SERMON BASED RESOURCES

Opener Questions

• This is a baptism weekend! Has there been a story that was shared (this weekend or at previous baptism celebrations) that has impacted you?  Share about it.

• Tell about a time when you prepared for a big storm. Did your preparation match the intensity of the storm?

Discussion Questions

1. Personal Scripture Recap:

Is there a word or phrase from your engagement in Scripture this past week that keeps coming back to you (“rattling around your spirit”)?  If not this past week, have you had this experience?  What was the word or phrase?  What did you do with it?  What did God do with it?

2. Engaging the Series Resource: Suffering has been a theme throughout 1 Peter. Go back through chapters 1 – 4:6 to record some of the exhortations that Peter has given in the first 3 chapters about suffering. 

3. To help flesh out these ideas of suffering in the flesh, dying to sin and living in the power of the Spirit, study Romans 6:1-23. Read the passage together, slowly and maybe repetitively. 

Look for repeated phrases or words and study the theme of freedom from versus enslavement to sin. What do you learn about what God has done for us and how do we live in light of this? What might this look like in your life this coming week, month, season, lifetime? 

For more help, The Gospel Transformation Study Bible has great commentary on this section.

4. Sometimes it is easy to read verse 3 at a quick glance and miss the gravity of the picture being painted here. Slow down to do a little research to understand what Peter is describing in verse 3. Let this lead you to do some honest reflection of your own life.  Let this lead to repentance, as needed.

But God, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the power of sin has been broken in the lives of those who believe in Him!  Gather passages from 1 Peter (+ beyond) to remind yourselves of the incredible reality reality of the gospel. 

Use Philippians 1:6 as an anchor to to praise God for the work he has started in you and pray together the promise of completion would be drawn nearer and ultimately be realized in glory!  

And let the work of Christ in you compel you to engage compassionately with others who have not found freedom in Christ.

5. “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking.“

First, read Philippians 2:1-8 and build a list of ways that Jesus’ mindset enabled him to empty himself in order to become obedient to God’s will. What aspects of Christ’s mindset challenge you or cause you to marvel at him? 

As we arm ourselves with the same way of thinking, reflect on Ephesians 6:10-18. How does the full armor of God serve as the means by which we can stand firm in preparing ourselves? 

How do these two passages help build our understanding of what it looks like to live not for human passions but for the will of God?

6. The Woodlands in the Word passages are Acts 5-9. The sermon passage is 1 Peter 4:7-11.