Sunday Recap - To The Scattered
November 12, 2023 - 1 Peter 5:1-10
Questions:
Read the main text as a group
Questions:
Read the main text as a group
1. What are some of the characteristics we should expect from Church elders/leaders from 1 Peter 5:1-3? How have you experienced or those qualities or a lack thereof in your church experience?
2. What does Peter commend to members of the Church in 1 Peter 5:5a? What does subjecting yourself to church leadership look like in practical terms? What about when there is conflict and/or disagreement?
3. In I Peter 5:5-9 each verse contains a command and an accompanying motivation. Discuss the commands and motivations you see in these verses.
4. Based on the command to clothe ourselves with humility and humble ourselves (vs. 5-6), who is someone you know who embodies humility well? What shape does their humility take?
5. Based on 1 Peter 5:10 what is something you are looking forward to being restored, confirmed, strengthened, and/or established in you individually or we as the Church?
Questions:
1. How can our small group practice “hospitality without grumbling” both individually and as a group? (1 Peter 4:9)
2. How do we discern whether we’re just getting complaint out of our system in an appropriate and healthy way (ex. Lament in the Psalms), or operating out of a spirit of complaint?
3. Austin talked about spiritual gifts bringing unity rather than causing division. Why is it so hard for us to see the strength and beauty rather than difficulty of our different giftings?
4. To expect to suffer is not an invitation to be unhappy. Austin said: “when I read the gospels, there’s a sense that Jesus was a very happy person.” Do you agree? If so, can you imagine some occasions from Scripture?
October 29, 2023 - 1 Peter 4:1-8
Questions:
1. How can we, both as individuals and as a community, “arm ourselves with the expectation of suffering”? (1 Peter 4:1) Did Jesus have anything to say about having an expectation to suffer?
2. What difference does it make if we arm ourselves with the expectation of suffering? What are the consequences if we don’t?
3. Why does following Jesus create more suffering in our lives? (“faithfulness to Christ creates additional suffering in our lives because fallen creation is filled with a tragic resistance to Christ that we call sin. And this resistance to Christ that creates suffering in lives that are faithfully lived for Christ is both external and internal…” – Austin)
4. Austin cited the following C.S. Lewis quote: “How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the saints.” Spend some time as a group contemplating the difference between the “desire of the gentiles” (1 Peter 1:3)/monotony of the tyrants and the difference of the saints.
5. Austin referred to Dallas Willard’s electricity metaphor for how to think about the Kingdom of God come near. Austin said, “the vibrancy of the Kingdom is accessible to you.” How do we plug into the power of the Kingdom of God as individuals and as a small group?
6. How do we discern when to confront/call out sin and when to let “love cover a multitude of sins.?” (1 Peter 4:8, James 5:19-20)
October 22, 2023 - 1 Peter 3:1-15
Questions:
1. How does marriage show us who Christ is? How can you reflect this in your marriage and/or other relationships?
2. As Dave mentioned, whether discussing complementarianism or egalitarianism, we tend to argue based on our own narrative and leanings. In what ways can we try to see the other narratives as something that edifies the church and humans created in Gods image?
3. Dave mentioned five ways we can honor our spouse and/or others - (listen and seek understanding, express gratitude, serve each other, encourage one another, and speak positively about spouse to others). Which of these five do you do well? Which of these five could you improve upon?
4. Which situations and/or relationships in your life are not unified? In what ways could you approach these situations/relationships with sympathy, brotherly love, tenderness, and humility?
5. Pursuing peace over hostility or evil can be difficult. How might you pray, and then act, in pursuing peace and love?
October 15, 2023 - 1 Peter 2:11-25
Questions:
1. Today Austin unpacked The Way of Goodness (1 Peter 2:12). What were the main elements of the way of goodness based on the text? (Submission to authority + endurance of unjust persecution with gentleness and humility)
2. What makes submission to authorities so difficult? Is there ever a time where it’s ok to resist rather than submit to authorities as a Christian and if so, what are some examples of appropriate non-submission?
3. Has anyone experienced unjust suffering/persecution? What were the circumstances and what was your reaction?
4. What motivation does Peter offer for his audience to suffer unjustly with gentleness and humility? (vs. 22-24)
5. What if suffering unjustly doesn’t work? (“Our task is not to spend time pondering our success, but to obey our orders.” Jacques Ellul) What does success look like in the Kingdom of God? (Faithfulness)
October 8, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:23-2:12
Questions:
1. Dave talked about being nourished by the word of God. What does the word of God in vs. 24-25a refer to? (vs. 25b) How can we consistently nourish ourselves with the good news/gospel? What would that have looked like for Peters original audience who didn’t have copies of The Gospels/New Testament? (Reading the OT and looking for how Jesus was the fulfillment of Israel’s story)
2. What’s the danger of separating belief from practice in our own lives and in the lives of others (2:12)?
3. What are some Christian practices that lead to spiritual maturity? What are some ways you’ve practiced those individually/corporately? Which ones have been most helpful in your growth as a Christ follower?
4. 1 Peter 2:9-10 shows us that in Christ we are a people… Community is something we are, as opposed to something we do. How do we remain consistently committed to that reality, even when we disagree? How do we know which issues are open or closed handed?
5. What’s one area of your life that needs more consistency? What, if anything, would help you to be more consistent in that area?
October 1, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:13-25
Questions:
1. What’s the difference between Law and Gospel? (Law says, “If you’ll do X, then God will accept you”, gospel says “Because God accepts you, do X)
2. How does a Law framework affect our thoughts/feelings/actions towards ourselves and others? What about a Gospel framework?
3. Describe a time when someone (spouse, friend, etc.) was gracious to you. How did that make you feel?
4. This morning Austin invited us to consider ourselves as “God’s little children at play” (Barth). How does the gospel make that possible? What are some of the hindrances to thinking of yourself in this way? What are some things you could do to be more playful?
5. What’s the difference between understanding holiness as separation from sinners rather than devotion God and others? If holiness is “loving one another fervently” as Peter teaches, what would it look like for our small group to do that?
September 24, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:3-5
Questions:
1. How can we both embrace and faithfully live out our dual identities as children of God and exiles in the world?
2.Dave spoke about misplaced hopes. What are some of the misplaced hopes that have let you down?
3. How have you found hope in the living hope 1 Peter 1:3-5 describes? (Salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, our inheritance in heaven, God’s power to guard our faith) Which of those gospel realities gives you the most hope?
September 17, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:1-2
Questions:
1. How does the intended audience of 1 Peter (the scattered) help us to live into what we heard in our prior sermon series that “You Are Not Your Own?”
2. In 1 Peter 1:1 three Greek words appear: eklectois (to the chosen), parepidemois (to the exiles), diasporas (of the Diaspora). How do those words/phrases resonate in the biblical story? (See Zech. 10:8-9, Jer. 29:4-14)
3. What would it look like for us (the Jesus people/our small group) to actively seek the welfare of the city as those who are “scattered?”
4. Austin shared a quote from Douglas Harink: “Not being in charge is the normative condition of the people created by the gospel of the crucified Christ.” How did the earliest Christ followers have such an enormous impact without “being in charge?” How should that inform our posture and practice in our time?
2. What does Peter commend to members of the Church in 1 Peter 5:5a? What does subjecting yourself to church leadership look like in practical terms? What about when there is conflict and/or disagreement?
3. In I Peter 5:5-9 each verse contains a command and an accompanying motivation. Discuss the commands and motivations you see in these verses.
4. Based on the command to clothe ourselves with humility and humble ourselves (vs. 5-6), who is someone you know who embodies humility well? What shape does their humility take?
5. Based on 1 Peter 5:10 what is something you are looking forward to being restored, confirmed, strengthened, and/or established in you individually or we as the Church?
November 5, 2023 - 1 Peter 4:9-19
Questions:
1. How can our small group practice “hospitality without grumbling” both individually and as a group? (1 Peter 4:9)
2. How do we discern whether we’re just getting complaint out of our system in an appropriate and healthy way (ex. Lament in the Psalms), or operating out of a spirit of complaint?
3. Austin talked about spiritual gifts bringing unity rather than causing division. Why is it so hard for us to see the strength and beauty rather than difficulty of our different giftings?
4. To expect to suffer is not an invitation to be unhappy. Austin said: “when I read the gospels, there’s a sense that Jesus was a very happy person.” Do you agree? If so, can you imagine some occasions from Scripture?
October 29, 2023 - 1 Peter 4:1-8
Questions:
1. How can we, both as individuals and as a community, “arm ourselves with the expectation of suffering”? (1 Peter 4:1) Did Jesus have anything to say about having an expectation to suffer?
2. What difference does it make if we arm ourselves with the expectation of suffering? What are the consequences if we don’t?
3. Why does following Jesus create more suffering in our lives? (“faithfulness to Christ creates additional suffering in our lives because fallen creation is filled with a tragic resistance to Christ that we call sin. And this resistance to Christ that creates suffering in lives that are faithfully lived for Christ is both external and internal…” – Austin)
4. Austin cited the following C.S. Lewis quote: “How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the saints.” Spend some time as a group contemplating the difference between the “desire of the gentiles” (1 Peter 1:3)/monotony of the tyrants and the difference of the saints.
5. Austin referred to Dallas Willard’s electricity metaphor for how to think about the Kingdom of God come near. Austin said, “the vibrancy of the Kingdom is accessible to you.” How do we plug into the power of the Kingdom of God as individuals and as a small group?
6. How do we discern when to confront/call out sin and when to let “love cover a multitude of sins.?” (1 Peter 4:8, James 5:19-20)
October 22, 2023 - 1 Peter 3:1-15
Questions:
1. How does marriage show us who Christ is? How can you reflect this in your marriage and/or other relationships?
2. As Dave mentioned, whether discussing complementarianism or egalitarianism, we tend to argue based on our own narrative and leanings. In what ways can we try to see the other narratives as something that edifies the church and humans created in Gods image?
3. Dave mentioned five ways we can honor our spouse and/or others - (listen and seek understanding, express gratitude, serve each other, encourage one another, and speak positively about spouse to others). Which of these five do you do well? Which of these five could you improve upon?
4. Which situations and/or relationships in your life are not unified? In what ways could you approach these situations/relationships with sympathy, brotherly love, tenderness, and humility?
5. Pursuing peace over hostility or evil can be difficult. How might you pray, and then act, in pursuing peace and love?
October 15, 2023 - 1 Peter 2:11-25
Questions:
1. Today Austin unpacked The Way of Goodness (1 Peter 2:12). What were the main elements of the way of goodness based on the text? (Submission to authority + endurance of unjust persecution with gentleness and humility)
2. What makes submission to authorities so difficult? Is there ever a time where it’s ok to resist rather than submit to authorities as a Christian and if so, what are some examples of appropriate non-submission?
3. Has anyone experienced unjust suffering/persecution? What were the circumstances and what was your reaction?
4. What motivation does Peter offer for his audience to suffer unjustly with gentleness and humility? (vs. 22-24)
5. What if suffering unjustly doesn’t work? (“Our task is not to spend time pondering our success, but to obey our orders.” Jacques Ellul) What does success look like in the Kingdom of God? (Faithfulness)
October 8, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:23-2:12
Questions:
1. Dave talked about being nourished by the word of God. What does the word of God in vs. 24-25a refer to? (vs. 25b) How can we consistently nourish ourselves with the good news/gospel? What would that have looked like for Peters original audience who didn’t have copies of The Gospels/New Testament? (Reading the OT and looking for how Jesus was the fulfillment of Israel’s story)
2. What’s the danger of separating belief from practice in our own lives and in the lives of others (2:12)?
3. What are some Christian practices that lead to spiritual maturity? What are some ways you’ve practiced those individually/corporately? Which ones have been most helpful in your growth as a Christ follower?
4. 1 Peter 2:9-10 shows us that in Christ we are a people… Community is something we are, as opposed to something we do. How do we remain consistently committed to that reality, even when we disagree? How do we know which issues are open or closed handed?
5. What’s one area of your life that needs more consistency? What, if anything, would help you to be more consistent in that area?
October 1, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:13-25
Questions:
1. What’s the difference between Law and Gospel? (Law says, “If you’ll do X, then God will accept you”, gospel says “Because God accepts you, do X)
2. How does a Law framework affect our thoughts/feelings/actions towards ourselves and others? What about a Gospel framework?
3. Describe a time when someone (spouse, friend, etc.) was gracious to you. How did that make you feel?
4. This morning Austin invited us to consider ourselves as “God’s little children at play” (Barth). How does the gospel make that possible? What are some of the hindrances to thinking of yourself in this way? What are some things you could do to be more playful?
5. What’s the difference between understanding holiness as separation from sinners rather than devotion God and others? If holiness is “loving one another fervently” as Peter teaches, what would it look like for our small group to do that?
September 24, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:3-5
Questions:
1. How can we both embrace and faithfully live out our dual identities as children of God and exiles in the world?
2.Dave spoke about misplaced hopes. What are some of the misplaced hopes that have let you down?
3. How have you found hope in the living hope 1 Peter 1:3-5 describes? (Salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, our inheritance in heaven, God’s power to guard our faith) Which of those gospel realities gives you the most hope?
September 17, 2023 - 1 Peter 1:1-2
Questions:
1. How does the intended audience of 1 Peter (the scattered) help us to live into what we heard in our prior sermon series that “You Are Not Your Own?”
2. In 1 Peter 1:1 three Greek words appear: eklectois (to the chosen), parepidemois (to the exiles), diasporas (of the Diaspora). How do those words/phrases resonate in the biblical story? (See Zech. 10:8-9, Jer. 29:4-14)
3. What would it look like for us (the Jesus people/our small group) to actively seek the welfare of the city as those who are “scattered?”
4. Austin shared a quote from Douglas Harink: “Not being in charge is the normative condition of the people created by the gospel of the crucified Christ.” How did the earliest Christ followers have such an enormous impact without “being in charge?” How should that inform our posture and practice in our time?
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