Life Groups 10-15-2017

Introduction

Most major world religions are marked by their strict moral
standards, rules and traditions that must be kept, rituals that must performed,
holidays that must observed. When people think of religion, they often assume a
fix-yourself, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, self-righteous, moralistic elitism;
a stereotype which is often perpetuated by television, music and movies.
Christianity is often seen as self-help, at it’s very best. Our culture believes
that to be a Christian, you’ve got to clean up your life; you’ve got to finally
become ‘good enough’ and have it all together. Why has our culture
fundamentally missed the message of Christianity? Christianity is less about
what we do and more about what Jesus has done. Christianity is less about being
better and more about becoming new. How is it possible that popular culture has
so misunderstood the Christian faith and has actually created a mutated form of
belief?

The true, original, simple and beautiful message of
Christianity is that God has come to rescue us! Christianity isn’t simply
punching your ticket for an afterlife in heaven; it’s the good news of what
Jesus has done on our behalf to restore us to relationship with God. A.W. Tozer
once wrote, “The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an
intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that
they may delight in His presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the
very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” This longing to know
and experience God is seen in the lives of biblical figures like King David,
Mary, and Paul. This longing is seen in church history in Polycarp, Augustine, Martin
Luther, and Amy Carmichael. Does this same longing, yearning, and passionate
pursuit of God mark us? Is there a gap between saints of the past and
ourselves? Are we too easily content with low-grade, suburban spirituality?

Read Philippians 3:1-4:1

Discussion Questions

Explore

1. Have you ever visited another country, either on vacation
or for work? What was your experience like? How was that culture similar or different
from your own?

Engage

2. What does Paul warn the Philippians to look out for in
Philippians 3:2-3? What does Paul mean when he says he could have confidence in
the flesh? How do modern people have confidence in the flesh?

3. How does Paul contrast two different forms of
righteousness in Philippians 3:7-9?

4. In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul gives at least two reasons
why Christians should grow in their godliness; what are they and why do they
matter as motivations for holiness?

5. Paul encourages the Philippians to follow his example in
Philippians 3:17. Why is imitation such an important part of true learning?

6. Paul warns the Christian community about enemies of
Christ in Philippians 3:18-20. For the enemies of Christ, what is their
outcome? Who is their God? What is their glory?

7. In Philippians 3:20-4:1, what is Paul getting at when he
encourages the Philippians to live as citizens of Heaven?

Apply

8. Why do you think most of American evangelicals seem to be
content with a low-grade spirituality? Why do you think we, as modern evangelical
Christians living in America, are so distracted, indifferent, and satisfied
with lesser things?

9. The main aim of the Christian life isn’t merely to
improve our moral actions, but to know God. How can we get so sidetracked with
other priorities? What is the relationship between morality and knowing God?

10. What are some of the secondary pursuits and passions in
your life that distract you from the primary purpose of existence? What sorts
of things stir your imagination, affection and passion for Jesus to accomplish
the mission he has given us?

11. Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to lay aside everything that
might hinder us from our race of faith. What sorts of things can you identify
in your life that aren’t sin but do hinder you from what’s truly and eternally significant?
What practical steps can you take to re-prioritize?

Memory Verse -
Philippians 3:8 ESV

Indeed, I count
everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord.