Topic: Book Study

Series: True Spirituality in Christ: A Book Study on Malachi
Title: Awaiting God’s Promises
Text: Malachi 3:13-4:6

At times, our efforts to be faithful to God and serve Him may not reap the results we desire to see. Sometimes, we even wonder if it is worth it especially when those who do not follow God seem to lead better lives. What perspectives can we hold on to in order to remain faithful as we await God’s promises?

General Questions

  1. At times, our unmet expectations cause us to feel discouraged and wonder if it is worth it to be faithful to God. Share about a time where you had such an experience and what helped you through it.

Perspective Questions

  1. We can sometimes erroneously conclude that God is unjust when we try to make sense of God’s apparent failure to perform according to our expectations. What are some ways we can avoid reaching such ‘wrong’ conclusions about who God is when we experience a mismatch between reality and our expectations?
  2. What are some helpful perspectives to hold on to when we do not seem to reapthe results of our faithfulness to God inthe here and now?

Application Questions

  1. What is one practical step you can take to remember your hope in God’s promises as you journey with Him?
  2. Our Christian journey is a marathon, not a sprint. What are some ways we can help ourselves to last the marathon as we await God’s promises?

Series: True Spirituality in Christ: A Book Study on Malachi
Title: Giving God His Due
Text: Malachi 3:6-12

True spirituality requires whole-hearted obedience, especially in the area of tithes and offering. How can we truly give God what He is due?

General Questions

  1. What are some heart attitudes that may hinder us from tithing or being generous with our resources?
  2. Was there a particular season when you experienced God’s provision and faithfulness? Share this with your lifegroup.

Perspective questions

  1. Why should believers continue to tithe regularly even though we are not under the old covenant?
  2. What are the benefits of living a generous life?

Application questions

  1. What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you in the area of tithing and giving in this season of your life?
  2. What is one way you can become more generous with your finances and other resources?

Title: Embracing His Refining
Series: True Spirituality In Christ
Text: Malachi 2:17-3:5

How should we respond when God is seemingly inconsistent with His character that’s revealed in the Scripture and when we are supposed to live by faith and not by sight? True spirituality is reflected by trusting God in His refining work and His timing even when it does not appear reasonable in our human mind to do so.

General Questions:

  1. The fourth dispute God has against the Israelites is their complaint towards God’s seemingly inaction towards evil and injustice. What are some of the What are some instances of injustice and/or suffering we have encountered in our lives?

Perspective Questions:

  1. How do we usually respond to the times of refining around us? How can knowing that God is refining us and that evil would ultimately be judged shape our perspectives and responses to these circumstances?

Application Questions:

  1. How can we respond to God when we are experiencing God’s refining and discipline? How can we help each other to see this discipline as a treasure from God rather than something undesirable in our lives?
  2. As a LG, how can we support one another in responding to God when our members (ourselves included) are undergoing suffering or experiencing injustice in their lives?

Series: True Spirituality in Christ: A Book Study on Malachi
Title: Bearing His Tough Love
Text: Malachi 2:1-9

God disciplines us out of love yet when we experience God’s rebuke, we feel not love but rejection from Him. How can we accept God’s discipline without giving into despair so that we remain in His plan?

General Questions:

  1. Recount a time where you were disciplined or punished (in school, at home, or at work). What made this incident different from abuse or bullying?
  2. What is the role of the priests in the Old Testament? What does that mean for us as believers of Jesus today?

Perspective Questions:

  1. In the sermon, Larry mentions that our identity as a royal priesthood calls us to have:
    a. A reverential fear of God (Upwardly)
    b. A life of integrity in speech and action (Inwardly)
    c. Godly influence over people around us (Outwardly)
    Which of these areas do you think is healthiest in your life? What are some attitudes or habits that help you in this particular area? Conversely, which do you struggle with the most? What are some obstacles you face that hinder you from growing in this area?
  2. God allows us to reap what we sow to reveal what we are sowing. What are some ways that can help us discern God’s discipline when we sow on the wrong things?

Application Questions:

  1. Experiencing God’s discipline can be painful and cause us significant distress. What are some biblical truths and perspectives we can hold on when we go through God’s discipline so that we do not give into despair?
  2. It is difficult to point out to others the sin that they are carrying in their lives. Why should we as a community of God still choose to do so biblically in a loving manner?

Series: True Spirituality in Christ (Book Study on Malachi)
Title: Bringing Our Best to Him
Text: Malachi 1:6-14

It is human nature to do our maximum for those we love. Parents strive to give their children the best life they could afford; workers who love their jobs put in long hours of hard work without complaint. Yet Christians often struggle to bring their best to God. Why is this a problem? Why do we urgently need to examine our heart behind our hesitance to give our utmost to Him?

General Questions:

  1. Name the most honourable person you have encountered. What traits or actions of the person make him or her honourable? How was the person being honoured by you or others?

Perspective Questions:

  1. God is looking for the honour owed to Him. How does the perspective of God as our Father and Master help us to treat Him with honour? Which do we need to be reminded of today?
  2. In Malachi 1:6-11, the people showed contempt to God by offering defiled sacrifices. What are some ways believers today also offer less than our best to God? How does this reflect the value we place on what Christ had done for us on the cross?
  3. Ps Daniel also shared that our best comes i) at a cost (see 2 Samuel 2:24) and ii) from the heart (see Mark 12:41-44). What are some obstacles you face that hinder you from giving your best to God?

Application Questions:

  1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal one or two areas that you have dishonoured God in. Repent and seek God’s forgiveness. Share with your LG to seek prayer and support.
  2. Write down one or two areas that you would start to honour God by bringing your best to Him.

Series: True Spirituality in Christ (Book Study on Malachi)
Title: Trusting in God’s Love
Text: Malachi 1:1-5

Difficult times in life may cause us to doubt God’s love for us. Eventually, we can become increasingly apathetic or ungrateful towards God. What are some perspectives that can help us navigate difficult times and difficult emotions so we can remain faithful to God?

General Questions:

  1. Take time to reflect on what the Lord has done for you that enabled you to experience His love. What happened and how did your appreciation for God’s love change from that experience?

Perspective Questions:

  1. Ps. Timothy shared 3 reasons why Israel questioned God’s love for them:
    1. Disappointment from unmet expectations
    2. Economic difficulties
    3. Jealousy of neighbours
    Which of these do you find more relatable in your recent struggles? How does the perspective of God’s love help us in such circumstances?
  2. How can we be honest with God about our trials, doubts and fears, and also exercise trust in Him?

Application Questions:

  1. What are some habits you can start to become better at remembering Gpd’s love and being grateful to Him?
    What are some habits you can stop (e.g. complaining, comparing) that takes the focus away from God and encourages a tendency to fear, doubt or get discouraged?
  2. Is there a recent incident in your life that is causing you to question or doubt God’s love? Share with your lifegroup and ask them to pray along with you to trust God’s love.

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.

In this third instalment of our Galatians book study, learn how we can live as follower of Christ.

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: Children of the Promise
Text: Galatians 4:21-31

In Christ, we are children born through God’s promise and born by the power of the Spirit. How does understanding who we are in Christ affect our resolve to resist the way of law and persist in the way of grace? 

Perspective Questions:

  1. In verse 21, Paul accuses the Galatians of wanting to be under the law. What are some reasons why believers would want to put themselves under some kind of law? What are the pitfalls of doing so?

  2. Many people see the Christian faith as a set of rules and regulations.  We know this is not true, why then do we give that impression? What then is the true heart of Christianity and how is it practised in our lives?

Application Questions:

  1. Over the whole series, we have been tracing Paul’s argument that we can be right with God only by faith in Christ. Paul uses several approaches to make his case – he appealed to the Galatians’ experiences with God (Gal 3:1-6), scriptural arguments (Gal 3:7-14), relatable illustrations from daily life (Gal 3:15-4:7), his pastoral heart for them (Gal 4:8-20), and creative analogies from Scripture (Gal 4:21-31). 

    Which of these approaches are you most familiar with? How can you use some of these approaches to help believers in your community live more by faith?

  2. How can we resolve to live as children of the promise i.e. to resist the way of law and persist in the way of grace? 

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: Struggle of Love
Text: Galatians 4:8-20

Often, love is a struggle because it is a challenge to love when things go wrong, especially in ministry. What can we learn about the struggle of love from Paul’s passionate appeal to the Galatians in their spiritual crisis?

Perspective Questions:

  1. Paul was deeply troubled when he saw the Galatians becoming law-centred instead of Christ-centred. He tried hard to correct their doctrinal error so that they would hold onto their freedom in Christ. 

    How concerned are we that we and other believers have the right understanding of the Gospel?  

Application Questions:

  1. Paul argued that following Jewish customs to make ourselves right before God is akin to worshipping false gods – we are depending on “weak and miserable forces” (v9) besides Christ for salvation. This does not mean that all religious practices are bad or evil. In fact, some can benefit our spiritual life. How then, can we ensure that when we participate in religious practices, we are not becoming legalistic?

  2. Paul is willing to engage in tough conversations out of love and concern.  How can the LG be a safe space to correct and strengthen one another?  How can we positively influence others through our speech and actions?

  3. Having zeal in itself is not enough – it is important to have zeal for the right purposes (v18).  How can we discern which purposes are right or wrong? How can we guard against selfish motives that cause us to pursue our own interests instead of God’s?

  4. Sometimes, love is a struggle. We need to invite the Holy Spirit to partner with us to expand our hearts and help one another to enter His Kingdom. Will you ask the Spirit to reveal a couple of names whom He wants you to love, even when it is difficult?