Series Resources

sermon-based study guide

This guide is designed to guide a group discussion around the weekend sermon. You can also use this as an individual, but we highly recommend finding a friend and inviting them to discuss with you. Menlo Church has Life Groups meeting in-person and online using these guides. We’d love to help you find a group.

What you will find in this guide: A discussion guide for groups and individuals. If you are using this as an individual be sure to engage with each question in a journal or simply in your mind as you prayerfully consider what you heard in the sermon and seek to discover what God is inviting you to know and do.

Sermon Study Guide | The Cost Of Connections | The Cost of Following Jesus

Sermon Study Guide | Series: The Cost of Connection
Title: The Cost of Following Jesus (Matthew 19:16-26)
Date: March 30, 2025

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CONNECT - “A Personal Reflection”

-> This section is designed to help you relate personally to the theme of the sermon. It encourages you to reflect on your own life experiences and how they connect to the message.

We live in a culture where achievement is often seen as the key to worth and success. In the story of the rich young ruler, we see someone who seemingly had it all—wealth, influence, and morality—yet still sensed something was missing. Have you ever felt like you were doing everything “right,” but still found yourself empty or restless inside? Think about a time when success or control was more important to you than surrender. What did it cost you?

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ENGAGE - “Exploring the Scripture”

-> This section invites you to dive into the biblical passage, discuss its meaning, and apply it to your life through thoughtful questions.

Read Matthew 19:16-26 together and discuss:

What does this passage reveal about the tension between achievement and surrender in our faith journey?

Jesus names commandments that are “horizontal”—how we treat others—but challenges the man in his heart toward God. Why do you think Jesus did this?

In what ways do you identify with the rich young ruler? Are there areas in your life where you’re holding on instead of letting go?

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APPLY - “Putting the Scriptures into Action”

-> This section challenges us to take what we’ve learned and implement it in practical ways in our daily lives.

Evaluate your motives: Take time this week to reflect on whether you’re striving to earn God’s love or living in response to it. What is driving your spiritual habits and decisions?

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Identify areas of surrender: Ask God to show you where you may be clinging too tightly to your plans, dreams, or achievements. Where is He inviting you to trust Him more deeply?

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Create space to let go: Choose one tangible way to surrender—journal your prayers, release control of something that’s weighing on you, or sit in stillness before God while posturing your hands and heart in humility to “let go” and receive grace from God.

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Share the journey: Talk with a trusted friend or mentor about what God is revealing to you. Invite them to pray with you and encourage you as you walk in surrender.

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PRAY - “Seeking God’s Guidance”

-> This section offers a short prayer to help us center our hearts and invite God to work in our lives through his scripture.

“Jesus, we confess that so often we approach you like the rich young ruler—hoping to add you to our already full lives without surrendering anything. Forgive us for the times we’ve placed our trust in our own efforts or achievements. Teach us what it means to receive the gospel, not achieve it. Help us let go of the things that get in the way of full devotion to you, and lead us into a life of freedom, surrender, and deep trust in your grace. Amen.”

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GOING DEEPER - “Further Study & Reflection”

[STEP ONE: Receive, Don’t Achieve – Read John 3:16-1] This familiar passage reminds us that salvation is not something we earn through good behavior or impressive credentials—it is a gift from a loving God. As you read, reflect on how you may be tempted to perform for God’s approval. What does it mean to truly receive the Gospel in your life, not just understand it intellectually? How might this shift the way you live, rest, and relate to others?

[STEP TWO: Renew Your Mind – Reflect on Romans 12:1-2] Paul calls us to “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice” and to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” What does that look like for you? In what ways are you conforming to the patterns of the world—especially around success, identity, or control? Invite God to speak into where transformation is needed in your thinking, and consider one practical way you can live more fully surrendered this week.

[STEP THREE: Redefine Your Worth – Release False Measures of Value] What do you tend to measure your worth by—your job title, achievements, appearance, parenting, or income? Spend intentional time this week identifying one of those false measures and surrender it to Jesus in prayer. Journal about the process: How did it feel to let go? What did you sense God saying about your true identity and value in Him? Let this be a first step toward living from a place of belovedness, not performance.

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