Author: kristenmcnulty

Getting to Know You:

What is your least favorite type of conflict to have with others?

Going Deeper:

Read Matthew 5:43-48 together.

• How is Jesus’ kind of love countercultural? What do we value in our society and culture today that is different from the love Jesus commands us to show?
• Consider verse 48 again – can we ever be perfect in this life? What is Jesus calling his followers to, and why did he choose perfection as our standard?

Read Matthew 5:3-10 together.

• Where do you see these traits in our culture and society, if at all?
• How are the followers of Jesus “blessed” by these traits? Is this blessing esteemed in our culture, or something people ignore or despise?
• What are some practical ways you have seen others put these traits into practice in their daily lives? How might we do the same here in Timmins?

Read Romans 5:6-11 together.

• According to this passage, what do we actually deserve? And what did we actually receive?
• How should this description of the Gospel inform how we reach out to and show our love to others, even if they are our enemies?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

• According to this passage, what is the heavenly perspective that belongs to each believer? How should this perspective change how we think and live?

Taking it Home:

Are you in conflict with, or being wrongfully treated by another person? Ask God how you might bless them this week.

 Getting to Know You: 

• What’s the “most successful” thing you’ve done or accomplished in your life? 

Going Deeper:

 • Who are the characters that love and support David in this chapter? Look at vs.1-5, 16, 20. Why is this significant to the outcome of the story? 

• In verses 12, 14 and 28 a phrase is repeated that is crucial to David’s success. What is it and how is knowing this a key to our success as well. 

o When the Bible refers to success, what kind of success is it referring to?? 

o Look up Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:5-9, Heb.13:5 and Matt.28:20 and discuss the promise God gives us here. 

o If God promises his presence, do we need to ask God to be with us? Why do you think we ask that regularly as part of our prayer lives and should this be a part of our prayer lives if God has already promised it? How might we pray instead? 

• How does it make you feel when others get recognition, and you don’t? Do you feel unloved, unrecognized, jealous? 

o How did Saul feel in vs.6-9? 

o How did God respond to these feelings in vs.10? 

o Why did God send a harmful spirit regularly on Saul? 

• Jealousy is a powerful and debilitating emotion that can stay with us a long time. Discuss what causes jealousy and how we can counteract it in our lives? 

o Discuss what the following verses say about jealousy. Prov.14:30, James 3:14- 16, Ex.20:17 

• How do we see Jesus the Messiah through David the anointed king (Messiah)? 

o How do David’s responses point us to Jesus in light of Phil.2:5-11. 

Live it Out: 

• Practice the presence of God this week by intentionally praying about everything you experience this week wherever you are.

Getting to Know you:
 Talk about some of your favourite Easter traditions and why you do them.
 Why do you think most people have a fear of
death?

Going Deeper:
 Discuss the shortness of life according to the following verses. James 4:14, Psalm 90:1-12, Psalm 144:3-4, Psalm 103:15-16
o What does God teach us about how short our lives are?
o How should we live in light of this reality?

 Why do you think everyone’s first reaction to the resurrection was fear? See Mark 16:8, Luke 24:37, Matt.28:1-10.

 Discuss the Criterion of Embarrassment and why it’s an important proof of the resurrection having women as the first people to see the resurrected Jesus.

 Why is it so important for us that the bible commands us not to fear? See Matt.28:5, 10. Why is this command so often repeated?

 “He is not here, he is risen, just as he said” is one of the many impactful verses of Easter. Look up the verses where Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. Matt.16:21, Matt.17:22-23, Matt.20:17-19.
o What’s the significance of this prediction?
o Why do you think the disciples weren’t expecting it to happen?

 Why should the resurrection destroy fear of sharing our faith?
o Read Matt.28:7-10 and take notice when people are commanded to go and tell.
o Read 2 Cor.4:14. Why don’t we need to fear sharing our faith even in the face of martyrdom?

 Find three proofs of the resurrection in Matt.28:7-10. How can these be helpful in sharing the good news of Jesus?

Taking it Home:
 Tell someone the good news of Easter this
week!

 Getting To Know You: 

• What is your greatest fear? Have you ever faced it? 

Going Deeper:

• Read 1 Samuel 17:3-10. What caused the Israelites to be so afraid? 

o Look up these verses that speak about giants in the bible (Gen.6:4, Numbers 13:33, Deut.3:11) Why does the Bible not have anything good to say about giants? 

o Watch the Video “Everything about the Nephilim in under 20 Minutes.” On YouTube by Impact Video Ministries 

• How does the account of David and Goliath point us to Jesus, and where do we see the gospel in this story? 

• Look up Isaiah 8:11-15. According to these verses whom should we fear and why? 

o What does it mean that God should be our fear and dread? How do we live that out in our day to day lives? 

o Who will God become to us if we choose to fear him? 

o Who will God become to those who don’t fear him? 

• Where did criticism come from for David and how did he handle it according to 1 Sam.17:28- 30, 33-37. 

o How should we respond when we face criticism, especially when it comes from “friendly” sources?

• Discuss the statement that faith makes God famous. List the reasons David fights Goliath in 1 Sam.17:46-47. 

o Look up the following verses and discuss how we might make God famous in our church and lives. Mal.1:11, Ps.147:5, John 17:1-6, Hab.3:2, Phil.2:5-11. 

Taking it Home: 

• When facing problems this week, make your first act to call on the name of the Lord for help. 

• When God gives you victory in any arena of life, make sure you give him glory right away!   

Getting to Know You: 

If you could change any of your current life circumstances, what would you change and why?

Going Deeper:
Read Matthew 5:43-48.

Have you had a lingering hurt in your life?

Have you had a lingering hurt in your life that came by way of another Christ follower?

Is there bitterness that has been born out of the
hurt?

In hurt and bitterness have you ever considered that you may be viewing their sin toward you as worse than your sin is to God?

How is God’s standard of love revealed in the cross? Read 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8, and John 14:1-4.

The cross is love – it is unearned (Isaiah 49:1-13), unmerited (Job 7:17), and unhindered (Romans 8:39). Read each passage and discuss each of these aspects of the love of Christ that are shown through the cross.

In John 10:34, Jesus said “I give you a new command, love one another.” How is this kind of love different from the reciprocal love that is typical in the world? Answer using Luke 10:25- 37.

Taking it Home: 

Consider this statement Steve made near the end of his message: “There is no greater measure of spiritual maturity than how a Christian responds to those who hurt them.”
What first step could you take to remove that lingering hurt in your life?
Would you be willing to allow someone to help you in releasing your offense and the person who offended you? This week talk to someone in this group, or a Pastor, and ask them to pray with you and for you.

Getting to Know You: 

• What’s your favourite season of the year and why?

Going Deeper: 

• Look up Zechariah 4:6. How can we operate life not in our own strength, but in the power of God’s Holy Spirit? 

• What are some Bible stories that come to mind where the individual could never do what happened in their own strength? 

• Look up Judges 14:6, 19, 15:14. What happened when the HS empowered Samson? What happened when the Spirit left according to Judges 16:18-22. 

o Why do you think Samson didn’t know the Spirit left him? 

• According to Acts 1:8 and Eph.3:16 what does the filling of the Spirit accomplish? 

o What are we to pray for according to Eph 5:18? 

• Discuss whether we can lose the empowering spirit of God or the Indwelling Spirit of God. 

o Use John 14:16-17, 23 Rom.8:9 to help answer.

• Look up 1 Cor.6:18-20. What does it mean that your body is God’s temple? How then should we treat our bodies? 

• Look up Ps.82:1, Deut.32:8, 1 Kings 22:19-23, Job 1:6-12 and discuss God’s Divine Council. 

o Where is God in the council? 

o How does God make use of this council? 

• How might God use spirits to accomplish his purposes in 1 Kings 22:19-23 and Judges 9:22- 24. 

• According to 1 Sam.16:18 it could be seen the Lord was with David. What might we implement in our lives to have the same said of us? 

Take it home: 

• Pray Eph 5:18 and ask God to fill you with his Spirit. Ask God to help you neither grieve (Eph.4:30) nor quench the Spirit (1 Thess.5:19).  

Getting to Know You: 

·         Name one challenge and one encouragement from this past week.

Going Deeper: 

·         How does the world view appearance?  How does this contrast the way God views us? 

o   Name some ways it encourages you that God often uses ordinary people for his plans and purposes.

o   Look up 1 Samuel 9:2 and compare it with 1 Samuel 16:6-7.  How is Samuel deceived by appearance?  How might we be deceived by appearances?

·         David’s character was forged in the pasture.  Name some ways God forms character in the “pasture” times of our lives.

·         Read Genesis 16:1-14 and discuss how God sees us in our times of need.  How does it encourage you to know this? 

·         Look up Psalm 139:1-4 and discuss how God knows our heart according to these verses.  How does it challenge you knowing God knows everything about you? 

·         Discuss the importance of grieving according to the following verses:  Ps.34:18, Matt.5:4, 2 Cor.1:3-4.  Why is it important to grieve and to realize it’s ok to not be ok? 

o   Why is it important to find an end to your grief as well? 

o   What have you found helpful to bring you comfort in times of grief?

Taking it Home: 

·         Pick one chapter from Proverbs and read it this week to help ensure you don’t play the fool.

·         Spend time this week seeking the will of God for your life in prayer, in reading God’s Word and asking for God’s direction through his people and circumstances.  Once you know his will, ask God for strength to do his will!  

Getting to Know You:
– What do you do in your life to keep your heart
healthy?

Going Deeper:
– In what ways do we cover up our disobedience?

– Read 1 Samuel 15:22-23. What is God’s
judgment against Saul?

o What does God want from Saul and us?
o How serious does God view
disobedience?
o How should we then view it?

– Discuss the regret/repentance God has when it
comes to Sauls life in vs.11, 29, 35.
o What kind of tension does this leave us
with because of Numbers 23:19 and
Psalm 110:4?
o How does vs.29 resolve this tension?
o Discuss the name of God we find in this
verse. Where else do we see the glory
of God in the OT?

– What does Saul do in vs.15-21? In what ways do
we do the same thing when caught in sin? How
can we get away from blame shifting and
actually repent for our sin?

– Talk about the consequences of Saul’s sin in
vs.23, 28, 35. How does sin’s consequences
affect us, even as followers of Jesus?

– What’s the difference between Saul’s sorrow
for his sin in vs.24-25, 30-31 and actual biblical
repentance? Look up 2 Cor.7:8-13 to help
define the difference between godly and
worldly repentance.

Take it Home:
– Too often we think we can obey enough to gain
God’s love. What does it do to your heart to
know that God already loves us so much that he
gave us Jesus, even in our sin?
– What do you need to put away or give up to
fully obey Jesus?

Getting to Know You: 

• What’s your favourite workout or activity to stay active? 

Going Deeper: 

• How does knowing these verses (Heb.5:11ff) are written as a warning with irony and sarcasm to Jewish believers being tempted to go back into Judaism change the way you look at these verses? 

• Look up 1 Cor.3:3-15 and Discuss the partnership we have with God in our spiritual growth. What does it mean that we are God’s fellow workers according to vs.9? 

• Look up the following verses that talk about hearing and doing. What’s the connection between the two in Matt: 7:21-27? What happens to those who hear and do vs those who only hear? 

o What are some things that we do that show we’re lazy in our hearing? 

o Discuss the statement “the enemy of maturity is laziness while growth requires discipline.” 

• Vs.13 tell us that immature are those who are unskilled in the word or righteousness. Do you think this leans to not knowing God’s Word or being mature to the point of death or both options? 

• Look up the Col.1:28 and Eph.4:11-16 and unpack some signs of maturity in these verses. 

• What does it mean to have your spiritual senses trained? What are some spiritual disciples you’ve found effective in your training? 

• Read Heb.6:1-3. How does it change the meaning of these verses knowing the things being left behind aren’t Christian doctrines by Jewish legalistic practices? 

Take it Home: 

• Try a spiritual discipline you don’t regularly practice this week and take note of how it helped you grow.  

Getting to Know you:

• Talk about the best party you’ve ever been to and what made it great. 

Going Deeper: 

• In your experience, what makes Christian Fellowship so unique and different and attractive? 

• Look up 1 John 1:3-9. 

– What’s Johns reasoning for proclaiming the good news of the gospel in vs.3? What should our motivation be for doing the same thing? 

– What’s the end result of Fellowship with God according to vs.4? How should that be reflected in our lives? 

– Grapple with vs.5-6 and discuss why actions are more important than words when it comes to following Jesus. 

•Look up the parable of the sower in Matt.13 and discuss the parable in light on John’s words here. 

– If we cannot ever be without sin in this life, why try to be holy at all? 

• Look up Phil.3:10-11. Paul talks about the fellowship/share/koinonia of Jesus’ suffering. How do we share in Jesus suffering and why is it necessary so we might attain resurrection? 

• Look up 1 Cor.1:9-17. How should fellowship with Jesus affect our relationship with others?

– Why is division within the body of Christ something God’s Word overwhelmingly condemns? Discuss some biblical reasons to leave a church. Look up Jude to help your answer. 

Take it Home:

 • Examine your life to see what how your Fellowship with God is going. Evaluate your fellowship with others in God’s family and how might you work towards increasing community here at FBC?