Beautiful
About This Series
Christianity has earned a bad name, or at least a dubious reputation, among a significant proportion of modern people. Much of that is justified, because to a large extent Christians have failed to live out the full implications of their faith. We need to return to the authentic Christianity which was so attractive, it turned the world upside down, and even its persecutors could not resist it.
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
Humble
Part 1 of Beautiful
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- 1. How is grace related to humility? How is pride manifested in good times and in bad times?
- 2. What are the two elements of the gospel that empower us to be humble? Why can’t you have one without the other?
- 3. How does a humble person behave in the situations like these? How do you typically behave?
• Responding to needs
• Managing your resources
• Receiving criticism
• Disagreements
• Being wronged and hurt
• Participating in a group
July 9, 2017
Holy
Part 2 of Beautiful
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- 1. Do you make Christianity more attractive to the unbelievers among whom you live and work? What practical actions must you take so that you can truly be salt and light?
- 2. What is the difference between religious moralism and gospel righteousness? How have you made the mistake of practising moralism instead of holiness?
- 3. Do you personally find holiness easy or hard to practise? Explain why?
July 16, 2017
Hopeful
Part 3 of Beautiful
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- 1. Are you having a good or bad time in life right now? Whatever your answer, what difference does it make for you to know that for believers, this is the only hell they will ever experience? Or that for unbelievers, this is the only heaven they will ever know?
- 2. What is so precious about the promise of heaven? How does this benefit become available to us?
- 3. Is your belief in Christianity based on just your subjective feeling that God exists, or is it simply a way to hedge your bets (just in case there is a heaven and hell). What’s wrong with either approach? What provides us with the assurance that we will receive our inheritance?
July 23, 2017
Helpful
Part 4 of Beautiful
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- 1. What have you done to help others because you want to gain something out of it? What’s wrong with having a religious motivation for helping others?
- 2. How did Jesus respond to the lawyer’s question in verse 29? Think of the people you interact with, what would it mean for you to apply Jesus’s teaching in the way you relate with them?
- 3. How is the Christian motivation for helping others unique and powerful? How can you become increasingly driven by such motivation?