The Science of Spiritual Gardening

Galatians 6:6-10

1.  Share with the group about a time that you either sowed to the flesh in your life or sowed to the Spirit and what the results were.

2.  Think about vs. 7.  How do self-deception and the mocking of God relate to the idea of sowing and reaping?

3.  Discuss the six references that Pastor Bryan mentioned as he discussed the “perseverant life” looking at vs. 9.  How can each of these help fuel you to not lose heart as you face the challenges of life?

• Luke 18:1-8
• Ephesians 3:13 (pay attention to the preceding context)
• 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
• Hebrews 12:3
• Hebrews 12:5-11

4.  What do you make of the distinction between “kairos” time and “chronos” time in Pastor Bryan’s sermon?  How can viewing time as an opportunity rather than a devourer aid you in sowing properly?  How does seeing it as a devourer rob you of both the present and the future?

5.  Create your own question to share with the group.

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6.  Pray for God to help each of you be great sowers.  Ask him to help you redeem rather than regret the time.

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Spiritual Siblings

Galatians 6:1-5

1.  Share about a time when a fellow believer came alongside you and bore a significant burden you were carrying.  How did it make you feel?  What did it demonstrate to you?  Did it show anyone else in your life anything?

2.  Consider Genesis 4:1-16.  What led to Cain’s perception of his responsibility to Abel?  How would you describe Cain’s perception of God, Himself and his brother respectively?

3.  What makes for an accurate biblical perception of the self?  As you think about this consider terms like “sinner”, “saint”, “beloved” and texts like Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Peter 5:5-6.

4.  Look at the following texts and discuss what they teach you about your responsibility to others:

• Romans 15:1
• 1 Thessalonians 5:14
• James 5:19
• 1 John 4:21

5.  What hinders us from bearing each other’s burdens?  What needs to be done about each hindrance that your group surfaces?

6.  Create your own question to share with the group.

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Pray for God to show you how you can help bear another’s burden.  Ask God to show you who he wants you to come alongside of.  Ask him to motivate you to act in love and gentleness toward this person.

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Winning the Battle Within

Galatians 5:16-26

1. Discuss this quote: “The Christian is at the same time stage and object, battlefield and trophy of the contest between flesh and Spirit.”  How do you sense the truth of this quote in your own life?
2. Read 1 John 3:4-10.  Discuss the balance and tension between being a “fruit inspector” and a “fruit ignorer.”  What are the errors of each?  How should we relate to people we know who are getting defeated by the flesh?
3. What does it mean for your perspective in your spiritual life to understand that the virtues listed in vs. 22-23 are the natural fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit?  How is this different than focusing on each virtue in isolation?  What does it practically mean for how we live our Christian lives?
4. According to the message what does it mean to have “crucified the flesh?”  As you consider this look up the other references in the NT that use the term referring to something other than the death of Christ.  They are:                                        Romans 6:6                 Galatians 2:20                         Galatians 6:1
5. Look at vs. 25-26.  Discuss the progression from having a view of the world that resembles God’s to having a proper view of the self to having a proper view of others.  Where does the chain most often get broken in your life?  Can you have a right view of God and a faulty view of others?
6. Create your own question to share with the group. ______________________________________________________________________________
7. Pray for each other in the group to live by the Spirit.  Pray for that life in the Spirit to pour out in a right view of the self and a right view of others.

Galatians 5 16-26 – study guide

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