Lesson 4: Assignment

Review

Dominion: Watch & Protect

Four Domains: Flesh, Church, Home, Work

Gospel: Sin has enslaved you. God is pursuing you. Jesus came to redeem you. Salvation saves and restores you.

Identity: (Who Am I?) Servant, Son, Friend, Lover

Question: What is one truth that resonated with you from last week’s group session or personal study?

Question: What does it mean to be a man?

Group Discussion

Two Crucial Questions: Who Am I & What Has God Called Me To Do?

Recognize the Differrence: Identity Vs Assignment

Identity Never changes, Assignment often do.

Identity is held tightly, Assignment are held loosely.

Distinct but inseparable: Your identity is the foundation for understanding and accomplishing your assignments. And if you do not understand your identity first, then your assignments will become your identity.

Read Titus 1:1. How do we see the distinction between Paul’s identity and assignments?

A servant is who he was; being an apostle is what he did.

Our confidence and effectiveness will come from clear understanding of the distinct and inseparable nature of identity and assignments.

Identify God-given Assignment

Assignments: anyone God has entrusted to you and anything God has called you to do. (i.e. Husband, Father, Grandfather, Ministry at church, job, school, etc) your responsibility that God has uniquely given you.

Consider your Four Domains: Where you are called to use your plow and sword. (Flesh, Church, Home, Work)

Question: What are some ways men find identity in their assignments?

Prioritize God-given Assignment

You must see what matters most in life and give yourself fully to those things while ruthlessly eliminating what does not matter. Life is too short to be vague about your assignments.

Ephesians 5:15–17 “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Proverbs 4:25–26 “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.”

The decisions we make every day about our priorities are not always easy. And yet, we must make these decisions. If we don’t take this kind of thoughtful approach to life, we will inevitably waste our lives. A thoughtful approach to life is complicated, but these complications are actually a blessing because they force us into a more intentional life.

Question: Why do so many people move through life without much careful thought?

Question: How could taking more time to “ponder” disrupt your life in challenging ways? In what ways do you (could you) ponder & prioritize your assignments?

Embrace God’s Grace In His Calling: God has given you enough time to do everything He has called you to do. But God has not given you enough time to do all He has called you to do and a thousand other things.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 “Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The Struggle: We often pursue greatness and success, but when we experience weakness, we run away from these assignments, neglecting things that matter and pursuing the things that make us feel successful, so that we can stroke our ego.

Disciplined Assignment Care: We must discipline ourselves…

To recognize our assignments as separate from our identity.

To Identify our assignments & prioritize the things that matter

To be fully present in every moment, both the easy and difficult.

To do what is in front of us at the moment, Instead of feeling overwhelmed by what needs to be done or what we could be doing.

To embrace inadequacy and run to the father and ask for His grace, wisdom, and strength to fulfill the assignments.

Activity

Identify Assignments: Make two columns, label one Everyone and the other Everything. Write out all of your assignments, who and what you are responsible for, and put them in those columns.

Prioritize Assignments: Ask these questions…

Are any of my God-given assignments suffering due to lack of attention?

Are there certain things I need to say no or yes to this week?

Are there any assignments that need more attention right now?

Are there any assignments I am avoiding right now?

Are any of my assignments suffering because of the amount of time I am spending on something that is not an assignment?

Do my priorities and time this week reflect what is most important?

Question: Is there are anything on your list that you had not thought about being a God-given assignment?

Question: Are there things you are spending a lot of time on that are not on your list? Are there any important areas of your life being neglected because you are not being careful about your time or because your priorities are wrong?

Question: How can we support one another in pursing our God given assignments?