Discussion Questions for September 13, 2026
If you enjoy these questions or they are useful, I would like to hear about it! - Pastor Harvey
1. Recognizing the Facade (The "Gold Vase")
Paul describes believers not as ornate golden urns, but as fragile, ordinary jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7). In what areas of your life—career, family, personal struggles, or church—are you most tempted to pretend you are unbreakable? What makes admitting weakness or fatigue feel so risky?
2. Building a "Theology for Trouble" (The Splat)
The sermon notes that many people give up when hardship strikes because they simply "didn’t have a theology for trouble." When unexpected crises or dry seasons hit your life, what is your initial reflex—does it make you question God's goodness, pull away, or want to quit? How does understanding that clay pots naturally feel the impact change your perspective on suffering?
3. Spotting the Trap of Self-Reliance (The Whimper)
The second response to hardship is trying to rebound solely through grit, stubborn willpower, or "bootstraps." What are your personal warning signs that you are running on your own fumes rather than God’s strength? Where in your life right now are you "working harder to run slower"?
4. Shifting the Weight at the Point of Impact
The message challenges us not to waste the hit, but to pray an honest, immediate prayer: "Lord, I can't carry this, but You can." Think of a current frustration, setback, or heavy burden you are carrying. What would it practically look like this week to stop gritting your teeth and intentionally transfer the weight of that trial to God, in a way that glorifies Him?
5. Turning the Ground into a Launchpad (The Launch)
Looking back over past seasons of trial, grief, or failure, where have you seen God use what felt like a devastating drop to display His resurrection power in your life? How did that experience refine your faith or make the "Treasure inside" visible to others around you?
If you enjoy these questions or they are useful, I would like to hear about it! - Pastor Harvey
1. Recognizing the Facade (The "Gold Vase")
Paul describes believers not as ornate golden urns, but as fragile, ordinary jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7). In what areas of your life—career, family, personal struggles, or church—are you most tempted to pretend you are unbreakable? What makes admitting weakness or fatigue feel so risky?
2. Building a "Theology for Trouble" (The Splat)
The sermon notes that many people give up when hardship strikes because they simply "didn’t have a theology for trouble." When unexpected crises or dry seasons hit your life, what is your initial reflex—does it make you question God's goodness, pull away, or want to quit? How does understanding that clay pots naturally feel the impact change your perspective on suffering?
3. Spotting the Trap of Self-Reliance (The Whimper)
The second response to hardship is trying to rebound solely through grit, stubborn willpower, or "bootstraps." What are your personal warning signs that you are running on your own fumes rather than God’s strength? Where in your life right now are you "working harder to run slower"?
4. Shifting the Weight at the Point of Impact
The message challenges us not to waste the hit, but to pray an honest, immediate prayer: "Lord, I can't carry this, but You can." Think of a current frustration, setback, or heavy burden you are carrying. What would it practically look like this week to stop gritting your teeth and intentionally transfer the weight of that trial to God, in a way that glorifies Him?
5. Turning the Ground into a Launchpad (The Launch)
Looking back over past seasons of trial, grief, or failure, where have you seen God use what felt like a devastating drop to display His resurrection power in your life? How did that experience refine your faith or make the "Treasure inside" visible to others around you?