Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North

Review: Luke 23:39-43

• When does a person go to heaven? 2 Cor 5:8  |  Phil 1:23
• What is heaven like? 2 Cor 12:4  |  Matt 22:12-14  |  Rev 19:7  |  Rev 21:2
• How do I have assurance that I'm going to heaven?

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Luke 23:39-43

1. Read Matthew 27:44. Why do you think this one criminal stopped mocking Jesus and instead cry out to Jesus?

2. What questions about heaven were cleared up for you from Jesus' statement to this criminal (Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise)?

3. What does this account teach about how a person gets saved / receives salvation / gets right with God?

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.

Review: Mark 11:25-26  |  Luke 11:4  |  Luke 17:4  |  1 Cor 2:8

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Luke 23:34

1. Why did Jesus say, "They know not what they do?" What does that tell you about those who executed Him? See (1 Corinthians 2:8).

2. Were all of these men forgiven because of Jesus' prayer? Explain your position!

3. Why are we, even in the church, "all about forgiveness" until it is our turn to forgive someone?

4. How does Jesus' prayer on the cross motivate me to forgive?

Breakout Questions:

Who do you need to forgive? Have you taken that step? What’s stopping you? Pray for that person, if there is one, and discuss (and hold each other accountable) for next steps!

Matthew 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

1 Peter 3:15 - but in your hearts, regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

Proverbs 28:1 - ...the righteous are bold as a lion.

Three Things You Need to Know to Be a Bold Witness (1 Peter 2:11-12):

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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Peter 2:11-12

1. What is the connection between your walk with Christ and your witness for Christ? Why?

2. How do passions wage war on your soul? Even though a believer cannot lose their salvation, how is sin still harmful to the soul?

3. How would you instruct someone wanting to fight their "besetting" sin? 
    

Breakout Questions:

How, specifically / personally, do you need to "put distance" between you and your sin? Pray for each other to apply wisdom in this war on sin. 

James 4:2-3 - You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Three Powerless Prayers:

How to Have Your Prayers Answered, Every Time (Matthew 7:7-11):

Proverbs 2:4 - if you seek it like silver and search for it as hidden treasure

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Matthew 7:7-11

1. Why do you think prayer is such a struggle for many sincere Christians?

2. How would you respond to someone who says, "I tried praying, and it didn't work."

3. State Jesus' teaching in Matt 7:7-8 in your own words, regarding "asking... seeking...  knocking".

4. How does Jesus' parent / child illustration help you understand prayer in a better way (Matt 7:9-11)?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for each other, using Jesus' instructions here!

Why I Am Compelled to Worship (Psalm 34):

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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Psalm 34 (stand and read aloud; sing a favorite hymn as a group if compelled)

1. How would you define "worship" to a child? How would you explain to that child the purpose of worship in music at the church?

2. What are the nuances in the synonyms for worship in Psalm 34:1-3?

   - bless:

   - praise:

   - boast:

   - magnify:

   - exalt:

3. What would you say to someone who says to you, "I tried trusting God once, and He disappointed me." How can we reconcile this statement with Psalm 34:10?

4. In church, does the music prepare you for the sermon, or does the sermon help make you a better worshiper? (Note to discussion leader: My opinion is the latter, but this isn’t really a dogmatic "right or wrong" issue. It is just meant to think through why we do what we do at HBC.)

5. What was your big "take-away" from this passage / message?

6. Bonus: What is your favorite worship song / hymn? What is meaningful to you about that song?

Breakout Questions:

How would you rate yourself as a worshiper? From this text / message, how will you seek to become a more passionate worshiper? 

Four Reasons We Are Committed to Expository Preaching:

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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nehemiah 8:1-8

1. How has the Word of God changed you? Be specific - and beyond salvation - how has the Bible changed your life?

2. How would you rate your hunger for God's Word? How can you increase this appetite?

3. Why do you think people aren’t as attentive to the Word (Nehemiah 8:3)?

4. How has your Small Group been doing in helping you (and the others) in understanding God's Word (Nehemiah 8:7-8)?

Breakout Questions:

Did you abide through prayer and Bible reading this week? What specifically are you moved to change or apply this week, and how are you going to apply it?

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [04:47] - Q: Do you believe we can get signs, messages from loved ones who die? Can we communicate with them? Can mediums?
   A: See Deut 18:9-12 | Matt 6:9 | John 14:13 | Rom 8:26
   

2. [07:30] - Q: My fellow Christian family members continue to make statements that loved ones who have passed are now angels or they're guardian angels & are leaving them signs that they are okay and watching over them. I know that humans and angels are distinctly separated & that we don't become angels. How do I respond or am I wrong?
   A: See Rev 14:13 | Heb 13:2
   

3. [11:21] - Q: What do the Jehovah's Witnesses reference from the Bible in that they don't take blood products?
   

4. [13:55] - Q: Calvinism, Arminianism, or Molinism? What is Harvest's position on these views?
   A: See Deut 30:19 | 2 Cor 5:20 | John 6:37 | Deut 29:29
   

5. [21:05] - Q: Why do some preachers only ever preach about God's love and never about His judgement? (Note: Live from the audience question. The question was not captured on the recording, only the answer was.)
   A: See Deut 30:19 | 2 Cor 5:20 | John 6:37 | Deut 29:29
   

6. [23:48] - Q: Can you further explain how God mourns and is saddened with us when tragedy occurs in our lives and how He may not command for these things to happen, but allows it because of the sinful world we live in?
   A: See: John 11:35 - Jesus Wept.
   

7. [28:12] - Q: Describe the differences between "death", "sheol", "hades" and "the lake of fire". What does Rev 20:14 mean when it says that death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire?
   A: See: Matt 11:23 | Luke 16:19-23
   

8. [35:32] - Q: Being in High School I am constantly surrounded by the "do what you think is right" mentality. That being said, how can I be confident in what the Bible says is right and wrong?
   A: See John 7:17 | Judges 21:25
   
   This question was missed due to time constraints during the service. Pastor Jeff will address this in a blog posting on the website. Check back for a link later.
   Q: Why did Jesus (in the whole New Testament) not say a single word about being gay but he condemned adultery and many other things. Did Jesus love gay people who were born this way?

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another for a Christ-seeking, Christ-exalting New Year!

Two Signs that Jesus is Pursuing You (Luke 2:12):

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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Luke 2:1-20

1. What distractions keep you from seeking Christ as you should?

2. What is the biggest way Jesus changed you when you found Him?

3. What was your big "take-away" from this passage / message? What did you learn that you didn't know before?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another to continually be seekers of Christ.