Sermon Discussion Guide
Sunday, June 27, 2010
In These Last Days: It Matters
How can I believe that my life matters? The fact that we will give account of ourselves on a day of Judgment indicates that what we do with our lives does matter. The problem is believing that our lives matter.
I can believe that my life matters if I believe that God knows me very well.
I can believe that my life matters if I believe that I can accomplish truly great things.
I can believe that my life matters if I believe that because of Jesus my name is written in the Book of Life.
1.) Read Romans 14:10-12. How does the reality of a Day of Final Judgement and giving account of ourselves to God indicate that what we do with our lives does matter? Many persons would like to ignore or do away with the idea that God will judge all the people of the earth; but what would that mean to the importance of the decisions we make and how we choose to live our lives? What is it about living in this world that makes it so hard, at times, to believe that our lives really do matter?
2.) Read Revelation 2:1-4; 2:8-9; 2:12-13; 2:18-19; 3:1; 3:7-8; 3:14-15. The obvious connection of all these verses is that Jesus is very aware of what’s going on in our lives. Share about a time in your life when it was very important to you to know that Jesus was well aware of what was going on in your life. As you read through these verses do you feel as if God is very aware of what’s going on in your life and in your heart right now? Why, or why not? Pastor Craig stated that God is not a computer who is programmed to pay attention to us, but rather He chooses to pay attention to us; and thus we know our lives matter to Him. What does that thought mean to you?
3.) Read John 15:4-6. Does the promise of bearing much fruit (doing truly great things) seem realistic to you? Why, or why not? What does it mean to abide in Jesus? What is, and is not, the fruit (the truly great things) Jesus speaks of? If I don’t believe Jesus’ word that if I abide in Him I will bear much fruit, what will happen in my heart and soul? Are you motivated to seek to abide in Jesus and seek to do truly great things by Jesus’ words in this passage? Why, or why not?
4.) Read Revelation 20:11-15. Here is the key to believing that what I do with my life matters: if I believe that in the end I will be going to hell (or finally to the lake of fire spoken of here), then obviously what I do with my life doesn’t matter very much. What are common misconceptions about who ends up in heaven and who ends up in hell? What does the Bible actually say about that? The fact that Jesus died on the cross and went to hell for me means that my life apparently matters a great deal. Why is it so hard, at times, to hold on to that?