Text:
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Recap:
For legitimate followers of Jesus, belonging to the Church is not a matter of your decision to participate. It is a reality to which we must submit. Just like the hand can't say to the body, "I'm not a part of this," so the Christian cannot say it to the Church. If you are a Christian you are a part of the Church, you just might be abdicating your responsibility to her and thereby harming the body of which you are a part.
Questions (*indicates assistance with answers):
1- 1 Cor. 12:12-26 puts forth "good vibes" regarding the Church, and it certainly seems to say that the Church should be a priority in our lives, but does it really mean that Christians have to involve themselves specifically in a local church or could it be that these are just broad references to the universal Church (all Christians everywhere working toward the same goal though not in the same location)?
*The does command local church membership (Hebrews 13:17)
*Furthermore, the analogy of the body functioning together and in concert infers local participation.
*The body carries out the universal commands of Christ locally by organizing itself into small groups of believers who are obedient together.
2- Read verses 14-16. Not acknowledging or acting like a part of the body doesn't mean you aren't still attached...It just means the rest of the body is carrying your weight because you refuse to participate. How can we encourage and stimulate inactive Christians toward activity in the local church?
3- Read verse 18. This means that your area of service to the Church is not based upon your desire...it is based upon God's design. He chooses to wire and gift people such that they edify the Church in specific ways. Your area of gifting may not be your area of greatest passion. The test is not personal satisfaction, it's edification. How can we determine where God would have us serve in the local church?
*The early church didn't have spiritual gifts tests, they had needs. As people saw the needs in their local church they stepped up to meet them and as they served in different areas of need the things at which they were gifted became more obvious.
4- Read verse 21. A lot of 21st century Christians say to the body, "I have no need of you." Why is this wrong?
*It's arrogant; assuming that we are strong enough to develop spiritually without local assistance.
*It's presumptuous; assuming that the local church exists for us rather than assuming that we exist for the local church.
*It's insensitive because if the person is so strong a Christian that they don't need the local church then they should stick around and let some of their awesomeness rub off on others.
*It's disobedient because the Bible tells us we should not neglect participation in the local church (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Monday, June 29, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
-ADULT CONTENT: 5 Marks of a Righteous Life-
Summary: Paul shows Timothy what a man of God should look
and act like by giving examples of what a righteous life looks like. We have to know what to fight for, what
to look for, and what to avoid in life as we strive to stay focused on what God
has called us to do as His followers.
Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-16
1. In vs 11,
Paul instructs Timothy to “pursue” a life of righteousness through 5
marks.
a. What are the things that you are pursuing in your life
right now? What are the things
that are setting the course of your life and defining it?
b. If you stay on that course, what will the result of your
life be in 5 years? 10 years? When you die?
2. Take a look at the 5 marks of a righteous life:
a. Godliness- Being aware of God in and around your life.
b. Faith- Trusting and believing in God
c. Love- Our response when we put our trust in Him and
respond to our awareness of what He’s done for us
d. Steadiness and Endurance- Stable, steady, consistent,
available.
e. Courtesy and Gentleness- Kind, compassionate, courteous.
Which of these marks is the easiest for you? Which areas need improvement? Which mark has someone else shown to you or that you've experienced that impacted you in a powerful way in your walk with Jesus?
3. In vs 12,
Paul says to fight the good fight.
a. What is the
“good” fight?
b. What “bad”
fights do you see people pursuing in their lives today?
4. How are you taking hold of the eternal life that God has
given you? What actions and
attitudes do you show on a consistent basis that would illustrate your drive to
think beyond just the “here and now”?
5. Paul charges
Timothy to keep the commandment “unstained.” What are things that stain the Gospel? The Church? Our lives as Christians? What steps do you need to take to keep these areas of our
lives unstained?
6. What do you
need to do this week to turn your Sunday knowledge into Monday-Friday action? Share it with the group and stay accountable
to those things!
Saturday, June 13, 2015
-Backward, Forward, Inward, Outward-
Summary: Communion is a powerful observance of the sacrifice Jesus gave for us. Like anything in our lives that have repeat exposure, it can become mundane and ordinary in the life of the worship service. To prevent that, let's look in 4 directions to help keep our hearts focused on this incredibly powerful symbol of love and sacrifice.
Text: Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:26-29, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Psalm 51, and 2 Peter 3:9-10
1. Backward-
READ Luke 22:14-20
a. When Jesus tells his followers to "do this is remembrance of me," what are we suppose to be remembering specifically?
b. The Gospel is preached every week. The promises of God are repeated constantly. Worship songs are sung 3-4 times every service. Even communion services can have an element of routine. Has the symbol of communion and the Gospel ever become "ho-hum" to you? Do you find it losing the "wow factor" in your life sometimes? How can we keep it fresh and meaningful in our lives?
2. Forward-
a. Why is it so important that Jesus promised to return? (no more pain or suffering. Reap the rewards of the Gospel work you did on earth, get to enjoy the presence of God in heaven).
READ 1 Corinthians 15:58
b. Since Jesus is coming back, then how does that affect the way we should live our lives everyday?
3. Inward-
READ Psalms 51-
a. Do you have regular routines of confessing and repenting of sin in your life? Do you ever take the time to look inward and see if there are things that need to be taken care of with God?
b. How does your viewpoint of sin affect how you view confession? David obviously thought sin was a big deal in front of a holy God, and responded accordingly. Is confession and repentance sincere and intense as it was in David's repentance in this passage?
c. How does remembering that your sins are forgiven through Jesus' death on the cross actually make confession and repentance a great, freeing opportunity as opposed to an embarrassing, guilt ridden time before God?
4. Outward-
a. READ 2 Peter 3:9-10. What is the reason Scripture gives as to why God is patient and hasn't sent Jesus back yet?
b. READ 1 Corinthians 11:26. What do we "proclaim" about Jesus when we observe communion?
c. How can you turn what we observed on Sunday into action during your Monday-Friday?
Text: Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:26-29, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Psalm 51, and 2 Peter 3:9-10
1. Backward-
READ Luke 22:14-20
a. When Jesus tells his followers to "do this is remembrance of me," what are we suppose to be remembering specifically?
b. The Gospel is preached every week. The promises of God are repeated constantly. Worship songs are sung 3-4 times every service. Even communion services can have an element of routine. Has the symbol of communion and the Gospel ever become "ho-hum" to you? Do you find it losing the "wow factor" in your life sometimes? How can we keep it fresh and meaningful in our lives?
2. Forward-
a. Why is it so important that Jesus promised to return? (no more pain or suffering. Reap the rewards of the Gospel work you did on earth, get to enjoy the presence of God in heaven).
READ 1 Corinthians 15:58
b. Since Jesus is coming back, then how does that affect the way we should live our lives everyday?
3. Inward-
READ Psalms 51-
a. Do you have regular routines of confessing and repenting of sin in your life? Do you ever take the time to look inward and see if there are things that need to be taken care of with God?
b. How does your viewpoint of sin affect how you view confession? David obviously thought sin was a big deal in front of a holy God, and responded accordingly. Is confession and repentance sincere and intense as it was in David's repentance in this passage?
c. How does remembering that your sins are forgiven through Jesus' death on the cross actually make confession and repentance a great, freeing opportunity as opposed to an embarrassing, guilt ridden time before God?
4. Outward-
a. READ 2 Peter 3:9-10. What is the reason Scripture gives as to why God is patient and hasn't sent Jesus back yet?
b. READ 1 Corinthians 11:26. What do we "proclaim" about Jesus when we observe communion?
c. How can you turn what we observed on Sunday into action during your Monday-Friday?
Saturday, June 6, 2015
ADULT CONTENT: Guarding is Better
Summary: In the final 2 verses of his first letter, Paul warns Timothy of something that happens to even the most spiritual people: swerving. We learn 4 things about the Gospel in these verses as Paul urges Timothy to guard what has been entrusted to him.
Text: 1 Timothy 6:20-21
1. a. What are ways that people "swerve" from the faith? Not a u-turn or totally turning their back on God, but a gradual, slight, deviation from the faith? (Legalism, adding anything to Jesus for salvation and spiritual growth, stop attending a local church, stop studying Scripture, stop honoring God with specific parts of your life).
b. Can "swerving" be more dangerous and costly for people that a total derailment? Why? (swerving goes unnoticed so many times, and people don't even realize they are off target and need to realign. A total derailment can result in you hitting rock bottom and turning back towards God in a more noticeable fashion.)
2. Paul uses strong language when he instructs Timothy. GUARD is an all-consuming word and not simply a half-hearted effort.
a. What are the areas of our lives that are easiest to let down our guard when it comes to the Gospel? Where have you slacked off in guarding it? What do you need to do to get that back on track?
b. How can we relentlessly GUARD the deposit that has been given to us?
3. In this passage, we see 4 characteristics of the Gospel.
a. It's personal. "O Timothy, guard the deposit that has been entrusted TO YOU."
Read John 3:16, inserting your name in the blanks: "For God so loved _____ that he gave his only Son Jesus so that if ______ would believe in Him then _____ would not perish but have eternal life."
-How is the Gospel personal to you?
-What does it mean that the Gospel is personal for you and me, and not some high brow religious statement or generic church creed?
b. It's enough. "Avoid the irreverent babble..."
-Where is the danger in focusing in on peripheral issues and teachings outside of the Gospel? (you can become more dedicated to secondary commands and teachings and lose your focus on what really matters.
c. It's practical. "...contradictions of what is falsely called 'KNOWLEDGE,' for by PROFESSING it..."
-Most religious people loved to study and gain knowledge and teach those things, but weren't interested in actually living it out. What does it communicate to people when you say and preach one thing, but live something totally different?
-How has what you have been learning from the Adult Content series actually changed your life? How has your Monday-Friday been impacted by what you've learned on Sunday?
d. It's grace. "Grace be with you."
-The MSG translation of the Bible puts that phrase as, "May you experience the life changing gift of God that will keep you and sustain you." What impact do the words "gift" and "grace" have on your understanding of the Gospel? How does that change how you receive the Gospel? How does that impact how you view the giver of this incredible gift?
Text: 1 Timothy 6:20-21
1. a. What are ways that people "swerve" from the faith? Not a u-turn or totally turning their back on God, but a gradual, slight, deviation from the faith? (Legalism, adding anything to Jesus for salvation and spiritual growth, stop attending a local church, stop studying Scripture, stop honoring God with specific parts of your life).
b. Can "swerving" be more dangerous and costly for people that a total derailment? Why? (swerving goes unnoticed so many times, and people don't even realize they are off target and need to realign. A total derailment can result in you hitting rock bottom and turning back towards God in a more noticeable fashion.)
2. Paul uses strong language when he instructs Timothy. GUARD is an all-consuming word and not simply a half-hearted effort.
a. What are the areas of our lives that are easiest to let down our guard when it comes to the Gospel? Where have you slacked off in guarding it? What do you need to do to get that back on track?
b. How can we relentlessly GUARD the deposit that has been given to us?
3. In this passage, we see 4 characteristics of the Gospel.
a. It's personal. "O Timothy, guard the deposit that has been entrusted TO YOU."
Read John 3:16, inserting your name in the blanks: "For God so loved _____ that he gave his only Son Jesus so that if ______ would believe in Him then _____ would not perish but have eternal life."
-How is the Gospel personal to you?
-What does it mean that the Gospel is personal for you and me, and not some high brow religious statement or generic church creed?
b. It's enough. "Avoid the irreverent babble..."
-Where is the danger in focusing in on peripheral issues and teachings outside of the Gospel? (you can become more dedicated to secondary commands and teachings and lose your focus on what really matters.
c. It's practical. "...contradictions of what is falsely called 'KNOWLEDGE,' for by PROFESSING it..."
-Most religious people loved to study and gain knowledge and teach those things, but weren't interested in actually living it out. What does it communicate to people when you say and preach one thing, but live something totally different?
-How has what you have been learning from the Adult Content series actually changed your life? How has your Monday-Friday been impacted by what you've learned on Sunday?
d. It's grace. "Grace be with you."
-The MSG translation of the Bible puts that phrase as, "May you experience the life changing gift of God that will keep you and sustain you." What impact do the words "gift" and "grace" have on your understanding of the Gospel? How does that change how you receive the Gospel? How does that impact how you view the giver of this incredible gift?
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