What?

• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?

So What?

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?

Now What?

• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

Speaker: Pete Briscoe

Text: Galatians 1:11-15

Additional Related Texts: Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 3:25; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4, 6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 5:8, 9; Colossians 2:15; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:21, 27; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 4:4; Romans 8:38; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Philippians 2:1; Romans 8:10; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:1

What?

• What are the two defining moments in every truly transformed person’s life?
• Which passages from the above list apply to the following words?
  Purification (everything necessary to wash your sins away was completed on the cross)

  Propitiation (atonement) (everything necessary to appease God’s wrath was done…)

  Co-crucifixion (everything necessary to give you a fresh start was executed on the cross)

  Ransom (everything necessary to free you from bondage was achieved on the cross)

  Demonstration (everything necessary to give you victory was finished on the cross)

  Resurrection (everything necessary for you to experience Life was finished at the cross)

So What?

• Which of the following statements can be said by all believers who have placed their faith in finished work of Christ?
  … I am completely forgiven

  … I am relationally restored

  … I receive his righteousness

  … I am justified

  … I’m never condemned

  … I escape his wrath

  … I am free from the power of sin

  … I am free from the law

  … I get a fresh start

  … I am part of God’s family

  … I don’t ever have to worry about losing it!

  … I don’t need to fear Satan

  … I am born again (regeneration)

  … I am indwelt by him

  … I am in union with him

  … I experience Life

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?

Now What?

• Have you ever experienced Conversion; that dynamic moment when the former life ends, and the new life starts?  Why not today?
• Are you a believer?  What  is the significance of this message for the believer?  What did the speaker mean when he exhorted us to “Preach the gospel to yourself every day”?

Speaker:  Pete Briscoe

Texts: Galatians 1:1-10; Acts 15

What?

• What was the point of the speaker’s illustration where motor oil was mixed with coffee?
• Why was the apostle Paul so upset when he wrote this letter to the church at Galatia?
• Did anything that Pete wrote onto the whiteboard surprise you?
• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?

So What?

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?
• Why do people sometimes try mix law and grace?  What it the temptation to engage this mixture?
• How seriously did Paul take the compromising of the gospel message?
• How does one maintain a true gospel message?

Now What?

• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

Speaker: Pete Briscoe

Texts: Luke 4:16-21; Galatians 5:1; Acts 15:5

What?

• What does it mean to be free in Christ?
• Why do you think Jesus skipped the material on “vengeance” when he was quoting from Isaiah in Luke 4?
• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?

So What?

• Is it possible to be positionally free but not practically free?
• Do you think some people prefer the security of slavery over the risks of freedom?
• What are some forms of spiritual slavery that people might find themselves in? (Galatians 5:13; Galatians 1:10; Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:38; Galatians 3:3)
• If you have been set free, how are you to live out that freedom?
• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?

Now What?

• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

_________________

We’re working through the New Testament book of Galatians on Sundays, but that’s just the beginning of the dance. If you really want to grow, you might step into one of these:

1.      Our pastors are leading a series of Galatians groups in your community. It’s not a Bible study like you’ve been to before—it’s a chance to see your Bible with new eyes and learn to read it on your own. Head to the big door after services and find out where and when you can cut in.

2.      The tool our pastors are using is available for you, your friends, or your family. Download it at ThreadMatters.com for free and learn at home.

3.      Apply the Sunday message by stepping through the sermon questions on our website. Do it solo, or discuss it with your small group. Head to http://blogs.btbfmedia.org/experiencelife/ for the questions.

4.      Court one of the many books we recommend on Galatians at the kiosk in the Crossing. Read it and invite someone to join you.
Whatever your tempo, cut into this dance. Ask a pastor under the big door on Sunday, or get into Galatians through our website: www.benttree.org.

What?

• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?

So What?

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?

Now What?

• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

Speaker: Stuart Briscoe

Text: Ephesians 3;7-12

What?

• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?
• What is the Church?

So What?

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?
• What do you think are the results of a generation that does not understand that Church is not somewhere you go, but is something that you are?
• What are the practical implications of The Church being the body of Christ?
• What is the relationship between the Church and the Gospel?

Now What?

• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

Action Step:

Lifesigns is a tool to facilitate a conversation between you and your Heavenly Father.  If you do not receive an email with a link to Lifesigns, you can go to the BentTree.org website to participate.  Our hearts desire is that everyone who calls Bent Tree home will take their Lifesigns.

Speaker: Pete Briscoe

Text: Galatians 5

Date: 01/15/2012

What?

• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?
• What is the distinction the speaker is making between marching and dancing?

So What?

• How does the speaker connect righteousness to his dance metaphor? (Romans 1:16; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Ephesians 4; Colossians 1:9-14, 21-23; Colossians 3:1-11; 1 Peter 1:3-12; 2 Peter 1:3-11)
• What significance does today’s message have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?

Now What?

• Where do you stand as a believer before God?
• How would you live your life if you fully believed the passages of Scripture the speaker led you through about your identity in Christ?
• Truth is not something we merely listen to or believe; it is something we act upon. What is the proper response to this message?

Action Step:

Lifesigns is a tool to facilitate a conversation between you and your Heavenly Father.  If you do not receive an email with a link to Lifesigns, you can go to the BentTree.org website to participate.  Our hearts desire is that everyone who calls Bent Tree home will take their Lifesigns.

What?

• What was the overarching premise and the key points from this sermon?
• What Scripture and reasoning was used to support these truths?
• What did the the speaker mean when he said that walking with Christ is like western line dancing?
• What point was the speaker making when he said that dancing is messier than marching?

So What?

• What significance do these truths have for your life? Our church? The broader culture?
• Do you think that unbelievers see believers as dancers or marchers?  Is that an accurate perspective?  What are the implications for our evangelism?

Now What?

• Are you a marcher or a dancer?  What would dancing look like in your life?  Are you willing to step onto the dance floor?

What?

Why would the Christmas season be one of the loneliest times of the year for some people?

Everyone is afraid of something? What are the things that you fear?

So What?

Once you have identified your fears, what do you do with them?

What does the Bible say about your fear struggles?

In Luke 2:9, why were the shepherds terrified when the angel of the Lord appeared to them?

The angel proclaiming the birth of Christ told the shepherds “Do Not Be Afraid.” What kind of assurance would you need in order to “not be afraid”?

What was the reason that the shepherd shared with the shepherds as to why they should not be afraid?

Throughout the Old Testament the hope of God’s people was placed in a Messiah who would change everything. Jesus changes everything. What is the significance of this for your fears?

Now What?

No matter what kind of person you are, Jesus is the only hope you have. Have you surrendered yourself to him?

Will you surrender your fears to Jesus?

What are some steps you can take towards surrendering yourself and all your fears to Jesus?

Matthew 25: 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Discussion Questions

What?

The sermon text does not teach some kind of works salvation; it simply assumes that those who have experienced the grace of God will be concerned about and care for those who are the least of the brothers and sisters. How does Faith Promise relate to this?

Who in our world would qualify as being the least of the brethren?

So What?

This year Bent Tree will be reaching out locally and globally in four areas all beginning with a “C”. Can you name them? (Children at risk, those in Crisis, Cities, and Churches)

Can you identify ways in which Bent Tree can serve in these areas both locally and globally?

The above text assumes that authentic Christians will reach out with love to those in need. We see this in the consistently counter-intuitive teaching of Jesus. Consider this text from Luke 14;

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

How does this passage relate to Faith Promise?

Now consider this passage from Luke 6:

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

How does this passage apply to you in terms of living out your faith daily?

Now What?

Would you ask God what he would you be involved in?
Would you ask God what he would have you give towards Faith Promise?

What application does the following passage from Matthew 6 have the the conclusions you arrive at about the previous two questions?

¹ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.