This small group discussion guide draws directly from Church of the Springs's sermon “Follow-Up Materials - Initial Analysis” 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
"Don't Let Your Heart Be Troubled"
Based on John 13–14 | Week of [Insert Date]
A Note to Facilitators: This guide is designed for a 60–90 minute group meeting. You know your group best — feel free to skip questions, linger where conversation is rich, or swap in questions from the "Optional Deep Dive" section. There are no wrong answers here. Your goal is to create a safe space for honest conversation and genuine connection. You don't need to have all the answers — just be willing to ask good questions and listen well.
OVERVIEW
In this message, the pastor explored John 13–14, focusing on Jesus's powerful command: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Delivered in the middle of a deeply anxious moment for the disciples — facing betrayal, confusion, and the news that Jesus was leaving — this command was not a dismissal of their pain but an invitation to transfer their trust from their circumstances to their God. The sermon offered a practical framework for turning stress into rest: Recognize who your God is, Elevate your gaze, Stand on his promises, and Trust him.
ICEBREAKER
(5–10 minutes)
Choose one of the following to open your time together:
Option A (Lighter/Funnier):
The pastor shared a story about his dog Arthur — a nervous wreck in the storm who was too scared to come to him even when he was right there. Describe a time you (or a pet!) completely lost your cool over something that turned out to be okay. What happened?
Option B (More Reflective):
Think about a time when you were in the middle of a stressful season and someone said something — maybe just a few words — that genuinely helped calm you down. What did they say, and why did it land the way it did?
SCRIPTURE READING
(5 minutes)
Ask a volunteer to read each passage aloud. Encourage the group to listen for words or phrases that stand out to them.
Primary Text:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." — John 14:1 (NIV)
Context Passage:
"When he was gone, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him... My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.'" — John 13:31, 33 (NIV)
"Simon Peter asked him, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.' Peter asked, 'Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' Then Jesus answered, 'Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!'" — John 13:36–38 (NIV)
Supporting Texts:
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." — John 16:33 (NIV)
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." — Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)
"Be still, and know that I am God." — Psalm 46:10a (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." — Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(30–45 minutes)
Work through as many of these as time allows. Questions are organized from observation to deeper application. Feel free to skip around based on where your group is.
SECTION 1: Setting the Scene
Getting into the story (5–10 minutes)
1. The pastor described the atmosphere in the Upper Room as a mix of celebration (it was Passover) and growing anxiety — a betrayer in the room, Jesus announcing he was leaving, Peter being told he'd deny Jesus before morning. Imagine being one of the disciples at that table.
What part of that evening do you think would have troubled you the most, and why?
2. The pastor pointed out that Jesus had been teaching the disciples about love — the main lesson of the evening — but Peter got stuck on one thing Jesus said almost in passing: "Where I am going, you cannot come."
Can you relate to being so caught off guard by one piece of news that it became impossible to hear anything else? What does that tell us about how anxiety works in our minds?
[Leader Tip]: This is a great question for getting the group talking early. Most people can relate to this experience. Encourage a few people to share briefly before moving on. You don't need to go deep here — save that for later questions.
SECTION 2: The Troubled Heart
Understanding what Jesus is addressing (10–15 minutes)
3. The pastor said that Jesus's words "Do not let your hearts be troubled" were spoken as an imperative — a command, not just a suggestion. He also pointed out that the Bible commands us not to be anxious (Philippians 4:6), and that worry is, at its root, a failure to trust God.
How does it change your perspective to think of worry as something you have some agency over — a choice — rather than just something that happens to you? Does that feel freeing, or does it feel like pressure? Why?
[Leader Tip]: Be sensitive here. Some people in your group may struggle with anxiety disorders or chronic worry, and the idea that "worry is a sin" can feel shaming rather than freeing. You may want to gently note that Jesus's command is an invitation toward trust, not a condemnation of struggle. The goal is grace, not guilt.
4. The pastor listed many things that can trouble our hearts — marriage struggles, prodigal children, financial pressure, health scares, broken relationships, unmanageable schedules, and more.
Without needing to share every detail, what category of "heart trouble" feels most real to you right now — or has felt most real in a recent season? What makes that particular thing so hard to release?
[Leader Tip]: Give people the freedom not to share specifically if they aren't comfortable. You might model vulnerability yourself by sharing briefly first, or affirm that it's okay to just listen. This question can open the door to powerful community and prayer later.
5. The pastor made this observation: "Our hearts are troubled when we've made our problem bigger than our God." He also said Peter's heart was troubled because he thought he had a better plan than Jesus.
In what ways do we subtly put ourselves in Peter's position — convinced that we have a better plan, or that God isn't handling things the way we'd prefer? What does that reveal about what we actually believe about God?
SECTION 3: The Prescription for a Troubled Heart
Exploring Jesus's answer (10–15 minutes)
6. Jesus's response to the disciples' troubled hearts wasn't to explain everything or remove the difficulty — it was to say, "Believe in me." The pastor described this as a "transfer of belief" — moving our trust from the strength of the problem to the strength of our God.
What does it actually look like in practice to "transfer your belief" from a problem to God? Is that something that happens in a moment, or more of an ongoing process? What has helped you make that transfer in the past?
[Leader Tip]: This is one of the most important questions in the guide. If the group gets stuck, try this follow-up: "Think about the Arthur the dog story — he was so scared he wouldn't even come to his owner. What was the turning point? What does that tell us about what it takes to let God hold us?"
7. The pastor offered a framework using the word REST — turning "stress" into "rest" by:
- Recognizing who your God is
- Elevating your gaze (setting your mind on things above)
- Standing on God's promises
- Trusting him
Which of these four steps feels most natural to you, and which feels most difficult? What makes that particular step hard?
8. The pastor said: "When I jumped into my parents' bed during a storm as a kid, the storm didn't stop — but the storm in me stopped." He connected this to John 16:33, where Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus doesn't promise to remove our storms — he promises peace in the middle of them. How does that reframe what we're actually asking for when we pray for relief from a difficult situation? How does it change how you pray?
SECTION 4: Believing in Who Jesus Is
Grounding our trust in Jesus's identity (5–10 minutes)
9. Jesus told his disciples, "You believe in God; believe also in me." The pastor pointed out that Jesus was essentially saying: "The God you've believed in since childhood — the one who parted the Red Sea, who rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — that's me. You've seen me do miracles. Believe in what you've seen."
What has God done in your life — or in the lives of people you know — that serves as your personal evidence that he can be trusted? How often do you return to those moments when you're anxious?
[Leader Tip]: This question can be especially powerful for building community. Encourage people to share specific stories. If time allows, this could become a natural bridge into the prayer time — celebrating what God has done together.
10. Read Romans 8:31–39 together (printed below for reference):
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." — Romans 8:31–39 (NIV)
Paul lists an extensive catalog of hardships — trouble, hardship, persecution, danger, and more. What does it mean to you personally that none of those things can separate you from God's love? Is that something you believe in your head, or something you feel in your heart? What's the gap, if there is one?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
(10–15 minutes)
These questions are for personal reflection. Invite people to share as they feel comfortable, but make clear that some of this may be between them and God.
1. The pastor asked: "What is it in your life that you've made bigger than God? What problem do you have that you have made bigger than God?"
Take a moment of honest reflection. What specific thing — a worry, a fear, a situation — has been taking up more mental and emotional space than your trust in God? What would it look like to give that to him this week?
2. The pastor described the "REST" framework and said that sometimes we need to eliminate "sin" and "stuff" — things that are cluttering our spiritual life and adding to our stress.
Is there anything in your life right now — a habit, a relationship, an overcommitment, a sin pattern — that is adding weight to your heart? What is one concrete step you could take this week to begin surrendering that to God?
3. The pastor invited the congregation to make a trade during communion: "Give him your troubled heart and take his heart — 'Take heart! I have overcome the world.'"
What would it mean for you to actually make that trade this week — not just as a one-time moment in church, but as a daily practice? What might that look like on a Tuesday morning when the anxiety creeps back in?
4. The sermon closed with this verse read aloud together:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." — John 14:1
If you were to memorize just one verse this week to anchor your heart when trouble comes, would this be it? If so, what would it take to actually commit it to memory? If not, is there another verse from this sermon that speaks more directly to where you are?
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Choose one (or more) that fits where you are:
📖 Scripture Anchor: Memorize John 14:1 this week. Write it on a sticky note, set it as your phone wallpaper, or say it out loud each morning.
🙏 Prayer Practice: Each time you notice anxiety rising this week, pause and pray: "Lord, I transfer my trust from this problem to you. I believe in you." Keep it simple. Repeat as needed.
📝 Reflection Exercise: Write down the thing that is most troubling your heart right now. Then, beneath it, write out Romans 8:38–39. Pray over both. At the end of the week, note any shift in how you're holding that situation.
👥 Community Step: Share with one person in your group — or a trusted friend — what is troubling your heart. Ask them to pray for you specifically this week. Let someone hold you the way the pastor held Arthur.
📚 Go Deeper: Read all of John 14 in preparation for next week's message, which will continue this passage with Jesus's teaching about heaven and the Father's house.
PRAYER FOCUS
(5–10 minutes)
Close your time together in prayer. Here are some suggested directions:
Invite the group to share prayer requests, particularly around what has been troubling their hearts. Remind them that this is a safe space and that sharing a burden is part of how the body of Christ carries one another (Galatians 6:2).
Suggested prayer themes:
- Thanksgiving for specific ways God has shown his faithfulness in the past
- Surrender of specific worries, fears, or situations that are troubling hearts in the group
- Prayer for one another by name — especially for those who shared vulnerably
- A request for the Holy Spirit to help each person make the "transfer of belief" from their problems to their God in the coming week
- Gratitude for what Jesus did on the cross — that because of him, nothing can separate us from God's love
Optional closing prayer (for the facilitator to read aloud or adapt):
Lord Jesus, you said "Do not let your hearts be troubled" — not because our troubles aren't real, but because you are more real. Tonight we bring you our worried minds, our anxious hearts, our plans that aren't going the way we wanted, and our fears about the future. We confess that we have sometimes made our problems bigger than you. Forgive us for that. Help us to transfer our trust — from the storm to you, from the problem to our Provider, from the fear to our Father. We believe in you. Help our unbelief. Amen.
OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE
For groups with extra time or who want to go further
Bonus Question 1: The pastor noted that Peter kept trying to insert his own plan into God's plan — even arguing with Jesus when he didn't like the answer he got. Jesus had to tell Peter, essentially, "You have a tap-out point you don't even know about yet."
How do we discern the difference between godly persistence in prayer (like the persistent widow in Luke 18) and the kind of self-willed resistance Peter showed — insisting on our own plan over God's? What does healthy surrender actually look like?
Bonus Question 2: Read Colossians 3:1–3:
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."
The pastor said one key to an untroubled heart is to "elevate your gaze" — to shift focus from the immediate to the eternal. What are some practical, daily habits that help you set your mind on things above rather than being consumed by the things below? What makes that discipline so difficult to maintain?
Bonus Question 3: The pastor described worry this way: "Worry is calling God a liar. God said he'd take care of all our needs. Worry says, 'No, you won't.' God says, 'I'm never going to leave you.' Worry says, 'You're all alone.'"
Do you agree with the idea that worry is fundamentally a trust issue — even a form of sin? How does framing it that way help you address it differently? How might it be misapplied in a way that adds shame rather than inviting healing?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Related Scripture for Personal Study This Week:
- Philippians 4:4–9 — The peace that passes understanding
- Psalm 23 — The Lord as shepherd through the valley
- Isaiah 41:10 — "Do not fear, for I am with you"
- 1 Peter 5:6–11 — Casting your anxiety on God
- Hebrews 12:1–3 — Fixing our eyes on Jesus
Looking Ahead: Next week's message will continue in John 14, exploring Jesus's teaching about his Father's house and the hope of heaven — which connects directly to the "E" in REST: Elevate your gaze.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." — John 14:1
Discussion guide prepared for small group use. Permission granted to print and distribute within your congregation.