God is like? Where might it give them a distorted picture?

Go deeper:

• Think about your marriage, family, workplace, friendships, social media, and priorities. Where is Jesus most visible?
• Where is there a disconnect between what you say you believe and how you actually live?
• If someone formed their opinion of Jesus primarily by watching you, what might they conclude?

Connection to the sermon:
The sermon makes the challenging point that because we bear Christ's name, our lives are constantly communicating something about Him. God's glory isn't merely something we sing about—it is something our lives are meant to display.2. What Carries the Most Weight?
Exodus 33:18–19 (ESV)

“Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’ And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name “The LORD.”’”

Discussion Question:
Where do you see something other than God carrying too much “weight” in your life right now?

Go deeper:

• What tends to get your best time, attention, energy, money, or emotional investment?
• When have comfort, success, sports, work, entertainment, approval, or something else quietly become more important than following Jesus?
• What might change if God's glory genuinely became the weightiest consideration in your decisions?

Connection to the sermon:
The sermon defines glory as weight, significance, importance, worth, and honor. That makes the question deeply practical: What actually carries the most weight in my life?3. Where Have the Walls Come Down?
Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV)

“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Discussion Question:
Where do you recognize a “broken wall” in your spiritual life that you've gotten used to living with?

Which area most needs rebuilding right now: biblical truth, holiness, repentance, discipleship, character, love, integrity, obedience, or spiritual maturity?

• What keeps you from taking that area as seriously as Nehemiah took Jerusalem's broken walls?
• What might healthy spiritual rebuilding actually look like for you?

Connection to the sermon:
The sermon says Nehemiah isn't ultimately about rebuilding an ancient wall; it's a call for God to rebuild His people. The danger is becoming comfortable with spiritual brokenness that should actually move us toward God.4. When Repentance Gets Personal
Nehemiah 1:6–7 (ESV)

“I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.”

Discussion Question:
What keeps you from responding to your own spiritual brokenness with the kind of humility and repentance Nehemiah shows here?

Go deeper:

• What stands out to you about Nehemiah saying “we,” “I,” and “my father's house” rather than blaming everyone else?
• Where are you more tempted to notice what's wrong with other Christians than what's wrong in your own heart?
• Is there something God may be asking you to confess rather than excuse, defend, or minimize?

Connection to the sermon:
Nehemiah doesn't begin rebuilding by pointing fingers. He begins on his knees. The sermon calls the church to the same posture: weep, pray, confess, repent—and then get to work.5. What Will You Rebuild This Week?
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Discussion Question:
What would it look like for you to intentionally rebuild one area of your life this week so that you look more like Jesus and bring greater glory to God?

Go deeper:

• What specific change is God asking you to make rather than simply think about?

• Is there something you need to stop, start, confess, repair, prioritize, or surrender?
• Who could you tell about your decision so they can encourage you and hold you accountable?

Connection to the sermon:
This is exactly where the message lands: “Weep. Pray. Confess. Repent. And then get to work.” God isn't simply interested in exposing what's broken. Through His Spirit, He intends to transform His people so His glory can increasingly be seen through them.

Closing Prayer Prompt
Ask God to reveal anything in your life that has been given more weight than His glory. Confess where your life has failed to represent His character well. Ask the Holy Spirit to rebuild what has become broken or neglected and to transform you increasingly into the image of Jesus. Finally, pray together: “God, make Your glory our greatest concern, and use our lives to show people who You are. God through us.”

----------------------------------------
This week's challenge:
Choose one broken wall and one concrete act of obedience. Don't try to rebuild everything this week. Identify one place where God's glory hasn't been your greatest concern, pray and repent about it, and take one measurable step toward change.

This week's reading
Based on the sermon's application, encourage everyone this week to:

• Identify one area of life where they most need new creation hope (grief, anxiety, temptation, relationships, work, etc.).
• Intentionally remind themselves each day that God is making all things new, asking how that future hope should shape today's decisions.
• Read Nehemiah 1 and Ezekiel 36:22–26 in preparation for next week's series, God Through Us.