Reston Bible Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Reston Bible Church
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were you most challenged about in this message? 2. What were you most encouraged about in this message? 3. What are some of the promises of God in his Word that you can count on, that serve to deal with doubts you might face? 4. Is there a time in your life you remember when you experienced doubt? How did you face those doubts? What did God use to help you face those doubts? 5. We’re all different and yet, in so many ways, alike. What are the kinds of doubt you have experienced in your spiritual journey? 6. Why are “feelings” a poor barometer of truth?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What are things you think were better in our country 30-40 years ago? How did Jeremiah see his world change between the start of his ministry in ~627 BC and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC? 2. While we may never openly admit we believe the prosperity gospel, what are ways we functionally live as if it were true (e.g., God is transactional, and since I have obeyed Him, He owes me this blessing)? 3. Read Jeremiah’s prayer in Jeremiah 20:7-18 after he was beaten and put in the stocks for obeying and preaching God’s Word. What emotions do you see in Jeremiah? What does he know is true about God? Have you ever been able to relate to Jeremiah and this level of pain and frustration? 4. Read Jeremiah’s prayer in Jeremiah 32:16-25 after he obeyed God and bought a field that would look foolish to everyone. What is Jeremiah trusting about God and His character? 5. Pastor Aaron pulled four truths from Jeremiah when facing the messes of this world: 1) Recognize life is hard, 2) God can handle our emotions, 3) Our emotions do not justify disobedience, 4) Just keep obeying. Which of these stuck out to you most? Why? 6. What do you think it looks like to bring our emotions to the Lord in a healthy way? Do you agree with Pastor Aaron’s statement that if we don’t take our emotions to the Lord in a healthy way they will have a negative impact on those closest to us? Where have you seen this in your life? 7. What are ways people use their poor emotions to justify their disobedience? 8. While God hasn’t commanded you to buy a field like He did to Jeremiah, what are clear commands of Scripture where you need to grow in your obedience? How does meditating on God’s character and promises help us obey?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. When you think of loyal people, who comes to mind and why? 3. How have you seen the quality of loyalty change in our world and in the church? 4. What makes it difficult to be loyal in the course of life? 5. In what area do you feel you have done well in a journey toward loyalty? 6. Who else in the Bible is an example of the things we’ve been talking about in this message? 7. Is there a way in which you feel the Lord is encouraging you to take a forward step in the area of loyalty in your life?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Describe a particular test that you have had your life. How did you respond to the test, and what did you learn from it? 3. Why do you think it is so difficult at times to stay faithful in life’s difficulties? 4. Who is someone in your life who seems to be able to respond faithfully in life’s difficulties and tests? Why do you think they are able to do so? 5. Have you ever failed in some way and didn’t feel you could move forward from it? (No need to be specific.) How has God worked with you to move forward?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCESLiving Faith, Part 1: A Biblical Theology of SufferingSermon by Pastor Jim Supp | February 12, 2023
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Would you say that life is good or hard for you now? What works for you to keep your eyes on Jesus and not get distracted with the things of the world or doubt God’s goodness? 2. God speaks to our heart. So does the enemy (John 13:2). How do we learn to recognize who is talking to us? Do you have instances in your life where you can recall either God or the enemy speaking to your heart? 3. Did your parents do anything to help you understand and “own” your faith in Jesus? What have you found to be helpful in helping your children or grandchildren understand and know Jesus by faith? 4. How do we imitate the faith of spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:7) without falling into the trap of “following” them rather than God? 5. The title of this message was “It’s Not About You.” The key lesson was: It’s about God with you. In what situation in your life right now can you apply this truth? 6. We have an enemy that is after us for a life time. The Bible tells us to run with endurance the race set before us. (Hebrews 12:1). How do we go about increasing our ability to sustain our focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), listen to His Spirit (Hebrews 3:7-8), and walk by faith (Galatians 5:16)? 7. We build our relationship with God through the Word, prayer, and fellowship. What are some ways to improve each of these areas in your life?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. When you hear the phrase, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36), what comes to mind? 3. In what ways have you sought to steward or limit your freedoms related to one of the points given in the message? 4. How have you seen the shift in our cultural environment regarding sacrificing for others, impact the thinking of people even in the church? 5. How have you applied the notion of disciplining yourself for a greater goal—like a sports training experience—which illustrates the spiritual need to do the same? 6. What is your most meaningful take away from this message?
The post Freedom: The Heart of God, Part 2 – Limits to Freedom appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. The message contrasts law and grace. In what ways are Christians tempted today to drift back toward “works” instead of resting in justification by faith alone? 2. The Great Liberator Jesus, freed us from many spiritually connected problems. Which of those freedoms do you most need to remember right now and why? 3. Paul warns the Galatians not to submit again to a “yoke of slavery.” What are some modern yokes of slavery—spiritual, emotional, cultural, or religious—that believers can fall back into? 4. The sermon connects freedom with gospel impact, missions, generosity, and service. How should our freedom in Christ move us outward toward others rather than inward toward self-protection or comfort? What is a specific next step the Lord wants you to take?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. At the beginning of chapter 16, Paul lists a number of believers who have been great partners and influences in the gospel. Who would be on your “Romans 16” list of believers? 2. Why does Paul describe his ministry using Old Testament priestly language in 15:14-21? How does this imagery shape the way we think about our mission as Christians and as a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9)? 3. In 16:1-16, Paul lists a large number of sincere relationships that he has with the Roman Christians. * What keeps people from forming meaningful relationships in the church today? * What advice would you give to the person who is struggling to find meaningful relationships in the church? 4. What does it mean to be “wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” in 16:19? 5. What are some subtle ways Christians can become undiscerning toward false teaching?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Why does Paul call one group “weak” and the other “strong” in 14:1-2? What is he referring to? 2. What does Romans 14:6 teach us about the motivations of sincere believers who reach different conclusions? 3. How can we distinguish between a core biblical conviction that should be defended and a personal conviction that should not be imposed on others? 4. About what matters of conscience are you tempted to judge those who disagree with you? 5. Which is more difficult for you personally: not judging those with greater freedom, or not despising those with stricter convictions? Why?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most from this message on Romans 13? 2. What does it mean to submit to governing authorities? 3. How can we reconcile the command to submit to governing authorities with situations where these authorities may act unjustly? 4. In what ways does love fulfill the law? 5. How does Paul’s teaching on love challenge our current societal norms and personal habits? 6. How should the idea of the nearness of salvation influence your attitudes and actions? 7. How can you “clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ” as Paul advises? 8. How does the teaching in Romans 13 inspire you to live differently in the present day?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. Discuss the notion that God is the master of ironic reversals, with the greatest being that of salvation in Christ? How does that change your perspective on your journey? 3. Discuss the tendency of all people to hold onto the wounds of this life and then the anger that results. How have you seen this bring damage in your life or the life of someone you know? 4. How does the statement, “I’m not what I could be and under other circumstance likely would be,” strike you? 5. In what way have you struggled with being humble in your life? How has the Lord provided opportunities for you to learn humility? 6. Summarize the most meaningful thing you have learned from this message.
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE VERSES ON HUMILITYDo nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:12-13)
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Do you see yourself as an instrument in the hand of God? What stands in the way of this perspective? 3. Is seeing yourself this way a lack of humility? Explain. 4. How do you respond to the notion that when Jesus said to love your neighbor, He may have meant your actual neighbor? 5. In what way do you feel God wants to use you “right where you are”? 6. Prayerfully, none of us would ever be called upon to actually lay down our lives. What are the thoughts that come to mind when considering Jesus’ call to lay down our lives for others?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. This chapter in Esther is the moment of existential crisis in the book. How do you think you would have felt if you were in this situation? 3. Have you ever felt a struggle to trust God in a dark time? Explain. 4. Have you ever felt like you did the right thing but were overlooked or unnoticed? 5. What makes it difficult to do the right thing in a world increasingly off track? 6. What does it mean to be salt and light in our world? 7. What do you see as a takeaway from this message for you?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this passage? 2. It what ways in your own life’s journey have you seen God use broken people—someone you know or in your own life? 3. Have you ever felt sidelined for use in the hand of God? Can you explain? 4. How have you seen our world become more disconnected and oversexualized? 5. How do you resist this trend in your own life? 6. How can the church do a more effective job of mitigating the impact of these things in the body of Christ?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. What have your thoughts and feelings been regarding the book of Esther and the questions that it raises about godliness? 3. How have you felt about the faith and morality of Esther and Mordecai? 4. Discuss the introduction to the series today and whether it was helpful in laying a foundation moving forward? 5. In our day, there are many discussions about national leaders. Discuss your how well you are able to maintain the perspective that God remains on the throne. 6. Has envying those with power and wealth been a problem for you? Discuss. 7. Discuss the providence of God versus the miraculous intervention of God in human history and your life. How does that sit with you?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Dr. Tackett said that the root of human fallenness is self-centeredness. He also said it is expanding in our current cultural environment. Do you agree or disagree and why? 3. Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Discuss the fact that our world calls us to seek significance but God sees it differently. How does this tension play out in your own life? 4. Dr. Tackett spoke about the fact that we all have a script about how life is supposed to play out. Problems occur when our script is “stepped on” by other people and life circumstances. What is something that is on your script that has been stepped on in recent days? 5. What part of the story of Naaman do you relate to the most and why? 6. In what ways has God failed to “follow your script” and how does that feel to you? 7. What do you need to release to the Lord to be able to engage God’s larger script over your own smaller script?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. Of the four implications of God’s faithfulness discussed in this message, which one is the most significant to you, and why? 3. Which one do you struggle to experience most significantly, and why? 4. In what ways do you see that God has been faithful to you on your journey in life? 5. What is a meaningful insight you have learned from this series that will go with you into the future?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. How does God’s love conform to his other attributes? 2. What factors have shaped your view of God’s love? 3. What are some examples of how God’s love has been revealed in your life? 4. In what circumstances of life do you tend to doubt God’s love? Why is that? How do you counter this tendency? 5. How does understanding God’s love change the way you interact with others? 6. How does John’s teaching on love challenge you to re-evaluate our relationships with others, especially those who are difficult to love? 7. Read 1 John 4:11-21. How does John connect love for God and love for others?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you about this message? 2. Respond to the statement that modern people think more of the power in nature than the power of God, making us one step removed from God. Do you feel this is true? 3. How cognizant are you throughout the day of the power of God in the world around you and in your own life? 4. How have you struggled to hold in tension the omnipotence of God and the apparent randomness of life? 5. How does believing in the omnipotence of God, which will bring you to your final destination of glorification in eternity, assist you in daily living? 6. Are there struggles in your life that need to be set at the foot of the cross and God’s sovereign control? Discuss.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Before we discuss the content of the sermon, what stood out to you from the actual story of Naboth and the vineyard in 1 Kings 21? 2. As you look at your life and the world around you, where do you see examples of justice applied at the expense of mercy, and mercy applied at the expense of justice? 3. What does it mean that justice and mercy are not merely actions that God performs or adjectives describing God’s character, but attributes of God? 4. What does it mean (and what does it not mean) that God is wrathful toward evil? Describe the argument that Pastor David made that we should want a God who is wrathful towards evil. Do you agree or disagree, and why? 5. How does the cross fully display both God’s justice and mercy?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What was one big takeaway for you from this message about the supremacy of God expressed through Jesus Christ? 2. Read Colossians 1:15-16. Paul says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God and that all things were created by Him and for Him. How does knowing that you were created by Christ and for Christ shape your sense of identity and purpose? Where are you tempted to find identity apart from Him and His authority? 3. Read Colossians 1:17. In Jesus, all things hold together. What does this truth mean for your everyday life, especially in seasons of anxiety or uncertainty? Can you think of a recent moment when you needed to be reminded that Jesus is holding things together? 4. Read Colossians 1:18. Christ is the head of the body, the church. What does it look like practically to live under the leadership of Christ in your local church? What is keeping you from seeing church as a vital way of being connected to Christ? 5. Read Colossians 1:18-20. Jesus is the “firstborn from the dead. ” How does Christ’s resurrection give you hope in this life and in facing death? How might this truth reshape how you think about suffering or the future? 6. Read Colossians 1:21-23. Paul describes our former state as alienated but now reconciled through Christ. In what ways do you still struggle to believe that you are reconciled and “holy, blameless, and above reproach” in Christ? How can we encourage each other to continue steadfastly in the faith and not drift?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. How do you see ethnic struggles in our world and in the church at large? 3. Have you ever been on the receiving end of discrimination? If so, in what way? 4. Discuss the challenges of relating to people of different ethnic backgrounds. What do you find challenging? 5. What are practical steps you might recommend our church leaders to consider as we become more multicultural? 6. How could you more proactively take steps toward unity in our church body?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most about this message? 2. What have you felt most valuable in your work history? 3. Discuss your struggle to find meaning and honor God in your journey of work? 4. Is the fact that you bring meaning TO the work and we are not to find our identity IN the work, new to you? Explain. 5. How has God used you in and through the way you spend the bulk of your time – whether a job with a salary or not? 6. What will you do differently as a result of this message?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. How have you seen child rearing in our culture change over the course of time? 3. Do you agree that the valuing of children has changed in our culture? Explain. 4. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. How do you see this playing out effectively in the lives of people around you? 5. When you think of the elements of “train up an child in the way he should go,” what are the ones that rise to the surface? Brainstorm a list. 6. If you are a grandparent, married without children, or single, in what ways could this message apply to you? If you are married with children, what do you think the contribution could be from those who do not have children? 7. How has this message impacted the way you will interact differently with the children in your sphere of influence?
OTHER RESOURCESThe Value of Children
“Heritage from the Lord”
RBC Sermon by David Wright
Choosing Childlessness“Why Are So Many Americans Choosing to Not Have Children?”
New York Times
“11 Reasons People Choose Not to Have Children”
Psychology Today
Lowering Birth Rate“U.S. Fertility Rate Falls to Record Low”
Wall Street Journal
Abortion Data“More black babies are aborted in NYC than born.”
Politifact
“Research Confirms 95.9% of Abortions are Killing Babies as Birth Control, Just .4% for Rape”
LifeNews.com
“Questions and Answers on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors”
Charlotte Lozier Institute
Parentage Laws and Birth Certificates“Massachusetts Erasing ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ from Family Law”
Alliance Defending Freedom
Child Trafficking Stats“Child Trafficking – Every 2 Minutes a Child is Sold”
Safe House Project
Fentanyl Deaths
“Number of overdose deaths from fentanyl in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022”
Statista
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. How have you historically understood the idea that we are made in the image of God? Did this message alter your understanding given we are created male and female? 3. Why is it important for a single person to embrace the biblical picture of the image of God in male and female? 4. Discuss the male and female responsibilities addressed in the message. How have you seen these lived out well in your life? How you have seen them lived out poorly? 5. Discuss how you have handled a situation with someone in your life who is dealing with sexual brokenness. Do you feel you have been able to speak the truth in love? Explain. 6. What are your thoughts on how to train children to understand the issues of the sexuality in our changing world?
OTHER RESOURCESMessages from Christopher Yuan on Holy Sexuality
God’s Creation, God’s Design: Walt Heyer
God’s Creation, God’s Design: Maria Kefler
God’s Creation, God’s Design: Sharon Supp
God’s Creation, God’s Design: Panel Discussion
God’s Creation, God’s Design: Discussion with Jim Supp and Walt Heyer
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most about this sermon? 2. How do you see the ocean as a metaphor for living in culture? How do you see that playing out in your own life? 3. How have you seen the efforts to be “free from God” actually result in the degrading of people and not bring significance? 4. What does it mean for a person to pursue Christ alone? 5. What are ways that you can facilitate the light of Christ filling your eyes (Matthew 6:22-23)? 6. If laying our lives down for Christ is, in part, manifested by valuing others above yourself, what might that mean this week?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. Has there ever been a time when you felt desperate for Christ? Explain. 3. Without necessarily discussing details, is there a time when you felt that the Lord couldn’t cleanse you? How did you move forward from that experience? 4. Read Romans 8:1. Discuss how one goes from knowing this verse to living this verse? 5. How do we live in the tension of dheap grace (I can do whatever I want and the Lord will forgive me) and condemnation (Jesus can’t forgive me for this one)? 6. What other Scriptures speak to you about God’s healing power when we sin and experience shame? Discuss. 7. Is there an experience of freedom in your life that God may want to use in helping others experience freedom? Explain.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Pastor David opened up the last two sermons by referencing how Jesus is both immanent and transcendent. Which of these characteristics do you tend to primarily associate with Jesus, and why? 2. Why do you think that Jesus transfigured before Peter, James, and John, but not the rest of the disciples? 3. How does Jesus’ transfiguration provide the disciples – and us – sustained encouragement during trials and suffering? 4. When you think about yourself from years ago, where do you see evidences of Jesus’ transforming power in your own life? 5. How might this passage be a good evangelistic tool with people who claim to follow the Bible but do not believe that Jesus is Yahweh (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.)?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. As a group, look back at John 11:1-44. What stands out to you about the way that Jesus ministers to Mary and Martha? 2. David’s main idea was, “When we suffer, Jesus ministers to us with his tender love, timing, truth, tears, and triumph.” Which of those five “T’s” have you found the most comforting when you have suffered? 3. Jesus is a model of ministering both with truth and tears. * When was a time in your life where someone supported you in suffering with truth, tears, or both? * What can happen when we minister with all truth and no tears? * What can happen when we minister with all tears and no truth? 4. Read the story right after Jesus raises Lazarus in John 11:45-53. What are the different responses to Jesus raising Lazarus? How do those responses compare with the way that people respond to Jesus today?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you from yesterday’s message? 2. Just as Nicodemus came to Jesus by night out of fear of how the rest of the Pharisees and Sanhedrin would perceive him, has there ever been any moments in your life where you avoided revealing your beliefs about Jesus out of fear of others? 3. With a new birth comes new identity. In what ways have you found yourself identifying with God/Jesus Christ since being born again? 4. With a new birth comes new awareness. In what areas of your life has the Holy Spirit brought new awareness? 5. What dangers might lie in presenting John 3:16 as a single verse by itself without the added context of Jesus’ full response in the surrounding verses? 6. How do you think Nicodemus felt upon hearing that if he didn’t believe that Jesus was God’s only Son, he was “condemned already”? How do think the world responds to this message?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out most to you in this message? 2. What is something that you see in our world that seems to be the result of spiritual blindness? 3. Can you recall life without Christ in your life and the spiritual blindness that you experienced? 4. What were key elements is your journey toward spiritual sight? 5. How do you see religious activity contributing to spiritual blindness in other and in yourself? 6. What are critical passages in the Bible that God has used to be a light to your path? 7. What elements of today’s message stood out related to other you are seeking to talk to about Christ?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What are situations in your life where you feel Satan has an opportune time to tempt you to sin or to doubt God’s goodness? 2. Where were you when you first encountered Jesus? Who first told you about Him? Have you told your friends and family about Jesus? 3. How would you describe where you are in your journey with Jesus? 4. The speaker said that we need to be strong in the Word. What would a practical application look like for you to do that? 5. What have you been pondering in your heart as you have been hearing God’s word and seeing God’s work? 6. How do you keep yourself from taking God’s blessings and making them all about you? 7. How would you evaluate yourself in regards to living with Jesus as your Master, a boss who is superior but with limited authority, or Jesus as your Lord, the one with complete, supreme authority? 8. Describe the situations in your life when you felt that you were trying to run from God or avoid Him? 9. What does it mean to you that Jesus didn’t come to judge you but to save you, and give you a mission with eternal value? 10. What part of your life are you struggling to give up in order to follow Jesus?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What is your main takeaway from the message? 2. What do you suppose the disciples may have said about going through Samaria to get to Galilee? Why? 3. How does Jesus’ offer of “living water” differ from what the woman thinks he means (John 4:10-15)? 4. Why did the woman focus the conversation on a religious controversy (v. 19)? How do people do this today? 5. What is significant about Jesus choosing this woman as the first person to whom He revealed Himself specifically as the Christ? 6. What was her impact on the people of her town (vv. 39-42)? How would you describe her approach to the gospel with her fellow Samaritans? What can we learn from her? 7. How would you compare your own thirst before you knew Christ to the woman at the well? In what way did Jesus reach out to you back then?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in the message? 2. The Centurion’s care for others was remarkable given his position of authority. Who is someone you know who surprisingly puts others above himself/herself? 3. Humility requires the ability to see oneself in proper perspective related to God and others. What makes it difficult to personally develop humility? 4. Who is someone you consider to be humble, and why do you think so? 5. Do you agree that submission to authority is a significant issue in our time? Why or why not? 6. How does the struggle to submit to authority play out in your own life? 7. The Centurion had a matter-of-fact but unwavering trust in Jesus and what He could accomplish. Discuss the issue of faith/trust and your personal ability to trust Jesus.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Discuss the definition of discipleship. Feel free to look it up and come to a consensus in the group. 2. In what ways do you see yourself as a disciple and in what ways could you improve? 3. How important is baptism for the believer? What has your baptism meant to you? If you have not been baptized as a believer, what is standing in the way? 4. Bryce spoke about how the entire New Testament is focused on God’s work in and through the local church. Discuss the notion that the church is God’s primary tool to expand the gospel. 5. What do you see as your part in strengthening the local church? 6. What do you see as your part in the Great Commission?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most about this message?
2. We all likely struggle with the issue of possessions in some way. What is your specific struggle? Wanting more, finding security there and not in the Lord?
3. When you consider the elements of godliness that we discussed, which rise to the surface as particular challenges for you?
Righteousness: Choose to do what’s right
Faith: Trust God
Love: Put others first
Steadfastness: Never give up
Gentleness: Be mild-mannered
4. Pursuing godliness without being content is insufficient to be the “great gain” that Paul is talking about. How content of an individual would you describe yourself to be?
5. What is one step you can commit to making this week to pursue godliness more effectively?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. Why do you think maintaining order in the church is so challenging? 3. What are elements of a church that operates well and those that do not? 4. In what ways are you investing in others and being invested in by others? 5. What steps could you take to sure up the investment process in either or both directions in your own life? 6. Is RBC an encouraging church from your perspective? How do you think we could improve? How might you help us?
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 9: Order and Honor in the Church appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
In Part 5 of our Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church series, Pastor Jim covered the topic of women in ministry from 1 Timothy 2. This video addresses additional aspects of that topic not covered Sunday morning or in the evening panel discussion.
0:48 – A Biblical Foundation for Husbands and Wives
31:05 – Cultural Elements Regarding Men and Women
49:26 – RBC Structures & Processes Regarding Women in Ministry
56:27 – Additional Q&A from the Evening Discussion
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church: Women in Ministry Supplemental Session appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Read 1 Timothy 4:6-16. What stood out the most to you from the passage or the message? 2. How does the metaphor of a UPS driver aptly describe the role of a Christian teaching the gospel? 3. What does it look like for Christians to “train for godliness” rather than buy into “irreverent, silly myths”? 4. How does godliness hold promise both in this life and the life to come? 5. Have you ever felt looked down upon because of your youth? How did you respond? How can you encourage the young Christian leaders in your life to “set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity”?
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 8: Teach, Train, Toil appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. What would you consider to be some of the targets of false and deceptive teaching in the church in our day? 3. What would being a more being a more active student of the Word mean for you? 4. Discuss the difficulties in embracing the Church as God’s instrument even though it is flawed. 5. Discuss the challenges you face in finding an effective balance when it comes to liberty? 6. Do you tend to lean toward the side of discipline or liberty? Explain. 7. Pray for our church to be a place of biblical depth and wonderful community, living in disciplined freedom.
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 7: The Enemy’s Target on the Church appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. In what ways do you see the church in the crosshairs of our enemy? 3. How has your attitude changed regarding the church as an institution in our world? 4. What makes it difficult for you to be more a part of the church as an organism? 5. Read 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. If you could craft an ideal picture of your contribution to the family of God, what would that be? 6. Pray for Reston Bible Church and the full participation of all who call it home.
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 6: The Church – The Steward of the Gospel appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. What has been your historic perspective on the issue of men and women in the church? 3. How has your perspective been modified given this message? 4. How have you seen this matter handled well or poorly in your church experience? Be sure to not name names regarding any recent challenges. 5. How have you seen our culture influence the matter of men and women, and how has that impacted the church? 6. How have you experienced women being used mightily by the Lord in ministry? 7. Spend some time praying for the leaders of our church.
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 5: Women in Ministry appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Have you ever been in a mission trip to a part of the world very different from your own? What did you learn? 3. Was there anything that changes long-term for you due to a mission trip? 4. Who has the Lord brought into your life in recent days from a very different part of the world? Neighbor, coworker…? 5. Have you ever had a conversation about their history, their country, or their religion? What may be getting in the way? 6. What would it mean to become a better student of your international friend? 7. Pray asking the Lord to open doors with those around you from other parts of the world.
The post Before the Throne: Every Nation, Tribe, People, and Language appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS The post A Heritage from the Lord appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. How does Paul’s instruction on prayer in 1 Timothy 2 apply to your prayer life today? 3. What do you pray for most? Who do you pray for most? 4. Look at these two prayers of Paul: Ephesians 1:15-21; 3:14-19. How would praying these prayers for others affect the way you pray for them? 5. How can praying for leaders and authorities affect your personal perspective and societal living? 6. What do you learn about God’s character from verses 4-6? 7. How does understanding Jesus as the sole mediator between God and mankind affect your understanding of salvation?
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 4: Heart of the Father, Work of the Son appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Are you a leader? Why or why not? Are there ways in your life in which you do function as a leader? 3. In what ways does any group of people rise and fall due to leadership? 4. Review the list of qualities below that we outlined as critical for those in leadership. Which two or three rise to the surface as true of you? * Blameless * Marital Faithfulness * Mastery of Self (Sober minded/Self-controlled/Respectable) * Care for Others (hospitality) * Able to Impart Truth to Others * Not Mastered by Passions (Alcohol/Anger/Money) * Present and Respected at Home * Respected by Outsiders 5. Which rise to the surface as those which need some work in your life? 6. Do a word or subject search to find other verses on this topic. 7. What action step can you take this week to exemplify growth in leadership in a given area?
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 3: Expectations of Godly Leadership appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. As a follower of Christ, how have you felt called by God, first for salvation and then for His use? 3. Paul says he is the foremost of sinners. Is that encouraging to you, or is it easy to see yourself as so much less sinful? How do you respond to the notion that, under other circumstances, we all have the potential to be the worst of sinners? 4. Discuss the notion of acting in ignorance or in the suppression of truth. How do those apply to your own life and in the world around us? 5. In what ways have you seen the mercy, grace, and patience of God in your own life? 6. Discuss your journey of developing a grateful heart regarding these things
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 2: God Uses the Broken but Humble appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. In your own journey, have you thought much about the concern for false teaching? Discuss. 3. How have you seen the changes in the church over the last several decades? Have you been able to discern the movement from truth being external to human beings to the perspective that truth is from within? Discuss the notion that people used to largely stay in their “swim lanes” to people mixing and matching elements across these lanes. 4. In what ways have you been exposed to false teaching in your journey as a believer in Christ? 5. When you consider studying the Bible, what methods or principles do you use to come to clarity on what a given passage means? 6. Discuss the statement “There is one interpretation and many applications.” Do you agree? Why or why not? 7. Read 2 Timothy 2:15. What steps could you take to be a more effective student of the Bible?
The post Paul’s Loving Charge to the Church, Part 1: Guarding Sound Doctrine appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stuck out to you about this message? 2. Discuss the comments about the worldview of the Bible. Do you agree or disagree that the Bible speaks more strongly about the value of people and the brokenness of people than other worldviews? 3. What were some of the elements of your worldview prior to knowing Christ? 4. What worldview elements of the Bible offended you in your journey and which ones drew you near? 5. Did you find the arguments of the missing body and martyrdom of the disciples to be compelling? Why or why not? 6. What are the elements of Marcus’ story that you found most impacting to you? 7. Is there someone in your life who really needed to hear Marcus’ story? Why is that?
The post Easter Sunday 2024 appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. Joel Rosenberg refers to Israel and Jerusalem in particular as the epicenter. Why do you think that is? (For the leader: Jerusalem is one of the most holy cities in the world for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.) 3. Read John 10:10: The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Joel discussed that whatever God wishes to bless and use, Satan wishes to destroy. How is what is happening in the Holy Land right now explained in some measure by John 10:10? 4. In what way has your perspective changed regarding the events in Israel and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as a result of this message? 5. Joel refers to the Jews as one of the most hard-hearted people. Read Amos 9:9 and reflect on how Joel applied this to recent events. 6. How might your prayer life change as a result of this message?
The post What Is God Doing Among Israelis and Palestinians? appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONYou can hear more from Joel Rosenberg on the Joshua Fund’s “Inside the Epicenter” podcast:
Listen to the podcast here
The post Making Sense of the Middle East appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most in this message? 2. We often connect contentment to circumstances. Discuss why we do this and the challenge of rising above circumstances. 3. If contentment is learned, discuss your journey in learning contentment. 4. Read Philippians 4:13. Discuss what this verse means related to your spiritual journey today. Consider the specific context. 5. Read Philippians 4:19. Discuss God’s promise of provision and how this impacts your contentment. 6. What is something you might work on this week as you consider the need for greater contentment in your life?
The post To Live Is Christ, Part 6: Contentment appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
A "know so" hope means recognizing that doubting is human, that this life is not all there is, that this life does not compare to what is to come, and that this world's trouble is temporary.
The post Abounding in Hope, Part 2: A ‘Know So’ Hope appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you from this message? 2. Discuss the biblical definition of hope in contrast to the worldly perspective. In your personal journey, how well have you been able to maintain focus on the biblical definition? 3. Discuss the notion that the church is set in the context of the culture in which we live. How have you seen or experienced ways that culture has influenced our perspective on hope? 4. Share your personal perception of “the fear of God.” Are there ways that your perception should align to a more biblical view of fearing God? 5. Have you ever been angry at God? Did it resolve? Why or why not? What are the results of not moving away from anger? 6. Review the four steps of a lament outlined in Psalm 13 (Turn to God – Psalm 13:1, Bring Your Complaint – Psalm 13:2, Ask Boldly for Help – Psalm 13:3-4, Choose to Trust – Psalm 13:5-6). Identify, read and discuss a different Psalm of Lament as it relates to these steps. 7. How is lament distinct from merely grieving or complaining? Why is it important to know the difference? Discuss what it would mean to be apply biblical lament in your own life. 8. What might you do differently in your own walk with Christ this week because of this message?
The post Abounding in Hope, Part 1: The Desperate Need of All People appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
God’s calling to “go” will always disrupt our lives because it supersedes our fears, prejudices, comforts, social status, and preferences.
The post From the Field: Go appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
In Jesus Christ, our daily walk with His Holy Spirit brings true freedom. Freedom is not doing whatever we want, but wisely living by the law of love.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 8: Freedom in the Spirit appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to build up God's church, not to just consume.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 7: The Edifying Gifts appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
Spiritual gifts are not secret abilities to be gained or discovered, but they are ministry assignments to be stewarded.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 6: The Sign Gifts appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
Our job is to move through life in tandem with the Holy Spirit, being able to follow His lead on every turn. We keep in step with the Spirit by renewing our minds in the Word every day, but learning to discern, and by seeking wise counsel.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 5: Keep in Step appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
Prayer is proportionate to power. Prayer is evidence of the Spirit of Christ within us, dependence on the Spirit at work for us, and confidence in the Spirit's work through us.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 4: Prayer in the Spirit appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
The "filling of the Holy Spirit" happens when the Spirit empowers a Christian to give unique witness to Jesus Christ through verbal proclamation and holy living.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 3: The Filling of the Spirit appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
The Holy Spirit is the seal—a down payment or guarantee—of our future inheritance, in which we will see God face to face and reap every blessing of being fully in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 2: The Sealing of the Spirit appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, has an immensely important role in creation, in revelation and inspiration, and in salvation.
The post The Holy Spirit, Part 1: Introduction appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
A Barnabas doesn't look at someone for who they are, but invests in them for what they can become by the grace of God.
The post Being a Barnabas appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
True faith will be lived out in a consistent way that includes pursuing truth, committing to Christ-centered community, and being willing to engage in hard conversations.
The post Living Faith, Part 16: Turning Another Around appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
God takes the prayers of His people and weaves them providentially and sovereignly into His plans, for our encouragement and for His glory. The community is built up when we pray.
The post Living Faith, Part 15: Fervent Prayer appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPSThe post Living Faith, Part 14: Let Your Yes Be Yes appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Discuss the challenges of considering ourselves to be “rich” when we compare ourselves to those who are much more wealthy. 3. In what ways do you tend to rely more on possessions than on God Himself? 4. 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that God wants us to be cheerful givers. Would you consider yourself to be reasonably generous? In what way is generosity a struggle for you? 5. Paul says that he has learned to be content in every circumstance, whether in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:11) Discuss your journey regarding contentment related to material possessions. 6. What is a primary takeaway from this message?
The post Living Faith, Part 13: Possessions and Priorities appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were your impressions of this week’s message? 2. Recognizing the need to realistically plan for the future along with the human tendency to presume upon what will happen next, how have you seen this play out in your own life? 3. What have you learned in your journey, and the journeys of those around you, about the uncertainty of the future? Can you give an example? 4. How have you seen God sovereignly work in the life of someone in Scripture or in your own life personally, in a way that was unexpected, clearly showing His prerogative to change course? 5. What is upcoming in your life in school, the workplace, military, retirement, or anything else, that you must hold onto loosely in case God decides to change course? 6. Can you think of a situation that turned out far different that you anticipated but have come to see God’s hand in it for His greater good?
The post Living Faith, Part 12: Pride, Planning, and Perspective appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were your impressions of this message this week? 2. Discuss your struggle to provide grace rather than a critical spirit when others fail to meet your expectations. 3. What are situations that tend to get you frustrated and willing to say something about others that might be inappropriate? 4. Who is someone in your life that is good at giving grace? What can you learn from them? 5. What are some scriptures related to being encouraging to others? Discuss. 6. Discuss the challenges you have faced with regard to being humble. It is such a hard thing to develop.
The post Living Faith, Part 11: “Don’t Judge Me!” appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you most about this message? 2. We all have areas in our lives in which we need to submit to others – government, workplace, etc. What is your internal response to the idea of submission? Why do you believe you respond that way? 3. In what way are you accountable to someone else for your own benefit in maintaining a clean heart before the Lord? 4. Discuss the idea of gratefulness. How well have you done in your own discipleship journey of cultivating a heart of gratefulness? 5. When you think of being in the world but not of it, what are the points of tension in your own life? Are there ways in which you could navigate this line more effectively?
The post Living Faith, Part 10: Draw Near to God appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. What are some things of this world (the world system) that stand in opposition to the things of the Lord? 3. When it comes to the things of this world, what are those areas that are most attractive to you—possessions, position, pleasures? 4. Are there other things that come to mind that are distracting you from your walk with the Lord? 5. When it comes to asking God for things, talk about any struggle you have to ask with right motives. 6. What steps do you take in an effort to walk in the Spirit?
The post Living Faith, Part 9: The Cause of Worldliness appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in the message from this weekend? 2. Who is the wisest person you know? What makes you say that? 3. How do you see worldly wisdom flourishing in the world around you? In what areas do you see it most at work? 4. Can you think of examples of the implementation of Godly wisdom in the world around you? Why do you think that is? 5. Discuss the eight qualities of the implementation of wise decisions. Talk about your areas of success and need for improvement. 6. What is a practical step you can take this week to implement wisdom in a more Godly way?
The post Living Faith, Part 8: Implementing Wisdom appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in the message from this week? 2. Describe someone you know who is effective with their words. Why do you think they are so good at it? 3. What is the kind of situation in which your words are most likely to cause difficulty? 4. Is there a time when the careless words of another made a lasting impact on you? If you are comfortable, please share it with the group. 5. When you are most likely to have difficulty with words, what is contributing to that in your heart? 6. What makes it a challenge to be more encouraging with your words? 7. What is a Scripture verse that means the most to you related to this discussion? Decide to memorize it.
The post Living Faith, Part 7: Watch Your Mouth appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1.
The post Death Could Not Hold Him: Easter 2023 appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. 1. What stands out to you regarding this message? 2. Discuss the tension between Paul’s focus on faith and works versus James’ focus on faith and works (deeds). 3. Do you struggle with doing good deeds to gain God’s favor as opposed to doing them because you already have God’s favor in Christ? 4. What do you believe are the most important manifestations of being a true follower of Christ, having a living faith? 5. Do you have clarity on what your spiritual gifts might be? How have you sought to live those out in your journey? 6. When you hear the phrase “Holy Discontent” what comes to your mind? 7. What is a practical step you can take to live out this message in the coming weeks?
The post Living Faith, Part 6: A Living Faith Validated by Works appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1.
The post Living Faith, Part 5: Partiality appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What jumped out to you in this message? 2. What feelings do you experience when we use the word “obey”? 3. What is a challenging Scripture for you to put into practice? 4. When it comes to “doing,” are you more of a rote doer or a doer from the abundance of your heart? 5. In what ways to you feel you are seeking to live out your faith in the strength of the Lord? 6. Can you think of an example of someone living out their faith in a sacrificial way?
The post Living Faith, Part 4: True and Living Faith appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. When life is difficult, is your tendency to run to God for comfort or be frustrated with Him for allowing it to happen? Why do you think this is your default? 3. What are the circumstantial triggers that occur in your life that you can identify in advance? 4. Do you have any particular Bible verses that are helpful to you when dealing with particular temptations? 5. Is it a challenge, or relatively simple, for you to invite others to hold you accountable in certain areas? 6. Discuss the need for the human mind to lead the way for the feelings and the will. How do you see this playing out in your life? 7. Does the reality that Jesus was tempted even though He did not sin provide a comfort to you? Why or why not?
The post Living Faith, Part 3: Battling Temptation appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
The post Defending the Faith: Evolution – Probable or Problematic? appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you from the message from this weekend? 2. If someone asked you the question, “Why do you believe the Bible is reliable?” what would you have said prior to this weekend? What would you say now? 3. Discuss the four tests for the reliability of any writing: Internal Consistency, Historical Accuracy, Prophetic Accuracy, Scientific Accuracy. Can you give examples of each? 4. Are you aware of other scientific evidences in the Scripture that support the validity of the Bible that were not discussed today? Things that our Old Testament brothers and sisters could not have known? Consider Isaiah 40:22, Psalm 139, etc. 5. What would you consider to be the greatest inconsistencies within the claims of evolution? 6. Take time to pray for those you know who do not believe the Bible is the Word of God.
The post Defending the Faith: Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPSThe post Standing Alone appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. Who is someone you consider very wise? What makes you think so? 3. Discuss the point that our lives should be characterized by seeking God to know Him, and not just when we need something from Him. 4. How are you at acknowledging that you need help and being willing to ask for it – from other people and from God? 5. Do you see God as a generous giver or as one who withholds? Explain. 6. What is a decision for which you need wisdom at this time? Where are you in the process of seeking wisdom in God’s Word, wise counsel, and the Holy Spirit’s work?
The post Living Faith, Part 2: How to Find Wisdom appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in this message? 2. What is your first response to the notion of joy in trials? 3. How do you respond to the comment that other people in other places and times in history have responded more receptively to trials than we do in our current cultural context? 4. How have you seen God use trials to develop greater maturing in you and in others around you? 5. Discuss the truth that we are not our own, that we are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 6. Discuss how well your group does at bearing one another’s burdens (see Galatians 6:2). Are there ways you could improve at this? 7. Do you agree that we as a culture tend to ask “why” as our first response to life’s difficulties? Explain your experience.
The post Living Faith, Part 1: A Biblical Theology of Suffering appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you about this sermon? 2. As Aaron walked through Revelation 20, he talked about the “books of our deeds” from which we will be judged. There was also another book, the Book of Life, which contains the names of all who will receive eternal life. Discuss your understanding of these different books. 3. How do you respond to the statement, “That’s life. This world is not my home”? Is this encouraging to you? 4. How well do you feel you are able to keep your spiritual eyes focused on eternity? What makes that difficult? 5. What role does the guarantee of eternity play in your daily living? 6. Discuss how purity, peace and purpose intersect with your ability to focus on eternity.
The post This World Is Not My Home appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were your overall impressions of this week’s message? 2. Take each of the three points from the message and discuss times in your life when you may have experienced each one. 3. Discuss other Scriptures that support each of those three points? 4. Can you think of another person in your life who is in one of those areas in their journey? What is going on for them? 5. Take time to pray that God will bring each of us to the place of living with the confidence of David in the Lord Sabaoth.
The post The Names of God: Jehovah Sabaoth appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What most impacted you in this message? 2. Prior to today’s message, what would you have thought Jehovah Rapha – the God who heals – means? 3. If God’s priority is indeed our spiritual healing, discuss what that means to you today. Can you think of Scripture passages that deal with spiritual healing? 4. Once a person has experienced spiritual reconciliation with God, and thus spiritual healing, how does one progress on the road to mental and emotional healing? What passages of Scripture can you consider in this regard? 5. In what ways have you struggled through the notion of physical healing in this life? What conclusions have you come to related to physical healing? 6. What is the role of prayer in relation to physical healing?
The post The Names of God: Jehovah Rapha appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What most impacted you in this message? 2. Discuss the notion of a Banner/Standard/Ensign. What did you think before this message and what is your understanding now? 3. Discuss how the Amalekites are representative of the flesh. Read Romans 7 and discuss. 4. Discuss the closing points that Jesus as our Banner provides salvation, identity, and power for the battle. How do you see that in your own life? 5. What other banners have you tried to rally behind that have been substitutes for Christ? 6. How have you seen the Lord grow your identity in Christ and your power in the spiritual battle?
The post The Names of God: Jehovah Nissi appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were your overall impressions of the message? 2. What did you learn from Genesis 22 that you may not have seen before? 3. In what ways have you been tested in your journey with Christ? 4. What are some Scriptures that you go to in order to bolster your faith in times of testing? 5. How do you feel you have done over the course of your journey obeying in faith? What are some of your struggles related to obeying in faith? 6. How have you seen God provide in your life and the lives of others around you? 7. How will you live differently in the days ahead because of this discussion?
The post The Names of God: Jehovah Jireh appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What were your overall impressions of this message? 2. Discuss the relationship between God’s work and our cooperation in the journey of being set apart. 3. Can you think of a time when your cooperation with God was either going well or not going so well? Describe that to the others in the group. 4. How have you seen sanctification as a process in your own life? 5. Are there things that you wish were moving more quickly in your sanctification? 6. What truths of God’s Word are you most engaged with right now related to your own growth? 7. What are some simple targets that you will aim for during the coming year regarding your sanctification? Pray that God will work in you toward those goals.
The post The Names of God: Jehovah Mekaddishkem appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
Watch this message with ASL interpretationThe post Christmas Day Message – The Names of God: Jehovah Shalom appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What jumps out to you in this message? 2. Discuss how Adonai as our Master/Owner relates to El-Shaddai, our all-sufficient provider. 3. How have you struggled with relying on your own sense of sufficiency rather than God being all-sufficient? 4. Have you ever struggled with the “imposter syndrome” (that others might discover that you are not as competent as they think you are)? 5. How have you seen God provide for you in your journey when you weren’t sure what the next step would be? 6. How has God used you in ways that clearly were fueled by His all-sufficient Spirit? 7. In what ways has God provided the perseverance that you need to endure the trials of life?
The post The Names of God: El Shaddai appeared first on Reston Bible Church.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What are some things that stood out to you from this message? 2. When is your initial reaction to the notion of master/owner? 3. How does your picture of the master/slave relationship influence how you see God as our Master/Owner? 4. Discuss the distinction between Jesus as Savior and Jesus as Lord. Are they one and the same? How are they different? 5. Discuss your journey in continually growing in submission to Jesus as Lord in various areas of your life. 6. What specific situations in your life have created a struggle for you in embracing Jesus as Lord? 7. Romans 6 makes clear that we are all slaves. Discuss what that means for you today. 8. The sermon mentioned that meeting with the Lord each day helps each of us to realign ourselves under the Lordship of Christ. Discuss your experience with that idea.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. What stood out to you in the message from this Sunday? 2. Discuss YHWH as the eternally self-existent, covenant-making God who is the “elephant in the living room”? What does that mean to you personally? 3. Discuss why the religious leaders had such a strong response to Jesus’ statement, “Before Abraham was, I am.” 4. What are the implications of Jesus’ claim for you personally? 5. Discuss your challenges and successes in spending time in God’s Word on a regular basis to get to know Jesus the “I Am.” 6. Discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in this journey. How have you struggled and/or come to clarity about the Holy Spirit’s role in your life? 7. Discuss the role of the body of Christ in your journey to know Jesus better.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS1. Prior to today’s message, what thoughts had you given to the notion that names in the Bible have meaning? 2. Do you know of someone or some place that has a name with particular meaning? What is that meaning and what is the significance to you? 3. How do you feel about your own name? Does it have any particular meaning that you value? 4. Discuss the meaning of Elohim and why it is significant that it is found 32 times in the 31 verses of Genesis 1. 5. Discuss the implications of the name Elohim, the All-Powerful Creator. Which of the four finds the greatest significance with you and why? * He Created Even You * He Chose You for His Family * He Saw Your End from the Beginning * He Is Worthy of Your Trust 6. Knowing that our God is Elohim, what is your greatest challenging in trusting Him?
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The very nature of God should lead us to thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an expression of submission, confidence, appreciation, trust, and life in Christ.
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We're in a battle with spiritual forces of wickedness. We need to act like we’re in a battle. The key to battle is prayer.
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Why do we proclaim Christ? Because He is the glory of the Father, the one who gives grace that brings us back to God. Christ is not only the center, He is the very content of the gospel, and He is all we need.
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We live in a culture with a lack of hospitality. If we don't think that is influencing us, even in the church, we should think again. Are we a hospitable church? Are we hospitable people?
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The book of Obadiah teaches us that God is in control of all things, and pride is the core of the human problem. The principle of sowing and reaping will follow us all our lives, but we can live confidently knowing that the kingdom of God is coming.
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If you have put your trust in Christ, there is nothing further that you can do to gain God’s forgiveness. God has done it all in Christ. As His child, you are totally forgiven.
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If you have trusted in Christ, and Christ alone, for your salvation, God has saved you for eternity. He is the one responsible for bringing you into a relationship with Himself, and He is the one who guarantees it forever.
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Our anger will rob us of our intimacy with God. Our call is to embrace God's love for all people and His sovereign plan for justice and mercy.
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What are we willing to endure or experience to respond to God's call to love people and proclaim His name? When God provides the door, we are called walk through it and share the truth of the gospel, leaving the results to Him.
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After facing the storm, Jonah acknowledged God's authority and His relentless mercy, embraced His discipline, and chose to obey. Do we do the same?
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Our lives are a series of choices that are either obedience or disobedience. God calls us into relationship with Him, calls us to love each other, and calls us to take the Gospel to those around us.
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Our love abounds more and more by receiving the Holy Spirit, approving what is excellent, being pure and blameless, and being filled with the fruits of righteousness.
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Walt Heyer shares the story of how the redemptive and transformative power of Jesus Christ changed the direction of his life.
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Through Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing to all the nations (families, tribes, and ethnic groups) of the world!
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What we confess to be true is what we will proclaim to others. The most excellent proclamation we can make is that Jesus is the Son of God. It is His Sonship that forms the canvas upon which we would paint any other portrait of Jesus.
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Christ is the answer for eternal life. Christ is the answer for daily, victorious life. How do we walk through this life? We set our mind on the truths of Christ.
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When Jesus says that He is "gentle and lowly," it means that saving sinners brings Him joy, that He sympathizes with our weakness, that He is gentle when we stray, and that He sees us through to the end.
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Jesus is our protector, provider, leader, friend, and uniter. And our response to Him should be to recognize, abide with, trust, and enjoy Him as the true Shepherd of our souls.
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All of us have a longing for spiritual food. The physical world distracts us from our spiritual need, and all of our human efforts to meet that need is bankrupt. But Jesus is the Source of all life.
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Why can you take a step of faith in the midst of the storm when God calls you? Because He loves you more than you can possibly imagine, and because He will equip you and enable you.
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Fathers provide direction as they respond to God's intended design for men by leading, instructing, disciplining, and providing protection.
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The book of Haggai is a call to the people of God to reorder our priorities so that we can pave the way for the presence of God in our midst.
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The church must be secure in her stand for Christ, not with swords drawn in the highways and byways of political debates and social causes, but it must be steadfast in the battle for its very existence as "light" and "salt."
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True followers of the living God have always been called to believe Him and live by faith even in the midst of that which we do not understand.
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How do we guard against false teaching and maintain doctrinal purity? By speaking the truth in love as we abide in the teaching of Christ and walk according to His commandments.
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The transforming work of the gospel brings not only forgiveness, but a brotherhood in faith and a willingness to offer Christ-like sacrifice. How transformed are we?
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Mothers provide life as they respond to God's intended design for women by nurturing, shaping and meeting the needs of those she comes alongside of.
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God blesses His people to reach all peoples.
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God forsook His own Son so that those who trust in Him shall never be forsaken. Jesus was rejected by men, but through Him alone, we can be accepted by God.
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If Jesus’ death on the cross is the work necessary to purchase all of mankind from the clutches of sin and death, then His resurrection is the consummate affirmation that His death was able to make that payment.
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Jesus doesn’t always meet our expectations, but His plan is always better. He is, indeed, the King of kings.
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In wisely cultivating relationships, choose to be around people who are wise, are committed to truth-telling, have a good reputation, are prudent, are humble, and use words well.
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Life is short. Eternity is long. Invest heavily in the latter.
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God uses unlikely fighters to face unbeatable giants, so He can accomplish an unimaginable victory.
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Failing to accept correction is stupid and leads us to go astray, which will result in long-term consequences. Accepting correction results in wisdom.
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Who we are as people is more important to God than how much we have. We are called to trust in Him more than our riches and to honor Him with our generosity.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find to be most encouraging in this message? 2. Review the main points of the message. Which do you find most poignant and why? * Character is Essential to the Follower of Christ (“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” – Proverbs 21:3 ESV) * God opposes those without Character (“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are His delight.” – Proverbs 12:22 ESV) * Each Path has its consequences (“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9 ESV) * Let Character be Your Guide (“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” – Proverbs 11:3 ESV) 3. Name one character in the Bible who has good character and one who does not. Explain. 4. Describe someone you know who exhibits godly character in his or her life. 5. Discuss the three points of application and which was most powerful to you. * Let your yes be yes and your no be no. * Keep your promise even when it hurts. * Never compromise your character for material gain. 6. In what ways have you seen a “crisis of character” in the world? How does the world seek to undermine or challenge biblical character? 7. Is there a time when you were tempted to compromise your integrity? How did you navigate that? 8. What are the most difficult areas of life for you to maintain integrity? Pray the God would help you to grow in those areas.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find to be the most impactful part of today’s sermon and why? 2. Drawing near to Christ in a time of suffering is critical, since suffering often leads us to call God’s character into question. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Explain. 3. In developing “a framework for suffering,” we understand that, in part, it is so we might comfort others. How have you felt comforted by others, and how have found God use you to comfort others in need? 4. Discuss the notion that God desires for us to not be channels and not cisterns. 5. Another part of the framework for suffering is that we might not trust in ourselves but in our God. Discuss a time when your struggles bolstered your trust in God. If you find it difficult to trust in God because of a present struggle, would you be willing to share that with the group? 6. Another part of the framework for suffering is that by we learn to give thanks. Read and discuss 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 3:15, and Colossians 4:2. 7. We were encouraged to guard our hearts against bitterness. How do you navigate the biblical exhortation to be thankful with the human propensity to harbor bitterness?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What is one thing that stood out to you from today’s message and why? 2. Have you ever struggled with reconciling God’s love and His sovereignty in the midst of difficult times? How have you worked through that struggle? 3. In what ways has it been difficult to embrace the sovereignty of God in your own life? 4. Which of the four points from today’s message helped you the most? * God oversees all world affairs (Proverbs 21:1) * Human choices and God’s sovereignty exist together (Proverbs 16:9) * We trust that everything has a purpose (Proverbs 16:1-4) * God will prevail in the end (Proverbs 21:30) 5. Discuss an experience you’ve had where, in retrospect, you can see the sovereign hand of God at work. 6. What other verses in the Bible do you find encouraging related to the sovereignty of God? (Here are a few to help get you started.) 7. Do you feel equipped to respond to challenges from others related to the sovereignty of God? What would you say to them?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this message? Why? 2. Share a time when you were offended or when you offended someone else. What happened? Did it resolve? 3. Read and discuss Proverbs 19:11 and 1 Peter 2:19-25. What stands out to you in these verses? What other verses speak to overlooking offenses? 4. Review the four truths Pastor Jim highlighted that help “bring level-headed good sense in bearing up under grievances.” How does each point affect how we view and deal with the offenses of others? Which of these are strengths for you? Which do you struggle with? * The Sovereignty of God (1 Peter 2:19) * The Critical Role of Perseverance (1 Peter 2:20) * Overlooking an Offense is Christlike (1 Peter 2:21) * Jesus Has Forgiven All My Offenses (1 Peter 2:24-25) 5. How does our culture view and deal with offenses? How does this compare with a biblical approach? In what ways do modern cultural norms make it difficult for us to overlook an offense? 6. What kind of inner qualities are required in a person in order to overlook an offense? How can those qualities be developed within us? 7. “To be a follower of Jesus means to be an imitator of Jesus.” How do you respond to this statement? What does this mean in practical terms as you consider overlooking an offense? 8. In what circumstances might you struggle to overlook an offense? How does the gospel of Jesus call you to view that situation? How does Jesus provide both the example and the power to overlook an offense?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What was one take-away from this sermon that particularly encouraged or challenged you? Which verse from the message would be helpful for you commit to memory to serve as a core piece or your thinking? 2. Share a time when the power of words became very clear to you. What happened? What were the long-term results? 3. Read and discuss Luke 6:45. How are the heart and the mouth connected? What other verses instruct us on this? 4. Proverbs 12:18, 13:3, 16:24, 15:1, 18:21, 21:23, 25:11. What themes do you note? What other verses in Proverbs or elsewhere instruct us on the power of words? 5. In what way do our words have “the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21)? How have you observed or experienced this? 6. Of the five principles Pastor Jim shared, which ones do you see as a strength in your life? Which ones do you tend to struggle with the most? * Know When to Say Nothing – Proverbs 29:20 * More Words = More Sin – Proverbs 10:19 * Right Words, Right Time – Proverbs 25:11 * Reject Harmful Words – Proverbs 12:18 * Overflow with Encouraging Words – Proverbs 15:4 7. Read and discuss Ephesians 4:29. Who ranks among the highest in your mind as the most encouraging people in your world? Would you consider yourself and encourager? Why or why not? Who can you encourage this week with “gracious words” (Proverbs 16:24)?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. Read Proverbs 4:23 and review the main points from the message. 2. What most stood out to you today from the message? 3. What have been the primary positive mechanisms that have shaped who you are? 4. What Scripture have you been meditating on lately that is shaping your internal person? 5. What is a message you hear routinely coming from culture that stands in tension with your faith? 6. Is there a particular area of the faith journey that has been a struggle for you because of the input from other areas of life? 7. Is there one step you can take this week to better guard your heart?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What element of this message stood out to you the most? What was the most impactful? 2. Read Proverbs 1:1-7. Of the 4 main points (listed below), which one do you need to think about more often in your daily living? Discuss what you mean by this. * For Effective Living * To be Righteous, Just and Fair * To be Prudent, not Naïve * To Grasp Life’s Complexities 3. Who is one of the wisest people you know? What evidence or fruit do you see in his or her life? How do they live out the four characteristics of Proverbs 1? 4. Discuss the four types of people we find throughout the book of Proverbs. In what ways have you observed these being lived out in the world around you? * The Wise – One who embraces wisdom * The Fool – One who resists wisdom * The Simple – One who is in attentive to wisdom * The Scoffer – One who rejects wisdom 5. What decision or next step are you facing that requires unique wisdom?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find most encouraging from this message? What did you find most challenging? 2. When you consider the part of your life that was “before Christ,” what are the critical pieces that God put into place to bring you to faith in Him? 3. Take a few minutes to talk about a season of life you have traveled through (a period of Bliss, Training, Paradox, Fruitfulness, or Testing). How did God use that season to shape you into whom He wanted you to be for His purposes? What Scripture that relates to that particular season? 4. Read and discuss 2 Corinthians 4:5-12. How does this passage encourage you in whatever life circumstances you are experiencing right now? How does it give you hope in God’s sovereign plan? 5. What season do you believe you are in at this time? Discuss the things that are happening in your life that bring you to say that. What Scriptures is God using to illuminate this season for you? 6. As we enter 2022, what are you praying for in terms of the year ahead? Spend some time in prayer over those things.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find most encouraging from this message? What did you find most challenging? 2. In Ephesians 6:15, we are told to put on the gospel of peace “as shoes for your feet.” The word “peace” in this verse points to the fact that we are no longer at war with God if we are in Christ. Why do we need to have peace with God before we can experience the peace of God? 3. Discuss the notion that “peace is not a thing; it is a person.” Read John 14:27 and Ephesians 2:14. How is Jesus our peace? 4. An important part of establishing a disposition of peace is the idea of “taking captive every thought” (2 Corinthians 10:5), which requires fixing our eyes on Jesus. Read and discuss Hebrews 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. How can you discipline your mind to focus on Jesus? 5. Pastor Bruce mentioned that only 8 percent of the things we worry about have a basis in reality as something that should concern us. Discuss how well you do at managing worry. 6. Philippians 4:6-7 talks about prayer and gratitude. How do you focus on keeping a heart of gratefulness and prayer in times of difficulty? 7. It is important in the process of trying to establish peace that we recognize that we are crucified with Christ and that He is to live through us. What helps you to focus on Christ living through you? 8. What makes it difficult to maintain peace? What do you find to be helpful?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find most encouraging from this message? What was the most challenging? 2. When we live a joy-filled life we have access, through the Holy Spirit, to the power to live a selfless life. Read Philippians 2:3-8. Discuss what makes it difficult for you to consider others more significant than yourself. Discuss how the proper perspective on a life of joy can facilitate greater selflessness. Is there an area of your life in which God is calling you to be more selfless? 3. The second point in living a joy-filled life is that it empowers us to live without grumbling. Read Philippians 2:14-16. What do you tend to grumble about? Outward grumbling always starts with inward thoughts. On what can you meditate to short circuit grumbling before it is expressed? 4. The third point in living a joy-filled life is that it empowers us to press on, even though life’s difficulties. Read Philippians 3:13-14. Discuss Paul’s primary consideration as he seeks to press on. 5. The fourth point in living a joy-filled life is that it empowers us to live a life without anxiety. Read Philippians 4:6-7. How do you respond to these verses internally? What are the things in this journey that are most likely to create anxiety for you? How have you sought to respond to the anxieties of life? Discuss how a life more centered in Joy can assist with the anxieties that you face. 6. Discuss the quote by Archibald Hart in his book The Anxiety Cure. “Anxiety is not a disorder that afflicts the weak, the fragile and the delicate. Often there is not the slightest hint of previous anxiety. This is the disorder of presidents, CEO’s, VP’s, ladder-climbers, powerhouses, dynamos, live wires, and go-getters. Reason? Anxiety is a disease of stress. High-pressure jobs take their toll more than low-key jobs. People who are caught up in the pursuit of excellence are particularly vulnerable because they can’t see the danger signs early enough.” 7. The fifth point in living a joy-filled life is that it empowers us to be content. Read Philippians 4:11-13. Where do you find discontentment in your life? Discuss this phrase: “Contentment is wanting what you already have.” How does that strike you? Discuss the distinction between being discontent and simply seeking to improve certain things in your life. Is it a lack of contentment to seek a higher paying job or a bigger house? Explain. 8. Pray together about these five areas where we called to live out a joy-filled life. Ask the Lord to reveal ways in which He wants you to be more aware of these things in your daily lives.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find most encouraging from this message? What was the most challenging? 2. What are your most and least favorite things about the Christmas season? 3. Discuss what you believe this quote by John MacArthur means: “Joy is the flag that flies on the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.” 4. Read and discuss Philippians 2:12-13. How does obedience contribute to a journey of “working out” joy in our lives? 5. Read and discuss Philippians 1:3-6. The first point in cultivating joy is “practicing the art of remembering.” When you think about the memories of your journey through life in Christ, what rises to the surface as your strongest memories along the way? What deserves a more prominent place in the “process of remembering”? Are there things that create strong memories that need to be processed through and submitted to the Lord in order to reduce their influence? 6. The second point in cultivating joy is “focusing prayer on the needs of others.” Discuss your level of effectiveness in being able to focus more on the needs of others in prayer than on yourself. 7. The third point in cultivating joy is “partnering with others in the Body of Christ.” Discuss how your connections through your shepherd group cultivate joy. Are there ways your group can do better in partnering together in life? 8. The fourth point in cultivating joy is “living with the end in mind.” Do you find the notion of life in eternity encouraging to you? Why or why not? What do you think is getting in the way of that thought being more encouraging than it is? 9. Spend some time in prayer over these four points and ask the Lord to help each of us to take steps in cultivating joy.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS 1. What did you find most encouraging from this message? What was the most challenging? 2. What are the promises of God that are most significant for you as you walk through life? 3. What parts of life cause you to struggle in maintaining a grasp on the promises of God? 4. What is a situation you are experiencing that draws your attention to “what you can see” and takes your eyes off of the promises of God? 5. Are there ways in which you tend to be self-reliant on your own provision instead of coming before the Lord? 6. Read Joshua 1:1-9. Discuss what it means for you to be strong and courageous right now. 7. Read through the list of promises outlined by Pastor Aaron. Which one(s) stand out as being most encouraging to you? * He has forgiven us (Psalm 103:8-13, Romans 8:1) * He will always love us (Romans 8:37-39) * He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5) * He is good and working for our good (Psalm 119:68, Romans 8:28) * He knows our needs and will provide (Matthew 6:30) * He hears and answers prayers (Luke 11:11-13) * He has empowered us to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3) * He will return and give eternal life (John 14:3, 1 John 2:25)
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