Check here each week for information to prepare your heart for the upcoming sermon and follow-up questions you can use after the sermon to dig deeper and disciple your family!
Church Growth
Church Growth – Ephesians 4:11-16
Sermon Notes:
- Source – Our life & growth ____________________________________ - vv11,16.
- Goal – To grow up into ________________________________________ - vv13-14.
- Process
- Pastors/teachers _____________________________________________ - vv11-12
- Members _____________________________________________________ - vv15-16.
Digging Deeper:
- What does growth in the church look like? What is it contrasted with?
- How does God use members to help the Body grow?
- How can you encourage others with the truth? Who can you invite into your life to encourage you?
Other Passages to Consider:
Matt 16:13-18; Jn 15:1-17; 1 Cor 12:12-13:7; Eph 3:14-4:7; Col 2:6-10; 1 Th 5:8-11; Heb 3:13; 10:24-25; 1 Pet 4:10
Love Doesn’t Give Up: Loving in light of the power and promise of God
Love Doesn’t Give Up: Loving in light of the power and promise of God -1 Corinthians 13:7
Preparing your heart for the sermon:
- What does it look like to love according to v7?
- How could v7 be misunderstood or misapplied?
- How can I possibly love like this?
Other passages to consider: Ps 103; Rom 5:1-8; 8:22-39; 1 Cor 13:1-7; Phil 1:9-11; 2 Tim 2:8-10; 1 Pet 1:3-9; 1 John 4:7-12
Digging Deeper:
- How does God’s providence help you patiently love those around you?
- As a believer in Christ, what is your inheritance? How does this living hope empower you to take risks in loving others?
- Who in your life are you tempted to give up loving? What can you do to help you persevere in love?
- How does this kind of love in v7 bring glory to God?
Love Doesn’t Do That
Love Doesn’t Do That – 1 Corinthians 13:4b-6
Preparing your heart for the sermon:
- How have the Corinthians acted in the unloving ways described in vv4b-6?
- What do these unloving actions do to the health of a church and its ability to glorify God?
- How do these unloving actions manifest themselves in congregations today? How can a church put off these actions?
Other passages to consider: Mark 10:45; John 3:30; Rom 12:21; 1 Cor 1:26-31; 3:1-4; 4:6-7; 5:6-8; 6:6-8; 10:23-24; 11:21-22; 12:14-27; 2 Cor 5:19; Gal 2:20; 1 Tim 2:5-6
Digging Deeper:
- How would you summarize these negative actions?
- How could love help prevent you from sinning in these areas?
- Are you acting in any of these unloving ways? If so, what do you need to do?
- What would be the effect of a church that didn’t treat each other this way, but instead truly served one another in love?
An Essential Element of our Church
An Essential Element of our Church – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Preparing your heart for the sermon:
- What are the essential elements of a church?
- How does Chapter 13 relate to Chapters 12 and 14?
- What examples have we seen so far of the Corinthians being unloving toward each other?
Other passages to consider: Matt 22:34-40; John 13:31-35; 15:1-17; Rom 5:1-8; 8:31-39; 1 Cor 13; Gal 2:20; Eph 3:14-21; 4:11-17; 4:30-5:2; Col 3:12-14; 2 Thess 1:3; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 Jn 4:7-21
Digging Deeper:
- Can service be given without love?
- Which is more important: giftedness or love? Why?
- What are signs of a lack of love in a church?
- Where does love come from? How can I grow in love?
Every Member of Christ’s Body is Needed
Every Member of Christ’s Body is Needed –
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Preparing your heart for the sermon:
- What wrong views of fellow believers was happening at Corinth?
- What are some small, unnoticeable parts of your body that are very important?
- How is the church hindered when its members aren’t present or participating?
Other passages to consider: Isa 32:15; 44:3; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17; 1 Cor 10:17; Gal 3:27-28; Eph 2:13-22; 4:1-16
Digging Deeper:
- How are you affected when one of your body parts is injured or missing?
- What might be your function in the Body of Christ?
- How do the truths of this passage relate to committing to church membership?
- How can we exercise care for one another in the Body of Christ?