Online Connect Group // Renewed // Week 5
Posted July 18, 2020 — Lincoln Berean
July 19, 2020 // Become More Like Him: Part 1 // Philippians 4:1-13
Introduction
We’ve moved into the third section of our RENEWED Vision: Coming together, to know Jesus, become more like Him and help others do the same. Jeff led us through Philippians 4, seeking to help us understand the sufficiency of Christ in a such a way that we can walk into anything He allows in our lives.
We don’t provide a lot of space for your answers to these questions, so we suggest having a journal handy to write down your thoughts. You’re not expected to have time for all these questions during your online meeting, but we encourage you to reflect on them and jot down thoughts on your own.
Getting to Know Each Other (Suggested time: 30 min)
Begin your group time by learning more about each other. Open up and have some fun!
- If you could play any instrument, what would it be? How come?
- What is one of your fondest memories as a child?
Getting Started
Begin to transition into group discussion.
1) Invite someone to open the group in prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items:
a. For God to reveal His truth and love for the group
b. For openness to each other and God’s voice
c. For friendships to deepen and grow
2) This week read the passages as you cover the corresponding question.
Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)
Please complete these questions prior to your group’s meeting time.
1) Jeff stated that being a Christian is not primarily about completing a list of activities but is intended to be a journey of genuine transformation. How do you generally define what it means to be a Christian (completing a list of activities, following Jesus, doing the right things, obeying God, genuine transformation, something else)? What influences have helped form your perspective?
2) Read Philippians 4:6-9. Paul instructs us not to be anxious, but to present our requests to God.
a. What’s been your experience with anxious thoughts and prayer? Have you experienced the peace Paul discusses in these verses?
b. Jeff mentioned that “presenting our requests to God with thanksgiving” is one of the keys to experiencing the peace Paul is talking about here. How does thanksgiving change our mindset about our worries?
c. How does the idea of setting our minds on what is true, honorable, right… (vs. 8) help us experience the peace of God?
3) Read Philippians 4:10-12. Paul talks about contentment and rest in these verses
a. What’s been your experience with contentment? Do you find it easy to be content? Is contentment a struggle for you?
b. It’s been said that one of the keys to contentment is awareness. When I become aware of the new iPhone, I’m now discontent with my current iPhone. In a similar fashion, my awareness of others’ suffering/needs can help me be content with what I have, so I can give to others. What do you think of this idea? What would it mean to put this idea of contentment into practice?
4) Read Philippians 4:13. As Jeff demonstrated in his message, this verse has been misused in many ways over the years from winning the championship as a football team to accomplishing all your dreams.
a. What does the context show Paul actually means by this verse? Have you experienced this in your life?
b. The verses in Philippians 4 flow together to culminate in verse 13. How would consistently experiencing peace (instead of anxiousness) and contentment (instead of always needing something more) change your experience of this verse?
Group Prayer (Suggested time: 10 min)
Take a few moments to prepare a prayer request. What did the discussion cause you to notice about your own relationship with Jesus?
A significant part of “coming together” is being open and honest with our lives. Sitting in a group of people for prayer may be new or it may be familiar to you. Whether or not you choose to verbalize your prayer, everyone is a participant in sharing this time before God together.