Grow Group Questions // April 17, 2022

Death of Death // Living the Resurrection


Introduction

Death. It seems so final. So unpredictable. So inevitable. We don’t like to consider it, but eventually, every one of us, and everyone we love, dies. And we’re left with the grief, the agony, of this loss, this curse, this enemy. But then…there’s Jesus. He lived a perfect life – no sin. Yet on the cross, he willingly died the death for sin – our sin. His broken body lay in the tomb, lifeless. Until the third day. The day when God’s resurrection power restored Jesus’ life to Him! On that Resurrection Day, Jesus broke death’s grip – dealt a death blow to death itself. So now, for all who will believe in Him, we can share in His resurrection life. Praise be to Jesus!


Ice Breaker Questions

Here are some possible ways to get a conversation started:

  1. What is something that you feel proud of this week?

  2. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?


Getting Started

Open up with some prayer – some possible prayer topics:

  • We would have boldness in the Gospel

  • Thankfulness in what God did on the cross

  • Rejoicing in one day the end of all sin and death

  • For new people to come to faith this during Easter season


Discussion Questions

  1. When Moses chose to strike the rock rather than speak to it, he was acting in disobedience. Where are you choosing to live in disobedience to what God is asking you to do?

  2. Why do you think God had the people of Israel look at a snake to be healed, why did He not just heal them? Why do we have to look to Jesus for our forgiveness, why not just remove sin from humanity?

  3. The Israelites had to look at the bronze snake to be healed of their wounds. Similarly, we must look to Jesus for forgiveness/healing of our sins, but often will look to other ways for healing. What are you tempted to do to when you fall into sin? (Try harder, be more disciplined, ignore the sin, etc.) What does it look like to trust Christ for forgiveness?

  4. How could you live out the resurrection this week? (At work, home, family, friends, etc.) How could we as a group live it out in this community?


Closing Prayer

Some suggestions:

  • Ask if there are any prayer requests.

  • We would live the message of the Gospel out into our daily lives

  • That we would continue to seek what it means to live out the resurrection


Personal Spiritual Practice

This section is for anyone that wants some practical steps to try throughout their week. Maybe this could even be a way to check in either during the week or the next time you meet as a group.

1. Bring Life: What is one way you could bring life to someone around you? Maybe it’s speaking a word of encouragement, picking up trash, leaving a generous tip, etc.

2. What’s Next?: Read Matthew 28:18-20 and underline every verb we as believers are called to do? Write out or discuss with another what it looks like to live out these verbs.

Next Week’s Passage: Romans 6:1-5

Grow GroupsGuest User
Grow Group Questions // April 10, 2022

Death of Death // Sensing the Resurrection


Introduction

Death. It seems so final. So unpredictable. So inevitable. We don’t like to consider it, but eventually, every one of us, and everyone we love, dies. And we’re left with the grief, the agony, of this loss, this curse, this enemy. But then…there’s Jesus. He lived a perfect life – no sin. Yet on the cross, he willingly died the death for sin – our sin. His broken body lay in the tomb, lifeless. Until the third day. The day when God’s resurrection power restored Jesus’ life to Him! On that Resurrection Day, Jesus broke death’s grip – dealt a death blow to death itself. So now, for all who will believe in Him, we can share in His resurrection life. Praise be to Jesus!


Ice Breaker Questions

Here are some possible ways to get a conversation started:

  1. How would you describe your job to a five-year-old?

  2. Pick any band to play at your funeral.


Getting Started

Open up with some prayer – some possible prayer topics:

  • We would have boldness in the Gospel

  • Thankfulness in what God did on the cross

  • Rejoicing in one day the end of all sin and death

  • For new people to come to faith this during Easter season


Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Jesus went through all these steps to prove He had raised from the dead physically? What would it mean if Jesus had not been raised from the dead?

  2. It is very natural for us as humans to be skeptical about the miracles mentioned in the Bible. How do we know the resurrection happened? How do you help someone to believe in something supernatural like the resurrection?

  3. Are you ever hesitant in sharing about the supernatural events in the Bible with others? Why do you think that is? How could you take a step in growing in that?

  4. One of the most convincing proofs for the resurrection was the dramatic change in the behavior and lives of those who were close to Jesus. Does your own life show similar changes when you met Jesus? Would those around you be able to identify where and why you are different than the world?

  5. We can often be guilty of hearing and learning something and yet not knowing how to take it into life. How does our new/renewed confidence in the resurrection impact our daily life? Where does the truth of the resurrection play out each day?


Closing Prayer

Some suggestions:

  • Ask if there are any prayer requests.

  • We would live the message of the Gospel out into our daily lives

  • That we would continue to seek what it means to live out the resurrection


Personal Spiritual Practice

This section is for anyone that wants some practical steps to try throughout their week. Maybe this could even be a way to check in either during the week or the next time you meet as a group.

1. Meditate on Truth: Write Philippians 3:10-11 on a sticky note and then put it on your fridge, mirror, or anywhere you look at on a daily basis

2. Meditate on Truth: Set this verse as the background on your phone, computer, or laptop.

Next Week’s Passage: Numbers 20/21

Grow GroupsGuest User
Grow Group Questions // April 3, 2022

Death of Death // Needing the Resurrection


Introduction

Death. It seems so final. So unpredictable. So inevitable. We don’t like to consider it, but eventually, every one of us, and everyone we love, dies. And we’re left with the grief, the agony, of this loss, this curse, this enemy. But then…there’s Jesus. He lived a perfect life – no sin. Yet on the cross, he willingly died the death for sin – our sin. His broken body lay in the tomb, lifeless. Until the third day. The day when God’s resurrection power restored Jesus’ life to Him! On that Resurrection Day, Jesus broke death’s grip – dealt a death blow to death itself. So now, for all who will believe in Him, we can share in His resurrection life. Praise be to Jesus!


Ice Breaker Questions

Here are some possible ways to get a conversation started:

  1. Who is your favorite author?

  2. What was your first favorite band?


Getting Started

Open up with some prayer – some possible prayer topics:

  • God would lead your time of discussion.

  • That this study would help our understanding of who God is and who we are in light of that.

  • Pray for your GG, that God would bring unity and community in your group.


Discussion Questions

  1. It is easy for us as humans to focus on this world either in moments of pain or through pursuing as much happiness as we can. In what ways/areas have you tried to make this world your home?

  2. What is the difference between understanding the resurrection and living it out? What area in your life are you not living it out?

  3. Read Romans 6:1-12. We are no longer in the line of Adam but get to be in the line of Jesus and thus be free from sin. What does it look like to have this new life in Christ? Are there sins you are still being mastered by?

  4. What do you feel when you hear the phrase “the end is coming”? What does a Biblical perspective on that phrase look like?

  5. What does it look like to live with an urgency that the end is coming? Do you live with a sense of urgency of the end coming? What step could you take toward that?


Closing Prayer

Prayer can often be somewhat of a weird time, and we understand it can be awkward to pray out loud, but as your group grows in comfortability ask people to pray out loud. Prayer is a very effective tool the Holy Spirit uses to draw our hearts closer to God. It is also a time you as a group can come together and come before the throne of God and make requests and just experience Him.

Some suggestions:

  • Ask if there are any prayer requests.

  • Pray that Jesus would use the week to reaffirm the truths discussed here.

  • Pray for a new/renewed understanding of who Jesus is.


Next Week’s Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28

Grow GroupsGuest User
Grow Group Questions // March 20, 2022

Jesus Christ Is Enough // Take Care! (Heb. 3:7-19)


Introduction

Christianity has a long history of being misunderstood, even by Christians! It's all too easy to make it about Jesus PLUS something (good works, moral living, religious activities, emotional experience…). But the book of Hebrews claims that when we add anything to Jesus, we're actually subtracting. It holds up Jesus Christ – fully God, fully human – as the promised Deliverer. The One who alone saves us from our sinfulness and restores our relationships with God, others, and creation. Its message, the message of Christianity, is really quite simple: Jesus Christ is enough!


Ice Breaker Questions

Here are some possible ways to get a conversation started:

  1. Who is the most famous person you have met?

  2. What did you want to be when you grew up?


Getting Started

1. Open up with some prayer – some possible prayer topics:

  • God would lead your time of discussion.

  • That this study would help our understanding of who God is and who we are in light of that.

  • Pray for your GG, that God would bring unity and community in your group.

  • We would see Jesus as the author of Hebrews describes Him.

2. Read Hebrews 3:7-19


Discussion Questions

  1. We all have ups and downs in our walk with the Lord. What does it look like for you to be thriving in your relationship with the Lord? What does it look like when your relationship with the Lord is struggling?

  2. When we give into sin our hearts start to become hard toward the Lord. What are some things you do to soften your heart toward the Lord? How are you doing at keeping those practices?

  3. Multiple times throughout this passage it talks about entering the rest of the Lord. What do you think that means? How do we enter the rest of the Lord? What steps can each one of us take in holding to this amidst our busy lives?

  4. We also see a consistent theme of exhorting and encouraging one another to keep each other from a hardening heart? How do you feel about being vulnerable with those in this group? Do you feel like you are able? If someone in the group sees you struggling, would you want us to approach you about it? How would you like to see that happen?

  5. Are there ways you are hardening your heart toward the Lord today? Is there sin you are hiding? An unwillingness to take a step you are being called to? Or maybe a hard situation that is causing anger or frustration toward God?


Closing Prayer

Prayer can often be somewhat of a weird time, and we understand it can be awkward to pray out loud, but as your group grows in comfortability ask people to pray out loud. Prayer is a very effective tool the Holy Spirit uses to draw our hearts closer to God. It is also a time you as a group can come together and come before the throne of God and make requests and just experience Him.

Some suggestions:

  • Ask if there are any prayer requests.

  • Pray that Jesus would use the week to reaffirm the truths discussed here.

  • Pray for a new/renewed understanding of who Jesus is.


Personal Spiritual Practice

This section is for anyone that wants some practical steps to try throughout their week. They are not required, but maybe a great way to reinforce what has been discussed during group. Maybe this could even be a way to check in either during the week or the next time you meet as a group.

  1. Life Reflection: Each evening this week take some time to reflect on your behavior during the day—at work, during leisure time, at the store, at sports events, and even driving. Ask yourself if by your actions people would believe you are a follower of Jesus and find your message credible. If not, what changes do you need to make?

     

    2. Quiet Time: One of the ways Hebrews helps in keeping our hearts toward Christ is considering Jesus. Take 10-15+ minutes to consider all that Jesus has and is doing in your life. Here is your time to just focus on all that Christ has and is doing for you!

Next Week’s Passage: Romans 1:21-26

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