April 6, 2014
HOME GROUP QUESTIONS (first week in April)
I trust you all had a beneficial time last week in your home group discussing further ‘HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TODAY?’ ….we certainly did in ours.
Well, this week Luke spoke on….
‘WILD MAN, WILD MESSAGE; KINGDOM OF SELF VS KINGDOM OF GOD’
1. Hunger for God
John the Baptist was very zealous in living for God and fulfilling God’s will for his life. Do you share this zeal for your own life? How does it show?
2. Passion for the lost
John’s message was very clear. Do you have the same clarity when you share with others the Gospel? Discuss in your group what the main points are that the unsaved need to hear.
3. Deeper Prayer Life
Do you think John would have had a strong prayer life? Give reasons for your answer.
What influence does a Christian’s prayer life have on their effectiveness in ministry?
For someone to grow in this area discuss in your group ways to help.
Further points to consider regarding ….
‘WILD MAN, WILD MESSAGE; KINGDOM OF SELF VS KINGDOM OF GOD’
Read Matthew 3:1-9
1. When you think of John the Baptist what thoughts come to mind, what image of him do you have? As you consider what Matthew wrote read also what Jesus asked the crowds about him in Luke 7:24-28.
2. On Sunday Luke spoke about the 400 years gap between the Old and New Testaments. Who were the Jews waiting for with great anticipation to come?
3. As Luke shared about the environment created by the different religious groups, eg the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essences, where the Sanhedrin fitted in etc. was there anything that was new or surprising to you?
4. Read what John the Baptist said about them, Matt. 3:7-10 and also Jesus in Matt 15:1-9 and Mark 12:24. Discuss what wrongs are spoken against and how you can avoid doing the same.
5. How was John the Baptist different to the other religious leaders?
(footnote …. ‘Why did John live out in the wilderness? Prophets used the isolation of the uninhabited wilderness to enhance their spiritual growth and to focus their message on God. By being in the wilderness, John remained separate from the economic and political powers so that he could aim his message against them. He also remained separate from the hypocritical religious leaders of his day. His message was different from theirs and his life proved it.’)
6. What was the message John preached? Matt. 3:2
Should we Christians be preaching/sharing the same? Do we?
7. How much emphasis should we put on ‘self righteousness’ when speaking with the unsaved?
Read Jesus parable of the self righteous Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14 and Paul’s comments in Phil 3:1-9.
Discuss how you would explain self righteousness with an unsaved person and the righteousness which we receive when we put our faith in Christ?
8. What does repenting mean/involve?
sd