LG Week of Aug. 16, 2020

MESSAGE PREVIEW:

Peter begins his second letter with this idea: God’s certain Word is the filter through and the foundation from which we live our lives for Him.  

Let’s take a closer look at the certainty of God’s Word and what this means for our lives. 

How Certain is God’s Word? (1:16-21) 

1. It is based on eyewitness accounts (1:16-18) 
2. It is the very words of God (1:19-21) 
   1. Inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16)

What Effect Does God’s Certain Word Have on How We Live Our Lives? (1:1-11) 

1. If God’s Word is certain, it affects how we interpret the world around us (1:3-11)
   1. Information given by the world around the audience of 2 Peter: 
      1. Pleasure is the highest good – pursue it. 
      1. It doesn’t matter how you live because Jesus really isn’t going to return as a judge. 
   1. Peter’s response to this: 
      1. Living a Godly life DOES matter and you have all you need to do it! (1:3-11)

If God’s Word is the Certain Foundation from Which We Live Our Lives for Him, What Should Our Action Step Be? (1:12-15) 

1. Know / Read / Memorize God’s Word 

We do not want you to read God’s Word simply because it is what you have to do. We want you to read God’s Word because there is no other way to faithfully navigate the world you are living in.

ICEBREAKER QUESTIONS

Begin your session with prayer and use the following questions/discussion to get the conversation started…

Ask yourself this question: What do I believe about God’s Word, the Bible? It’s one thing to answer that question with words, but words are not always an accurate reflection reality. 

A better question might be: What does my life say about what I believe about God’s Word, the Bible? Our actions are the true litmus for what we believe. They reveal not simply what we would affirm in thought, but what we truly believe enough to act on. 

Take a look at this survey graphic from Facts and Trends about what the actions of some believers really say about how they view the Bible. 

The point of this is not to slam social media. I’m not a social media or Facebook hater. But the truth is that for some followers of Jesus, they may say one thing about how they view the Bible, but their lives would say something different. I wonder what our lives are saying? 

Peter is wanting his readers to come back to the importance of the Scriptures. As Pastor Kade put it this weekend: God’s certain Word Is the filter through and the foundation from which we live our lives for Him.  Let’s talk more about this passage today. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Read 2 Peter 1:1-21. Ask and discuss the following questions.

Q: What would you say to someone who asked you “why you believe the Bible?” How would you explain to them the certainty of God’s Word?    

Q: Read 2 Timothy 3:16. What does this verse teach us about the Bible? How can we apply this verse to our lives and relationship with the Scripture?    

Q: In Peter’s day, the culture around these believers taught them that pleasure was the highest good and should be pursued above all. What are some of the ideas our culture promotes that are in opposition to what we find in Scripture?  

Q: How can we make sure that we are making decisions based upon God’s truth and not simply what culture says? What practical steps can we take in our lives? 

Q: Read 1 Peter 1:3-4. What do these verses teach us about God’s power in our life and what it gives us? How do we tap into what God has given us to live for Him each day?   

Q: Read 1 Peter 1:5-7. How can we pursue these virtues in our lives on a daily basis? What do these virtues look like when lived out through our words, attitudes, and actions? 

Q: What is your personal “take-away” from this week’s message? What is one specific thing the Lord spoke to you this week? 

Q: What is your “action step” this week? How are you planning to apply what God has spoken to you? 

WRAP-UP:

Let’s come back to our better question… What does my life say about what I believe about God’s Word, the Bible?

Take a few minutes to answer this to yourself and then share your answer with another person in the group. Let’s not feel either pride or guilt in our answer, let’s use it as a starting point for where we go from here. 

One of the most important things we can do as followers of Jesus to live faithfully for Him is to spend time each day reading the Bible, meditating on it, memorizing it, and applying it to our lives. How can we help each other to make this a priority this next week? Brainstorm this as a group. Maybe it’s creating accountability partners. Maybe sending out an email each day encouraging group members to share what God is teaching them. It could be choosing a plan or part of Scripture that you will all read together. As a group, brainstorm this and come up with a plan. End with prayer and an encouragement for everyone to remember the importance of God’s Word as the filter through and the foundation from which we live our lives for Him! 

Here Are a Few Reminders & Announcements: 

Phase #2 of our regathering plan begins this week August 16th: We will continue gathering in personand online at 9:00am and 10:30am as well as continue our online only service at 5:00pm. Kidmin classes for birth-4 will be available beginning next week. Masks/face coverings are required for everyone age 10 and over. 

You can find more details on the full Relaunch Plan here: https://bayarea.church/church-wide/in-person-worship-services-begin-august-2/

Reading Plan: Encourage your group to participate in the Psalms Bible reading plan that is posted at www.bayarea.church/live. Also, join us Monday – Friday at 12:00pm on our Facebook page for a live devotion and prayer time with one of our staff.

SCRIPTURES FROM THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE: 

• 2 Peter 1:1-21, 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Corinthians 15:10

NEXT WEEK’S MESSAGE: Discerning Truth: Week #2 (2 Peter 2)