Renewed Singleness and Dating | 1 Corinthians 7:32-38

Discussion Questions

  1. As a group, spend time reading 1 Corinthians 7:32-38 and answer the following questions:

    • What stood out to you from this passage?

    • What does this passage teach us about God (his character, his will, his plans, his principles)?

  2. When you were single, or if you are currently single, do you find yourself struggling to pursue a devotion to Christ that reminds you that your identity is greater than your singleness? 

  3. If you’re currently in a dating relationship, the goal of this season like all seasons of life is devotion to Christ while remembering that Jesus understands and cares. Where in your relationship do you sense a loving conviction of the Spirit to honor God by seeking wisdom and growth?

  4. For those who are married, 

    • In what ways do you sense a loving conviction of the Spirit to refocus your marriage towards a devotion to Christ. 

    • Share creative ways in which you can support and care for the singles and dating demographic at Sound City. 

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that our church body would seek to be devoted to Christ in all seasons of our lives. 

  2. Pray for the single and dating members at Sound City to be reminded of their identity in Christ.

  3. Pray for the Spirit to stir the hearts of married couples to serve and care for the single and dating members at Sound City. 

Renewed Parenting | Ephesians 6:1-4

Discussion Questions

1. What was something about your own parents that you appreciate now that you are older? What was something about how you were parented that you do not want to repeat?

2. What are some out-workings of the wrong motives in parenting (such as over-emphasizing what the parents want or what the child wants)? What pitfalls do parents need to watch for as they are seeking to be godly parents?

3. What verses about parenting or biblical parenting principles stand out to you?How have you seen these lived out well?

4. If you are someone who does not have children, how do you experience being part of a church that includes a lot of families and children?

5. What are some ways that non-parents can partner with families to support their “parenting as disciple-making?”

Prayer Points

1. Pray for new parents and future parents that they will enter parenthood with a commitment to follow God’s design for parenting.

2. Pray for parents of preteens and teens that they will persevere in their parenting, continuing to grow and learn in these important final years of having their children in their home.

3. Pray that parents of adult children who are not walking with God will hold on to the hope of the Gospel and the power of Jesus to reach into their lives and redeem them.

4. Pray that those who do not have children will see their valuable role in making disciples and that they experience joy and satisfaction in being a child of the Father.

5. Pray that our church can be a source of help and support for families as they seek to raise their children amidst the challenges of our day.

6. Pray for all parents that they will humbly depend on God for the outcome of their parenting and for his grace and power to be at work in their children’s lives.

Renewed Marriages | Ephesians 5:22-33

During this first month of our All Things New series we are encouraging everyone to join us in a month of focused, intentional prayer. Don’t forget to check out our prayer guide to participate.

Discussion Questions

  1. Share with others the expectations and assumptions that you have held around marriage based on your own family of origin? In what ways did they line up with a biblical worldview? In what ways did they fall short?

  2. Read Matthew 22:23—33 and Jesus’ teaching on the temporal nature of marriage. Why do we as human beings tend to make romantic love ultimate? How might this even play out in the church? How can we still honor and value marriage while not ultamatizing it? (See also selections from 1 Corinthians 7).

  3. Why is it significant that God made marriage as a portrait of the gospel? What can we learn about the nature of marriage, the nature of God, and our own marriages when considered from this perspective?

  4. For those who are married, what tangible steps is God asking you to take to bring your own marriage closer to Jesus? For those who are unmarried, Hebrews 13:4 says that marriage should be held in honor by everybody. How might that play out in your relationships with married couples?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that we would hold marriage in high esteem, while remembering that our earthly marriages are a portrait of the gospel and our relationship with the Lord Jesus.

  2. Pray that God would strengthen the marriages in our church and protect them from harm.

  3. Pray that our loving, healthy, Christ-centered marriages would serve as a witness to those who have yet to believe.

  4. Pray that Jesus would return soon so that we could enjoy the marriage feast of the Lamb forever!

Renewed Bodies | 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

During this first month of our All Things New series we are encouraging everyone to join us in a month of focused, intentional prayer. Don’t forget to check out our prayer guide to participate.

Discussion Questions

  1. Which of the two ditches—worship of the body or denigration of the body—are you personally more prone toward? How do you see these ditches playing out in our broader culture or in your smaller communities?

  2. Read through 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10 and notice the way that Paul speaks of the physical body. What observations do you have? How does our future hope help us in our present distress?

  3. Why is embodied worship such an important practice for followers of Jesus? Discuss things like raising hands or kneeling while singing, the physical acts of communion and baptism, even the value of in-person conversation (as opposed to digital). Why did God make things this way?

  4. Where do you sense the loving conviction of the Spirit as it relates to “honoring God with your body”? Is there sin that you need to flee from? Is there training you need to embrace? 

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that we would use our bodies to glorify God. Pray that we would flee from sin and instead, use our bodies to love and serve others.

  2. Pray that we would live as one larger, unified church body made up of many smaller parts.

  3. Pray for the return of Jesus and the restoration of all things, including our bodies.

Renewed Hearts | Psalm 23

During this first month of our All Things New series we are encouraging everyone to join us in a month of focused, intentional prayer. Don’t forget to check out our prayer guide to participate.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When was a time that you feared you would do without? How did God show Himself faithful in that situation?

  2. Describe a time that God used gentle nudging to correct your course, to discipline you.

  3. Do you ever find yourself ungrateful? How can you integrate gratitude into your life?

  4. If you don’t practice Silence and Solitude in your personal spiritual practices, what keeps you from doing so?

Prayer Points:

  1. Join and follow along in our month of dedicated, collective prayers by going to https://www.soundcitybiblechurch.com/articles. 

Renewed Minds | Romans 12:1-8

During this first month of our All Things New series we are encouraging everyone to join us in a month of focused, intentional prayer. Don’t forget to check out our prayer guide to participate.

Discussion Questions:

  1. As a group, spend time reading Romans 12:1-8  in two or three Bible translations and answer the following questions:

    • What stood out to you from this passage?

    • What does this passage teach us about God (his character, his will, his plans, his principles)?

  2. The point of renewing our mind is to know the will of God. How can we then avoid the pitfalls of becoming an egghead through our reading and study of scripture?

  3. Confess ways the Holy Spirit is revealing things that are out of line with the will of God in:

    • Your relationship with God

    • Your relationship with friends and family

    • Your relationship with coworkers and neighbors

  4. Share with one another the ways God’s truths and presence has helped you recognize and combat the world’s pressure to conform. 

Prayer Points:

  1. Join and follow along in our month of dedicated, collective prayers by going to https://www.soundcitybiblechurch.com/articles.

God With Us in Our Joys | Luke 2:1-14

There is a large amount of Christian literature and sermons constantly aimed at encouraging us to hope in God in the midst of our fears and our sorrows, and we need to be shaken up periodically to realize that God is with us in the hum-drum moments of life. But when things are good it can be actually be hard for us to remember to trust God, let alone experience his presence on a daily basis.

Discussion Questions:

  1. As a group, spend time reading Luke 2:1-14 in two or three Bible translations and answer the following questions: What stood out to you from this passage? What does this passage teach us about God (his character, his will, his plans, his principles)?

  2. As you examine your heart, confess areas of your life where you struggle to accept the brokenness of the world, the brokenness of yourself and the holiness of God. 

  3. How does Jesus’ divine presence and the gift of the Holy Spirit provide joy that transcends the ups and downs of life? 

  4. Spend time praising and singing to God about his glory!

Prayer Points:

  1. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help remind and reinforce Jesus being the source and companion of all our joys. 

  2. Pray and give thanks for the gift of joy in Jesus that transcends the ups and downs of life. 

  3. Pray for those who you love to come to a saving knowledge of God and to experience true joy in Jesus.

God With Us in the Mundane | 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

Sermon Description

The word advent means “arrival.” In the season of advent, Christians from around the world intentionally focus on the anticipation of the long-awaited Messiah. The meaning of Christmas is that God, through the person of Jesus, has come to be with us in the flesh.

Discussion Questions:

As a group, spend time reading 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 in two or three Bible translations and answer the following questions:

  1. What stood out to you from this passage? What does this passage teach us about God (his character, his will, his plans, his principles)?

  2. Considering your life in relationship to God, to family, to friends, to coworkers, and to neighbors. Confess ways that in those spheres you run parallel with the world in idolizing the big, the important, the loud, and the fast. 

  3. Help each other find clarity in what seeking the kingdom first looks like in the everyday (mundane) life.

  4. Praise God and encourage one another by sharing different ways in which you’ve seen Jesus and his mighty works in your everyday (mundane) life. 

Prayer Points:

  1. Pray and give thanks for the presence of Jesus in our daily lives. 

  2. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help us individually and collectively cultivate a heart of worship and praise in every season of life. 

  3. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help us individually and collectively seek the kingdom first in everything that we do. 

God With Us in Our Hopes and Fears | Isaiah 7:1-16

The Advent season allows us to focus on the joyful and miraculous first coming of Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior. This Advent season our theme is Immanuel, which means God With Us. For this first sermon of the series we will explore, “God with us in our hopes and fears.” Whether we’re besieged by an overwhelming enemy, peacefully rocking our newborn baby, or any circumstance in between, God has promised to be with us; and God is faithful to keep his promise.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is an example of an event in the Bible or the life of another believer from history that you can see they trusted in God’s promise to be with them?

  2. When was a time that you were greatly comforted by the promise or experience of God with us?

  3. What is the difference between believing God’s promise with one’s mind and living out life in that promise?

  4. What makes it difficult for you to trust God’s promise to be with us?

  5. What do you tend to trust in rather than trusting in God and his

    presence/provision?

  6. What are some areas of your life that you need to live the experience of God with us?

  7. What are some ways that you may be able to help others to believe and live out the promise of God with us?

  8. What are some application points that this promise has for our church as a corporate body?

Prayer Points:

  1. Pray for the joy of Christ to flood our hearts this Advent Season!

  2. Ask God to impress upon each of us the depth and power of his promise to be with us.

  3. Pray for those who feel far from God or especially lonely. Pray that they will feel drawn to God through Jesus and will have their souls ministered to in a supernatural way.

  4. Pray that we will not only believe God’s Immanuel promise, but that we will trust it and live by it!

  5. Ask God to show us the glory of Christ’s coming to be our Savior and motivate us to join him in proclaiming Christ so that all may hear, believe, and be saved.

Jesus, Our Peace | Psalm 131

Discussion Questions:

  1. The world promotes empty encouragements that create faulty foundations for our lives. Contrast the differences between worldly encouragements and gospel peace. 

  2. Everyone experiences anxiety. What causes anxiety in your life and what does your response look like?  

  3. Are you experiencing anxiety in your life right now? If so, how can you apply the big idea of Jesus being our peace to your anxiety? 

    1. Peace with God | Romans 5:1

    2. Peace with humanity | Ephesians 2:14

    3. Peace with all things | Revelation 21:3-6

    4. Peace within us | John 16

    5. Heavenly Peace | John 14

    6. Peace Beyond understanding | Philippians 4

  4. Remembering that practical help is great as long it’s built on Jesus, what steps can you take and be held accountable to grow in the peace of God?

    1. Pay attention to your body 

    2. Pay attention to your limits

    3. Practice regular stillness

    4. Interact with your anxieties 

    5. Practice gratitude

Prayer Points:

  1. Together as a group, read and pray through Psalm 131.

  2. Pray and confess areas of your life where you’ve been holding onto your anxiety and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the peace of God. 

  3. Pray that God would cultivate a heart of humility and thankfulness at Sound City as we face the challenges and the anxieties of life.

Seeing Jesus in the People of the Old Testament | Genesis 45

Discussion Questions

  1. What area(s) of Joseph’s life had you never associated with Jesus’ life?

  2. How has studying Jesus in the Old Testament impacted your view of Jesus?

  3. How can Jesus being seen in Old Testament people help us relate to Jesus now?

  4. Who is in your sphere of influence that needs to hear the Gospel of Jesus?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for unity in the church

  • Pray for opportunity to share Jesus with others

  • Pray for personal spiritual growth

Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament Sacrifices | Hebrews 10:11-18

Discussion Questions

  1. “Jesus is the one who made the covenants. Jesus is the one who keeps the covenants.” What about this statement helps us believe that all of scripture points to Jesus?

  2. In what areas of your life are you prone to believing in the “shadow of the real thing” instead of Jesus himself?

  3. Read together Hebrews 4:16. Do you find yourself struggling to approach the throne of grace in time of need, why or why not? How can we encourage one another to live out this truth?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that God would deepen our faith and reveal himself clearly as we read all of scripture. 

  2. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help us believe and worship Jesus instead of merely the shadow of the real thing. 

  3. Pray that God would give our church a deep assurance in the finished work of Jesus so we can be a church body that boldly approaches the throne of grace.

Jesus is Our Firm Foundation | Matthew 7:24-29

Peter and John face increasing opposition from the religious and political leaders, and find themselves in prison. When an angel shows up to free them, he gives them one instruction: go tell people about “this life.” This phrase is important to understanding what it means to follow Jesus. When God saves us, the very life of Jesus becomes our life, a life that comes with both blessings and challenges.

Discussion Questions

  1. One of the primary ways that the Bible speaks about salvation is the idea of “death to life.”
    How have you seen this idea play out in your own life and salvation? What does it mean to you personally that Jesus’ very life has become your life?

  2. Of the blessings highlighted in this passage (forgiveness, Holy Spirit, restoration, perseverance, community), which one are you most grateful for? Which one do you need to spend more time thinking about?

  3. What distractions, fears, etc. keep you from regularly experiencing the life of Jesus in your own life? What changes do you need to make in order to live the life that Jesus has for you?

  4. As our culture pushes historic, orthodox Christianity to the margins, how can we cultivate an attitude of “rejoicing that we would be counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name”? How can we suffer like Jesus, without arguing and complaining?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that we would experience the life of Jesus in greater measure as individuals and as a

    church community.

  2. Pray that we would rejoice in the blessings of Jesus’ life, and that we would embrace the

    challenges with an attitude of rejoicing.

True and False Disciples | Matthew 7:12-23

As Jesus begins to close the Sermon on the Mount he levels a serious warning toward all who would claim to be his disciples. All believers are called to consider if their devotion to Jesus is genuine or not, regardless of how much has been done in the name of Christ. In this counterintuitive passage Jesus shows us that the most important thing about us is not in us, but in him.

Discussion Questions

  1. How have you read the narrow and wide paths in the past? How were they interpreted in the sermon?

  2. What assurance is there to gain from being known by Jesus VS only knowing about Jesus?

  3. What would you say is the main warning from this passage?

  4. How should the urgency of Jesus’ warning affect us in sharing the gospel?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray for Jesus’ warning to bolster your resolve to be a true disciple that loves him with outward and inward affection.

  2. Pray that God would give our church a deep assurance of knowing and being known by Jesus.