Week 1

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

 Ice Breaker

 * Deepfake Dilemmas: Have you recently encountered something online (a news story, an image, a video, a product review) that made you stop and think, "Is this real?" What was it, and how did you verify its authenticity (or lack thereof)?

 * Wisdom Hunt: Think of a time in your life when you desperately needed wisdom for a big decision or difficult situation. Who or what did you turn to for guidance?

 Scrutinizing Deception & Trust

 * The sermon opened with examples of being "Hoodwinked by AI" and historical examples of manipulation, propaganda, and public relations (Bernays). In what areas of life—media, finance, relationships, or information—do you feel the most vigilant or suspicious today?

 *How do you balance being appropriately skeptical of information and people with the biblical command to love and not assume the worst?

 * Read Matthew 7:15-20. The passage warns us to recognize false prophets by their "fruits." How would you describe the kind of "fruit" (outcomes, attitudes, behaviors) a false teacher or deceptive message produces in the world today?

 Seeking Wisdom & Understanding

 * Read James 1:5. What is one current trial or situation in your life where you feel you specifically "lack wisdom" right now?

 * The sermon placed James 1:5 in the immediate context of trials (James 1:2-4). Why is it significant that James tells us to ask for wisdom in the midst of, not just after, a difficult trial?

 * James warns against the person who doubts, saying they are "like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6). What does that image of instability and being "tossed" look like? Can a Christian experience double-mindedness? Why or why not?

 * The first study tactic was Understanding Context. Can you recall a time when knowing the context (historical, genre, authorship, intertextual, etc.) of a Bible passage completely changed your understanding or application of it?

 Study Tactics & Application

 * The second tactic was Cross-Referencing, using Matthew 7:15-20 and Galatians 5:6 to understand James 2:18. Using your Bible or the Blue Letter Bible website or phone application, practice cross-referencing two or three of your favorite biblical passages.

 * Read Proverbs 3:5-8. The third tactic is to "Check Your Bias" and "not lean on your own understanding." How does our personal desire, culture, or passion often twist Scripture to fit our own purpose (Eisegesis)?

 * The sermon addressed the harsh words toward the rich in James 5:1-6. The challenge was to first check the "plank in your own eye." In what ways might you be unjustly treating others, or misusing the resources God has given you, without realizing it?

 * What is one specific, tangible action you can commit to this week to put one of the sermon's points into practice—either a study tactic (Context, Cross-Reference, Bias-Check) or a command (Ask for wisdom, Be a doer)?