Discussion Questions

1. What is something God has been teaching you through your Bible reading this week? 
    
2. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
3. Read Ephesians 3:14-21. The reason Paul gives for his prayer is found in the things God has done at the end of chapter 2. What has God been doing in your life that compels you to pray? What things has Christ done that give us reason to pray?
    
4. How can you use Paul’s prayer for a model as you pray for God to work in your own life and in the lives of others?
    
5. What is the significance of the phrase “with all the saints” in verse 18? Why is it important to understand God’s love in the context of our relationships with fellow believers?
    
6. Consider the way Paul concludes his prayer in verses 20 and 21. How should these verses inform the way that we pray and the kinds of things we pray about? How do you think the purpose seen in verse 21 affects the confidence seen in verse 20?

Discussion Questions

1. What is something God has been teaching you through your Bible reading this week? 
    
2. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
3. Read Ephesians 3:1–7. Paul says he is a prisoner of Christ on behalf of you Gentiles. Have you considered the fact that real people in the Bible and throughout history have been imprisoned, tortured, and killed so that you might know the Gospel? How does this reality impact your own faith? How does it impact your interactions with non-believers?
    
4. Read Ephesians 3:8-13. Verse 8 refers to the gospel of Christ as unsearchable riches. What things in your life do you consider your riches? Are there things that compete with the gospel for your attention or affection? What are practical steps you can take to remind yourself of the unsearchable riches of Christ?
    
5. How does Ephesians 3:10 impact your view of the church? Considering this text as well as Hebrews 10:23-25, why is it important to be committed to meeting regularly with the local assembly of believers?
    
6. Because we have been given boldness and confident access to God through our faith in Christ Jesus, take time to pray together as a group for those who are suffering for the sake of the gospel.

Discussion Questions

1. What is something God has been teaching you through your Bible reading this week? 
    
2. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
3. Read Ephesians 2:11-12. What are the readers called to remember in verse 12? Why does Paul want us to remember these? 
    
4. Read Ephesians 2:13-18. What difference does Christ’s work make when compared with verses 11-12? 
    
5. What impact should the truths of verses 13-15 have on the way you view and respond to cultural distrust, racism, nationalism, missions, and hospitality?
    
6. Is there any group of ethnic people you are tempted to be racist or hostile towards in your thoughts, words, attitudes, or actions? How does a proper understanding of Christ’s death and the image of God in people help guard against such temptation? (See also Genesis 1:27, Acts 17:27, Revelation 5:9.)
    
7. Read Ephesians 2:19-22. How does this passage inform your understanding of the church? How can the church be a testimony to the world of the unity that Christ brings?

Discussion Questions

1. What is something God has been teaching you through your Bible reading this week? 
    
2. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
3. Read 3 John. Compare the instructions in 3 John 5-8 with that of 2 John 7-11. Based on these two passages, what responsibilites do we have in regards to partnering with others for the gospel?
    
4. What evidences of sinful pride do we see in the example of Diotrephes in 3 John 9-10? Consider each of Diotrephes’ actions. How would doing the inverse of these actions cultivate attitudes of humility and build unity in the church? 
    
5. How are 3 John 9-10 and 13-14 good examples to imitate in admonishing or encouraging other believers? (See also Matt. 18:15)
    
6. What are ways that you and/or your community group can be more involved in supporting gospel workers?

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. Read 2 John. What does it mean to walk in the truth (v4) and walk according to his commandments (v5)? (See James 1:22-25). Do you rejoice when you see others walking in the truth? How does your walk demonstrate your love for God?
    
3. What kinds of false teachers/deceivers do we face today? How can we be on-guard against them? What roles do spritual disciplines, theology, and doctrine play in this?
    
4. What are some ways of the ways that you have seen false teachers trying to deceive people?
    
5. What implications do verses 10-11 have regarding church governance, church membership, and restorative church discipline? 
    
6. What implications does John’s example in verse 12 have for us in our mass-communication, technology-driven culture?

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. Read Eph. 2:1-3. What does it mean to be “dead in trespasses and sins”? (See Romans 1:18-23, 3:10-18, Eph. 4:18-19.)
    
3. Read Eph. 2:4-10. How does being alive in Christ contrast with the deadness of verses 1-3? (See Galatians 5:13-26)
    
4. How are you tempted to fall back into the Galatians 5:19-21 way of life? Spend some time in prayer asking God to show you any sinful way in your life and confess that sin to God. Ask God to grow you in the evidences of life found in Galatians 5:22-24. 
    
5. What role do works play in Eph. 2:8-10? How does this impact the way you view your own spiritual walk? How does it affect the way you view yourself in relation to unbelievers or other believers?
    
6. What was your understanding of the Gospel before you were saved? How has your understanding of the Gospel changed since then? How would you use this passage to help a non-Christian understand the Gospel?

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. Read Ephesians 1:15-23. In verse 15 Paul gives thanks for the Ephesians’ love toward all the saints. Are other people able to thank the Lord for your love toward all the saints? What are some ways you show love to all of the saints? What are some ways you could love other believers better?
    
3. What is the difference between the kind of knowledge Paul prays about in verses 17-18 and the kind of knowledge in Matthew 7:21-23? (See also John 10:14-15,27)
    
4. Consider that Christ, who has immeasurable power described in verses 19-21, is given as head over all things to the church in verse 22. How does this impact the way you view the church?
    
5. Read Paul’s other prayers, found in Ephesians 3:16-20, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9b-12. What are some insights these passages reveal about prayer? How should these passages affect your own prayers?

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. Read Ephesians 1:7-10. If you have been redeemed through Christ’s blood (v7), how should this impact your life? (Read Galatians 4:3-7, 1 Peter 1:17-19, and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 for a better understanding of redemption.)
    
3. Read Ephesians 1:11-12. What is the inheritance mentioned in verse 11? (See also 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.)
    
4. Read Ephesians 1:13-14. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in this section? How might this be encouraging in times where we don’t feel “close to God”?
    
5. Take time as a group to pray and praise God the Father who chose to call people to Himself before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ who provided redemption through His blood, and the Holy Spirit who seals those who have believed in Christ.

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. Read Ephesians 1:1-6. What are some spiritual blessings we have been blessed with? (Several are mentioned in verses 1-14.)
    
3. Who is doing the actions in verses 1-6? How does this inform your understanding of your relationship with God? (See also 1 Corinthians 1:27-31, Romans 5:8-11, Ephesians 2:1-10) 
    
4. What does verse 4 say we have been chosen for? How does this truth impact your understanding of the Christian walk? (See also 1 Peter 1:13-16)
    
5. What is the motivator for the purpose of God’s will in verse 5? How does this motivate you to respond to God’s work in your life? (See also 1 John 4:7-11)
    
6. For further study, read Romans 9:1-29.  How does this passage in Romans contribute to our understanding of God’s choice in salvation?

Discussion Questions

1. What is one truth or “take-away” from the sermon that you found particularly challenging/convicting/helpful?
    
2. The book of Nahum is a good reminder that God is in control. What fears or temptations do you face that seek to convince you that you are in control? What are some ways we can daily relinquish our lives to God’s sovereign control.
    
3. The book of Nahum paints a very vivid picture of God’s wrath against sin. By what means are we able to celebrate God’s wrath against sin instead of being apalled by it or fearful of it? (See Romans 5:8-11.)