Immanuel Church

Read Proverbs 17:1 1. What does God think of discord or dissension or conflict? Why? 2. What are the first two steps in being a Peace Maker? (glorify God; take the log out) 3. Before we begin this process, what is one thing that we should consider? (should we just cover it in love?) 4. How can God be glorified in the way you handle your conflict? 5. How does one go about finding and taking the log...

1. This past week have your words been more life giving or harmful? 2. 15:4—A gentle tongue is a tree of life 3. 16:24 -- “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” 4. Please share about a time when some friends words to you were nourishing and life giving at a time that you desperately needed them? How were they nourishing? Did this inspire you to speak nourishi...

1. What does this one chapter alone teach us about our words? Read the chapter and make a list. 2. Focus on verse 8 – what do we learn? What does this teach us about human nature? 3. Focus on verse 13 – What do we learn? How can we apply this to life? Also see v17, how does this apply as well? 4. Focus on verse 21 – Where have you seen your words bring the power of death? How did you reconcile? Ho...

1. Where in life do you struggle with lust? Not necessarily sexual lust, but a perverted desire that treats a want as a need, and sets yourself as the god of that area of your life. 2. Then Discuss ANTHEM A – AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. N – Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. T – TURN the mind forcefully towar...

Read Proverbs 1:9-19 1. What is the main message Solomon is trying to convey to his son in this passage? 2. How does this passage speak to the responsibility of parents to teach wisdom to their children? 3. Why do you think Solomon warns his son about the dangers of joining a gang of murderous thieves? How is our culture a “culture of death?” How can we as believers make sure that we are creating...

1. What were the marks, or tendencies, or characteristics of the fool according to scripture as mentioned in the message on Sunday? What others can you think of? 2. What were the marks, or tendencies, or characteristics of the wise according to scripture as mentioned in the message on Sunday? What others can you think of? 3. Can you think of times in your life when you have walked the path of the...

Read Proverbs 3:1-12 1. How is your love for God seen in your love for his word? What are you doing to develop or deepen your love for His word? How are you implanting the word into your heart and mind? 2. Where in your life do you trust in your own wisdom rather than God’s? Where do you struggle to submit your choices to the truth of His word? 3. There are two paths in life: the path of the fooli...

1. Who do you know that is filled with Biblical wisdom? How did they get that way? 2. Do you enjoy texts like the proverbs that invite you into the learning process? What do you think you will find difficult about this series in the book of Proverbs? What will be simple? 3. If someone observed your life today (family, finances, occupation, speech, etc), would they say that you feared the Lord?

Sing “Joy to the World” Read Psalm 98 1. Why do people love the song Joy to the World so much? What about the song speaks to your heart and soul? 2. Have you ever realized before that it is primarily a song not about Christmas, the first Advent, but about Christ’s return, the second Advent? 3. Why is the second Advent such a joyful occasion for nature and for people? Will it be for all people? 4....

Sing, O Come O Come Emmanuel 1. May this time together be more of a time of testimony of God’s faithfulness. 2. Emmanuel means “God with us.” Emmanuel came to dwell with us and to rescue us from sin and death. How did God defeat sin and death? How have you experienced “God with us” or this freedom from sin and death in your life? 3. Day-spring refers to the dawning of a new day, where darkness fle...

No small group questions this week. 

1. What questions/observations come from today's message on I Peter 5:10-14? 2. What is your typical response and reaction to times of suffering? On who or what do you focus? How does Peter's description that suffering is for "a little while" impact how you think about suffering or how you should think about it? 3. In verse 10, Peter assures us that God is actively working on our behalf to strengt...

Read 1 Peter 5:5-9 1. All of Peter’s commands here are in the context of living well through suffering or adversity. What commands does he give to help us live well in adversity? What do you think about these commands in light of adversity? How do they help prepare us to walk faithfully in adversity? 2. In 5:5b, Peter talks about people “clothing themselves with humility.” The word translated “clo...

1. In these four verses, Peter gives some direct teaching toward “elders” in the church. What is an Elder? (also read 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 20:13-38) 2. Why do you think he addresses elder here in this passage? What do good Elders have to do with remaining faithful and rejoicing in the midst of suffering? 3. According to 1 Peter 5:1-4, what are some of the characteristics of a good El...

If we are to be prepared to suffer for the sake of Christ. What can you be doing now, so that when “fiery trials” come, you are prepared to stand firm in your faith and suffer well? 2. Why shouldn’t believers suffer as murderers, thieves, evildoers, or even meddlers? Why do you think Peter includes meddling in this list? How easy is it to be a meddler and think it is a good thing? 3. How might one...

1. In verse 7 Peter tells his readers, “The end of all things is at hand”. Why is Peter’s instruction necessary for us? Do you give much thought to the return of Christ? What impact (if any) is this truth having on how you live? 2. How do hard and painful times impact your thinking? What specific passages of Scripture do you utilize to see God and your circumstances rightly? Is there thinking that...

1. In 4:1, Peter encourages us to “arm yourselves with the same way of thinking” as Jesus Christ who “suffered in the flesh.” In your own words, what does it mean for a Christian to “arm themselves with Jesus way of thinking”? What is Jesus way of thinking? 2. How do you understand the phrase “whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin”? How has suffering helped you mortify sin? 3. Vers...

1. How is the gospel summed up in verse 18? 2. Christ the righteous, suffered for you, the unrighteous. How does this affect your attitude toward those you deem “unrighteous”? How does that affect your behavior and speech towards those you deem “unrighteous”? 3. Since Christ suffered once for you, and you now have a magnificent standing before God, how does this change your daily relationship with...

1. If we live the beautiful, honorable life Peter has been urging us to live thus far in the letter, what kind of response does Peter suggest in this passage we might get from the world around us? 2. Are you able to see yourself as blessed, even if you suffer for Christ? Are you able to see yourself favored and accepted by God in even the suffering? Do you cherish God’s feelings towards you even m...