Follow Series - Study 4
Pray: Ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 3:1-14 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 3:1-14 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. What stands out to you about this passage?
2. For Paul as he wrote this part of his letter, it was clear that some of the old ways that people were used to operating in or under didn't work any more. What were these old ways? What do you think that means for your life today? Are there some old ways or paradigms or even practises that you need to put aside because of what Jesus has done for you?
3. What does it mean to say "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God?" How can Paul say you have died when we are very much alive? What does it mean to say your life is now hidden with Christ? What difference does that make to each of us personally today?
4. Paul suggests that there are things you do and don't need to do. For the people of Colossea they thought that if they don't do some of these things they would loose favour with God. What is it you need to do in order to stay in right relationship with God?
5. Think about the following phrase - When God looks at my life what does he see? We must get clarity on who you are. In order to do this it might be helpful to ask "What do you think he sees when he looks at you?"
6. There are a number of things Paul says to put off and also things to put on - what do you think you need to put off/ take off? Keep in mind God is not opposed to effort but he is opposed to earning.
7. How do you set your minds on things above? What sort of things are these? The idea in the passage seems to be 'dwell on these things' - how do you do that?
8. If Idolatry is defined as putting something other than God first - how do you take those other things of the throne in your life and ensure God is in his rightful place on the throne of your life?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do For Life to Share weekend
1. What stands out to you about this passage?
2. For Paul as he wrote this part of his letter, it was clear that some of the old ways that people were used to operating in or under didn't work any more. What were these old ways? What do you think that means for your life today? Are there some old ways or paradigms or even practises that you need to put aside because of what Jesus has done for you?
3. What does it mean to say "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God?" How can Paul say you have died when we are very much alive? What does it mean to say your life is now hidden with Christ? What difference does that make to each of us personally today?
4. Paul suggests that there are things you do and don't need to do. For the people of Colossea they thought that if they don't do some of these things they would loose favour with God. What is it you need to do in order to stay in right relationship with God?
5. Think about the following phrase - When God looks at my life what does he see? We must get clarity on who you are. In order to do this it might be helpful to ask "What do you think he sees when he looks at you?"
6. There are a number of things Paul says to put off and also things to put on - what do you think you need to put off/ take off? Keep in mind God is not opposed to effort but he is opposed to earning.
7. How do you set your minds on things above? What sort of things are these? The idea in the passage seems to be 'dwell on these things' - how do you do that?
8. If Idolatry is defined as putting something other than God first - how do you take those other things of the throne in your life and ensure God is in his rightful place on the throne of your life?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do For Life to Share weekend
Follow Series - Study 3
Pray: Ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 2:1-7 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 2:1-7 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. When in your past have you prayed particularly hard for something? What was it about? How did praying "hard" differ from how you usually pray?
2. As you think about your life as a person who is following Jesus - can you say that you have made him the centre and anchor for everything you believe? What do you need to do in order to make that a reality? Are there areas of your life that you haven't given over to him as yet? Why is that the case - thats stopping you from doing that?
3. What would need to change in your life in order for you to conduct yourself like Jesus conducted himself?
4. Take some time to answer the following questions that Andrew challenged us to ask ourselves? How different to everyone else am I? What difference does me following Jesus make? How visible is Jesus in me? Have I done what he said to me to do?
5. What steps could you throughout the remainder of the year to grow deeper down into him? What do you think you need to still learn from Jesus? What is one thing you could do in order to do this?
6. The theologian Tom Wright says “Being a Christian is like riding a bicycle; unless you go forward, you’ll fall off. And going forward as a Christian means, once more, nothing more nor less than going forward ‘in Christ’, in the king." Have you stopped moving forward in Christ? Why? What stopped you? What do you need to do in order to get moving again?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do For Life to Share weekend
1. When in your past have you prayed particularly hard for something? What was it about? How did praying "hard" differ from how you usually pray?
2. As you think about your life as a person who is following Jesus - can you say that you have made him the centre and anchor for everything you believe? What do you need to do in order to make that a reality? Are there areas of your life that you haven't given over to him as yet? Why is that the case - thats stopping you from doing that?
3. What would need to change in your life in order for you to conduct yourself like Jesus conducted himself?
4. Take some time to answer the following questions that Andrew challenged us to ask ourselves? How different to everyone else am I? What difference does me following Jesus make? How visible is Jesus in me? Have I done what he said to me to do?
5. What steps could you throughout the remainder of the year to grow deeper down into him? What do you think you need to still learn from Jesus? What is one thing you could do in order to do this?
6. The theologian Tom Wright says “Being a Christian is like riding a bicycle; unless you go forward, you’ll fall off. And going forward as a Christian means, once more, nothing more nor less than going forward ‘in Christ’, in the king." Have you stopped moving forward in Christ? Why? What stopped you? What do you need to do in order to get moving again?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do For Life to Share weekend
Follow Series - Study 2
Pray: Ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 1:15-23 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 1:15-23 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. If you asked Jesus the question 'what do you want of me,' how do you think he would answer?
2. What do you think of when you hear the term 'follow me?" What does it actually mean to follow Jesus? What did it mean to Peter and the other disciples? What does that mean to you?
3. Share a time when you had to make a decision between living life the "Jesus way" and living life your own way. Was there a difference - if so what was the difference?
4. If someone asked you what's Jesus like how would you describe him? Why do you think that Paul describes him the way he does (read 15-20). Where would you begin to describe him to someone who doesn't know him?
5. One of the things that Yvonne mentioned yesterday was that God (The Father), Jesus (The Son) and Holy Spirit were in heaven talking about creation and they decided to create all that we see and experience (and more) but who did what? How do you know? How do you explain the various roles they have to people around you?
6. How do you describe the Trinity to people? How do you explain the unique role that Jesus has - not just in his death, burial and resurrection but even today?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do as an Engage project in the week ahead!
1. If you asked Jesus the question 'what do you want of me,' how do you think he would answer?
2. What do you think of when you hear the term 'follow me?" What does it actually mean to follow Jesus? What did it mean to Peter and the other disciples? What does that mean to you?
3. Share a time when you had to make a decision between living life the "Jesus way" and living life your own way. Was there a difference - if so what was the difference?
4. If someone asked you what's Jesus like how would you describe him? Why do you think that Paul describes him the way he does (read 15-20). Where would you begin to describe him to someone who doesn't know him?
5. One of the things that Yvonne mentioned yesterday was that God (The Father), Jesus (The Son) and Holy Spirit were in heaven talking about creation and they decided to create all that we see and experience (and more) but who did what? How do you know? How do you explain the various roles they have to people around you?
6. How do you describe the Trinity to people? How do you explain the unique role that Jesus has - not just in his death, burial and resurrection but even today?
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do as an Engage project in the week ahead!
Follow Series - Study 1
Pray: Ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 1:1-14 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Read Passage Aloud: Colossians 1:1-14 (perhaps ask two different people to read from two different translations)
Re-tell the passage in your own words.
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. What opinions or views do you hear being espoused on news outlets or in your Facebook algorithm or from people that you find confusing? How do you wade through them to come up with your own solution?
2. How have you discerned Gods will for your life? What did you do to do that? Did you ask someone to help you? How did you get insight into that?
3. How have you gotten to know God better through the course of your life? What have you done in order to do that?
4. What do you think about the saying that Andrew said - 'If it's contrary to what Jesus said then it's contrary to Jesus will' - so if Jesus said something on the topic it becomes pretty easy - but what about when he didn't say anything about the particular issue - what is the guiding principle there?
5. How do you find wisdom on a particular subject? What do you do/ have you done in order to find some wisdom in your life? Do you just work from your own experience? What would one pice of wise advice that you would give to someone if they came to you and asked for your advice?
6. Who do you find helpful to listen to in order to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God?
7. What questions have you asked God in the past/ have you ever asked God a question - what was it? How did he answer you? Did he answer you? How did you know it was him answering? Is it possible to know the voice of God? Have you ever heard the audible voice of God? If not how have you heard him speak - because he speaks in different ways.
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do as an Engage in the coming weeks
1. What opinions or views do you hear being espoused on news outlets or in your Facebook algorithm or from people that you find confusing? How do you wade through them to come up with your own solution?
2. How have you discerned Gods will for your life? What did you do to do that? Did you ask someone to help you? How did you get insight into that?
3. How have you gotten to know God better through the course of your life? What have you done in order to do that?
4. What do you think about the saying that Andrew said - 'If it's contrary to what Jesus said then it's contrary to Jesus will' - so if Jesus said something on the topic it becomes pretty easy - but what about when he didn't say anything about the particular issue - what is the guiding principle there?
5. How do you find wisdom on a particular subject? What do you do/ have you done in order to find some wisdom in your life? Do you just work from your own experience? What would one pice of wise advice that you would give to someone if they came to you and asked for your advice?
6. Who do you find helpful to listen to in order to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God?
7. What questions have you asked God in the past/ have you ever asked God a question - what was it? How did he answer you? Did he answer you? How did you know it was him answering? Is it possible to know the voice of God? Have you ever heard the audible voice of God? If not how have you heard him speak - because he speaks in different ways.
Please talk to your Life Group re what you will do as an Engage in the coming weeks