Opening question: What do you like the most about the world we live in?
Read the following story about the people of the world, from God’s point of view:
Genesis 11:1-9
1 At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. 2 It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down. 3 They said to one another, "Come, let's make bricks and fire them well." They used brick for stone and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let's make ourselves famous so we won't be scattered here and there across the Earth." 5 GOD came down to look over the city and the tower those people had built. 6 GOD took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next -- they'll stop at nothing! 7 Come, We'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." 8 Then GOD scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. 9 That's how it came to be called Babel, because there GOD turned their language into "babble." From there GOD scattered them all over the world.
James 4:4,5
4 You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way. 5 And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that, "He's a fiercely jealous lover."
1 John 2:15-17
15 Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. 16 Practically everything that goes on in the world -- wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important -- has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from Him. 17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out -- but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
Discussion questions:
1. What do you think “the world” is referring to in the verses above?
2. Why do you think God wanted to keep the people from building their tower?
3. Agree or disagree: Jealousy is always wrong.
4. What is a “fiercely jealous lover”? Can you think of a possible example?
5. What’s wrong with “wanting” something?
6. What does it mean to be “set for eternity”?
7. How can we be set for eternity?
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Opening question: What do you do when you do something wrong?
Read the following from the Bible:
Luke 18:9-14
9 Jesus told this parable to certain people who had convinced themselves that they were righteous and who looked on everyone else with disgust. 10 “Two people went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like everyone else -- crooks, evildoers, adulterers -- or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’ 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this person went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.”
Difficult words:
parable – an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
righteous – to be right with God.
Pharisee – a religious leader of Israel.
tax collector – those who works for Rome (e.g., hated by the Jews), who would often keep some of the money they collected for themselves.
fast – to go without food to show devotion to God.
give a tenth – to give 10% of your income to support the work of God.
mercy – when you don’t get what you deserve (i.e., some kind of punishment).
sinner – one who is doing what is wrong against God, others, or him/herself.
justified – being pronounced right with God.
lift yourself up – to think/talk too highly about yourself.
Discussion questions:
1. How would you describe the two men in the story?
2. How would you compare the two prayers?
3. Thought question: How would you grade yourself before God?
4. What do you think the main point of the parable is?
5. How do the following Bible verses help us understand more about sin and being righteous or justified?
Roman 3:23,24
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
1 John 2:1,2; 1:9
1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have One who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 2 He gave His life to pay for our sins. But He not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Read the following from the Bible:
Luke 18:9-14
9 Jesus told this parable to certain people who had convinced themselves that they were righteous and who looked on everyone else with disgust. 10 “Two people went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like everyone else -- crooks, evildoers, adulterers -- or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’ 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this person went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.”
Difficult words:
parable – an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
righteous – to be right with God.
Pharisee – a religious leader of Israel.
tax collector – those who works for Rome (e.g., hated by the Jews), who would often keep some of the money they collected for themselves.
fast – to go without food to show devotion to God.
give a tenth – to give 10% of your income to support the work of God.
mercy – when you don’t get what you deserve (i.e., some kind of punishment).
sinner – one who is doing what is wrong against God, others, or him/herself.
justified – being pronounced right with God.
lift yourself up – to think/talk too highly about yourself.
Discussion questions:
1. How would you describe the two men in the story?
2. How would you compare the two prayers?
3. Thought question: How would you grade yourself before God?
4. What do you think the main point of the parable is?
5. How do the following Bible verses help us understand more about sin and being righteous or justified?
Roman 3:23,24
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
1 John 2:1,2; 1:9
1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have One who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 2 He gave His life to pay for our sins. But He not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Friday, July 15, 2011
the Lord's Prayer
Opening question: If you could ask God anything, what would it be?
Read what Jesus says about prayer:
Matthew 6:7-13
7 When you pray, do not keep talking on and on the way ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him. 9 This is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. 10 May your kingdom come. May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.'
Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. He who seeks will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks. 9 Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a rock? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Discussion questions:
1. What is prayer?
2. Do you ever pray? If so, what do you pray about?
3. What can we learn about God from these verses?
4. Is there anything that Jesus teaches about prayer that you don’t understand?
5. What do you like about what Jesus has to say? Why?
6. What do you need a lot of prayer for?
7. Close in a time of prayer.
Read what Jesus says about prayer:
Matthew 6:7-13
7 When you pray, do not keep talking on and on the way ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him. 9 This is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. 10 May your kingdom come. May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.'
Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. He who seeks will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks. 9 Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a rock? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Discussion questions:
1. What is prayer?
2. Do you ever pray? If so, what do you pray about?
3. What can we learn about God from these verses?
4. Is there anything that Jesus teaches about prayer that you don’t understand?
5. What do you like about what Jesus has to say? Why?
6. What do you need a lot of prayer for?
7. Close in a time of prayer.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Christians and the World
Opening Question: Complete this sentence:
I hate ____________________________________.
Read John 15:18-27, circling any words you’re not sure about:
18 If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you. 20 Remember how I told you that servants are not greater than their master. So if people mistreat me, they will mistreat you. If they do what I say, they will do what you say. 21 People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Everyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 I have done things that no one else has ever done. If they had not seen me do these things, they would not be guilty. But they did see me do these things, and they still hate me and my Father too. 25 That is why the Scriptures are true when they say, "People hated me for no reason." 26 I will send you the Spirit who comes from the Father and shows what is true. The Spirit will help you and will tell you about me. 27 Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Discussion questions:
1 - Who is speaking? And who else is He speaking about?
2 - Why would anyone hate Jesus?
3 - Have you ever hated, or been hated? Explain.
4 - Where does hatred come from, and what’s the solution for it?
5 - What is the Spirit’s job, as Jesus explains?
6 - What is our job, as followers of Jesus?
7 - What will happen if we do our job as followers of Jesus, according to Jesus? What does Jesus say about that?
I hate ____________________________________.
Read John 15:18-27, circling any words you’re not sure about:
18 If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you. 20 Remember how I told you that servants are not greater than their master. So if people mistreat me, they will mistreat you. If they do what I say, they will do what you say. 21 People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Everyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 I have done things that no one else has ever done. If they had not seen me do these things, they would not be guilty. But they did see me do these things, and they still hate me and my Father too. 25 That is why the Scriptures are true when they say, "People hated me for no reason." 26 I will send you the Spirit who comes from the Father and shows what is true. The Spirit will help you and will tell you about me. 27 Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Discussion questions:
1 - Who is speaking? And who else is He speaking about?
2 - Why would anyone hate Jesus?
3 - Have you ever hated, or been hated? Explain.
4 - Where does hatred come from, and what’s the solution for it?
5 - What is the Spirit’s job, as Jesus explains?
6 - What is our job, as followers of Jesus?
7 - What will happen if we do our job as followers of Jesus, according to Jesus? What does Jesus say about that?
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