This small group discussion guide draws directly from Jason May's sermon “Becoming A Person Of the Word Part 3” 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
Becoming a Person of the Word — Part 3
Crying Out: Prayer, Meaning, and the Living Word
A Note to Facilitators: Welcome! This guide is designed to help your group engage meaningfully with Sunday's message regardless of your experience level. You don't need to have all the answers — your role is to create a safe space for honest conversation and help people connect God's Word to their real lives. Read through the guide before your meeting, choose the questions that fit your group best, and trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest.
OVERVIEW
This week's message continued a series on becoming a person of God's Word, drawing primarily from Proverbs 2:1–4. The sermon focused on two of three key qualifications for becoming someone who lives by Scripture: (1) preparing your heart to receive God's Word before you open it, and (2) crying out to God in intense, passionate prayer — asking Him both what His Word means (bina: discernment) and how it works in real life (tobuna: understanding). The central conviction is that there is one true interpretation of any passage — what the Author meant — and that we discover it by going directly to God in prayer and study.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Suggested Meeting Length: 60–90 minutes Materials Needed: Bibles or printed scripture insert, this guide Room Setup Tip: Arrange seating so everyone can see each other. Circles or small clusters work best for honest conversation.
SECTION 1 — ICEBREAKER
Getting to Know Each Other (5–10 minutes)
Choose one of the following to open your time together:
Option A (lighter/fun):
"Think of a time you completely misunderstood something someone said — a text, a conversation, or even a sign. What happened, and how did you figure out what they actually meant?"
Option B (more reflective):
"Who is someone in your life — a parent, mentor, coach, or friend — whose words have stayed with you? What made their communication so meaningful?"
[Leader Tip] Icebreakers set the tone for the whole discussion. Keep this light and fun — laugh together if a story is funny. The goal is to help people relax and begin thinking about the theme of communication and meaning, which runs throughout the sermon. Don't let this section run past 10 minutes.
SECTION 2 — SCRIPTURE READING
Anchoring in the Word (5 minutes)
Ask a volunteer to read the passage aloud. Invite the group to listen for words or phrases that stand out to them.
Primary Passage — Proverbs 2:1–4 (NIV)
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding — indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
Supporting Passage — Romans 8:38–39 (NIV)
"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."
Background Context for Leaders: Proverbs 2 is written as a father's instruction to a son, but it functions as wisdom literature for all of God's people. The three "if" statements in verses 1–4 are not conditions for earning God's favor — they describe the posture of someone who genuinely hungers for wisdom. The Hebrew words used here carry emotional weight: "cry out" (tiqra) suggests an outpouring of passion, not a casual request. The sermon highlighted two specific Hebrew words: bina (discernment — understanding what something means) and tobuna (understanding — grasping how it works in life).
SECTION 3 — DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Going Deeper Together (30–45 minutes)
Work through as many questions as time allows. Questions are arranged from observation to application — feel free to skip or reorder based on your group's needs. You do not need to cover every question.
THEME A: Preparing Your Heart (Questions 1–2)
1. Looking back at Proverbs 2:1–2, the passage begins with "if you accept my words and store up my commands within you." What do you think it means to store up God's Word — not just read it, but actually treasure it? What does that look like practically?
[Leader Tip] This question opens up the idea of intentionality in Bible engagement. If the group is quiet, you might share a simple example from your own life — underlining a verse, memorizing a passage, journaling — and ask what practices others have found helpful. There are no wrong answers here.
Follow-up if needed: "What's the difference between reading the Bible out of habit or obligation versus reading it with an open, expectant heart?"
2. The sermon described the first qualification for becoming a person of the Word as preparing your heart before you even open the Bible — tilling your soul, making yourself ready to receive rather than resist. What are some things in daily life that make it hard to come to God's Word with an open, receptive heart? What helps you get past those barriers?
THEME B: The Power of Crying Out in Prayer (Questions 3–5)
3. The Hebrew word translated "cry out" (tiqra) describes an outpouring of emotion and passion — the kind of intensity you feel in a moment of real need or deep longing. When have you prayed with that kind of intensity? What was happening in your life that drove you to that kind of prayer?
[Leader Tip] This question invites personal vulnerability. Be sensitive — some people may share difficult moments (loss, fear, crisis). Affirm whatever people share. If the group is hesitant, you might briefly share your own experience first to model openness. It's also okay if some people haven't experienced this yet — that's a valid and honest answer.
Follow-up if needed: "What do you think gets in the way of praying with that kind of honesty and passion on a regular basis?"
4. Romans 8:38–39 assures us that nothing can separate us from God's love. The sermon connected this to prayer — the idea that God is always available, never bored by us, never put off by us. How does knowing that God wants to hear from you change the way you think about approaching Him in prayer?
5. The sermon shared the image of a young man rearranging boxes in a dark closet just to have a private phone call with someone he was falling in love with — willing to go to great lengths just to hear her voice and be heard. How does that image connect to the kind of prayer described in Proverbs 2? What would it look like to pursue conversation with God with that kind of eagerness and creativity?
THEME C: Seeking What the Author Means (Questions 6–8)
6. The sermon made a strong claim: there is only one correct interpretation of any Scripture passage — what God, the Author, actually meant by what He wrote. How does that idea sit with you? Does it feel freeing, challenging, or both? Why?
[Leader Tip] This question may generate some pushback or honest tension — that's healthy! The point isn't to shut down conversation but to help people see that pursuing the author's intended meaning is an act of respect and humility. If someone says "but people interpret the Bible differently all the time," that's a great opening to discuss why — and how prayer and careful study help us get closer to what God actually said.
Follow-up if needed: "What's the difference between interpretation (what the text means) and application (how it applies to different situations)? Can those two things look different without the meaning changing?"
7. The sermon used a humorous but pointed example: a pastor who used the phrase "Loose him and let him go" (said at the raising of Lazarus) as a graduation charge to seminary students. It preaches well — but it's not what the text actually means. Why does accurate interpretation of Scripture matter so much? What are the real-life consequences when we get it wrong?
8. The sermon described the practice of "bathing your Bible study in prayer" — walking slowly with a Bible and notes, asking God, "Lord, what do you mean here? Teach me your Scriptures." What does your current practice of Bible reading and prayer look like? What's one thing you'd like to add or change about how you approach God's Word?
[Leader Tip] Keep this question from becoming a guilt trip. The goal is honest reflection and gentle aspiration — not comparison or shame. You might frame it with: "There's no perfect answer here. We're all on a journey."
THEME D: From Meaning to Life Change (Questions 9–10)
9. The sermon shared a powerful personal story: a summer spent in a basement, studying 1 Corinthians 13, and asking God every day, "How can I show the love of Christ to my family?" — then writing down specific, practical ways to act on it the next day. What strikes you about that story? What made that approach to Scripture so transformative?
10. The sermon drew a connection between three things: what you believe shapes how you behave, and how you behave shapes who you become. Thinking about your own life, where have you seen that chain play out — for better or for worse? What belief about God or Scripture, if it truly sank in, would most change how you live right now?
SECTION 4 — PERSONAL APPLICATION
From Head to Heart (10–15 minutes)
These questions are for quieter, more individual reflection. You can work through them together as a group, invite people to journal silently for 2–3 minutes first, or use them as take-home questions for the week.
1. Of the two qualifications discussed in the sermon — (a) preparing your heart to receive God's Word, and (b) crying out to God in passionate prayer for understanding — which one feels most underdeveloped in your own life right now? What's one small, specific step you could take this week to grow in that area?
2. Think about a passage of Scripture, a biblical concept, or a question about God that you've never fully understood or that has confused you. What would it look like to bring that question to God in earnest, passionate prayer — not just once, but persistently — and ask Him to help you understand?
3. The sermon described the practice of reading Scripture and then asking: "Lord, how does this work in my life? In my family? In my friendships? In my work?" Pick one area of your life where you'd like to see God's Word make a more visible difference. What passage or biblical truth might speak to that area? How could you begin applying it this week?
4. Is there someone in your life — a family member, a friend, a coworker — whom you could serve in a specific, practical way this week as an expression of a biblical truth you're learning? What would that look like?
SECTION 5 — THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
One Thing to Carry With You
Choose one of the following to practice before your group meets again:
🔵 Option 1 — The Preparation Practice: Before you open your Bible this week, spend 2–3 minutes in prayer, asking God to prepare your heart to receive what He wants to say. Try this every time you read Scripture and notice if anything changes.
🟢 Option 2 — The Cry-Out Practice: Identify one passage of Scripture you've always found confusing or one question about God you've never resolved. Spend time this week praying about it with intensity and honesty — asking God, "What do you mean here? How does this work?"
🟡 Option 3 — The Application Practice: Inspired by the summer story from the sermon, choose one biblical truth (try 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 if you're not sure where to start). Each morning this week, ask God: "How can I live this out today — at home, at work, with the people in front of me?" Write down one specific action and do it.
SECTION 6 — PRAYER FOCUS
Closing in Prayer Together (5–10 minutes)
Use one or more of the following to guide your closing prayer time:
Suggested Prayer Topics:
- Ask God to give each person in your group a genuine hunger for His Word
- Pray for soft, prepared hearts — hearts that receive rather than resist Scripture
- Ask God for the courage to cry out to Him honestly and passionately in prayer
- Pray for wisdom to understand what God actually means in His Word
- Thank God that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38–39)
- Pray for one specific application each person shared during the discussion
Prayer Format Options:
- Popcorn prayer: Each person prays one short sentence
- Partner prayer: Pair up and pray for each other's specific application
- Leader-led: The facilitator prays aloud, incorporating what was shared
- Written prayer: Each person writes a short prayer silently, then one or two share aloud
SECTION 7 — OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE
For Groups Wanting to Go Further
These bonus questions are for groups with extra time or those who want to explore the sermon's themes more deeply. They work well as a follow-up for the next week or as personal reflection between meetings.
Deep Dive 1 — The Author's Intent: Read Psalm 22:1–2 and 22:24–31 alongside Matthew 27:46 (Jesus crying out on the cross). The sermon suggested that Jesus' cry — "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" — was not a cry of confusion but a deliberate reference to this Psalm, directed toward the watching crowd. How does understanding the original context of Psalm 22 change how you read Jesus' words on the cross? What does this tell us about the importance of understanding where a passage comes from and what the author intended?
Deep Dive 2 — Intense Prayer in Scripture: Look up the following passages and discuss what they reveal about the kind of passionate, intense prayer described in Proverbs 2:3:
- Psalm 42:1–2 ("As the deer pants for streams of water...")
- Luke 18:1–8 (The parable of the persistent widow)
- Hebrews 5:7 (Jesus' own prayers "with loud cries and tears")
What do these passages together teach us about how God responds to earnest, persistent prayer? How does this shape your understanding of what it means to "cry out for discernment"?
Deep Dive 3 — Bina and Tobuna: The sermon introduced two Hebrew concepts: bina (understanding what something means — its correct definition and identity) and tobuna (understanding how it works — its practical application). Think of a biblical truth you know well in your head. Using this framework:
- What does it mean (bina)? Can you define it clearly and accurately?
- How does it work (tobuna)? Where do you see it operating in real life?
- Where is the gap between what you know and how you live?
SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
For Further Exploration
These passages connect to the sermon's themes and can be used for personal study or future group discussion:
| Theme | Passage |
|---|---|
| Treasuring God's Word | Psalm 119:9–16 |
| Crying out to God in prayer | Psalm 42:1–11 |
| Asking God for wisdom | James 1:5–8 |
| God's Word accomplishing its purpose | Isaiah 55:10–11 |
| Doing the Word, not just hearing it | James 1:22–25 |
| Love in action (1 Corinthians 13) | 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 |
| The persistent widow (intense prayer) | Luke 18:1–8 |
| Nothing separates us from God's love | Romans 8:35–39 |
QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE FOR FACILITATORS
At-a-Glance Session Plan
| Section | Content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome & Icebreaker | Opening question | 5–10 min |
| Scripture Reading | Proverbs 2:1–4 / Romans 8:38–39 | 5 min |
| Discussion Questions | Themes A–D (choose 5–7 questions) | 30–45 min |
| Personal Application | Individual reflection questions | 10–15 min |
| This Week's Challenge | Choose one practice | 2–3 min |
| Prayer Focus | Closing prayer | 5–10 min |
| Total | 60–90 min |
Final Encouragement for Facilitators: You don't have to be a Bible scholar to lead a great discussion. Your job is simply to ask good questions, listen well, and create space for the Holy Spirit to work. If you don't know an answer — say so. If the conversation goes somewhere unexpected — follow it. The best small groups aren't the ones with the most polished leaders; they're the ones where people feel safe enough to be honest. You've got this.
This guide was prepared for small group use following the Sunday morning message. Sermon series: "Being a Person of the Word," Part 3. Key Scripture: Proverbs 2:1–4.