Real Change

In light of Paul's story, and the other points made about personal change, what is a mark of authenticity that indicates real change in a person's life once he or she begins to follow Christ? In other words, what's an indicator that a person is truly serious about living the Christian life and not just treating it like a hobby?

(Maybe consider Jesus' descriptions of the different types of soil in the parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13)

MM

Experiencing God Through Scripture

Feel free to post a comment on the sermon. Since the topic for this week is experiencing God through Scripture, instead of posting a question, I thought it would be good to list three of the best Bible study resources available on the web. 

The Online Bible site is especially helpful because it allows you to download Bible study and research software, whole searchable texts of the Bible, and many commentaries and maps, all for free. 

Here's the list: 

http://www.onlinebible.net/

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://biblos.com/

MM

Love As A Key To Knowing

It's a common idea that love blurs people's vision--that it distorts people's view of reality. In the message for today, I've said the opposite--that a truly loving heart brings one closer to the truth and makes a person's perception of reality more clear and accurate. 

Usually someone's judgment is clouded by "love" when love is understood only as an emotion. Considering the way Jesus equates love for him with obedience to his commands in John 14:19-24, what more is love than just emotion? 

What would be a good example of someone acting in love when the loving act may not involve warm feelings? 

MM

Let Go and Let God

What things do we need to let go of in our lives and let God be the center?  What will this accomplish?

Are there things you have let go of and given to God?  What changed?

 

Bobby Gohn

Defining Sin

When Christians talk about sin with people outside the Church (and sometimes inside), they're often perceived as prudish, hypocritical or arrogant. 

When is this an accurate perception and when is it not? When is it appropriate for Christians to protest sin in the larger culture and when is it inappropriate? 

MM

Gwen's Story

What in Gwen's story about her experience in prayer struck you the most? 

Also, most of us know well the external factors that keep us distracted, like Martha doing kitchen work while Mary sat at Jesus' feet (Luke 10). But what are some internal factors that keep us from realizing the active and immediate presence of God? Maybe inner attitudes, or perhaps our secular culture has shaped our thinking in such a way that we've often trained ourselves not to see the supernatural, resulting in a cultivated blindness. 

MM

Passover and Communion

How does knowing God orchestrated the connection between Passover and Easter in such a detailed way over a period of 1,300 years change our perspective on experiences of suffering or confusion in our own lives?

MM