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for November, 2009.
By kellitempleton
Again, we have only provided five questions due to the Thanksgiving holiday AND Pastor Dave is actually going to spend at least 50 minutes talking about a 1 Thes. 5:16 ” be joyful always”, thus, we had difficulty coming up with the regular expanded version. The only problem with this week’s sermon questions are there are no verses to look up. Consider taking the time to read together 1 Thes. 5: 16 and perhaps Phil. 4:4.
I pray your Thanksgiving provides meaningful time, memorable experiences, and joy as you celebrate with your friends and family.
- What are some of the world’s lies concerning what is supposed to be fulfilling and satisfying but is not? Which have entangled you personally?
A contrast to God’s plan for joy is always a good learning device. This question is designed to help you assess some lies and then personalize it.
A possible lie might be “I will be happy when…..I get married, get a job, finish school, my spouse changes, etc. Dave will provide some examples also.
- Discuss: “God commands us to be joyful always, so that must be a choice I can make rather than a feeling.” How do you put that choice into practice?
Our goal here is to hammer home that joy is a choice NOT a feeling. What can people do to choose joy practically – what do they do, think on, act on, etc. The next question is actually some things we can think on to develop joy….
- What are some things God has done for you, promised you, or revealed about Himself that help you rejoice in Him?
Our hope here is that it will be a rich sharing time of God’s work in individual lives within your group – a time of rich fellowship – where you share of God in your life. Life-long “promise verses” are good to share (a good opportunity to look them up together in the Bible), things you have known about God but just recently experienced, etc. For example, I will most likely share about how God has shown himself good by leading our daughter Hannah (12) to true belief in Christ through her struggle with Crohn’s disease.
- What are some of the enemies of joy? (Can you list some that weren’t given in the sermon?)
The sermon will provide distrust, disobedience, and distance as enemies of joy. Most of 1 Peter is written to encourage believers to maintain their joy while suffering due to persecution. I am sure your group will have plenty of examples from personal experience.
- Have you ever been in a place where your heart is too hard to be joyful (with bitterness, unforgiveness, etc.)? If so, can you share about it?
This might be a good time to have someone share who has come out on the other side – their testimony may minister to someone else in the group. This question might also be good fodder for the sharing/prayer time.
By Dave Stone
Revelation 18:1-19:4
These questions are for the week of Thanksgiving. We’re offering five application questions for this week.
1. On the continuum below, assess your attitude about money.
My income and stuff comes from my hard work……………………..It comes from God.
My money is for me to play…………………………………….I’m a steward of God’s money.
I use my wealth to get my way…………………………….I use my money to get God’s way.
Money is power………………………………………………………….Money is responsibility.
Money makes me independent……..My use of money demonstrates dependence on God.
2. What is one step you need to take to move out of the Babylonian mindset or lifestyle?
This might be a question to guide you into your prayer time. Ask for God’s help to identify and take this step. This could also be a good accountability question…might want to follow up on it next week.
3. If I were on trial for the way I use my money, cite the evidence that would convict me of being a follower of Christ.
Examples: I give regularly to the Lord. I pray about my purchases. Be sure to guard against specifics in this one (e.g., I give $500 weekly).
4. Since worldly goods can be a trap or a blessing, what practical principles keep you from being excessive (see Luke 16:10-15)?
Principle: If I’m spending more than $??? I need to discuss it with my spouse.
Principle: All money is God’s (he owns the cattle on a thousand hills-Psalm 50:10)
Share the principles from your group below in the comments.
The issue is not the “stuff.” The issue is our attitude about the “stuff.” Is it wrong for someone to have an expensive car? No. What is the issue, then? The issue is that the person’s attitude is one of stewardship and not ownership.
5. How can the use of money make you proud, even when being generous (see Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 10:17-31)? How do you fight for humility (see Philippians 2:3-11)?
Note that in the Mark 10 passage, the disciples were bragging about giving up everything. In Luke 21, the principle is not “give everything you have” rather, it is the attitude of your heart–are we willing to give what God calls us to give? For example, the person who gives 20% isn’t more godly than the person who gives 10% if they’re both giving what God calls them to give. The one giving 10% may also be supporting family members. Fight for humility by following Christ’s example, laid out in Philippians 2.
By Dave Stone
This week we’re using the five application question model.
Share a hospitality horror story.
We had several stories between us. These stories could be from either perspective…with you as a host or with you being shown hospitality.
What boundaries can you establish in your home to honor God and honor others? How might you handle it when boundaries are crossed? How does the Gospel affect your response?
We’re hoping your group can discuss practical ways of dealing with difficult situations. The Gospel affects our response by allowing us to show grace to other people and forgive them when we are wronged. The Gospel is our motivation for showing hospitality–no matter how others receive it.
How have you been blessed by showing hospitality?
What do the following passages tell us about hospitality?
- Luke 14:12-14 – we invite outsiders and expect nothing in return. This is a good opportunity to talk about who are outsiders. Who is an “outsider?”
- Romans 12:1, 9-13 – In view of what God has done, these are the attitudes and principles that guide our actions.
- Hebrews 13:2 – The issue isn’t that we’re entertaining angels. Rather, God has set up a system to test us and to help us learn more about Him. That is, we learn about God when we act like Him.
- 1 Peter 4:9 – We’re commanded to offer hospitality. We offer it regardless of whether it is received. We should not grumble when we show hospitality.
Why do you think God want us to be hospitable?
It is an issue of our heart reaching out to other people. It’s right. It reflects God’s character to other people. When we are hospitable, we show the love of Christ to other people. We show that we value people.
By Dave Stone
Scripture: Romans 15:7
RELATE
Where have you experienced genuine hospitality as described by Pastor Dave Dawson?
REVIEW
Share any truth, application or idea from the sermon that challenged or confused you.
Use this as an opportunity to have people share “tidbits”. It is also a good time to review the Scripture (actually open your Bibles) and review the outline.
What is hospitality?
Hospitality is a subset of welcoming. Biblical hospitality is not just literally receiving someone into our home but a fundamental open attitude towards other people (e.g., an open heart).
Read Romans 15:1-7. Verse 7 tells us to welcome (accept) one another. What makes it hard to be welcoming to one another at Bethel?
DIG
Hospitality is not tolerance. Using the following Scriptures, identify instances when hospitality should not be shown.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
We are not to be hospitable toward those who claim to follow Christ, yet do not repent. This is actually a loving action because the goal is to restore the person to fellowship with God.
2 John 7-11
We are not to be hospitable toward false teachers.
APPLICATION
Read Romans 15:7. How does obedience to this command bring glory to God?
The command is “accept one another.” The motivation is because Christ has accepted us. This would be a good time to review/recount how Christ has accepted you. The result is God gets the glory. We evangelize when people see us obeying God with the right motive (because Christ has accepted us). We are a demonstration of God’s acceptance to people.
Review the seven principles (point II.A) that enable us to accept and welcome one another. Which of these do you need to work on? What specific actions can you take?
To whom will you show hospitality this month and how will you do it?
Encourage your group to think about holiday giving/serving opportunities.
