God is a Missionary God
Group Discussion Guide
Love Revealed Sermon Series
Our God is a Missionary God by Dr. Ed Scheuerman
Choose the best question(s) for your group
April 15, 2018
Questions: Contact Pastor Ric,
Texts: Psalm 29:2; Psalm 96:3; Revelation 7:9; Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 22:15-18; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 28:14; Romans 4:16-18; Galatians 3:7-9; Psalm 67; Joshua 2:8-11; Psalm 46:10
1. How do you feel about God’s wanting glory for Himself? Why is it okay for God to be self-centered?
2. Read Genesis 12:1-3. If you were Abram (soon to be called Abraham), what emotions would you be feeling? What challenges do you think the nation of Israel faced with the knowledge that God chose them to be His chosen nation?
3. Psalm 67 is often referred to as a missionary psalm. What do you see in this psalm that indicates that God’s purpose for Israel was not for themselves but for Him?
4. Todd Ahrend (in his book the Abrahamic Revolution) builds off of John Piper’s illustration (found in his book Let the Nations be Glad!):
a. There are 5 sinking ships, each 5 miles further out from the coast than the other
b. With limited resources, how do we prioritize, strategize our rescue efforts?
i. If our goal is the greatest number, we focus on Boat 1 and then Boat 2, knowing that most of Boat 3 will die and probably all of those on Boats 4 and 5 will die.
ii. If our goal is to save at least some from every boat, we will mobilize rescue efforts to head out to those with the least opportunity to save themselves.
If you have the ability to watch a YouTube clip, here’s a link that will help with this discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIDraNUGerE It’s called “Reaching the Unreached.”
c. How does an understanding of God help define a rescue strategy? And how does this apply to missions efforts around the world?
5. When you think of God’s heart for the world, which of His attributes come to bear?