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The Achiever

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” MARK 10:17-27 NLT

The Achiever…

Reflects: God’s Hope

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” HEBREWS 10:23 NLT

Underlying Emotion: Shame

“For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’” ROMANS 10:11 ESV

Motivation: Success

“Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.” GENESIS 39:3 NLT

Need: To achieve

Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 2 JOHN 1:8 NLT

Avoids: Failure

“For the word of God will never fail. ” LUKE 1:37 NLT

Focuses On: Goals

“So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.” 2 CORINTHIANS 5:9 NLT

Core sin: Lying/deceit

“Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.” PROVERBS 12:22 KJV

Fear: Being worthless

“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” MARK 8:36 NLT

How the Achiever can be real with Self:

“Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.” PSALM 119:29 NLT

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” JOHN 8:31-32 NLT

How the Achiever can be real with Others:

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” JAMES 5:16 NLT

How the Achiever can be real with God:

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 SAMUEL 16:7 NLT

How to Love an Achiever:

Prayer for the Achiever:

God help me to find success in you. Help me to strive for obedience as I strive for success.

“May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.” PSALM 25:21 NLT

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take a moment to still yourself from all of the day’s events. Set aside the wins, set aside the setbacks and work to be present in this moment. Resist the urge of wandering thoughts: plans for your future, thoughts about yesterday; instead, fight to stay present. We can often hide behind our accomplishments, letting those be a cover-up for feeling unworthy of being loved. Think back to a time when you experienced being loved for just being you. What did you experience? What did you feel? Now imagine yourself standing before God. What might it look like to accept his love for you—not because of what you do, or what you have accomplished—but simply because you are you? The truth is that this is how he loves you. Share with him any arguments and struggles you feel that get in the way of this love. Then, choose to accept it anyway. Be willing, even if you feel unworthy or unready. Let God love you there. Stay in that moment; how does that make you feel? Write your thoughts down in the space below.

Discussion Questions

  1. LEADER’S NOTE: Take the first 5-10 minutes of group time to have everyone do the Personal Reflection Guide (linked on the sermon notes). You may want to set a timer, play some soft music, etc. Once you notice people finishing up, transition to group discussion time with a short prayer, then open by asking people to share what that experience was like, if they feel comfortable.
  2. REAL WITH SELF: If you were to paint the ideal picture of yourself, what would it be? How do you wish people saw you?
  3. REAL WITH SELF: In what ways, or areas of your life, do you find that you tend to lie to yourself?
  4. REAL WITH GOD: Read Jeremiah 29:11. How do God’s plans for your life compare with yours? What does it look like to surrender your own plans in favor of following God’s plans?
  5. REAL WITH OTHERS: Describe a time in your life where you told the full truth about something you did wrong. What were the results of that confession?
  6. REAL WITH OTHERS: What would it look like in your life to fully embrace the way God sees you and loves you? How might that affect your relationship with yourself, God and others?
  7. TAKE ACTION: Take some time to ponder some “wins” in your life right now. Especially for the high 3’s, pausing for a bit to really feel the weight of their accomplishments can be a healthy exercise. Share these “wins” with the group if you feel comfortable. Allow them to celebrate alongside you!