Be Devoted in Love…and Honor One Another – Romans 12:10

What do these phrases mean?

Why is this so important for us as believers?

How can we actually do this?

Questions:

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

What does your heart tell you when you ask it whether you love another believer without hypocrisy?

When you say you love someone but don’t like them, how does the first part of verse 10 press against that?  What should you do to change your relationship into genuine family affection?

What does it mean to out-do one another in showing honor?

What are some reasons that loving and honoring each other are so important in the church?  Romans 12:1 says, “in view of God’s mercy…”. How do those words help us to love and honor?

Give some specific ways that you can do the things verse 10 tells us to do.

Love One Another:

A New Commandment

The Root

Like You Care for Yourself

Questions:

What challenged you or encouraged you from the message today?

Read John 13:34-35.  What does it mean love one another as Jesus has love you? 

What are some of the internal and external barriers that make it hard to love others?

How does our experience of God’s love effect the way we love others?

Read James 2:8. What does it mean to “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

What is one thing God is calling you to do as a result of what you have heard today?  By God’s grace, how can you apply this to your life this

This is the sad, beautiful, broken-hearted, hopeful reality of our journey:

Life is hard…we need the presence and help that life-giving people can bring!

People will let us down…we can’t make simplistic assumptions and be unforgiving!

God is the always reliable and flawless friend…Jesus was forsaken so that we would never be!

Questions:

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

What can we learn from this passage about facing winter seasons, various trials in life including death?

Identify the kinds of people that Paul mentions in this passage.

Why do we find it so hard to ask for help in times of hardship?

Who are you serving and who is serving you in your winter seasons?

In what ways has God stood by you, given you strength, and rescued you?

Hear these words of serious encouragement:

Be a herald of the word!

Keep your head in all situations!

Assess the legacy you are leaving!

Questions:

 Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

What evidence do we have that this charge, though encouraging in the spurring on sense, is very serious to Paul?

What similarities do you see in 4:2 and 3:16 from last week?  What are the positive verbs and the negative verbs in verse 2?  What safeguards does Paul put in place so our words are not harsh?

Describe what might be the type of preaching that is fleshed out in verses 4 and 5.

What are the hardest areas of your life for you to “keep your head?”

As you assess your own life thus far, how does it compare to what Paul says in verses 6-8?

Grace and Grit Week 7: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Scripture Equips us to Thrive

Scripture's Source

Scripture's Function

Scripture's Purpose

Questions:

What challenged you or encouraged you from the message today?

How would you describe the Bible to a person who knows nothing about it? 

Name several of your favorite verses from the Bible? What do these verses tell you about God and about yourself?

Why is important that “All Scripture is God-breathed”? What are some of the implications of this truth?

How has the God used the Bible to “teach,” “rebuke,” “correct,” and “train” you?

How can does Scripture equip follower of for “every good work”? How can this understanding of the usefulness of Scripture motivate us to read it regularly?

What is one thing God is calling you to do as a result of this message?  By God’s grace and power, how can you apply this to your life this week?

Pay attention to the dangers of empty religion!

The challenge of the last days

The character of the last days

The creep of the last days

The cry of hope in the last days

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

Since we all tend to be blind to our own hypocrisy, how can we guard against falling into empty religion?

Which of the list of nineteen do you struggle with the most?

What does it mean to be a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God? Is it wrong to enjoy pleasurable things or experiences?

Since the Bible condemns self-love, how is it that it is so pervasive in the modern church? Is the opposite of self-love to dump on yourself? Why/why not?

(we apologize for the technical issue with the video)

Fight for a Reason

Fight the battle within

Fights to avoid

Reasons to fight

Questions:

What challenged you or encouraged you from the message today?

How does conflict make you feel? Do you find yourself drawn to conflict or would you rather avoid it?

Give a few examples of how a person can flee sin and pursue righteousness? What does the “fight within” look like in your life?

Does our current culture handle disagreements well? Why do you think that is?  How can we avoid entering into foolish arguments?

What is the ultimate reason to engage in conflict with someone? How does that reason motivate the way we talk to others during conflict?

Is there something that you can do in response to what you heard today? What specifically do you feel God calling you to do in response to his word?

Be useful to the master…

By reinforcing healthy doctrine!

By being confident in God’s faithfulness (his firm foundation)!

By cleansing yourself to be what God made you to be in Christ!

Questions:

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

What constitutes healthy teaching (sound doctrine)? What are the primary doctrines that direct your life into living in holy (healthy) relationships with God, with each other, and with your unbelieving friends and neighbors? (i.e. – the doctrine of the trinity reminds us of how important community is.)

What pushes against you believing in the firm foundation of God’s faithfulness to you? How does your steadfast trust in God “teach” others in your family or relationships?

As you think about the cleansing that needs to take place in your life, what steps do you need to take to partner with the Holy Spirit to make that happen?

What (what assignment) is your greatest desire to be useful to the Master?

Be strong in the midst of the challenge!

Why?

You need this to be part of the relay!

You need this because the Christian life is hard!

How?

By reflecting on God’s word!

By remembering Jesus Christ!

By relying on God’s unchangeable character!

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

What are the reasons that Paul gives that make it so important to be strong? What makes it difficult for you personally?

Paul gives three metaphors that support what he has to say. What do each of them teach us?

If this was only a command to be strong in our own strength, we would most certainly fail. What part does the grace of Christ Jesus play in this? How exactly can we draw on that grace to give us strength?

Describe the empowering grace that comes from remembering Jesus and the gospel.

Grace and Grit

Grace: The enabling power and love of God (to believe, grow, and persevere) offered freely and undeserved.

Grit: A trait of courage, resilience, perseverance, passion, and character which fuels people to reach an objective.

Finding your “Why”

Don’t Be Ashamed – Do the Work

The Grace of God and the Big Why

Paul’s Example of Grace and Grit

When Suffering Hits Home

Questions:

What challenged you or encouraged you from the message today?

Have you given thought to your “Why”? What motivates you?

Have you ever felt ashamed or scared to share what you believe about Jesus? Why?

How does the gospel motivate followers of Christ to live for Jesus and share the gospel?

In what ways can Paul’s example encourage us to live more fully for Christ?

Have you ever been disappointed or let down by other Christians? How does Paul handle being abandoned by other followers of Christ?