Creekside Community Church
Three Pre-Conditions to Receiving the Gospel Made Personal
Creekside Community Church “The Book of Philemon” The Forgotten Letters July 15, 2018 Greg V. Arthur - Pastor
Locations & Times
Creekside Community Church
951 MacArthur Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94577, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
1.Approachable - Open to Being Wrong
Philem 1-7 – Philemon
Philem 8-18 – Open
Col 4:7-9 – Onesimus
Philem 1-7 – Philemon
Philem 8-18 – Open
Col 4:7-9 – Onesimus
2.Teachable - Willing to Change My Mind
Philem 19-21 – Willing
Col 3:10-11 – The New Man
Philem 19-21 – Willing
Col 3:10-11 – The New Man
3.Forgiving in Heart
Philem 22 - Forgiving
Col 3:13 – Just as the Lord Forgive You
Mark 11:25 – Forgive Anyone of Anything
Matt 18:35 – From the Heart
A Fourth Pre-Condition to Receiving the Gospel Made Personal
4. Living in Community
Philem 23-25 – Community
4. Living in Community
Philem 23-25 – Community
For further thought and discussion:
Getting Started
1.What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2.When has your faith grown the most? The least? What made the difference?
Getting Started
1.What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2.When has your faith grown the most? The least? What made the difference?
Going Deeper
3.Do you believe God cares about you personally through His people?
4.Have you seen the redemption of some part of your life that came through a personal interaction with a Christian? Why is it necessary to be in close community with Christians to experience the power of the gospel of Christ made personal in your day-to-day life?
5.Do you agree that to receive the gospel of Christ in your day-to-day life, it takes openness to being wrong, willingness to change your mind, and forgiveness in heart?
6.Would you say you are ready and able to receive the gospel of Christ in your day-to-day life? Are you an approachable person (open to being wrong), a teachable person (willing to change your mind), and a forgiving person (forgiving in heart)? Which is more difficult for you?
7.How do you become more open, willing, and forgiving? Why is our openness related to God’s righteousness? Why is our willingness related God’s goodness? Why is our forgiveness related to God’s forgiveness?
8.Would you agree the heart of the gospel of Christ is forgiveness just as the He has forgiven us? Would you also agree that it’s our job to forgive by faith, but the Lord’s job to complete the work of forgiveness in our hearts?
9.How might my life change if I truly believe that God cares about me personally through His people? for me?
Application: What is one thing you have learned from this passage and how will you apply it to your life?
3.Do you believe God cares about you personally through His people?
4.Have you seen the redemption of some part of your life that came through a personal interaction with a Christian? Why is it necessary to be in close community with Christians to experience the power of the gospel of Christ made personal in your day-to-day life?
5.Do you agree that to receive the gospel of Christ in your day-to-day life, it takes openness to being wrong, willingness to change your mind, and forgiveness in heart?
6.Would you say you are ready and able to receive the gospel of Christ in your day-to-day life? Are you an approachable person (open to being wrong), a teachable person (willing to change your mind), and a forgiving person (forgiving in heart)? Which is more difficult for you?
7.How do you become more open, willing, and forgiving? Why is our openness related to God’s righteousness? Why is our willingness related God’s goodness? Why is our forgiveness related to God’s forgiveness?
8.Would you agree the heart of the gospel of Christ is forgiveness just as the He has forgiven us? Would you also agree that it’s our job to forgive by faith, but the Lord’s job to complete the work of forgiveness in our hearts?
9.How might my life change if I truly believe that God cares about me personally through His people? for me?
Application: What is one thing you have learned from this passage and how will you apply it to your life?