Discussion Questions

1.)  How does it make you feel to realize that our God, who is Love (1 John 4:16), will one Day carry out His righteous wrath, even vengeance, upon all of mankind because of the millennia upon millennia of man's wickedness and rebellion against Him?   

2.) How is it possible to worship God for His righteous wrath against  the wickedness of mankind just as much as worshipping Him for His mercy and love towards mankind? 

3.) How should the spiritual reality of "The Day of the LORD" cause us to respond in regards to the way we live out our daily lives?

4.) How may it impact the way we witness to unbelievers?

1.)  What are some of the blessings of knowing that God Himself is your Father, spiritually speaking?  That is, that you are actually, not just figuratively, a part of the family of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus (see Romans 8:29-30)?  

2.) What do people tend to place their hope in?  Why, in the end, is placing our hope in anything in this world a "dead hope"?  Why can Peter say, that as Christians, we have been born into a "living hope"?

3.)  Read Ephesians 1:3-14.  What are some of the "spiritual blessings" we have in Christ?  

4.)  What does it mean that we are co-heirs WITH Christ?    Hint: think of the Kingdom He has been promised to receive (Psalm 2; Philippians 2) and will one day establish on the earth.  How should this motivate you to live even now?

5.) What stirs in your heart when you reflect on the fact that God Himself is guarding this inheritance for you AND He is guarding YOU for your inheritance?

1.)  Have you ever been in a situation in which you felt like the "outsider"?  What made you feel this way?

2.) What do you think it means for Christians to be "foreigners" and "exiles" in this world?  What should that look like in practical terms in regards to our daily life?

3.) Pastor Jim suggested that we as North American Christians may not do this whole "foreigner" and "exile" very well.  Do you agree?  Disagree?   

4.) Review 1 Peter 1:1-2 together.  What impacts you the most as you reflect on how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have worked together to choose YOU for salvation?

Close in a time of lifting simple SENTENCE PRAISES to the Lord for our great salvation!

1.)  Read Matthew 24:1-14.  On this prophecy Jesus said that similar to a woman in child birth, whose contractions begin to get stronger and faster as she is about to deliver, our world will see an increase in wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, etc.   What are some examples of this in our world today?

2.) Jesus also said that right before He returns there would be such a tremendous persecution of the saints and increase of wickedness that "the love of most will grow cold".  How does the fact that there will be a great falling away of Christians (or people who thought there were Christians) in the end times impact you?  How does the idea of possibly going through intense persecution impact you?   Are you ready?  What may need to shift emotionally, mentally, spiritually for you to be ready?  

3.) Pastor Jim mentioned a concern that the church in North America generally may not be ready for a great persecution.  Do you agree?  Disagree?  What might need to shift in the Church in America for us to be ready to stand fast to the end?


4.) Read Hebrews 3:12-14 and 10:23-25 below:

12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In his closing comments, Pastor Jim called for us to be actively engaging in Christian community.  Why is this so important?  What might this look like for you?

1.) Paul said he wanted to know Christ in a head, heart, hands on kind of way. What do you think that means in practical daily experience?

2.) How does the spiritual reality that we may be able to actually participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4) differ from our merely trying to "be like Jesus"?

3.) According to John 15, we remain in the Vine by our simple, daily obedience. What are some daily choices (i.e. spiritual disciplines or practices, etc.) that may help us to walk in that kind of obedience?

4.) Which of these practices do you find to be easy and enjoyable? Which ones do you find to be more difficult?

5.) What does it mean to be "filled with the Holy Spirit"?

6.) Do you currently and regularly ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Let's do that this week!!

Discussion Questions

1.)  According to the original language in this passage, what does it mean to "set" our hearts and our minds on something?  (more below)

2.) What do you think it means then to set our hearts and minds on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God? 

3.) What do you think it means to NOT set your hearts and minds on earthly things?

4.) Why should the fact that we have been raised with Christ (3:1) be a motivator to do the above?

5.) In practical terms then, what do you think it might look like for you this week to "stay focused"on Jesus and His Kingdom and NOT on earthly things?