Lifeline Community

Malachi 3:6-12

1. Look at Malachi 3:6 and James 1:17. What consolation or encouragement do you get from God’s immutability? What are the theological alternatives to an immutable God? What are the problems with them?
2. Why is giving so important? Should giving be characterized as a spiritual discipline?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-11. What do you learn from this passage about giving?
4. What is a proper definition of “grace?” What do you understand “grace giving” to mean? What difference does a proper understanding of “grace giving” mean for an individual’s life? How about for the life of our church?
5. Why do you think people either do not give or give sparingly to the church? What do you think would help people step into a more biblical framework of giving?
6. Pray for one another to give to the Lord in an honoring and sacrificial fashion. Pray for Lifeline to grow in its financial depth and capability.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Malachi 2:17-3:5

1. In your view what are the biggest injustices in our society today?  Why have you chosen these in particular?
2. Have you ever wrestled with the justice of God?  What were the circumstances?  Read the following texts: Job 21:7-13; Psalm 73:1-13; Jeremiah 12:1-4.  Can you identify with the perspective in them?
3. Look up the following passages.  What do you learn from them about the justice of the Father and Son:
   1. Matthew 12:15-21
   2. John 5:22-23, 30
   3. Luke 18:7-8
   4. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
4. How is Jesus like a refiner’s fire or like lye?
5. Do you find any solace in the fact that God will put all things to rights?  How does His ultimate justice comfort you?
6. Pray for each other to be comforted by our God of justice in a world filled with injustice.  Pray for the marginalized in our world and for others who are the brunt of injustice.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

1. Describe in your own words what marital oneness is. What are the biggest barriers to marital oneness? What barriers have you seen manifest themselves in your own marriage?
2. What makes for a healthy, God glorifying sexual oneness? How does this differ with what our culture teaches? What is the danger of hyper-reacting to our culture and swinging the pendulum all the way to the other side in this area of healthy sexuality?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 and jot down some thoughts regarding the relationship that exists within the matrix of your body, your spirit, the Holy Spirit and sex and be ready to share them with the group.
4. Respond to this statement: “It is more important that your children know that you love your spouse than it is that they know you love them.” Do you agree or disagree? What are the effects of living out this statement? What are the effects of not living it out?
5. The sermon mentioned three key ideas that collectively set the table for multigenerational faithfulness. Sketch a brief plan below each one that you will execute on to make the idea or principle come alive in your family (you may want to do this with your spouse if you have one)
   1. We must model Jesus-like love for our spouse. How will you do this?
   2. We must model for our spouse and our children a high view of God and a passionate pursuit of His kingdom. How will you do this?
   3. We must strategize and execute on sweeping our children and grandchildren up in the kingdom story. How will you do this?
6. The sermon addressed four important ways to guard your spirit as it relates to your marital commitment and the health of your marital relationship. Identify which of the four is the most difficult for you to live out. What is your plan to grow in this area? In addition assess the danger for your marriage if you do not grow in this area. The four are:
   1. Get grounded by spiritually feeding yourself with your own hands.
   2. Find fulfillment by rooting your joy in the joy of your spouse.
   3. Secure satisfaction by slaking your thirst and your spouse’s sexual thirst on one another.
   4. Avoid atrocity by acknowledging your weakness and embracing personal accountability.
7. Ask for a specific prayer request from each in the group for their marriage relationship. If they are not married ask for a specific request concerning another important relationship in their life.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Malachi 2:10-14

1. In what ways are we prone to separate our vertical relationship with God from our horizontal human relationships?  Do you find it easier to slip into this error with relationships that are more or less intimate?  Why?
2. Read Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 13:23-27.  What do you think of these reactions to intermarriage?  What is Ezra and Nehemiah’s primary concern?
3. What are the dangers of marrying an unbeliever?  How would you counsel a Christian person dating an unbeliever?  Look at 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 as you think through this question.
4. Respond to this statement by Katherine Anne Porter: “Marriage is the merciless revealer, the great white searchlight turned on the darkest places of human nature.”
5. What characterizes an ideal partnership?  In what ways would you like to see your marriage demonstrate a more healthy partnership?  What needs to be your particular contribution?  As you think through these questions read Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and jot down your thoughts.
6. Pray for anyone you know dating or tempted to date an unbeliever.  Pray for anyone you know who is currently in a marriage with an unbeliever.  Pray for the wellbeing of marriage represented in the group.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Malachi 1:6-2:9

1. How would a high view of God re-order the various aspects of your life that need re-ordering?
2. Give your assessment of worship in the American church. What are its strengths and weaknesses?
3. Looking at Malachi 1:11-14, what is the primary concern. Do you think that we share this concern today? Respond to John Piper’s famous dictum: “Evangelism exists because worship doesn’t.” What do you think he means by that?
4. Read Jeremiah 7:1-15 and Amos 5:21-24. How are the texts similar to this one in Malachi? What is the problem in each? Can you detect what it is that is making worship unacceptable in these texts? What do you learn from them about the nature of worship?
5. Read Malachi 1:9. How are we presumptuous in our worship?
6. What are some practical ways that we can prepare ourselves to be better worshippers? Are there some things that might even be some practical help in preparing for Sunday morning worship?
7. Take some time together and search your heart and weed out any stumbling blocks that might be there regarding your own worship of God. Pray for one another to gain a higher view of God.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Malachi 1:1-5

1. How does a proper view of God’s love for you play out in the rest of your life?  What issues that you or others struggle with do you think have a direct connection to a lack of appreciating and appropriating His love for you?
2. Consider the following texts about God’s love for his people.  Jot down what you glean from them regarding this theme.
   1. Romans 8:37-39
   2. Ephesians 2:4-5
   3. Ephesians 3:14-19
   4. 1 John 3:1
3. Read Ezekiel 35 and the short book of Obadiah. Why did God judge Edom?
4. How can understanding and appreciating God’s wrath help you be more appreciative of His love?
5. Read the blog entry on regarding unconditional election.  Pay close attention to the Scripture that is used.  Summarize your understanding of this doctrine.  How does it relate to this text?
6. What in your life has to change to appreciate God’s love to a greater degree?
7. Pray for one another to grow in your acceptance and appreciation of the how much God loves you.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Luke 24:13-35

1. Why do you think Luke includes this as one of his three accounts of Jesus appearances?
2. Why do you think the men were kept from recognizing Jesus?  Why do you think their “eyes were opened” when they were?
3. What makes the Christian expectation or understanding of the role of messiah distinct from the Jewish expectation? (it might be helpful to read Luke 1:67-79) What are some OT Scriptures that you think Jesus might have used in his explanation to these two travelers?  (You might want to keep the distinction in mind)
4. How would hearing the Savior of the world share and explain the Scriptures to you impact your own view of them?  Do you think that you would interact differently with them?  Why?  Is the fact that it might change your perspective a comment on the greatness of Jesus or an indictment of your present view of the Bible? Or both?
5. The big idea of the message is that the Resurrection of Jesus enables us to deal with despair.  Why is this so?  What connections can you make between rectifying personal despair and Jesus’ resurrection?
6. Spend sometime in prayer for a despairing world and anyone you personally know that is despairing.  Ask God to help you be bold enough to live and speak the light of Christ and the hope of His resurrection to them.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Link to .doc

Link to .pdf

Luke 19:28-44

1. Explain the connection in Luke’s ordering of his Gospel between the parable in Lk. 19:11-27 and his account of the triumphal entry in 19:28-44.
2. Last week’s message was called “Who Gets to Say?” and dealt with Jesus authority over our lives as reflected in the Sermon on the Mount. The Triumphal Entry reminds us of Jesus’ kingship and shows us his sovereign control over the unfolding of the events leading up to his death. What insight do the following verses give you regarding Jesus’ sovereignty?
   1. John 10:17-18
   2. Colossians 1:15-20
   3. Hebrews 1:3
3. What is the difference between prophecy and typology? Can you think of a biblical illustration of each?
4. Why do the Jewish leaders want Jesus to rebuke his disciples? Do they understand Jesus’ claims? Look up the following texts to help: Luke 5:17-26 (note vs. 21); John 8:48-59. How do these texts help us respond when we encounter people who claim that Jesus wasn’t God?
5. Why is Jesus weeping in vs. 41? What does this tell you about God’s response to those who reject him and who consequently will be judged? Consider the following quote:
   1. “Like the prophets of old, Jesus finds no joy in rebuking sin and declaring its dire consequences” – Darrell Bock
   2. Do you think people speak to glibly about the destiny of the lost? What is the proper heart to have toward those who reject Christ? (You might look up Philippians 3:18). How would such a heart affect your sharing of the message of the Gospel?
6. Spend sometime in praise of Christ tonight. Praise the Lord for what is most beautiful to you about Him. Pray for others to see Jesus as King and pray for yourself to live under Jesus’ lordship.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Link to .doc

Link to .pdf

1. What single thing in the Sermon on the Mount has stood out to you most? What change in your life do you most want to make in light of the Jesus’ words in the sermon?
2. Look up the following references to “authority” in Matthew’s Gospel and make some notes about the insight they give you regarding the role of authority and the ministry of Jesus. (pay attention to the surrounding context of each)
   1. Mt. 8:9 –
   2. Mt. 9:6 –
   3. Mt. 10:1 –
   4. Mt. 21:23-27 –
   5. Mt. 28:19 –
3. What grants someone authority? Why did you choose the characteristics or items that you did?
4. How in the Sermon on the Mount does Jesus demonstrate that He has the “legitimate position” to have authority even though He never explicitly claims His deity throughout his talk? (You might start with Mt. 5:11-12 just to get rolling)
5. Take your answer to question #1 and write out an action plan for how you will make the change that you want to make.
   1. Change to be made
   2. Steps to be taken
   3. Who will hold me accountable?
6. Pray for one another to move forward in this particular area of life. Also pray that each would respond to Jesus by bringing their lives more under His authority.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Link to .doc

Link to .pdf

Matthew 7:24-27

1. This text contains the last words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.  In your own words relate them to the Sermon on the Mount as whole.
2. What is a disciple?  Is there a difference between being a Christian and a disciple of Christ?  Respond to this statement by Dallas Willard:
   
   “I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I.  I am not necessarily learning to do everything he did, but I am learning how to do everything I do in the manner that he did all that he did.”
   
   Think about one particular area or role in your life.  Imagine how Jesus would act in it.  How does what you imagine differ from how you act in that same area or role?
3. Read Luke 9:23-27.  Explain vs. 26.  Why is there such an emphasis on Jesus’ words?  You might also look at Matthew 24:35 and John 12:47-50.
4. Think about how a foundation relates to a house.  What parallels can you draw to Jesus words as a foundation for building your life?  Share a story of how building your life on something different led you down a wrong path.  Share a story of how building on Jesus’ words enhanced your life. 
5. Read Luke 14:25-33.  Summarize the main thrust of the text in your own words.  What do you glean from the two illustrations in 28-33?  What specifically will it cost you to build a tower with your life? 
6. Pray for one another to take seriously that there are only two alternatives for what you will build your life on and pray that each of you in the group will put Jesus words into practice.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Link to .mp3

Link to .doc

Link to .pdf