These posts will be a series of study notes and questions for the book that our Life Group is studying together. The book is “Upsidedown” by Tim Bailey. You can read a review of the book and order it here. Feel free to read along and join the discussion in the comments section below.
Bailey begins the book with the following statement:
“Jesus turns everything right side up. Responding to a world of individuals in bondage to self through Satan’s lie, God sent Jesus to initiate a community of freedom that worships him in Spirit and truth.”
What are some symptoms of being in bondage to self?
Where do you see evidence of this in our society?
If we are in bondage to self, why is so much time and effort spent trying to find our “true self”?
Bailey’s stated goal for the book is that it, “helps you fail miserably at being selfish.” An honorable goal.
Chapter 1(a) Community
“It seems we have bought into the lie that those who have really ‘made it’ in life never have to ask for help… We feel that if we can go through life without putting anyone out, we’ve done a great deed.” (p10)
Does this reflect the way you live your life?
What would change if you chose to believe that God intended for us to need each other and rely on each other?
The way we live is a testimony to how we feel about individualism: we embrace it. Evidence of this is found in our gated communities, fenced yards, the avoidance of eye contact, the lack of carpooling, and the fact that we would, “rather stare blankly at an ad for hemorrhoid cream than talk to someone sitting right next to us.” Yet it is difficult to deny that while we strive for the privacy of individualism, many people also have a profound sense of feeling alone.
Have you ever experienced the irony of life as Bailey describes it: “leave me alone, I’m lonely…”? (p11)
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We’ll leave it there for now…
