Archives: Sermons

Series: ABCD
Title: The Next Step to Disciple
Text: 1 Timothy 3:1, 2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Peter 5:4  

God calls all of us to make disciples. We make disciples as it is a noble task and it extends God’s influence. Divine rewards also await those of us who disciple others to follow Jesus.   

General Questions: 

  1. Why do you think discipleship is important? What may happen if believers stay on the sideline as just church goers? On the other hand, if the church focuses on building disciples of Christ who will disciple others, what difference do you think the Church will make in the world?
  2. The bible describes the role of a spiritual mentor as noble – an honourable and admirable task. Share about a personal experience where you were blessed by a spiritual mentor who guided you in your spiritual growth journey. If you are already in Step D, share how you have been blessed and have grown in your journey as a disciple maker.   

Perspective Questions: 

  1. God strengthens and equips those who desire to serve Him. The character and attitude of a disciple maker are more important than one’s competency. What do you think are the attitudes or character traits that God looks for in a disciple maker? 
  2. God promises divine rewards for those who rise up to disciple His people. However, we may still go through challenging times in our disciple-making journey. What perspectives can we hold on to in order to persevere in our journey of making disciples? 

Application Questions: 

  1. Which stage of the ABCD discipleship journey are you at? If you are in Step C, how do you think you can step up to Step D to play a part in discipling and mentoring other people to follow Christ? What are the ways that you can disciple others in your life group, church ministry, family and marketplace?

    If you are already in Step D, is there a renewed understanding and vision of your role as a disciple maker? How do you think you can expand your sphere of influence – to disciple more and disciple better to further extend God’s influence? 

Series: The Next Step
Title: To Belong
Text: Romans 12:3-5

In every season, we all need to grow and mature in our faith. In belonging to a local church, we are to view ourselves with humility and view others with necessity.

General Questions:

  1. Look at the ABCD Grow journey (https://grow.hopesingapore.org.sg/grow). Which stage are you at currently?
  2. Think back on a time where your church community supported you during a difficult time or helped you to grow in your faith. Share how this incident shaped your view on the importance of belonging to the local church.

Perspective Questions:

  1. What are some common dangers when a believer measures himself against worldly standards? How would Paul’s instruction to measure ourselves against the Gospel (v3) strengthen our relationship with God?
  2. Although our faith is personal, Paul makes it clear that we need one another in the body of Christ (v4-5). What are some myths about interdependent living that some believers may have regarding belonging to a church?

Application Questions:

  1. How willing and open are you to share your life with others in your LG? How involved are you in the lives of others in the LG? What is one small step you can take to do so?
  2. A united church is not a homogenous/uniform entity. We need diverse skills to meet many needs. What is one individual gift you can contribute to the LG or church?

Series: Love my Block/Community
Title: Shine His Light
Text: Matthew 5:14-16

We are called to be the salt and light of the Earth. How do we shine God’s light wherever we are placed?

General Questions

  1. Share about a time when you were a pre-believer or a new-believer and you were attracted to the Christian faith because of the behaviour of another believer. 

Perspective questions 

  1.  What are some distinct qualities and traits that Christians ought to have that non-believers, who may be brought up well or from other faiths, do not? 
  2. How does the Gospel enable believers to live out qualities and traits that non-believers may not be able to display?  

Application questions 

  1. How can believers ensure that we are continually growing in character and being renewed and transformed in our minds?
  2. What are some ways we can shine God’s light in our schools and workplaces? How can we do the same as a lifegroup through block pastoring? 

Series: Unchanging
Title: The Power Of The Holy Spirit
Text: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

*No discussion guide for this week due to decentralised sermon preaching.

Series: Unchanging
Title: Connection with the Holy Spirit
Text: Ephesian 5:18-20, Luke 11:5-8, 11-13

Speaking in tongues should not be sought for its own sake. At the heart of it, it is about desiring the gift of the Person of the Spirit and desiring to connect with God through the Spirit.

General Questions:

  1. How is your hunger and desire for the Holy Spirit in your life? What was your response to the Church Health Survey on how regularly do you pray in tongues? Has the desire for the Holy Spirit grown since you received Christ, or have you become more passive in seeking to rely on and be filled with the Holy Spirit?
  2. What is your understanding of the role of Holy Spirit in your life? What are your personal encounters with the Holy Spirit as a partner from God, who guides, teaches and empowers us? Share a personal experience or example of how the Holy Spirit has helped you.

Perspective Questions:

  1. Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Describe your experience and how has that experience changed your spiritual life. Did you continue to seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit after that experience?
    If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, what are the reasons? Have you personally asked God? Pastor Jeff mentioned that desire and faith are necessary to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Are these or other reasons hindering you?
  2. Do you consider yourself as someone who value spiritual things, and are you conscious of the spiritual realm? Why do you think so?

Application Questions:

  1. Do you go through life conscious of the Holy Spirit? What are the changes that you can make in your life to listen and be familiar with the voice of the Holy Spirit? What is the next step for you?
  2. Think about various aspects of your life – your personal being, family and ministries. Are there areas in your life that you require the Holy Spirit to intercede on your behalf? Pray together with your mentor or with your LG for breakthrough in those areas.

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel Part 3
Title: The True Meaning of Being a Christian
Text: Galatians 6:11-18

Paul ends the letter to the Galatians with his concluding summary unlike any other letters he wrote to emphasise the importance of believers’ faith in Christ alone and not appearances.

General Questions:

  1. When looking at people outside the church, what are some markers/characteristics you look out for to differentiate believers and non/believers?

Perspective Questions:

  1. The Judaizers were using circumcision – works of the flesh – as a marker for receiving salvation. What are some things modern believers might depend on to be secure in their faith? What then does true dependence on the spirit looks like?
  2. The gospel is good news because of God’s grace to forgive us all even when we are unworthy. It is different from other religions where you are earning your salvation. How does knowing God’s grace for us drive our desire for holiness? How can knowing God’s grace for us make us complacent? What can we do to protect ourselves from such complacency?
  3. Living a life of holiness is difficult. Although we cannot attain holiness through the flesh, we need to believe that holiness is possible for all of us. Why can we be sure that holiness can be attained?

Application Questions:

  1. How can we encourage each other to live by the spirit? What are some practices we can incorporate into our lives to walk more in step with the spirit? What are some challenges to implementing them into your lives?
  2. A Christian is to live by the Spirit and to keep in step with the Spirit. The Spirit is meant to be our source and our direction. What can you do to become more sensitive to the Spirit’s direction? What can you do to rely more on the Spirit’s power in your live?

Series: Galatians: Freedom in the Gospel Part 3
Title: The True Meaning of Doing Good
Text: Galatians 6:1-10

The true meaning of doing good comes from restoring others gently with humility and meeting the practical needs of others with perseverance.

General Questions

  1. Think about a time where a fellow believer did good to you by restoring you gently or met a practical need you had. Share how you were impacted by that.

Perspective questions

  1. Being prideful is one of the things that Paul warns the restorer to be careful of when we are restoring another believer. What are signs that you are falling into the sin of pride while restoring another believer?

  2. ⁠Paul encourages us to restore each other in gentleness. How is gentleness expressed in the context of correcting another?

  3. Doing good to others may not seem difficult to most of us. But doing good to others consistently and persevering to do so may be challenging. What are some ideas to help ourselves persevere in doing good when the going gets tough?

Application questions

  1. Doing good to others means speaking the truth in love and restoring others gently with humility. To what extent are we open and humble enough to receive correction from fellow brothers and sisters? Have we invested in building strong relationships in order to give and receive restoration when we sin? If not, what is one small step we can take to do so?

  2. What is one specific way you can do good by meeting the needs of someone this week? Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in how you can love someone through meeting a practical need.

Series: Galatians: Freedom in the Gospel Part 3
Title: The True Meaning of Living in the Spirit
Text: Galatians 5:13-26

In Christ, we have been set free but this freedom is not a license for us to do whatever we want. Instead, believers are to live righteously and this can only be achieved through living in the Spirit. What does living in the Spirit truly entail? How can we do so?

General Questions

  1. We have immense potential and power in the Holy Spirit. Why do you think we often overlook or under-estimate the power of living in the Spirit?

Perspective questions

  1. At times, we struggle intensely against our fleshly desires. But the battle is not won by us trying harder, but by yielding ourselves completely and allowing the Spirit to take control. How does this perspective change the way we view our struggles against sin?

  2. ⁠The works of the flesh can result in a destruction of fellowship, relationship and holiness. Conversely, the fruit of the Spirit produces godliness in us. As we ponder on the contrasting lists, consider which areas we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us in.

  3. The Holy Spirit will convict not condemn, illuminate not impose, guide not guilt trip us. He is not an impersonal power but a personable person. How does knowing this help us to live in the Spirit daily?

Application questions

  1. What is one practical action we can take in our daily lives to be led by the Spirit?

  2. As a church, we are meant to be outward looking and to love and serve others around us as we live in the Spirit. As a lifegroup, reflect on how we have been doing in this. What is one thing we can do together to express our love and service to others?

Series: Galatians: Freedom in the Gospel Part 3
Title: The True Meaning of Being Free
Text: Galatians 5:1-12

The true meaning of freedom comes through faith in Christ and obedience to the truth.

General questions

  1. What does it mean to be free in Christ? How is it different from how the world defines freedom?

Perspective questions

  1. During your walk in Christ, have you felt pressured to do something in order to maintain your salvation? E.g., spiritual disciplines – going to church, doing quiet time, ministry. What was it and how has your perspective changed?
  2. How does faith in Christ and obedience to the truth enable us to live in freedom?
  3. There is a difference between feeling guilty and being stuck in feeling condemned. When we sin, how can we grapple with the guilt we face yet not be stuck in condemnation?

Application questions

  1. What is one area you struggle to obey God in? Commit these struggles to God as a lifegroup and pray that your passion for righteousness will increase and surpass the desire to sin.