Life Group Discussion Guides

“Refined by the Fire of Trials” by Pastor Randy

Life Group Discussion Guide

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Rock of Ages, 1 & 2 Peter Sermon Series
“Refined by the Fire of Trials” by Pastor Randy

February 16, 2020
If you have questions, contact Pastor Ric,

Below are some discussion questions relating to a recent sermon. These are provided so that your Life Group can discuss what was shared. Previous Weeks’ Discussion Guides and Sermon Notes are available through the Sermons under the Resources menu. Click on the sermon series and then the sermon you are interested in.  You will see a paper icon under the sermon title. Click the icon to open the sermon notes. To listen to the sermon, click on the speaker icon.

Context:  Who is Jesus?  Who is Peter? These are great questions to have answers to as we pursue our life in Christ and study 1&2 Peter.  Peter’s epistles were written to love on and prepare the church to follow Jesus in spite of challenges realized and yet to come.  Peter, “the Rock”, is now in Rome, the epicenter of the known world. He is awaiting his time, but charging to the end, inspired by his “living hope”.  We should embrace this very charge ourselves! Today our study with Pastor Randy is about the refiner’s fire and how it shapes us to be more like Jesus.

Sermon Texts:   Matthew 14:22-33; 1 Peter 1:7-9

Leaders, please choose only the best question(s) for your group.
We are praying for you as you lead these discussions:

Pastor Randy’s Take Aways:

1. God wants to refine us, but it is our choice whether we want to be refined.
2. Our trying experiences today are preparing us to reflect Him more.
3. Great faith simply believes truths that are difficult to believe.

Discussion Guide: 

1. Early in your Christian faith, with what truths in Scripture, life, and theology did you struggle to believe? What happened that caused you to finally believe without doubting? Are you still wrestling with some of these truths?
   
   
2. Share a time when a truth from Scripture became more real to you because it intersected with a personal experience.
   
   
3. God has a design for the trials we face in life.  What makes it hard to embrace His design? 
   
   
4. Pastor/Author John Piper said, “The Gospels are better than being there!”  Share a moment while reading the Gospels when you received a fresh glimpse of who Jesus is.
   
   
5. How do you see your life reflecting the image of Christ more today than a year ago? 

• How would those in your oikos see this difference?
• If you have experienced trials in your life, how would your oikos see a difference in how a believer relies on faith, “seeing what we cannot see”?

“The Birth of Hope:  A Known Future” by Pastor Tony

Life Group Discussion Guide 

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Rock of Ages, 1 & 2 Peter Sermon Series
“The Birth of Hope:  A Known Future” by Pastor Tony 

February 9, 2020
If you have questions, contact Pastor Ric,

Below are some discussion questions relating to a recent sermon. These are provided so that your Life Group can discuss what was shared. Previous Weeks’ Discussion Guides and Sermon Notes are available through the Sermons under the Resources menu. Click on the sermon series and then the sermon you are interested in.  You will see a paper icon under the sermon title. Click the icon to open the sermon notes. To listen to the sermon, click on the speaker icon.

Context:  Who is Jesus?  Who is Peter? These are great questions to have answers to as we pursue our life in Christ and study 1&2 Peter.  Peter’s epistles were written to love on and prepare the church to follow Jesus in spite of challenges realized and yet to come.  Peter, “the Rock”, is now in Rome, the epicenter of the known world. He is awaiting his time, but charging to the end, inspired by his “living hope”.  We should embrace this very charge ourselves!

Sermon Texts:   John 21:15-22; 1 Peter 1:3-6

 Leaders, please choose only the best question(s) for your group.
We are praying for you as you lead these discussions:

Tony’s Take Aways:

1. Praise God for the victory found in Jesus!
2. Our hope looks beyond the current struggles to an incredible future.
3. Keep looking to Jesus as the source for joy.

Discussion Guide: 

1. Experience (to quote a familiar TV commercial, “We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two.”) should deepen our love for others.

• How is it that we can sometimes become bitter and not better “lovers” of others?
• How can we prevent bitterness in our relationships from happening? 

2. The idea of building into the lives of others (feed my sheep) in the family of God was Jesus’ charge to Peter.

• What role at LEFC have you discovered to help shepherd, feed and lead those in the Church?
• How can Life Groups play a vital part of shepherding within the Body? 

3. Faithfulness, despite challenging circumstances, can be a challenge. People in our oikos need to see the “living hope” lived out in us. Share some personal stories of how living by Faith has affected your oikos.
   
   
4. Our inheritance (which we have not earned) is a living hope.

• Why is it so easy to operate in Fear instead of Faith when parenting, grandparenting, decision-making in life, etc.?   
• What are the ways you celebrate and stay focused on the joy of Christ, our “living hope”, and live by Faith when times get tough?