This small group discussion guide draws directly from the sermon “Showcase - The Joy You’ve Been Missing | Tauren Wells” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
Joy Bomb: Allow Joy to Reintroduce Himself
Small Group Discussion Guide
Based on the sermon by Pastor Touré Roberts | Matthew 5:1-10
"In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." — Psalm 16:11
📋 A NOTE TO YOUR FACILITATOR
Welcome! This guide is designed to help any leader — whether you're an experienced elder or leading a group for the first time — create a meaningful conversation around Sunday's message. You don't need to be a biblical expert. Your job is simply to create a safe, open space where people can explore these ideas together. Read through the guide beforehand, pick the questions that feel right for your group, and trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest. Estimated total time: 60–90 minutes.
🗺️ OVERVIEW
(For the facilitator — read or paraphrase to open the group)
In this message, Pastor Touré Roberts challenged us to let joy reintroduce itself. Drawing from the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, he dismantled two common misconceptions — that the Bible separates joy from happiness, and that holiness and happiness are at odds — and showed us that Jesus' first and most famous teaching was essentially a master class on joy. The central idea: true, lasting joy isn't found in circumstances, achievements, or relationships. It's found in a person — Jesus — and it's available not just on the mountaintops of life, but in the ordinary, sometimes desolate places where most of us actually live.
🧊 ICEBREAKER
(5–10 minutes)
Choose one of the following to open your time together:
Option A (lighter, fun):
"Think of a place or experience you were convinced would make you happy — a vacation, a purchase, a milestone — and when you finally got there, it wasn't quite what you expected. What happened?"
Option B (slightly deeper):
"If someone asked you right now, 'On a scale of 1 to 10, how joyful do you feel these days?' — what number would you give, and what's one word that describes why?"
[Leader Tip: Don't pressure anyone to share a specific number or reason. The goal here is simply to warm up the room and let people know this is a safe space for honest conversation. Laugh together if Option A brings funny stories — that's a great start!]
📖 SCRIPTURE READING
(5 minutes)
Have someone in the group read the passage aloud. Invite the group to listen for a word or phrase that stands out to them.
Matthew 5:1–10 (NIV) "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'"
Supporting Passage:
Psalm 16:11 (NIV) "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
Galatians 5:22–23a (NIV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
Brief Context for Facilitators: The Beatitudes are the opening words of Jesus' most famous teaching, known as the Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Touré pointed out that the word "blessed" in the original Greek language (makarios) was understood by the original audience to mean "happy." This was also significant because the last word of the Old Testament is "curse" (Malachi 4:6) — making Jesus' very first teaching word, "blessed," a dramatic and intentional reversal.
💬 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(30–45 minutes)
Work through as many questions as time allows. Feel free to skip questions that don't fit your group, or linger longer on ones that spark great conversation. Questions are arranged from lighter to deeper.
THEME 1: Rethinking Joy
(Observational & Interpretive — approximately 10 minutes)
1. What was one thing from Sunday's message that surprised you, challenged you, or simply stuck with you? Why do you think it landed that way?
[Leader Tip: This is a great first question because there's no wrong answer. It invites everyone in without requiring deep biblical knowledge. If the group is quiet, share your own answer first to model vulnerability.]
2. Pastor Touré called out two common "myths" about joy:
- Myth 1: The Bible makes a clear distinction between happiness (worldly) and joy (spiritual).
- Myth 2: Holiness and happiness are enemies — that God cares about your holiness but not your happiness.
Which of these myths have you heard before — or even believed yourself? How did hearing them challenged change your thinking, if at all?
3. The word "blessed" in Matthew 5 can be translated as "happy." Jesus' very first teaching word was essentially "happy are…"
What does it say about God's character and intentions toward us that happiness was the first thing Jesus chose to teach about?
THEME 2: Where We Look for Joy
(Personal & Reflective — approximately 10–15 minutes)
4. Pastor Touré described a moment when he was surrounded by every good thing — a dream writing room, his family, a meal he loved, an award show appearance — and yet what surfaced in his heart was emptiness. He wrote the lyric: "You could have it all… and still feel empty."
Have you ever experienced something similar — a moment when life looked good on the outside but felt hollow on the inside? What was that like? (Share only what you're comfortable with.)
[Leader Tip: This question can open up deep sharing. Be attentive to anyone who seems emotional. Affirm their honesty. Avoid rushing to "fix" what people share — simply listening is powerful here.]
5. The sermon described seven categories of happiness: social, vocational, physical, intellectual, nature, humor, and spiritual. Pastor Touré said we often try to use the first six to fill the void that only the seventh — spiritual happiness — can fill.
Which of those first six categories do you personally tend to lean on most when you're looking for a "joy boost"? What does that pattern reveal about where you're looking for fulfillment?
6. The sermon made this observation: we constantly move the goal post of happiness further down the line — "If I can just get the apartment... the house... the new kitchen sink... then I'll be happy."
What does your current "goal post" look like — what's the thing you're telling yourself will finally bring lasting satisfaction? How has that worked out in the past?
THEME 3: Joy in Ordinary Places
(Interpretive & Application — approximately 10–15 minutes)
7. One of the most striking geographical details from the sermon: Jesus didn't preach the Beatitudes on a famous, spectacular mountain. He chose an ordinary, little-known hill called Eremos — a word meaning "desolate" and "isolated." He taught his master class on joy in an unremarkable place.
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus chose an ordinary setting to reveal this extraordinary truth? How does that change the way you think about finding joy in your own everyday, ordinary life?
[Leader Tip: If discussion slows, try this follow-up: "Where is your 'Eremos' right now — the ordinary, maybe even desolate place where you need to discover that joy is still possible?"]
8. The sermon closed with this powerful statement:
"The greatest revelation of Matthew 5 is not eight keys to becoming more Christian. It's Jesus revealing himself. Joy is more than an idea. It's more than an ideal. It's more than a principle. It's a person."
What's the difference between pursuing joy as a spiritual discipline or practice versus pursuing joy as a relationship with a person? How does that shift change things practically?
9. Pastor Touré said: "Holiness produces joy." He argued that God's process of sanctification — shaping us to be more like Jesus — doesn't kill our happiness. It "reroutes and deepens the reservoir from which it flows."
Can you think of a time when doing the right thing, or growing through a hard season, actually produced deeper joy than you expected? What did that teach you about the relationship between holiness and happiness?
🪞 PERSONAL APPLICATION
(10–15 minutes)
These questions are more reflective. You might invite people to take a moment of quiet before sharing, or give them the option to write their answer before speaking it aloud.
1. Be honest with yourself: On a typical week, where are you actually looking for joy — in circumstances, relationships, achievements, or in your relationship with Jesus? What would it look like to make a small but real shift this week?
2. The Beatitudes begin with "Blessed are the poor in spirit" — those who recognize they have nothing to offer God and come to him empty-handed. How easy or difficult is it for you to come to God that way? What gets in the way?
3. Pastor Touré said: "You have permission to feel what you feel. You don't have permission to stay in what you feel." He also said we don't have to fake a Christian smile — the gospel even works in our dark emotions.
Is there a difficult emotion you've been either suppressing (pretending it's not there) or camping out in (unable to move forward)? What might it look like to bring that honestly to Jesus this week?
4. The sermon described spiritual happiness as a "seal" around the human soul — without it, you can consume the whole world and your soul will still leak. With it, even ordinary things like work and gray skies take on new meaning.
How "sealed" do you feel right now in your spiritual life? What is one concrete step you could take this week to deepen your connection with Jesus — the source of that seal?
✅ THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
(Choose one that fits where you are)
Pick one of the following and come back next week ready to share how it went:
🔵 Beginner: Each morning this week, before you check your phone, spend 2 minutes in silence and simply say: "Jesus, I'm looking for joy in you today — not in my circumstances." Notice what shifts.
🟡 Growing: Read through Matthew 5:1–12 slowly, one beatitude per day. Ask yourself: "Where is Jesus in this one? How does he embody this?" Journal what you notice.
🔴 Going Deeper: Identify the "goal post" you've been chasing for happiness. Write it down. Then honestly examine: "What am I really looking for in this? Can Jesus meet that need directly?" Pray over what you discover.
🤝 Community: Share with one person in your group this week — a text, a call, a coffee — and tell them one specific way you're going to pursue joy in Jesus rather than in circumstances. Invite them to check in on you.
🙏 PRAYER FOCUS
(5–10 minutes)
Close your time together in prayer. Here are suggested prayer topics — feel free to use all of them or choose the ones most relevant to your group:
Pray together for:
Openness — That God would help us let go of false ideas about joy and allow Jesus to reintroduce himself to us fresh.
The ordinary places — For each person in the group in their "Eremos" right now — the desolate, isolated, or simply unremarkable season — that they would experience the reality that joy is possible right where they are.
Honest hearts — For the courage to stop faking a Christian smile and to bring our real emotions — grief, emptiness, disappointment — to Jesus, trusting that the gospel works even there.
Spiritual hunger — That we would stop trying to fill a spiritual void with non-spiritual things, and that our desire for Jesus would grow.
Anyone who said yes to Jesus — If anyone in your group, or anyone you know, made a first-time commitment to Christ recently, pray for them by name. Celebrate what God is doing.
Suggested Closing Prayer (read aloud together or by the facilitator):
Lord, we open our hearts to you right now. We confess that we've been looking for joy in a lot of places that can't give it. We've been moving the goal post, filling our lives with good things that still leave us empty. Today, we want to let joy reintroduce himself. We want to know you — not just know about you. Reignite something deep in us. Give us a joy that works in the ordinary places, in the hard places, in the desolate places. We trust that in your presence is fullness of joy. So here we are. In Jesus' name. Amen.
🔍 OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE
(For groups with extra time or who want to go further)
These questions are designed for groups with more biblical background or those who want to explore the theology more thoroughly.
Deep Dive 1: The Geography of Grace
Read Exodus 19:16–20 (Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai) alongside Matthew 5:1–3.
Pastor Touré pointed out that Jesus deliberately chose an ordinary hill — not a spectacular mountain like Sinai — to deliver his teaching. Moses went up to God on the mountain; Jesus came down to the people on a hill. What does this geographical contrast tell us about the difference between the Old Covenant (law) and the New Covenant (grace)? How does this shape your understanding of how God relates to us today?
Deep Dive 2: The Fruit of the Spirit and the Beatitudes
Read Galatians 5:22–23 alongside Matthew 5:1–10.
Notice that joy appears second in Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit, right after love. Pastor Touré said, "I get joy when I'm in God's presence, and I produce joy when God's presence is in me." How do the Beatitudes and the fruit of the Spirit connect? What does it mean that joy is described as a fruit — something that grows — rather than a feeling we manufacture? How does that change how we pursue it?
Deep Dive 3: Last Words and First Words
The sermon highlighted that the last word of the Old Testament is "curse" (Malachi 4:6) and the first word of Jesus' teaching is "blessed" (Matthew 5:3).
Read Malachi 4:5–6 and Matthew 5:3 back to back.
What does this literary and theological bookend tell us about Jesus' mission? How does understanding Jesus as the one who came to reverse the curse — to turn our mourning into joy — change the way you read the Beatitudes? Which beatitude feels most personally significant to you right now, and why?
📚 FURTHER RESOURCES
For individuals or groups who want to keep exploring:
- 📖 Joy Bomb by Touré Roberts — the book behind this sermon series
- 📖 Desiring God by John Piper — explores the theology of Christian hedonism and why our joy in God glorifies him
- 📖 The Sermon on the Mount by Scot McKnight — a deep, accessible commentary on Matthew 5–7
- 🎵 "Joy of the Lord" — listen or worship along to the song featured in this service as a personal devotional practice this week
🗒️ QUICK REFERENCE: GUIDE AT A GLANCE
| Section | Time |
|---|---|
| Icebreaker | 5–10 min |
| Scripture Reading | 5 min |
| Discussion Questions | 30–45 min |
| Personal Application | 10–15 min |
| This Week's Challenge | 2–3 min |
| Prayer Focus | 5–10 min |
| Total | 57–88 min |
This guide was prepared for Life Church small groups. Feel free to adapt questions, skip sections, or adjust timing to fit your group's needs. The goal isn't to get through every question — it's to create genuine conversation and connection. Trust the Holy Spirit, love your group well, and enjoy the journey.
"In your presence is fullness of joy." — Psalm 16:11