Summary: Instead of fighting, arguing, trying it on our own, or relying on the power of other things, Paul tells the Church to pray. He tells us who to pray to, as well as 4 things to include in our prayers.
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1. In vs 1, Paul says prayer is what we are to do FIRST, and he URGES the people to do it. Prayer is easy to do, doesn't cost us any money, and isn't a huge sacrifice of our time or resources. So why is it that so many people struggle to have a strong and effective prayer life? (don't know what to say, don't know how to say it, don't feel comfortable talking to God, don't think it's effective or will change anything).
2. Read 1 Timothy 2:1 and Philippians 4:6. Take a moment and talk about the different aspects of prayer that Scripture calls us to:
a. Supplication (requests, petitions, asking God for things we want or need)
b. Prayer (an idea that the act of prayer is actually worship to God)
c. Intercession (praying for the needs and desires of others)
d. Thanksgiving (thanking God for what He has done for you)
-So what are the easiest aspects of our prayers? What are the hardest? Why do we tend to focus on the first one and neglect the last 3?
3. What you pray FOR reflects what you believe ABOUT God. Examples: Small prayers=small viewpoint of God. Selfish prayers=God exists just for you. All supplications=God is just my heavenly butler. No prayers=God isn't powerful, doesn't work, and can't do anything for me.
So, if your daily prayers were written out and someone read them, what would they say about you and how you viewed God? (This person had a lot of faith and believes that God can do big things, OR this person obviously doesn't believe that God can do too much, not really relying on His power, doesn't really talk with God very much).
4. Read 1 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 5:43-44. Do you ever pray for your "enemies"? Is prayer your natural response to those that believe/act/speak differently than you? If not, why?
5. When you pray, are you asking God to take you OUT of your circumstances, or asking Him to come INTO your circumstances? How are those 2 different?
6. Hands up is a universal sign of surrender. Have you reached a point in your life where you ever threw your hands up to God and said, "I give up"? How can surrender be such a freeing motion in life? What are some areas of your life that you need to simply raise your hands and surrender it to God?
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Adult Content: Grace is Better
Summary: Paul's story calls us to remember and respond to the incredible news of the Gospel that has and will continue to change our lives.
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
1. Understand the Word
READ 1 Timothy 1:12-17
a. Why is it so amazing that someone like Paul could have experienced so much of a transformation and gained God's favor?
b. Vs 12 says that God is using Paul for his service, and vs 16 says God is using Him as an example. Given Paul's story, how mighty God use him in this way?
2. Assessing the Heart
a. Why and how does grace this amazing become something so common and unexciting?
b. It's easy to see that Paul was a sinner, and it's pretty easy to see that we are as well. Paul responds correctly to the sin in his life by openly confessing his sin and guilt and acknowledging that he was in desperate need for a savior. However, many of us don't respond in this way. Instead, we'd rather cover up our sins, pass the blame on to someone or something else, or act like it is not sin at all. What are some specific times in your own life that you've treated your sin in this way?
c. When you treat your sins and your guilt this way, what are your actions effectively communicating to God? (Hint: What are acting like you don't need God as your help and Savior).
3. Turning to God.
a. When we confess our sin and need for help, we are finally communicating that we don't have it all together and that we need help from a savior. It that is true, what's the good news of vs 15?
b. Through Jesus, what MERCY have you been given (not receiving the things we deserve). Hint: not experiencing judgment, punishment, or separation from God.)
c. Through Jesus, what GRACE have you been given (receiving things we don't deserve). Hint: love, forgiveness, freedom, adoption into God's family, hope, joy, and peace.1
4. Apply the Word
a. In what ways could we do a better job being reminded of and remembering this incredibly Good News? In your home? In your rGroup?
b. What kind of differences would be evident in your life, your "service," or your "example" if your heart and mind was daily overflowing in awe and wonder of what Jesus has done in your life?
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
1. Understand the Word
READ 1 Timothy 1:12-17
a. Why is it so amazing that someone like Paul could have experienced so much of a transformation and gained God's favor?
b. Vs 12 says that God is using Paul for his service, and vs 16 says God is using Him as an example. Given Paul's story, how mighty God use him in this way?
2. Assessing the Heart
a. Why and how does grace this amazing become something so common and unexciting?
b. It's easy to see that Paul was a sinner, and it's pretty easy to see that we are as well. Paul responds correctly to the sin in his life by openly confessing his sin and guilt and acknowledging that he was in desperate need for a savior. However, many of us don't respond in this way. Instead, we'd rather cover up our sins, pass the blame on to someone or something else, or act like it is not sin at all. What are some specific times in your own life that you've treated your sin in this way?
c. When you treat your sins and your guilt this way, what are your actions effectively communicating to God? (Hint: What are acting like you don't need God as your help and Savior).
3. Turning to God.
a. When we confess our sin and need for help, we are finally communicating that we don't have it all together and that we need help from a savior. It that is true, what's the good news of vs 15?
b. Through Jesus, what MERCY have you been given (not receiving the things we deserve). Hint: not experiencing judgment, punishment, or separation from God.)
c. Through Jesus, what GRACE have you been given (receiving things we don't deserve). Hint: love, forgiveness, freedom, adoption into God's family, hope, joy, and peace.1
4. Apply the Word
a. In what ways could we do a better job being reminded of and remembering this incredibly Good News? In your home? In your rGroup?
b. What kind of differences would be evident in your life, your "service," or your "example" if your heart and mind was daily overflowing in awe and wonder of what Jesus has done in your life?
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Adult Content: Jesus is Better
Text: 1 Timothy 1:1-11
Summary: Paul instructs Timothy on responding to false teachers/teachings that he and his church will face. Paul shows us how to identify false teaching, how to respond to it, and what the standard for sound doctrine really is.
1. Identify some of the false teachers in our world today, both inside and outside of the category of religion. What are some of the things you've heard? What are some of the lies that are told? What are ways that the lines are blurred today?
2. There are 6 characteristics that Paul gives of false teachers and false teachings.
-Devote themselves to myths
-Focus on genealogies
-Promote speculation over God
-Vain discussions
-Don't know what they are talking about
-Incredibly confident about things they don't understand
-Take a moment and consider how Jesus is Better than all of these. What do these things offer you, and how does that contrast with what Jesus offers? Which is really better?
-Talk about some things that you've experienced both what culture has to offer and what Jesus has to offer, and you realized that Jesus is better.
3. The greatest message communicated poorly can oftentimes end with bad results. We've all seen the Church clash with people/culture/ideas in a poor way. That tends to always end poorly for the church and it's mission.
a. But how does Jesus respond in the following stories?
-Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and hangs out with sinners (Matthew 9:10-13)
-Jesus shows compassion to the prostitute (Luke 7:36-50)
-Jesus challenged the religious people and saved the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
b. How does Paul tell us to respond in 1 Timothy 1:5?
-With Love, marked by:
i. Pure heart- your motives
ii. Good conscience- earnestly believing that Jesus is better
iii. Sincere Faith- not being a hypocrite about what you're sharing with them
4. Right or Wrong? Good or Bad? True or False? Acceptable or Unacceptable? Beautiful or Ugly? How do you determine these things? We're not talking about superficial, secondary decision in life. We're talking about the fundamentals, the foundation of life, the standard in which you base your life! Where do you find sound doctrine for these things? Read 1 Timothy 1:10-11. Paul says start with Scripture. That's the foundation.
-What are other areas that people gravitate towards when it comes to determining ethics and morals? Examples: What feels right. What I think is right. What is right for me may not necessarily be right for you. What do you think is right?
-Paul says the right question to ask is not "What do you think/feel is right?" Instead, ask "What did Jesus say about it?" and "What does Scripture say about it?" Let those be your foundation.
Summary: Paul instructs Timothy on responding to false teachers/teachings that he and his church will face. Paul shows us how to identify false teaching, how to respond to it, and what the standard for sound doctrine really is.
1. Identify some of the false teachers in our world today, both inside and outside of the category of religion. What are some of the things you've heard? What are some of the lies that are told? What are ways that the lines are blurred today?
2. There are 6 characteristics that Paul gives of false teachers and false teachings.
-Devote themselves to myths
-Focus on genealogies
-Promote speculation over God
-Vain discussions
-Don't know what they are talking about
-Incredibly confident about things they don't understand
-Take a moment and consider how Jesus is Better than all of these. What do these things offer you, and how does that contrast with what Jesus offers? Which is really better?
-Talk about some things that you've experienced both what culture has to offer and what Jesus has to offer, and you realized that Jesus is better.
3. The greatest message communicated poorly can oftentimes end with bad results. We've all seen the Church clash with people/culture/ideas in a poor way. That tends to always end poorly for the church and it's mission.
a. But how does Jesus respond in the following stories?
-Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and hangs out with sinners (Matthew 9:10-13)
-Jesus shows compassion to the prostitute (Luke 7:36-50)
-Jesus challenged the religious people and saved the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
b. How does Paul tell us to respond in 1 Timothy 1:5?
-With Love, marked by:
i. Pure heart- your motives
ii. Good conscience- earnestly believing that Jesus is better
iii. Sincere Faith- not being a hypocrite about what you're sharing with them
4. Right or Wrong? Good or Bad? True or False? Acceptable or Unacceptable? Beautiful or Ugly? How do you determine these things? We're not talking about superficial, secondary decision in life. We're talking about the fundamentals, the foundation of life, the standard in which you base your life! Where do you find sound doctrine for these things? Read 1 Timothy 1:10-11. Paul says start with Scripture. That's the foundation.
-What are other areas that people gravitate towards when it comes to determining ethics and morals? Examples: What feels right. What I think is right. What is right for me may not necessarily be right for you. What do you think is right?
-Paul says the right question to ask is not "What do you think/feel is right?" Instead, ask "What did Jesus say about it?" and "What does Scripture say about it?" Let those be your foundation.
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