DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How preciously do you regard your life? And what is the basis of your valuation—especially as informed by the sermon?
What is the difference between life “in the law”, and life “in the Spirit”?
What are some real and practical things you would do differently as a Christian?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have you ever used God’s grace as a “license” to freely sin? Share?!
How seriously do you take sinning? Is there a problem with your scale for measuring sin?
How can you use the law of the O.T. and the many instructions we find in the N.T. in order to grow holy and be sanctified?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How did the pastor define the meaning and practice of “legalism”?
Can you relate with the “older brother” in anyway?
How does legalism ultimately ruin the church of fostering “grace culture”? Can you recall some examples, or share some of your own?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How is “biblical grace” unique from other general ideas about “grace”?
How is “culture” defined and explained in the sermon?
How does biblical grace impact our lives and in turn those around us?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What can you take away from the idea of altar that applies to our private and family worship?
How does worship go wrong?
In what ways are private and family worship connected to corporate worship and church as a whole?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why was John’s call to repentance so important in preparing the way for the Lord? What is your attitude towards the idea of repentance?
What is it about the crowd’s repentance that John calls out as hypocrisy? When are we in danger of having the appearance of life but bearing little fruit?
What might it look like to anticipate Christ’s return today?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What makes “extraordinary” what it is? How does the plain “ordinary” sets the stage for extraordinary work of God? Have you experienced such in your own life?
How does the childhood and boyhood of Jesus help us to understand His humanity?
How does Nazareth and the boyhood of Jesus set the stage for His amazing redemptive work?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
In what sense was Jesus the consolation of his people Israel? How does his coming console you?
What is the significance of Simeon saying that Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory for Israel?
How was Anna comforted in her life of devotion to God at the temple in the coming of Christ?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What does the rejoicing of the shepherds and angels indicate? How does their celebration include us today?
How has Christ and salvation transformed your own life from fearing to praising and rejoicing? Do you have some testimonies to bear?
How does our intimate knowledge of Christ make a wider and even global difference in the lives of people?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Was God ever obligated to save sinners? What is the significance of God’s approach and initiation to come near us?
Compare the “King of Kings” and other “earthly kings”. Who is more glorious? How can we see the glory of the true King?
How much “room” does the Lord of the universe take up in your heart and life? Is there a room for repentance and transformation?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
In what ways are you tempted to flex your 'spirituality' like the scribes? Why?
How does the example of the poor widow's quiet faithfulness challenge how you live for Christ?
Why is it easier to give out of abundance than out of poverty? What does it reveal about the desires of the heart?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why is the command to love the greatest of all commandments?
What is your experience in love; especially in your efforts to love unconditionally?
How does the nearness of Christ help you to both experience God’s love and enable you to love?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What do you do “religiously” without having anything to do with God or His Word?
How does the “creation order” and the “redemptive plan” of God inform and shape the course of your life? What of the message on these topics challenged your assumptions?
What drives your modus operandi, the planned regiments of your reason or the power and presence of the living God? Is there a room for repentance and transformation?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What is the difference between stewardship and ownership?
What does it look like to render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's today?
What does faithful stewardship of your life and faith look like over time?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What are some good leadership traits that make us want to follow?
What are the different authorities in your lives? How would you rank those authorities?
What is the difference in Jesus’ claim in authority compared to the authorities of this world?
What are some areas in our lives where we do not submit to God’s authority?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Discussion Questions:
What does it mean to be in spiritual darkness? How do the world and the Bible differ on what the worst thing that can happen to someone is? What is the solution to spiritual darkness?
Do you feel the urgency of Jesus’ call? How do you think you would respond when hearing the type of call that Jesus gave to Simon and Andrew?
Considering the four-fold challenge to Pray, Give, Send, and Go, how is your involvement in missions? What are some ways that you can be more involved?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why did the Jesus curse the figtree for its lack of fruit? What does this episode reveal about the crowds who would turn against him?
What is the significance of Jesus cleansing the temple? What does it reveal about the spiritual state of Israel?
Why does Jesus tell his disciples to have faith in God and bear fruit? What does this mean for us today?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What are some Old Testament passages that point to Jesus as the Messiah? What sort of picture is painted in these passages about Jesus’ Messiahship?
Why was the “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem considered somewhat of a tragedy?
Discuss how Christ’s everlasting Triumph encourages or challenges you this week.
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why was the request of James and John a foolish one? Why did they fail to understand what they were actually asking for?
How is your definition of ‘greatness’ different to the one given by Jesus? What areas of your life reveal a practical difference in definition?
What is the ‘way Bartemaeus chose in light of his faith and recovery? What life ‘way’ or ‘path’ are you on right now?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?
Order of Worship can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why is it critical for us to always begin with a meek receiving of God's word before anything else?
What are the dangers of being a hearer of the word only, and not also a doer of the word?
How does your faith reflect the religion that is 'pure and undefiled' before God the Father?
What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?