November 10, 2024--Stand Alone Sermon--What Prevents Me?--Acts 8:26-40

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why is the story of what Jesus did to rescue and restore us called “Good News”?  How has this “Good News” personally affected you?

2.  Why is it significant that God would call Philip away from his ministry to the Samaritans to meet a lone Ethiopian eunuch in the middle of the desert?  To what depths has the LORD gone to reach out to you and offer you hope and life?

3.  Do you ever feel like things prevent you from enjoying the life and goodness found in the LORD’s Kingdom?  Are there choices you have made, or things perpetrated upon you that make you feel unworthy?  How does God’s plan through Jesus offer you a different way to see things?

4.  How have you felt like the eunuch both before and after he encountered Philip?  How do you best live out your freedom in the LORD?

5.  The story in Isaiah 53 matches the struggles of the eunuch.  Are there any passages of Scripture that tell your story and remind you of God’s love and redemption?

Stand Alone Sermon--The Focus--Isaiah 6

Discussion Questions:

1.  What difficulties do you have with hearing but not perceiving when it comes to God and the Scriptures?  How does one grow in the ability to perceive more? 

2.  The death of Uzziah caused a “now what?” moment.  What kinds of “now what?” moments are you experiencing lately?  How can these moments help you to grow in your ability to see God on His throne and perceive what He is doing?  How can these “now what?” moments hinder this?

3.  How would seeing the greatness of God have helped the Israelites in taking the Promised Land?  How does being reminded of this help you with tasks that seem overwhelming?

4.  What are some ways you can magnify God’s greatness in your everyday living?  Tell of a specific time someone else has helped you see God more clearly by magnifying His greatness in front of you.

5.  How does God’s response to Isaiah’s confession of sin and His leaving a stump show you what He desires for each of us?  How do you see and perceive this truth in a culture filled with such a high level of negativity, frustration and doubt?

Backwards Living--Lesson 13--When All is Said and Done--Ecclesiastes 12

Discussion Questions:

1.  How much difficulty do you have finding joy in the mundane things of life?  How has our study of Ecclesiastes helped you to find joy in life under the sun? 

2.  What fear of death do you have?  How is viewing life through death a good and helpful thing?

3.  Describe the power of words.  How have you seen them create, build, and bless versus destroy, tear down, and curse?  How are God’s words a goad in your life and a solid nail to hang your life upon?

4.  How would you evaluate your fear of the LORD and your obedience to His commands?  Why are fear of the LORD and obedience difficult for us to maintain?

5.  How does the dual picture of Jesus as judge plus calling the children to Himself and offering an easy yoke relate with your experience of Him?  How does one balance the judge side of God with His offer of an easy yoke?