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

1 John

Love is...

SACRIFICE

Lay down a FORK .
Lay down a BUNT .
Lay down a LIFE .

ACTION

HOSPITALITY .
SERVICE to others.
MINISTERING to others.
MISSIONARY work.
Developing a RELATIONSHIP with the one who loves you!

OBEDIENCE

Check out this logic:

  1. We will not OBEY Him if we don't BELIEVE and TRUST Him.


  2. We will not BELIEVE and TRUST Him if we don't LOVE Him.


  3. We cannot LOVE Him unless we KNOW Him.
So...
  1. If you come to KNOW Him, you will LOVE Him.


  2. If you LOVE Him, you will BELIEVE and TRUST Him.


  3. If you BELIEVE and TRUST Him, you will OBEY Him.

Jay Knauer - HBCPN Elder

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 John 3:16-24

  1. How did this concept of love ever start? Would humans have ever come up with the idea of loving each other?
     
  2. When you are truly motivated by love, describe how different it is performing tasks or acts of service than when motivated by more self-serving motives?
     
  3. How would you respond to someone who says the Bible is just a book of "don'ts" meant to make us miserable?
     
  4. What does the concept of sacrifice mean to you? In 1 John 3:16, it says "we should lay down our lives for our brothers." Are we really doing that? How do we do that?


Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another. Pray for Pastor Jeff while he is in Thailand teaching the pastors at the conference.

The Pieces of Peace

Guest Speaker - Daniel Thompson

The Cure for Fear: 1 John 4:18


The Replacement for Fear: PEACE

FEAR REALITY IN CHRIST
PAST MISTAKES (Rom 5:1) JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
LACK OF BLESSINGS (Rom 5:2a) ACCESS INTO GRACE
FUTURE (Rom 5:2b) HOPE OF GLORY
STRUGGLES OF TODAY (Rom 5:3-5) PURPOSE IN SUFFERING
UNCERTAINTY (Rom 5:6-11) DEATH FOR AN ENEMY

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Romans 5:1-11

  1. In your own words, describe what peace from God is. It may also be helpful to describe what peace is not.
     
  2. It has been said (but apparently not by Einstein) that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". In any case, insanity is definitely a loss of touch with reality. In what ways have you lost touch with the realities discussed in this portion of Romans 5? In light of these realities, what things do you need to do differently in order to expect different results for handling the fears in your life?
     
  3. What fear (in the list from Sunday or any other fear) has any control in your life? Why is this so? What truth do you need to remind yourself of to have peace instead of this fear?
     
  4. List some people in your life who you would be willing die for or at least risk death for. Assuming that none of your enemies were on that list, how much more grateful should we be for what Christ has done for us: dying for His enemies?
     
  5. These fears, and many others (including completely irrational ones), are very much a reality for those that don't know Christ as their Savior and Lord. Describe how this motivates you to share the gospel with the lost. Provide examples of things you can say to explain true peace to those who do not have it.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!

What Now?

Until Jesus Returns:

  1. I serve out of Love (John 21:15-29)

    2. Matthew 26:31-35 - Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same.


    1 John 4:19 - We love because he first loved us.


  2. I follow to the End (John 21:18-19)

  3. I focus on Christ, not Others (John 21:20-23)

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read John 21:15-23

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.