humility – Page 5 – New Connexions Church

Study Questions: Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah starts his prophecy telling us his family background (1:1); he is a fourth-generation descendant of King Hezekiah (King of Judah from 715-686BC). Does this pedigree matter to you? Why or why not?
His opening words of prophecy tells of a terrible judgment to come: “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth” (1:2). It closes on the “day of the Lord” when God “will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth” (1:18). This just might be the harshest, most universal judgment announcement in the Bible. How does this make you feel? How does this make you feel about God?
God is clearly a little upset with Judah. What has Judah done wrong? (see 1:4-6)
Why is this book relevant to Christians today? On Sunday we talked through a lot of application for us today – what did that include?

Some questions from Russell, based on his sermon: Peace and Persecution

Read Matthew 5:1-12

What is a Peacemaker? Why are we called to be Peacemakers?
Discuss the difference between Peace the world offers and what Peace God gives?
Choose an example and discuss why you chose it.
Read Luke 6:27-28 – What ways can we as Christians show peace to those who are indifferent?
What is persecution? Have you ever experienced it in any form? And how did that make you feel?
Looking at v11 – What is our response to this? And why is there such great joy and blessing from such suffering?
Take a moment or two and pray for our brothers & sisters caught up in persecution.

Start off by reading Matthew 5:1-12, then re-read verse 5

1 – What is meek and what isn’t?

2 – How would taking the first two beatitudes seriously lead us to be “meek”

3 – Can you be meek and angry at the same time? (James 1:19-21) Meek and have strong convictions? (Galatians 2:11-14)

4 – What does “meekness” look like: -In business… -In school… -In our church… -In your neighbourhood…

5 – How does someone become meek? How can God change you in the following behaviours and attitudes? (Matthew 11:28-30)

Demanding ————————–Understanding

Judgmental ————————–Gentle

Condemning ————————-Respectful

Defensive —————————–Teachable

Vengeful ——————————Merciful

Arrogant ——————————Humble

Self-sufficient ————————Trusting

6 – Where do we learn the attitudes listed on the left and what is our motivation for living out the attitudes on the right?

7 – From the world’s point of view, why is it surprising that the meek will inherit the earth?

This week’s study picks up on these two sermons:

Which Way? Jeremiah 6:16

Read Psalm 127 and Jeremiah :6:16 – 21
Who are these verses aimed at, believers or non-believers? Why is it important that God’s people (The Church), put their own house in order [try to look at this from every possible angle]?
If God is the builder and the watchmen why do we need to do anything?
what is meant, in Jeremiah 6:16, by “the old godly way“, and how do we find it?
For Christian’s the message in these few verses is ‘blindingly obvious’, so why do we often find ourselves doing the wrong thing and continuing to think we know best when it comes to certain, if not every, aspects of our lives?
As a House group talk through how you might encourage, guide, and support each other in the year ahead as you seek to let the Lord build and watch and walk in the ‘old ways’ with Him

This term’s prayer pointers:

Give regular thanks for answered prayer;
Pray that The Lord will build His Church at New Connexions: spiritually, physically and numerically;
Seek the Lord for direction as to outreach in the year ahead.