Grace Community

Shamgar

31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

1) Can you put in a sentence or two the journey of the Colossians from unbelief to faith based on vs1-8, e.g. like a testimony of their journey to faith and its effect on their lives. When you read through Colossians 1:1-8, what does Paul indicate as the turning point or the pivotal thing that changed the lives of the Colossian believers?


2) Read 1 Corinthians 15:8-10. What effect has the grace of God had on Paul’s life and how would you describe his attitude towards God’s grace? What is your understanding of grace and how would you define it? (See Psalm 51:1-3; 103:8-13) How does grace set Christianity apart from all other religions? (Ephesians 2:8-9) 


3) Why does an understanding of grace bring forth fruit and growth in believers? Why is salvation by grace a greater motivator for a life of purity and piety than salvation by works? How do people who claim to be Christians and yet don’t live a life of obedience to Jesus fail to grasp the grace of God? Why is the knowledge that we are constantly saved by grace through the gospel tied to the hope laid up for us in heaven? (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)


4) If you were asked “What is the gospel?” how would you respond? Why is it impossible to separate the gospel and grace? Do you agree that the gospel should be the core of teaching within the church? What happens when a church becomes embarrassed or unimpressed with the gospel message? How does this affect the church?


If you have time - 
5) Why is it so important for the church to make sure it centres around word of truth/gospel ministry (preaching and teaching the Word) rather than programs and teachings focused on earthly ‘betterment’? (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:17). On the flip side why is it important to include programs which are beneficial to people’s earthly life? Which programs within a church would be beneficial to both the church and the wider community and how could they be used for the glory of God?

Home group questions.

1. How would you explain to a new Christian what mature Christianity looks like (e.g. what should be the goal of our Christian journey)? How would you encourage/mentor a new Christian to pursue those things? 

2. Someone once asked me, “Why is faith so important to God?” How would you answer that question (see Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9)? What are some ways God grows our faith? How can we work toward growing in our own faith, in both the invisible aspect (our relationship with God) and in the way we display our faith? How does Hebrews 11 help us understand faith? 

3. Love for our Christian family is of utmost importance to God (see John 13:34-35; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:14-18). How have you experienced love from your fellow believers and how did/does that effect your faith? We display love in different ways; how do you feel you best display your love for your fellow Christians? In what ways do you sometimes show a lack of love for others? How do you think you could change that? 

4. Paul uses the triad of faith, hope and love numerous times as a short hand for Christian maturity (see 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:5-6; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Tim 4:10-12). How would you describe the interrelationship between faith, hope and love? 

5. Alexander Maclaren wrote, “hope [in Colossians 1:4] is best taken as meaning not the emotion, but the object on which the emotion is fixed; not the faculty, but the thing hoped for; or in other words, that it is objective, not subjective." Why is hope as an objective reality as well as the feeling of hopefulness so important to keep our faith strong? How would you explain Paul’s statement that a “hope laid up in heaven” creates love for all the saints? 

6. Discuss how Jesus is the ultimate display of faith, love and hope (hope as an objective reality not a feeling, i.e. He knew His destination). Consider Hebrews 12:1-2; Luke 23:43,46; Matthew 20:18-19 & 26:29,39,42. Although you may not be able to recall specific verses, what can you recall of Jesus showing faith, hope and love?

** Unfortunately due to technical difficulties the beginning of the sermon was missed**

In summary Ewen spoke about some of the greatest difficulties Christians he has known have faced. He spoke of having to watch a mother turn off the life support for her child and a pastors wife being overcome by dementia in her 50s. 

Home group questions:
Questions were taken from  Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Psalms 51–100 © Copyright 2020 by David Platt, Jim Shaddix, and Matt Mason.
B&H Publishing Group
Nashville, Tennessee
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5359-5213-2


Why is there often a disconnect between what we know about God and how we feel and act?

Consider the psalmist’s exchanges with God—the “I/you” statements. How do these statements reveal what is happening in the writer’s soul? If you were to make a list of “I/you” statements, what would they be during this season of your life? During a dark season of your life?

Is it possible to have faith and feel that God is hiding his face from you? Why? Does right knowledge about God always yield sustaining belief? What makes the psalmist keep asking when his prayers were going unanswered?

What happens when we use our feelings (instead of our knowledge of God through his Word) as an indicator of our faith and trust in God?

When you feel like God has hidden himself from you, what choices are in front of you? Why should you choose to turn to him in prayer even though you may feel like he is not listening?

If your faith is weak right now, how does the truth that Jesus was forsaken so you never will be forsaken encourage you to pray? (For personal reflection - Is there someone with whom you can share what you’re going through so that he or she can pray with you over your suffering? When will you share your struggles with them?)

Home group questions:

How is thanks to God one of the goals and blessings of our restoration and reconciliation to God? (Romans 1:18-21; 1 Thess 5:16-18) Why must our thanksgiving be centred around Jesus? (John 14:6, 17:24-26; Ephesians 2:13-18; Hebrews 7:22-25) 

How do you think thanks to God should be expressed in our individual life and in our corporate church life as well? Why do you think other people’s faith should be a reason to thank God?

Jesus says in Matthew 6:7-8, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” We do not ‘change God’s mind’ when we pray (if we did He would not be omniscient), so why do we pray and why do we pray to God for the sake of others? (Mark 1:35; Philippians 4:6-7; Col 1:3-4; 2 Cor 1:11; James 4:2, 5:13-16; 1 Tim 2:1-4).  This article may help: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-pray-if-god-has-already-determined-everything/
Prayer can be difficult for people. If you have time discuss your practise of prayer.  

Why is it necessary for us to recognise Jesus as both Lord (God and Master) and Saviour? (Job 9:30-34; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 4:9-15). If faith is evidence of your belief (Hebrews 11:1) in what ways do we show that Jesus is both our Lord and our Saviour? 

Home group questions.

1) How do you understand the term ‘in Christ’ (sometimes “in him” i.e. 2:6)? Why do you think it was important for Paul to remind the Colossians, which is also a reminder for us, that we are ‘in Christ’? 

2) Do you agree that the greatest threat to the stability of the church (or a church) comes from people within the church rather than those from outside? 

3) Bishop Stephen Neil wrote - “The false teachers came in with the claim that they would complete and perfect the simple and elementary faith to which the Colossians had been introduced by Paul and his friends. This is what the false teachers always do. ‘What you have is quite all right, and a good foundation for faith. Now let us just finish it off for you, and you really will be Christians”. How would the health, wealth, prosperity teaching be an example of this? Why do you think this kind of teaching appeals to Christians? Why do you think some Christians try to add Jewish practises to their Christianity while some other Christians follow teachings about personal spiritual breakthroughs and dream interpretations? How should the knowledge that we are ‘in Christ’ and have fullness in him prevent us from following such teachings?

4) Francis Bacon said: ”Prosperity is the blessing of the old testament, adversity is the blessing of the New” Do you agree? (Consider Lev 26:3-12, Romans 5:1-5; 8:17-18; 1 Peter 4:12-13) How can suffering be a blessing and how do churches who teach that you can have your best life now (aka one devoid of suffering and full of wealth) weaken peoples faith?


5) How should churches protect themselves from the internal threats of Christians wanting to have a syncretistic kind of religion which combines worldly values and beliefs with Christianity? How can the church ensure that the teaching within the church doesn’t stray from the gospel message?

 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2

Throughout Colossians, Paul talks in various ways about ‘the message’ or ‘the word of truth’ they heard from Epaphras wanting to reassure the Colossians that the message they received is true. For Paul it is important that they stay faithful to that original message, the true message. Straying from what they heard and believed put them at risk of being deluded by plausible arguments (v2:4).

1) In the same way today, how does a degradation of the belief in the authority, infallibility and inerrancy of scripture lead to doctrinal compromises within the church? (consider Ephesians 2:19-22) How should a church guard itself against this? How would you answer the objection that the meaning of scripture is open for interpretation and one person’s interpretation is just as valid as another’s even if they don’t agree?
 
2) Epaphras is a great example of someone who heard the word and took it to ‘his people’. How do you feel about sharing the gospel with ‘your people’ (friends, family, work colleagues etc)? What makes you hesitate or what gives you the boldness to do so? Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. How might this passage help us overcome some of our fears of sharing the gospel? Why do you think the church is growing rapidly in places like Iran and China where Christians are persecuted and sometimes even killed for their faith? How does this make you feel about your effort in sharing the gospel?
 
3) How do the words “in Christ at Colossae”(v2) remind us of the ‘now and not yet’ reality of our Christian faith. (See Phil 3:20, 1 John 3:12, Ephesians 2:5-9 & 6:12). It is a reminder that we are in the world but not of the world so how do we keep from letting the ‘at Perth’ part of our life become of more importance to us than the ‘in Christ’ reality of our life?
 
4) Discuss how “Grace to you and peace from God our Father”(v2) is one of the greatest desires/wishes/goals you could have for yourself and also your loved ones. How might this phrase shape the way we parent our children, treat our spouses, relate to our family members? (When Paul says peace, it’s not just the absence of conflict; it reflects the Old Testament prophetic hope for an era of ‘shalom’, a time of spiritual and physical wholeness and well-being because our enemies have been destroyed and we experience the presence and blessing of God.)

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.