Hazmat (Week 6)
This week we will discuss what it means to be “discipleship-driven” and how we can help each other in the process of sanctification!
1. What does “discipleship” mean to you?
2. Have you had someone in your life who has encouraged you in your walk with Christ? How did they encourage you that made such a difference?
Read Hebrews 3:12-14, here in the NIV, and then in the paraphrase (below) Pete shared in his sermon this Sunday.
“When you take your eyes off Jesus, the prison of sin gets comfortable, you don’t even realize that you are captive… So, instead pay attention to the Living God that leads you to your Freedom! And make sure you are encouraging others to do the same because we are partners! Teammates pursuing Jesus together!” (Hebrews 3:12-14, Pete’s paraphrase)
3. How does this passage strengthen your understanding of discipleship?
4. In the sermon, Pete said: “the journey of sanctification is simple, but it’s not easy.” Discuss your thoughts about this statement. Can you share some examples from your life where this has proven to be true?
5. How has having a “partner in sanctification” helped you in this process?
Hebrews 3:15 (“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion”) refers to the wilderness journey of the Hebrew people in Exodus, like the story in Exodus 17:1-7. Read it, then discuss the following questions.
6. What does this passage show you about our human capacity to forget God’s good works in our lives and “harden our hearts”?
7. What does it show us about God’s goodness and faithfulness despite our hard hearts (and heads)? (see more about this in the “For Further Reflection” section below)
8. How does this passage reinforce the importance of “reminding each other of God’s faithfulness and freedom” in the discipleship process?
To conclude, read Romans 14:11-19. Paul is addressing tensions between the Jewish and Roman Christians in Rome here, but we can certainly apply this to ourselves today!
9. Talk about the importance of “removing barriers to the work of the Spirit” as we build each other up instead of tearing each other down. How free do you feel to love others, knowing that it’s up to God, and not us, to judge?
For Further Reflection: Water from the Rock
Read Exodus 17:5-7. A close reading of verse 6 indicates that God is either standing between Moses and the rock, or on the rock, He instructed Moses to strike. In other words, in order to strike the rock, Moses must strike through God’s presence first.
What does this tell you about God’s self-sacrifice and love for His people? How does this Lenten Old Testament passage foreshadow Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf?
This really hits home when you consider that the staff/rod is a symbol of God’s power, and that rocks in the wilderness often symbolize death, so: God’s power (the rod) strikes a blow against death (the rock) to bring us life (water)! This is the Gospel message in the second book of the Bible and Paul even references this in 1 Corinthians 10:4.
(*Video available after Sunday services)
