Reading Selections and Questions for Sunday, July 5, 2009.
1) Galatians 5:16-26
What was Paul trying to teach them? Why was this information so important? How would the world be different without anyone living by the Holy Spirit? What if everyone was living by the Holy Spirit? How can you tell if you are letting the Holy Spirit guide how you live?
2) Galatians 5:16-18
What is the conflict Paul is describing? What are the sources of the conflict?
Romans 7:14-25
How did Paul describe the conflict in this passage? In what ways can you identify with Paul’s description? Is his personal struggle encouraging or discouraging to you?
3) Galatians 5:19-21
What are the consequences of this lifestyle Paul described? Do you know what each word in these verses mean? Look up any that are unfamiliar to you.
Mark 14:38; Romans 6:6-7, 14; 1 Corinthians 6:18
How do these passages help you avoid the lifestyle of the flesh?
4) Galatians 5:22-25
What does Paul describe in this passage? What does it mean to keep in step with the Spirit? How does choosing this lifestyle affect our relationships?
Matthew 7:16-20; John 15:5-8
What do these passages teach us about how to produce spiritual fruit? Which one needs strengthening in your life? How can you tell if you are letting the Holy Spirit guide you?
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
For Sunday, June 28, 2009
Reading Selections and Questions for Sunday, June 28, 2009.
1) Galatians 5:1-15
What does this passage teach about our freedom in Christ?
1 Corinthians 7:19; 1 Corinthian 8:9; 1 Peter 2:16
What do these passages add to your understanding of how to live your freedom in Christ?
2) Galatians 5:7-12
What did Paul think of those trying to force the Gentile Christians into circumcision? How much sin or false teaching does it take to ruin the message? What bit of yeast is negatively influencing your life right now?
2 Peter 3:17-18
How can you make these verses a prayer for yourself? For someone else in your life?
3) Galatians 5:13-15
According to this passage, how can balance be found between grace and freewill in our lives?
Mark 12:28-31
Jesus says this summarizes all the Law. What did He mean by that?
4) Galatians 5:1-6
According to this passage, what really counts in life? Examine yourself: do you have faith? Is it expressed in love or some other way?
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Examine your motivations. What or Who is fueling your actions and attitudes? Make this verse into a prayer.
1) Galatians 5:1-15
What does this passage teach about our freedom in Christ?
1 Corinthians 7:19; 1 Corinthian 8:9; 1 Peter 2:16
What do these passages add to your understanding of how to live your freedom in Christ?
2) Galatians 5:7-12
What did Paul think of those trying to force the Gentile Christians into circumcision? How much sin or false teaching does it take to ruin the message? What bit of yeast is negatively influencing your life right now?
2 Peter 3:17-18
How can you make these verses a prayer for yourself? For someone else in your life?
3) Galatians 5:13-15
According to this passage, how can balance be found between grace and freewill in our lives?
Mark 12:28-31
Jesus says this summarizes all the Law. What did He mean by that?
4) Galatians 5:1-6
According to this passage, what really counts in life? Examine yourself: do you have faith? Is it expressed in love or some other way?
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Examine your motivations. What or Who is fueling your actions and attitudes? Make this verse into a prayer.
Monday, June 15, 2009
For Sunday, June 21, 2009
Reading Selections and Questions for Sunday, June 21, 2009.
1) Galatians 3:26-4:7
How does a person become a child of God? What makes us all one in Christ? What does it mean to be an heir of God, a co-heir with Christ? Are you living your Christian life like a slave or like a child of God?
Reflect on the blessings of the relationship with God available to us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. What a blessing to call Him “Daddy!”
2) Galatians 4:8-20
What was Paul’s concern for the Galatian Christians? Were they living like their new selves in Christ or like their old selves? Paul pointed out that they were allowing false teachers to interfere in their relationships with God. What did he point out about these false teachers’ motives? About the consequences of following their teachings?
3) Galatians 4:8-20
How would you characterize the mentoring role Paul was taking with them in this passage? What words did he use to describe his relationship with them and feelings for them? How did he encourage them to choose the truth of the gospel of grace?
2 Peter 1:5-11
Is your life characterized by spiritual growth? In which of these qualities are you still lacking? To whom can you serve as a spiritual mentor? How could you turn this verse into a prayer for spiritual growth for yourself and others?
4) Galatians 4:8-20
What was distracting the Galatian believers in their relationships with God? How could they protect their spiritual lives from these distractions?
Is your life characterized by the positive or negative aspects of zealousness?
Ephesians 2:11:18
Use this passage to mediate on what God has brought you from and where God has brought you to. Use it to praise God for Christ’s amazing work in making our way to God. Is He your peace today?
1) Galatians 3:26-4:7
How does a person become a child of God? What makes us all one in Christ? What does it mean to be an heir of God, a co-heir with Christ? Are you living your Christian life like a slave or like a child of God?
Reflect on the blessings of the relationship with God available to us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. What a blessing to call Him “Daddy!”
2) Galatians 4:8-20
What was Paul’s concern for the Galatian Christians? Were they living like their new selves in Christ or like their old selves? Paul pointed out that they were allowing false teachers to interfere in their relationships with God. What did he point out about these false teachers’ motives? About the consequences of following their teachings?
3) Galatians 4:8-20
How would you characterize the mentoring role Paul was taking with them in this passage? What words did he use to describe his relationship with them and feelings for them? How did he encourage them to choose the truth of the gospel of grace?
2 Peter 1:5-11
Is your life characterized by spiritual growth? In which of these qualities are you still lacking? To whom can you serve as a spiritual mentor? How could you turn this verse into a prayer for spiritual growth for yourself and others?
4) Galatians 4:8-20
What was distracting the Galatian believers in their relationships with God? How could they protect their spiritual lives from these distractions?
Is your life characterized by the positive or negative aspects of zealousness?
Ephesians 2:11:18
Use this passage to mediate on what God has brought you from and where God has brought you to. Use it to praise God for Christ’s amazing work in making our way to God. Is He your peace today?
Monday, June 8, 2009
For Sunday, June 14, 2009
Reading Selections and Questions for Sunday, June 14, 2009.
1) Galatians 2:11-16
Who and what were causing the conflict between Paul and Peter? Why was this issue so important to Paul? What was Paul’s solution to the situation?
Acts 11:1-18
This passage contains Peter’s report to the circumcised believers in Jerusalem about what God had taught him about the Gentiles. Scholars debate whether this was before or after the episode Paul wrote about in Galatians, but most evidence points to before.
How did God get Peter’s attention? Why was Peter slow about learning this lesson? What evidence did Peter detail that assured him God had accepted the Gentiles by grace alone, without conforming to Jewish ways?
2) Galatians 2:15-21
What does it mean to be justified? Why is the path to justification so important? Why was the law not enough to justify us? What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ?”
Romans 6:4-11
What are the benefits of the crucifixion of our old selves? What does it mean to be “dead to sin?” Does the evidence of your life prove that you have been crucified with Christ and are dead to sin?
3) Galatians 3:1-5
Why is Paul so upset with the Galatian churches? How did the timing of their reception of the Holy Spirit contribute to Paul’s argument? Why did they compromise Paul’s original teaching so easily?
Ephesians 2:8-9; Psalm 143:2
How are we saved? Why did God choose to make it this way?
Galatians 3:23-25; Acts 13:38-39
What was humanity’s relationship with the law before Christ came? What was the purpose of the law? What is the role of the law now?
4) Galatians 3:6-14
Why did Paul use Abraham’s example? How was Abraham made right with God? How did that apply to the Gentiles in Paul’s time? How does that relate to us today?
Genesis 12:13; 15:4-6; 18:18-19
What were God’s promises to Abraham in these passages? What do you think the Jews of Paul’s day would say when these passages were pointed out? What do you think the Gentiles of Paul’s day would say about these passages?
Romans 9:30-33
What was the difference between the Gentiles’ and the Jews’ pursuits of righteousness? Which example most closely fits your life?
1) Galatians 2:11-16
Who and what were causing the conflict between Paul and Peter? Why was this issue so important to Paul? What was Paul’s solution to the situation?
Acts 11:1-18
This passage contains Peter’s report to the circumcised believers in Jerusalem about what God had taught him about the Gentiles. Scholars debate whether this was before or after the episode Paul wrote about in Galatians, but most evidence points to before.
How did God get Peter’s attention? Why was Peter slow about learning this lesson? What evidence did Peter detail that assured him God had accepted the Gentiles by grace alone, without conforming to Jewish ways?
2) Galatians 2:15-21
What does it mean to be justified? Why is the path to justification so important? Why was the law not enough to justify us? What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ?”
Romans 6:4-11
What are the benefits of the crucifixion of our old selves? What does it mean to be “dead to sin?” Does the evidence of your life prove that you have been crucified with Christ and are dead to sin?
3) Galatians 3:1-5
Why is Paul so upset with the Galatian churches? How did the timing of their reception of the Holy Spirit contribute to Paul’s argument? Why did they compromise Paul’s original teaching so easily?
Ephesians 2:8-9; Psalm 143:2
How are we saved? Why did God choose to make it this way?
Galatians 3:23-25; Acts 13:38-39
What was humanity’s relationship with the law before Christ came? What was the purpose of the law? What is the role of the law now?
4) Galatians 3:6-14
Why did Paul use Abraham’s example? How was Abraham made right with God? How did that apply to the Gentiles in Paul’s time? How does that relate to us today?
Genesis 12:13; 15:4-6; 18:18-19
What were God’s promises to Abraham in these passages? What do you think the Jews of Paul’s day would say when these passages were pointed out? What do you think the Gentiles of Paul’s day would say about these passages?
Romans 9:30-33
What was the difference between the Gentiles’ and the Jews’ pursuits of righteousness? Which example most closely fits your life?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Reading Selections and Questions for Sunday, June 7, 2009.
We are starting a unit study of Galatians. The first several readings are for background information, before you tackle the actual lesson passage of Galatians 1:1-2:10.
1) Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-30; Acts 26:4-5
What do you learn about Saul (Paul) in these verses? What was his background? How was he called into ministry? What were his sources of information about the Gospel?
2) Acts 15:1-21
What conflict had arisen within the early church? Why was this question about how a person is saved so important? Who were the opposing sides? How did they resolve the issue? Why is this question still important today?
(For more information about Acts 15:7-9, read Acts 10.)
3) Galatians 1:1-10
What was the problem within the churches in Galatia? Why was this so upsetting to Paul?
Galatians 1:11-24
What information and evidence did Paul give them about his calling? Based on his writings in these verses, what do you think he was being accused of? What main point was he trying to make to the people?
4) Galatians 2:1-10
What opposition does Paul describe in these verses? Why was it so important to the people Paul was serving for the details of his calling to be made clear? What was Paul’s response to the opposition he faced?
2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Romans 16:17
According to these verses, how can a Christian tell if the message they are being preached is from God or false teachers? How careful are you about the teachings you receive?
We are starting a unit study of Galatians. The first several readings are for background information, before you tackle the actual lesson passage of Galatians 1:1-2:10.
1) Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-30; Acts 26:4-5
What do you learn about Saul (Paul) in these verses? What was his background? How was he called into ministry? What were his sources of information about the Gospel?
2) Acts 15:1-21
What conflict had arisen within the early church? Why was this question about how a person is saved so important? Who were the opposing sides? How did they resolve the issue? Why is this question still important today?
(For more information about Acts 15:7-9, read Acts 10.)
3) Galatians 1:1-10
What was the problem within the churches in Galatia? Why was this so upsetting to Paul?
Galatians 1:11-24
What information and evidence did Paul give them about his calling? Based on his writings in these verses, what do you think he was being accused of? What main point was he trying to make to the people?
4) Galatians 2:1-10
What opposition does Paul describe in these verses? Why was it so important to the people Paul was serving for the details of his calling to be made clear? What was Paul’s response to the opposition he faced?
2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Romans 16:17
According to these verses, how can a Christian tell if the message they are being preached is from God or false teachers? How careful are you about the teachings you receive?
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