Discussion Questions from 05/30/2010 Sermons at WBC

This past Sunday, May 30th, WBC observed the Lord's Supper in the morning two services, and continued our series "Lord, Teach Us to Pray" in the evening service.

Sunday morning, I stayed with Luke's Gospel and made the connection with how observing the Lord's Supper helps us obey what Jesus says in Luke 17:1-4 (in particular, verses 3-4).

You can watch and/or listen to the message here.

Some questions to aid in further application and understanding:

1. What are the three main commands Jesus gives in Luke 17:3-4?

2. Why does Jesus seem to be so adamant that his followers 'pay attention to themselves'? See verse 1.

3. What does verse 2 reveal about what Jesus thinks of sin? Are there any actions or things you allow that might be causing 'little ones' to sin?

4. What is your personal strategy to fight sin for the summer?

5. Are there any brothers or sisters (in the Lord) that need to be lovingly rebuked by you in the hopes that they might repent? How well are you doing at receiving loving rebukes from fellow believers? Do you have someone(s) in your life that can be this for you?

6. What was Jesus' point about forgiveness in verse 4?

7. How can observing the Lord's Supper aid with each of these commands? How is it that, in reality, on the Gospel can bring about true obedience to these shocking commands?

Sunday night, I continued the message on prayer from Ephesians 1:15-23. You can view or listen here.

Some questions to aid in your applying and understanding this text:

1. Read Ephesians 1:1-14. What is the main purpose of God in doing what He does for us (see verses 6, 12, and 14)? What is the connection between God's ultimate purpose in our lives and Paul's prayer in verses 15-23?

2. What are the two main requests in the text? (See verses 17 and 18)

3. What does Paul praying these things for believers imply about our need? (In other words, how will getting wisdom and revelation and hope and power actually come?)

4. Why does Paul pray that the Ephesians have a spirit of wisdom and revelation?

5. What does having a heart that understands the hope that awaits do for a soul?

6. Meditate on the 'power' verses in Ephesians 1 (verses 19-21). What do you think Paul is getting at when he speaks of resurrection power and 'all-authority' power?

7. Why does Paul close the section out with a word to the Ephesians about God doing this for the church? What does this imply about the nature of the church? What does this imply about the work of the church?

8. How can you develop a prayer list that includes these requests for other believers?