We are continuing in our SEEK FIRST series with the next message on seeking unity not sameness. In this sermon, Mark shares the difference between the two and how putting Jesus at the center changes everything.

www.thevineaustin.org

1. What has your experience been with the journal this week? What is staying with you?
2. What are some ways you think a kingdom of sameness and a kingdom of unity are different? 
3. What are the reasons we or others might be drawn to a kingdom of sameness over unity?  What is lost in kingdoms of sameness? 
4. In John 17, Jesus shared his prayer for the future church. Read John 17:20-23. What do you notice in these verses about the meaning and importance of unity? 
5. Mark talked about three kinds of church: bounded-set, boundless-set, and center-set. How do you describe the differences in these groups? What are some of the advantages or disadvantages some might perceive in each of them?
6. Read Romans 15:5-7. What would it look like to have the same attitude of mind and Jesus-centered acceptance of others in your life this week?

SEEK FIRST: Unity And Not Sameness

Mark continues in our Third Way series by exploring the difference between wells and fences, the power of a shared center, and why Jesus is enough to hold us together.

Colossians 1:15-20

www.thevineaustin.org

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How would you describe the difference between center-set (wells) groups and bounded-set (fences) groups? What are their key characteristics?

2. In your recounting of the Gospels, how does Jesus challenge the religious/ethnic fences of his day?

3. What stayed with you from the sermon- either as confusion, curious or encouraging?

4. Paul wrote the poem in the middle of the first chapter of Colossians to stretch the spiritual imagination of who Jesus is and what he accomplished. Read Colossians 1:15-20. What inspires adoration and worship? What inspires a sense of mystery and wonder?

5. Read Jesus’ prayer for the Church in John 17:20-23. Why do you think unity is so important to Jesus?

6. From our Third Way document, we find these words- “The Third Way is formed and shaped by Jesus — his posture, his priorities, his teaching, and his pattern of love. Rather than prioritizing doctrines or debates, we seek to organize and focus our lives around Christ.” With this in mind, what does it practically mean to have Jesus in the center of our individual lives? What does it mean to have Jesus at center of our church? 

End in prayer for one another. Perhaps, have your prayers be in response to the conversation from question #6, and pray that we would center Jesus in our lives more and more. 


THIRD WAY- Jesus at the Center

This is the second installment of our midweek conversations called Third Way in Practice. These dialogues explore the complexities and opportunities in practicing the Third Way. Today, Mark is joined by Ben Law as they discuss how the Third Way creates a path to reclaim a courageous faith. 


www.thevineaustin.org

Third Way in Practice - A Path towards Courageous Faith

Fabs continues our series on the Third Way by clarifying what it means that we prioritize posture over position at The Vine.  

Romans 14:1-5, 19-20

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What stayed with you from the sermon, either as confusing, curious or encouraging? 
2. How would you describe the ‘work of God’?  Why do you think Paul says that arguing over their positions on food has the potential to destroy the work of God? 
3. Read the blessing Paul offers the Romans in 15:5-7.  What stands out to you as his priority for the church? 
4. Often we feel we have to pick between valuing position or posture (one or the other).  How is the third way different?  
5. What are the potential obstacles or risks of prioritizing posture over position?  Why do you think people resist this? What are the potential risks of prioritizing position over posture?

THIRD WAY- Posture Over Position

This is the third installment of our midweek conversations- Third Way in Practice. Our world does not equip us to have hard conversations; in fact it does the opposite. This week, Fabs hosts Abby and Dana as they discuss how the third way can provide alternative approaches to more productive conversations. 
www.thevineaustin.org

Third Way in Practice- Habits for Having Hard Conversations

In this sermon, Mark addresses how the Third Way creates an alternative vocabulary in a time of tribalism.

Ephesians 4:1-6, 25-32

www.thevineaustin.org

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Interact with the quote from Abraham Heschel- “words create worlds.” How have you seen that concept at work in your own life or our world?
2. What stayed with you from the sermon- either as confusing, curious or encouraging?
3. Read Ephesians 4:1-6. Verses 1, 2 and 3 seem to address different concepts, but how are they connected? 
4. Read Ephesians 4:25-27. Is anger wrong or sinful by nature? If not, when does anger become sin? How does anger provide the enemy a foothold?  
5. Read Ephesians 4:29-32. What does this passage say about God? How do these verses challenge the church to live differently? 
6. A common practice in our world of division is to label and “other” people into tribes. What are ways we can push against that temptation? 

End in prayer for one another using Colossians 3:12-14 to be your prompt. Imagine putting on the posture of Jesus and taking off the antagonistic ways of this world.
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

THIRD WAY- An Alternative Vocabulary in a Time of Tribalism

This week's "Third Way in Practice" features a conversation between Fabs, Johnny and Ashley. They explore best practices of self-care, boundaries and emotional intelligence that help us maintain a third way posture as we navigate challenging relationships.

Third Way in Practice- Boundaries, Limits and Best Practices

In this final sermon of our THIRD WAY series, Mark explores a conversation that is central to our Third Way. "What about the Bible?" In this message, we consider the beautiful, complex gift we have in our shared Word, and how our posture compels us to read and wrestle with Scripture in community.

www.thevineaustin.org

2 Timothy 3:14-17

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How did you first get acquainted with the Bible? How did that initial experience shape your relationship with Scripture? 
2. What stayed with you from the sermon- either as confusing, curious or encouraging?
3. Consider the image of the two hands drawing one another. How does this depict how the Bible was written (both God’s words and words from human experience)? Which hand do you most often accentuate? 
4. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. What does it mean to you that Scripture is “God-breathed”? How could that shape how we read and experience it?
5. What does it mean to read Scripture through the lens of Jesus? How does that sit with you?
6. Finish by sharing what your relationship is with the Bible today, what would you want it to be, and how could you develop that?

End in prayer for one another. As this is the final sermon of this series, what has been a lesson, thought or practice that stands out to you? Share how this Third Way has challenged and inspired you towards change. Lift one another up in prayer.


THIRD WAY- What About the Bible?

In our final "Third Way in Practice" conversation, Pastor Ben is joined by Andrew and Haley as they discuss the ways in which our Third Way compels us to work towards justice in a posture fashioned by Jesus. 

Third Way in Practice- People Pursuing Justice

In the first week of our Advent series, we explore Zechariah's question in response to God's promise: how can I be sure?  

Luke 1:5-20	

www.thevineaustin.org

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Consider the view that faith is not about how 'sure' you are of God, but about how willing you are to trust in God even when you aren't sure. How does that view challenge or comfort you?
2. When you think about your own faith, what kinds of obstacles do you experience in trusting in God? Are they more external (e.g. questions about God’s character or ability) or more internal (e.g. fear of disappointment, fear of being wrong, fear of hoping again.) 
3. Read Zechariah's song: Luke 1: 67-79.  What stands out to you?  
4. Fabs talked about three ways of avoiding hope: reducing desire, defensive pessimism, blind optimism.  Which one(s) do you relate to?  How does that show up in your life and relationships? 
5. What’s one area where you feel like Zechariah: wanting to believe, but terrified of hoping?  What might it look like to hold hope in that place rather than trying to escape, numb, or control it? 


Questions of Christmas- How Can I Be Sure?

In this second sermon of this Advent series, Questions of Christmas, we consider Mary and her question, "How will this be?"

www.thevineaustin.org

Luke 1:26-38

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What (if anything) has Advent meant to you? How would you describe Advent to other people?
2. From the sermon, Mark talked how living in the age of the internet combats our embrace of not knowing. What is lost when we continually decrease and outsource the space between question and answer?
3. Imagine being in Mary's shoes. What feelings and thoughts come to the surface when you consider this uninvited disruption in her life? 
4. Mark shared four gifts for people in a time of uncertainty- God's presence, power, companionship, and word. How do you see that in verses 35-37?
5. Which of those four do you need now?

Pray for those who you know are in a time of unknowing, transition and vulnerability.

SEEK FIRST: Unity And Not Sameness

The Vine Austin

Related tracks