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

Formerly Filthy

Introduction:

How Jesus Removes the Filth of Sin (Zechariah 3:1-10):

  1. He Rebukes your Accuser. (Zech 3:1-2)
  2. He Replaces your Dirty Laundry . (Zech 3:3-5)
  3. He Rewards your Obedience . (Zech 3:6-7)
  1. He Reunites you with Himself . (Zech 3:8-10)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Zechariah 3:1-10

  1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?

  2. Have you ever felt accused by the enemy? In light of this passage, how should we respond to those accusations?

  3. Why is it important that both our sin is removed and we receive the righteousness of Jesus?

  4. Why do we usually view obedience as a chore rather than a blessing in itself? Do you have any personal examples of obedience leading to further blessing?

  5. How has the prophecy of Zech 3:8-10 been fulfilled already, and how has it yet to be fulfilled?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

When You Provoke God...

Introduction:

3 Ways to Provoke God (Jeremiah 32:26-42):

  1. Turn your Back to God, not your Face. (Jer 32:33a)

    See: Romans 1:21

  2. Ignore God's Word . (Jer 32:33b)
  3. Set up your Abominations . (Jer 32:34-35)

God's Response When We Provoke Him:

  1. We Reap what we Sow . (Jer 32:36)

    See: Gal 6:7

  2. God Redeems what we Reap . (Jer 32:37)

    See: Romans 8:28

Our Response to God's Response:

  1. Be His People . (Jer 32:38-39)
  2. Buy the Field . (Jer 32:40-41)

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Small Group Discussion
Read Jeremiah 32:26-42

  1. What kinds of ways do we provoke God as a nation? As the Church? And as individuals?

  2. Describe your reaction to God's responses when we provoke Him?

  3. How have you seen God redeem the consequences that we reap?

  4. What does it mean to you to "Be His People"? How is the Holy Spirit convicting you to grow in this?

  5. What does it mean to you to "Buy The Field"? How is the Holy Spirit convicting you to grow in this?

Breakout
What abominations in your life have you set up or have been set up around you? What are you going to do about them? Pray for one another to be God's people and serve Him always.

self: CONTROLLED – How to Fight to Win

Introduction:

How to Get self:Controlled (1 Cor 9:24-27):

  1. You must Choose to be self-controlled. (1 Cor 9:24)
  2. You must be committed to self-control in Every Area . (1 Cor 9:25a)

2 Peter 1:5-6 - For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control...

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...

  1. You must keep your eyes on the Prize . (1 Cor 9:25b)
  2. You must have a Plan to win. (1 Cor 9:26)
  3. You must have a healthy fear of being Disqualified . (1 Cor 9:27)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. Self-control is both a command and a fruit of the Spirit. What are the dangers of only believing one or the other? How do these work together? In other words, how specifically does a believer rightly balance these truths by going after both?

  3. How does the promise of receiving an imperishable crown (v25) motivate us to self-control today?

  4. “Self-control mostly happens before the moment of temptation.” Explain what this means. How do we exercise self-control before we are in a temptation situation?

  5. What does it mean to be disqualified (1 Cor 9:27)? Why is a person who lacks self-control not fit to be in ministry?

Breakout
Is there any area where you are not self-controlled (1 Cor 9:25)?
Pray for one another to do the business of self-control today.

self: CONTROLLED – Why I Choose to Fight

Introduction:

Why I Want to Avoid Sexual Sin: (1 Cor 6:12-20):

  1. Because I want to be Wise . (1 Cor 6:12)
  2. Because sex is not merely a Physical Act . (1 Cor 6:13-14)
  1. Because when I sin, I am Dragging Jesus into it. (1 Cor 6:15-17)
  2. Because my body is Holy Property . (1 Cor 6:18-19a)
  3. Because I was Bought with a Price . (1 Cor 6:19b-20)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. Of the 5 reasons Paul teaches to avoid sexual sin, which one motivates you the most? Why?

  3. How is sexual sin different from other sins (1 Cor 6:18)? What does it mean “the sexual immoral person sins against his own body”?

  4. How would you respond to someone who asks, “Why is sex only for marriage? Why isn't ok for 2 consenting non-married adults to have sex?”

Breakout
Pray for one another.

self: CONTROLLED – It Only Ends in Tragedy.

Introduction:

When I Choose to Sin (2 Samuel 12:1-15):

  1. I choose to Dishonor the Lord. (2 Sam 12:7b-9)
  2. I choose Permanent damage. (2 Sam 12:10)
  1. I choose to Disciple my kids to sin. (2 Sam 12:11-12)
  2. I choose Tragedy . (2 Sam 12:13-15a)

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

Small Group Discussion
Read 2 Samuel 12:1-15

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. How do you know what is God's direct hands-on discipline and what are “natural consequences” for our sin? Can we know? Does it matter?

  3. Why is David's sin described as “despising the Word of the Lord” (2 Sam 12:9)? In what way does our sin amount to “hating God's Word”?

  4. List some “permanent damages” sexual sin can bring on a person and their families (2 Sam 12:10).

  5. Why did the innocent baby have to die for David's sin (v14)? What is God's purpose in afflicting the baby (see all of 2 Sam 12:15)?

Breakout
Pray for one another.