The Spiritual Gifts Series Finale Branch Out
Date: November 17, 2013,
The Spiritual Gifts Series Finale Today’s Scripture: Acts 17:10-11; 1 Cor. 14:3; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Thess. 5:16-22; Matthew 4. Disciple Time Questions:
Branch Out: Do you have any questions you would like to ask about the gifts we have studied? We are being encouraged to write them down and give them to the Elders or Pastors this week. Be Rooted: The Bible exhorts us to “weigh” all prophecy, teaching, tongues and interpretations, because if we don’t all sorts of flaky, unbiblical ideas get passed off as divine revelation “from God”. When this happens, people end up getting hurt, used, manipulated, and the spiritual gifts, (like interpretation of tongues, and prophecy), end up being mocked and minimized inside and outside of the church. Read Acts 17:10-11 together. Was Paul in any way offended or hurt by the Bereans? Why? Do you agree that for Believers today everyone who is speaking, teaching, or guiding others with a “word from God” must come into absolute conformity with Scripture? Explain how you think this can be done practically? Also, look at Jesus Christ in the desert found in Matthew 4. How were Satan’s “words” tested? How was it clear that Satan was misapplying texts? Do you feel comfortable enough with your knowledge of the Scriptures to test the “words from God you hear”? Why or why not? If not, how can you change this and become more “noble” like the Bereans? How do the following Scriptures shed more light on the ways we should “weigh” or evaluate these spiritual gifts; Cor. 14:3; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Thess. 5:16-22? Bear Fruit: We don’t want to become a church full of skeptics who end up quenching the Spirit of God, nor do we want to become fools who gullibly believe everything we are told. How can we develop ourselves in such a way that every time we are the recipients of a “word from God”, we open our Bibles, pray and take the time to carefully assess what was said? (Hint: this will take discipline and time. Two things many of us sorely lack) Be Strong: Pray together, that God would use the gifts within the people of our church to build us up and that we all would slow down enough to grow to be noble students of His Holy Scriptures. Pray for the discipline and time commitment it will take for us to grow up in this way as the people of God. *Also, please share whatever personal needs you may have and pray in faith for God’s wisdom.
The Spiritual Gifts Series Finale Today’s Scripture: Acts 17:10-11; 1 Cor. 14:3; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Thess. 5:16-22; Matthew 4. Disciple Time Questions:
Branch Out: Do you have any questions you would like to ask about the gifts we have studied? We are being encouraged to write them down and give them to the Elders or Pastors this week. Be Rooted: The Bible exhorts us to “weigh” all prophecy, teaching, tongues and interpretations, because if we don’t all sorts of flaky, unbiblical ideas get passed off as divine revelation “from God”. When this happens, people end up getting hurt, used, manipulated, and the spiritual gifts, (like interpretation of tongues, and prophecy), end up being mocked and minimized inside and outside of the church. Read Acts 17:10-11 together. Was Paul in any way offended or hurt by the Bereans? Why? Do you agree that for Believers today everyone who is speaking, teaching, or guiding others with a “word from God” must come into absolute conformity with Scripture? Explain how you think this can be done practically? Also, look at Jesus Christ in the desert found in Matthew 4. How were Satan’s “words” tested? How was it clear that Satan was misapplying texts? Do you feel comfortable enough with your knowledge of the Scriptures to test the “words from God you hear”? Why or why not? If not, how can you change this and become more “noble” like the Bereans? How do the following Scriptures shed more light on the ways we should “weigh” or evaluate these spiritual gifts; Cor. 14:3; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Thess. 5:16-22? Bear Fruit: We don’t want to become a church full of skeptics who end up quenching the Spirit of God, nor do we want to become fools who gullibly believe everything we are told. How can we develop ourselves in such a way that every time we are the recipients of a “word from God”, we open our Bibles, pray and take the time to carefully assess what was said? (Hint: this will take discipline and time. Two things many of us sorely lack) Be Strong: Pray together, that God would use the gifts within the people of our church to build us up and that we all would slow down enough to grow to be noble students of His Holy Scriptures. Pray for the discipline and time commitment it will take for us to grow up in this way as the people of God. *Also, please share whatever personal needs you may have and pray in faith for God’s wisdom.
