40 Days: A Simple Question-- A simple Question (Week 4) Questions for reflection and discussion

How Do We Love The God Who Is?

1. From the message, How Do We Love the God Who Is?, what insight did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening or troubling? Why?
2. In the parallel account of the Great Command, Mark 12:29-30 reads, “’The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” Where does this begin?
3. Bible teacher James MacDonald suggests five ways we can love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

• Psalm 51:3—Sorrow over our sin
• Psalm 33:8—Fear of God
• Psalm 42:1—Longing for more of God
• Psalm 95:2—Thankfulness of what God has accomplished on your behalf through Jesus
• Psalm 16:11—Indescribable joy

Which of these aspects of love for God do you most need to cultivate in your life?

4. How can you put this into practice this week?

The Prodigal God: Equip- Nov. 3, 10 & Dec. 1

Join us for the next Equip class featuring Timothy Keller's book and video, The Prodigal God. This book explores the parable in Luke 15 of a father and two sons. One son kept the rules religiously, the other broke them all. The father loved them beyond anything they could ever imagine. This parable of Jesus reveals the heart of the gospel and will help you find your place at the Table.

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 p.m., November 3, 10 and December 1 at Zion of Clarion County. The book and study guide can be ordered at www.amazon.com/Prodigal-God-Discussion-Guide.

40 Days: A Simple Question-- A simple Question (Week 3) Questions for reflection and discussion

In Loving God, Loving Others, The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight writes, “The Jesus Creed begins with loving God… Ever since Eve and Adam, we have been trying to hide from God, to no avail, for the Creator of Eden continues to summon us to our own gardens, asking ‘Where are you?’”

Before we can accurately answer the question, “Do we love God?” we must first make sure we know the God who is rather than a “god” we’ve created. The message this week proposed several false gods or idols—

-- “Cosmic cop” god
-- “Hippie” god
-- “Goose Bump” god
-- “Happy Me” god
-- “Dashboard” god
-- “Mirror Me” god

What are gods or idols you’ve created in your life?

How can you put into practice 1 John 5:21, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols”?

What do the following scriptures teach about how Christians are to love God?

Mark 12:30—

1 John 4:19—

John 8:42—

Psalm 27:4—

Luke 14:33—

2 Corinthians 8:4-5—

1 John 5:3—

What are some benefits of loving God?

Hebrews 6:10—

John 14:23—

1 Peter 1:8—

40 Days: A Simple Question-- What is love? Questions for reflection and discussion

What is your favorite love song? Why?

Review the three ancient Greek words used for love examined in Sunday’s message. What insight does the scripture in which it is used provide for our understanding of each term?

“storge”—love found among family members, for example of a parent to child

Romans 12:10—

“philia”— love of friendship and affection

John 13:34—

1 John 4:19—

“agapao”—love that denies self for the sake of another

John 3:16—

Romans 5:8—

1 Thessalonians 3:12—

Read Matthew 21:28-32. Who was present when Jesus told this parable? (See Matthew 21:23)

What insight does this provide for understanding and applying the parable?

Describe the parable.
o What was the father’s instruction?
o How does each son initially respond?

Which son represented which group?

How do you think these leaders responded to Jesus’ parable? (See Matthew 22:15)

Which son’s story best represents your life story? How so?

Do you love God? How do you know?

CRU at CUP... Ask anything night

Great time last night at Cru's "Ask Anything Night" at CUP. Way to go student leaders and staff who are making things happen at CUP. Thank you to all who prayed for our team as we answered the questions of over 70 students packed into a meeting room in Gimmel. Here's a sampling of the questions we were asked:

What is you are terrified of death and eternity? Why are you guys so confident while many of us still have questions?

I am hesitant to let my current lifestyle go. If I accept Jesus as my personal savior will I need to change?

The Bible talks about wives submitting to husbands and such... does that mean the woman's rights and gender equality efforts of the past century are wrong?

If I don't know the Bible as well as i should now, how can I still reach out to others?

Where do Christians stand on the world ending in 2012?

At the end of the night two students indicated a desire to put their trust in Christ! Pray for them as they begin their journey with Christ.

While on the topic of reaching out to university students... Doug Hull is planning at CUP bonfire and hay ride at ZCC on Friday, October 29th. If you'd like to help with this event or want to know more about how you can be a part of reaching students email Doug at douglashull@verizon.net.

40 Days: A Simple Question-- Bible Study Questions for Discussion and Reflection

40 Days: A Simple Question, week 1

If you could ask one question of God, what would you ask?

Read Matthew 22:15-46. What were some of the questions asked of Jesus? Who asked the questions? How sincere, in your opinion, were they?

In response to a question regarding which law was greatest Jesus replies by giving the Great Commandment quoting from the familiar passage in Deuteronomy 6:5 (known as the Shema) then adding to it from Leviticus 19:18. Scot McKnight refers to this amended “Shema” as the “Jesus Creed.” Compare and contrast the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and the Jesus Creed in Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12:29-31.

What are the similarities?

What are the significant differences?

Quoting Rick Warren, Scot McKnight writes, “Life minus love equals zero… and the best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” What insight does this quote provide to understanding and applying the Jesus Creed?

Imagine your life—with your family, with your co-workers, with your Life Group, along with the Zion community committed to a lifestyle of loving God and loving others. What does this look like?

In The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others, Scot McKnight shares a story of how one church put this principle into action by putting together a “prom night” for disabled young people. He writes, “Donors in the church provided tuxes and dresses and limousine services, as well as a lavish banquet and the dance. These kids might not be graceful dancers or have the quickest feet, but the joy on their faces when they experienced (the evening) thrilled hearts and brought a little bit of (God’s) kingdom to (the city).

Take some time to share your ideas.

40 Days: A Simple Question-- "Living the Jesus Creed"

In response to a question regarding which law was greatest Jesus replies by giving the Great Commandment quoting from the familiar passage in Deuteronomy 6:5 (known as the Shema) then adding to it from Leviticus 19:18. Scot McKnight refers to this amended “Shema” found in Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12:29-31 as the “Jesus Creed.”.

During our 40 Days this year at Zion we will read together Scot McKnight's devotional, 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed." Check out the above video and pick up your copy this Sunday at Guest Services.

Jonah Week Four: Questions for Reflection and Discussion

In response to the demand by some religious leaders for miracles (signs) before they would repent and believe Jesus’ message, Jesus said, “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!” (Matthew 12:41)

Why do you think the biblical call to “repent” is so often met with resistance, both in Jesus’ day as well as our own?

In Jonah 4:2 Jonah prays, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” What insight do the following scriptures provide as to Jonah’s certainty?

Genesis 12:1-3—

Exodus 34:6—

2 Chronicles 30:9—

Psalm 86:5—

Psalm 103:8—

Read Jonah 4.

How does bitterness skew our perspective of God and His mission?

Have you ever been in a situation where you were at odds with God’s mission? What did you do to remedy that?

We are called to be on mission with God’s message. How much freedom do you think we have in determining when and where to deliver that message?

Who are you going to reach out to this week with the message of the gospel? Who are you inviting to 40 Days: A Simple Question?