DRL Ministries - ISU

The life group passage to open up this week is 2 Tim. 2:1-13.  Here are some discussion questions…

1.  Why does Paul call Timothy his child (v.1)?  Who is your “father” in the sense Paul was Timothy’s?  Do you have any “spiritual offspring”?

2.   What were Paul’s instructions to Timothy in v.2?  What kind of people was Timothy to carry out these instructions with?  Do you fit this criteria?  Is there anyone in your sphere of influence right now that you could be carrying out these instructions with?

3.  Read v. 3-6.  What 3 types of people are compared here?  What do the three of these have in common?  How can these be compared to the Christian life?

4.  How is man’s responsibility and God’s grace and enablement pictured in v. 7?  Can you think of other specific ways God “partners” with us to live out the Christian life?

5.  What is Paul’s command in v. 8?  Within the context of v. 9, why might this command be especially important?

Be encouraged in the victory Jesus has won for us this week!  And encourage one another!   

Our Life Group discussions this week will center around Luke 15 -

1. What was it about Jesus that made the Pharisees grumble in v.1,2?  Why do you think this bothered them so much?  What was it about Jesus that these pharisees just couldn’t grasp?

2.  What do all three parables in the chapter have in common?  What are some differences?

3.  Describe what each son in v.11 - 32 failed to realize about the father and their relationship to him.

4.  In what ways do you identify with the sons?  Can you describe any specific scenarios in your life that would parallel one of the son’s actions or atttitudes?

5.  What important lesson(s) was Jesus teaching us with these parables?   

Here is our passage for the Life Groups this week.  I hope this passage will challenge you guys as much as it challenged me this morning!  Here are some questions to help draw out some applications:

1.  Why does v. 13 say that we should be subject to every human institution “for the Lord’s sake”?  How should we regard these human institutions (v. 14)?  Do you find it difficult to subject yourself to human authority? 

2.  v.15 gives an counter-cultural way of  silencing ignorant, foolish people.  How is the way prescribed in v.15 different than the way you typically try to silence them?

3.  Explain the paradox in v.16 (live as people who are free…but living as servants of Christ).  How can we live both as free people and as servants?  Isn’t being a servant (slave) the opposite of being free?

4.  How do Christians use thier “freedom” to cover up their evil?

5.  Read v. 18-20.  Name a situation where you were unjustly treated.  How did you respond?  What is the hardest situation you can think of to submit yourself to God and suffer unjustly.  v. 18 gives a pretty difficult scenario!  

6.  How is our ”calling” described in v. 21?  What is the comfort found in that calling. given in v. 21?

7.  What can we learn from Jesus’ example in v. 23 about how we can endure through unjust suffering? 

8.  According to v. 24, why did Jesus die for our sin?