WEEK 4 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

The Future Church: Practice of Scripture

Introduction:

The Future Church series explores how the church can adapt and thrive in a changing world, often drawing inspiration from the Bible and the early Christian community. We will focus on topics such as cultivating intimacy with God, understanding how to follow Jesus, connecting with the church community, serving others, and giving in response to God’s grace.

Bottom line: Continually align your life with Jesus’ teachings.

Something To Talk About:

To align your life with Jesus’ teachings, engage in daily practices of surrender, prayer, and Bible study, allowing the Holy Spirit to shape your thoughts and actions. Prioritize aligning your desires with God’s will, trusting His timing, and letting His love and purpose guide every decision, thereby experiencing a life of greater purpose and joy.

Daily Scripture Reading: Daily scripture reading is important because it strengthens faith, deepens one’s relationship with the divine, provides wisdom and guidance for life’s challenges, and helps resist temptation. It allows individuals to understand their respective traditions, connect with God, and grow spiritually, fostering discipline and a more informed perspective on life.
Limit Digital Intake: In our fast-paced, digitally saturated world, the constant pull of notifications, news feeds, and endless scrolling can easily distract us from what truly matters. As Christians, we are called to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. This applies to our digital lives as much as any other aspect of our existence.
Practice Prayer and Contemplation: Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is about learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, to become like Him, and partner with Him in the world. Contemplation encourages a quiet, reflective posture before God, focusing on “being” rather than “doing” to foster a deeper connection and understanding of God’s love and presence within. This practice involves a period of quiet solitude and surrender to God’s grace, allowing for a “long, loving look” at oneself and the spiritual world.
Community Engagement: Community engagement focuses on the biblical principle that God designed people for interconnectedness and service. Being in a community allows us to build friendships. Our friends encourage us and walk alongside us when we are going through trials, and we do the same for them. Most importantly, friends can help us to remain faithful and obedient in our walk with Christ, and He is present when we gather in His name.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking encourages thoughtful examination of life and beliefs through a biblical lens, as exemplified by Jesus, who used Scripture to challenge falsehood and discern truth. It involves disciplined, God-inspired thinking that analyzes observations, asks critical questions about authority and starting points, and seeks biblical truth rather than cultural norms or personal assumptions. This approach, grounded in Scripture, leads to a deeper, biblically-informed perspective on life’s circumstances.
Cultivate Humility: Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. Although He is God, He chose to humble Himself, taking the form of a servant and sacrificing His life for us. By following His example, we learn to value others, listen more attentively, and serve without expecting anything in return. Humility enables us to view others through God’s eyes and respond with compassion and grace. Practicing humility means letting go of our ego and embracing the mindset of a servant, just as Jesus did.
Seek Wisdom: Seeking wisdom encourages asking God for guidance (James 1:5), acknowledging His generous nature and the importance of humility. It emphasizes seeking wisdom as a treasure through diligent study of His Word (Proverbs 2:6) and a relationship with God, which involves reverence, understanding, and attentive listening to His voice in everyday life. This approach involves a deliberate and passionate pursuit of following Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

Why is it important to read the Bible every day?
What does it mean to read the Bible with expectation? What, in your mind, is a critical reading of the Bible? What are the advantages of having a more profound knowledge of scripture in your day-to-day walk with God?
What role does digital technology play in your daily life? How much time do you estimate you spend engaging with screens daily?
How might the constant availability and allure of digital media impact our ability to focus on and prioritize our relationship with God and others?
What specific struggles or roadblocks do you face when it comes to prayer, and which is most prominent in your life right now? Why do you think people struggle with prayer today, and what obstacles keep us from taking everything to God?
Why is community engagement critical for a church? What are the biblical foundations for it?
How do the Great Commandment (loving your neighbor) and the Great Commission (making disciples) relate to community engagement?
How does a biblical definition of humility differ from a worldly one?
Is true humility a feeling, an action, or a state of being?
What is the difference between human wisdom and godly wisdom?
Who is the wisest person you know, and what qualities make them wise?
What does it mean to seek God’s wisdom, and what does it require of us?

Take one thing home with you:

How do we align our lives with Jesus’ teachings? The early Church in Acts serves as a model for living in alignment with God’s kingdom. They lived with power, joy, and community, and we can experience the same today. The kingdom of God is here, and we are invited to participate in it. However, many of us are living with an outdated “operating system,” missing out on the whole life Jesus offers. We must choose to accept His invitation and realign our lives with His teachings and purpose.

We must align our lives with Jesus if we are to experience the abundant life He promises, filled with joy, peace, and purpose.