This small group discussion guide draws directly from the sermon “Showcase - 9AM Worship Service | 40th Celebration | Pastor Fred Luter, Jr.” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.

Small Group Discussion Guide

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"

Based on the Sermon from Isaiah 43:18-19

"Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." — Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)

A NOTE TO YOUR FACILITATOR

Welcome! This guide is designed to work for groups of all sizes and spiritual backgrounds. You don't need to be a biblical expert to lead a great discussion — your job is simply to create a safe, warm space where people can share honestly and grow together. Feel free to skip questions that don't fit your group or spend more time on ones that spark great conversation. The suggested times are guidelines, not rules. Trust the Spirit to lead.

OVERVIEW

(Read aloud or summarize for your group)

Preached during the 40th pastoral anniversary celebration of Pastor Fred Lutter Jr. at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, this sermon drew from Isaiah 43:18-19 to deliver a powerful message about transitions, trust, and expectation. Guest preacher Dr. Troy Johnson challenged the congregation — and all of us — not to get so anchored in what God has already done that we miss what God is about to do. Whether we're facing a personal transition, a season of uncertainty, or simply the temptation to live in the past, the message is clear: God's faithfulness in our history gives us every reason to expect something new in our future. The best is still ahead. You ain't seen nothing yet.

SECTION 1: ICEBREAKER

(5–10 minutes)

Choose one of the following to open your time together:

Option A (lighter, good for new groups)

"Think about a time in your life when something ended — a job, a season, a chapter — and something unexpectedly better came after it. What was that like?"

Option B (for groups that know each other well)

"What's one thing you are genuinely expecting God to do in your life right now? It can be big or small."

[Leader Tip]: Don't pressure anyone to share during the icebreaker. Model vulnerability by going first. Keep this light and fun — the goal is to warm up the room, not dive deep yet. If the group is quiet, share your own story briefly and then invite one or two others.

SECTION 2: SCRIPTURE READING

(5 minutes)

Primary Text — Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)

"Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Context for the Leader to Share: The prophet Isaiah wrote these words to the people of Israel during a time of devastating loss and uncertainty. They had been displaced from everything familiar — their homes, their temple, their routines. God had just reminded them of the greatest miracle they knew: the Exodus, when He parted the Red Sea and delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Then, in a stunning move, God says, "Don't just look back at that. Watch what I'm about to do next." He wasn't erasing their history — He was expanding their expectation.

Supporting Scriptures Referenced in the Sermon:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (NKJV)

"And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves."

Acts 20:28-32 (CSB)

"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified."

Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

[Leader Tip]: Ask a confident reader in your group to read the main passage aloud. After reading, pause for 20-30 seconds of silence before moving to questions. This gives people time to absorb the words before the conversation begins.

SECTION 3: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(30–45 minutes total)

Work through as many of these questions as time allows. Questions are organized from lighter and observational to deeper and more personal. You don't have to use all of them — choose what fits your group.

THEME A: HONORING THE PAST WITHOUT LIVING THERE

(Questions 1–3 | Suggested time: 10–12 minutes)

Question 1 — Observational

"What stood out to you most from Sunday's message? Was there a moment, phrase, or story that stuck with you — and why?"

[Leader Tip]: This is a great first question because there are no wrong answers. Everyone can contribute based on their own experience of the sermon. If someone wasn't there, invite them to respond to the scripture passage or the overview you read at the start.

Question 2 — Interpretive

"In Isaiah 43, God first reminds the Israelites of the Red Sea miracle — then almost immediately says, 'Don't dwell on that anymore.' Why do you think God would bring up their greatest memory only to say, 'Don't get stuck there'? What was He trying to teach them?"

Follow-up if discussion stalls: "What's the difference between honoring the past and living in the past?"

Question 3 — Personal

"Dr. Johnson said, 'We can celebrate yesterday so much that we stop expecting anything from God for tomorrow.' Where in your own life have you been tempted to do this — to rely on a past experience with God instead of trusting Him for something new?"

THEME B: GOD'S TRACK RECORD AND OUR TRUST

(Questions 4–5 | Suggested time: 10–12 minutes)

Question 4 — Personal

"The preacher said, 'You've got a track record with God.' Think about a specific moment in your life — a time God came through when you didn't know how things would work out. How does remembering that moment help you trust God with what you're facing right now?"

[Leader Tip]: This question often produces powerful, vulnerable sharing. Give people a moment to think before they respond. Some may share quickly; others may need encouragement. Affirm every response. If the group is quiet, share your own "track record" moment first.

Question 5 — Interpretive

"Dr. Johnson made a distinction between God being a 'resource' and God being the 'source.' What's the difference between those two things — and how does that distinction change the way we approach God when we have a need?"

Bonus thought: "How does treating God as a source rather than a resource affect our level of expectation?"

THEME C: EXPECTING SOMETHING NEW

(Questions 6–7 | Suggested time: 10–12 minutes)

Question 6 — Interpretive

"The sermon described 'straining toward what is ahead' from Philippians 3 as literally stretching your neck to see what's coming — like someone at a bus stop trying to see if the bus is on its way. What does that kind of active, expectant faith look like in everyday life? What does it not look like?"

Question 7 — Personal

"Is there an area of your life right now where it's hard to expect something new from God? What makes expectation difficult in that area — fear, disappointment, doubt, or something else?"

[Leader Tip]: This is a vulnerable question. Create safety by reminding the group that honest doubt is welcome here — faith and struggle often coexist. You might say, "It's okay if you're in a season where expectation feels hard. That's exactly where this text meets us."

THEME D: PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S EMERGING

(Questions 8–9 | Suggested time: 8–10 minutes)

Question 8 — Application

"Dr. Johnson used the image of a plant stuck in poor soil — strong but not growing — and said the problem wasn't the plant's willingness to grow, but the environment it was planted in. What environments in your life (relationships, habits, mindsets, communities) might be limiting your growth right now?"

Follow-up: "What would it look like to 'shift the soil'?"

Question 9 — Community

"The sermon warned that when God is doing something new, some people can miss it because they're stuck in 'we didn't used to do it like that' thinking. How can we as a group — and as a church — stay open to what God is doing that might look different from what we've seen before?"

THEME E: TRUSTING GOD TO MAKE A WAY

(Question 10 | Suggested time: 5 minutes)

Question 10 — Application

"The final point of the sermon was simply: trust God to make a way. The text says He will make 'a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert' — provision in impossible places. What does trusting God look like practically for you this week, in your specific situation?"

SECTION 4: PERSONAL APPLICATION

(10–15 minutes)

Invite group members to reflect quietly on one or more of these questions before sharing with the group. These are more personal — remind everyone that sharing is always optional.

1. The "Who Are You Without What You Do?" Question Dr. Johnson shared a powerful prompt he gives to his clients: "Tell me who you are without telling me what you do." Take a moment to sit with that question. How would you answer it? Is your identity rooted more in your role or in who God says you are?

2. Where Is God Putting a Comma? The sermon said: "Where we are often putting a period in our lives, God is putting a comma." Is there a situation in your life where you've declared something "over" or "finished" — but maybe God isn't done yet? What would it look like to hold that situation with open hands this week?

3. What Are You Expecting? Write down (or think about) one specific thing you are choosing to expect God to do — in your life, your family, your church, or your community. What would it take to move from hoping it might happen to genuinely expecting it?

4. The Transition Question Many of us are in some kind of transition right now — a new job, a new season of life, a change in relationships, a shift in calling. How does the message of Isaiah 43 speak to your transition? What is God saying to you personally through this text?

SECTION 5: THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one of the following to practice this week:

Option 1 — The Testimony List Write down 3-5 specific moments when God came through for you — your personal "Red Sea" moments. Keep this list somewhere visible this week. When doubt or fear creeps in, read it out loud as an act of faith.

Option 2 — The Expectation Prayer Each morning this week, start your prayer with: "God, I am expecting You to move today. I don't know how, but I trust You." Notice what shifts in your attitude and awareness throughout the day.

Option 3 — The Soil Check Identify one relationship, habit, or environment that may be keeping you stuck. Take one small step this week to begin shifting it — a conversation, a boundary, a new routine, or simply asking someone for help.

Option 4 — The Encouragement Call Think of someone in your life who is in a transition or feels stuck in the past. Reach out to them this week with a specific word of encouragement. Share something God has done in your life that gives you hope for theirs.

SECTION 6: PRAYER FOCUS

(5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. Use one or more of the following suggested prayer topics, or invite group members to share their own prayer requests:

Suggested Prayer Topics:

Gratitude — Thank God for specific ways He has been faithful in your life and in your church community
Transitions — Pray for anyone in the group (or in your church) who is navigating a significant change or ending
Expectation — Ask God to renew a spirit of genuine expectation — the faith to believe He is still moving
New Things — Invite God to open your eyes to what is "springing forth" that you might be missing
Church Leadership — Pray for your pastors and church leaders as they serve and shepherd the congregation
Personal Needs — Allow time for group members to share specific prayer requests

Suggested Closing Prayer (Leader may pray this or invite someone else):

"Father, we thank You for a track record that gives us reason to trust You. We confess that we sometimes get stuck — in our memories, our fears, our familiar places — and we miss what You are doing right in front of us. Renew in us a spirit of expectation. Help us to honor the past without living there. And give us the faith to believe that the best is still ahead — that we truly ain't seen nothing yet. Lead us, provide for us, and make a way where we see no way. In Jesus' name, amen."

SECTION 7: OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

For groups with extra time or those who want to go deeper — use these questions in a follow-up session or as bonus discussion.

Deep Dive 1 — The Covenant vs. Contract Distinction Dr. Johnson made a powerful statement: "It's not a contractual agreement, but a covenant faithfulness — because I messed the contract up a long time ago." Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 together. What is the difference between a contract and a covenant? How does understanding God's relationship with us as a covenant rather than a contract change how you approach Him — especially when you've failed?

"'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah... I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.'" — Jeremiah 31:31, 33b (NIV)

Deep Dive 2 — Transitions in Scripture The sermon drew a parallel between the Israelites' transition from Egypt to exile and back — and the transitions we face today. Look together at one of these biblical transitions:

Moses stepping down and Joshua stepping up (Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Joshua 1:1-9)
Elijah passing his mantle to Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:9-14)

What do these transitions have in common? What do they teach us about how God works across generations? What can your group learn from them about honoring what came before while embracing what comes next?

Deep Dive 3 — Identity Beyond Role Dr. Johnson challenged his clients with this: "Tell me who you are without telling me what you do." Read Ephesians 1:3-14 together. According to this passage, who does God say you are — apart from your job, your title, your accomplishments, or your failures? Make a list together of the identity statements in this passage. How would living from this identity change the way you approach transitions, uncertainty, or change?

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will..." — Ephesians 1:3-5 (NIV)

QUICK REFERENCE: SERMON OUTLINE

For leaders who want a summary of the four main points from the sermon:

#	Point	Key Idea
1	Honor the past without living there	Celebrate what God has done without letting it limit what you expect Him to do
2	Expect God to do something new	Stretch your neck toward what's coming — active, anticipatory faith
3	Pay attention to what's emerging	Don't miss the new thing because you're stuck in old environments or old ways
4	Trust God to make a way	In wilderness places and desert seasons, God is still the source — not just a resource

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For Further Study:

Isaiah 40-43 (the broader context of this week's passage — God's comfort and renewal for His people)
Philippians 3:12-14 (pressing forward, forgetting what is behind)
Lamentations 3:22-23 (God's mercies are new every morning)
Romans 8:28-39 (nothing can separate us from God's love or His purposes)

Memorization Suggestion for the Week:

"Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." — Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)

This guide was prepared for small group use at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and affiliated groups. Permission granted for local church reproduction and distribution.

May your group be encouraged, your faith renewed, and your expectation ignited. You ain't seen nothing yet.