In the Workshop--Lesson 9--Confession is Good for the Soul--Matthew 3 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  When you hear that the Kingdom is here in our midst, what needs to be done in your life to be prepared to participate in it?  What role does confession play in preparing for participation in the Kingdom of the LORD?  What difficulties do you have with confession?

2.  Why does preparing for the Kingdom involve going out into the wilderness?  How have you been led through the wilderness in preparation for God’s Kingdom?  What has being in the wilderness taught you?

3.  How are repentance and confession tied together?  Why does repentance require confession?  How are repentance and confession separate things one must do to be prepared for the Kingdom? 

4.  Since Jesus didn’t have any sin to confess, how is He our model for confession?  How did His life and His teachings confess His faith in the LORD?

5.  Why do you think Jesus had Peter confess His love for Jesus three times instead of the specific way he had failed Him?  Is this a model for us in our confession?  How is confession part of building or rebuilding Kingdom community?

6.  Why is our instinct to hide or cover up when we rebel against what God says?  What advice do you have for someone with an area of their life that needs to be brought into the light?  What is your image of God, and how does this open up or inhibit your willingness to confess what you need to share?

7.  How does confession help David to be a “man after God’s own heart”?  How does confession help to prepare one for the Kingdom of God?  Do you see the connection of these two examples from the OT and the NT?

8.  How would a life inventory help you with confession?  What concerns do you have with doing a life inventory?  What community do you have to assist you and encourage you in such a venture?

9.  How have you seen abuse leave scars and lead to further abuse?  Why does being the victim of abuse leave a person feeling so powerless?  How does confession help a person to regain power?

In the Workshop--Lesson 8--A Heart of Worship--John 4 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  How do you define worship?  What makes something worship vs. not being worship? Which would you agree with more?  Connection to God leads to worship or worship of God leads to connection with Him? 

2.  After the specific directions of worship in the OT, why do you suppose there is not any description of what worship should look like in the NT?  Why do we place so much emphasis on the 1-2 hours we gather together on Sunday mornings?

3.  Why are religious traditions/practices important?  Why must we not confuse our religious traditions/practices for worship? 

4.  How does the idea of worship expand if it is about keeping God on the throne in all that we do?  How do you see this being the model that Jesus provided for worship of God?  How does “Hallowed be Thy name” show up in the mundane daily activities of your life?

5.  When it comes to being prepared for times of corporate worship with this church family, what practices do you have to prepare yourself for an encounter with God?  What helps you to see the eternal beyond the onslaught of the temporary?

6.  What does it mean to worship God in spirit and truth?  How did Cain fail at both of these?  Which do you find to be easier/harder of the two?

7.  How do the two Greek words for worship (proskuneo and latreuo) provide insight into what it takes to worship God?  How do both terms require submission/surrender?  Are there any areas of your life you find difficult to surrender?

8.  What made the woman at the well a good candidate for Jesus to teach about worship?  What does the emphasis on Jesus having to pass through Samaria teach us about the initiative for worship? 

9.  How does this story encourage you by seeing that God is seeking us even when we don’t know what we are thirsting for?  What difference does it make that Jesus meets her as a thirsty, tired man?

10.  How have you seen Jesus’ worship become someone else’s worship which then became a family or communities’ worship?

In the Workshop--Lesson 7--A Lifestyle of Prayer--Mark 1:32-37 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  What struggles have you had with maintaining a disciplined prayer life?  What victories have you experienced in your prayer life?  What did you learn from Jesus’ model of prayer this week that surprised you and/or challenged and blessed you?

2.  How is prayer simply talking to God?  How is prayer more than simply talking to God?  What purposes do you find in prayer? 

3.  Did you know prior to this sermon how often Jesus is recorded to be praying?  What does this say to you about Jesus and how He modeled humanity for us? 

4.  How does prayer develop the image of God in us?  Why would Jesus need this, or was He merely modeling what He knew we need?  How does one explain Jesus being completely human and not giving into temptation along with His ability to stay focused on the will of the Father?

5.  Why is feeling guilt or shame about praying counterproductive?  What are some creative ways to fit prayer into a busy schedule?

6.  Why do we struggle with putting the urgent in front of the important?    How is the story about Mary & Martha in Luke 10 helpful in understanding putting the important above the urgent, particularly in the context of prayer? 

7.  Are there times you have been tempted to do works of service for Jesus instead of sitting at His feet to build relationship with Him?  How is prayer the investment above the works we do?  How do God’s words to Moses in Exodus 3:11-12 when Moses questioned who he was to set the Israelites free from Egypt reveal the true significance of prayer versus works?

8.  What are some biblical stories that would have been different if the individuals involved had stopped to pray before pressing on?  How does hearing George Muller’s prayer habits excite you and motivate you in your own prayer life?  What is it that makes us think God will answer other people’s prayer like he did with George Muller, but not ours?