"Praising God from Generation to Generation" Judges 5:1-31

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Recount God’s faithfulness throughout redemptive history, and then your own life year by year, season by season.

  2. How does God achieving his victories through unlikely people both humble and encourage you in your life of faith and service?

  3. How could the songs of praise throughout Scriptures enrich our understanding of praise in our services today?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Sinful People and Imperfect Judges" Judges 3:7 - 4:24

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Describe the cycle of sin and salvation that we read in the passage; how does this capture the dynamic of living by faith in Christ?

  2. How do the imperfections of the Judges foreshadow the perfect salvation that Christ wins for his people?

  3. How do the stories of the Judges both challenge and encourage you in your battle against sin today?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Trust and Obey" Judges 1:1 - 3:6

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. In what ways did Israel fail in their mission, and what were the consequences?

  2. What does Israel’s repeated forgetfulness of God reveal about their hearts?

  3. How does Israel’s need for deliverance foreshadow the need for an ultimate saviour?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Living in Light of the Mega-Narrative" Acts 7:1-8

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How did Abraham follow the plan of God in his life? How do you follow the plan of God for your life?

  2. What was the definition of success in Abraham’s life? How do you define the success in your life?

  3. What was the sign of the promise of God for Abraham? How is the external sign of the promise related to the internal reality?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"A cord of three strands" Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Why is it so important to build strong Christian friendships as we navigate life together?

  2. How is the friendship between David and Jonathan both an encouragement and challenge to you in your friendships?

  3. Who are the close friends that are in your life right now? Share the journey of the friendships growing.

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"No Lack, No Fear, No Ending, Know Jesus" Psalm 23

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How do we find comfort from the truths of Psalm 23 in both our practical and spiritual needs?

  2. How can we continue to cultivate our confidence in God? Personally?Collectively?

  3. If you’re comfortable sharing, share a time when you’ve been walking through the valley of the shadow of death. How did you get through it? What would Psalm 23 have said to you?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Overflow of Thankfulness" 2 Corinthians 9:6-14

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How does trusting in God’s provision flow over into cheerful giving?

  2. What makes it hard for you to give on a personal level? How can you commit those things to God?

  3. What could it look like to wisely steward our finances as well as giving generously for you?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Living in the Last Days" Jude 1-25

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Trace the story of God’s judgement and salvation throughout the Scriptures following Jude’s writing. How does it relate to today?

  2. What does it look like for you to ‘contend for the faith’ in your life circumstances now?

  3. How has this series encouraged/challenged/helped you to live faithfully in these last days?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"The Day of the Lord Jesus" 2 Peter 3:1-18

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. What connection is there between the judgement in the flood and the coming judgement of fire?

  2. How could the example of Noah’s faithfulness in an unbelieving generation encourage you today?

  3. What could it look like to wait with patience and hope for the coming of the Lord for you?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"On Guard Against the Wolves" 2 Peter 2:17-22

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What are some examples of the deceptions false teachers sell to lead God’s people astray?

  2. How can we be on guard and protect one another as members of HCC?

  3. What deceptions can feel particularly tempting for you on a personal level?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"A Righteous Remnant" 2 Peter 2:1-16

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How do the OT stories of God preserving a righteous remnant resonate with you today?

  2. When do you find yourself caught between following the way of righteousness andwickedness?

  3. What would it look like for you to be a light in the darkness of the current world?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt" 2 Peter 1:16-21

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How much credibility do you give to the eyewitness testimony of Peter and the other apostles? Why?

  2. How confident can we be about the reliability of scripture?

  3. If we are able to fully trust the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry, and the infallibility of scripture, how should this impact our daily lives?

  4. Where do you find yourself struggling? Believing the eyewitnesses? Trusting the infallibility of scripture? Faithfully reading and studying the word of God? Other? Why do you think that is?

  5. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Peter's Farewell Address" 2 Peter 1:1-15

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. What does Peter want the church to remember when he’s gone? Why is this so important to him?

  2. How do we reconcile having all that we need for salvation through Jesus but also being called to faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love?

  3. Reflecting on Peter's exhortations, what areas of your life do you feel called to grow in? How can we support and encourage one another towards these things?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"The Suffering Church of God" 1 Peter 5:1-11

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What are the reasons listed in the sermon for the suffering of the church (or Christians)?

  2. What can the believers do in faith to reduce as much suffering as possible?

  3. What is the reward from God at the end of our faithful suffering?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"What Did You Expect?" 1 Peter 4:12-19

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. When was the last time you suffered specifically for the sake of Christ; just for being a Christian?

  2. What’s the difference between suffering needlessly and suffering for the sake of Christ?

  3. Does the suffering for Christ’s sake feel worth it to you? Why/why not?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Stewards of God's Grace" 1 Peter 4:1-11

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How do people “party” through the ages? How does antiquity compare to this day and age in Sydney, Australia, perhaps amongst your friends?

  2. Compared to “debauchery”, how does “living in the spirit” look different?

  3. How has God gifted you to serve others?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Really Risen Indeed" Luke 24:13-48

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. In what sense is the resurrection of Jesus Christ “rooted in history”? What value is history versus simply a story or a lore or a legend?

  2. What did it take you to “believe” in Jesus and His resurrection? 

  3. How should a Christian be motivated to witness and testify of Jesus’s resurrection? What is the connection between belief and the act of witnessing?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?