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Friday, August 29, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/31/14)

Scripture
Romans 13:8-12 (ESV)  
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  [9] The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  [11] Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.  [12] The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  

Questions for Reflection

1.    What sort of actions communicate love to you?
2.    In what area of life is a Christian to maintain a continuing debt? (13:8)
3.    What is the sign that a Christian has fulfilled the Law? (13:8)
4.    What one command sums up all the other commands? (13:9)
5.    What act and attitude is the fulfillment of the Law? (13:10)
6.    What “hour” had arrived for the Roman Christians? (13:11)
7.    How did Paul encourage his audience to live godly lives? (13:11-12)
8.    What does it mean that love is the fulfillment of the Law?
9.    What specific acts of love can Christians show to friends, family, neighbors, and strangers?
10.  What are the signs that the present age is nearly over?
11.  How would you live if you knew the world would end in six months?

Monday, August 25, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/24/14)

Scripture
Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)  
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. [10] Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. [11] Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. [12] Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. [13] Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 
[14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. [17] Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. [18] If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. [19] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." [20] To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." [21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  

Questions for Reflection

1. What might a friend do to you that you would have trouble forgiving?
2. What advice would you give to someone who wanted some practical wisdom on how to get along with others?
3. What should we hate? (12:9)
4. What is genuine love like? (12:9, 13, 18-21)
5. What attitudes should we strive to have? (12:9-16)
6. How can a Christian learn to love others as God loves them?
7. In what ways is Christian love more than emotion?
8. What does it mean to honor one another?
9. In what ways can you honor someone above yourself? Who?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/17/14)

Scripture for Sunday
Romans 12:1-8 (ESV)  
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [3] For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. [4] For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, [5] so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. [6] Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; [7] if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; [8] the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 

Questions for Reflection

1. How do people properly worship God? (12:1)
2. What is the most reasonable response to God’s great mercy? (12:1-2)
3. How is the Christian to be different from unbelieving people? (12:2)
4. How should the mind of a Christian be changed? (12:2)
5. How should Christians think about themselves? (12:3)
6. What are the gifts of God? (12:6-8)
7. How should each person use his or her gifts? (12:6-8)
8. How can a Christian renew his or her mind?
9. How does understanding God’s love raise our self-esteem?
10. How does understanding God’s love reduce our selfishness and conceit?
11. How do people united in Christ act toward each other?
12. How can the gifts God bestows on Christians help others in the church or community?

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/3/14)

Scripture
Romans 9:14-33 (ESV)  
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!  [15] For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."  [16] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.  [17] For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."  [18] So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 
[19] You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"  [20] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"  [21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use?  [22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,  [23] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— [24] even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?  [25] As indeed he says in Hosea,
    "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,'
        and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.' "
    [26] "And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,'
        there they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "
[27] And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,  [28] for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay."  [29] And as Isaiah predicted,
    "If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
        we would have been like Sodom
        and become like Gomorrah."
[30] What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;  [31] but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.  [32] Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,  [33] as it is written,
    "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
        and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

Questions for Reflection

  1.  How did Paul defend the accusation that God is unjust in His treatment of people? (9:14-15)
  2. What determines how God bestows favor on people? (9:16)
  3. What examples from history did Paul use to demonstrate God’s choice of blessing? (9:17-18)
  4. What right do we have to question God? (9:19-21)
  5. Why does God show great patience with us even though we deserve His wrath? (9:22-24)
  6. What did the prophets Isaiah and Hosea tell us about God’s patience and justice? (9:25-29)
  7. On what basis does God choose people to inherit His promises?
  8. How have you experienced God’s mercy and patience in your life?


August 2014 Newsletter

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August 2014 Newsletter