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Notes
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Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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Hebrews 11:17-19
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By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
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Discussion Question
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Testing is a part of growing faith. Share how God is testing you presently. How do you feel about it? Are your feelings getting the better of you?
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Genesis 16:1-4
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Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."
"Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
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Discussion Question
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Abram and Sarai devise a plan to get a long desired heir that turned out to be disastrous. Reflect on a time when you tried to meet a need or resolve a problem that you had by leaning on your own understanding. How did it turn out? What did you learn about yourself?
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Luke 14:26-27
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"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
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Discussion Question
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God may call us to give up something (or someone) that we have a strong emotional attachment to because it's in the way of our ability to follow him. We may be more attached to it (him or her) than Jesus. Is the Lord calling you to let go of something that's getting in the way of your devotion to Him? How are you handling it?
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Witnessing Activities
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Romans 1:16-17
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Note - The gospel is the good news that God has provided salvation for everyone through faith in Jesus Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection.
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Do you talk about the gospel to others? Considering your answer, what does this say about whether or not you are ashamed of the gospel? What does this say about whether or not you believe that the gospel is God's power to save everyone who will believe?
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Discuss the people you know personally who aren't followers of Jesus. Which ones have heard the gospel from you? Which ones haven't?
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Are there any people with whom you are afraid to share the gospel? If so, discuss this with your life group and pray together for boldness.
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Scriptures For 11/08/2009 Life Church Sermon
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Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
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|
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Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."
"Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
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|
|
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"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
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