FSBCS Audio Sermons

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. Has anyone ever given you a gift that was beyond your wildest dreams? Explain.

3. Pastor Chad said that “to hunger and thirst for righteousness is to obsessively long to live for Jesus through Jesus.”  Have you ever thought about righteousness in this way? How does this change your perspective of righteousness?

4. Read 1 Cor. 6:9-10. What does Paul, the author, mean that those who live in these ways will not inherit the Kingdom of God? What does that mean for the follower of Jesus?

5. Is Paul condemning those who sin, or those whose sin is part of their lifestyle? What role does repentance play in this biblical theme?

6. Read Galatians 5:22-23. Pastor Chad said the if you are living in the Fruit of the Spirit there will be little room left for a sinful lifestyle. Explain what he meant by that statement.

Scripture Passages:

Acts 17-21

 

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. Have you ever mourned deeply? Have you ever celebrated greatly? Explain.

3. Read Psalm 13. What are the three stages of mourning that David experiences in this Psalm?

4. How can David be hopeful at the end of this Psalm, even when it is clear that God has not answered his prayers or provided relief in his situation?

5. Pastor Chad spoke about how some struggle to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Why do you think that we generally avoid mourning and those who mourn?

6. Why do we struggle to mourn our own sin and shortfalls? What makes it difficult for you to do this?

7. Comfort is mentioned in this Beatitude. What comfort has come out of past struggles? What struggles could you use some comfort in? How can we pray for that struggle?

Scripture Passages:

Acts 12-16

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. Tell about someone who dramatically impacted your life because they were sacrificially serving God with their gifts, talents, and resources.

3. Read Romans 12:1-8. How can you offer your body as a living sacrifice? How is this the way that we worship God?

4. In what ways do we tend to conform to the world? How does the church sometimes conform to the world?

5. In what ways can you be transformed by the renewing of your mind? What part does God’s Word play in that? Actively being a part of God’s family (the Church) play in that?

6. How does verse 3 impact and inspire you to serve others?

7. What holds you back from using your gifts, talents, and resources more fully for God? What needs to change in your life so that you can use them more fully for God?

8. Have you ever thought about the gifts, talents, and resources that God has given you and how He asks you to use them for His Kingdom? What ways can you use them for Him?

Scripture Passages:

Acts 7-11

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. What group of people would be the “Pharisees” today? Why would they be the modern-day expression of this biblical group?

3. Read Luke 18:9-14. When have you been like the Pharisee? Like the Tax Collector? What makes the difference between these two?

4. How are you humble and dependent on God (Micah 6:6-8)?

5. Pastor Chad spoke about how Luke’s retelling of The Beatitudes gives them a double meaning. He taught about Jesus’ warnings about wealth. How does your financial stability or wealth distract you from humility and dependency on God?

6. Why does James 2:5 say that the poor will be “rich in faith”? What does that mean?

7. It has been said, “How you spend your money reveals much about your heart.” If Jesus sat you down with your checkbook/credit card statement/retirement account/investment accounts/etc. and spoke to you about them, what would He say? Would He commend you for how you sacrificially give to His work, or would He condemn you for your lack of financial sacrifice for Him?

Scripture Passages:

Acts 2-6

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. How is the Sermon on the Mount different from a simple code of morals/ethics?

3. As a follower of Jesus, do The Beatitudes ever sound too daunting? How should the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word shape your thinking and behavior?

4. Have you ever recognized that Jesus is looking for pure thoughts, attitudes, and motives more than external shows of obedience? Those internal pure thoughts, attitudes, and motives lead to obedience to God’s will. How does this change what you value in your faith journey?

5. We cannot know a person’s heart, but based upon The Beatitudes are there indications that someone is or is not a follower of Jesus?

6. How well are your thoughts, attitudes, and motives aligned with God?

7. In what areas of your life are your struggling to fulfill The Beatitudes? What changes need to take place in order to better live in The Beatitudes through the Holy Spirit?

 

Scripture Passages: John 18-21, Acts 1

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. Have you ever been “let off the hook” for something that you did wrong or were guilty of (i.e. a speeding ticket, punishment at school, parent overlooked something you did, etc.)? How did it feel to not receive that punishment?

3. Read Romans 5:1-11. How does “justification” change things in our relationship with God? How does this justification affect the wrath of God mentioned in verse 9?

4. How is our condition before Jesus described in verses 6, 8, and 10?

5. Pastor Chad spoke about Jesus’ work on the cross being so much more than what most people think. It wasn’t just an act of reconciliation between us and God, but it leads to our being adopted as children of God. What is the difference between these two rewards?

6. This Easter, who do you need invite to experience Jesus’ salvation?

Scripture Passages:

John 8-12

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. What is the sickest you have ever been? Why was it so bad? What would you have done to get relief or a cure from this sickness?

3. Pastor Chad compared sin to a deadly disease that is passed down from Adam to all mankind. The only cure for this disease is Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. Have you ever thought of sin in this way? How does it change how you view the necessity to share this cure with others?

4. What difference has Jesus’ cure made in your life? What hope has it brought? What purpose has it provided?

5. Pastor Chad spoke about the “Road to Emmaus” that is found in Luke 24, and how Jesus explained to the two travelers that all of the Scriptures pointed to the necessity for Jesus to die for all for the forgiveness of sins. What Old Testament examples can you think of that point to the necessity for Jesus to die for our sins? (Hint: Genesis 3:15, Psalm 22, Isaiah 9:1-6, Isaiah 25:7-8, Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 53, Zechariah 9:9, etc.)

6. If all of the Scriptures point to the necessity for Jesus to die for our sins, we can conclude that God always planned from the beginning of time to send His Son to die for us. How does this eternal plan of salvation show God’s love for you? How does it encourage you to share this love with those around you?

7. Pastor Chad said that 8 out of 10 people will accept an invitation to church if asked by someone that they know. In this Easter Season, who do you need to invite to hear about Jesus and His love for them? How will you invite them? What is your plan?

 

Scripture Passages: John 3-7

 

Questions:

1. What stood out to you in the message?

2. What are some interesting bumper stickers that you have seen on cars? What do those bumper stickers say about the person driving that car?

3. If someone watched your every move and listened to all of your words, and they were asked to create a single sentence that sums up who you are and what you stand for, what would that sentence say?

a. Would that sentence be more about your opinions, worries/fears, political views, pursuit of comfort, etc.?

b. Or would it be more about your humility, quiet life, forgiveness, pursuit of loving God and others, and control over your thoughts to make them obedient to Jesus?

4. Pastor Chad spoke about living out the hope of Jesus and not getting distracted by ourselves, our thoughts, or the ways/concerns of the world. What tends to distract you from living out the hope of Jesus? Why?

5. Is the light of your life shining like a 300-watt bulb? A 100-watt bulb? A night light? Why? How can Jesus enable you to shine brighter in today’s culture?

Scripture Passages:

Luke 22-24, John 1-2