SERMON BASED RESOURCES
Dig into the sermon each week with your life group, spiritual growth partner, or even by yourself! We’ll provide ideas to jump start your group time (Opener Questions: for building community), discussion questions to go deep (Discussion Questions: for fostering Christ Centered community), and ways to apply what you learned throughout the week (Practical Applications: for faithfully following Jesus through your week).
Opener Questions
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Have you ever been in a place where it felt like you did not belong?
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Have you ever been chosen for something that did not turn out the way you expected it?
Discussion Questions:
1. Personal Scripture reading recap: How is your practice of spending time with God in his Word going for you so far this year? Are there any insights from your practice that are helping you engage more consistently or wholeheartedly? Are there hindrances or hurdles?
Are there any insights from what you read in Scripture this week that could be beneficial for the gathered community?
2. Engaging the Series Resource: As you engage with the series resource, what questions do you have or what aspects do you want to explore further with your gathered community?
What aspects of the overview were helpful?
3. These two verses (1 Peter 1:1-2)are the introduction to a letter. Dig into who the letter is from and to whom the letter was written. How are each described? What else do you know about Peter from Scripture? About the early church? What is communicated to the readers given both descriptions and why might that be meaningful?
4. How would you describe your identity, in particular, your distinct relationship with God? Then consider your identity as a chosen exile. How does this influence the way you live as a chosen child of God living in exile? What challenges are you facing to living joyfully in exile?
5. Verse 2 paints a powerful picture of God as the working agent in salvation. According to verse 2, how does each person of the Trinity work in salvation? Are there other Biblical references that support this statement? How does the work of the Trinity convey grace and peace? How does it multiply and bring hope?
6. Visit some of the stories or passages about exiles throughout the story of Scripture. As you remember the stories of exiles, how do you identify God’s faithfulness in these stories? Are there passages that point to God’s purpose in his actions? Does remembering God’s faithfulness and purposes in the past multiply grace and peace to you now? How so? What are practical ways that help you remember and regularly reflect on who God is and who He says you are?
7. Upcoming Woodlands in the Word: The Woodlands in the Word reading for next week is Matthew 11-15.
The sermon passage for next week is 1 Peter 1:3-9. You can print the series resource guide or grab one from the Information Center to help you study this passage.
Practical Applications
Dinnertime Discussions: In what ways do you recognize God’s grace and peace in your life, even in difficult circumstances?
Developing Disciplines: Study the text of 1 Peter along with this sermon series. Begin a pattern of regular study, whether it is 10 minutes each day, an hour set aside, or another creative way to invest in studying Scripture, let the series be a catalyst for you to engage with God Words’ through study.
Pick up the series resources at the Information Center or print your own.
Practicing Prayer: Wade through the rich vocabulary in 1 Peter 1:1-2 by praying through these verses slowly. Praise and worship our triune God for their unique role in your salvation.
Resources: Explore the resources about exile provided by The Bible Project.
Verse Memory: This series has a memory verse! Start working on memorizing 1 Peter 2:9+10 by reading it repeatedly. Write it out on post-it notes and index cards and place those in places you’ll see them through the day and week.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
