ENGAGE INSPIRE

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Life Group Sermon Study

A Much Better Deal November 16-17, 2013

Break the Ice:

ENGAGE

(A key part of healthy group life is to make sure your group gets to know each other and builds good relationships. 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.)

• If you could live to be 100, but could keep either the body or the mind of a 30-year-old, which would you choose and why? • What did God teach you during the message this weekend? Did anything in particular stand out? Prayer: Take some time to pray for God to speak to your group through this week’s study. Questions:

IN SP IRE

(Each question has a lot to unpack. 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. Aaron said, “God’s Word isn’t just meant to be merely understood; but to be applied. How can you apply it if you don’t understand it?” • Can you think of any sections of Scripture that you just don’t understand? If so, what are they and what questions do you have? What could you do to seek understanding? • Is there a Scripture you have read which you understand but you choose not to apply? Why? What does the Word lead you to do? How can you do that? 2. Aaron reminded us, “The book of Hebrews was written to converted Hebrew Jews, and so the Old Testament history and law was a big deal to them. Their biggest struggle was wrestling with reverting back to the ‘law’ or following Jesus and accepting His ‘grace.’” Hebrews 7 picks up where Hebrews 5:10 left off. Read Hebrews 7:1-10 & Genesis 14:17-20. Aaron mentioned that while the Levitical was a thing for a time, Jesus is a “thing for all time.” Abraham was the patriarch, yet he gave a tithe of what he won in battle, emphasizing how great Melchizedek was. Jesus is even greater than the Abrahamic covenant, and Melchizedek is a picture of that. • What do we know about Melchizedek? How did Abraham regard him? How do Abraham’s tithe and the blessing of Melchizedek demonstrate the greatness of Melchizedek?

3. Read Hebrews 7:11-17. Priests were always derived from the Levitical line. Moses didn’t anticipate that our great high priest, Jesus, would come from the line of Judah. This reveals that Jesus didn’t become our priest because He was born into the right family, but because He was ordained and sent from God. • In what ways is Jesus like the Melchizedek portrayed here? In what ways is Jesus different from Melchizedek? Re-read Hebrews 7:16 (which is talking about Jesus). 4. Read Hebrews 7:18-22. • Why was the law set aside? Do you think the law failed? If so, how? In what ways is Jesus a better priest than the priests under the Jewish system? The author was showing the Jews Jesus’ superiority over the priests, because they were tempted to go back to their old ways. • What are some of the “old ways” that tempt you to turn from Jesus? When and where do they come up the most? How is Jesus superior to the old ways in your life?

5. Read Hebrews 7:23-28. Aaron said, “Religion makes us fearful and failures. You know you’re religious when you are feeling that God is trying to get you, you are trying to be ‘good,’ when God seems so distant, and when you have a fear of death. Relationship with Jesus gives us freedom, confidence, and hope.” • Do you have religion or relationship with Jesus? What are the evidences of this in your life?

Life Group Sermon Study

A Much Better Deal November 16-17, 2013

Application:

EQUIP

(These questions will challenge your group members to apply the study to their daily lives. How can they live out what they take in? It is highly important that you go over this section with your group each week for the group study to be a success.)

Read 2 Peter 3:9. Aaron said, “Sincerity doesn’t get you to God. Trying harder doesn’t get you to God. Only through grace that comes through repentance, enacted by faith, which is stirred up by hearing the Word of God.” Now read Ephesians 2:13-19. • What separates you from God right now? Guilt? Shame? Your past? Objections? Pride? • What action steps can you take to allow Jesus to move you past these barriers? Prayer: Take some time to pray over each group member’s identified action steps and life issues. Equip Your Mind: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13, ESV)