 Convoluted Conversations (for the week of February 28, 2021) PDF file at bottom This Week’s Scripture: Mark 8:31-38 Key Idea from Sermon To follow Jesus is a challenge to take on transformation, which involves “taking up your cross and following Jesus.” Starter Questions from Pastor Phillip 1. Read Mark 8:31-38 and answer the following questions.
For Further Discussion 2. After traveling with Jesus for three years, believing they were part of something extraordinary and world-changing, how do you think the disciples felt after hearing Jesus’ words in verse 31? Why? 3. In verse 32 Peter began to rebuke Jesus. Can you imagine? Jesus then put Peter in his place with some pretty hard words. What do you think Jesus meant by telling Peter he did not have in mind the concerns of God but merely human concerns? 4. Can you think of a time recently when your concerns were more like Peter’s, than God’s? If you feel comfortable doing so, share your experience and thoughts with your group. 5. Why do we often find it easier to react to life-events through the lens of a temporal (“merely human”) perspective rather than God’s eternal perspective? 6. What would having an eternal perspective even look like in an ordinary day for you? What impact would it have? How might that impact in your life serve as a witness for Christ in the lives of your friends, family, or coworkers? 7. What are some spiritual habits you have put in place to help you maintain God’s eternal perspective during the various experiences of your life? 8. Read verses 34. Put in your own words what Jesus meant by each phrase of his “discipleship description.”
9. Even though we are saved by grace and have the Holy Spirit living inside us, to guide and empower us, in what ways have you found following Jesus hard to consistently live out? 10. What are some specific ways the members of your group can encourage you to put into practice what Jesus says about denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following him? 11. Share prayer requests and spend a few minutes praying for one another if you feel comfortable doing so. May you richly experience the presence of the Lord this week!!! 
1 Comment
 Toughing Out Against Temptation (for the week of February 21, 2021) PDF file at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 Key Idea from Sermon Jesus helps me when I’m tempted. Some Thoughts from Pastor Phillip The Holy Spirit led Jesus into this place of challenge. The Holy Spirit will lead, and be with us, during this time of challenge. We shouldn’t be afraid. Jesus fasts. This is a discipline that has been largely neglected in the modern western church. Jesus is famished and weak afterwards. Along comes the devil. He is smart and opportunistic and he looks for places to exploit. He seeks to exploit Jesus’ hunger, His insecurity with God the Father, and His heaviness about going to the cross. Jesus makes it through the temptations. Starter Questions from Pastor Phillip 1. Read Matthew 4:1-11 and answer the following questions.
For Further Study & Discussion 2. What were the three ways Satan tempted Jesus? 3. When are you most likely to give into a temptation? Why do you think that is? 4. How did Jesus counter each temptation? What does that teach you about Jesus? 5. Read verse 4. What do you think Jesus’ response in that verse means for followers of Jesus today? 6. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus teaches us to pray, “lead us not into temptation…” How do you avoid temptation? How do you counsel your child or good friend to resist temptation? 7. Based on Jesus’ three responses to Satan, how would he advise us to resist the everyday temptations we all face? 8. Share how you have grown in “spiritual wisdom and strength” to resist temptations in your life? How did you gain such wisdom and strength? 9. How do you usually respond after you have given into a temptation? What sort of impact does it have in your life? 10. Based on Matthew 4:1-11, what spiritual disciplines (or habits) had Jesus been committed to? In what ways do you think those disciplines helped him resist the devil? How might they help you? 11. Have you ever fasted for spiritual reasons? Share your experience with your group. What did you learn about God? About yourself? 12. Take prayer requests and spend a few minutes praying for one another if you feel comfortable doing so.
 Get Ready for It (for the week of December 6, 2020) PDF file at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: John 1:19-28 and Psalm 126 Key Idea from Sermon Let God prepare us. We can anticipate change. For Starters 1. Read John 1:19-28 and Psalm 126 and answer the following questions.
For Further Study & Discussion 2. Read John 1:1-18. According to John 1:6-8, who was John testifying about? 3. What do the following descriptions of Jesus emphasize about him and why he came (based on verses 1-18)? You may need a study Bible to help you.
4. What else do verses 1-18 say about Jesus? 5. Who did the Jewish leaders think John might be (vv. 19-21)? Why? 6. What had John been doing that these leaders were concerned about (vv. 23-24)? 7. How does John answer their question in verse 26? Whose authority does John imply he has to announce and do these things? 8. Read John 1:29. How did John describe Jesus and what purpose did he say Jesus came to fulfill? 9. Read Psalm 126. What does this Psalm teach you about God? 10. What hope does Psalm 126 give you?
 The Way Maker (for the week of November 29, 2020) PDF at Bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Mark 1:1-8 and Isaiah 40:1-8 Key Idea from Sermon Everyone needs a Savior. Everyone needs to be prepared for Jesus. Every Christian needs to help others be prepared for Jesus. For Starters 1. Read Isaiah 40:1-8 and Mark 1:1-8 and answer the following questions.
For Further Discussion 2. What do Mark’s first words tell us about his gospel (v. 1)? Explain. 3. Who was John the Baptist, according to verses 2-3? Why was John sent? 4. How was Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled (v. 4)? What is your reaction to the fact that Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled? 5. What two things did John focus on in his preaching? 6. How did the people respond in verse 5? 7. Who was John referring to in verse 7? In what ways were the two men similar? In what ways were they different from one another? (vv. 7-8) Applying the Scripture 8. What does the message of Jesus offer to people? 9. What usually prevents us from being witnesses for Jesus? 10. How can a person’s witness reflect humility and respect for Jesus? 11. How can we make sure that our lives focus on Jesus and not ourselves? 12. What step could you take this week toward becoming a better witness for Jesus? 13. How can you encourage other Christians to be witness for Jesus? Devotion on Mark 1:1-8 God’s Providential Hope Mark 1:1-8 Four Hundred Years Four hundred long years had passed since Israel last heard from a prophet – from God himself. Four hundred years of silence. But now, there was one who spoke from the wilderness. His purpose? To declare the arrival of God’s promised one, the Messiah – the one who would rescue God’s people. How warmly welcomed that good news must have been, especially since Israel was under Roman rule. To finally be delivered from that oppression must have been the best news. The prophet John’s calling was to prepare the way for this mighty Deliverer by announcing his arrival. It was Jesus himself, just a few verses later (Mark 1:15), who would declare that his new Kingdom was now at hand. But how would a person become a citizen of this Kingdom? By repenting and believing God’s good news. God’s gracious and providential hope was still available after such a long time had passed. God never forgot his promises. And Yet And yet the good news of God’s Kingdom was not welcomed as good news. God’s Deliverer was not embraced as such. We know from the life, ministry, and teaching of Jesus, that he and the Kingdom he ushered in were not what the people of his day had in mind. Jesus didn’t fit the expectations many had for the Messiah. He didn’t seem to say and do what the people had hoped he would say and do. Still, he was God’s providential hope for his people. Their only hope. Israel needed to be rescued from something far greater than Rome. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, was willing and able to save his people once-and-for-all. But not many of his people were willing to be saved on his terms. Their hopes and dreams took the shape of temporal desire – to understandably be out from under the thumb of Roman rule. They allowed the good to become the enemy of the best. What are your expectations of Jesus? Are your hopes temporal only? Or, are your hopes filtered through an eternal perspective? In-Between Living Advent is the liturgical time of year in which we more fully and formally remember that we live between the two appearances of our Lord, Jesus Christ. His first arrival, which we celebrate during the season of Advent and Christmas, ushered in God’s Kingdom – his rule and reign in our lives. Our focus during this time of year helps us better reflect upon who Jesus is and why he came. It also gives us space to think about how we ought to live in light of his appearance. However, just as we are called to live responsively to his first advent, we must also live expectantly toward his second. That is the time, as C.S. Lewis put it, “when the author walks on to the stage [and] the play is over.” Lewis adds, “That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not.” Are you prepared for the coming of Jesus? How can you better prepare for that Day? Looking at and learning from his first advent informs how we are called and commanded to live in preparation for his second one. More than that, it is only as we repent of our sin and believe his gospel – the good news of his Kingdom – that we can enter the fullness of life he offers.
 Pastoral Intervention (for the week of November 22, 2020) PDF at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-24 Key Idea from Sermon God loves and shepherds his sheep and promises to send a shepherd in the line of David to save them. For Starters 1. Read Ezekiel 34:11-24 and answer the following questions.
For Further Discussion 2. Read Psalm 23. Describe what the following phrases mean and how you have experienced God shepherding you in that way.
3. What is the hope expressed in Psalm 23:6? 4. Read John 10:1-18. 5. What was Jesus telling the Pharisees in John 10:1-6? 6. What does Jesus call himself in John 10:7-10? What does he mean by describing himself in such a way? 7. Jesus refers to himself as “the good shepherd” in John 10:11-18. Compare and contrast Jesus, the good shepherd, to the hired hands. 8. How does Jesus, the good shepherd, compare with the image of the shepherd in Ezekiel 34:11-24? Applying the Scripture 9. In what ways are you a shepherd to those entrusted to your care and leadership? 10. List the chief characteristics of a good shepherd that you find in Ezekiel 34:11-24, Psalm 23, and John 10:1-18. 11. Which of those attributes best describes you? Which one do you most need to work on? 12. Memorize Psalm 23 and recite it to someone.
 From Punishment to Pardon (for the week of November 15, 2020) PDF at the bottom This Week’s Scripture: Zephaniah 1:1-6 and 3:9-17 Key Idea from Sermon “God disciplines so as to bring purification. This involves justice and love that leads to restoration.” Discussing the Scripture 1. Zephaniah was a prophet during the reign of King Josiah. “King Josiah instituted a sweeping reformation of worship in Judah (2 Kings 22:3–23:25), which officially abolished the worship of Baal and the stars mentioned in Zeph. 1:4–6. [However, it] might be the case that such worship continued secretly between 621 and 609.” (Holman Bible Dictionary) How does Zephaniah start of his prophecy in verses 2-3? 2. Read Zephaniah 1:4-6. What sins are listed by Zephaniah for which Judah (indeed, the whole world) was going to be punished? 3. Read Exodus 20:1-7 and Deuteronomy 5:6-11. Write down the first three commandments. How were the people in Zephaniah’s day violating these commands of God? 4. The name, “Baal,” literally means “lord” or “master,” but was commonly used to refer to the Canaanite storm god. What do the following texts say about worshiping Baal?
5. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary says idolatry is “the worship of something created as opposed to the worship of the Creator Himself. Scores of references to idolatry appear in the Old Testament. This shows that idolatry probably was the greatest temptation our spiritual forefathers faced. While we find bowing down to a statue no temptation, they apparently slipped into idolatry constantly. So serious was this sin that the prohibition against the making and worshiping of images was included near the beginning of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:4–6).” What are ways Christians practice idolatry in our day? If most Christians know that idolatry is wrong (sinful), how do you explain why they (we) can slip into it so easily, even if unintentionally? 6. In what ways do unbelieving “secularists” practice idolatry in our day? 7. Based on the Scripture you have read in this lesson, as well as Romans 1:18-25, why is idolatry wrong? Explain your answer. 8. We find another form idolatry called syncretism, in verse 5. Syncretism is a blending together of opposing beliefs and practices. How does verse 5 describe God’s people doing that? 9. As in Zephaniah’s day, syncretism seems to be common in our day as well. How have you observed syncretism being practiced today by Christians? Have you ever unintentionally blended your Christian beliefs with other beliefs and practices? Explain 10. In the first century, the Roman empire was very pluralistic. They allowed for the belief and worship of many gods. What got Christians into trouble with Rome was not that they believed in and worshiped Jesus. It was that they worshiped him only and would not bow down to the Emperor as a god. How does our larger culture influence the church to adopt beliefs and practices which are not consistent with the Christian faith? 11. Even though God judges idolatry, he is merciful and calls his people to repent and blesses them when they do. Read Zephaniah 3:9-17. What is God’s promise of hope for the faithful remnant of God’s people who remain faithful to him? How is that promise fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ? Applying the Scripture 12. How can you learn to spot idolatry in your own life? What will you do once you spot it? 13. What unchristian (inconsistent and contradictory) beliefs and practices have you adopted in your life? What steps will you take to turn away from them and embrace biblical truth only? 14. What steps can you begin taking today to help you stand firm for Christ, even when it is hard and unpopular?
 Show Me the Life Change (for the week of November 8, 2020) PDF at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Amos 5:18-24 Key Idea from Sermon “God does not want our outward pretension. He wants our hearts and lives to sincerely change.” Discussing the Scripture 1. In verse 18, God asks his people why they are looking forward to the Day of the Lord. He says it will not be what they hope it is. Read Amos 5:1-17. What problem did God have with the way Israel had been living? 2. What will the Day of the Lord be like, according to Amos 5:18-20? 3. Read the following verses about the Day of the Lord from the New Testament. What does each say about the Day of the Lord?
4. Based on these verses, why do we need to place our faith in Jesus Christ? 5. Read Amos 5:21-23. According to these verses, what does God despise? Describe the imagery Amos uses to make this point. What does Jesus say about this same thing in Matthew 15:8-9? 6. What does God desire, according to Amos 5:24? Why? 7. Read Matthew 23:13-39. What is Jesus most concerned about in these verses? How do his words agree with the words in Amos? Applying the Scripture 8. How would you respond to a relative or coworker who said he or she did not want to become a Christian because of all the hypocrites in the church? How is their concern valid? Explain your answers. 9. Why does God care about the inner condition of your heart (disposition, attitude, relationship) toward him, as long as you’re outwardly doing good deeds? 10. What might a false “appearance of piety” look like in our day? Have you ever been guilty of presenting yourself as godlier than you really are? What were some of your motivations for doing so? 11. What are some reasons people try to present themselves as someone they are not? 12. What are three things you can start doing today to help keep you from hypocrisy?
 Professing for God (for the week of November 1, 2020) PDF at Bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Micah 3 and 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13 Key Idea from Sermon “A prophet is one who speaks with authority given by God to speak for what is right and against what is wrong.” Discussing the Scripture 1. Read Micah 3. This chapter includes three judgments against Israel’s leadership – their prophets, priests, and rulers. List the accusations against the…
2. What is God’s sentence against the…
3. How should these shepherds (prophets, priests, and rulers) of God’s people be leading their people. What sources would you appeal to from the Old Testament? 4. Why is this mistreatment from God’s prophets and priests especially heinous and sinful? 5. How do you feel about God’s judgment on his prophets, priests, and rulers? 6. How does Micah, a true and godly prophet of God, describe himself in Micah 3:8? 7. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13. How does Paul describe their (Paul, Silas, and Timothy) ministry among the Thessalonians? 8. What are the contrasts between God’s unfaithful representatives in Micah 3 and Micah (Micah 3:8), Paul, Silas, and Timothy? 9. How did the people respond to the ministry of Paul and his associates? Applying the Scripture 10. As Christians, we have all been given a certain authority when we speak and live out the Word of God before a watching world. How does that statement make you feel? 11. What impact can unfaithfulness and ungodliness by those who lead the church have in a church community? 12. What impact can that same unfaithfulness and ungodliness have outside the church community? 13. Put together a list of those who lead our church family and begin to pray regularly for them. ACTS (A prayer guide for this lesson)
John Wesley’s Questions for Self-Examination
 Believers and Nonbelievers (for the week of October 25, 2020) PDF at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 Key Idea from Sermon “Believers in Jesus Christ are called to live in the world, but not of it.” Discussing the Scripture 1. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. What would you say Paul’s general theme in these verses is? Why do you think he wrote these verses? (In other words, what do you think his concern was?) (See also, 1 Corinthians 10:21) 2. Write out each of Paul’s five rhetorical questions he asks in verses 14-16. What appears to be the implied answer in each of his questions? 3. In verse 14, “Paul is not addressing the issue of marriage between believers and unbelievers here; rather, he is urging the Corinthians to avoid aligning themselves with those who view him (and others) according to false standards. In allowing these unbelievers to have influence, the Corinthians cause rebellion against Paul and dissolve the unity of the church in Corinth” (Faithlife Study Bible). Read 2 Corinthians 5:16. How might being joined (or, yoked) together with the “false standards” of nonbelievers negatively impact the church-at-large, or individual Christians? 4. What are some examples of the world’s “false standards”? Can you think of any that Christians have adopted? The church-at-large? 5. Read 1 John 2:15-17. How do John’s words support Paul’s teaching in this lesson’s Scripture? 6. John 3:16 declares that God loves the world so much that he sent his only Son to redeem it. Yet, 1 John 2:15 says we are not to love the world. How would you explain this apparent disagreement? 7. Read John 17:13-19. What does Jesus say in these verses about the relationship between the “world” to Jesus and his disciples? Explain what he means. How do these words relate to the Apostle Paul’s words in this lesson’s Scripture? 8. An oft-used phrase is that Christians are called to “live in the world but not of it.” Explain what you believe that means. According to Jesus’ words from Question 7, how can a believer faithfully remain “in the world, but not of it?” 9. In verse 16, Paul says we are the temple of the living God. This “refers to the whole body of Christ, the total Christian community” (NIV Study Bible). In verses 16-18, Paul quotes the Old Testament promises that declare if God’s people remain faithful to him by separating themselves from the surrounding influence of the world, he will receive us and be a Father to us. How can we show our love for those in the world without compromising with the world’s standards? 10. How can believers faithfully live according to God’s standards without appearing judgmental to those of the world we are seeking to love? Applying the Scripture 11. What is the hardest part for you about “living in the world, but not of it?” 12. What makes that difficult for you? 13. What are some ways church members can support one another to live faithful Christian lives in a world that may resist God’s standards? 14. How can we love and serve our neighbors and bear witness to the grace and truth of Christ, without offending them in our sensitive cultural climate? Is it even possible? 15. List three nonbelievers you know and begin praying for them each day. Ask the Lord to begin the work of drawing them to himself. Pray for opportunities to love and serve them with Christlike words and deeds. ACTS (A prayer guide for this lesson)
John Wesley’s Questions for Self-Examination
 The Devoted Life (for the week of October 18, 2020) PDF at bottom Note to Group Leaders: More than anyone else, you are aware of the size of your group, time constraints, the needs of your group, etc. Please read through the Scripture and material below and use whatever you believe will be most helpful to your group. This Week’s Scripture: Acts 2:42-47 Key Idea from Sermon “New life in Christ will fill us with devotion to better know and love God so we can better love and serve others. God will bring the increase to his Kingdom.” Discussing the Scripture 1. The Book of Acts is often called, “the Acts of the Apostles.” Read the following verses and write down your suggestion for another title (Acts 1:4-5; 1:8; 2:4; 2:17; 2:33; 4:8; 4:31; 6:3; 6:10; 8:17; 9:17)? 2. Read Acts 2:1-41. What happened to bring all these new followers of Jesus Christ together in Acts 2:42-47? 3. Verse 42 says these new believers devoted themselves to four activities. Look up the word “devoted” in a dictionary. What does it mean? Why do you think they were so devoted? Why is such devotion important for a follower of Jesus? 4. List the four activities that verse 42 says these new believers were devoted to. 5. What would the “apostles’ teaching” have included? (Read Matthew 28:18-20, John 14:25-26, John 16:12-13, and Acts 1:3 for ideas.) What does the “apostles’ teaching” include today? 6. The Greek word for “fellowship” is, koinonia. It means sharing and participating in a common goal. One commentator said it was an intentional and intimate experience, where the believers shared together “in material goods as well as spiritual wealth.” What does Acts 2:42-47 suggests that fellowship looked like? 7. The reference to “breaking of bread” in verse 2, is twofold. It means both enjoying a common meal together as well as the Lord’s Supper. Why would both have been so important to the early Christians? Why are both so vital for Christians today? 8. Verse 42 tells us these new believers also devoted themselves to prayer. The Greek word here actually means, “the prayers.” This tells us that not only did they pray individually but also together as a community. Why is that so significant in the life of a Christian community? 9. Verse 43 points out that God strengthened this new community of believers with the presence of supernatural miracles performed by the apostles, which filled the people with awe. Why do you think God did this? 10. What do verses 44-46 report as the result of the devoted life of this new Christian community? 11. And what does verse 47 say was the result of verses 42-46? Who ultimately produced that fruit of the Kingdom of God? (Bonus Question: How would you write this out as a mathematical equation?) Applying the Scripture 12. Can Christians today have the same level of devotion as these early believers did? Why or why not? Do you? Why or why not? 13. How can you devote yourself to the apostles’ teaching? 14. How can you devote yourself to Christian fellowship? 15. How can you devote yourself to “the breaking of bread” (Lord’s Supper) (Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 for some insight)? 16. How can you devote yourself to private and corporate prayer? 17. Whose help will you need to be so devoted? (not a trick question) ACTS (A prayer guide for this lesson)
John Wesley’s Questions for Self-Examination
|
Life Group StudiesCategories
All
Archives
May 2021
|
||||||||||||||||||||
RSS Feed