"Loving Knowledge" (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. What particular verse in 1 Cor. 8:1-13 outlines the “potent knowledge” we have as Christians? How can this great knowledge “puff up,” rather than “build up?” What is that attitude we must have regarding this knowledge?

  2. What functions like “food offered to idols” in today’s culture? What do we offer and taint in modern idolatry?

  3. Who are the brothers/sisters with “weak conscience”? In contrast, who are not? How can we look after those weaker brothers and sisters?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Christian Decisions About Marriage and Everything Else" (1 Corinthians 7:24-40)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What decisions (big or small) do you obsess over? Share with your group, and discuss if these are matters of Christian liberty (or not).

  2. Do you fall more in the category of “betrothed, married, or widow”? What do you need to change in your thinking about relationships?

  3. Is your “desire under control”, or are your “passions strong”? Share about your hopes for the future and your struggles in the present. Pray earnestly now and in the future for one another.

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Calling and Contentment" (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. When do you find yourself more concerned about keeping up appearances than actually obeying God’s commands?

  2. Upon what basis does Paul say to bondservants to ’not be concerned’? What are you anxious about?

  3. What does contentment in your calling look like? What does discontentment in your calling look like?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Principles on Marriage" (1 Corinthians 7:1-16)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. According to the sermon, what is the most biblical and fundamental way of “being human”?

  2. What were those reasons for overt & over-sexualization of everything in today’s society?

  3. What of the applicational principles on singleness, marriage, divorce, remarriage and redemption helped you the most? How do they impact your life specifically?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Holy Union" (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How do you use your freedom in Christ? Do your freedom activities benefit you and others, or bring harm?

  2. How are your life associations in general? Do they edify, or lead towards ungodliness?

  3. Do you practice sexual purity whether single or married (keeping your “marriage bed pure”) — abstaining from extra-marital activities, including pornography?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Joy in the Morning" (Psalm 30)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Can you identify with the Psalmist regarding darkness, mourning and sackcloth? Would you care about some of the most difficult periods of your life?

  2. How did Jesus transform mourning into joy of the morning?

  3. How can Christians experience transformation and victory in this life as well as the life to come?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Post-Christmas Grace" (Joel 2:21-32)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What would have happened to us if the first coming of Jesus was our final judgment for all mankind?

  2. How did the grace of Jesus Christ abound all the more in the days since that first Christmas?

  3. How does the grace of God restore things that were once lost?

  4. 4.What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"An Amazing Promise" (Luke 1:26-38)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What difference does having an attitude of disbelief/ indifference make to reading the bible?

  2. Why do people try and discard the virgin birth? What is important about the virgin birth?

  3. How can we grow an attitude of belief in the promises of God in ourselves and others? How will this change the way that we live?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Higher Grace" (1 Corinthians 6:1-11)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What does “saint” mean in a truly biblical sense? And in what sense will the saints “judge the world” and even “angels”?

  2. What option does Paul recommend rather than suing one another among believers in the secular court? How do you respond to this recommendation?

  3. What “loss” has God incurred in order to forgive and save undeserving sinners?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Purifying God's Church" (1 Corinthians 5:1-12)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. According to the sermon, how does modern society compare to the ancient Greco-Roman culture and ancient Near-Eastern societies? How do views on sex and ethics change over time?

  2. What is the meaning of “leaven” in the Bible? How can we “celebrate the Passover” as New Covenant followers of Jesus Christ?

  3. Who is the church discipline for? What is the purpose of church discipline—both for the one being disciplined, as well as for the congregation?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"Appearance versus Reality" (1 Corinthians 4:8-21)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How much of your life is built on maintaining appearances as opposed to real substance?

  2. What is the difference between a life of real substance versus a life of maintaining appearances?

  3. Why is Paul’s warning of the kingdom of God consisting not of talk but of power still a warning for us today?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

"The Apostolic Foundation" (1 Corinthians 4:1-7)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. According to the passage and sermon, what is the function of the “Apostles” in the church? Can there be modern-day apostles, or apostolic ministries?

  2. How do most people typically go “above and beyond the truth” as revealed in the Scriptures? How do you “make up” religious ideas and practices as you go along?

  3. Who is the final judge over all matters? Who are we (the people/individuals) then to judge the emissary (the “sent one”; the “apostle”) of God? How should we view and respond to the apostolic teachings of the Bible?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

“Build the Church on Christ Not People” (1 Corinthians 3:10-23)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. In what ways does the text highlight the importance of Christians building the church? According to the text and the sermon on it, what is the right and the wrong way to go about building the church?

  2. What does the text teach about the Christian’s reward for his service to the church? How does the teaching on rewards motivate you in how you participate in the life of our church?

  3. How does the incredible promise for Christians in verse 21 that “all things are yours” help us to keep a Christ focused unity in our service together as we build the church?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

The Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How can we make the most of the ministries of pastors and other teachers and leaders?

  2. What is the “summary identity” of the “hidden wisdom of God”? How can we acquire this “hidden wisdom”?

  3. How can the Spirit of God help us to understand better?

  4. What was the most helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

A Good Confession (1 Timothy 4:1-6)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How does this text and the sermon on it show us the importance of studying the Bible and theology so as to develop sound Christian doctrine? What has been your plan to grow in sound doctrine? If you haven’t had one, what is one practical step you can take to grow in this area? 

  2. In what ways does the values of our culture in Sydney contradict sound Christian doctrine? What are some common “doctrines” of our culture that many Christians embrace without realizing that they contradict the Bible’s teaching?

  3. From this text or the sermon on it, how does our doctrinal understanding (or lack thereof) impact how we live? How do we make sure that our growing doctrinal understanding is translated into how we live? 

  4. What was the helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?




Why is Election so Important to the Christian Life? (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Before this sermon, had you heard of the doctrineof election? If you had, what was your first reactionto it? Why do many struggle to embrace the Bible’s teaching about election?

  2. In the text, how does Paul use election to humblethe Corinthian Christians and us? What do you findhumbling about election? Why is this a good thing?

  3. In the text, how does Paul use election to exalt God? How has election, if you embrace it, deepened your worship of and love for God?

  4. What was the helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?

Desperate For an Encounter (Luke 5:17-26)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How did the man and his friends demonstrate their desperation for Jesus? When have you been desperate for Jesus? What did you learn from the sermon about how to cultivate desperation for Jesus?

  2. What did it cost the man and his friends to go to Jesus? What will it cost you to be desperate for Jesus? Do you struggle to be willing to pay that cost? Why?

  3. In what way did the paralyzed man and his friends get more than they expected from Jesus? In what ways have you seen Jesus’ love and care for your physical and spiritual exceed your expectations?

  4. What was the helpful/challenging/encouraging part of the sermon for you?