Genesis 37:1-36 - “Facing Our Deepest Need”
- Returning from a recent trip to Uganda and Kenya our plane flew over Sudan. As I looked out the window at 30,000 feet, I saw a different sight than I would have seen if I was standing on the ground in Sudan. Why is it tempting to think that we should live our lives at the 30,000 feet level rather than face the “on-the-ground” broken and difficult relationships in our lives? What are some ways that we seek to escape the issues of brokenness and sin?
- Genesis 37 begins the presentation of Joseph’s life by looking at his family background. Though not a very pretty picture, we are able to see several dynamics that contributed to the sinful behavior of these individuals. Read the chapter and take note of the attitudes and actions of Joseph, Jacob and Joseph’s brothers. What is the common thread in all their actions?
- Joseph was favored by his father and hated by his brothers. How are his dreams an expression of Joseph’s heart and God’s plan? What can we learn from this passage of Scripture?
- In spite of the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers, God was at work. How does the story reveal the “accidental circumstances” that were orchestrated by God? What were they? How is God at work in the details of our lives? Why should we be confident that God is with us as we face difficulties and hardships
- It was in Dothan that Joseph was sold into slavery. It was in Dothan that Elisha’s servant saw chariots of fire. Compare 2 Kings 6:13-23 with Genesis 37:12-33. What are the glaring differences? Why doesn’t the Lord always open our eyes to His plan in the world and our lives? How should we live when it seems like God is missing from our circumstances?
- Jacob’s family had a history of showing favoritism toward certain people. Read Genesis 37:34-36 and evaluate Jacob’s response to Joseph’s disappearance. What does his grief indicate about his view of Joseph? What does his response tell the other brothers about Joseph’s place in their father’s life?
- If Jacob worshiped Rachel and Joseph, what should we think about our relationships with our family members? What are some healthy ways that our identity is tied up with our family members? What are some unhealthy ways?
- How does the story of Joseph point us to Jesus and our need for Christ’s redemptive work in our lives?
- How does this chapter help us answer the following questions: Who am I? Where is God in my life? Who do I trust? What can we learn about redemptive living in a broken world from Genesis 37?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Mark 10:17-31 - Proclaiming Grace to Good People
- By faith, identify 1-3 people with whom you will begin (or continue) to have spiritual conversations.
- How does God’s character relate to the “relative goodness” of humanity?
- When should we encourage our family and friends to reexamine their beliefs and decisions concerning Jesus?
- The question of following Jesus is a question of the heart. Pray that God would open their hearts to the gospel. Will you commit yourself to praying (1x / week, 3x/week, 1x/month, everyday, etc.) for these people?
- How can you practically exhibit God’s grace and Jesus’ compassion in the lives of “good” people during this upcoming week?
- How can you testify to the “rewards” of following Christ with family and friends?
Psalm 73:25-26 - “A Cry for Intimacy”
- Why do you think people seek “experiences” with God? Do you seek God or an experience of God? What’s the difference?
- Can you recall a time when you felt “intimate” and/or “on fire” for God? What was it like? Did you do anything to make this happen?
- Intimacy will not come unless we learn the discipline of “forsaking.” What areas listed above (principle #2) do you need to forsake? Is there anything specific?
- Some of our most intimate and dynamic times with God occur when we are “frail.” What, if any, is the connection between our human frailty and developing intimacy for God via spiritual disciplines such as prayer, worship, fasting, etc?
- What are some characteristics of passionate prayer?
- What kind of changes would occur as we develop a passionate, intimate, and dynamic relationship with God?
Acts 17:16-34 – “Jesus Among Other Gods”
- C. S. Lewis states that “Christianity is a statement, which if false, is of no importance and if true is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” Do you agree or disagree with Lewis? Why or why not?
- As Paul presented “Jesus and the resurrection”, he was accused of advocating foreign gods. Why did this accusation have to be clarified? Was Jesus just another god designed by people? How did Paul respond to their assumptions?
- Paul’s response was clearly tied to an understanding of the Greco-Roman culture. How did he show the Athenians that he understood their culture? Why was this an important part of his communication with them? How well do Christians understand culture today? What can we learn from Paul?
- How did Paul make the case for the resurrection of Christ? Why was it very important to address the misconceptions of the Epicureans and the Stoics? How does the resurrection answer the big questions of life? (hint: What is life all about? Is there life beyond death? What is happening in our world?)
- How is Jesus’ resurrection at the center of Christianity? How does the resurrection of Christ tie to the death of Christ in proclaiming the Gospel to a broken world?
- Why is repentance tied to the resurrection message? How does Christ’s resurrection solidify Him as the judge? Why is it central to God’s justice plan?
- What best describes your approach to Christ’s resurrection: skeptical; apathetic; embracing, denying? What brings you to that conclusion? How are you a different person because of the resurrection of Christ? (hint: see Philippians 3:10-11)
- What difference does Christ’s resurrection make in the community life of God’s people? Individual lives? Give a few examples of how the resurrection power of Christ is at work in your life.
- Why is the message of the resurrection of Christ greeted with sneers in Athens? How is it greeted in the 21st century?
- What happens to Christianity if the resurrection of Christ is mythologized? What happens if it is believed?
- When you tell others about your faith in Christ, do you include the resurrection of Christ in your testimony? Why or why not? What are some reasons that we should have more emphasis on the resurrection in our story of God’s grace in our lives?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Acts 17:22-34 – “The Living and True God”
- A. W. Tozer writes, in his book The Knowledge of the Holy, “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us”. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
- Paul observes that individuals are made to worship and highlights the altar with the inscription, “To An Unknown God” in his Areopagus talk. What bridge was Paul trying to build by identifying our innate desire for worship? How did Paul walk across that bridge in the verses that follow (see verses 22-31)?
- The speech at the Areopagus was given to the leading intellectuals and culture shapers of the Empire. What was the underlying premise to Paul’s talk? How did Paul compare the Living God with the gods and goddesses in the Roman pantheon of gods?
- What are the five main theological points Paul made in his speech? What difference is there between the idols made by human hands and the Living God?
- If God is the Creator of the world and Lord of heaven and earth, how can He be limited to a temple or represented by an idol? If God sustains all life, how can He be subject to our whims? What do these truths have to do with our view of God in the 21st century?
- Paul quoted a Greek poet when he emphasized that all humanity draws its collective breath from this Living God. Why is it important to identify cultural and philosophical touch points when our conversations with friends turn to God? How do you keep in touch with the “soul-search” going on in today’s world?
- What is the connection between the truth that God is the Lord of history and a personal God? How does Paul emphasize that the providence of God (verses 26-27) provides a backdrop for hardships and tragedy in this world and in our lives? Why does Paul connect the Lord of history with the justice mentioned in verse 31?
- As you consider the flow of Paul’s argument, how does this talk logically lead one to Jesus Christ? Why didn’t Paul start with Jesus and His resurrection? Is this good counsel for our conversations in a postmodern world? Why or why not? T
- As we rededicate the church building on Sunday, after the extensive renovations of the summer, what is your view of church buildings? What is the difference between a pagan temple and a church building (see Acts 17:22-31)? Why should we give thanks for facilities that provide opportunities for spiritual growth and ministry to the community at large?
- Will you consecrate yourself anew to the worship of the Triune God and to a daily life that represents the grace and truth of Jesus Christ? Will you recommit yourself to the life of Bethel Grove as we serve Christ together in this community and throughout the world?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Acts 17:16-34 – “Eternity In Our Hearts”
- The author of Ecclesiastes, an Old Testament wisdom book, tells us that God has set eternity in the hearts of humanity (3:11). Do you agree with him? Why or why not? In the same verse, the author also states that individuals cannot “fathom what God has done from beginning to end”. If God has put this quest for something beyond oneself inside each individual, why is it hard to fathom God’s ways?
- Paul observes that individuals are made to worship. How did his visit to Athens illustrate that truth? What were the obvious signs of a worshiping culture? What are the signs that our local communities are made up of worshipers?
- One altar in Athens had an inscription, “To An Unknown God”. What did that altar say about all the gods and goddesses of the Greco-Roman pantheon of gods? Why did Paul highlight that altar to begin his talk to the Aeropagus?
- What role did idolatry play in that ancient religion? How was their pagan worship connected to temples and idols carved by human hands? How did Paul address these issues head on in his talk (see verses 24-31)?
- Today, people and cultures have erected idols of the heart, will, and mind. What are some substitutes for worship of the living and true God in today’s world? What are some idols in your life that need to be identified and destroyed by the grace of God?
- Idolatry promises more than it produces. Why are idols so attractive? Why does worship of something or someone other than the Living God leave one empty and unfulfilled? How does an idol reduce one’s humanity?
- How does loving the God of the Bible lead to freedom and not bondage? How does obedience to God lead us to a serving life rather than a self-centered life?
- In our communication with neighbors and friends about Jesus Christ, how does an understanding of our culture’s practical idolatry help one share the Gospel?
- Why is individual worship a daily experience? Why is New Testament insistent that corporate worship is essential for spiritual growth?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Acts 17:16-34 – “Jesus Among Other Gods”
- C. S. Lewis states that “Christianity is a statement, which if false, is of no importance and if true is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” Do you agree or disagree with Lewis? Why or why not?
- As Paul presented “Jesus and the resurrection”, he was accused of advocating foreign gods. Why did this accusation have to be clarified? Was Jesus just another god designed by people? How did Paul respond to their assumptions?
- Paul’s response was clearly tied to an understanding of the Greco-Roman culture. How did he show the Athenians that he understood their culture? Why was this an important part of his communication with them? How well do Christians understand culture today? What can we learn from Paul?
- How did Paul make the case for the resurrection of Christ? Why was it very important to address the misconceptions of the Epicureans and the Stoics? How does the resurrection answer the big questions of life? (hint: What is life all about? Is there life beyond death? What is happening in our world?)
- How is Jesus’ resurrection at the center of Christianity? How does the resurrection of Christ tie to the death of Christ in proclaiming the Gospel to a broken world?
- Why is repentance tied to the resurrection message? How does Christ’s resurrection solidify Him as the judge? Why is it central to God’s justice plan?
- What best describes your approach to Christ’s resurrection: skeptical; apathetic; embracing, denying? What brings you to that conclusion? How are you a different person because of the resurrection of Christ? (hint: see Philippians 3:10-11)
- What difference does Christ’s resurrection make in the community life of God’s people? Individual lives? Give a few examples of how the resurrection power of Christ is at work in your life.
- Why is the message of the resurrection of Christ greeted with sneers in Athens? How is it greeted in the 21st century?
- What happens to Christianity if the resurrection of Christ is mythologized? What happens if it is believed?
- When you tell others about your faith in Christ, do you include the resurrection of Christ in your testimony? Why or why not? What are some reasons that we should have more emphasis on the resurrection in our story of God’s grace in our lives?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Philippians 1:1-6 and 4:19-23 - “Living Lives Worthy of the Gospel”
- After studying Philippians for the summer months, what was the most important lesson that you learned from this book? How has God challenged you to live a life worthy of the Gospel?
- Paul’s letter began with encouragement to trust the Lord that He will bring to completion the good work He started in the Philippian church. Are you confident that Christ is at work in your life? Why or why not? If so, share with someone how the Lord is transforming you into His likeness? If not, what might be blocking your view of the Lord?
- Wrapping up the letter in chapter four, Paul zips through some exhortations that are given as a response to conflict (vs. 4-5), anxiety (v6) and life’s pressures (vs10-13). Why does Paul state, in verse 19, that it is “my God” that will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus? What is the difference between “wants” and “needs”? How can Paul be so confident that God will do this?
- What is the Gospel? Why is it so glorious? How does one grow in understanding its beauty and power? (Hint: see chapter 2:5-13).
- Recall all of the transformed lives presented in Acts 16 and in Philippians. In 4:22, Paul adds believers from Caesar’s household to the list. Think about the ramifications of changing allegiance to the true Lord. How easy was that choice for them? What does it mean to proclaim Jesus as Lord and still work for Caesar?
- Our lives are connected to a world-wide fellowship of Christ-followers through our faith in Him. Think about the church around the world. How do you view our brothers and sisters in Christ? Ask the Lord to impress upon your heart a part of this world or a people group with whom you are interested. How can you reach out to individuals from that country or a people group in daily life?
- When you end a letter, what do you say to bring it to conclusion? How different from you is Paul who concluded this letter by writing- “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
- How does this ending conclude this letter with hope? Why is the grace of Christ necessary in order to live lives worthy of the Gospel?
- How does Christ’s grace change our attitudes towards others as we work together for the Gospel?
- Please pray for BG and for yourself, that the Lord will enhance our understanding of the Gospel and its impact upon our lives. May He make BG a fellowship that loves Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, as well as our neighbors.
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Philippians 4:10-19 - “Learning The Secret Of Being Content”
- Chapter four of Philippians contains many memorable Scripture verses that encourage our daily walk with Christ. What verse is most meaningful to you? Why?
- What are Paul’s current circumstances in which he is writing this letter (hint:1:13, 14)? Try to imagine Paul’s emotions and thoughts as he faces these circumstances. How does he see God’s hand in all these things?
- Is there a difference between happiness and contentment? What might those differences be? What role does one’s circumstances play in happiness and in contentment? What are some of your experiences that confirm the differences?
- Why do you think Paul emphasizes that contentment must be learned? What lessons are learned from abounding prosperity and devastating hardships in our lives? Which extreme is the hardest for you? Why?
- At the top of the New York Times best selling self-help books is a book entitled “The Secret”. It emphasizes that the “law of attraction” is central to life and if you think positive thoughts, your wishes will be fulfilled. In addition, the book emphasizes that we are at the center of life, really god-like thinking, so the power for success is in our hands. How does Paul’s secret of contentment differ from this popular book (hint: see verses 10-13)?
- Consider Paul’s strong statement in verse 13 that “I can do all everything through him who gives me strength”. What does Paul NOT mean by this verse? What does he mean as seen in the context of the abounding prosperity and devastating hardships mentioned in verses 11 and 12? How might we respond to the swings of circumstances in our lives? How do “pride” and “despair” play a part in the way we respond to the swings of circumstances? How have you applied this verse to your life in the past? How should you apply this verse in the future?
- Paul emphasizes that learning the secret of being content is an inside job. Do you agree or disagree? What is this secret and why is it at the focal point of each Christian’s life?
- Think about the relationship of Paul and the Philippians as seen in 4:14-19. Do you think the Philippians showed contentment in their actions? If so, how did it show? If not, what was missing? How do you display contentment in your life? How does BG illustrated a corporate contentment?
- Is there such a think as ‘holy discontentment”? What’s the connection between 3:12-17 and 4:10-19? Why should we “press on to take hold of that which Christ took hold of me”? How does this “holy discontentment” get tempered by God’s grace?
- Are you part of a small group at BG? Have you allowed others to share in your joys and sorrows? What are you grateful for at this moment in your life? How are you generous toward others? What connection does gratitude and generosity have with contentment?
- Do you have a living day-to-day relationship with Jesus Christ? Why is this truth the wonderful secret of Paul’s contentment and confidence? Why is this truth at the center of all Christ-followers who long to live lives worthy of the Gospel?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
Philippians 4:2-9 - “The God of Peace”
- Name several of the global “hot spots” that need peaceful resolutions to very destructive conflict. What’s happening that causes the conflict? Name some of the “hot spots” in your life? In your workplace? In your home? How does the peace of God guard your heart and mind as you face these issues?
- How do you think God views our conflicts with others over our personal preferences that often occur in the church? How does He view our responses to the many “harassing cares” of our personal lives? What does He promise His people and what doesn’t He promise His people as they live through these challenging situations (see 4:2-7)?
- In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer states that “Christ stands between us and God and for that very reason He stands between us and other men and things.” How is this quote connected to Philippians 4:2-9? What does Ephesians 2:11-22 add to this understanding of being “in Christ Jesus”?
- Paul wants the Philippians to think carefully and logically about the virtues that give value to life. What virtues are included in his list (verse 8)? Why is it valuable to think on these virtues? How might one keep from thinking that these virtues are monotonous and colorless?
- How does Jesus describe the difference between conventional religious goodness and Gospel goodness (hint: think about his constant interaction with the Pharisees and other religious leaders)? What happens when we define our lives by the absence of something? How does Jesus turn things around by describing life as more than meeting the letter of the law? (see Matthew 6 –give, fast, pray and Luke 14: 1-14- dinner invitations)
- How is Gospel goodness a “bridge between the visible and the invisible”? How does Paul’s exhortation to live lives worthy of the Gospel encourage this practice?
- How do the lives of fellow Christians teach us the value of Gospel goodness for our lives? Name a few people who have exhibited Christ-likeness and from whom you have learned what it means to live for Christ?
- God wants us to worship and serve Him only. Why do you think the Lord established everyday life as the main venue for worship? What happens if God’s people only think of worshipping God in a “worship service”? How does a view that all life involves worship help give perspective to the corporate worship of any local church?
- Thinking right and acting right demands our commitment to God’s Word and His Spirit. How important is reading and meditating on God’s Word to you? What happens when we neglect this spiritual discipline? How does the beauty of Christ’s character, being formed in you, point others to Lord and His goodness?
- What is one important lesson that you have learned from the study of Philippians 4:2-9?
Ask the Lord to use this meditation of His Word to increase our love for Him and for each other as we seek to live daily by the grace of God.
