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Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 23
“Loving When it’s Difficult”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why did Jesus say we should love our enemies?
Is God’s goodness for everyone? Explain…
What makes the kind of love practiced in “The Way” different?
Matthew 5:43-45 NIV
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
2 Peter 3:9 NIV
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Matthew 5:46-47 NIV
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”
Matthew 5:48 NIV
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 22
“Words Matter”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Can the way we use our tongue undermine our faith? Explain.
2) What does the consistent use of hateful words towards others say about our professed relationship with God?
3) How can words cause damage? What kind of damage?
James 3:2 NIV
“We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”
1 Peter 1:14-16 NIV
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””
James 3:3-4 NIV
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”
James 3:5-6 NIV
“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
James 3:7-9 NIV
“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.”
1 John 4:20-21 NIV
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
James 3:10-12 NIV
“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NIV
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 21
“Timing is Everything”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever been disappointed by what God allowed to happen?
How did you, or how are you dealing with disappointment?
2) God is all knowing, all powerful, and all present…
What does this mean in how God sees things and how we see things?
3) How would you explain the fact that just because God CAN do anything doesn’t imply God WILL do anything?
4) In what ways does the story of Lazarus offer HOPE?
John 11:1, 3-4 NIV
“Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
John 11:6-7 NIV
“So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
John 11:11-15 NIV
“After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
John 11:17, 20-22 NIV
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
John 11:23-27 NIV
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 11:33-35 NIV
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.”
John 11:38-42 NIV
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
John 11:43-44 NIV
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 20
“Security”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever been angry with God in a time of adversity?
How did you resolve that anger? or did you?
2) In what way is God like a fortress?
3) How would you describe earnestly “seeking God”?
4) Why do you think King David trusted God?
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Psalms 27:1-3 NIV
“The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Psalms 27:4-6 NIV
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.”
Psalms 27:7-10 NIV
“Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”
Psalms 27:11-12 NIV
Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
Psalms 27:13-14 NIV
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 19
“Wisdom”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What separates wisdom from knowledge?
How does a person obtain wisdom?
The ultimate source of wisdom is…? Why?
Proverbs 2:1-5 NIV
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”
Proverbs 2:6-8 NIV
“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
Proverbs 2:9-11 NIV
“Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 18
“Boldness”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What separates a healthy kind of fear from a hurtful kind of fear?
2) Can healthy fears ever hurt us? Explain your answer.
3) How can a person learn to trust God with their fears?
Isaiah 43:1 NIV
“But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Isaiah 43:2 NIV
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 17
“Gratitude”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Based on this passage… How does God feel about our suffering?
2) What separates the Samaritan leper from the rest of the lepers?
3) How does thankfulness impact our lives? Our relationships?
Luke 17:11-13 NIV
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Luke 17:14 NIV
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.”
Leviticus 14:1-2 NIV
“The LORD said to Moses, “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:”
Luke 17:15-16 NIV
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”
Luke 17:17-19 NIV
“Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Discipleship in a Pandemic World – Part 16
“Mansplaining The Almighty”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever been guilty of doing what Job’s friends did? Talk about it.
2) How can praying for someone who offended you actually help you?
3) What separates real wisdom about God from “religious mansplaining”?
Job 38:1-3 NIV
“Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.”
Job 42:2-6 NIV
“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:7-8 NIV
“After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”
Job 42:9 NIV
” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer.”
Job 42:10 NIV
“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
Teaching on Faith — by Mike Socha
When Somebody Becomes a Nobody
John 13:2-5
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.