Perry’s Scope: Christian sermons, lessons, and resources for teachers

  Open

Please share from the following:

1. What I need more than anything else from this Group is someone:

•  To talk to
• To belong to
• To support me
• To affirm me
• To share my concerns
• To stir up my dreams
• Other ____________________

2. What scares me about being in a close Christian community is that they might:

• Find me out
• Not accept me after they find out about me
• Expect something out of me if they accept me
• Not be my kind of people
• Upset my lifestyle
• Let me down

Study

Read Ezekiel 33:30-32 and discuss the following:

1. Why do you think the prophets had such a hard time getting people to believe their messages?

2. Why did the people “go through the motions” of listening to Ezekiel? What kept them from following through with their commitments to God? How do you see this today?

3. Why do you think we lose a sense of urgency about our relationship with God?

4. Why is it important that we not only KNOW what God says/wants, but that we put it into practice?

5. How does the “greatest command” (Deuteronomy 6.4-5) and the “second greatest command” (Leviticus 19.18) sum up our need to HEAR and DO?

Apply

1. When do you think that we are serious about spreading the kingdom of God? How can we tell if we are NOT serious about it? When are times you personally have been serious about it? When have you not been serious?
2. How does Christian community help you to keep on track with God?
3. What do you think are the stumbling blocks to having the kind of community of believers that we see among the early disciples (Acts 2, etc.)?

•  We don’t know each other
• We don’t know each other’s needs
• We don’t take time for one another
• We have more pressing issues
• We don’t feel urgency
• What spiritual things do you know but aren’t doing? How can this Group help you?