Icebreaker

Before tonight, had you ever actually written down a definition of success for your own life? If you had to say it in one sentence right now, off the top of your head, what would it be?

Read Together

EPHESIANS 2:8-10 (ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Discussion

Borrowed scoreboards. Pastor Jeff opened with definitions of success from Dale Carnegie, Tony Robbins, Maya Angelou, and others. Whose definition of success have you been unconsciously living by — a parent's, a culture's, the algorithm's? Where did it come from?

The two-day trophy. A.J. Brown won the Super Bowl and the satisfaction lasted exactly two days. Solomon had everything and called it 'a striving after wind.' Have you experienced that emptiness on the other side of a goal you finally reached? What was that like?

The math of Mark 8:36. Jesus asks what it profits to gain the world but forfeit your soul. Why do you think we're so willing to make trades we'd never make if we did the math out loud? What are you tempted to trade your soul's peace for right now?

Body and soul. The sermon argued we are souls first, and that feeding the flesh can never satisfy the spirit — like filling a tub with the drain open. Where in your life have you been adding 'more water' instead of dealing with the drain?

Adopted, not earned. Ephesians 2:8 says salvation is a gift, not your own doing — Paul's picture is a fully dependent child being adopted. Why is it so hard for us to receive something we can't earn? Where are you still living like an employee on probation instead of an adopted child?

Good for what? Pastor Jeff compared us to vehicles — a car isn't 'good' in the abstract, it's good for the purpose it was built for. Ephesians 2:10 says you're His workmanship, created for good works prepared beforehand. What do you sense you were specifically built to do?

Nothing wasted. He said God assembled your gifts, experiences, education — even your mistakes and past — into your purpose. Can you point to a past failure or an unlikely experience that God seems to be folding into how He uses you now?

Write the sentence. The challenge was to write your own definition of success, anchored in two things: (1) you can't be successful outside of Christ, and (2) He redeemed you for something specific. Share your draft sentence with the group — and pick one person to check in with you on it this month.

Pray

Father, we've spent so much energy chasing definitions of success that leave us empty after two days. Thank You that our worth was never something to earn — You adopted us as Your children by grace. Thank You that we are Your workmanship, built on purpose, for good works You prepared before we existed. This week, free us from borrowed scoreboards. Anchor our identity in Christ, show each of us what You've redeemed us to do, and give us the focus to press on toward it for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

Leader Notes

Success is one of the most powerful and least examined forces in your group's lives — most have never defined it, so the culture defines it for them.

The big reframe: success is not acquisition (Solomon, A.J. Brown — empty after two days). It's (1) being restored to God in Christ, and (2) doing the specific good works He built and redeemed you for.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (grace, not works — adoption) and 2:10 (workmanship, created for good works) are the two halves: identity FIRST, then purpose. Don't let the group jump to 'what's my purpose' before settling 'whose I am.'

Mark 8:36 is the diagnostic — we make soul-trades we'd never make if we said them out loud.

The Westminster Catechism answer — 'man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever' — is the one-sentence definition of success the whole sermon is building toward.

The takeaway action is concrete and personal: each person writes their own one-sentence definition of success, anchored in Christ. Don't skip Question 8 — the whole sermon points at it. Have people actually say their sentence out loud.

Note for the group: this week's message was from guest Pastor Jeff Sullivan of Granada Church.

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