Grow Group Questions • November 28th, 2021

Announcements

We have several ways to  engage with our community over the next few weeks.  Please consider serving as a group in one/both of the following ways

• Mercy Justice Gingerbread Gift Boxes (To bless foster families)
• The Giving Tree (To help inmates love their children for Christmas)

Conversation Starter (choose one)

• How do you react when someone turns on the light when you are sleeping?
• When someone drives by your house at night, is it lit up like a Christmas tree or would people wonder if anyone was home?

Sermon Based Questions

Read John 3:1-21

• Billy shared in his sermon that self-righteousness comes in many forms. Do you agree? Why or why not? 
  • Which of these forms of self-righteousness do you identify with most? Is there another form you think you might struggle with outside of this list?
    • Prestige- thinking you are righteous/moral because of your position in life. 
    • Intelligence- thinking you are righteous/moral because of what you know.
    • Religious- thinking you are righteous/moral because of your works. (ceremonies, rituals, acts of service, good deeds...)
    • Proxy- thinking you are righteous/moral because of who you know, who you are related to OR what group you belong to (denomination or political party)

• Read John 3:7. Why do you think we MUST be born again to find a truly righteous life?
  • Read Ezekiel 36:25-27. Why do you think Jesus says you must be born of water and spirit, what do these things mean?

 

• Read Galatians 3:21-26. The idea of “The Law” is a key part of the Bible. Do you feel like you have a good understanding of the Law’s role in scripture? 
  • How would you explain “The Law” and its different roles in the Old Testament, and today, to a non-believer?
  • What is good about the Law of God, and why do you think God gave it to us?
  • Why is the Law not enough to save us without Christ?

 

• Read John 3:8. Think about the illustration of wind that Jesus gave (you can’t see the wind but you can view the effects of it) paralleled with a spiritually transformed life in Christ. What results do you see in your life of spiritual transformation? 

 

• Read Numbers 21:4-9. Have you heard this story before? How does it make you feel?
  • Why do you think Jesus referenced this story to Nicodemus? 
  • How does the bronze serpent on the pole give such a powerful example of the finished work of Jesus Christ?
  • Billy shared that bronze symbolizes judgment, and snakes symbolize sin. Does that symbolism help you understand what is happening in this story? How so?

 

• John 3:16 is one of the most quoted bible verses to explain http://online-pharmacy.org the gospel. Do you think this verse gives a full picture of the Gospel? 
  • If not, what is missing?

 

• Read John 3:17-18, Romans 8:1, and 1 John 3:20 Why do you think it is easy for us to condemn other people even though Jesus didn’t come to do that?
  • Do you struggle with self condemnation?
  • What is the difference between self-condemnation and conviction?
  • How do you tell the difference in your life?
  • How are self condemnation and self righteousness linked?

Going Deeper

• Read John 3:22-36. How does John the Baptist's attitude shown here reflect humility and a lack of self righteousness?
  • Where do you see God increasing in your life, and yourself decreasing? 
  • Is there a place where you need to allow Jesus to increase more?

• What kind of belief do you have in Jesus? Simply that he is real or have you believed with your whole life and put all your trust in the saving work that he did on the cross for your sins?

Challenge and Prayer

• The truth is, we all need to decrease so Christ is seen more clearly in our lives. Have each person share one area where they think self decreasing may need to happen. 
• Spend time in prayer acknowledging and surrendering those places.