40 Days 2026 – Week 2

Break The Cycle – Luke 15

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Mark your calendar and plan to attend Consume, our Good Friday Worship Service, on April 3, at 6:30 pm, at our Orange City location. Just a reminder that childcare is not provided, so please start planning now.

Memory Verse for Week 2: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19

A destructive cycle begins as a small habit or compromise that grows through repetition, deepening its hold until it feels inevitable. Confessing sins to God without examining and changing the underlying patterns only provides temporary relief, leaving the cycle intact. Over time, repeated failures amplify shame, erode hope, and lead to accepting dysfunction as normal, creating distance from God. This week, we are going to talk about how repentance is the pathway back into His presence

  1. If you had to choose between a leaky boat or a flat tire on a road trip, which would you pick and why? What’s the worst time you’ve ever had to call for help when something you thought was “manageable” got out of hand?
  2. Pastor James described being in a boat with a small leak that grew dangerous. What stood out to you about this story and its connection to our spiritual lives?
  3. Read Acts 3:19. Notice how the promise is attached to the “turn”. When we repent, we step back into the presence that sin pushed us away from. Confession exposes what’s wrong. Repentance changes what’s wrong. How does repentance bring us back to the freedom that Jesus already gave us?
  1. Pastor James talked about the difference between confession and repentance. What was one insight from this message that made you think differently about breaking destructive patterns?
  1. Read Luke 15:11-24. What details in this familiar parable seemed fresh or new to you after hearing this message?
  1. Pastor James explained that destructive cycles often start small and grow over time. According to the sermon, how do these cycles typically develop, and why are they so hard to recognize at first?
  1. Read Luke 15:17-20. The text says the son “came to his senses…so he got up.” Repentance is not just clarity. It is interruption. It is the moment you stop explaining your situation and start exiting it. According to the sermon, what’s the difference between feeling sorry about something and actually “coming to your senses” and doing something about it?
  2. Pastor James pointed out that the father in the story ran (Luke 15:20) to his son and celebrated his return. What does this reveal about God’s heart toward us when we repent?
  3. Pastor James outlined three key steps for breaking cycles through repentance: “Reject the Lie,” “Refuse to Stay in the Mess,” and “Return to the Father’s Joy.” Can you explain what each of these steps means in practical terms?
  4. We often see problems in our lives but keep moving anyway, saying, “I’ll deal with it later.” Is there an area in your life where you’ve been managing damage instead of addressing the root issue?
  5. Pastor James talked about the lies we believe that pull us away from God – lies that make independence seem better than relationship with the Father. What are some common lies that people in our culture believe about where true satisfaction comes from?
  6. The father in Luke 15:22-24 restored his son to full sonship immediately, with a robe, ring, and celebration. How does knowing that God sees you as His beloved child (not as someone earning their way back) change how you approach Him when you’ve messed up?
  7. The sermon ended by connecting the father “dividing his property” to Jesus dividing His life on the cross for us. How does understanding what Jesus did for you motivate you to turn away from destructive patterns?

PRAYER

“Father, thank You that You don’t see me as someone who has to earn their way back to You, but as Your beloved child who You’re always running toward. I confess that I’ve believed lies about where life and satisfaction come from, and I’ve found myself in places I never intended to be.

Help me not just to feel sorry about my choices, but to truly change direction. Give me the courage to reject the lies I’ve been believing, to refuse to stay stuck in patterns that are hurting me, and to return to the joy of being close to You.

Thank You, Jesus, for dividing Your life on the cross so that I could be free and come home to the Father. Help me take real steps this week to break the cycles that have been holding me back. I trust that You’re more for my freedom than I am, and I want to live in the joy and life You have for me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”