Upstream Week 5 You Are What

SERIES TITLE

Upstream Week 5 You are What

series overview

Jesus was certainly anything but a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He taught and modeled an against-the-flow lifestyle. He taught things like: “If you want to be great, SERVE others.” “If you want to be rich, GIVE more away.” “If you want to be known for love, LOVE your enemies.”  But perhaps the most countercultural teaching Jesus ever taught was: “If you want to be truly happy, you have to turn around and move UPSTREAM toward God, our true source of life.”

sermon TITLE

You Are What

weekend in review

In this message from our Upstream Series, Josh explores Jesus’ powerful “You are” statements from Matthew 5:13-16. Just as salt enhances and preserves, and light reveals and guides, Christians are called to make a tangible difference in the world. The challenge is clear: we can’t impact the world if we’re identical to it. When we blend in with culture, we lose our effectiveness. Instead, we’re called to swim upstream—doing good works that help others see God’s goodness. The darker our world becomes, the more visible and necessary our light becomes.

Ice Breaker

Begin with some conversation, checking in on how people are doing. You can talk about whatever you’d like, but here is a potential question to get the conversation going.

  • What’s one “You are…” statement (positive or negative) that someone said to you growing up that really stuck with you?
DISCUSSion

Select 5-6 questions from the list below to guide your discussion time.

  1. Read Matthew 5:13. Salt loses its effectiveness when contaminated; light loses its effectiveness when hidden. Which do you struggle with more—becoming too similar to the culture around you, or hiding your faith to avoid discomfort or conflict? What does that look like in your daily life?

     

  2. Read Romans 12:2. The sermon mentions that our lives are shaped by the “You are…” statements we’ve internalized. How does hearing Jesus say “You ARE the salt of the earth” and “You ARE the light of the world” (not “you should be” or “try to be”) change how you see your identity and purpose?

     

  3. Read Matthew 5:14-15. Josh said, “There is no such thing as an undercover disciple.” If someone who knows you well was asked what matters most to you, what would they say? Would “following Jesus” make the top three?

     

  4. Read Ephesians 5:8-11. Jesus calls us to enhance our world and preserve what God created. Where do you see decay or darkness in your sphere of influence (neighborhood, workplace, school, family)? What’s one practical way you could be “salt and light” there this week?

     

  5. Read Matthew 5:16. The sermon ends with this challenge: “Help the world see that God is good by doing good in our world.” What’s a specific “good work” you feel prompted to do that would shine a light on God’s goodness? What’s holding you back from doing it?
WRAP UP & PRAYER

Share prayer requests and spend time praying for each other

  • For boldness to live visibly as followers of Jesus, even when cultural hostility tempts us to hide our faith
  • For wisdom and discernment to engage our world with grace while standing firm on truth and preserving what God values
  • For opportunities to do good works in our communities that reveal God’s character and guide others toward Hi
  • For our group to identify specific ways we can be salt and light together, making a tangible difference in our world this week
Discussion Guide