Passage: Genesis 12:1-3, 22:15-19

Questions for thought

How do you define the blessed life?

If God knows everything about you and accepts us unconditionally, why do we struggle with turning over our lives to Him?

How can you be a blessing to someone else today?

Passage: Genesis 3:1-15

Questions for thought

How can you see yourself in Genesis 3:1-15 and how it reflects on the things you say and do?

If we know that we each have faults and shortcomings, why do we hide them from each other?

Why do we try to blame others when we have made a mistake or messed something up?

What is real HOPE and where should your focus be to find it?

Passage: Philippians 4

See Provocative Joy study guide fro weeks 11 and 12 for study questions. The study guide can be found on the "What's Current" page in the OCC app or on the home page of the website. www.oviedocity.church

Passage: Philippians 3:17-21

Questions:

What to you think of when you think about the return of Jesus? Are you somewhat anxious about it? Are you excited and joyful about it?

How do you react to people who have an almost doomsday approach to the return of Christ? How can Paul’s joyful anticipation inform our response?

Paul has more to say in this passage about how we are to live each day than he does about the return of Jesus. How does the way we live make a difference for Jesus before he returns?

What are earthly things that our culture focuses on that we also get caught up in easily? What would be a biblical response to those earthly things?

Citizenship is a hot topic today and it was for the Philippians. Roman citizens had far greater privileges than everyone else. What do you think of the idea that we are citizens in heaven? Why would that have been important to the Philippians? In what way does American citizenship help or hinder being a follower of Christ?

Passage: Philippians 3:12-16

Questions:

How do you hold together the two ends of the spectrum that your salvation depends completely on God yet you are urged to train hard and run the race with all your effort?

Training for a race and running it are both difficult. Yet when Paul compares that to the Christian life he sees the hard work as filled with joy. How is it possible to strive and work for something and yet be filled with joy?

Distance runners talk about hitting a wall and having to work through it to keep going. Once they get passed that emotional/mental wall they have a renewed energy. When have you hit the wall as a follower of Jesus? How have you broken through it or are you still stuck at the wall?

Runners will often train with other runners for encouragement and even in the race will join together in groups. Bike riders do the same thing. In what ways does Christian community help in the race of following Jesus? What are the hard parts of being in Christian community?

Passage: Philippians 3:1-11

Questions:

How would you define what it means to be righteous? How did Paul define it before coming to faith in Christ?

How does the Gospel differ from the way many people think we get to heaven?

In what ways are Christians sometimes modern day Pharisees when it comes to righteousness?

How do you view your life before you came to Christ and how do you view it now? What difference has Jesus made in it?

Paul looks at suffering in a very different light from most people today. How would you describe the common view of suffering today and how does it compare to Paul’s view?

What does Paul mean by the “power of Christ’s resurrection”? How can you experience that today?

Passage: Philippians 2:19-30

Questions:

How would you describe the state of friendships in our society today? How are they similar to and different from what you see in Paul and his friends?

Why do people hold back from friendships and how can following Christ help overcome that?

Jesus said he no longer calls us servants but friends. What does that mean to you?

We tend to have friends who are similar to us. What are the pros and cons of that? What impact does that have on the make up of the church and how we are to reach people who don’t know Jesus?

What is an example of someone being an incredible friend to you?

Application:

What is one thing you can do this week to be a better friend?

Passage: Philippians 2:12-18

Discussion:

Share your story about how you came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Questions:

How has being a follower of Jesus changed your attitude about things in life? In other words, do you grumble and complain less because of Jesus? What areas are still a struggle?

What difference does it make to think about working out your salvation as living out the faith you have in Christ instead of earning something from God?

Fear and trembling are not words often heard when talking about following Jesus. What is a healthy understanding of fear and trembling when it comes to God? What place does that have in your life?

Discussion:

It is a common thing for people to lose some of their initial joy of their salvation. Have you ever gone through a dry spell in your relationship with Jesus? How did you get out of it? Are you in one now?