Rainier Valley Church - Seattle

Formation in Faithfulness
Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down
Matthew 5:31-37
Sunday, July 30th
Guest Speaker: Pastor Chris Short

Community Group Questions:
1) What does this passage teach us about the character of God and ourselves?
2) Divorce can be a painful and sensitive subject. How does this passage inform our understanding of divorce and remarriage?
3) As a disciple of Jesus, what does it look like to pursue faithfulness in the marriage covenant?
4) According to the passage, what does it mean to purpose faithful character?
5) How does Christ’s work in the Gospel impact our faithfulness?
6) How does this passage lead you to doxology (worship & praise)?

Discussion Questions for Community Group/Personal Study 

1) Christ claims that all scripture bears witness to him. That may be easy to see in some passages but more obscure in others. Are there any verses or passages that are particularly difficult for you to see Christ? What might be some strategies for you to consider in clarififying them?

2) What are some verses or passages that you can identify that you may understand as something as other than Christ? How can you approach them in a new way to see Christ there?

3) God is a God of revelation, do you think of him as such? How would it change your relationship with him to agree with that or to pursue increasing revelation of who he is?

Discussion Questions for Community Groups or Personal Study 

• What does Jesus mean when he calls his followers salt?
• What does it mean to be salt in the world?
• How can we be salt in our families, workplaces, and communities?
• What does Jesus mean when he calls his followers light?
• How can we be light in the world?
• What are some specific ways that we can shine our light?
• What are some challenges that we face in being salt and light in the world?
• How can we overcome these challenges?
• How can we encourage each other to be salt and light in the world?
• What does it mean to be distinctively Christian in our world?
• How can we live in a way that is both loving and challenging to the world around us?
• How can we be agents of change in our world?
• How can we bring hope and healing to a broken world?

1. Jesus is a master teacher who chose to make his opening statement in his sermon the beatitudes, the first word to be “blessed.” What does that tell you about the character & heart of God?
2. How are we “poor in spirit” when it comes to approaching God?
3. Which beatitude do you find yourself most challenged by?  Why?
4. Meekness is humility in action to others. Where have you shown meekness in your life?  Where do you struggle with meekness?
5. What promises give you the most hope in the beatitudes?

It's Good to Be A Man: The Calling of Godly Masculinity 
Family Life Sermon Series
Sunday, June 18th (Happy Father's Day 2023!)
Rainier Valley Church
Seattle, Washington

Discussion Questions
What does it mean to be a good father or spiritual father?
What are some of the qualities that make a good father or spiritual father?
What are some of the challenges of being a father or spiritual father?
How can fathers and spiritual fathers model God's love for their children?
How can fathers and spiritual fathers teach their children about God?
How can fathers and spiritual fathers help their children grow in their faith?
What are some ways that fathers and spiritual fathers can be encouraged and supported?
What are some practical ways that we can honor our spiritual fathers on Father's Day?
What are some of the things you appreciate most about your father and/or spiritual father?
How can we as a community support fathers in their roles?
What are some ways we can celebrate the importance of fatherhood?

• When you were a kid, who did you want to be like when you grew up and why? How did you imitate your heroes?
• George Bernard Shaw once famously wrote that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it’s the sincerity form of learning” How do we learn through imitation?
• Read Ephesians 5:1 and discuss what does it mean to imitate God? What are some ways that we can do this in our everyday lives?
• Read Psalm 115:4-8 and discuss how do people become like what they worship? What is the connection between beholding and becoming?
• Read 2 Corinthians 3:18 and discuss what it mean that we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another? What does it mean to behold the glory of the Lord? How can we do this? What does it mean to be transformed into the image of Christ? How does this happen?How can we encourage one another to behold the glory of the Lord and be transformed into his image?
• How can we pray for one another this week? How can we serve one another this week? What practical needs are there in our group this week? How can we hold one another accountable to mature spiritually this week? Let's take some time to pray for each other and ask for the Lord's help, power, wisdom, and guidance.

• Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. How can we make sure that our children learn to love God? What are some ways that we can teach our children about God's love by proactively giving them formative teaching or reactive corrective discipline? How can we make our homes a place where God is honored and where His love is evident? What are some different ways that we can we train and teach the next generation intentionally and spontaneously?
• Read Ephesians 6:4. What does it mean for fathers to not provoke their children to anger? What does it mean for fathers to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord? What are some specific ways that fathers can do this? What are some challenges that fathers face in raising their children? How can fathers overcome these challenges? What are some benefits of fathers raising their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord?
• Pastor Kyle interviewed his Mom about the Four Seasons of Parenting in the book of Proverbs - Discipline Years (1-5), Training Years (5-12), Coaching Years (12-18), and the Friendship Years (18+). What are some applications points from this discussion that you would like to apply to your own life and family? If you are single, how has this discussion on parenting helped you to understand your parents and prepared you to become a parent in the future, if the Lord gives you that blessing?
• How can we pray for one another this week? How can we serve one another this week? What practical needs are there in our group this week? How can we hold one another accountable to mature spiritually this week? Let's take some time to pray for each other and ask for the Lord's help, power, wisdom, and guidance.