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Bible LessonUpdated weekly, the Bible Lesson is written by our Teaching Pastor on the passage of scripture that our church is studying for that particular week. [Currently we are in a series in Colossians: Christ in You, the Hope of Glory.] Then on Sunday our Bible Discussion Groups share answers and insights from their prepared lessons; and our pastor teaches from that same passage in the Worship Celebration that follows.
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BIBLE DISCUSSION GROUP STUDY QUESTIONS
In preparation for Sunday, September 5th, 2010 Passage: Colossians 2:20-23 Memory Passage: Col. 2:23 TODAY: From your study this past week, what is one thing that impressed you that can be of help in your life?
DAY 1 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Col. 2:20-23. How does v. 20 connect with the rest of chapter 2 (notice words & phrases like: “with Christ you died,” “elemental spirits of the world” & “regulations”)? (b) What are the Colossians doing to cause Paul to question whether or not they are still “alive to the world?” What does it mean to be “alive to the world?” (c) What are the “regulations” to which Paul says they (and we) should not be submitted? Why is submitting to these regulations such a bad thing? (d) Family: Read Col. 2:16-19. Lead your family in a discussion about what they learned last week about legalism (vs.16-17) and angel worship & false humility (vs. 18-19). One way to do this is to recall the daily object lessons from last week to see what they remember about what you learned. Be ready to re-enforce the ideas that they may not remember. DAY 2 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Colossians 2:10-23. “Do not handle, Do not taste, do not touch” seem to be phrases that Paul is quoting from the teaching of the Colossians false teachers (notice the quotation marks around v. 21)? What types of things are they requiring? (b) Does this warning apply to us today? What types of teaching are being promoted by Christians today that forbid handling, tasting or touching good gifts that God has given believers (list all you can think of)? (c) Make a list of every command given in Scripture (that you can think of) that would require us to not handle, not taste or not touch a certain thing. How many of these activities/actions/items are found on the list you made in question (b)? If there is anything that made both of your lists, from which list should it be removed? What should be the defining criteria by which an activity is placed on the first list but not the second (hint: see v. 22). (d) Family: Pass around an object (it doesn’t matter what it is. A piece of fruit, a rock, a marble, etc.) and after everyone has “touched” and “handled” it, say, “Now everyone is guilty of sinning!” When they ask “Why?” tell them they are guilty because they handled & touched the object. Let them disagree, but you play your part, acting as if you believe touching & handling the object makes them guilty. By your objections to them, force them to come up with reasons why what you are saying can’t be true (“the bible doesn’t teach that” or “where does it teach that in the Bible” etc.). After this discussion, read Col. 2:20-23 and teach that the false teachers taught that staying away from certain activities made people more righteous, but Paul said that since they died to the world with Christ and have been saved, they need nothing more to be righteous. DAY 3 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read 1 Cor. 6:12-13. What are the principles concerning our freedom in Christ that Paul teaches in these verses? What bearing do these lessons have on our study of Colossians 2:20-23? How are these passages different? The same?
(b) Write down as many things as you can think of that are gifts from God, but which at the same time can be “not helpful,” “enslaving” or against what God’s purposes are for our body? What is the key ingredient to understanding when a gift from God becomes enslaving or sinful (in other words, how can you tell when you begin to abuse a good gift?)? (c) What areas of your life require you to be a “watchman on the wall” of your own heart in order to not be taken captive by a good gift from God? In what ways are you actively crucifying your flesh in these areas? Are these areas in which you need to seek wisdom from another believer in order to be more faithful in this area? Write down the name of someone you will talk to (and when you will contact them!) about how to be more faithful in not becoming enslaved to these good gifts from God. (d) Family: Read 1 Cor. 6:12. Ask everyone to draw a picture of his or her favorite food or activity. After they finish drawing, ask each person to tell their drawing and why they choose this food/activity. When everyone has finished, ask if they would like to do/eat their choice every minute of every day. Then ask how often they would need to do/eat their choice before they would be enslaved to it, and how they would know if they had been enslaved. Teach them the difference between the activity/food itself and the desires for the activity/food, and how quickly our desires can be for things rather than Christ.
DAY 4 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Mark 7:14-23. Summarize this teaching of Jesus in one sentence (Make sure to write down your summary!). (b) What relevance does this teaching have for our study of Colossians 2:10-13? Why is it important for us to understand that sin originates within us, not outside of us? (c) Reread Col. 2:20-23. Why does Paul mention that these things “all perish as they are used?” What contrast is he making? (d) Are you one who is caught up in a set of rules and believes that keeping these rules is required for someone to be a “real” Christian? Do you look down upon and make judgments upon others who do not obey the rules in the same way that you do? If so, take a moment to ask God to free you of this kind of false humility, repenting of your sin of trusting in these rules and rituals rather than Christ. (e) Family: In preparation for today prepare several servings of food that is not what it seems (it might also be helpful to answer the questions for Day 6 prior to leading this lesson). You can do this in several ways, depending on what you have on hand. Take a piece of fruit or a Twinkie-like pastry and inject it with ink or food coloring; make fake cupcakes by filling a muffin tin with cupcake papers, filling each paper app. ½ full with dirt, and then covering the top with whipped cream (I think you get the idea). After making a big deal about how good your dessert looks and whetting everyone’s appetite, ask, “Who would like some dessert?” Everyone should say “yes!” and then you should give everyone a serving of your “dessert.” When everyone complains, ask, “What is the matter?” Get them to make the point that the dessert was not what it seemed to be by its outward appearance. Then read Col. 2:20-23 and teach about legalistic practices of false humility that give the outward appearance of wisdom but are actually no help in stopping us from sinning or making us acceptable to God. DAY 5 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read James 1:13-18. According to these verses, who is at fault when we sin? Who are we most definitely not to blame? Explain the process that leads to sin according to these verses. Is being tempted a sin? Why or why not? (b) These verses give us an idea of how we should combat temptation in our life. How would you describe this battle to a new believer? How do you fight temptation in your own life? (Hint: read vs. 14-15 again, focusing on “desire.”) (c) How does James 1:17 relate to 1:13-17 & Colossians 2:20-23? (d) Family: In preparation for today, prepare the same “dessert” as last night, but this time don’t make the inside rotten. Everyone will probably not want your dessert tonight, so use their objections to reinforce what you taught last night from Col. 2:23. Pass out the dessert and let everyone eat while you read Mark 7:14-23. Use the object lesson from last night (the dessert with the rotten center) to teach the truth that sin originates in our sinful hearts, not from outside activities (for instance, “what caused the rottenness of the dessert, something on the outside or on the inside?” or “Would it have mattered what the Twinkie did or where it was? Would it still have been rotten? Why (because it was rotten on the inside)?” DAY 6 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Col. 2:20-23. In v. 23 Paul says that when people follow these man-made rules they may give the appearance of wisdom. How might these kinds of legalists appear wise? (b) Paul also says that these activities “are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” Why is this so? Why do we need to stop the indulgence of the flesh? If these are no value, what is of value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh (you should be able to fully answer this question after your study this week!)? DATE: September 5th, 2010 PASSAGE: Colossians 2:20-23
A Defense of Liberty: Part II
BIBLE DISCUSSION GROUP STUDY QUESTIONS
In preparation for Sunday, September 12, 2010 Passage: 1 Pet. 5:1-4 & Heb. 13: 7, 17 Memory Passage: Hebrews 13:17 TODAY: From your study this past week, what is one thing that impressed you that can be of help in your life?
DAY 1 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read 1 Pet. 5:1-4. We will be installing Mike Paul as an elder on Sunday, so this week we will look at passages of Scripture that will focus us on the responsibilities of both our elders and our congregation. To whom is Peter speaking in v. 1? How does he relate himself to these hearers? (b) Look back at the context from which these verses flow (4:12-19). What is the primary subject of these verses? How do you think 5:1-4 connect with these verses? Is there a connection between suffering believers and the work of an elder? If so, what is it? (c) What does Peter mean when he writes that he is “a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed?” How is this statement related to Peter being “a witness of the sufferings of Christ?” (d) Family: Prior to your time of worship, have your bible sitting in front of where you usually sit or stand, but don’t enter the room with everyone else. Disguise yourself (use a mask, a paper sack, a blanket, etc) and come quickly into the room, take your bible, and then leave (make sure you are observed). Quickly dispose of the mask and the bible and then return to the room and ask: “What happened to my bible?” As your family answers (“you took it!” “a monster took it” “a stranger took it” etc.), persist in asking them how they know for sure what happened. Make them recount specific details (what did the person look like, what time was it, where was my bible sitting, did the person say anything, etc). Then explain that they have just been a witness to a crime and their details were very important. Use this idea of a witness to describe how Peter was a witness to Christ’s sufferings, both an eyewitness and one who speaks of (witnesses) to them. You can read 1 Peter 5:1 or a specific passage that shows what Peter witnessed (Christ in Gethsemane, at His trials, on His cross) or what his witness was (Luke 24:45-48; Acts 1:8). DAY 2 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Act 14:23 & Titus 1:5. What important fact do we learn about elders in these verses? What effect should this fact have on a local church today? (b) Read 1 Peter 5:1-3. What are the two commands given by Peter to elders? Peter describes two ways an elder can accomplish these tasks, one good and one bad, by using three contrasting pairs of descriptors (“not . . . but . . .”) in these verses. Writes a sentence that describes what you learn from each of the three “not” statements and another sentence describing what you learn from the three “but” statements. (c) How would you be able to tell if an elder was shepherding “under compulsion” rather than “willingly?” How would you be able to tell if an elder was shepherding “for shameful gain” rather than “eagerly?” What about one who shepherds in a “domineering” way rather than leading as “examples to the flock.” (d) How might a church be in danger if they appoint elders who shepherd and oversee in ways that violate these conditions? (e) Family: Read 1 Peter 5:1-4. After reading, ask, “What does Peter command elders to do?” (shepherd; exercise oversight). As your family answers, have someone write these actions as a heading on your white board. Then have everyone read vs. 2-3 and write on their own piece of paper two lists: one list of how an elder is supposed to act and the other list of how an elder is not supposed to act (team older kids with younger if needed). Then lead in a discussion of each item as you (or one of your family members) write it in the proper category (“good elder” or “bad elder”) on the white board. DAY 3 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read 1 Tim. 3:1-7 & Titus 1:5-9. Write down every character issue with which we must be concerned as we appoint elders (some overlap and are found in both lists). Do you understand each of these characteristics? If not, use a dictionary to help you form a definition of each one. Remember, it is important that you fully understand these because you are going to affirm a man for this position on Sunday morning, a solemn responsibility!
(b) How do you reconcile the requirements found in these verses (which seem like they demand perfection) with the mortal men who God calls out to be elders? In other words, no one is perfect in these areas, so how can you tell if a man is qualified? (c) Read Titus 1:9 & Acts 20:28-32. What does Paul exhort the Ephesians elders to do as they serve? Why is there such urgency in Paul’s writing? What does Titus 1:9 tell us about the elder and his ability with the word of God? (d) Family: WARNING: THIS WILL TAKE MORE PREPARATION THAN USUAL! Phil Keller was a shepherd who looked at Psalm 23 through the eyes of what he knew about sheep. You can find excerpts of his book at this website: http://joyfulministry.com/keller.htm Go to this site, read, study and take notes that will help you explain Psalm 23 to your family. This will help you to paint a more vivid picture for your family of the imagery used in Psalm 23. DAY 4 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Hebrews 13:7 & 17. Now we will move to a brief look at the responsibilities we have as a congregation with regard to elders. In 13:7, what are three things are we commanded to do with regard to our leaders? (b) What is the correlation between these commands and what we learned about the qualifications for and duties of an elder? (c) Write down some ways that you will be faithful to “remember your leaders.” (d) When our author tells us to “consider the outcome of their ways” (i.e. their walks), what does that mean? How do we do this? Why is this command important in light of the last command to “imitate their faith?” (e) Family: Read Heb. 13:7. This passage is primarily speaking of our responsibility to elders in a local church, but there are several people in our lives who speak the word of God to your family (including you and your wife!). Have everyone list these people by name, and discuss ways that your children can “remember” these people. Be creative, and help them to implement these ways in the next several weeks. DAY 5 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Read Hebrews 13:17. What does it mean to “obey your leaders (elders)?” What does it mean to “submit” to leaders (elders)? Are these two actions different? The same? If different, how are they different? (b) What reason does this verse give for our submitting & obeying? According to this verse, how is the elder affected if the flock does not obey &/or submit? (c) In what ways might you (or have/do you) have difficulty “obeying” and “submitting” to the elders of BCC? Are there limits to this obeying and submitting? Is so, what are they? How would you know/choose to not obey or submit to the elders? (d) Why is it “no advantage to you” if elders lack joy or groan while they shepherd, lead and oversee you? What role do you play in causing elders to be joyful & non-groaning? (e) Family: Explain to your family what will happen on Sunday as we appoint Mike Paul to be an elder for the flock here at Bible Church of Cabot. Use what you have learned/taught this week to explain the importance of this appointment in the life of our church. Then spend some time praying for Mike as he undertakes this wonderful responsibility. It would be great to have each person in your family pray for Mike. DAY 6 – ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE (a) Spend your time today praying for Mike Paul as he begins this season of serving Christ as an under-shepherd of the Bible Church of Cabot. Also spend time in prayer for your role and responsibility to the leadership of BCC. DATE: September 12, 2010 PASSAGE: 1 Pet. 5:1-4 & Heb. 13: 7, 17
A Call to a Congregation and Her Elders
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