Next Steps - Lesson 35 - Kingdom Marriage - Various Passage

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important that marriage is more from creation than culture? How does this help you to see marriage from a larger perspective?

2. How have you seen marriage be like the 3-ring circus described in the sermon (engagement ring; wedding ring; suffer ring)? How does knowing God’s purpose for marriage over Satan’s ploys to corrupt it help with enduring, and even circumventing the suffering?

3. Why is covenant such an important part of what marriage is about? How has being in a covenant helped you weather storms and build better intimacy in marriage and/or as part of the church?

4. What fears do you have about being alone? Why is it not good to be alone? What appreciation does this help you have for what singles and singles again must endure?

5. What are some ways to find and live in contentment in whatever your situation is? How does having purpose and working to fulfill that purpose assist in higher levels of contentment?

6. Why is it important to find “a helper suitable”? If you are married, what kind of things can you do to be a more suitable helper? If you are single, what qualities are important to you to find in a helper suitable and to also be a helper suitable?

7. Why is marriage NOT heaven on earth? How can understanding this help you set better expectations for a marriage relationship?

8. Why is it dangerous to set happiness as your goal in marriage? Do you agree that if you marry for happiness, you will be more likely to divorce because of unhappiness? Why, or why not?

Next Steps--Lesson 34--What Tree Will You Eat From? Genesis 3

Discussion Questions:

1.     What does it mean to work out your salvation?  What is our role in salvation and what is God’s?  How does God’s commands to Adam & Eve and His providing the raw materials in the Garden show that building Kingdom is a priority and a work for God and man together?

2.     Why is it important to remember we are building a temple to God?  How does this change and/or influence the way you go about your everyday tasks of job, parenting, marriage, etc.?

3.     In what ways have you seen mankind’s desires for independence and power distort the image of God to the world?  How have you seen the image of God shattered by mankind’s brokenness?

4.     Satan tried to remove the idea of God being LORD (Yahweh) from mankind’s image of Him.  Why is this significant in seeing His authority in our lives?  Why is removing this a distorted view of His investment in us and care for us?  What helps you remember and surrender to God’s authority, and keep in mind how much He has invested in you?

5.     Why is it important to remember our limitations, like Adam being created from the dirt (adamah)?  What helps you maintain awe for God? 

6.     How have you seen mankind try to bring God down to our level?  How have you seen mankind try to raise themselves up to God’s level?  What is the danger in both?

7.     What ploys have you seen Satan use to get people to question God’s goodness?  How has God shown from the beginning that He is good and that He literally wants to help us live in joy? 

8.     What is the requirement to have life from God?  What struggles do you have with reflecting God’s holiness to the people around you?  How does holiness set up the direction your relationships go?

Next Steps--Lesson 33--Do You Know Your Calling?--Genesis 1 & Luke 15

Discussion Questions:

1.     What should it look like for mankind to rule, subdue, and fill the earth?  What purpose do you find for your own life in these commands of God?

2.     Why did Adam need a helpmate (partner)?  How does having people to partner with you in your areas of purpose or calling help you to stay focused and able to accomplish more?

3.     Why is it important that God’s plan starts us out as a single with a purpose?  What struggles have you seen when two singles come together who have not worked out their purpose or who have contradicting purposes?

4.     How have you seen a lack of purpose or calling or unfulfilled purpose or calling drain the vitality and joy from an individual; a family; and even a church family?  How can a sense of calling be rediscovered or revitalized?

5.     How have you seen culture present a false view of calling that gets us to settle for less than what God intends for us?  How have you seen independence become slavery and dependence upon God become the thing that sets one free?

6.     How was Gideon’s reminder of who he really was (a mighty warrior) and the calling God placed in his life similar to when God told Adam and Eve to rule, subdue and fill the earth?

7.     If you spend the week reviewing what God told Adam and Eve to do in their calling, and how God brought the prodigal back as a son, and how God reminded Gideon of the strength he had to carry out his calling, what do you anticipate the result will be?  Is there a way others can hold you accountable to do this?