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:
- Dogs or cats?
Scripture
Jude 1
9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) 10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.
9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) 10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.
Discussion Questions:
- Verse 9 kicks off with Jude referencing Michael (the archangel) rebuking the accuser of the brethren, or Satan. This same scene happens throughout the Old Testament... with Adam and Eve, with Abraham and Isaac, with Job, with Moses at the burning bush, and now at Moses' burial. The accuser does what he does, accuse, and then he is rebuked by the Lord. And it happened once and for all at the cross! Yahweh provided a sacrifice that enabled His forgiveness of our sins while maintaining His own righteousness. The sacrifice removed our dirty garments and replaced them with clean garments of righteousness! This is the beauty of the cross! Sinners are turned to saints and rebels to royalty! How humbling is this realization? What has God saved you from? How far has He brought you?
- Verse 10 talks about how people do what their instincts tell them, which brings about their own destruction. What they understand instinctively, like animals, is how to follow their bodily instincts and feelings, rebelling against God's moral standards. But following subjective feelings and desires will lead that person ultimately to be destroyed by his own sinful compulsions. We can all be guilty of WAY overestimating our own wisdom. At the same time, we can underestimate our own sinfulness and how depraved our own ideas and wisdom are. But you're a good person, right? It can't be THAT bad? How hard is it to accept that your own instincts and desires can lead to your own destruction?
- In the last days, instead of following God's truth that is revealed in the Word, many will live according to their own EVIL desires. Yes, Scripture teaches that to go your own way rather than following the will of God is EVIL! It's DEMONIC! That's pretty strong language! So then, we must be diligent. We must CONTINUALLY submit our lives, wills, minds, behaviors to the Scripture in order to be corrected and transformed so that we might live according to the Spirit. Is this true of YOUR life? Are you being transformed? Are you continually submitted to Him? How do you know for sure?
- One thing you might have noticed up to this point in the book of Jude is that he is CONSTANTLY teaching from the Old Testament... and there is still more to come! There are prominent pastors and churches that will try to tell you it's best to "unhitch" your faith from Old Testament, that it isn't relevant today and will only serve as a stumbling block. But we must remember that the Old Testament is just as relevant as it ever was! The Bible isn't an OLD book, it's an ETERNAL book. It doesn't just tell what HAPPENED and will HAPPEN, but what ALWAYS HAPPENS. How important is it to you to have a firm grasp on both the Old and New Testaments? Do you tend to pick and choose verses to read that give you inspiration for the day, or do you systematically study Scripture in context?
- One of the big ideas from Sunday was that until you're right with God, you're not going to get anything right. Until you and God are reconnected, you will be disconnected. Even as believers, we can all go our own way and fall out of fellowship with the Father. We can create distance by our sinful choices and attitudes. Are you truly right with God at this moment? Do you need to come back to Him? What areas of your life are you needing to surrender to Him?
Prayer Topics:
- That we will live lives for Him this week.
- That we will choose HIS truth over our own.
- That we would seek to stay in close communion with the Father.
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