Don't take that away!

Here's the link to the Sermon: What is the thing you can't live without?

Reading: Amos 8

1. What did the Lord show to Amos in Amos 8:1-2, what did it mean and how does those verses apply to us today?
2. In Amos 8: 3-6 there is a description of the Israelites attitude to the Sabbath and other holy days.
   1. Discuss the difference between the Lord’s Day and the Sabbath. How should we keep the Lord’s Day?
   2. What was the thrust of God’s words through Amos in these verses?
3. What does the Lord say in Amos 8:7?
   1. How does that fit in with other verses offering forgiveness?
   2. Which verses can you find where God promises to forgive?
4. What is the Lord going to do in Amos 8:11-12? Has this happened already or is it a prophecy, yet to be fulfilled? Discuss and explain.
5. Amos and some of the other Minor Prophets can be a bit challenging in places. What would we miss if we didn’t tackle the less well known parts of the bible?
6. As a group consider whether there are areas of teaching which people would like to (or feel they ought to hear), [Group leaders – please feedback any comments]

Am I Bovvered?!

Here's the link to the Sermon: Bovvered?!

Reading: Amos 6 


In the sermon we looked at this passage under 4 different headings.
As a group take a look at these headings afresh - try not just to regurgitate the sermon J but go deeper and broader and look at how these thing apply to us today.

1. Verses 1-3 Never be Content in the wrong thing
2. Verses 4-6 I’m all Right, Jack is not all right!
3. Verses 7-10 God Dictates; Not You
4. Verses 11-14 Morality Is Important to God

God always hit's the bullseye!

Here's the link to the Sermon: God always hits the bulseye!

 Reading: Amos 1-2 

1.  If you were being interrogated by the "bible police", what could you tell them about Amos? i.e. who, when, what, where, why, how...
2. look at the pattern laid out in Amos' imagine what the original hearers of the message would have felt as the message unfolded?
3.  Describe the society in Amos' day; how does it compare to the UK today?
4. God will judge all nations and all people:
1. discuss what this means;
2. what responsibility do we have for shaping our society?
3. how does this impact us as individuals?
5. How does God judge believers compared to non believers? (Luke 12:48)
6. God cares about the attitude of our hearts, what wrong attitudes might we have and how can we encourage/challenge each other over these (in love!!)

 

God, You're right!

Here's the link to the Sermon: God, You're right! 

 

Reading: Jonah 1:17 - 2:10

This week the study is less directed, but there is a lot in this passage, so please don't rush through, but take some time to look at the things we didn't have time for in the sermon and also to remind each other of those things we did look at...

1. How long was it before Jonah prayed?
2. Take a look through Jonah's prayer and discuss any points that arise as you read through, line by line.
3. In the sermon we looked at a number of important points for us to apply to our lives today, and there may well be others, spend some time discussing these as a group.
4. What was the question we were left with at the end of the sermon?

Happily ever after?

Here's the link to the Sermon: Happily ever after? 

 

Reading: Joel 3

1. As we come to the end of Joel, it's worth taking a recap of the whole message God has given through the book, and so before looking at this passage discuss what has happened up to this point.
2. Who will be judged and why?
3. Which other books in the bible, both OT and NT have similar messages or messages that fill in some of the gaps?
4. Application - What is the message of this passage to us today, as a nation, a church and individuals?

This is That

Here's the link to the Sermon: God Pours Out His Spirit 

 

Reading: Joel 2:28-32

1. What has Joel been talking about up to this point (i.e. in chapters 1&2:1-27)? How does that relate to this passage?
2. In the sermon there was some discussion about how we should read the bible in a ‘Jewish way’. How will that help us?
3. When you hear the title, ‘Holy Spirit’ what thoughts and ideas come to mind? Spend some time discussing this as a group.
4. Discuss:
   1. What are verses 28 and 29 referring to?
   2. What are verses 30 and 31 referring to?
   3. Where does verse 32 fit in?
5. What role would you say the Holy Spirit plays in the life of our church (consider points raised in the sermon), from day to day? Where do you see the evidence of His work? Can you think of any situations where we need to rely more on the leading of the Holy Spirit?
    

For personal study:

What role would you say the Holy Spirit plays in your life, from day to day? Where do you see the evidence of His work? Can you think of any situations where you need to rely more on the leading of the Holy Spirit?

Pearls, fish, fire: old and new...

Here's the link to the Sermon: The Old with the New 

 

Reading: Matthew 13 : 44-52

1. Verses 44-46:  whilst this looks like an obvious picture of giving up everything to follow Christ, discuss and consider some of the ways that “selling everything” will impact our lives, what are the obvious and not so obvious costs of following Christ.
2. Verses 47-49: a passage we might not want to dwell on! However discuss: a) what it is that makes righteous people righteous, b) what is hell? c) How should  this picture affect us in our everyday lives, living alongside ‘unsaved’ people?
3. Verses 51-52: this was dealt with in the sermon. How should the church adapt to meet society? What responsibilities do all Christians have in this area and how should we work and live together as a church family to effectively live and enable each other to live for Christ. [Clarification: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22]

Leviticus - really??

Here's the link to the Sermon: The exciting Gospel according to Leviticus 23 

Instead of reading the whole passage through first, take the chapter and discuss:
 

1. The Sabbath - how does this compare with The Lord's Day for Christians?
2. For each of the feasts talk through:

          a) what the original purpose was;
          b) what the prophetic purpose is;
          c) how is understanding this relevant and useful for us today.