Group Guide
This Week's City 7:
5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
Ice-Breaker:
- Worst hotel experience?
Scripture
Jude 1
5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.
5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.
Discussion Questions:
- Last week, Jude encouraged the church to contend for the faith. Now, in verses 5-7, he is going to equip them to do so. It comes in the form of a warning of sorts not to abuse the grace of God. We can so easily fall into this trap. Abusing God's grace starts with thinking God is ONLY love and kindness and is never angered by anything. By thinking this way, we are denying that He is infinitely holy, righteous and just. How can you tell if YOU are taking advantage of His grace? What does this kind of thinking lead to?
- These three verses that we studied on Sunday are to help us remember the holiness and patience of God. Jude reminds us that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later He destroyed those who did no remain faithful. Apparently, these New Testament believers need to be reminded that JESUS is the God of both the OLD and NEW Testaments. Yes He is love and grace, but He is ALSO truth and justice. The DELIVERER of Israel was also the DESTROYER of Israel. Both/and, not either/or. How difficult can it be at times to reconcile these seemingly opposing attributes of God? What are the dangers of leaning to heavily on one side or the other?
- Next, Jude reminds us of the fallen angels that chose not to stay within the limits of God's authority. They are now kept chained up in prisons of darkness awaiting judgement. These angels didn't get a second chance. The CREATOR of the angels is also the CONDEMNER of the angels. The angels were not CONTENT with God's PROVISION or their POSITION. They wanted more. Assess your general attitude toward God and the way you respond to Him on a daily basis. Could it be said of you that you have, like Paul, learned to be content in every situation? Are you pleased to place yourself beneath his authority? Or are you constantly vying for control?
- Finally, Jude recalls the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These people had turned the grace of God into sexual immorality and perversion. The Bible makes it clear that the most serious sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was homosexuality. And God rained down fire and sulfur and destroyed them. This is how God handles sin. How different is this attitude towards sexual perversion from what is tolerated in today's society? How can we stand apart from culture, hold fast to God's truth, and love people at the same time?
- The takeaway from Sunday was about encouraging us to trust that God has our best in mind. In fact, his boundaries aren't to limit us or to keep us from having fun. On the contrary, His BOUNDARIES are for our BEST and His FENCES bring us FREEDOM. Do you truly believe this? Do you have full confidence that everything that God does in your life is for your ultimate best and His ultimate glory? Do you really trust Him even when you don't agree with Him?
Prayer Topics:
- That we would never take His grace for granted.
- That we would live lives in awe of His holiness and justice.
- That we would learn to love His boundaries.
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