Church Blog

May 31 2010 at 6:00 am

Living Hope, Part 8

0 Comments

Yesterday, Ben Wikner brought us God’s Word from 1 Peter 2: 18-25. He taught us the uncomfortable truth that because Christ has suffered on our behalf, Christians are called to endure suffering and to entrust ourselves to the one who judges justly. God’s grace enables us to follow Christ’s example.

Here are options for reviewing and applying the message:

• Listen online or download an MP3.
• Download the summary outline (in PDF format).
• Use the questions below for further reflection and application to your life:

1.  In the face of unjust treatment, where are you tempted to defend your rights?  According to 1 Peter 2: 18-20, what response would glorify and honor the Lord?

2.  How do you respond when another’s weaknesses, deficiencies or sin affects YOU— do you give them what you think they deserve, or extend grace and mercy?  What specific ways can you grow in extending grace and mercy to those who are difficult to love?

3.  How can being mindful of the amazing grace that the Lord has shown to you enable you to respond graciously to someone who has mistreated or sinned against you?

4.  In what present trials or sufferings do you need to entrust yourself into the hands of a just Judge? 

5.  In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”  In your relationships (at home, at work, at church or in the neighborhood) where is the Lord calling you to die to self?

6.  Take time as a group to pray, repenting where there is conviction of selfishness and ungodly responses and asking the Lord to enable growth in responding with grace and mercy.

 





Commenting for this entry is closed. We close commenting on all blog entries after 30 days to avoid spammers who try to exploit older blog posts.