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sermon-based study guide

This guide is designed to guide a group discussion around the weekend sermon. You can also use this as an individual, but we highly recommend finding a friend and inviting them to discuss with you. Menlo Church has Life Groups meeting in-person and online using these guides. We’d love to help you find a group.
What you will find in this guide: A discussion guide for groups and individuals. If you are using this as an individual be sure to engage with each question in a journal or simply in your mind as you prayerfully consider what you heard in the sermon and seek to discover what God is inviting you to know and do.

Sermon Study Guide 10-27-2024

SERIES TITLE | For the Bay
Sermon Title:Choosing FOR over AGAINST.
Big Idea: Our cultural moment doesn’t have to morph our character.

Sermon Summary: It is way too easy to drift into the talking points of a particular cause or political candidate without realizing the impact it is having on our own souls. The Apostle Paul shares the kind of forward-looking hope that can help him stay resilient in the face of present pain and challenges. Together, we will examine our own confidence in our ability to rise above the negativity all around us and live in light of a future hope with present kindness.

CONNECT

We all face moments when it feels easier to go along with the crowd or get swept up in cultural debates. Think of a time when you felt pulled into a conversation or cause that left you feeling divided or conflicted. How did it affect your thoughts, emotions, and relationships? What was the impact on your faith?

ENGAGE

Read Philippians 1:1-11 as a group and discuss:

  1. Paul expresses deep confidence in God's work in the lives of the Philippians (v. 6). How does trusting that God is at work in us help us stay grounded when cultural or political pressures rise?
  2. What does it mean to have "discernment" and "pure and blameless" hearts in our current cultural moment (v. 9-10)? How can we discern what is right while avoiding being swept up by cultural narratives?
  3. Paul models gratitude and joy even in challenging circumstances (v. 3-4). How does practicing gratitude and maintaining hope protect our hearts and minds from the negativity and division we see around us?
  4. Paul prays for love to abound and future hope :How does focusing on love and kindness help us resist anger and bitterness in divisive times, and how can our hope in Christ guide our actions in the midst of negativity and cultural pressure?

APPLY

  1. Pray: Take time to reflect on how recent events and cultural conversations have influenced your mindset or attitude. Ask God to help you rise above the noise and live with grace, hope, and discernment.
  2. Serve: Think of someone in your life who sees things differently than you on an important issue. How can you show them kindness, love, or understanding this week, demonstrating the heart of Christ?
  3. Commit: What steps can you take to live with hope and integrity amid cultural pressures? Consider practical ways to align your thoughts and actions with God's work in your life and think about how you can be a light in your community.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, in a world that feels full of negativity, division, and pressure from all sides, we ask for Your strength to live with integrity and grace. Help us stay grounded in the hope we have in You, resisting the pull to conform to what's around us. Give us discernment to see what is true, and let our love grow deeper so that we reflect Your light and kindness in everything we do. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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