This morning, July 19, 2015 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 1 Peter 4:1-11. This message was part 7 of the “True Grace” series. Below are a set of questions based on this message designed for personal reflection or group discussion.
Questions:
- Read 1 Peter 4:1-11
- In what way do you see our world getting “accustomed to the darkness?”
- Have you ever felt yourself tempted by the culture to accept sinful behaviors you used to resist?
- How does “arming yourself with the mindset of Christ” inspire you to obey God today?
- In general, are you living your life forward (toward your heavenly identity) or backward (toward who you were before trusting in Christ)?
- Speaking of 1 Peter 4:4, Warren Wiersbe said, “Unsaved people do not understand the radical change that their friends experience when they trust Christ and become children of God. They do not think it strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their homes, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another! But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure, and the family thinks he has lost his mind!” Have you ever experienced anything in your own life like this?
- Think of someone you know who had a vibrant relationship with Christ, and has physically already died. If you were able to talk to them right now, what do you think their advice would be to you about following Christ in this life? In light of where they are in eternity, and the spiritual life they now have eternally, obedience to Christ totally seems worth it . . . don’t you think?
- How does prayer help you get past the distractions in this life and focus on living your life forward?
- Living forward, also means loving fervently other Christians around you. Of Peter’s admonitions in 4:8-9, what is most challenging to you? How can you live out this challenge in your life today?
- In what ways has God gifted you for service? Are you using those gifts to serve others? Do you tend to have gifts of words or works (or a combo of both)?
- What most stood out to you from this message?
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
