Bringing it Home “Three to Get Ready” Dr. David Jeremiah 1. Dr. Jeremiah said, “Love and good works do not just happen. They need to be September 25, 2011 ‘stimulated.’” How can we, as believers, stimulate love and good works in Hebrews 10:19-25 ourselves as well as in others? What does a stimulation to love and good works look like? Sound like? Small Group Questions
I. Let us draw near in faith - Hebrews 10:19-22
A. The call to fellowship with God - Heb. 10:22a; James 4:8; Ps. 73:28
B. The confidence of fellowship with God - Heb. 10:19a; 9:7; 4:16; 7:25 2. Today you are in one of two boats; an anchored boat (in fellowship with God and His people) or an unanchored boat (out of fellowship with God and/or His C. The cost of fellowship with God - Hebrews 10:19b people). D. The contrast of fellowship with God - Hebrews 10:20a a. If you are in an unanchored boat, what decision do you need to make so that you can climb out of your boat and into one that is anchored? E. The closeness of fellowship with God - Heb. 10:20b; Rom. 8:31-34 What specific storm are you facing? How would facing this storm with God, or His people, change your perspective on the storm? F. The creator of fellowship with God - Hebrews 10:21
G. The certainty of fellowship with God - Hebrews 10:22a; James 1:6-8
H. The cleansing of fellowship with God - Hebrews 10:22b; 9:13-14; b. If you are in an anchored boat, who do you know that needs an Exodus 24:8; Ephesians 5:25-26; Titus 3:5 anchored life? Who is going through a storm without an anchor to keep them safe? How can you move toward them with love and good II. Let us hold fast in hope - Hebrews 10:23 deeds? A. The exhortation to hold fast in hope - Heb. 10:23a; 3:6, 14, 19, 20
B. The encouragement to hold fast in hope - Hebrews 10:23b
III. Let us reach out in love - Hebrews 10:24-25; I Corinthians 13:13
A. The expression of this love - Hebrews 10:24
B. The experience of this love - Hebrews 10:25a
C. The encouragement of this love - Hebrews 10:25b
D. The expediency of this love - Hebrews 10:25c
www.shadowmountain.org/smallgroups 2100 Greenfield Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019, 619.440.1802 © Copyright 2011 by Shadow Mountain Ministries Getting Started 2. “…every believer has confidence to enter the very presence of God...” How is 1. This week we heard “…we need never worry about drifting if we simply hold our New Testament confidence before God different than the Old Testament, fast to our anchor.” Boats need anchors. What do anchors provide for boats? limited exposure to God (see Leviticus 16)? What do Christians enjoy (in How do anchors protect boats and the people inside? What happens when a terms of our relationship with God) that those under the Old Testament law did boat doesn’t have an anchor? Why are anchors so important? not?
3. Read the following verses. Discuss what “drawing near” to God looks like and how we can use these same scriptures/practices in our own times of drawing 2. As you’ve gone through the Hebrews series, what new biblical anchor have near to God. you discovered? What verse, theme, idea or specific theology are you connecting with and using as an anchor in your spiritual life? How is this Psalm 16:8 anchor helping you? Psalm 145:18
Luke 11:9,10
Acts 17:24-28
Ephesians 2:14-18 3. What specific part of this week’s sermon is becoming an anchor for you? How were you initially impacted by the truth of this particular anchor? What storm is/was going on in your life that made this anchor something you needed right away? 4. Life storms come. God offers Himself as an anchor. What are some common life storms that all people face? How can God be an anchor during those life storms? Describe the difference between facing life’s storms without God and facing them with God.
Digging Deeper 1. We also heard that “Drawing near to God is the essence of Christianity…” Drawing near to God is an anchor for us. How do you draw near to God? 5. We aren’t designed to face storms alone. Read Hebrews 10:24 (see also When do you draw near to Him? What specific activities do you participate in Romans 12:15; 15:1-2; I John 3:18 and I Timothy 6:18). How can Christians (sing, pray, journal, read scripture, be silent, etc.)? be anchors for other believers? When has someone been an “anchor of God” for you? How did the perspective of your life storm shift when you found you were no longer alone?