CREATED FOR GREATNESS | WEEK 1 | GREATNESS HAS A NAME
INTRO
Welcome to week 1 of the series “Created For Greatness”
If you are using this to discuss with a small group, here are a few reminders you might like to review before getting
started. Host, please read these 4 basic rules:
1. Be great listeners.
2. Instead of giving advice, give an example from your own life that relates.
3. Keep it confidential – whatever is said in the group, stays in the group.
4.Commit to being at small group and doing weekly challenges. The more we engage with each other and apply
what we learn, the more we will grow.
Everyone agree to these rules? Great! Then let’s get started!
Before we get into the discussion, let’s take a minute to get to know each other a little bit better. Everyone take turns
sharing one or more of the nicknames you have picked up through the years. Explain how you acquired that nickname
and how it made you feel.
CREATED FOR GREATNESS
Whether you believe it or not, you were created for greatness! God not only sees the greatness in us before we do,
but he speaks it into us with promises from the Scriptures. This series is going to follow Simon Peter on a journey.
Peter was given an awesome nickname from Jesus himself. . . ROCK! What’s really interesting to look at, however,
is that Simon’s life with Jesus wasn’t very rock-like at all. But what if Jesus wasn’t looking at who Simon was when he
gave Simon his nickname? Maybe instead, Jesus was looking at who he knew Simon was going to be. Over the next
several sessions we are going to explore the life of Simon called Peter and how God isn’t nearly as concerned about
who we are as he is about who we are becoming.
GREATNESS HAS A NAME
Scripture Focus: John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin. So, he knew Jesus, but did not understand the full revelation of
who Jesus was! While John was baptizing at the Jordan river, Jesus came along. John baptized Jesus and witnessed
the Spirit of God descend on Jesus. This is when John understood and declared Jesus to be the Messiah.
Read what happens next. Grab your Bible, or the Bible app on your phone and read the following verses from
whatever translation you would like. Or, you can read these which are from “The Message” translation:
JOHN 1:35-43
35-36
The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby,
and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”
37-38
The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39
He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”
Created for Greatness - Week 1 - Page 2
They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this
happened.
40-42
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did
after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (that is, “Christ”).
He immediately led him to Jesus.
Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter, which means
“Rock”).
Everyone take turns sharing your thoughts about the following questions:
1. P
ut yourself in Simon’s sandals for a minute. His brother rushes to find him, tells him he has found THE MESSIAH,
and before Simon knows it, he is standing in the presence of this holy messiah! What do you think went through
Simon’s mind when Jesus took one look up and said…”From now on your name is Rock.”? (When Jesus called him
Cephas, that was in Aramaic and wasn’t even really a name. It was the word for “rock.”)
2. Do you think Simon (Peter) felt worthy of this new name? Why or why not?
3.Sometimes we get a nickname because it’s just a fun shortening of our formal name or it’s something that rhymes
with our name or is cute. But often times we get a nickname because someone KNOWS something about us and
reveals it to everyone. Hopefully that “someone” is kind and trustworthy as they assign you a nickname! Just
imagine how awesome it would be to meet Jesus face-to-face for the first time and have him KNOW you and
REVEAL something about you by giving you a nickname! If you met Jesus right now and if he were to take one
look up and call you by a new name, what do you wish it would be? Why? (Remember, it doesn’t have to be an
actual name; he called Simon “rock.”)
This name given to Simon Peter by Jesus doesn’t exactly explain his character at the time it was given. As a matter of
fact, most of what Peter does is quite to the contrary. Peter often loses his footing, but he later become one of the
rocks of the New Testament church!
We all wish our lives played like a highlight film rather than a blooper reel! We are all a collection of good and bad,
proud and embarrassed. Some of us look at who we are now and assume it is all we will ever be. We have difficulty
seeing our current character and understanding how God is ever going to use us.
Back to the Bible. Someone look up this verse, and/or read it here from “The Message” translation.
This is in a letter written by the apostle Paul to the Christians in Philippi:
Philippians 1:6
“There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and
bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”
REFLECT
Take a minute of silence to reflect on this verse. What might God be saying to you? Can anyone share with the group?
• If, as this verse indicates, it is God who starts the great work in you and keeps at it, what do you feel is your
responsibility when it comes to growing spiritually?
• Do you sometimes feel as though you aren’t making progress in your spiritual life? When you are discouraged,
remember God’s promise and provision. God won’t give up on you. Is that a truth that you struggle to accept?
CHALLENGE
Jesus wants to work in us and through us. He is knocking at the door, and we are responsible for opening it up and
letting him in. Can you spend some time every day this week opening up the door and listening to Jesus? Ask him
to reveal to you what name/names he wants to give you. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a name you feel you have
earned. Write down what you hear and consider sharing with the group next time you meet.