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HOME GROUP QUESTIONS (second week in April)

This week Luke spoke his second message on….

‘WILD MAN, WILD MESSAGE’ titled….

‘LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD’

Do you agree both this and the first were excellent?

How did you go as you worked your way through the questions in your Home Group? Did you get to all the questions? If not that’s expected as that’s what we plan so you have choices and if you want you can answer the others in your own time.

How did you go as you listened to Luke on Sunday? If you were anything like me you felt there was a lot of great information to take in.

Flowing on from John the Baptist in Matthew 3:8-12, some of the topics Luke spoke on were….

· Repentance from sin.

· Baptised with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

· A new heart.

· Fruit of the Spirit.

· The grace of God.

Summarise in your own words one or two things which spoke to you and share with your home group how they helped and the difference it will make.

Let’s now work through these.

1. REPENTANCE FROM SIN.

How would you explain what is mean, ‘to repent’ in the context that John used it in Matthew 3:2?

Is there any difference between someone being just sorry for their sin and repentance?

Read 2Corinthians 7:8-11. Discuss the difference between ‘worldly sorrow’ v10 and ‘godly sorrow’ v11.

Compare Peter’s ‘weeping bitterly’ and repentance Luke 22:61-62 and Judas’s remorse and suicide Matthew 27:3-5.

Do you sometimes have just worldly sorrow (coming from the flesh) and not godly sorrow (work of the Holy Spirit)? How would you know the difference?

How would you explain this difference to an unsaved person?

2. BAPTISED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

What did Jesus mean in John 14:17b when he spoke with his disciples about the Holy Spirit as he looked ahead to Pentecost,

‘…. You know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.’

Discuss in your group the difference in this regard between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant that John the Baptist was referring to when he said Jesus would ‘….baptise with the Holy Spirit….’

3. A NEW HEART.

Read 2Corinthians 5:17. What happens to everyone who belongs to Christ?

Read Ephesians 1:3-14 about all the wonderful blessings that are ours when we are united with Christ.

What promises does Paul mention regarding the Holy Spirit v13-14?

4. FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

Read about ‘….the two forces (which) are constantly fighting each other (within us)….’ Galatians 5:16-25.

In v.22-23 Paul speaks about the Holy Spirit producing fruit in our lives. Discuss the difference between the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the results of following our sinful nature v19-21.

What is the solution? v.16, 24-25. See also what Jesus said in John 15:5.

Read Paul’s huge words of encouragement in Philippians 2:13. With this in mind what does he say in v.12 to do?

‘What do we do when we don’t feel like obeying? God has not left us alone in our struggles to do his will. He wants to come along side us and be within us to help. God gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God’s control and let him work. Next time ask God to help you desire to do his will’.

5. THE GRACE OF GOD.

The apostle Paul had incredible devotion to God and commitment to complete the work God called him to do.

Who was the source of his strength? See Philippians 4:13.

Who did he give the credit to? See 1 Corinthians 15:10.

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Bible Study Matthew