WEEKLY CONTENT FOR P.A.C.K. GATHERINGS
P – PRAYER
Pray for your time together. Ask God to give you open hearts, ears, and a willingness to be open and honest with each other.
Wrap up your time together by having guys share additional personal prayer requests and pray specifically for one another.
You can also pray this prayer as a follow-up to the topic: Heavenly Father, I don’t want to remain stagnant but desire to go deeper with You. I want to know You, deeply experience You, and profoundly experience Your love. Help me to see You and understand Your Word in a fresh and meaningful way. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
A – ACCOUNTABILITY
Ask guys how their week was. Follow up on last week’s topic.
Also, it can be an opportunity for guys to share any struggles or challenges from the week that need to be confessed or held accountable for.
If married, ask how everyone is intentionally serving their spouse…and if a parent, what the biggest challenge is right now.
Celebrate any wins, changes, and areas of growth.
C – CONVERSATION/CONTENT
Talk about weekly content that connects sports to life and faith.
UNPACKIN’ IT DEVOTIONAL CONTENT:
When Wild Card Weekend began, each team set out to make a deep run into the NFL playoffs. Of course, each franchise has different expectations based on their current team and what they’ve accomplished in recent years.
Storied franchises like the Steelers and Packers are familiar with past Super Bowl runs. Although their rosters weren’t the strongest this year, fans still wanted to see them advance further into the playoffs.
Both franchises have had a tough time getting over the hump lately and have had early exits. Once again, neither team will move on to the next round after losing to the Ravens and Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Ravens and Bills are excited about their wins. With their MVP-candidate quarterbacks leading the way, they plan to go deeper into the playoffs this season.
Both teams have struggled in previous postseasons, and neither has made it to the Super Bowl with Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson as quarterbacks.
Will the divisional or championship round be their ceiling, or will one go much deeper this year? Will they remain only good regular-season teams or go as deep as possible?
The Texans and Commanders both won this weekend. Their young quarterbacks, C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels, have guided their teams deeper than many would have thought this early in their careers. They have done what’s needed to take themselves to the next level.
Although the Lions had a bye this week, all eyes are on them as the team to beat in the NFC. They seek to go deeper than the franchise has ever gone since they have never reached the Super Bowl. They haven’t been able to break through before but find themselves in a position to do just that.
The Chiefs also had a bye. Although they have repeatedly proven their ability to go deep in the playoffs, they remain hungry to do so again this year.
All the teams still involved in the postseason desire to continue going deeper and are preparing to extend their playoff experience.
As we consider our faith and journey with Jesus, do we desire to continue going deeper? Are we constantly preparing our hearts and minds to experience God? Are we seeking to go deeper than ever and desiring the breakthrough, like the Lions?
Or, if we’re honest, do we relate more to the Ravens and Bills because lately, we can’t seem to get over the hump and go deep. We’re hoping this year is different and we’re no longer holding back, but instead, we take that step to the next level of our faith and spiritual maturity.
Many of us might be like the Steelers or Packers, where going deep was something we used to do. We know what it takes and have experienced a deep faith before, but lately, we aren’t going as deep as we want to.
Or maybe we’re new in our faith, and with great excitement, we’re going deeper than expected like the Texans and Commanders.
Ultimately, we want a deep “Super Bowl run” like the Chiefs. As followers of Jesus, our goal should be to have a deeper love for Him, a deeper understanding of who God is and how much He loves us, a deeper knowledge of His Word, and a deeper faith in Him.
We don’t want to settle for Wild Card Weekend, so to speak, but rather keep pursuing a vibrant relationship with the Lord as He takes us deeper and deeper into His love.
Today, let’s be encouraged by how Ephesians 3:17-19 (AMP) captures this beautifully by saying, “...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].”
I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Which result from the Wild Card Round surprised you the most, and why?
Whose legacy would benefit most from a Super Bowl victory: Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson?
Which NFL team do you relate to the most from a faith perspective?
How do you describe the times and ways you have gone deeper in your faith?
What are some of the main things that keep you from going deeper in your faith in God?
What are some practical steps that you can take to ensure that you are maturing and growing in your relationship with the Lord?
How should you respond if you find yourself apathetic about your relationship with Jesus?
Why is understanding who God is and what He has done for you crucial for having a passion for going deeper with Him?
What role do your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have in ensuring that you are continuing to go deeper in your faith?
What steps will you commit this week to deepen your relationship with God?
K – KICKING AROUND INTERESTING AND RELEVANT SPORTS STORIES AND TOPICS
*You Can Start Here...
This Week's Sports Headlines/Topics:
What do you think about the coaching carousel?
Who do you think wins the National Championship in College Football?
NFL playoff discussion and predictions.
Between Kansas City and Detroit, which team do you think is more susceptible to being knocked out of the playoffs prematurely, and why?
If you were starting a franchise, would you rather have CJ Stroud or Jayden Daniels as your franchise quarterback?
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