ENGAGE INSPIRE EQUIP

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Life Group Sermon Study

On Watching Your Speech August 9/10, 2014

Break the Ice:

ENGAGE

(The purpose of these first questions is to help your group open up. Please don’t feel like you have to ask each question. Once you feel like the group is ready, move onto the “Inspire” section.)

• What challenged you from the sermon this past week? • Aaron said, “The primary purpose of Proverbs is to instruct us in the path of wisdom.” Share with the group some of the wisdom you learned from studying Proverbs over the past several weeks. Prayer: Take some time to pray for God to speak to your group through this week’s study. Questions:

IN SP IRE

(Since the group may need time to process each question, don’t let silence scare you. Try to avoid filling the space with unnecessary explanation or moving on from the question too quickly.)

1. Read Proverbs 10:19, 21:23, and James 3:2-12. • What jumps out at you from these verses? • What do these verses say about our tongue? • In our everyday conversations, how seriously do we consider James 3:9?

2. Read James 5:8-9, Colossians 4:6, Proverbs 18:2, Proverbs 18:4, Proverbs 18:6-7, and Ephesians 4:29. • What do you think is at the core of a person who complains? What about one who criticizes? Brags? • Can criticism be a good thing? If so, in what circumstances? If not, why not?

3. Read Proverbs 12:17-22, Proverbs 17:27-28, Proverbs 20:19, and Proverbs 26:20-28, and Ephesians 5:4. • In Ephesians 5:4, why do you think Paul instructs us to focus on being thankful? • Why does telling a quick lie come easily sometimes? • How do your surroundings affect how you speak?

4. Read Matthew 12:33-37. • How serious are our words to Jesus? • How can we change and protect ourselves from sinning with our words? Application:

EQUIP

(These questions will challenge your group members to apply the study to their daily lives. It is highly important that you go over this section with your group each week for the group study to be a success. Set aside 15-20 minutes at the end of your study to go over this section.)

Challenge yourself to think about the following questions and use them when you are tempted to speak in a manner that doesn’t bring glory to God: • Is it true? • Is it helpful? • Is it kind? Prayer: Take some time to pray over each group member’s identified action steps and life issues. Equip Your Mind: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)