ARCC Sermons

Study Questions:

1. How does “community” lend itself to worship?

2. Is “worship” primarily a corporate issue or an individual issue? Thoughts on this?

3. Read and meditate on Romans 12:1. Why is it necessary that Paul would insert the phrase “by the mercies of God”? How is it possible to be a “living sacrifice”?…or to live sacrificially?

4. How will the small groups in our church exemplify the concept of “living sacrifice” both to the church body as well as to the world outside?

Additional Scripture References:

Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:19-25; Isaiah 30:15-17; John 4:23-24; Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; Colossians 3:5; Hebrews 13:5; Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:25-29

Study Questions:

1. What does the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit teach us about community?

2. Read and meditate on Acts 2:42-47. Is this what the “Church” looks like today? Why or why not? What concept(s) within this text is/are most difficult for the church to carry out today?

3. In 1 Peter 2:5 what does he mean when he says we are being built up us a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices?

4. As a small group, how will you proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light? In other words, how will the neighbors of your host home ever know the true reason why you bombard their street with so many cars on a weekly basis?

Additional Scripture References:

Proverbs 8:27-30; John 1:1-3; John 10:30; Matthew 3:16-17; Genesis 2:18; Genesis 17:1-8; Hebrews 8:6-13; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24; Revelation 12:10-12; Genesis 3:8-13; John 3:19-21; Ephesians 4:25-32; 1 Peter 2:1-10; Galatians 5:1

The only conviction of the reliability of scripture that will lead to an actual taking up of one’s cross and denying one’s self is a conviction that miraculously comes from the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!

Study Questions:

1. What does it practically mean that scripture is the final authority in the testing of all claims about what is true and right?

2. What kind of “reward” is David speaking of in verse 11?

3. What keeps people from viewing scripture as “more to be desired than gold…”?

4. What would the expected fruit be from a small group that was dedicated to the study of and the meditation upon the Word of God?

Additional Scripture References:

2 Corinthians 4:3-6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-15; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 1 John 5:7-11; John 7:16-18; John 9:25; Psalm 1:3; John 6:67-68; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Luke 16:30-31; James 1:21; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:15; Isaiah 6:5; Psalm 119:37; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

So when we say that it is our desire that Christ be ultimate in the affections of the church, we mean that it is our desire that Christ would be seen as the most valuable possession, gift, relationship, reward possible for His people.

Study Questions:

1. How is the concept of “faith” and the concept of “laying aside every weight and sin” connected? What is meant by the fact that it “clings so closely?

2. How is faith related to running the “race with endurance”? What does it mean that the race has been “set before us”?

3. In the context of Hebrews 12 what does it look like to “look to Jesus”?

4. How does all of this translate to ARCC and specifically small groups at ARCC?

Additional Scripture References:

Hebrews 11

God’s divine plan of redemption didn't end with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In some sense it had just begun. Because all authority in heaven and on earth belong to Christ He has determined that His Church should glorify Him through making disciples of Him in all nations.

Additional Scripture References:

Luke 24:25; Matthew 28:17; James 5:19-20; Psalm 51:13; Daniel 12:3; Malachi 2:6; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:9-11; 1 Cor. 1:21, 24, 29, 31; 1 Cor. 2:10,12; James 2:19; 1 Cor. 12, 14; James 1:21; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17

Christ destroyed death when He was raised to life on the third day. ALL OF LIFE can have purpose and meaning knowing how this story ends. The resurrection of Christ is THE REALITY that underlies the human longing for a happy ending and for good to triumph over evil. It ensures that this present age will give way to a perfect and glorious one. We WILL wait patiently for it!

Additional Scripture References:

Genesis 24:7; Exodus 23:20; Philippians 1:6; Deuteronomy 5:29; Zephaniah 3:7; Jeremiah 32:40; Psalm 97:1-5; Deuteronomy 30:15-16; Isaiah 41:10, 13-14; Romans 4:7-8; 5:9; Psalm 30:5; Malachi 4:2; 2 Samuel 23:3-4; Psalm 22:31; 1 Corinthians 15:54, 57

In this hour of utter darkness, Christ, from the cross, points us to a Psalm of David that speaks of suffering and despair that ultimately ends in triumph. The beauty of it all is that in the darkness God finds us.

Additional Scripture References:

John 17:11, 22; John 17:1; Isaiah 53:3; Hebrews 2:10-11; Ephesians 2:18-22; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Hebrews 10:14-23; Psalm 22; Romans 10:20

In this most significant moment in history, as Jesus is being tortured and humiliated, mocked and reviled, it is Mark’s desire to help the reader to understand that God is in complete control, all sovereign, and THE all powerful King. It is only through His sovereign, merciful, grace that we would be able to look upon the cross and believe.

Additional Scripture References:

Romans 16:13; James 1:12; Hebrews 2:9; Mark 14:25; Matthew 5:37; Psalm 15:4b; Psalm 22; John 6:60-65

Despised and Rejected

Additional Scripture References:

John 18:28-19:16; Mark 8:31-38; Mark 7:1-7; Mark 10:33-34; John 14:6; Romans 3:10-11; John 13:34-35; Col. 1:15-17; Psalm 22:1,6-8, 14-18; 1 Peter 2:23; Isaiah 53

As we approach the cross we can begin to see why it would end up being a stumbling block and offensive to so many. We see why it would never seem like a practical solution to any problem much less the problem of evil. Why would God choose the death of His Son on a cross to be the climax of His grand story?

Additional Scripture References:

Proverbs 10:19; Matthew 7:6; Luke 21:15; James 1:19; John 8:58; Leviticus 24:16