SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 2:6-15 & 14:1-5

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS WEEK HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What might Paul mean when he says that the mystery of God has been “hidden” from us? How does he suggest we can begin to understand it?

2. How does the “spirit of the world” mislead us or limit us when it comes to understanding God's “mystery”?

3. In 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, Paul talks about receiving the Spirit of God into our hearts, minds, and lives. Why is this important for Christians? How does the Spirit reshape our understanding of the world? Of ourselves?

4. How do you feel about relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance? Have you experienced moments where you felt the Spirit was leading you?

5. In the sermon, Kenny talked about “gifts of the Spirit” like speaking in tongues, prophecy, hospitality, compassion, and helpfulness. Are there any “spiritual gifts” that resonate with you? How has living as a Christian changed you?

6. How can you use your gifts for the “strengthening and building up” of the church here at Revolution? 

7. How can Revolution “strengthen and build up” the Church as a whole?

8. What practices might help you pay more attention to the Spirit of God within you?

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 13 & 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What does it mean to say that “God is love”?

2. Can you think of a situation in your life where understanding God's love changed the way you acted or felt towards someone else?

3. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul emphasizes that “love does not insist on its own way.” What do you think this means?

4. How can you practice not insisting on your own way in a disagreement with a friend, a family member, a coworker, a neighbor?

5. What do you think of the idea of “holding space”? Can you see this idea at work in God’s treatment of us? Can it influence how you treat others?

6. Reflect on a time when someone “held space” for you: how did it feel? What ended up happening? 

7. This message encourages us to act without losing heart when loving others. What are some challenges you face when it comes to showing unconditional love?

8. Paul says Christians are ambassadors of God’s perfect love: what might this mean for you?

9. Where do you need to go in order to meet new people and build deeper, more loving relationships with them?

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 1-4

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. The sermon discusses how defending ourselves in disagreements can widen the gap instead of bringing us together. How can humility help to address this problem? Do you struggle to believe this?

2. Paul writes that the mark of our spiritual maturity is unity, not knowledge. Consider this for a moment: is it true? Is it convicting? How so?

3. Paul realizes, in 1 Corinthians, that Christian communities are filled with people who are often in different stages of maturity when it comes to their faith. What are some of the conflicts this can produce? Does thinking in these terms (of maturity) create space for more grace towards others in your own heart?

4. Spend some time really thinking (and talking!) about the kind of grace God is offering us. Does it bother you to imagine a person who has done worse things than you have done receiving the same treatment you receive? Why? Bring these feelings to the surface, and then read through our Scripture passages today again. What do you see?

5. What is the “scandal of the Cross,” in your own words? What does it mean to embrace the “scandal of the Cross” as a source of unity for Christians?

6. Where is there disunity right now in your relationships with other Christians? As frightening as it might feel, what would it look like for you to imitate Jesus in these relationships?

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 1 & 15

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Paul criticizes the Corinthians for becoming so excited about their new freedoms and gifts in the Holy Spirit that they were forgetting the “partnership with Christ” they were called to. What do you think this means? How might it relate to temptations we also face in our faith?

2. Why do you think it's important for Christians to remember both the costs and promises of God’s Kingdom?

3. What does God’s Kingdom really look like? What are its values? How might “citizens” of God’s Kingdom behave, day in and day out?

4. Jesus died: what does this tell us about God’s commitment to us? What does it teach us about how far love–for others, for the world–can really go?

5. Jesus came back from the dead: what does this tell us about God’s plans for our future? About God’s plans for the world around us? How might “resurrection living” direct the way you treat others? How might it impact the ways you participate in your local community?

6. What might it look like for us to “give [ourselves] fully to the work of the Lord,” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58? Where can we find the courage and hope to really do this?

SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 3:21; Psalm 23; John 14:1-8, 19:30, & 20:19-22; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Can you think of a time in your life when something felt unfair or meaningless? How did it affect your view of life or your faith?

2. Kenny argues that the Teacher’s question in Ecclesiastes 3:21 really is the essential mystery for all of us: “Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward?” What would a real answer to this question change for you, or for where you find hope?

3. In what ways might the character of God give us hope for justice and meaning beyond our physical existence?

4. What does the claim that Jesus “breathed again” after his death really change? What does it reveal about life? About death? About God?

5. What changes would you make in your life if you could fully embrace the idea that death is a transition and not an end?

6. The Teacher is right that our lives really are just “vapor”... but does that mean they are meaningless? What meaning can your life have… even if it is brief? 

7. Kenny argued that living like Jesus might feel pretty “wasteful” in the world’s eyes… but that there is tremendous value in being a person of realhope in your community. What is that value? How can it make a difference?

SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 7:29, 8:16-17, 11:6, & 12:9-14

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What does the poem from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 teach us about timing in our lives?

2. Can you think of a specific time in your life when you had to choose the right moment to act? How did that choice impact your situation?

3. Have you ever experienced a time when waiting for something made it more meaningful? How can that influence the way you approach challenges today?

4. The sermon mentions that 'God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes' (Ecclesiastes 7:29). What do you think this means?

5. The closing instruction of Ecclesiastes is to 'fear God and keep His commandments.’ How do you feel about this? What can you learn from it?

6. In what ways does the concept of 'vapors' or 'smoke' relate to our understanding of life's uncertainty? How do you deal with uncertainty in your own life? Do you find it challenging to trust in God during those times?

SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 3:9-19, & 4:9-12

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS WEEK HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Kenny’s “song” for this week sings, “This is the day that the Lord has made! / Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Do you find this idea comforting? Do you find it sufficient?

2. If it is true that our imaginations are limited by our anxieties about Time and Death, we’re going to struggle to develop a “right” way to live! In this sermon, Kenny discussed two “life philosophies” in the ancient world: Hedonism and Stoicism. How would you define each? Do you see echoes of these philosophies in the world today?

3. Have you ever been tempted by a “hedonistic” life? Where did that road lead for you? What did you learn?

4. Have you ever been tempted by a “stoic” life? Where did that road lead for you? What did you learn?

5. Ecclesiastes suggests that a better option is what we might call a “life of gratitude”: recognizing the many gifts we are given (even in this broken world) and trying to enjoy them. Does this resonate with you?

6. The main challenge of this series is that our conclusions, most weeks, are still going to feel incomplete or insufficient. What are the limits of a “life of gratitude”? What more are we seeking from “the good life”?  

7. What small things in your life bring you joy? How can you make a conscious effort to appreciate them more… and share them?