1. Why did Paul give thanks for the Ephesian church? How does this compare with what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40?
2. What did Paul pray for the Ephesians? Do you regularly pray the same for yourself and others? 3. Who has the riches? What are they? How do they compare to worldly gain and status? 4. How do we draw on these riches? 5. What do you find are your biggest distractions in life? 6. What does it mean to surrender all to Jesus Christ? What do you find difficult to surrender or struggle with?
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1. Have you ever received an inheritance? What was that like for you?
2. If you have time this week, google “Adoption in Ancient Rome.” When we study Scripture, it is often important for us to consider how the original audience might have been hearing and thinking. What would “adoption” mean for them back then? How did many emperors become Emperor? Why would the fact that women are adopted “as sons of God” have been radical back then? 3. What is Truth? How do we respond to this truth? Why is saying or thinking there is no absolute truth self-defeating? 4. Can you define how “hope” is used in the Bible? Why is this hope important for how we live now? 5. God’s glory is the root, or basis, of our hope. How does our salvation and inheritance show God’s glory? How does the Holy Spirit assure and minister to us? 6. How does truth, hope and future glory motivate and affect us to praise, worship and serve God? 1. We all have plans. Have your plans always worked out? Have you ever dreamed and planned only to find, once realized, it wasn’t what you expected? 2. What is God’s purpose and plan outlined in the passage? To what or whom does His purpose and plan point to? Can it be derailed or thwarted? 3. What does it mean to be “in Christ?” 4. How does God’s sovereignty and human responsibility work together? Give some examples from scripture. If God foreordains and predestines, then why are humans accountable to God? 5. We are called to be “Christ like.” Describe Christ. 6. Why can we strive and work together in confidence?
1. We were made for praise and worship. What was Paul emphasizing in his praise in Ephesians 1:1-14?
2. What does “blessed” mean here as Paul uses it, and generally as used throughout scripture? 3. Being found “in Christ” has entailments. What does it mean to be “legally” united to Christ? What does it mean to be “vitally” united to Christ? 4. Pastor Jeremy gave us a word picture of Redemption in his sermon. Can you define redemption in your own words? When the listeners back in Paul’s day heard “redemption,” what would have been in their minds? What does redemption mean for us? 5. Since we are “adopted as sons” into God’s family, what does that mean for us? (Think in terms of access, inheritance and security.) 6. In your own words, what is predestination or election? Give examples of election from the Old Testament. Why is the fact that God predestines or elects comforting? Does this preclude us from spreading the Gospel? (See Acts 18:5-11.) 7. Being found in Christ and richly blessed by God should inevitably result in……..? (Reflect on Paul’s life.) 1. How are the terms “light” and “dark” used in the Bible? Do you find the world a dark place? How? 2. Our culture says all humans are basically good and we have light within us. We just need to search and find that light, then resolve to live by it. Do you think that is true? Why or why not? 3. Where does the Bible say light comes from? And joy? 4. In Luke, describe how Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary and John respond in joy. Would their circumstances be described as joyous to the outside world? 5. The sermon described 4 ways we can pursue and attain joy. Discuss each one.
1. Compare 2 Samuel 24:1 to 1 Chronicles 21:1. If God is holy, perfect and sinless, can God actually tempt people into committing sin? How do these passages compare to Adam and Eve in the garden?
2. It seems reasonable that any nation should know its resources and population. So how did David sin? (See also Exodus 30:11-16.) How did the idols of comfort, security and power factor into David’s decision? Why is idolatry such an affront to God? 3. Comparing this account to the account of David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah, what was the same? What was different? Were there any signs of David having spiritually matured? 4. What did the 3 choices of consequences offered to David say about trusting man versus trusting God? How did David’s choice and subsequent plea for “the sheep” attest to what he had learned? 5. Why was the location of the altar of sacrifice significant? Why did David not take up Araunah on his offer? How does this all point to Christ? What does this also say about our “sacrifices”? 6. Throughout 1 and 2 Samuel, we have seen that despite David’s failures and triumphs, his sin and devotion, his ups and downs, God remained faithful and kept his promises to David, and God called him, “….a man after his heart.” How does David’s story encourage you to persist in seeking God? What does it teach us about repentance? What does it teach us about God’s faithfulness and promises? What does it encourage you to pray?
1. How did David sin? What were the circumstances? When do you feel most vulnerable to succumbing to sin? What does it take for the seed of sin to grow? 2. How did David attempt to cover up? Was his sin concealed? Does sin ever affect just the person committing the sin? Who suffered for David’s choices? 3. What was Nathan’s goal in approaching David? What was the tone and nature of Nathan’s approach? What were David’s reactions? How do you think Saul would have responded in this circumstance? 4. How and why did God extend grace to David? Was it because David earned it? Why do you think God still punished David? 5. Do we have Nathans in our life? Why do you think we may react angrily to exhortation or rebuke? 6. John Owen wrote that we must be mortifying sin or sin will be mortifying us. He based this on his exegesis of Romans 8:13. What does this mean? How did the sermon point out we could do this?
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