Questions to Ponder
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Please scroll down for the questions to ponder that are relevant for the particular Sunday you are looking for.
Questions to ponder 3rdJuly 2011 Colossians 4:14
Luke “Our dear friend” 1. Write down who your “dear friends” are. Why do you regard them in this way? Would they regard you in the same way? If not, why not? 2. Why is it important to choose carefully, whom we enter into friendship with? (Proverbs 12:26) Which friends of yours lead you towards Jesus and which ‘friends’ lead you away from him? Why is this?
3. Why do the rich have many ‘friends’? (Proverbs 14:20, 19:4). What does Jesus say about this? (Luke 14:12 16:9) 5. In what ways did Job’s three friends succeed and fail in their friendship? (see Job 2:11 onwards, note how many times friendship is mentioned in this book ) 6. Are God’s commands to his people in the Old Testament and the company that Jesus kept at odds with each other? (Deut 23:6, Ezra 9, Matthew 11:19). 7. What kind of friends is Jesus looking for? (John 15:4) Could you be counted as a friend of Jesus?
Demas “because he loved this world, has deserted me …” 1. When we are deserted by others, what attitude should we have and actions should we take? (see Mark 14:50, Acts 15:38, 2 Timothy 1:15, 4:10,16) 2. What are the reasons that people “desert” (see Matthew 13:21-22, Luke 16:13, John 6:66) 3. What do you make of the warnings about having a love for this world and its ways and wealth? (Luke 12:15-21, James 5:1-6, 1 Tim 6:17) Does something need to change in your life in order that Jesus is central, rather than wealth or possessions?
Questions to Ponder Sunday 26thJune 2011 Read Colossians 3:1-4 1. It has been said that “you become what you think.” Discuss why and to what extent you agree or disagree with this statement. 2. Which of the words or phrases in verses 1-4 speaks to you the most and why? 3. What do these four verses tell us about Jesus Christ? Maybe you want to use these verses to help you to focus upon Jesus in worship – perhaps stating or singing out loud the truth contained in these scriptures. 4. What is Paul meaning when he says that the believer has “been raised with Christ”? How would the accepting of this truth and living it out affect your day to day life? Why do so many Christians live as though it were not true? 5. How can we ensure that we set our ‘hearts’ and ‘minds’ on things above and not on earthly things? (see also Hebrews 3:1,12:2, 2 Corinthians 4:18). What is the difference here between our ‘heart’ and our ‘mind’? Notice that this is a command to a group of people, rather than an individual – therefore, how can we encourage one another to do this also? What ‘earthly things’ are distracting or detracting you (or us as church) from fully following Jesus and what are you (we) going to do about it? 6. Is it true that we can be “Too heavenly minded to be any earthy good” according to Paul? 7. When Paul reminds the Christian, “for you died” – why is this important to keep remembering? And how does this fact relate to what he then goes on to say in v5-10. What was Jesus meaning when he spoke the words recorded in John 12:24-25? 8. Is Christ “your life”? (v4) If not, why not? If so, then is there anything that is preventing you from living life to the full? (John 10:10)
Questions to Ponder 19th June 2011 Read Colossians 2:16-23 1. In what ways does Jesus Christ offer us a place to call ‘home’? In what ways are Christians tempted to move away from Christ and embrace false teaching, and what are the effects or consequences of doing so? 2. Why is it that we may find it easier to pursue an appearance of holiness than to pursue holiness itself? (see Mark 7:14-23) What are the marks of true holiness? What place does diet have in the Christian life? 3. How can the Christian calendar and the Sabbath offer us opportunities to draw nearer to God, and to understand him better? In what ways can Church on Sunday become for us an empty ritual, and how do we ensure that it doesn’t? 4. “To become more acceptable to God you must become more uncomfortable.” Discuss in relation to Paul’s words in v23. Why is the real way to God a whole lot more gracious and simpler? 5. What does scripture say about Angels? Why is the worship or consultation of angels becoming more attractive in our land? If Jesus is the sole Mediator between God and Humans, then what do we think about “praying to angels” or “praying to the saints”? 6. Why, for many, is the perception of the church that it majors on “Thou shalt not …” (see v21) How can seeking a holiness through focusing upon the negative, actually detract from true holiness? How holy are you? How do we measure holiness? 7. Paul critiques false religion. Its form is shadow not substance (v17). Its character is sensual not spiritual (v18). Its power source is severed from the Head that is Christ and not connected (v19). Its future is transient not permanent (v22). Its origin is human not divine (v22). Its value is futile not effective (v23). Reflect upon how faith in false religion differs from faith in Christ Jesus. 8. What does it mean to deny yourself, pick up your cross daily, and follow Jesus? (see Luke 9:22-24, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 7)
Questions to Ponder12th June 2011 Read Colossians 2:13-15 1. Have you experienced forgiveness of your sins through Christ Jesus? Reflect upon passages about God’s promise of forgiveness, such as Isaiah 43:25, 44:22, Jeremiah 31:34. Bring to him anything that would hold you back from pursuing him (see Hebrews 12:1-13, 1 John1:5-2:2) 2. The Lord taught his disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Is there anyone that you are not forgiving for whatever reason? Reflect upon Matthew 18:21-35. 3. (v15) “… having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” What are you afraid of, or what do you live in fear of? (see Rom 8:31-39) 4. Read Romans 8:1-17. What does this passage say about living by the Spirit? How does living by the Spirit of God enable us to overcome fear? What was the significance of Pentecost for the early church? How do we as church today need to rediscover the ‘meaning’ and ‘effect’ of Pentecost? 5. Why are Believer’s Baptism and Church Membership appropriate ‘faith’ responses to what Christ has done on the cross? (see Acts 2:36-41)
Questions to Ponder 29thMay 2011 Read Colossians 2:9-12 1. (v9) “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form …” What are the implications of this statement, if true, (i) for all the world’s religions, (ii) for our understanding of the nature of God, (iii) for our worship and witness. 2. Why does our Saviour have to be both God and Man? What if Jesus were merely a man, or was God but did not really have a physical body of flesh? 3. What does it mean for the believer to (v10) “have been given fullness in Christ”? What do you feel that you lack, that you might be able to look to Christ for? 4. Christ is the “Head over every power and authority.” Why should this bring us strength, comfort and peace when we face persecution of whatever degree? 5. Have you placed your faith in Christ who died, was buried and rose again? In what ways do the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ play out in your life? (eg. How are you incarnating the gospel where you live or work? What aspects of your sinful nature still need to be crucified? How are you experiencing resurrection power day by day?) 6. Have you been buried with Christ in believer’s baptism? (v12) If not, then why not? 7.“Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: “a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb”. Jesus entered our world through a door marked, ‘No Entrance’ and left through a door marked ‘No Exit.’” (Peter Larson) Why not spend some time worshipping this unique Jesus? How might you make him better known to those around you?
Questions to ponder 22ndMay 2011 Reading Colossians 2:8 1. How does the Christian ensure that they are not taken “captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy”? 2. How are Individualism and Pluralism and Materialism affecting the church and wider society detrimentally? How can we combat their negative effects practically in our own lives? Is ‘playing’ the National Lottery incompatible with following Christ? (see Ecc 5:10, Matt 6:24) 3. Why are occult practices forbidden by God? (see Deut 4:19, 18:9-12, Isaiah 8:19, 47:13-14) Do they have a hold in your life? Why are horoscopes not ‘just a bit of harmless fun’? 4. Are you superstitious? How do superstitions deny Jesus as being Lord over all? (see Isaiah 65:11) 5. “Feeding on God's truth will keep you from swallowing a lie.” How well are you feeding on the Bible? In what ways can you make improvements? How do you assess whether a particular practice that you are engaged in leads towards or away from Jesus?
Questions to Ponder 3rd April 2011. Colossians 4:12-13 1. Epaphras was a Servant of Christ Jesus. In what ways do you serve Christ amongst family or friends, in your church, in your community? How Faithful, trustworthy or reliable are you? Can others depend upon you? How do you ensure that you stick to the Truth, like Epaphras, and do not creep into error as the Colossians seemed to be doing? 2. Epaphras was aWrestler in Prayer. How can we ensure that prayer is a priority for ourselves as individuals and us as church? Read Genesis 32 – why is prayer like wrestling? 3. Charles Bridges: “We shall find that our most successful efforts for people were the hours – not when we were speaking to them from God, but when we were speaking for them to God.” How is your intercessory prayer life looking these days? How can it get better? 4. Epaphras prayed that the Colossians “may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Perseverance, Maturity and Assurance). Why? 5. Epaphras is commended as aHard Worker amongst the Colossians and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. How do we support those who are working hard within the local church and the wider church? What are the dangers of working too hard and how might we safeguard against them?
Questions to ponder 27th March 2011. Read Colossians 1:19-20 1. “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Christ]” (v19). What are the implications of the incarnation for our witness and our worship as individuals and as a church? 2. “The totality of divine essence and power has taken up its residence in Christ. He is the one mediator between God and the world of humankind.” If there is no other mediator (see John 14:6) then what does this say about our mission as a church? What does it mean for those who do not yet know Christ? 3. God is reconciling all things to himself. Why not pray for areas in your life, in the church, in your community and in the world where God’s kingdom still needs to come. 4. Salvation is both restorative (repairing the damage done by sin) and progressive (moving the work on to its completion). What in your life needs repair and progress? 5. Jesus is bringing ‘Shalom’ (complete and lasting peace and harmony). How might you join him in this task? In what ways will you look for his empowering to be a Shalom-bringer. 6. There will be no part of God’s renewed universe that will remain unaffected by the cross - nowhere where Calvary is irrelevant. Maybe you want to reflect further upon the cross (particularly in this time of Lent) and deepen in your appreciation of what Christ has done, is doing and will yet do in your life and in this world.
Questions to Ponder 20th March 2011 Read Colossians 1:18 – Spend some time ‘meditating’ upon this verse (ie. thinking and chewing it over, deepening in understanding its meaning and implications) 1. Paul pictures the church as a ‘body’ - see Romans 12:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. In what ways do we live up to or fail to live up to that image and why? 2. Jesus Christ is the Head of the church – he is its source and its authority. How can we, as His body the church, ensure that we are responsive to the Lord Christ? 3. “As the body of Christ, the church is vitalised by Christ’s abiding presence and his risen life.” (P.T. O’Brien) In what ways do we allow or not allow his presence and his power to be active amongst us? How can we encourage each other towards vitality in Christ? (see John 10:10) 4. Christ is the ‘beginning’ of the church – He is worthy not only of the title “arche” but also of the obedience and the adulation which goes with it. How do we ensure that we obey and worship Christ fittingly? 5. Christ is “the firstborn from among the dead”. “The church is the community of the resurrection” - What hope are we able to offer out to those around us, and what are the best ways to do so? 6. Jesus Christ is LORD – In what areas of life are you resisting or rebelling against his Lordship? What are you going to do about it?
Questions to Ponder 6th March 2011 From Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus – Fellow Prisoner 1. Paul regards himself here in this letter as a prisoner-of-war, what does being a ‘prisoner’ mean to Paul? (See Ephesians 3:1, 4:1, 2 Tim 1:8, Philemon 1:1,9,23) 2. Many Biblical characters experienced prison because of their obedience to God (you may want to list them) - what do we learn from how they handle being in prison? What is their approach or attitude? 3. How should we respond, knowing that people are in prison around the world right now because of their faithfulness to Jesus? (See Matthew 25, Heb 10:34, 13:3, Rev 2:10) 4. Maybe you’ll want to spend time praying for those in prison for their faith. Perhaps you’ll want to get more information from this website: www.releaseinternational.orgor from info in the downstairs hall. Mark – Restored Failure 5. Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement over Mark, and as a result went their separate ways (Acts 15:36-41). What, in church life, warrants a ‘split’ or the need to leave a fellowship and how do we avoid unnecessary division or disunity? 6. Mark at one time “had deserted” and “not continued … in the work.” – How have you let others down, or let yourself down? Are there ways in which you have ceased persevering for the Lord in a particular area? 7. Mark was restored and now to be welcomed. Who do you need to forgive for a past transgression and welcome again?
Questions to Ponder 20th Feb 2011 Considering Colossians 1:16-17 1. Jesus is the agent of creation – he is the one through whom everything came into existence. Now that we have the benefit of microscopes and telescopes what does this say to you about Jesus Christ? 2. If there is no Creator, as some would claim, then what conclusions must do you draw about the universe and the purpose or reason for life? 3. Jesus is the goal of creation – the reason everything exists is for Him. What are your ‘goals’ in life? What are you aiming for? Having Jesus as our goal means that we no longer live for ourselves, but for him. (2 Corinthians 5:9) What are you getting right and what needs to change? 4. Jesus is the sustainer of creation – in him all things hold together. In what ways are you needing to know the Lord’s sustaining presence with you? (See also Psalm 54:4, 55:22, Isaiah 46:4) 5. God cares about the big and small things that are happening in our lives and in our life as a church. Why not spend some time talking and listening to him about those things – seeking him – our agent, goal and sustainer.
Questions to Ponder 13th Feb 2011 Read Col 1:15-20 1. As you read what is believed to be an early Christian hymn declaring who the early Christians believed Jesus Christ to be, reflect upon the description of this Jesus. Use these words to help you to praise and worship him. Now, focusing upon verse 15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” 2. In what ways can the invisible God be ‘seen’? How would you explain how you ‘know’ that God exists if he is ‘invisible’? What else is ‘invisible’ that you are sure exists? 3. What role does faith play in acknowledging an invisible God made visible / tangible? (See Hebrews 11:6, 1 John 1) 4. In Christ Jesus, God is made known to us (John 1:18) in the flesh, in a way in which we humans can understand. Why was this necessary? In what ways does Jesus being God and Man mean that we can ‘know’ or ‘see’ God that we would not have been able to otherwise? 5. Jesus is the image, the exact representation (Hebrews 1:3), the perfect likeness of the Father – As you read about Jesus in the gospels – what does his life, his words, his sacrifice say to you about God? What is surprising about this revelation of an Almighty God to us? (Eg, God showing humility) 6. Jesus is ‘the first born over all creation’ – he has the pre-eminence over all of creation and is not part of creation (he is not a created being, but part of the Triune Godhead). What, therefore, are the implications for our daily lives and our worship together as church?
Questions to Ponder 6th February 2011 Tychicus 1. Tychicus was from the “province of Asia” (Acts 20:4). Maybe you would like to spend some time praying for the people of Asia and the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church in Asia. 2. He is described by the apostle Paul as “a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.”* (Col 4:7, see also Ephesians 6:21). In what ways might we follow Tychicus’ example or in what ways would we need to be living in order to deserve the same description? You may want to think upon that description* and break it down into its constituent parts – meditating upon each word or turn of phrase. 3. Tychicus is one who was ‘sent’ (2 Timothy 4:12, Titus 3:12). How might we regard ourselves as those who are ‘sent’ by the Lord into the places we find ourselves – our families, neighbourhoods, work places? What difference does it make to our lives, work and relationships to know that we are ‘sent’? Onesimus Read part of Oneismus’ story in Philemon. 4. Onesimus now lives up to his name meaning ‘useful’. Consider ways in which you are being useful to the Lord, or could be more useful, or ways in which you feel useless. Pray about what God is saying to you. (See also 1 Cor 12:12-31) 5. Onesimus, once a slave, is now to be regarded as a brother, as part of the family of God. What does it mean for the church to be ‘family’? In what ways can we make people feel as though they are not welcome? 6. Look at how closely Paul associates himself with Onesimus (Philemon v10-21). What risks do we take when we seek to grow closer in fellowship? Knowing this, are we prepared to deepen in our association with one another?
Questions to Ponder 30th Jan 2011 Read Colossians 1:9-14 1. What do you pray for? How persistent in prayer are you? What do we learn from the parable of the persistent widow? (Luke 18:1-8) 2. How do you seek out the will of God in your life? (see Psalm 143:10) How does God reveal to you his will? How does God reveal his will to a local church? 3. As you take time to read the Bible how do you ensure that you go away and ‘do what it says’? (James 1:32) 4. In what ways might it be said of you that you do not “live a life worthy of the Lord and … please him in every way”? 5. Honouring and pleasing Jesus results in ‘bearing fruit in every good work’ and leads to believers ‘growing in the knowledge of God’ – is this demonstrated in your own life? 6. In what areas of life do you need more of God’s ‘power’? (v11) 7. Read verses 12-14 again and reflect upon the truth of these words for your life – take a moment to express your thanksgiving to God
Questions to Ponder 23rd Jan 2011 Read Colossians 1:3-8
Questions to Ponder 16th Jan 2011 As we look at just Col 1:1-2 1. The Colossians are described by Paul as being “holy and faithful” (Col 1:1) – could you be described in this way? Why or why not? 2. Paul speaks about being “in Christ” (Col 1:2) – what does he mean? 3. Paul speaks about “Grace” and “Peace” (Col 1:2) – how would you describe these to someone else and what would they look like as exampled in your own daily life?
Questions to Ponder 9th Jan 2011 Have a read through the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and as you do, make some notes on the following: 1. In his letter, what does Paul have to say about … a. The Colossian Christians? b. The Lord Jesus Christ? c. The Christian life? 2. What commands or instructions would you find it most difficult to obey if this letter was written to you? 3. How will you “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col 3:16) in 2011?”
9th Jan 2011 Simon Clarke's Message : Key notes: The written Word of God and its role in the life of the believer 1 Christians are engaged in a spiritual battle, sometimes in very obvious ways, but often in the UK in quite crafty and subtle ways. 2 Being steeped in the Word of God is vital to our defences against this enemy. 3 In order to gain proper understanding of God's Word we need to come together as a group, or groups, of believer's to receive teaching of the Word and to consider it. Good as reading the Word of God on our own is, relying only on reading the Word of God leaves potentially dangerous loopholes (misunderstandings, only reading the bits we like etc). |