The Glorious Gospel

Fall 2012 Small Group Study and Sermon Series

Longview Baptist Church

Introductory Note:

For several months I have been thinking, praying, reading, studying, and planning to look at depth at the Gospel. Far too often we have condensed on over simplified the gospel to just a repeat after me prayer or the contents of a tract meant to lead sometime to heaven. Though the gospel is still simple, otherwise none of us would be able to grasp it, I am afraid at times I have missed the true depth and breadth of the gospel. Maybe you have too.

I am convinced that the gospel is not just what saves me from my sin and hell and gives me a place in heaven but it is the power by which I will live out the entire Christian life in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ that bears both fruit and obedience.

It is certainly not my intent to confuse or confound us regarding the gospel. Instead I hope it will help us to see the depth of God’s love and the breadth of His grace that he willfully showers upon us, as undeserving as I am. I hope that it will give us assurance of this hope that we have in Him. I hope it will fuel us for walking with Him and obeying Him. I hope it will focus us on what this great Message is that we are told to take to all the world.

If you are facilitating a small group, I hope these pages will help guide your discussion. Know that there is no way that you will “get through” everything in 1 to 1 ½ hours. Focus in on what God is speaking to you about and what He is revealing to others in the group. Focus on God’s process of growing us, not on completing pages!

Finally, I am thankful for the countless authors who have labored to explain to the world the great news of the gospel and whose work has greatly influenced me. Authors such as David Platt, JD Greear, Tim Keller, Matt Chandler and Greg Ogden have greatly influenced my study. Of course there is nothing more precious than the Word of God itself wherein God reveals Himself to us to help us grow more in love with this Good News. Much of this study guide and questions are borrowed with permission from these authors.

During this time of study I have grown more in love with the Gospel and in awe of it which is leading me to relate to Jesus Christ in a deeper and fuller way. I hope this fall study will do the same for you

In Christ

Bro Robby

Notes: ( You will see space throughout for notes. Use this to jot down thoughts as you study personally or as a group or to write down sermon notes that coincide with this study)

The Glorious GospelIntroduction

Small Group Study Guide

Week 1

Question 1: what comes to mind when you hear the word “gospel”? (words, images, life settings, feelings, etc)

Question 2: If a stranger approached you tomorrow and asked you “What is the gospel?” what would you tell them?

For many, the gospel is simply something they responded to and accepted at some point in their life. Then our life sets into the Christian lists of do’s and don’ts. Go to church. Read your Bible. Be generous and give. Don’t cuss or swear. Don’t tell lies. Don’t go to bad movies. Etc. etc.

Was this the idea that Jesus had in mind when he commanded his disciples to take the gospel to all the earth? Was this what Paul had in mind when he spoke of it as the “power of God for salvation?”

Just as Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley re-discovered the essence of the true gospel, we need to do the same today!

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Evangelicalism, as a whole, desperately needs arecovery of the gospel as the center of Christianity.” Why or why not? What has replaced the center of Christianity?

J.D. Greear states “Rediscovering the gospel has given me a joy in God I never experienced in all my years of fervent religion. Now I sense, almost daily, a love for God growing in my heart, displacing a love for myself. The jealousy that once consumed my heart is being replaced by a desire to see others prosper. I feel selfishness giving way to tenderness and generosity. My cravings for the lusts of the flesh are being replaced by a craving for righteousness and my self centered dreams are being replaced by God glorifying ambitions. A power is surging in me that is changing me and pushing me out into the world to leverage my life for the kingdom of God”

Are there parts of this statement you can identify with? Are there parts of it that you would like to one day be true in your life?

I. The Awe of the gospel

Read I Peter 1:12

What do you think it means “things into which angels long to look”

What is it about the gospel that amazes them and makes them want to know more?

Do you think that most Christians have this same kind of desire to look into the things of the gospel?

Which statement do you believe is true and why

1. The angels are not as intelligent as humans and it takes a lot more information for them to understand the gospel?

2. The gospel is much broader and deeper than we really understand and we have attempted to condense and over simplify it?

II. The glory of the gospelRead Romans 11:33-36What does this verse say about God’s knowledge, wisdom and way?What does it say about us when we think we can explain all there is about God and fit him into our tidy, little box?

Do we ever act as if we know the best thing to be done in a situation and we try to communicate to God what He needs to do? Does God need your advice? Does God depend on your wisdom and experience?

What difference should it make in our every day life knowing that “from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.”In one word, why do we and all things exist? (hint: for his Gl__ry!)

III. The power of the gospelRead I Corinthians 1:18

What does “to us who are being saved” mean? (if you are having struggles with this rest assured we will be talking about it much more in a few weeks) Why do you think the message of the cross is foolish to those who are lost? Read Romans 1:16 How is the gospel the power of God in our lives? Respond to this phrase: “The gospel is the power that saves us from sin but also the power to sustain to live in loving obedience to Jesus Christ”

After reading these scriptures, do you think that you might be guilty of minimizing the gospel and it’s significance for your daily life?Have you ever thought of the gospel as just simply the “entry point” to Christianity?What do you believe God wants you to do in response to the gospel?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

Small Group Study Guide

Week 2THE GOSPEL: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT, The Danger of Spiritual Deception

Matthew 7:13-27

This guide is to help you facilitate discussion with your Small Group. Use it as a resource to lead your group in discovering and owning the truths of God’s Word. There may be questions you do not want to use and there may be instances where you just want to focus on a particular point or truth. Some questions may bring out emotions and cause people to dwell on their relationship with God. Your role is to facilitate this experience not to complete the discussion guide. Use this as a flexible teaching tool not a rigid teaching task list. Connect . . . Use one or both of the following options to introduce the discussion time to follow. Option 1 Remind the group about research that reveals those persons who claim to be Christians do not act differently than non-Christians. Ask the group why they think there are so many nominal Christians in America? Invite the group to give examples of traditional phrases that they have heard pertaining to salvation that are not in the Bible, i.e. “walk an aisle,” “ask Jesus into your heart”, “accept Jesus as your Savior,” “invite Jesus into your heart.” Ask the following questions: Did any of these phrases affect how you viewed the message of the gospel? How? How do these phrases represent how we still present the message of the gospel to others? How could our presentation of the gospel lead many to live nominal Christian lives?

The Danger of Spiritual Deception Remind your group that this passage is Jesus’ wrap-up for His famous Sermon on the Mount. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught His followers about what being a true Christ-follower looked like. He wasn’t merely teaching the twelve men who we think of as His disciples, but all of the people who had been following Him—some who were believers in His words and some who were simply curious. Most of these people were sincerely religious. As Jesus finishes up this teaching time, He clearly indicates the characteristics of a true follower and uses the imagery of two roads, two trees, and two foundations to illustrate His requirements of being a Christ-follower, not merely a religious person.

We gravitate toward that which is easy and popular. The way of Christ is hard to follow. The way of Christ is hated by many.

Discussion Questions Enlist a volunteer to read Matthew 7:13-14. Remind your group that the meaning of the words translated “narrow” in the original language carries the idea of groaning and tribulation.

Considering this statement, what was Jesus really telling His disciples about following Him? How does this meaning affect the way that we can view following Christ?

Remembering that Jesus was speaking to religious people, in which following the religious demands of the day was popular and necessary, how do you think they would view Jesus’ statement that few will find life? Application . . .

What kinds of religious ideas do we carry around that make us think that following Christ should be easy? Where did we get those ideas?

How easy is it to be involved in religious activity without truly following Christ? How can our religious activity keep us from becoming true Christ followers? Why is it so hard to accept that some people may not like us if we are truly following Christ? Do you think that even other church members may hate us if we follow Christ? Why? In America, do we really know what it’s like to be harmed or hated for following Christ? Why or

why not?

We can profess publicly what we do not possess personally. The way of Christ is always fruitful. The way of Christ is always faithful. Enlist someone to read Matt. 7:15-23. Emphasize again that Jesus was speaking to religious people. Jesus warned His listeners about those who are unrighteous, but who appear to be righteous. Based on verses 16-18, what did He say would identify His true followers from those who are false followers? •Ask: Based on Verse 21, what did Jesus say is the fruit of a true Christ-follower? • Knowing that this illustration is part of a larger message, what other fruit has Jesus been pointing out that would mark His true followers? Read Verses 22-23 again. Ask the group to think of the religious people who were in the crowd listening to Jesus. How do you think they reacted to hearing verses 22-23? • Overall, what does Jesus say about religious activity to His religious listeners? • What does He tell them that He really expects from His followers? Application . . . • Can a person pretend to be a Christ-follower and fool everyone around them? How? • If a person can do all of the right “church things” and appear to produce fruit, what does that say about how we have designed “church?” • Jesus said that obedience to God’s will is the mark of a true follower of Christ. How does this truth affect our view of the gospel message? How should this affect what we tell people about the gospel? About following Christ? • If we dig deep inside, is this passage disturbing to us? Why? • Do Jesus’ words bother us perhaps because maybe we’ve given into a false evangelism ourselves? • How does that last idea affect how we should live around others?

We assume salvation without biblical foundation. The way of Christ is dependent on His Word. The way of Christ is obedient to His Word. Discussion Questions Enlist someone to read Matt. 7:24-27. • If both of these houses appeared to be the same, what was the difference in their survival? (When viewed, both of these houses appeared to be soundly constructed, but one was built on a false foundation.) • Ask the group to explain the difference between the two men in the story. Emphasize that both men heard Jesus’ words but only one of them acted upon

them. Invite the group to compare this passage with Verse 21. By looking at both of these, what did Jesus mean that a person “acts” on His words? • Based on this passage, then, what is the foundation for salvation? Application . . . • Do you think it’s possible that we, in the church, have traded in internal transformation for traditions and external regulations and standards? Why? • What effect can this trade-in have on our salvation? Our family? Our friends? Our mission? • Can we pretend to be Christ-followers and fool everyone around us? How? • If we are doing religious things, but our foundation is not set properly, what does Jesus say that means about our salvation? • If following Christ is dependent upon His Word, what does that say about the Word in our lives? Do we reflect its importance by our time with it?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel THE GOSPEL: WHAT WE BELIEVE

Small Group Study Guide

Week 3

Ephesians 1:3-14

Connect… Write on the board or read the following statement: “I am what I am. I cannot change. It’s just my personality. I’ve always been this way and I always will. I’m hopeless.”

This kind of reasoning is sadly common in the church today. It’s difficult for people to believe in the power of the cross when they can’t see the results of regeneration in their own lives. Discuss whether this is a true statement or a false statement for Christ-followers to say. You might get into a discussion about whether experience or God’s Word is the source of truth. Today we’re going to see how this type of attitude aligns with the truths of the Scriptures being studied in today’s teaching.

Let them know, today we are going to review seven truths about our identity as Christ-followers.

Review the Message…

Begin by discussing the following truth, which is overarching throughout the message. Have them share what this truth means to them. Message Truth: Through the gospel, true followers of Jesus Christ have been fully united with Him personally and with God’s global church corporately. Christ-followers are united with Christ and identified with him on two levels—the personal level and the global level.

Now, just as the global church is made up of local churches, so the local church is made up of individual Christ-followers. Today, we’re focusing on what it means to be fully united with Christ on a personal level.

Read Ephesians 1:3-14 as a group.

• almost ten times in the passage where the phrase “in Christ” (or the like) appears.

• What does this phrase mean in terms of why and how we have spiritual blessings? Praise God that He has... Made Us Rich in Christ (vs. 3)

Our wealth is in Christ. We have every spiritual blessing there is!

• Ask your group what it means to be poor in spirit. • How does that statement line up with Ephesians 1:3 where it says we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ? • What about us? We have been told that we’re given every spiritual blessing in Christ. Should knowing that fact, change the way we live our lives?

Chosen Us In Christ (vs. 4a) We were chosen before the creation of the world. We are holy and blameless positionally, and we should be progressively. Ephesians 1:4 tells us that we were chosen before the creation of the world to be holy

and blameless. • Does this truth cause you great joy or great concern? • How do you think the Jewish Christians felt when they realized that the Gentiles

were also chosen before the foundation of the world? • Why do you think some people focus on trying to figure out who is chosen and

who is not chosen, instead of seeking to understand what it means to be chosen? Deuteronomy 29:29 says some things are meant to be a secret to God and are too difficult for us

to understand. He specifically was referring to God’s Sovereignty in Election (choosing us) and Man’s Responsibility in salvation- repentance and faith in Christ.

• Discuss why you think men have debated and sought to try to explain these coexisting truths throughout the ages.

• Do you think if God wanted us to totally understand these concepts that it would be clearly explained in His Word?

• Why then do you think God chose not to explain how these two concepts coexist? God has declared us holy in our position before Him, We still must grow in holiness progressively as Christ-followers. The Holy Spirit in us will always work to produce a holy life.

• How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to live a holy and blameless life? • How does the concept of feeding the flesh vs. feeding the spirit fit in here?

Predestined us In Love Through Christ (vs. 4b-6) We were predestined to be adopted. Since the Father loves the Son He also loves us! The word predestined is not a bad word; it’s a Biblical word. Paul said we were predestined to be

adopted. • Why do you think God chose to use the words predestined and adopted to

explain our relationship to Him in Christ? • What’s different from an adopted child and a child born naturally? • Why did we need to be adopted if God created us?

Redeemed Us In Christ (vs. 7-8) We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ! We have been forgiven through the blood of Christ!

Think about the way you feel when you creep over the speed limit. Now think about the way you feel when you’ve deeply wronged a family member.

• Does the size of our sin in our eyes or the affect of our sin on the person we have sinned against affect our need for forgiveness?

• Does it affect our gratitude for our forgiveness? Should it? We have been forgiven not just for breaking God’s law, but for rebelling against the person and character of God. When we understand that even a small sin is rebellion against God, it should have a direct connection to our response to his forgiveness.

Revealed To Us His Will In Christ (vs. 9-10) Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Christ will rule over a united people forever! What is the mystery of God’s will mentioned in Eph. 1:9? Colossians 2:2 also speaks of this mystery. Why does Paul say he wants them to

understand this mystery? He desires encouragement and unity in the church. • How should focusing on the mystery of God’s Will bring encouragement and

unity to the Body of Christ? • If we understand that God’s ultimate goal is for Him to bring unity in His Body

under His Rule and authority forever, why do you think we don’t seek to see that happen now? • What keeps it from happening? • What can we do to change that?

Given Us an Inheritance In Christ (vs. 11-12) God works all things according to the counsel of His will. We have great hope in Christ! • Ask your group what our hope is in Christ. • How does knowing that God is working all things out to the conformity of His Will

affect your view of life? of your problems? of your current circumstances? • Why is living for the praise of His glory (as mentioned in verse 12) a worthy end? • What does that look like?

Sealed Us In Christ (vs. 13-14) We are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Our possession of the Holy Spirit guarantees our inheritance, our unity and our growth in

holiness. • How does knowing that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit at salvation affect your

view of your salvation? • How does knowing that God has sealed you with His Spirit and given you His

Spirit within you as a Helper to enable you to live a holy life, relate to the fact that we’ve received every spiritual blessing in Christ?

• How should this truth affect your praise of God?

• How should this truth affect the way you live for God’s Glory this week? We know that the only person who can produce the character of Christ in us is the Spirit of God himself. Challenge your group this week to seek to daily ask for the Spirit’s help in transforming their character into the character of Christ and finding their identity in Christ.

Praise God that all of this is.....

By grace alone! Through faith alone! In Christ alone! For God’s glory alone!

Notes

The Glorious Gospel THE GOSPEL: WHAT WE BELIEVE

Small Group Study Guide

Week 4Romans 3:21-26

Connect…

Discuss some of the ways that you and your group have heard the gospel presented in recent years in American culture. Then spend some time evaluating how well those presentations communicate the whole message of the gospel. The goal for this exercise isn’t to bash methods of sharing the gospel but to evaluate them in light of Scripture. Almost all modern gospel presentations use Scripture, but many still do not present the complete message.

Consider some of these questions as you discuss various “methods”.

• Is God presented as the Creator? Is there a clear Creator/creature distinction that establishes God’s right to lay claim on our lives? • Is God’s nature and character described? His holiness? His justice? His love? • Is mankind’s moral responsibility to God made clear? Is the origin of sin and the Fall of mankind presented? • Is the nature and seriousness of the human problem clearly revealed? Is sin defined? • Is alienation and separation from God explained? Are humans contrasted with God such that our separation from Him is understood? • Is God’s judgment and wrath against sinful humanity revealed? Is there a warning about hell and eternal punishment? • Is it clear that we are utterly incapable of saving ourselves through good works, morality, or religious exercise? • Is it clear that Jesus Christ is God’s gracious provision to resolve out problem of sin and reconcile us with God? • Is it clear that Jesus’ death was more than just suffering on a cross, but that He was a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners? Is it clear that the price for our sin must be paid either personally under God’s wrath or vicariously through Christ? • Is it announced that Jesus Christ was victoriously and bodily resurrected from the grave? That he is now ascended into heaven as the exalted Lord and only mediator between God and humanity? • Is the necessity of a personal response of repentance and faith made clear? Is it clear that conversion is not based on intellectual assent, emotionalism, or mere external response? • Are unbelievers manipulated to respond by withholding information or emphasizing certain aspects of the gospel over others? • Are unbelievers asked to consider and count the cost of following Christ?

• Do they know that they are primarily getting God and not just forgiveness of sins, peace, and a “better life”?

The Gospel

The just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who have faith in Him will be reconciled to God forever.

The just and gracious God of the universe… • God is creator. We read in Romans 1:25 about people worshiping created things rather than the Creator, who is forever praised. • Discuss some parallels between the sin recorded in Romans 1:25 and the temptations the modern church faces now? How do we exchange the truth about God for a lie? • How does God’s role as Creator give Him the right to lay claim on our lives? [Note: He owns us and everything He has created] • Discuss some parallels between God’s initial creation of all things and what God is doing through Christ in saving those who trust in Him. [Note: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:14-15; Revelation 21:5, etc…]

• God is judge. Beginning in Romans 1:18, Paul starts to explore the foundational elements of the gospel message. The truth of God’s wrath is not the gospel – that is, it is not “good news.”

• Why does Paul start with this truth? • How is the truth of God’s wrath against sin received in modern North American culture? Romans 2:1-16 includes principles of God’s judgment. • Who will God judge? • On what basis does God judge mankind? • Why must we affirm God’s justice in His judgment and wrath against sin?

• God is gracious. Romans 3:24 speaks to how we are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

• Why did God provide a way for us to be justified? [Note: This is ultimately an unanswerable question because it questions God’s motives. Use this question to create discussion, but affirm that it is simply because God desired to provide a way – justification is only by His grace.]

• We have rebelled against God. How does Romans 3:10-18 portray the state of mankind and help shape our understanding of

God? According to Roman’s 3:10-18, does mankind have the ability not to rebel against God by his

actions? • If so, does any man choose not to rebel against God? • If not, how does this truth affect our understanding of God’s grace?

We are separated from God.

Why did the sin that originated in the garden separate all mankind from a right relationship with God?

Why is humanity’s separation from God the result of Adam’s first sin and not every sin he committed? (See Romans 5:16-19) [Note: The key issue here is one’s sin nature – we are separated from God because we are sinners not merely because we sin] We are dead without God.

According to Ephesians 2:1-3 • What brings death? • Just as the Spirit of God is at work in those who believe, who is a guiding influence in the lives

of those who follow the ways of the world? Discuss the implications of losing sight of this truth in our culture – that the greatest problem of

the human race (and our own individual lives) is not lack of education, communication, or material well-being, but our sinful status before God.

People “can’t go from death to life on one’s own”. Is this an encouragement or discouragement for you to proclaim the gospel message? Why?

Jesus’ life displayed the righteousness of God. What must we admit about ourselves if we are to rely on Christ’s life for our salvation and eternal

destiny? Why is it important to proclaim Christ’s righteous life lived perfectly under God’s rule when we

present the gospel message? [Note: 2 Corinthians 5:21]

Jesus’ death satisfied the wrath of God. For various reasons, many think it is unfair that God would punish people for their sins. What

does Jesus’ death on the cross, absorbing God’s wrath for our sins, demonstrate about our understanding of fairness in God’s eyes? How does God’s grace impact this understanding of fairness?

Discuss the range of emotions or attitudes we often have when we think about Christ acting as our substitute and suffering for us on the cross.

How might our thinking about His substitutionary work change when we see that His true suffering was “drinking the cup” of God’s wrath against all of humanity’s sin?

Jesus’ resurrection demonstrated the power of God. How does the resurrection justify Jesus’ life and vindicate His death sentence on the cross? What is the significance of declaring Jesus’ resurrection when communicating the gospel

message? When we were born again, we received new spiritual life. If we think of this new spiritual life as

part of the resurrection power of Christ working within us, how does that give us encouragement as we follow Christ? As we minister to people’s needs?

God is the giver of the Gospel. The ultimate cause of Christ’s atoning work on the cross is found in the love and the justice of

God. Was there anything in us that required God to love us or to take steps to save us?

Based on this truth and the truths discussed so far, what is an appropriate response to someone that claims to reject any God that would “send people to Hell”?

Do your answers to these questions help you to appreciate the character of God’s love for you as a person who did not at all deserve that love?

How does God’s role as giver of the gospel relate to His role as creator? • The Hebrew word bara means to create out of nothing. (The word is used seven times in the first

creation account in Genesis.) Only God can do this, to create ex nilio, from nothing. Just as was recorded in Romans 2:25 when people worshiped created things rather than the creator, how similarly do people today oftentimes treasure the gifts of God and ignore God who is the giver?

God is the source of every good gift. (See James 1:17-18). • God is the gift of the Gospel. What are some common misconceptions of what the gifts/outcomes of the gospel are? “If you don’t want God, you will not get Heaven.” What are some ways that people commonly

describe Heaven? (“I want to watch football all day,” “I want to sleep as much as I can,” or “I want the perfect body”).

To whom does Heaven belong and for what purpose does a believer live—in Heaven and on earth?

What is truly so unexplainably wonderful about being eternally in God’s Kingdom? (See Revelation 4:8-11.)

God is the goal of the Gospel. Based on Romans 3:25-26, why did Jesus go to the cross? For whom did Jesus go to the cross? (See John 17:1-4)The risk…

We can know all of these truths and still not be saved. • What’s missing in the life of a person who knows all these truths yet still walks in

darkness? • How is it possible for someone to “do all the right things” and still not be saved? • The reality…

Our eternal destiny hinges on a biblical response to the Gospel. • What is the only acceptable basis for an eternity spent with God? • What is the biblical response to the Gospel?

• In light of Romans 3:10-18, how can one ever respond to the gospel in repentance and faith?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

The Gospel: What We Need, John 3:1-21

Small Group Study Guide

Week 5

Connect…

Option 1

Think back to the beginning of the service on Sunday. "Today could be the most important day of your life." What did he mean by that? What aspects were brought to light that are different than the gospel you have heard perhaps all your life? What is the focus of the gospel message we heard today?

Option 2

We were asked to think on one question—have you been born again? What was your response? Were you able to communicate your response outwardly? What questions or truths were on your mind during that time?

Review the Message…

What Happens When We Are Born Again?

• God reveals our need . Context- John 3:1-3 recounts the beginning of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, a spiritual leader among his fellow Jews. He spent his whole life devoted to the Word (studying and teaching it), yet he still missed the main point of the Word completely. He had no spiritual life in him. How could that happen?

The first thing Jesus did was to expose to Nicodemus his flawed foundation of religion and spirituality by telling him he must be born again. How do you think Nicodemus probably felt after Jesus told him he was not going to experience the Kingdom of God?

Is it possible for our lives to be similar to Nicodemus’ life? Can we develop a flawed spiritual foundation based on religious practices that looks spiritual, yet have no life? What might that look like in the church of the Twenty First Century?

How do you think Nicodemus went wrong? How can we likewise go wrong if we’re not careful?

How does God reveal today to us our need to be born again? How did you become aware of your need?

• The new birth is necessary to know God. Can someone who has not been born again know God—not merely about God, but truly know God? What is the difference in knowing about God versus knowing God?

• The new birth is impossible without God. “Born again” literally means, “born from above,” which is why Jesus begins talking about the Spirit. Who must act first in order for you to be born again and enter into the kingdom of God? How does that happen?

• We are morally evil . (Gen. 8:21, Luke 11:13, John 3:19) How does Scripture line up with the claim, “Well, I’ve always loved God”?

• We are spiritually sick. Jesus said in Matthew 9:12, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Based on Scripture, who are the sick? What kind of attitude does this truth cause you to have? • We are slaves to sin. (John 8:34, 2 Timothy 2:26) Read Romans 6:16-20. Based on those verses, what does being a slave to sin lead one to do? How is this spiritual sickness, this slavery to sin a progressive problem? How does being a slave to sin affect our heart? We are blinded to truth. (1 Cor. 2:16, Eph. 4:18, 2 Cor. 4:4, Matt. 5:8) How are we blind? Why are we blind? Who causes us to be blind? • We are lovers of darkness(Eph. 5:8) What is one reason—according to John 3:20 that men who do evil hate the light?

• We are children of wrath. Romans 5:10 and James 4:4 say that we are enemies of God. What does Eph. 2:3 say about us?

• We are spiritually deadWhat does it mean to say we are dead when we are alive on this earth? Read Romans 5:12 and 8:10…what do we see here? Eph. 2:1 literally says, “You are dead in your sins.” What does that mean? Can dead people make themselves alive? What do they need?

The new birth is dependent on God. In light of all the characteristics we just discussed, what can we do about our condition before God? How can those who are morally evil choose good? How can those who are sick make themselves well?

How can slaves set themselves free? How can the blind give themselves sight? How can lovers of darkness come into the light when they hate the light and run from it? How can an object of wrath appease that wrath? And how can the dead come to life? What do you think you have to offer in terms of the basis of your salvation? This kind of desperation is at the heart of what it means to be born again.

Read John 3:1-10 again, Is the focus on a person’s humility, or brokenness, or even faith? What, or whom, is the focus of this passage? (The focus is on the need for a miraculous, supernatural intervention by the Spirit of God.)

• God changes our heartHow does God change our hearts? He cleanses us. There are pictures in the Bible of how God changes us by His Spirit when we’re born again. Jesus is referring to this transformation that the Spirit does in us when He refers to water and spirit in verse 5. What does it mean to be changed and cleansed with each of these— His Word (1 Peter 1:23) Water (Ezekiel 36:24) His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Is this a one-time cleansing or an ongoing process?

He indwells us. When we’re born again, not only are we clean, but we have a new Spirit living within us! Does God wipe away your sins and give you His Spirit in order to free you up to make excuses to continue to live contrary to His Plans for your life? (READ Galatians 5:1) Whose Spirit dwells in the hearts of the forgiven? we’re born again, we are a new person, a new creation, and we have new longings and new desires and new loves and new affections – because God has put His Spirit in us. What are some new desires that the Holy Spirit gave you when you were born again? How does this truth line up with the statement “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”?

• God enables our beliefIs there a difference between believing hearts and believing minds? What is required for salvation to take place—an intellectual acknowledgment of Jesus or a change of heart? Who can change our hearts? So, who gives us faith to believe? • By His grace, we turn from sin.

How does repentance show itself in a change of mind, heart, and life? How should our lives look different because of this work of Christ?

• By His grace, we trust in Christ. What are we trusting Christ to do? (We trust in Christ not just to forgive us, but to reconcile us to God forever, to change our hearts, to cleanse us and change us.) • Why can we not trust in ourselves or anything else on planet Earth for our salvation?

• God transforms our lives READ John 3:21. • He transforms us for our eternal good . What does it look like for God to go from our topic of discussion to our delight? How can we know that He’ll only transform us for our good? • He transforms us for His eternal glory READ John 3:21 again and Ezekiel 36: 23 For whose sake are we transformed? How does our transformation bring great glory to God?

The Ultimate Question… Have you been born again? Has the Holy Spirit of God revealed to you the depth of your need for him? Has the Holy Spirit of God changed your heart? Cleansed you and filled you? Has the Holy Spirit of God enabled you to turn from sin and trust in Christ? And has the Holy Spirit of God transformed your life?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

The Gospel: How we live. Philippians 2:12-13

Small Group Study Guide

Week 6

Connect…

Lead the group in discussing some ways that they try to “be like Christ”. In light of this week’s message, ask in what ways they have been trying to produce the character of Christ in themselves (resisting temptations, being motivated by guilt obligation, involving themselves in “church activities”, practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, evangelism, worship, etc…) How have they been leaning on themselves to live like Christ?

Confess these areas to one another. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s power to enable you all to live in God’s grace, depending on Him more each day.

Review the Message…

Three Foundational Components of Salvation…

• Salvation involves a change . Think back to last week when we talked about the change that God produces our hearts. How does he cleanse our hearts? • His Word (1 Peter 1:23) • His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

• A past event (John 3:1-16). Have you been born again? Can you pinpoint the time in your life when God regenerated your heart and God saved you? If not, what general time period did you first begin to believe in Christ’s redeeming work as Savior and trust in Him as Lord?

• We have been savedRead Ephesians 2:4-5. God saves us by his grace. Often referred to as justification . Read Romans 3:24. God justifies us by his grace.

• Salvation involves a journey A present process (2 Cor. 3:17-18). What is our role in the process?

We are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15). What does it mean for us to continue to “be saved” even after our justification through initial faith in Christ?

• Often referred to as sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3). How are our lives different today from the day God saved us? How will our lives be different a year from now? • What are you doing to grow in Christ and to work out your salvation?

• Salvation involves a destinationWhat is the culmination of our salvation? When will we experience, i.e. “arrive” at this destination? A future prize (1 Cor. 9:24-27, Philippians 3:14). What is the image of the Christian life in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and Philippians 3:14? Why do Christians long for heaven? Would heaven be desirable if Christ weren’t there?

• We will be saved (Rom. 8:17; 13:11; 1 Cor. 15:51-52). Read Romans 8:17. What is the conditional clause? Here we see a picture of sufferings and glory going hand in hand. What does it mean to share in the sufferings of Christ?

• Often referred to as glorificationRead Romans 8:30. What is the sequence of God’s salvation? Look back to Romans 8, verse 29. How could human beings possibly be worthy of glorification? Three Foundational Truths in Salvation…

• The grace of God undergirds every facet of salvation. Who reveals our needs? Who changes our hearts? Who enables our faith? Who transforms our lives? What is the significance of the word “for” or “because” in Philippians 3:13? Grace is our message… • We need the Gospel to know Christ. Does this mean after someone believes and is transformed by the Gospel, that he can set it aside to pursue “greater” or “deeper” truths? Why?

• We need the Gospel to grow in Christ. The Gospel takes root in our hearts at the point of salvation, and we need to feed on this message more and more and more as it sprouts in our hearts and begins to infuse all of who we are. How does the Gospel affect our families?

How does the Gospel affect our evangelism? How does the Gospel affect our suffering? How does the Gospel affect social issues? How does the Gospel affect every facet of our lives? • Grace is our master…

• By His grace, we are free from the penalty of sin. How does that mean God views the church (not the institution, but His people)? Do you really believe that your are free from the penalty of sin or do you still struggle with oppressive feelings of guilt over sin?

By His grace, we are free from the power of sin. To what does Romans 6:1-11 tell us we are dead? How might this affect the way a Christian reacts to temptation? • Grace is our motivation• The motivation for our obedience is never gratitude toward God. How does the following question line up with biblical salvation? “God has done so much for you; how much are you going to do for him?” We are not in debt to God. Why are we not in debt to God? Could we ever give God anything good that didn’t come from him in the first place? (James 1:17) What steps do you need to take in your life to stop trying to pay off what God has done and continues to do for you?

• The motivation for our obedience is always the grace of God.

What motivates us to obey God? (God does. It is God who works in you. It’s the grace of God working in you, which again means that we’re not in debt to God.)

• We are indwelt by God. How does it make you feel to recognize that everything good in your life comes by the power of the Spirit of the God who lives and works within you?

Faith is the God-ordained link between His work and our work in salvationRead the following passages that describe the relationship between faith and works. Colossians 3:1-4, 3:5-10 ; 2 Peter 1:3-7 ; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:15-23

Faith involves radical dependence on God’s work in our lives.

In Philippians 2, Paul instructed believers to “Work out your salvation.” To “work out” literally means, “to produce, create, bring about, or work out until it is completed. It’s almost like he’s saying, “Show what salvation looks like – work it out in every facet of your life.” Then he said, “Do this because God works in you.” We need Him to mold our hearts. Read Philippians 2:13 again. Who is the only one who has the power to change hearts? Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in your life and produce change in your heart (a new “appetite”) for the glory of God. [Note: This cannot be emphasized enough] What are examples of ways God has changed your attitude toward other people, jobs, needs…? • We need Him to empower our lives. • Faith makes us radically dependent on God’s power in our livesPray for the Spirit to give you the desire to serve and then to enable you for service.

Faith involves radical devotion to God’s will for our lives. How does working out your salvation differ from working out your body in terms of time? (Working out your salvation is not something you can simply schedule in your day. It requires daily, complete surrender of your mind, time, and effort.) Read Hebrews 12:1-2 together and encourage your group to commit these verses to memory.

God purposes to complete our salvation for His glory. How does it make you feel to know that God has saved you for his glory to be showcased in you (according to Ephesians 2:10 and 3:10)? Be afraid … .. Fear living in a way that dishonors God. Do you fear living in a way that dishonors God? Do you regularly examine yourself and have conversations that don’t allow for disobedience to go unchecked? Be in awe … God is working in you! Look to the following passages and see how God’s work in his people has caused “fear and trembling” throughout the ages. Exodus 15:14-16 – When the Israelites are going into the Promised Land; “The nations will hear and tremble…terror and dread will fall upon them…until your people pass by, O LORD” Isaiah 19:16 – “They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them.” After the picture of Christ in Psalm 2, the psalmist says to all the earth’s kings, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”.

Be assured … God will finish what He started. From where does our hope come? Why can we be encouraged? How is this a message of great hope? Romans 13:11 says, “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

Pray for perseverance to the end.

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

THE GOSPEL: HOW WE KNOW 1 John

Small Group Study Guide

Week 7

Connect . . . Read the following quote and then discuss the questions below: “Assurance for salvation is not based on your performance for Christ but His performance in us.” What kind of freedom is found in the truth of this quote? How does this truth free us from legalism? What does this truth indicate about the way that we have assurance? Does the freedom found in this truth give us a free pass to live however we desire? Why or why not? Review the Message . . .

Passage Background

Remind learners that John wrote 1 John to a church who was struggling with the idea of genuine, saving faith. Some people in the church began teaching a heresy, which denounced the humanity of Christ and, therefore, the person and work of Christ. The church watched as these false teachers, who had once appeared to be genuine followers of Christ, left the church and turned against the faith they had once claimed to be truth. As a result, the remaining church questioned if they could ever be sure of the truth and genuineness of their own faith.

The Contrast . . . • Superficial faith is always possible. • Saving faith always perseveres. Enlist someone to read 1 John 2:18-19. Based on what you know of the background of 1 John and the verses that were just read, was it possible for members in the church to only appear to be followers of Christ? How? What does John call them in verse 18? In verse 19, what does John say would have happened if those who abandoned the church had really experienced saving faith? What does that say about the difference between false faith and saving faith? If a person doubts his or her salvation, does that mean he or she isn’t really a Christian? Application . . .

• Remind learners that at the beginning of this series asked each one of us were asked to seriously examine ourselves to see if spiritual deception is a reality in our lives. If the possibility of possessing superficial faith is possible inside the church, how serious should we be about truly examining our salvation? Why? • Can you think of anyone from your life who has abandoned what appeared to be true faith? Would someone say the same of you?

What would be the effect of having assurance that your faith is real?

The Confidence . . . • Assurance of eternal salvation is a reality. When saved, always saved. Discussion Questions Enlist someone to read 1 John 5:13. Why did John write this book? • Based on verse 13, is it possible to have assurance of saving faith?• If John is telling true followers of Christ that they have assurance of eternal life, then what does this truth mean in regard to their salvation? • Why would this assurance be important to a church that has experienced these false teachings and has watched some of their faithful members turn from following Christ? Application . . . How do you feel knowing that assurance of salvation is possible? Other religions profess that eternal assurance is not possible. How does knowing that you can have assurance affect how you live? How does this affect your view of God? What would eternal assurance in your own life mean to your relationship with Christ?

• False Foundations of Assurance . . . A moral lifestyle. Intellectual knowledge. Religious involvement. Active ministry. A guilty conscience. Positive thinking. A past decision. Discussion Questions Enlist someone to read Matt. 7:21-27. Remind learners that this passage was where this sermon series started six weeks ago. • Based on this passage and from the circumstances of 1 John, encourage learners to name actions that do not provide a foundation for eternal assurance. • Read 1 John 2:3-6. How many of these actions does John name as evidence for eternal assurance? • If John tells us that we are supposed to obey God’s commands, is that still bringing assurance based on our own works? Application . . . If these activities don’t provide a foundation for assurance, what does that say about how much our own actions can bring eternal assurance? Are any of these actions necessarily bad? What makes them poor foundations for assurance? If you remember a time in the past when you have said a prayer, signed a card, or “walked an aisle,” does this mean that your decision wasn’t genuine? Is the decision based on faith in your action or faith in Christ? What is the difference between obeying God’s commands as evidence of saving faith and working for our salvation?

• True Foundations of Assurance . . .

The present truth of Christ in your life. Am I believing in Christ alone for my salvation? Am I abiding in Christ alone as my salvation? Discussion Questions Enlist someone to read 1 John 5:1, 13. Where does John say that faith for salvation is to be placed? What kind of actions does John name that should accompany faith in Christ? Especially for John’s readers, what is the importance of believing that Jesus is “the Christ?” Application . . .

• In what ways do we cheapen the gospel by offering it merely as a means to get into heaven? • If the offer of knowing God were the only “prize” for salvation, would we still want it? • How does it make you feel to know that you can do nothing to earn salvation? • If we look for other ways to assure our salvation, outside of Christ, what does this say of our view of Christ and His work on the cross?

• The present work of Christ in your life. • Am I obeying what Christ says? Not holy perfection. Instead, holy direction. • Am I loving like Christ loves? Discussion Questions Enlist a volunteer to read 1 John 3:21-24. Based on these passages, what are two evidences of Christ’s work in His followers’ lives? John states that Christ’s followers should follow His commandments and love others. Yet, he also says that if we don’t do these things and still say that we know God that we are liars. How do we reconcile these two statements? Application . . . Emphasize the word “abide” in verse 24. What is the difference between abiding in Christ and striving to live a good life out of our own power?

The present Spirit of Christ in your life. Do I listen to the Spirit of God in His Word? Am I led by the Spirit of God in my walk? Discussion Questions Enlist someone to read 1 John 4:4-6, 13-14. According to verse 13, how do we know that we abide in Christ? How does the Spirit give us assurance of salvation? Application . . . When we have decisions to make, where do we turn first? If the Spirit can testify to our salvation, how do we listen for Him in our lives? In what ways do we see the Spirit working in our lives? The Conclusion . . .

Remind learners of the caution that the assurance of salvation was never used in Scripture as an excuse to coast through the Christian life—actually, quite the contrary.

Invite learners to discuss this idea aloud. What does it mean? What idea does it give us regarding the purpose of salvation?

Highlight the following three statements regarding the gospel.

• Beware of spiritual deception. Examine our lives as to the true foundation of our salvation.

• Be warned concerning spiritual inaction. Examine our lives as to any apathy or casual attitude toward sin.

• Be working and waiting with spiritual anticipation

By His grace, He will bring you to eternal life. Examine whether our lives reflect true salvation and assurance.

Notes

The Glorious GospelThe Gospel and how we live: ABIDING IN CHRIST John 15:1-11Theme VerseAs the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9)

Week 8

We live the Christian life out of love-filled joy, not duty-filled obligation.We continue our study by looking at “Living in the Gospel” by first seeking clarity on how the Christian life works. There are two basic components to our lives, our motivations and our actions. One thing we all know is that our actions almost universally are the result of our motivations. A motivation to get a date creates the action to ask for a phone number. A motivation to get in shape (when strong enough) creates the action of working out. Of course, we know the same action can be motivated many different ways. One guy may workout because his doctor told him to, another because he’s preparing for the Olympics, and another because he really wants that phone number. Their motivations are different, but they all three are running the same 40-yard dash. When it comes to our interactions with God, the same thing applies. Some read their Bible because they feel they are supposed to and others because they want to know God. The Bible makes clear God is after our motivations, not our actions. This is why Jesus claimed the greatest commandment in all of Scripture is to Love the Lord your God (Matthew 22:36-38). God designed us to be his children, and as such he doesn’t just want our begrudging obedience, but obedience grounded in the love and trust of our father. As God’s children, our motivation to live in his design is not to earn his approval or to appease him. Our motivation to live, as he wants us to live, is because we love him. He’s our father.In John 15 Jesus explains this principle to his disciples by telling them to “abide” in his love. To abide, translated from the Greek word from which we derive “remain,” implies an active endurance in the love of God. This is not simply retaining knowledge. This is a constant pressing deeper into the Gospel. When abiding becomes our motivation, our actions (prayer, bible study, evangelism) become fulfilling acts of love instead of exhausting exercises in religion.This is why the center of “the wheel” is the love of God. The Christian life is full of actions, but too many Christians get burnt out because they are tired of doing activities for God. The goal of this study is to lay that mindset to rest and pick up an unquenchable thirst for the love of God that is joyful, not wearisome. The following questions explore this concept across the pages of Scripture.Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.

I feel a sense of freedom in being a Christian: 1 2 3 4 5Thinking about God is enjoyable for me: 1 2 3 4 5I wonder about where I stand with God: 1 2 3 4 5I regularly reflect on what Jesus did for me: 1 2 3 4 5Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing enough for God: 1 2 3 4 5

i. What is “the Gospel?” Respond using your own words in the space below.

ii. What in your life is most likely to keep you from actively finding peace and joy in the love of Christ?Small Group Discussion Questions

1. Read John 15:1-11. This is a core text for our study over the next few weeks. What does it mean to “abide” in Jesus?2. More practically, how have you created an “abiding” mentality in your life?3. If we aren’t careful, commanding people to “love God” can just be another check mark on their Christian to-do list. How can we avoid turning the command to “love God” into an exhausting exercise in religion?4. Read 2 Peter 1:5-11. According to this passage, what are the fruits of the life in Christ? 5. Why does Peter say a Christian would lack these qualities? How does this speak to the central theme of this study?6. It is easy to observe one’s actions, but hard to observe motivation. What characterizes your life when you are in seasons where you don’t desire God?7. What does Peter seem to indicate it will take to get out of such a dry season and back into a joy-filled life in Christ?8. In what ways is God making this idea of remembering and growing in the Gospel specific to your life right now? Group applicationWhat initial step could you try out this week to make remembering the Gospel a regular part of your daily routine? Example: Pray each morning: God, there is nothing I can do to make you love me more or less than you love me in Christ.

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY.John 14:15-26Theme VerseIf anyone loves me, he will keep my word … and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23)

Week 9

Cultivating your relationship with God is the most life-giving and life-shaping activity you can possibly engage in. The more you know God, the more you will love him. What he has offered to us in the Gospel is a chance to be in relationship with him- a deep, personal, loving relationship. Jesus says in John 14:23 that if anyone loves him, that person will “keep” Jesus’ words. The word “keep” here is full of meaning. First, there is the connotation of obeying, that we embody his words and live out his commands. Also implied in “keep” is the sense of treasuring, or pouring over his words, memorizing them and cherishing them. Lastly, there is the sense that to “keep” Jesus’ words is to guard them and defend them against anyone who would distort or deny them. Keeping his words will demonstrate a love and faithfulness to the one who spoke them.Verse 23 carries with it perhaps the best promise ever made. If you keep his words and love Jesus, the Trinity will dwell in you. John 14:16, 17 and 26 talk about how the Spirit will dwell in us, help us, and lead us to remember Jesus words. Verses 20 and 23, talk about the Father and Son manifesting themselves to us. John 17:21, 23, and 26 further describes the unity that we will have with God if we enter into this relationship. In the Gospel, intimacy with God was made possible and is now only as far away as your prayer closet or your bedside or your study at home. It’s important to remember, however, that these words, particularly in John 14:26, were not spoken directly to us. In the Upper Room, Jesus was talking with the eleven apostles (Judas had already left by chapter 14), who would eventually make his message known to the world. It was those apostles who would see Jesus after he was resurrected, and then receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It was those apostles who preached Jesus’ words all through the Mediterranean region, and whose

message is written down in the New Testament. It is true that we have the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth and bring to mind the things that Jesus has said to us, but the means by which WE hear from Jesus is through their message contained in Scripture. To “keep” Jesus words today is to cultivate deep study of the Bible.Those who love Jesus don’t study the Bible to get good material for arguing the finer points of systematics, or to gain culture and sound knowledgeable. Those who love Jesus study the Bible to develop a deeper intimacy with God. They want to know God’s character and speak God’s words to others. They want to walk in Jesus footsteps and gain greater insight into who he is by living the way he lived. All this will make for a much richer prayer life, as those who know God well can speak freely with him, and will have a greater understanding of how He is moving in their life. NT Wright puts it this way:“These chapters (John 13-17) have often rightly been seen as among the most precious and intimate in the New Testament. They are full of comfort, challenge and hope, full of the deep and strange personal relationship that Jesus longs to have with each of his followers. We shouldn’t be surprised that they are also full of some of the richest theological insights, of a sense of discovering who the true God is, and what he’s doing in the world and in us. Where you find true devotion, you often find rich theology, and vice versa. Shallow thinking and shallow loving often keep company.” (Wright, 54) What’s at stake here is our very life. The vine metaphor in John 15 communicates that if we don’t commune with God regularly, we “can do nothing (15:5)” and we will “wither (15:6).” Conversely, Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God (John 17:3). Eternal life is not something that we are waiting for until after we die, it’s something that we have within our grasp now. Jesus longs to give us abundant life (10:10) and repeatedly says that God longs to answer our prayers so that our “joy may be full (16:24; cf John 14:13, 14, 15:7, 15:16, 16:22-24).” But we cut off our own access to this when we don’t commune with God regularly through Bible study and prayer.

Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.I devote significant time to communing with God: 1 2 3 4 5I actively learn about God in my study/prayer time: 1 2 3 4 5I feel close with God right now: 1 2 3 4 5I share what I’ve been learning about God with others: 1 2 3 4 5My friends, family, and neighbors know that my relationship with God is the most important thing to me: 1 2 3 4 5

i. Are you having effective, regular times spent with God? ii. Do you have a certain time set apart every day to meet with God? iii. What does your schedule/calendar reveal to be most important to you right now?iv. When you pray, how long does it last and what do you consistently pray about?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. When in your life did you first start having meaningful quiet times? What was it that convinced you to make it a regular part of your schedule? 2. What has God been teaching you recently about Himself through your prayer, Bible study, sermons, and so forth? 3. Read John 14:15-26. What does this passage say about the relationship that God has with us?4. Verse 23 says that Jesus and the Father will “make our home with him.” What does Jesus mean by that statement?Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each of the passages below:

Colossians 3:1-17, James 1:2-25, 2 Peter 1:1-21. a. What does this passage teach about our relationship with God?b. What motivations for prayer and Bible study can you find in this passage?c. What are some other notable observations that you made about this passage?5. We usually develop and plan for the things that are most important in our lives (vacations, jobs, etc.). What plan do you have for cultivating your relationship with God in the next weeks and months?6. How can your small group encourage you to grow in this area? How can we begin (or continue) to incorporate what we are learning in our personal study time with what we are doing in small group?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

CHARACTERJohn 15:7-11Theme Verse By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8)

Week 10

Growing in our Christ-likeness shows faith in God’s ability to work in our lives, produce fruit from our actions, and to rightly control our circumstances.The Bible often uses the metaphor “bearing fruit” to refer to the actions and attitudes that flow out of a person’s character. Jesus taught that a person’s activity, or “fruit,” was a direct indication of what lies at the core of that person (Matt 7:16-20, Luke 6:43). In John 15:7-11, Jesus is using the metaphor while talking about the

absolute necessity for his followers to remain connected to him. If they “abide” in him, they can bear much fruit (John 15:5). Later in verses 7-11, Jesus further clarifies what it means to abide in Jesus as he connects “abiding in him” with “abiding in love,” and “keeping his commandments.” The connection between character and action runs deep; you will not be able to mask a rotten character with feverishly good activity. Behavioral change has to begin at the heart-level.Jesus and Paul repeatedly describe what good fruit, the fruit of a person who has the Holy Spirit at her/his core, looks like. In Jesus’ Farewell Discourse (John 13-17), Jesus repeats for us a few elements of good fruit. In John 14:27, Jesus vows to give us a peace that transcends fear and trouble. In 15:11, 16:24, and 17:13, Jesus promises to make his followers “full of joy.” And, of course, much of Jesus’ teaching in John 13-17 centers on the love that his disciples are supposed to exhibit. Perhaps the most famous biblical passage about bearing good fruit is found in Galatians 5:22: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” This isn’t meant to be an overbearing list of standards, but rather a measuring stick for how deeply a believer is abiding in Christ and walking in his Spirit. If you cherish and tend toward these character-traits, you have likely been reborn by the Spirit; and if you veer away from these attitudes, it is an indicator for you to return to Christ and bask in his love.The extended metaphor from John 15, about the vine and the branches, gives us an important clue to how these characteristics are cultivated. Jesus’ audience would have been well aware of one important aspect of growing vines- the role of the vinedresser in pruning the good branches. Verse 1 tells us that God, the Father, is our vinedresser. Hebrews 12 reminds us that our Father grows us through discipline in order to perfect our faith, and James 1:2-4 tells us that facing trials helps to mature us. Paul describes this pruning in 2 Corinthians 4:17: “for this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Our job is to remain faithful, joyful, and peaceful, knowing that God is working in us no matter what circumstances come upon us. This “testing of our faith,” doesn’t mean that if we fail to exhibit perfect fruit in our actions and attitudes that we are somehow in danger of losing our faith, but rather that they might reveal areas of our life that we need to submit to Christ, in order to return to the full joy that he has for us.Growing in character is an important aspect of your personal relationship with God. John 15:8 says that we glorify God by bearing fruit as Christ’s disciples. This glorifying happens first in our witness to others, because without personal holiness “no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).” Beyond just our neighbors, we also reflect God’s glory back to himself through our lives. Jesus was the perfect likeness of God’s character, and as we become more like Jesus, we display the glorious character of God in the ways we were meant to when God created us. When we act like Christ, we are showing an incredible love for God by declaring with our lives that His character is best. We also show a deep faith in the future that He has promised us, because eventually we will all be like Christ and display these fruits of the Spirit naturally and perpetually.

Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale

based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.I exhibit a Galatians 5:22 Spirit-filled life: 1 2 3 4 5People in my life would describe me as joyful: 1 2 3 4 5I have grown in character in the last year: 1 2 3 4 5I handle all circumstances with joy, peace, and faith: 1 2 3 4 5Non-Christians in my life are intrigued about my faith because of my attitudes and actions: 1 2 3 4 5i. Do you think the people that interact with you on a daily basis would describe you as a joyful person? Explain your answer.ii. What are some hindrances to your joy right now? iii. Would the people who interact with you on a daily basis describe you as mature? Explain your answer with specifics.iv. Have you grown in your character in the last year? What aspects of your life can you point to as signs of growth? Small Group Discussion Questions

1. What ideas, stories, songs, sayings, or people inspire you to become a better person? 2. What have you recently heard or studied (sermons, prayer, bible study, reading) that has contributed to your understanding of growing in Character? 3. Read John 15:7-11. What role does prayer have in the process of growing in character?4. How does “abiding in Christ’s love” help you as you grow in character?

Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each passage listed below:

2 Corinthians 4:7-18, Hebrews 12:1-17, Galatians 5:16-26. a. What words in this passage describe Christian character?b. How does this passage motivate you to improve your character?c. What does this passage teach us about what God is doing in our lives?d. What other observations from this text stand out to you as important for growing in character?5. In what areas of your character has God been challenging you to grow? How are you responding to God’s call in this area of your life? 6. Pick one area of your character and develop one step to take that will begin pushing you towards Christ-likeness. How can the group help you in this area?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

COMMUNITY.John 13:34-35Theme VerseA new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Week 11We are created to be in a community joined together and held up by the Gospel. Jesus calls us to model him in loving one another (John 13:34-35, 15:12) because it is by this love the world will know we are his disciples. He prayed to God that we would experience unity that resembled the very unity of the Trinity itself (John 17:11,20-23). Paul calls the church to a unity so deep it should operate like a single human body (Ephesians 4:1-16). The early church modeled this life of unity in a way that was both deeply relational and consistently growing numerically at the same time (Acts 2:42-47). For small groups this means being intentional to love one another as Christ loved us and to encourage one another in holiness (Hebrews 10:24-26). After all, we were created in the image of a triune God who only saw us as “very good” when we had companionship (Gen 1:26-31).Most of us, if asked, would say we want to be in the kind of friendships just described. We want good friends we can count on. But most of us are afraid to take the steps it takes to get there. We are afraid to put ourselves out there for fear of being rejected. So we settle for surface-level, “how was your week” Christian community. By abiding in the love of Christ, our insecurities about another’s reception of us are eased. Only with this proper ordering of our hearts can we begin to build true, biblical community with others. Only with Christ as the foundation can we join together and seek to push the Gospel deeper into the recesses of our lives. Without the Gospel, the Christians will use one another in their community to try to gain status and approval among one another. Absent the Gospel, community is largely self-centered and full of disunity. With the Gospel, it is others-centered and seeks unity. This session seeks to build on this theme and push you in living out the Gospel in community with others.

Self ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.I easily allow people into my life: 1 2 3 4 5 I trust others close to me with important matters: 1 2 3 4 5 I find myself in conflict with others regularly: 1 2 3 4 5I do not like to rely on other people if possible: 1 2 3 4 5I have close friends who know my dirt: 1 2 3 4 5

i. Write down the name(s) of your closest confidant or friend you are not married to.ii. What do you find to be the biggest hurdle to being a part of a strong, supportive community? iii. Why do you think this hurdle exists in your life?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. Take a look at John 13:34-35. What is the foundation for how Christians are to love one another? 2. Why do you think, if Christ is so clear on this, building a healthy, biblical community can be so difficult?3. What has God been teaching you in this area of “community” during your prep time for this study (sermon, personal study, prayer, reflection, etc)?4. Christian community that is not outward looking is dysfunctional. How can your group keep each other open to the non-christian community you live in, while maintaining the unity talked about in these passages?5. Look back at your self-reflection. Understanding that the Gospel frees you to live in community, what is one action step you could take this week to move closer to the community described in these passages?

Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each of the passages listed below:

1 John 4:7-12; Acts 2:42-47; John 17:20-23; Romans 12:9-13a. What are the key elements of Christian community highlighted in each passage? b. How does the community described here differ from what you may have experienced before?c. Looking at your passage, how does the author rely on the Gospel as the foundation for Christian community?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS.John 17:6-21Theme VerseAs you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. (John 17:18)

Week 12 The Church was created and sent by Jesus to carry out his mission in the world. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son (John 3:16) …” It’s the most famous bible verse in our day and it encapsulates the reason that Jesus came to earth. Commentaries will tell you that the Greek word for “world” here has an intensely negative connotation throughout the book of John and elsewhere in Scripture. The “world” can only offer corruption and entrapment; it’s what stains us and what we need sanctification from. Yet, God loves the world, so much so that despite knowing how it would treat Jesus, he sent his Son to redeem and save the people in it. The surprise of the Gospel of John continues here in chapter 17. As Jesus is leaving, he prays for his disciples: first that they would be different from the world, then that they would have a successful mission in it. And though he knows intimately how the world has hated him, he does not pray that the disciples would be taken out, removed from, or shielded from the persecution or hatred that will come their way. Jesus’ plan and prayer is for all his disciples to enter into that world with a mission just like his- to endure what the world will throw at them and relay his message to it.Commentators Köstenberger and O’Brien summarized John’s description of Jesus' mission in the following points (Köstenberger and O'Brien, 209):• The sent one (Jesus) knows the sender intimately (7:29; 15:21; 17:8, 25)• Live in a close relationship with the sender (8:16, 18, 29; 16:32) • Bring glory and honor to the sender (5:23; 7:18) • Do the sender’s will (4:34; 5:30, 38; 6:38-39) and works (5:36; 9:4) • Speak the sender’s words (3:34; 7:16; 12:49; 14:10, 24) • Follow the sender’s example (13:16)

• Be accountable to the sender (ch. 17) • Bear witness to the sender (12:44-45; 13:20; 15:18-25) • Exercise delegated authority (5:21-22, 27; 13:3; 17:2; 20:23) Our Lord and our “sender” fulfilled his mission perfectly, through word and deed. We have already focused on the role that deeds, works, and activity in service to others has in witnessing to Christ, but now notice the role words have in the Farewell Discourse. Embodying God’s word is what will sanctify us so that we are ready for the mission (17:17), we are employed and empowered to speak Jesus’ words (14:10b, 24), and it is through our word (first through the apostle’s words now recorded in Scripture) that will bring others to belief (17:20). Just as Jesus spoke what he heard from the Father, so now we are to speak the words of Jesus to the world.

Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.Sharing my faith is a high priority for me: 1 2 3 4 5I support/pray for missionaries/mission work regularly: 1 2 3 4 5 I cultivate relationships with non-christians: 1 2 3 4 5I have often been involved in service and mission trips: 1 2 3 4 5I can express the Gospel and my testimony very clearly: 1 2 3 4 5

i. What is your mission in life (the thing that gets you most excited and that you take most seriously)?

ii. ii. How often have you shared the Gospel with a non-believer in the last month? How did those sessions go?

iii. What would you say is the biggest barrier for you in sharing the Gospel with one of your friends or neighbors?

iv. What kind of service are you doing for the people of Deville?

Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Briefly share about missionaries, or people who have devoted their lives in service, whose stories have gripped you.2. What has God been teaching you recently about being on mission in your life?3. Read John 17:6-21. In what ways has God, the Father, answered Jesus’ prayer here?4. From this passage, explain how God equips his people for mission. 5. Who are you currently praying for, or who would you now like to start praying for, to become a fellow follower of Christ? 6. How can your small group help you be a witness to the people you are praying for? How can your small group get involved in Jesus’ mission together as a group?

Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each of the passages listed below:

Romans 10:8-18, 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Philippians 1:12-30. a. What does this passage teach about salvation in Christ?b. What motivations for preaching the Gospel does Paul mention in this passage?c. What else does this passage teach us about evangelism?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

GENEROSITY.John 15:12-13Theme VerseGreater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Week 13

If you are willing to die for someone, it will drastically change the ways in which you can live for and love them.Jesus calls His disciples to a life of generosity. Now, most people hear this and immediately think dollar signs and church dues. While many Biblical references have a material correlation with the command to give, there is a more significant idea attached to generosity- love. In John 15:12-15 when speaking about generosity, Jesus instead uses the word “love” to describe the ultimate gift of one’s life. Love will be the fuel for your generosity, and as we will see later, joy will be the result. If one loves himself, then everything in his world (resources, people, time) will be spent doting on his/her whims. In this passage, Jesus is telling his disciples instead to love one another. This passage should be informed by the humble foot-washing He just performed, and the life He was about to give up. Jesus loved his friends and was generous with his life to the point of earthly humiliation and death on a cross at the hands of his own people. It is possible to give in such a way that is not rooted in sacrificial love. Sometimes we give because of what we will gain in return (status, respect, etc.). Giving like this is a form of self-righteousness, which will not ultimately cure us of materialism or lead us to joy.

On the other hand, sometimes we do not give because we feel like we are being ripped off. This is self-love inhibiting our generosity. We can become like Gollum from Lord of the Rings holding on to our “precious” and hard-earned money. We sometimes grow suspicious of how some of the ministry operates, or how someone will use our money, and whether or not they deserve our gift. In this way, self-love can inhibit the joy we can experience from generosity.Both self-love and self-righteousness miss something crucial in Christ’s generosity. In II Corinthians 8, Paul reminds the Corinthian church of how Jesus was made poor so that they might be rich. Jesus loved sinful humans so much that His resources became tools to love us. Even more, his generosity was unconditional. He was radically generous, even to those who nailed him to a cross. When we consider the ultimate sacrifice made by our Lord, our value systems change. When we are reminded of the Savior who calls us “friend,” and by name invites us to the table to eat with him, our love grows in response to his. Eventually, money will lose its value as something to col lect. And, like our Savior that counted his life and blood as not too costly to sacrifice on our behalf, we will sacrifice for others out of joy for what Jesus did for us. Generosity is to be done out of joy, and it will lead to more joy (John 15:11). Jesus spoke of his full joy in the upper room with his disciples. This joy is not squelched by the fact that he was about to die. Instead, Jesus’ value system was so radical that his joy was resting on his obedience to the Father and his willingness to love man unto death. When we view our resources as tools for love, our value systems will change so drastically that what seemed before like an impossible sacrifice, will be a joyful gift. As we practice this, our generosity will become a reflection of the love for Jesus that grows more and more in our lives.

Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can.. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.I enjoy giving money to my church and local charities: 1 2 3 4 5I try to rationalize giving less than I should: 1 2 3 4 5I feel depressed when my resources have taken a hit: 1 2 3 4 5I know how much I give away every year and it exceeds 10%: 1 2 3 4 5I get upset when someone wastes my time or doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices I make for them: 1 2 3 4 5i. What does your budget and your cash flow reveal about your priorities? Are you happy with the way you spend money? ii. What types of things make you impatient? What does that reveal about what you value?iii. What most prevents you from giving more of your income away?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. What has God been teaching you in this area of generosity during your prep time for this study (sermon, personal study, prayer, reflection, etc)?2. Generosity can involve much more than money. What are other ways that someone can show generosity?3. Read John 15:12-15. What does it mean to you that Jesus has called you his “friend”?

Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each of the passages listed below:

II Corinthians 8:1-15, II Corinthians 9:5-9, and I John 3:16-24a. What evidence or examples of God’s grace do you see in this passage?b. What positive effects will result from the acts of generosity described in these passages?c. How does this passage motivate you to give?4. As a group, what are some new ways that you can demonstrate generosity to each other? How might non-christians be able to view this generosity so that they may know you are friends of Christ? 5. What are some ways that your small group is displaying generosity? What plans does your group have for the coming months to cultivate generosity?

The Glorious Gospel

GENEROSITY.John 15:12-13Theme VerseGreater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Week 13

If you are willing to die for someone, it will drastically change the ways in which you can live for and love them.Jesus calls His disciples to a life of generosity. Now, most people hear this and immediately think dollar signs and church dues. While many Biblical references have a material correlation with the command to give, there is a more significant idea attached to generosity- love. In John 15:12-15 when speaking about generosity, Jesus instead uses the word “love” to describe the ultimate gift of one’s life. Love will be the fuel for your generosity, and as we will see later, joy will be the result. If one loves himself, then everything in his world (resources, people, time) will be spent doting on his/her whims. In this passage, Jesus is telling his disciples instead to love one another. This passage should be informed by the humble foot-washing He just performed, and the life He was about to give up. Jesus

loved his friends and was generous with his life to the point of earthly humiliation and death on a cross at the hands of his own people. It is possible to give in such a way that is not rooted in sacrificial love. Sometimes we give because of what we will gain in return (status, respect, etc.). Giving like this is a form of self-righteousness, which will not ultimately cure us of materialism or lead us to joy. On the other hand, sometimes we do not give because we feel like we are being ripped off. This is self-love inhibiting our generosity. We can become like Gollum from Lord of the Rings holding on to our “precious” and hard-earned money. We sometimes grow suspicious of how some of the ministry operates, or how someone will use our money, and whether or not they deserve our gift. In this way, self-love can inhibit the joy we can experience from generosity.Both self-love and self-righteousness miss something crucial in Christ’s generosity. In II Corinthians 8, Paul reminds the Corinthian church of how Jesus was made poor so that they might be rich. Jesus loved sinful humans so much that His resources became tools to love us. Even more, his generosity was unconditional. He was radically generous, even to those who nailed him to a cross. When we consider the ultimate sacrifice made by our Lord, our value systems change. When we are reminded of the Savior who calls us “friend,” and by name invites us to the table to eat with him, our love grows in response to his. Eventually, money will lose its value as something to col lect. And, like our Savior that counted his life and blood as not too costly to sacrifice on our behalf, we will sacrifice for others out of joy for what Jesus did for us. Generosity is to be done out of joy, and it will lead to more joy (John 15:11). Jesus spoke of his full joy in the upper room with his disciples. This joy is not squelched by the fact that he was about to die. Instead, Jesus’ value system was so radical that his joy was resting on his obedience to the Father and his willingness to love man unto death. When we view our resources as tools for love, our value systems will change so drastically that what seemed before like an impossible sacrifice, will be a joyful gift. As we practice this, our generosity will become a reflection of the love for Jesus that grows more and more in our lives.

Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly as you can.. Though this can be for your eyes only, this is most helpful when shared with a trusted friend. For the scale based questions, the scale goes from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with (3) being neutral.I enjoy giving money to my church and local charities: 1 2 3 4 5I try to rationalize giving less than I should: 1 2 3 4 5I feel depressed when my resources have taken a hit: 1 2 3 4 5I know how much I give away every year and it exceeds 10%: 1 2 3 4 5I get upset when someone wastes my time or doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices I make for them: 1 2 3 4 5i. What does your budget and your cash flow reveal about your priorities? Are you happy with the way you spend money? ii. What types of things make you impatient? What does that reveal about what you value?iii. What most prevents you from giving more of your income away?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. What has God been teaching you in this area of generosity during your prep time for this study (sermon, personal study, prayer, reflection, etc)?

2. Generosity can involve much more than money. What are other ways that someone can show generosity?3. Read John 15:12-15. What does it mean to you that Jesus has called you his “friend”?

Group StudyDiscuss the following questions for each of the passages listed below:

II Corinthians 8:1-15, II Corinthians 9:5-9, and I John 3:16-24a. What evidence or examples of God’s grace do you see in this passage?b. What positive effects will result from the acts of generosity described in these passages?c. How does this passage motivate you to give?4. As a group, what are some new ways that you can demonstrate generosity to each other? How might non-christians be able to view this generosity so that they may know you are friends of Christ? 5. What are some ways that your small group is displaying generosity? What plans does your group have for the coming months to cultivate generosity?

Notes

The Glorious Gospel

GROWING IN THE GOSPEL.John 14:12-13Theme VerseWhoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.(John 14:12)

Week 14

Growing in the Gospel makes us ready for the good works that God has prepared for his church to accomplish in the world. John concludes his Gospel by saying that the whole world could not contain enough books to record all the things that Jesus did while he was alive on earth (John 21:25). But the New Testament doesn’t end with the life of Jesus. The message of

the NT is that Jesus’ life was only the beginning of the great works that will be done in his name. And so John 14 contains the prophetic word over the church, from Jesus himself, saying that we have and will continue to accomplish greater works than what Jesus did during his life. Lest we forget, Jesus fed 5,000 from a happy meal, healed a woman who was bleeding for 12 years, told a paralytic to walk, called Lazarus from the grave, and much more. The call is high for us to do something of greater Kingdom significance than these things, and that requires us to grow.The rest of John 14 explains how we are going to be able to accomplish such great things. Reason #1, Jesus relates, is that his disciples will be in a better position because he’s leaving and going to the Father. This seemed counter-intuitive to the disciples, just like it sometimes seems to us when we think it would be easier to have faith and act boldly if Jesus were physically here with us. You may need to put on your theological thinking caps for this one*, but consider how the apostles changed after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Their boldness, clarity, and faith improved immensely! But this change did not happen until everything that Jesus set out to accomplish was fulfilled. His death taught us that God will not withhold anything from us that we need (Romans 8:28), his resurrection showed us the power that is at work on behalf of believers (Ephesians 1:16-23), and his ascension declared exactly who he is and how far his authority extends (Matthew 28:18-20).Reason #2 that the disciples will be in a better position to fulfill Jesus’ mission after Jesus goes to the Father involves prayer. Jesus is interceding for us before the Father, and what we ask for in Jesus’ name will be given to us. NT Wright explains what it means to pray in Jesus’ name:“The all-important phrase ‘in my name’ doesn’t, of course, just mean adding ‘in the name of Jesus’ to anything we might think of, however stupid, selfish or hurtful. The ‘name’, after all, as in many cultures, is supposed to reveal the character … Praying ‘in Jesus’ name,’ then, means that, as we get to know who Jesus is, so we find ourselves drawn into his life and love and sense of purpose. We will then begin to see what needs doing, what we should be aiming at within our sphere of possibilities, and what resources we need to * D.A. Carson describes it this way: “the works that the disciples perform after the resurrection are greater than those done by Jesus before his death insofar as the former belong to an age of clarity and power introduced by Jesus’ sacrifice and exaltation. Both Jesus’ words and his deeds were somewhat veiled during the days of his flesh; even his closest followers, as the foregoing verses make clear, grasped only part of what he was saying. But Jesus is about to return to his father, he is about to be glorified, and in the wake of his glorification his followers will know and make known all that Jesus is and does, and their every deed and word will belong to the new eschatological age that will then have dawned. The ‘signs’ and ‘works’ end Jesus performed during his ministry could not fully accomplish their true end until after Jesus had risen from the dead and been exalted. Only at that point could they be seen for what they were. By contrast, the works believers are given to do through the power of the eschatological spirit after Jesus’ glorification, will be set in the framework of Jesus’ death and triumph, and will therefore more immediately and truly reveal the Son.” (Carson, p. 496)Reason #3 that we as Jesus disciples are in a better position after Christ’s ascension to accomplish his mission is that he left us a great gift. Later in chapter 14, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a “Helper” and “the Spirit of truth.” It is the Holy Spirit that will help us bear fruit and guide us in fulfilling Christ’s mission. He is a comfort to us, his presence is a sign of our salvation, and he brings to mind all that Christ has put on our hearts. Finally, it is the Holy Spirit that will convict us of sin and inspire us to righteous living. If we want to grow, we will need to yield to the Spirit’s work in our lives.

We study the Bible, because it makes us equipped for every good work and trains us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). We work on our character so that we can reflect God’s image to the world around us. We choose a generous lifestyle, because we want to lay down our lives for our neighbor. We work toward unity within our community so that others will know we are Christians by our love (John 13:35). We make mission a priority in our life so that we can call others into relationship with Christ. In summary, we want to grow so that we can live an abundant life and walk in the good works which God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). But if we are to exceed the works done by Jesus, we will need to grow personally, we will need to function in community, and we will need to abide in the love of Christ.Self-ReflectionRespond to the questions below as honestly and specifically as you can.

i. What areas of your life has God been calling you to grow in through this study? How do you plan to work on this area of your life?

ii. ii. What can your small group do to help you grow in these areas? Con-versely, in what ways do you now see that you can be of service to your brothers and sisters in small group?

iii. Does the thought of working to improve your life of faith sound like drudgery, or does it excite you

Small Group Discussion QuestionsWork through these questions before you get to small group and come ready to interact with the Scriptures and questions below. 1. What has God been teaching you as you’ve studied through the Living in the Gospel series?2. What areas of life has God been placing on your heart? How can your small group help you grow in these areas?3. Which of these five areas do you think your small group does well? Why?4. Which of these five areas do you think your small group should try to grow in this year? What are some tangible ways that your group can work at to grow together in this area?