"Stirring Up Change" Sermon Questions
1. How did the Spirit use the sermon passage to build up your heart today? How did He use Scripture to press into your sin battles today?

2. What approach did Paul take to motivate the Ephesian Christians to change their behavior? How did he begin? What did he not leave out? How does Paul’s approach differ from those commonly used to motivate change in Christians?

3. What aspects of Paul’s approach to gospel motivation come more naturally to you? What aspects of Paul’s approach do you tend to leave out or minimize?

4. Describe one or two ways Paul’s approach to gospel motivation should influence our parenting?

5. The Bible places sexual sin, greediness, worthless & empty conversation, and indecent humor on the same level (Eph 5:3-5; also read Gal 5:19-21 and Prov. 6:16-19). Why do you think our hearts are prone to approach these sins as if they are not all on the same level? How would the church be different if our hearts were convinced these sins were on the same level?

6. What is your initial response to this quote: “Love is the epicenter of the distinctively Christian way of being in the world - not power, respect or tolerance, and not equality, justice, freedom, enlightenment, or submission. Love is ‘the overall shape of Christian ethics, the form of the human participation in the created order.’” - C. Watkins

7. One author wrote, “Persons are tempted to think that if they are really holy, mature, and Christian, then it would not be difficult or painful to please God.” How does Eph 5:2 engage that belief?

8. What makes it easy for Christians to be tempted to partner with others who have persistent patterns of sin?

"Off and On" Sermon Questions
1. Where does truth come from? How does our secular culture define truth? How do you define truth in your own life?

2. In verse 25, is Paul saying that in order to live God’s way, all we have to do is stop lying? Or is there more to it?

3. Look at verse 26. How can we be angry and not sin? How can anger be righteous (or godly)? What are some examples of unrighteous anger? How have you seen examples of both kinds of anger in your own life?

4. Think about the things that make you the most angry. Evaluate it from Paul’s perspective. Are you more prone to righteous anger or unrighteous anger? If you are prone to unrighteous anger, why do you think that is? How does Jesus display anger (see Mark 3:5)?

5. What does v. 27 tell us about the opportunity we afford the devil in our unrighteous anger?

6. Paul points out the complete transformation from someone who was a thief to someone who is very generous to help those in need. What are ways we can be generous with those in need?

7. How does stealing dishonor God?

8. How can we honor God and others with our words? Why is it important to use words for building up? Isn’t it true that sometimes “the truth hurts”? (verse 29)

9. How can we avoid “grieving the Holy Spirit”?

10. Discuss the different words in verses 31-32 (bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice) vs (kind, tenderhearted, forgiving). How do you see some of these working in your own life?

“Recalibrated Stories" Sermon Questions
1. What common thread links the following passages: Eph 4:18, Mt 7:14-23, Lk 6:43-45, Prov 4:23, Jer 17:5-10, Heb 4:12? How do these passages help us understand what is necessary for lasting change to take place in a Christian's thinking, ways of communicating, and outward actions?

2. Read Isaiah 1:1-20. Identify all the good and faithful things that God's people were practicing. How did God view all that they were doing? What was God most concerned about?

3. Physical callouses develop over time and through repetition. The Bible tells us that even followers of Jesus can develop calloused hearts (Eph 4:19, Heb 3:13, Ps 19:13) where we become less sensitive and unfeeling toward certain sins. Where have you seen your heart become less sensitive to an area of sinfulness?

4. What are some examples of "your former manner of life" (v 22) before faith in Jesus that has been dramatically removed by the Spirit? 5. What areas of your new self are difficult for you to put on (v 24)? What do you think makes it difficult? What is one thing you could start practicing that would help you put on the new self in this area?

6. How is the Spirit using this passage to encourage your heart?

"Oneness That Works" Sermon Questions
1. How does knowing that Jesus has created and is creating a Kingdom "oneness" (Eph 2:11-22 & 4:1-6) encourage you? How do you see Peace Church currently reflecting this Kingdom's "oneness"?

2. Where do you think Peace Church still struggles with living out Kingdom "oneness"? What would help Peace become healthier in this area?

3. Paul points out in Eph 4:2-3 that humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, and an eagerness to maintain unity are essential qualities of every follower of Jesus. Which one of those qualities do you believe is your strongest? Which one of those qualities do you believe is your weakest? When do you tend to stop striving to protect unity?

4. What do you think are the biggest stressors to unity in Jesus' church right now?

5. How does the Bible's teaching about what pastor-teachers are called to do (Eph 4:11-12) differ from what many Christians desire from pastor-teachers? Do you think most Christians are eager to be equipped to do the works of ministry? Why or why not?

6. The Bible tells us that we need to spiritually grow up (v 14-16). Paul includes himself in that need to grow up when he uses the word "we" (v 14, 15). Name one way that you need to grow up spiritually. What is one thing you can do practically to grow up in that area?

"No Limits " Sermon Questions
1. Paul’s heart is eager to make a big deal of God’s greatness. Read Romans 16:25-27 and Jude 24-25. What stirs Paul’s heart in those passages? When do you find your heart most eager to make a big deal of God’s greatness?

2. Sin distorts the human heart to steal glory from God and others. What are some common ways people try to steal glory from God? In what ways do you personally struggle with being a “glory leech”?

3. What are some practical ways to cultivate “glory generosity” in our hearts?

4. Describe a time when God worked in a way that was beyond the limits of what you asked or thought (v20)?

5. How can knowing that God “is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” reshape the way we experience and make sense of painful situations and suffering? Why do we tend to believe that understanding the reasons for God’s confusing actions will make things easier?

6. While you likely affirm God’s omnipotence verbally, where does your daily life expose that your heart practically believes that God’s ability is limited?

7. Paul tells us that God’s power is at work in “us” corporately. Where have you seen God’s powerful work in the life of Peace Church? What powerful work does your heart long to see in the life of Peace?

"Prayer for the Fullness of God" Sermon Questions

1. Are you satisfied with your prayer life? Why or why not? Can you share an example of when you felt the need to pray and you knew it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit?

2. Why do you think Paul speaks of the “inner being” and heart in verses 16-17?

3. Find the themes of predestination and election in this prayer. Why does prayer show God’s sovereignty?

4. What does the “fullness of God” mean?

5. Paul stressed knowing that you are “rooted and grounded” in love. Is this something you are pursuing?

6. What do you think the average Christian’s life would look like if he or she knew the love Paul says we should pray for?

"When Confidence Starts to Slip" Sermon Questions

1. Paul instructs the Christians in Ephesus not to lose motivation for Kingdom work (v. 13) because he was wrongly imprisoned. When do you tend to lose heart about the mission and ministry of the church? Why do you think that is?

2. How do you tend to respond when you lose heart? What do you want your response in those situations to accomplish?

3. How does Paul’s self-description in 1 Cor 15:9, Eph 3:8, and 1 Tim 1:13-15 impact you? How do you think Rom 12:3 relates? How does the American church struggle with this issue?

4. While we have not been called to steward the gift of apostleship in the same manner as Paul (Eph 3:2), each of us has been given gifts of God’s grace to steward (Rom 12:3-8, 1 Cor 12). What are some ways to discern which gifts have been entrusted to you? What do you think your top two gifts are and how are you exercising them for others (cf Eph 3:1,2,8,13)?

5. What hinders people in the church from exercising their spiritual gifts more? What if the gift you have is not the one you want?

6. God’s eternal plan has been for the church to be the central instrument of advancing his Kingdom in this world (Eph 3:10). What would it practically look like for the average follower of Jesus to orient his or her life according to that aspect of God’s plan? Name reasons some Christians give to defend their decision not to have the church be central to their life as a follower of Jesus.

7. How did the Spirit use the preaching of the Word from this passage in your heart?

"Jesus Our Peace" Sermon Questions
1. This passage tells us that Jesus is our peace. Can you think of other truths or designations that are given to Jesus in Scripture such as, “Jesus is Lord,” “Jesus is Savior,” or “Jesus is God”? How is Jesus our peace? How does the Bible define peace?

2. Why is Paul stressing this “oneness” that Jesus brought to the Jew and Gentile? Why is there such energy from Paul in these verses? Does he overdo it?

3. The preacher spoke of hostility. What has brought about the hostility Paul talks about? Can we be hostile to God? See Romans 8:7 and Ephesians 2:1-3 Does the word “hostility” describe you in your relationship with God?

4. Is being “hostile” toward others sometimes descriptive of you? Would your family say that is an accurate term? What is hostility vs. anger or frustration?

5. What does verse 17 tell us about Jesus’ preaching? What is Jesus fundamentally about?

6. We are told that we have equal access to the Father with other believers. How should that influence our prayer life?

"When Outcasts Have a Home" Sermon Questions
1. It is God’s will and design for his people to cultivate deep community in the church. How does a community of “citizens” (v 19) in a city differ from a community of “members” in a “household” (v19)? Which of those metaphors does the American church tend to reflect the most? Why do you think that is?

2. Seminary professor Dr. John Leonard writes, “Western Christians live out their faith primarily in an individual and internal fashion. However, when I study the Scriptures, they seem to place the weight of expression of the Christian faith on the communal and physical. This doesn’t mean that the Bible isn’t calling us as individuals to repent and believe, or that our faith doesn’t touch all these areas of our life, but the gospel impacts and changes more than my individual life. It builds a community, a people, and a society.” What does this quote stir up in you? In what ways does your life reflect a faith that is primarily individual and internal?

3. God reinforces to us in this passage that he is the one building his household in this broken world. Read Mat 16:13-20 and 1 Cor 3:1-9. What do we learn from those passages about how the church grows? Why do our hearts want to believe that the building and growth of the church depend on us? If our hearts were convinced of what God tells us in verses 20-22, how would our ministry look different?

4. The Spirit is active and lives within the community of Christians. Notice how the emphasis in these verses is not on the Spirit living in the individual Christian. The Spirit works through individual people to lavish his grace on Christian brothers and sisters. One of the reasons the Lord commands us not to regularly miss worship (Heb 10:25) is so that we can be the Spirit’s instrument of mercy and hope to others at church. How does that reason for attending worship differ from the common reason why people go to church?

5. How is the Spirit using the preached Word from this week in your heart?

"Hit Repeat" Sermon Questions
1. Paul's instruction to remember in verses 11 and 12 highlights that the human heart struggles with spiritual forgetfulness and a craving for spiritual novelty. Name some different reasons that contribute to our spiritual forgetfulness. Which of those reasons are at work in your heart?

2. How does our culture disciple us to place higher value and priority on novelty?

3. The words "separated", "alienated", and "strangers" in verse 12 reflect
tremendous pain and divisiveness. Divisiveness is a constant characteristic of every community without Jesus. Describe how you see this at work in the world right now. Where do you see it still lingering in Jesus' church in America?

4. Read Gen 15 and 17:1-14. How do those passages inform our understanding of Eph. 2:11? Read Gal. 2:11-16. What did "the circumcision" group insist on? The human heart's impulse is to create additional spiritual performance requirements in order to be true followers of Jesus. The human heart's impulse is to create a "Jesus + _____ = rescue" system. Describe some of the ways you have experienced
"Jesus +" in the church? In what ways do you still struggle with "Jesus +"?

5. How does the passive nature of the believer's nearness, as described in verse 13, differ from common teaching in American churches? How does that passive past tense verb comfort the Christian?

6. How did the Spirit use the sermon in your soul this week?

"According to His Will" Sermon Questions
1. God has always had a plan to rescue his people from sin and misery. Read Genesis 3:15; 6:13-14, 8:1, 21; Exodus 6:1, 13:17, 21; Ezra 1:2-3 and discuss how God rescued the people in each passage.

2. In what ways does ‘religion’ try to deal with life’s big question?

3. The Bible claims that we need rescuing from our own sin and rebellion. Where do we see that idea in the Bible and in our own lives?

4. How do we see God the Father working in this passage to rescue us?

5. How do we see God the Son (Jesus) working in this passage to rescue us?

6. How do we see God the Spirit working in this passage to rescue us?

"What Are We Looking At" Sermon Questions
1. What are some of the struggles and failures of the Christians in Ephesus (scan chapters 4 - 6)? Paul starts this section by seeing the good in the Ephesian believers and giving thanks (vs 15-16) for what he sees. When is it difficult for you to see the good in others? What makes it easier to see more of the good in some than in others? How often do you encourage others about the good work you see God doing in them?

2. What is the hope of the statement, “you see what you look for”? What is the danger of that statement? How does that statement shape your experience of the Christian life? Of life in the church?

3. Paul desperately wanted the believers in Ephesus to really experience and know the hope (v 18), the inheritance (v 18), and the power (v 19) of the gospel. Which of those three do you tend to see and experience the most? Which of those three do you have the most struggle seeing and
knowing? Why do you think that is?

4. How do the majority of prayer requests and prayers in community groups, Sunday school classes, and other smaller Christian gatherings differ from the focus of Paul’s prayer in this passage? How would our prayers sound different in our smaller gatherings if this passage shaped our practice?

5. Group exercise: Do a web search for “Pray Beyond the Sick List | PCA CDM”.Read the brief article together and discuss.

6. If verse 22 is true, how should it shape our interest in and experience with culture?

"Even When"Sermon Questions
1. Describe a part of the sermon that encouraged you and explain why.

2. Describe a part of the sermon that discouraged or unsettled you and explain why.

3. In verses 1- 3, Paul paints a sobering picture of the natural state of the human heart. How does this differ from our culture's current explanation of people and their actions and motives? Describe some ways that you struggle with minimizing the reality of verses 1-3 in daily life.

4. In his book Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund writes, "Christ was sent not to mend wounded people or wake sleepy people or advise confused people or inspire bored people or spur on lazy people or educate ignorant people, but to raise dead people." Why do we prefer to think of the natural condition of people as wounded, sleepy, confused, bored, lazy, or ignorant rather than dead? How can that preferred thinking influence the way ministry is done? Why do we as Christians have a tendency to get mad at spiritually dead people for living like spiritually dead people?

5. How might Ephesians 1:20 and 2:6 guide your conversation with a Christian friend who believes that God should remove his love because of what he or she has done (e.g., his marriage is falling apart, she cannot treat her children better than her mom treated her, he is struggling with misusing his prescription pain meds, etc.)?

6. For what part of our spiritual rescue can we take credit? What moves us to want to have something to boast about? (cf 2:9)

7. If we are united to Jesus, then we have been created to go about doing good works (2:10). What do the following verses say about good works: Titus 1:16, 2:4, 3:18, Mt 5:16, 1 Tim 5:25, 6:18, 2 Cor 9:8, and Phil 1:6? How are you living out Eph 2:10? Describe how you see others in your community group living out Eph 2:10.

“Freedom’s Wholeness” Sermon Questions
1. Our society defines freedom as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” This view is called “negative freedom” and has become the chief moral good in our country. What philosophical and practical problems does this approach create?

2. How or where do you see the impact of this view of freedom on your own heart and practice?

3. What fraudulent promises have idols made to your heart? Read Gal. 4:8, Titus 3:3, Ezekiel 14:1-5. What idols shaped your heart before you came to know God? Read 1 John 5:21. To whom is the author writing? Why would he give that command to them and what does it tell us about the experience of the Christian life? What idols are your heart drawn to since you came to know God?

4. Paul reminds us in verse 7 that God lavished grace on us “in all wisdom and insight”. What was Paul referring to with that phrase? How should knowing that impact the Christian’s sense of assurance? When is your sense of grace’s assurance rattled most?

5. Read Mt 24:37-42. Who was taken in the days of Noah? What was left? Read Romans 8:18-25. Along with God’s people, what else will be set free (i.e., redeemed)? Read Rev. 21:1-4. Whose dwelling place changes according to this passage? How would you connect these three passages with Eph 1:10?

6. If our mission as Christians is to live out our Father’s plan (Eph 1:10), what are some practical things (a) you are doing and (b) what could you start doing to reflect Jesus’ aim to unify?

"I've Got You!" Sermon Questions
1. Paul begins this section of his letter by highlighting reasons God’s people have to bless (e.g., to praise) God. When do you find it easy and natural to praise God? When do you find it more difficult and challenging to give God praise?

2. God is zealous about making his people “holy and blameless” (v. 4,) Read Col 1:22 and Phil 2:14-15. In what situational context does God want his people to be holy and blameless? What does this have to do with evangelism and outreach?

3. Why do you think that many Christians are more concerned about the world not being holy and blameless than they are about becoming more holy and blameless themselves?

4. What does this quote stir up in you: “Predestination was never meant to be a doctrinal club used to batter people into acknowledgments of God’s sovereignty. Rather, the message of God’s love preceding our accomplishments and outlasting our failures was meant to give us a profound sense of confidence and security in God’s love so that we will not despair in situations of great difficulty, pain, and shame.” ~Bryan Chapell

5. How does verse 4 differ from the teaching that God’s election or predestination is based on him looking down the tunnel of time to see who would choose him? (see also Mk 13:20, John 1:12-13, 6:44, 70, 15:16, Rom 9:11).

6. Read the following verses and note how they refer to Jesus: Eph 1:6, Mt 4:17, Lk 9:35, Mk 1:24. Read Col 3:12. What do you notice? How does this relate to the doctrine of “union with Christ”?

7. How many times does Paul use plural first-person pronouns in Eph 1:3-6? What does that teach us about how God intends for us to become holy and blameless? What hinders us from living that out?