PART 1: PRINCIPLE OF THE PATH

INTRODUCTION - We’re all going to end up somewhere in life, but often there’s a disconnect between where we want to end up and the paths we choose. So how can we avoid choosing a path that’s guaranteed to get us where we don’t want to be? 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. Talk about a time when you found yourself lamenting, I should have seen that coming! How did you get to that place? 
2. Our directions will determine our destinations. This principle is at work in our lives even if we ignore it. Right now, are you conscious of the direction you’re headed, or are you ignoring or avoiding the inevitable destination? 
3. Read Matthew 7:24–25. What do you think it means to: 

• Be wise. (Define “wise.”) 
• Hear Jesus’ words and put them into practice. 
• Build your house on a rock. 
• Build a foundation that is able to withstand the storms of life. 

1. Read Matthew 7:26–27. Talk about a time when you or someone you love had the experience of the builder who: 

• Acted foolishly. (Define “foolishly.”) 
• Heard Jesus’ words and didn’t put them into practice. 
• Faced a storm in life and their house crashed down. 

1. Instead of seeing your current situation as a problem to be fixed, think of it as a direction that needs to be changed. In what area are you moving in the wrong direction? Where will you end up if you stay on this path? Is that your preferred future? 
2. The process of changing directions may be slow and methodical, like the man who built his house on the rock. What steps can you take this week to change directions? How can this group help you? 

MOVING FORWARD - Wise people understand that life is connected and that a person’s direction is the best indicator of their ultimate destination. If you want to end up somewhere on purpose, follow Jesus.