July 26 2026
The heart of a Rust City Group is to care for people and carry the culture of Rust City Church.
You don’t have to follow this guide like a script! Use discernment from the Holy Spirit as you lead your group discussion.
If you notice that someone in your group needs additional care or support that’s beyond your capacity, please let a pastor know.
ICEBREAKER QUESTION OPTION:
What’s your best recipe for beating the heat?
The unlikely pt. 11
SPEAKER: Pastor Wes Washington
Scriptures—
1 Timothy 4:7-10; John 14:19-23; Proverbs 4:23
Key Takeaways—
The Unlikely – Thaddeus (also known as Judas not Iscariot)
Core Theme: Guarding our focus in a distracting world
The Attention Economy: Our attention is highly valuable—the enemy and corporations alike are constantly fighting to attract and engage us.
Discipleship as Training: We must actively train our minds and hearts toward Christ and His will, rather than letting the world lead and distract us merely by being passive or careless about what we give attention to.
Guard Your Heart: Since everything flows from our hearts, we must be intentional about what we allow into our hearts and minds through our eyes and ears.
Presence Over External Signs: Like Thaddeus, we often look for external miracles, but Jesus promises us His internal presence.
Don't Treat Jesus Like a Guest: Jesus doesn't want to be an Airbnb guest in our lives; He wants full access to the house - that is, to us and all parts of our lives.
Labor, Strive, and Hope: We are called to keep pushing, keep rising after failure, and place our hope in a living, resurrected God.
Discussion Questions—
What are the biggest distractions currently competing for your attention in your life today?
Pastor Wes said that if we aren't pursuing a process of Biblical, spiritual discipleship, we are being discipled by something else. What voices (social media, politics, culture, friends, family) are trying to shape your worldview right now? What are they telling you?
Why do you think we tend to treat Jesus like a guest rather than letting Him into every room of our lives? Which rooms are we currently hesitant to let Him into?
How does the realization that Jesus dwells within you change the way you handle difficult circumstances or prayers that haven't been answered yet?
The sermon suggests that failure doesn't give us the right to quit. When have you felt like giving up on a spiritual discipline or a goal, and how can we support each other in rising again?
Practical application—
Consider implementing one of the following this week:
Option 1: digital audit:
Identify one source of media or social consumption that consistently causes anxiety or distraction and commit to taking a 5-day fast from it to replace that time with Scripture reading and prayer. During that fast, every time you think of that social media platform, breath this prayer, “Holy Spirit, fill my mind and heart with your voice.”
Option 2: The morning redirect
Before checking your phone, spend the first few minutes of your day, thanking the Lord and specifically praying for Jesus to make His home in your heart today. If you don’t know what you have to be thankful for, ask him to show you.
option 3: get up and move forward
If you’ve fallen in an area of your walk, maybe for the millionth time, perform one action of repentance and change this week (even if it's small) to signify you are getting up and moving forward again.
Closing Prayer—
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for dwelling within us. We confess that we often let the noise of the world distract us from Your presence. Forgive us for treating You like a visitor in our lives.
In your name we ask that You would help us to guard our hearts and train our attention on You, the living God. Give us the strength to push through the labor of our current season and the courage to rise again whenever we fall.
We place our hope in You, for we know that You are alive and that You are with and within us.
Amen.