Summary:
In Romans 8:18-30, God reveals how he uses all things to work together for good for those who love God. When we look at the context of Romans 8:28 we are able to see why we can be so confident of this. Here you will see that, as a Christian, God foreknew you, predestined you, called you, justified you, and will glorify you.
Discussion Questions:
When are you tempted to think, “God causes some things (but not all things) to work for my good”?
Which of the following truths helps you the most in trusting God with your suffering and why?
God foreknew you, predestined you, called you, justified you, and will glorify you.
How can you seek to make Romans 8:28 “the pillow you sleep on”?
Summary:
In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus reveals a heavenly Father who delights to give us the kingdom. God is a loving Father who does not withhold what is best for his children. He cares for what we need today, and he cares for our eternal well-being. This care for us is not rooted in how good we are, but in the reality that, in Christ, we have been adopted as God’s very own sons and daughters. If God is our Father, then why should we live as if he isn’t?
Discussion Questions:
- How does fear, worry, or anxiety manifest itself in your life? (What does it look like? How does it feel?)
- What are you currently most worried about or preoccupied with?
- In what relationships or present or future circumstances do you struggle to see God’s presence and activity?
- How does Luke 12:22-34 help you with this?
- In practical ways, how can you put off anxiety and put on seeking the kingdom?
In this week’s message, entitled “Responding to Correction”, we looked at Proverbs 9:7-12. We heard how responding to correction can be a matter of life and death. To better understand the implications of this, let’s consider these questions:
- When are you tempted to make decisions based on yourself rather than who God is? In these kinds of decisions how could you better focus on God’s relevance?
- When are you most tempted to consider correction as relatively worthless?
- When are you most tempted to respond to correction with anger?
- When tempted to respond to correction dismissively or in anger, how can you better position yourself to chose to respond wisely?
Let us pray this week for the humility and love to seek wisdom from above as it is conveyed to us by others.
This week’s message was entitled “Words that Work”. From Ephesians 4:29-32 we heard that forgiven hearts produce constructive words. In order to better understand the outworkings of this in our lives, consider these questions:
- Have you tended to think of your words (and their power) as a squirt gun, air-soft gun, paintball gun, or bazooka? Why?
- What does Scripture have to say about the power of our words?
- When are you typically tempted to speak a “corrupt” word? In these moments what would “putting off and putting on” look like?
- How does the gospel affect the way that you see those that you are speaking to? How could you make this a greater focal point?
- In what ways does our relationship with Christ help us in speaking words of grace?
Let’s pray this week that the Spirit would empower us to speak the grace of the gospel with fitting words that build up.
(For further study on this topic, we recommend the article “Speaking Redemptively” by Paul Tripp.)
In this week’s message, entitled “How to Bring Correction”, we looked at Matthew 18:15-20. We heard how sometimes Jesus calls us to correct one another, and he really cares how. To better understand how we’re to live this out with one another, let’s consider these questions:
- Do you tend to think of correction as something positive or negative? In what ways can Matthew 18:15-20 inform this perspective?
- When you are sinned against, what tends to keep you from going to the one who has offended you? What scriptures speak to this temptation?
- What motives often come into play when you bring correction to others? How do these motives compare with the motives that Scripture instructs us to have?
- Why is it so important that we have pure motives when bringing correction? How should this influence the way that we walk through correction?
- When it comes to your bringing correction to others, what difference does the gospel make?
Let us remember the mercy that we have received and display that mercy in our relationships, especially as we correct one another in patience and love.
This week’s message was entitled “When to Bring Correction”. From Matthew 7:1-5 we heard that the way we respond to sin should testify to God’s power, and this should distinguish us as Christians. In order to better understand the implications of this, consider these questions:
- Do you naturally lean more towards the talk radio extreme (being opinionated) or the relativistic extreme (not wanting to disagree)?
- When are you most tempted to pass judgment? How could the instruction of Matthew 7:1-5 help you with this?
- When those closest to you sin or fail, what do they first encounter from you, mercy or judgment? How could you grow in extending mercy?
- When you bring correction to others, how often do you spend time examining your own heart first? How might this affect the correction that you bring?
When it comes to our friends and family, let’s pray that God would help us to faithfully bring correction that is an expression of mercy, not judgement - reflecting the mercy that we have been shown.
In this week’s message, entitled “Charitable Judgments”, we looked at James 4:11-12. We heard how being a community of grace means being a people who assume the best about others. To better understand this way of living and relating, let us consider these questions:
- When can you be tempted to accept your judging as discernment? How can you know when you are judging?
- What disputable matters can tempt you to judge others? How can you go beyond tolerance to loving without judgement?
- How does love motivate us to not judge? What scriptures speak to this?
- How can meditating on the gospel help us in having charitable judgements towards others?
Let’s rejoice this week that we have not received the judgement we deserved, and let’s pray that we would display the grace that we have received.
This week’s message was entitled “Let the Nations Be Glad”. From Psalm 67 we heard how God blesses us, his people, so we can bless others. In order to better understand this, consider these questions:
- How does Psalm 67 point to the work of the gospel in your life and in the lives of others?
- Do you see yourself, as a Christian, capable of reflecting or displaying God’s glory? How is this possible? Why is this important to understand?
- When you consider the idea of being a “conduit of God’s blessing”, how do feel this is true for you? Particularly, how does this understanding challenge and/or encourage you?
- John Piper writes, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is.” How is this true? As a result, what are the implications for your life?
Let’s pray that God, by his grace, would use us as conduit’s of his blessings, proclaiming the gospel with our lives.
In this week’s message, entitled “The Grace of Giving”, we looked at 2 Corinthians 9:6-13. We heard how grace gives. To better understand the grace of giving in our lives, let us consider these questions:
- If God doesn’t need anything and can meet every need, why does he ask us to give?
- How does the idea of being a conduit shape your understanding of giving?
- Do you see your giving as “ordinary” or God-glorifying? What is the difference, and what is important about this difference?
- How can giving be an act of faith? What makes giving with faith different than giving without faith?
- How is it that God’s grace affects your giving?
Let’s give thanks this week that we have the joy of giving by faith and for the glory of God - not out of duty, but because of grace.
This week’s message was entitled “Convictions and Community”. From 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 we heard how community strengthens convictions. In order to better understand this aspect of our life together, consider these questions:
- When you talk with others about convictions, what tends to pull you from being motivated by love? What can you do when these motives begin to direct you?
- When it comes to helping others with decisions, why is it so tempting to focus on your own convictions? How can you focus differently? Why is this so important?
- When is it difficult to trust in God’s work of grace in another’s life? What affect does this dynamic have on your relationships? In these relationships, how can you become confident in God’s grace?
Let’s pray that God would work in each of our relationships, that we may be compelled by love, focused on God, and confident in grace, as we continue to grow in being a community of grace.
