Group Guide
This Week's City 7:
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
Ice-Breaker:
- Original "Lion King" or the remake?
Scripture
1 Peter 5
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen.
12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
13 Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet each other with a kiss of love.
Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen.
12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
13 Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet each other with a kiss of love.
Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.
Discussion Questions:
- On Sunday, we discussed that fact that we, as believers, are in a spiritual war. To be prepared for this unseen war, Peter urges us to humble ourselves. We can all fall prey to the deception of our own abilities. One of the devil's favorite schemes is to get us thinking, "I've got this." We can fall into thinking we don't need God's divine guidance or help. And if things go well, we take all the credit. How much of your life and decisions are you running all on your own? Do you wait until you are out of options before you even consider asking for God's help?
- In verse 7, Peter urges us to give all of our worries to God because He cares for us. Worry, anxiety and depression will spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically choke you. Satan knows just when and where we are vulnerable to an attack. The ESV uses the word "cast". This is much more than a peaceful laying down. It is a much more violent action. God used many people in Scripture and throughout church history that suffered from anxiety and depression. You may be vulnerable to attack, but you are not defeated. It may be dark, but there is an inextinguishable light in the darkness. What does casting your worries at the feet of Jesus look like in real life? Do you have some anxieties you need to lay down?
- In verse 8, he warns us to be on alert and watching out for the enemy. He's a lion looking for someone to devour. He wants to take you out! He wants to take out your family, your kids, your spouse. He's warning us to not be apathetic. Jesus told Peter and his other disciples to watch out and pray so they wouldn't fall into temptation. How often are you praying over yourself, your kids, your spouse, your loved ones, asking for God's protection from the schemes of the devil?
- In verse 9, Peter tells us to STAND FIRM against the devil and be strong in our faith. We would be wrong to ignore the devil's existence, but it would also be wrong to cower in fear. The phrase "be strong in your faith" implies a confidence that God will intervene and give you victory. One major weapon we have is to stand firm in right THEOLOGY. We should follow Jesus' example, who resisted every temptation from Satan by quoting Scripture. We need to know our Bibles! Knowing the truth of God's Word will help us know our true IDENTITY (who we are because of the gospel) and His AUTHORITY. You are who HE says you are, and in the end you will win because you're with Him. Do you struggle seeing yourself as God does (fully redeemed and clothed in the righteousness of Christ)? How much confidence should you have knowing that your Heavenly Father has already won?
- The big idea from Sunday was that we need to WAKE UP to the WAR! Two lions are waging a war for your soul. The lion here in 1 Peter, the devil, seeks to devour you by feeding your pride, fleshly desires, addictions, self indulgence and self centeredness, resulting in a wasted and meaningless life. He preys on your anxiety, your apathy, your ignorance of the Word of Truth and your lack of trust in the sovereignty of God. But the devil is Scar in this story. He's a second-rate lion! A Walmart lion. A K-Mart lion. A Dollar Store lion! But Jesus is the lion that fights for us, and Peter says all power belongs to HIM. What needs to change in your life in light of these truths? What is God speaking to you through His Word?
Prayer Topics:
- That we would learn to cast our cares upon Him.
- That we wouldn't fear the lesser lion.
- That we would go to war every, single day.
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