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

Rebellion is Coming

Introduction:

When Things Are Bad and You're Starting to Freak Out (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12):

  1. Don't Be Alarmed . (2 Thes 2:1-2)
    1. It's the Most Straightforward Understanding of the Bible.
    2. We Never See the Church in the Tribulation in Revelation.
    3. Before God Brings Judgment on Unbelievers, He Removes His People First.
  1. Don't Be Deceived . (2 Thes 2:3)

    1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…

  2. Don't Be Forgetful . (2 Thes 2:4-12)

Five Things You Need to Know about the Antichrist:

  1. He's Blasphemous . (2 Thes 2:4)

    Matthew 24:15-16 - So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

  2. He's Restrained until God allows him to be revealed. (2 Thes 2:5-7)

    Matthew 5:13 - You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

  3. He will be Destroyed . (2 Thes 2:8)
  4. He is Satan-powered . (2 Thes 2:9)
  5. He is Deceptive . (2 Thes 2:10-12)

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

Small Group Discussion
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

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

  2. What are your views on the rapture? What reasons were given to support a pre-Tribulation rapture?

  3. What was Paul’s point in giving the lesson on the Antichrist (“the man of lawlessness”)? How does this lesson give comfort to God’s people?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Payback is Coming

Introduction:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 - But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Great News About Suffering! (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12)

  1. Suffering is Proof God is at work. (2 Thes 1:1-5)
  2. Things will not Always be as they are Now . (2 Thes 1:6-10)

    1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…

  3. It doesn't stop our Mission . (2 Thes 1:11-12)

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

Small Group Discussion
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

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

  2. God says repaying with affliction(vengeance) is “just” (2 Thes 1:6). How so? How is it “just” for God to give relief to His people (2 Thes 1:7)?

  3. ”A loving God wouldn’t send someone to hell.” How would you reply to this?

  4. Read 2 Thes 1:9 again. What phrases are used to describe hell? How does this motivate you to reach the lost people you know?

  5. How is suffering proof that God is at work (2 Thes 1:4-5)?

Breakout
Pray for one another according to the 3 things Paul was praying for in 2 Thes 1:11-12.

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
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

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)

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

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
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

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.