Benjamin Murphy
Small Group Questions
Benjamin Murphy
Sermon Series Highlights
Sermon Series Highlights

Be An Imitator!

Review:

  1. Imitate CONDUCT :

    2. Watch those who WALK the talk. (1 Thes 2:9-12)


  2. Imitate PERSEVERANCE :

    3. Watch those who ENDURE hardship. (1 Thes 2:13-16)

Sermon Notes: BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!
Sermon Audio: (none; failed recording)

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:9-16

  1. In the sermon: "Hearing God's Word faithfully preached is the same as hearing from God". Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Why? How do you know if something that is preached is "from God"?
     
  2. Who do you see worth imitating at the church? What do they do that you would like to see in your own life?
     
  3. How can the leaders of the church balance being a mom (1 Thes 2:7) and a dad (1 Thes 2:11)? Are our leaders more "mother-like nurturing" or "father-like authoritative"?
     
  4. What trial have you been through that God will use to allow you to minister to someone currently going through something similar? What would you say to that person?

Breakout Questions:

Who do YOU look to as a "dad" in the faith to imitate? Pray for one another!

Gifted to Serve

Why Should I Serve?

  1. Because God HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR ME . (Rom 12:1)


  2. Because God WANTS ME TO GROW . (Rom 12:2)


  3. Because God HAS GIFTED ME . (Rom 12:3-8)


    4. God has gifted me with the ability/abilities to:



Guest Speaker - Laylor Brown

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Romans 12:1-8

  1. Do you see examples of conforming to the world in your own life? How can you fight against these things and work to renew your mind?
     
  2. Which do you struggle with more: thinking too highly of yourself or thinking far too lowly of yourself? Why are both of these harmful and destructive?
     
  3. What spiritual gifts has God given to you? How can you use those gifts to serve at Harvest and help others around you?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another and the development of each person's spiritual gifts.

Be Done With People Pleasing!

Review:


Why I'm done with People Pleasing, and you should be too!

  1. Because I CAN'T please everyone. (1 Thes 2:1-2)


  2. Because people pleasing tempts me to sacrifice my INTEGRITY . (1 Thes 2:3-5)


    3. 5 Sins of People Pleasing Ministry:

    1. ERROR(1 Thes 2:3)

    2. IMPURITY (1 Thes 2:3)

    3. DECEPTION (1 Thes 2:3)

    4. FLATTERY (1 Thes 2:5)

    5. GREED (1 Thes 2:5)

    6. Because God pleasing frees me to truly LOVE people. (1 Thes 2:6-8)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

  1. How is people pleasing really a form of "self-pleasing"? In other words, why is people pleasing really about the person doing it more than the people s/he is trying to please?
     
  2. What are some ways you have "fear of man"? (Definition: Caring more about what people think than what God thinks, i.e. "people pleasing")
     
  3. What are the 5 things Paul lists as "sins we commit when we commit to people pleasing" (v3 & 5)? How can we guard against them?
     
  4. Why is "God pleasing" really the way we love people (v6-8)?

Breakout Questions:

How should the church respond to the SCOTUS ruling on same sex marriage? How should YOU respond when YOU are asked about it? Pray for the leadership or our nation and pray for one another!

Be An Example!

Review:

  1. By Who do you chose to FOLLOW ? (1 Thes 1:5-6a)

    2. How do you evaluate who to "imitate"?

    1. Are they preaching the WORD ? (1 Thes 1:5a)

    2. Is the HOLY SPIRIT at work? (1 Thes 1:5b)

    3. Are the leaders AUTHENTIC followers of Christ? (1 Thes 1:5c)

  2. By how you RECEIVE the Word. (1 Thes 1:6)


  3. By how you SHARE Jesus. (1 Thes 1:8)


  4. By how you REPENT from sin. (1 Thes 1:9)


  5. By how you WAIT for Jesus. (1 Thes 1:10)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

  1. List more evidences, from this passage, that the Thessalonians are authentic.
     
  2. In which of these areas do you struggle most to be a good example? How can you grow in this area?
     
  3. Name a struggle you are going through right now. How does the return of Jesus change the way you think about that struggle?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for the example you are setting for your kids (moms and dads) and others who are watching!

Be Authentic!

Three Things True of Authentic Christians (1 Thes 1:3):

  1. Authentic Christians have a Faith that WORKS .


  2. Authentic Christians have a Love that LABORS .


  3. Authentic Christians have a Hope that ENDURES .

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

  1. Describe the relationship between faith and works. Why are works THE Biblical evidence of authentic faith?
     
  2. How does love for Christ make you labor for Christ?
     
  3. How does hope give you endurance to keep the faith in a hard world?

Breakout Questions:

Anyone struggling and/or going through the motions? Pray for authenticity!