Following up on our previous study, we'll talk more about salvation by faith alone and explore what Jesus means when uses the word "believe" to describe the "work" man must do in John 6:29. We'll also learn more about the Garden in Eden and the creation of Adam.

The seventh day of creation brings us to the subject of the Sabbath. We'll look at what the Sabbath is, why God instituted it, and the role it should play in the lives of Christians today.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

Do you think the Pharisees’ desire to figure out how to apply the Law of Moses to every situation in life was commendable or ridiculous?

Have you seen anything similar in modern Christianity?

What does resting in the finished work of Christ look like in your daily routine and life?

Sharing our struggles with God and mature brothers and sisters in Christ is important and biblical. So, how do we know when we’ve crossed the line and become overly-focused on our problems instead of Christ?

If Christ has fulfilled the Law on our behalf and all sin is forgiven, why should we still be concerned with obeying Jesus’ commands?

As you think about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, do you feel you understand the necessity of each part and why it was necessary for our salvation?

Is there anything you don’t understand or have questions about?

In this study, we'll look at the second blessing God gave man as a command - "subdue the earth". The implications of this command should be the basis of the Christian's views on environmental stewardship of the earth's resources. We'll also talk about climate change, the myth of scarcity, and the historicity of the biblical Adam and Eve.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

What are some of the most impressive examples of man exercising dominion over nature that you’re aware of?

What are some things we could do to exercise dominion over nature that we’re not?

How can Christians discern between legitimate environmental concerns and potentially manipulative fear-based narratives about climate change? What role should our faith play in this discernment?

How does the biblical narrative of the end times (as described in Revelation) influence how we should view and respond to long-term environmental predictions and concerns?

Invite group members to share something they went through where the “normal” response would have been overwhelming fear, but they instead experienced the Lord’s peace.

How do you think the peace of God works? Why do some Christians seem to have it in abundance in their crisis, while other Christians don’t?

God's Word will always be proven true. Have you ever been skeptical of or doubted something the Bible says, and then discovered later that it was unquestionably true?

When God created Adam & Eve, Scripture tells us He blessed them with a command to have children. We'll look at the implications of this for the Church today and compare it to the views of the culture. Are marriage, children, and family still blessings and commands for Christians today? What about singleness? We'll talk about all of it.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

How has personal experience and the influence of the culture shaped your views of marriage and children?

Do you feel your views align with Scripture or conflict with Scripture?

How can we reconcile the idea of marriage and children as blessings with the very real challenges and hardships that often come with them in our fallen world?

How can single Christians balance pursuing obedience to God’s command to marry with not rushing into a relationship foolishly?

Have you ever pursued a life goal at the expense of obeying, or delaying obedience to, God?

What are some good reasons for delaying marriage?

What are some bad reasons for delaying marriage?

Invite the married couples in your group to share an unexpected blessing they found in marriage.

How can the Church meaningfully affirm and celebrate biblical singleness?

How should Christians respond to pressing cultural issues around gender, like preferred pronouns, bathrooms, and gay or trans weddings? We'll apply the truth of the Scriptures practically and also look at how churches should respond to seekers who wrestle with issues like same-sex attraction and/or gender dysphoria.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

What are your thoughts on preferred pronouns? What sort of situations have you encountered around this issue? How did you handle them?

Jeff shared that attending a wedding is generally viewed as an endorsement of the celebration. Do you agree? Why or why not? How would you respond to being invited to a same-sex wedding?

How does the idea that 'God is love' (Cf. 1 John 4:8) differ from the cultural notion that 'love is God'?

Agape love means doing what is best for someone regardless of personal cost. What are some ways God has called you, personally, to show His Agape love to others in your life?

Reflect on the statement: "Their being actually loved is more important than their feeling loved." How does this challenge our typical understanding of love?

How does the promise of resurrected, perfected bodies in eternity impact how we view and deal with physical and mental struggles in this life?

What is gender dysphoria, and what causes it? Why are we seeing so much more of it? We'll talk about these timely questions and how Christians can think biblically about gender identity issues.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

Do you believe in besetting sins (I.E., sins that a Christian will probably wrestle with their whole lives)?

Do you believe every Christian can be fully healed from any struggle with sin?

If not, what IS possible for every Christian in their struggles with sin?

In what ways might Christians be tempted to make exceptions for obedience to God's Word based on emotions or mental health struggles?

If a Christian struggled with gender dysphoria, how would you show them the love of Christ while maintaining biblical standards?

What are the potential consequences of finding your identity in something other than Christ?

What things in your life are you most tempted to find your identity in other than Christ?

What does the Bible say about the origins of our gender? How did the subject of gender identity go from something practically nobody was talking about 7-8 years ago to a mainstream cultural issue today? We'll talk about these questions and the answers provided by Romans 1 and the past few centuries of secular philosophy and intellectualism.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

What stood out to you most from the sermon. Why?

Read Romans 1:18-32 out loud as a group. Take breaks and invite group members to share what sticks out to them from the text. Do they have any questions?

Jeff shared that the human heart becomes calibrated to recognize truth when we welcome truth that is revealed to us. Conversely, if we reject truth our heart can become uncalibrated, and we can struggle to discern truth from lies. Have you ever observed this reality in your own life or the lives of others? Tell the group about it.

Are there any truths about God and the Christian life that the modern church often suppresses?

What role does gratitude play in maintaining a right relationship with God, as suggested in Romans 1:21?

How can we balance speaking biblical truth about gender and sexuality with showing love and compassion to those struggling with these issues?

We pick up our study of creation week by looking at the reasons DNA makes evolutionary theory impossible, and a couple of other reasons why Darwin's proposals are intellectually bankrupt. We'll also delve into the question of what it means that man was created "Imago Dei" - in the image and likeness of God. In the incredible answer, we'll find the purpose of our existence...

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

If someone asked you what it means that we were made in the image of God (“Imago Dei”), how would you answer?

How should the reality that we were created for a relationship with God affect how we approach daily life, decision-making, and defining success?

Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Which aspect comes most naturally to you (heart/emotions, soul/mind, strength/actions)? Which comes least naturally?

Are you being intentional about loving the Lord in ways that don’t come naturally to you? How?

What do think of the idea that we can be blessing to our heavenly Father? How does, or should, that idea affect the way we worship and serve Him?

Does the fact that we are called to represent God to those in our lives affect the way you interact with people? How?