Masters in Life
Happy New Year to everyone! I, like many of you, am on vacation and we tried to write meaningful discussion questions for you IF you are meeting this next week in your small group. REMINDER to come our quarterly Leadership Briefing THIS Sunday from 6:30-8p in the Desert View room. We have Professor Marc Cortez speaking to us from Western Seminary. I truly hope you are all able to come and glean from his knowledge and experience.
The passage is Proverbs 1:1-2, Pastor Dave Dawson:
Relate
Share one personal New Year’s resolution with your group. How can your group help you fulfill your resolution? Hopefully this gives you a chance to revisit things from last year and talk about Bible reading/study, etc.
What are the various plans for a consistent reading of the Bible? What will be your plan this year for reading the Bible? Again, a great time to bring up what you are doing as a leader and encourage others to share what works for them or to encourage others to start.
Review
Share any truth, application or idea from the sermon that challenged or confused you. Take this opportunity to review the sermon outline and major points of interest.
Read Proverbs 1:1-7. How would you describe wisdom? How is the wisdom described in Proverbs different from the wisdom of the world? This is part review and part experience. Take them to James 3:13-18 if the conversation is lacking or off course….
Dig
Read 1 Kings 3:5-14. How did Solomon become the wisest ruler in the world? How did wisdom serve him throughout his life? Did wisdom ever fail him? Dave will be discussing this passage in his Point 1A; however, it would be good to review it again and any insight you have. The point of this question is to show the need for wisdom, God’s wisdom. Also, Solomon’s life shows us that his passions interfered with wisdom (e.g., his love for foreign wives who decieved him).
Read Proverbs 2:1-6 and Psalm 119:9-16. What part does the Bible play in acquiring wisdom? What other Scriptures describe the Bible’s role in acquiring wisdom? It is not only the source but IS wisdom. Other Scripture includes 2 Tim. 3:16-17, Luke 16:29-31 (all we need to know God), Hebrews 4;12, Ps. 19:7-8 (makes the simple wise, brings joy to the heart), Romans 15:4 (gives hope for the future), and 1 peter 2:2 (makes us grow to spiritual maturity).
Application
What are the areas of your life in which you are in some way “ruling”? In which area do you most need wisdom? for me, it would be in the area of food choices. This question also ties back into the relate question - how can your group help you.
What part does the Holy Spirit play in helping us to apply the Word to our lives? How will you let the Holy Spirit play His part in your life? 1 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 1:21 and John 16:12-14 tells us the Holy Spirit is the Inspirer, Revelator, and Illuminer of the Word. The key to letting the Holy Spirit play His role is to yield and be filled - Gal. 5.
How can you intentionally and relevantly pass on the wisdom and Bible knowledge that you have to others? This is a great time to talk about family devotions, bible reading, etc if you have young families in your group. It is also a chance to ask others to consider leading their own group or simply to lead one night in your small group. Be ready as a leader to share how you are going to do this….it will start conversation.
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