FirstSF

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. When you think about the way God has wired you—your background, your gifts, your experiences—where are you currently using those to serve the body? And where might you be holding back instead of stepping in and being part of the work? 2. What does it practically look like for you to be “next to” others in our church right now? What would it look like for you to not just si...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1) Where might you be trying to be in control of your life instead of trusting in God’s sovereignty? What would it actually look like this week to wait on his timing while still praying, serving, and preparing? 2. Think about your current position—your job, your home, your relationships. In what specific ways can you begin to leverage that position for the glory of God instead...

REFLECTON QUESTIONS 1. Think about a current challenge, decision, or area where you want to see growth or “rebuilding” in your life. What does it look like for you to begin with prayer instead of jumping straight to action—and what would need to change this week for that to happen? 2. When you pray, are you more likely to focus on your problems or on who God is? What specific aspect of God’s chara...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1) In what ways are you tempted to treat God’s grace as a means to something else rather than treasuring God Himself as the ultimate goal? 2) Which of these future promises—no more sin, full communion with God, or comfort and contentment—do you most long for right now, and how does that longing shape the way you live and trust God today?

REFLECITON QUESTIONS: 1. How have you experienced Jesus’ sustaining grace through your trials in the past? How have those trials revealed more of God and his character to you? 2. What trials, despair, or fears are you currently encountering? How does God want to reveal more of himself to you in these very moments?

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1) When you think about fearing God, what comes to your mind? Why is God’s grace and forgiveness an important component of us fearing Him?   2) In what specific area of your life might God’s grace be calling you not just to feel forgiven, but to live differently this week? 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1) In what ways do you see yourself as the “lost sheep” in this passage, and how does that shape your understanding of God’s grace? 2) How does knowing that Jesus pursued you and carried you home change the way you respond to Him today?

SERMON REFLECITON QUESTIONS: 1. Are there certain areas of life that you feel are unfair and you tend to doubt God’s integrity? How can you actively remind yourself this week of what God has promised you, rather than what you feel you’re owed? 2. Do you ever find yourself grumbling at God’s generosity? Are there certain people that you struggle to rejoice over when they receive blessing or success...

SERMON REFLECITON QUESTIONS: 1. David describes unconfessed sin as a draining, heavy burden. Where do you personally notice the “weight” of unconfessed sin in your life—emotionally, spiritually, or even physically? What habits or distractions are you most tempted to use to avoid dealing honestly with your sin? 2. Discuss the importance of confessing to God and to another believer. Is there a trust...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. David begins his confession by appealing to God’s steadfast love and abundant mercy. When you sin, what is your instinctive response—hiding, self-condemnation, minimizing, or running to God? How can you reflect on truths about God’s character to help you come to Him honestly and confidently for mercy? 2. David openly acknowledges both his specific sins and his deeper sinfu...

RELECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What happens in this story is not a punishment for sin, but a display of the consequences and pain of sin. What is the difference between punishment and consequences? Why is it important to make this distinction? 2. When you think about the pain and brokenness you see in your life or in the world—whether caused by your own sin, someone else’s sin, or simply living in a fall...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1) In what ways have you seen the spiritual (blindness or forgetfulness) consequences of sin? 2) How have you experienced the communal and/or generational consequences of sin (whether your own or others)? 3) What is your first instinct when your sin is exposed (explaining, excusing, justifying, remedying)? What should genuine contrite repentance look like? 4) How can e...

1. Think about the choices David makes in this story, where do you see the early warning signs that he was starting down a dangerous path? What are some comparable warning signs in your own life that signal vulnerability or spiritual drift? 2. Sin often snowballs and brings you to a place you never thought that you would be. Can you think of a time when a small compromise led to larger consequence...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. What kinds of “foolish controversies” or distractions are most likely to pull you away from gospel priorities? How can you intentionally guard your heart and speech to promote unity rather than division? 2. Do Paul’s instructions in verses 10 and 11 sound harsh to you? Why are they necessary? What would it look like for a church to live out these instructions in a Christlik...

RELECTION QUESTIONS 1. We must never forget that imperatives flow from indicatives. Where are you most tempted to reverse this order? Where do you feel a pressure to behave so that you can belong? How can you intentionally keep the correct order in your life? 2. Paul reminds believers of our past bondage. How does honestly remembering that you were once enslaved to sin change the way you respond t...

REFELCTION QUESTIONS: 1. Where are you most tempted to be motivated by guilt or greed rather than grace to change your behavior? How might remembering what God has already done for you in Christ reshape your motivation this week? 2. Paul says grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and live godly lives (v.12). What is one specific habit, desire, or pattern that you need to renounce? How can the gr...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Where in our culture do we see people prioritizing effectiveness, skills, or results over character? Where are we most tempted to do this in our own lives and in our church? 2. While this passage focuses on elders/pastors, the mission of every member of our church is to lead people to love and live for Jesus. Who do you have the opportunity to lead or influence? What would...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Why is it important to remember that salvation is a work of God? How does this bring you comfort? What questions come to your mind when you think about this truth? 2. Paul says that knowledge of the truth accords with godliness. Why are these two components of the Christian life linked together? What is your plan to grow in your knowledge of the truth and godly living this...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1) Psalm 2 says that the division and pain in our world comes from resisting Jesus’ authority as king. Where in your life do you sense resistance to his rule right now? What would it look like for you to trust His authority this week? 2. This whole Advent series has reminded us that God keeps His promises. What recent news, circumstance, or personal struggle has tested your c...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Where are you most tempted to trust in your own abilities, performance, or control rather than trusting Jesus as the faithful Servant who perfectly does the will of God? What would it look like to place your confidence in Him instead of yourself this week? 2. The passage describes Jesus as one who does not break a bruised reed or quench a faintly burning wick. In what area...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What realities about creation and humanity does David draw attention to in Psalm 8? How can these realities shape the way you think about yourself, your identity, and your worth? 2. How does seeing every person as crowned with “glory and honor” challenge the way you interact with people you tend to overlook—such as coworkers, neighbors, or unhoused individuals in the city?...