The Wonders of His Word - Sermon Questions

Sermon Questions - The Sign of Faith (Sept. 26)

John 4:43-54

1) Review: What is the purpose of John's Gospel? See John 20: 30-31. How does this purpose relate to this story of the "sign of faith"?

2) According to verse 46, is this story about our faith or God's faithfulness? List evidences and reasons for your answer.

3) Did Jesus physically go down and touch the child? The way Jesus does this miracle teaches a lesson of faith, what is it?

4) Jesus puts the nobleman in a crisis of belief (verse 49). Recall a time that Jesus put you in a crisis of belief. What did you learn from it?

5) In Jesus' confrontation with the nobleman he also confronted the desire for seeing signs and wonders? What is the reason you would want to see signs and wonders?

6) The text outlines a progression in the nobleman: 1) Believing the miracles, 2) Believing the Word, 3) Believing in Him. This demonstrates how god wants to build our faith. Take a moment and let Jesus impress upon you areas where He wants to build your faith. Write them down.

7) God uses signs and wonders for salvation. Do you ever see yourself as an actual sign and wonder from God to others? How do you think the Lord wants to use you as a sign and wonder?

The Wonders of His Word - Sermon Questions

Sermon Questions - "God's Food" (Sept. 19)
John 4:28-42

1. According to verses 33-34, what is Jesus' food? How does this relate to Romans 12:1-2? How do you feel sustained when involved in God's will and work?

2. Where is God calling you to sow? To reap? See verse 35 and also 1 Corinthians 3.

3. According to Jesus, what is the true harvest?

4. In what areas do you get rewarded for being part of CCW's sowing and reaping (missions, church plants, outreaches, etc.)?

5. God wants to do more with us. Where do you feel the Lord wants to stretch you?

6. In what ways have you come to know Jesus as the "Savior of the World"?

Al's Thoughts - A Thought on the Nature of Sin

The Basic Nature of Sin or Whatever Happened to Paradise

The idea of sin as a failure of not letting God be God is a very real and interesting way of putting what is and has been the most destructive and devastating moment in human history. When Adam and Eve put themselves above Him and set their own ideas above His revealed Word (not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil) then the effects for all of humankind have been disastrous. To think that we came from perfection to this twisted and perverted position of not only rebelling against God but trying to control and rule over Him is horrific. All of what is wrong with mankind and the order of creation is because we did not let God be God. The astounding truth is even after the cross we are still doing the very same thing. Sin is the unbelief that God is God and that the proper recognition of Him is primary. This means that we place our will as more important placing our values above His. This sin means not acknowledging that God is God and seeing the consequences from this prideful and disobedient nature.

In considering this matter it is a very real way (not seeing God as God) to describe the defiant and seditious mutiny of man. This is why it is hard for our contemporary culture or all cultures from the past to reckon with this concept of sin. Humanity wants to be God and modern man even more so with his technology and alleged intelligence of all things. The post-modern man even more so since all truth is relative then sin is only a concept for someone who believes in it. This means nothing in the end since the word of God proclaims loud and clear that there will be judgment and that all humanity will stand before God either as His child or as a someone lost for all eternity. This proclamation comes in either a praise and worship or a weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Let us go out and share the wonderful news that God through His Son has made the way to rid ourselves of the scourge and depravity of sin for the love and the grace of true relationship with our Creator. This is worth proclaiming in the face of a world that is lost and in desperate need of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Wonders of His Word - Sermon Questions

Sermon Questions - "God's Appointment" (Sept. 12)
John 4:1-30

1. As Christians, can we live a life of unbelief? Does your life display belief or unbelief, specifically in the areas of devotion, prayer, witnessing, and giving? See John 3:36

2. In verse 4, it says Jesus had to go through Samaria. It implies He had a divine appointment. If you're a Christian, you've had a divine appointment with the Lord when you came to know Him; make it a point to discuss this experience with somebody this week.

3. In verse 14, Jesus talks about water springing up to eternal life. What dry place in your life does God want to water? See also Isaiah 41:17; 44:3; 58:11; Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13

4. The woman went alone to the well at noon. Why is this significant? How are we, like her, attempting to hide? What area do you think Jesus wants to grapple with in your life, as He did with the woman at the well?

5. What does it mean to worship in Spirit and in truth?

6. In verses 27-29, the disciples marveled that Jesus was talking to this woman. Do you marvel at Christ's relationships? Do people marvel at who you associate with? Are you allowing Him to take you outside the box, so that you might share His love?

7. Verse 30 says that she was so excited about Christ that she left her water pots, and told everyone about him. Are you that excited? Can you remember the last time excitement drove you to introduce others to the "I AM"?

The Wonders of His Word - Sermon Questions

Sermon Questions - "Lessons from the Best Man" (Sept. 5)
John 3:22-36

1. What three lessons do we learn from the outline of John the Baptist's life in this passage of Scripture?

2. John the Baptist received four things from God: the Holy Spirit, his calling, the Word of God, and Jesus. Of these four things, what do you feel God is calling you to receive? Ask, seek, and knock (Luke 11:9-13).

3. We are told in 2 Peter 1:10 to make our calling and election sure. Do you know your calling? Have you received a life verse from God?

4. In verse 29, John, like a best man at a wedding, is rejoicing to see the work of Christ around him. What are you excited to see God doing in other people's lives? List specific examples.

5. In verse 34, John tells us that Jesus speaks the words of God. Are you trusting His words, or some human philosophy, such as public opinion, a political agenda, or even your own ideas and inclinations?

6. What do you need to decrease in? What do you want God to increase in your life? See Philippians 2:1-8.