Coastline Bible Church is doing an eight-week sermon series called: "Defined by Joy." The Apostle Paul helped plant the church in Philippi (see Acts 16) but never forget about them. They played a key role in supporting him as God called him to plant other churches. From this series we want to learn how to have our lives defined by joy and not circumstances. Paul modeled this well to the early church. For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.
Small Group Questions | New Citizenship | Philippians 3:15-21
As we read the book of Philippians we see that Paul hasn’t attained the highest spiritual position possible but continues to follow hard after Jesus. He reminds us that the Christian life requires the exertion of continually running hard after godliness. Paul continues to exhort believers to keep their focus heavenward. He understood that there were topics of confusion and encouraged the believers to seek the Lord for clarification in their spiritual walk. Paul was constantly pointing people to Jesus. More importantly, he knew how to live a godly life on earth while focus on his citizenship in heaven. He encourages us to allow God to renew our thinking here on earth.
1) We live in a time when citizenship is a topic of discussion. The Apostle Paul is a man who understood citizenship. He was born a Jew but held Roman citizenship. Talk about how to balance simultaneously being a citizen of earth and heaven.
2) Read Philippians 3:13-14. Paul exhorts his friends to continue to press on to Jesus. Some scholars think that the church in Philippi might have become lax in their walk with Jesus. How do you maintain spiritual vigor? Have you become lax?
3) Paul longs for the believers to hold a mature view on spiritual growth (read Philippians 3:15-16). How do you intentionally grow in your faith while not being legalistic? (see: Matthew 7:21-23, Mark 2:24, 3:2, and Colossians 2:20-23)
4) The life of a Christian involves learning from others. Jesus instructed us to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Paul also told us to learn from others (Philippians 3:17). Who are you currently learning from and what are you learning?
5) Paul wrote to, his son in the faith, Timothy about discipling others (read 2 Timothy 2:2). Are you at at place to start investing your life into someone else? If you are, what does that look like? If you’re not, how do you need to prepare?
6) Read Philippians 3:20-21. Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven. What happens when we begin to get too comfortable on earth and forget to focus on our eternal citizenship?
7) Paul teaches us that when we enter heaven we will have glorified bodies. Read Luke 24:31, John 20:19, and Acts 1:9-11. What does these passages teach us about what our heavenly bodies will be like?
Close your time in prayer by praying for: Camp Pondo.
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