Topic: Christian Living

It’s easy to look for the next big thing in this fast-paced and fast-changing world. Yet amid the wars, economic uncertainty, and constant pressures of life, we can find our stay. Come and hear what God has in store for our church and personal lives as we move forward in 2024.

Series: Promise Keeper
Title: Against All Expectations
Text: Matthew 2:19-23

God always keeps His word, but He often does so in ways that defy human expectations. The question is, will we still trust Him when He does not act according to our plan or schedule?

Perspective Questions:

1. What is a promise of God that you always hold on to? Is it found and based upon the Word of God or based on fine-sounding inspirational philosophies? If it is based on the Word, what are some assumptions you have about how God will fulfil them? What will help you to persist in believing and holding on to them when expectations and reality do not match?

2. What are some past experiences or weaknesses that cause us to doubt that God delights to work through us? How have these affected our confidence in God? What assumptions about God do our doubts reveal? What do these assumptions show about our understanding of God’s character? How does learning that God works through people the world despises help us in addressing these assumptions and doubts?

Application Questions:

1. Who are the people in your life that you tend to despise or shun away from? What assumptions do we have of them that cause us to despise them? How can you look back at the example of Christ and be encouraged to bring the message of salvation, hope and love to them this Christmas? What is something you can do to bring them one step closer to Christ this season?

Series: Promise Keeper
Title: In The Face of Evil
Text: Matthew 2:13-18

Jesus, the promised King and Saviour, arrived on earth not to cheers and applause from men, but to murderous threats on His life. What can we learn from Jesus’ difficult childhood that will help us to hold onto God’s promises even in the face of evil?

Perspective Questions:

1. Evil stems from human selfishness – humans do what they want even when it violates God’s will and hurt others. In this sense, all of us are capable of evil. What then, can help us to resist evil and live righteously?

2. When bad things happen to good people, we are understandably confused and even angry. In such times, what are some promises from God that we can hold onto that can help to deepen our faith?

Application Questions:

1. Who can you think of needs to know that God is a faithful God even in times of trouble and uncertainty? How can you bring this truth to this person?

2. God kept His promise to send Jesus to the Cross to die for the sins of the world. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can be right with God and live with Him for all eternity. This is our hope, even if we have to struggle through life! How can we tell those who feel hopeless and helpless that the King has come for them to save them and give them the hope of an eternal life with God?

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?

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: New Realities
Text: Galatians 3:26-4:7

Paul’s opponents saw the importance of the sacrifice of Christ in providing atonement, but they did not believe the Cross was important enough to discontinue the Law. On the contrary, Paul saw the Cross as changing everything. What is the new reality that believers have in Christ?

Perspective Questions:

1. In Christ, we have a new status as children of God (3:26-27). What was our previous status (Read Eph 2:1-3; Rom 5:10)? What does this drastic change in status show about God’s character and attitude towards us? 

2. In Christ, we have a new liberty (4:1-7). Yet some may still think that subjecting themselves to policies or rules can make them better Christians. Can you think of such examples? What do you think is the consequence of living by rules instead of living by grace? 

Application Questions:

1. How can we maintain the unity that we have in Christ? 

2. How can our LG be more welcoming to people who are different from us?

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: Purpose of the Law
Text: Galatians 3:15-25

How does knowing the purpose of the Law of Moses affect how we treat it?

General Questions:

1. Our society is governed by rules and laws. What do you think are the benefits and drawbacks of having laws in general? Do you consider yourself to be someone law-abiding? If so, why do you obey laws?

2. Why do you think God gave His people the Mosaic Law, knowing that imperfect human beings will never be able to obey Him perfectly? What role does God’s Law play in your life personally?

Perspective Questions:

1. From the Scriptures, we learn that the promise is superior to the  Law.  What do you think are reasons why some people prefer to live by the Law instead of the promise of God? 

2. We may swing to two extremes when it comes to God’s Law – to adhere to it legalistically, or to ignore it and live a lawless life. What do you think will be the outcome of our life and faith if we swing to either extreme? What is the proper way to treat the Law? 

Application Questions:

1. One reason the Law was given was to make sins obvious. Are there areas or situations in your life that you know you have fallen short of God’s standards? How do you think God want us to respond when our sins are revealed?

2. What are some “laws” that govern your life today? How can you stop living by these “laws” and start living for the holy ideal that God calls us to in Christ?

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: Only Way to Be Right with God
Text: Galatians 3:7-14

Many of us grew up thinking that if we want something, we must work for it. But being right with God is not something we can work for because no one, except Christ, can perfectly live up to God’s standards. How then, can a person be right with God? 

Perspective Questions:

1. What is the key difference between believing and doing when it comes to being right with God? How would a person who relies on faith differ from a person who relies on works to obtain a right standing before God?

2. We may have been conditioned by the world to think that we would only be accepted only if we are strong and capable. But are these qualities that matter most to God? What does God really look for from His people?

3. How should we understand the relationship between faith and works? Read James 2:14-24. 

Application Questions:

1. How can we base our security not in what we can do but in what Christ has done for us?