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Zealous

[expand title=”Zeal For Truth”]

18.January.2015

at the MSU Venue

Titus 1
2 Corinthians 8:16,22-23
Galatians 2:20
1 Corinthians 15:10

Quick Thoughts

Zeal is something that we’re familiar with as a culture. People are zealous about all kinds of things: Beards, WWE, Spartan Basketball, Bowhunting, and Quilting. But when it comes to the Christian faith, we often are relatively quiet. We shout the glory of man but often only whisper the glory of God. Why is that?

Paul’s letter to Titus stresses that zealous living comes as an overflow of the gospel blossoming in our lives. In Titus 1, I see Paul stressing that our zeal is for the gospel for those who aren’t Christians yet and in protecting the purity of the gospel for Christians. In the middle of this sandwich, Paul charges Timothy to put godly leaders in place to steward the gospel in the church – and that’s the role of pastors!

Zeal isn’t something that we stir up or manufacture in our lives. You don’t need to have a specific personality to be zealous. You simply need to allow the gospel to bear the fruit that God desires for it to bear in you.

Conversation

  1. What stuck with you from this week’s message?
  2. What’s one area of passion or zeal in your life that few people know about?
  3. When you hear the word zeal used in the context of the Christian faith, what’s your gut reaction?
  4. Check out Titus 1:1-3. What do you think most greatly affects your passion or zeal for making the gospel known to those who aren’t Christians in your life?
  5. What kinds of questions or thoughts come up in your mind when you think about the doctrine of election (Titus 1:2)? Election is God choosing some to respond to the gospel message and become His children.
  6. Check out Titus 1:5-9. Leadership in the church has the responsibility to protect the purity of the message of the gospel for followers of Jesus. Why do you think Paul is so strong with the exhortation to rebuke those who are false teachers and divisive? Many try to be zealous in their faith but find it short lived. Why do you think it’s vital to live the Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit and as an overflow of the gospel?

Useful Links

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[expand title=”Zeal For Growth”]

25.January.2015

at the MSU Venue

Titus 1:16 – Titus 2:14

Quick Thoughts

The gospel is the foundation for everything in the Christian life. Because of Jesus I am who I am and because of Jesus I do what I do. Last week we saw that zeal isn’t something we stir up in our lives, but it is the overflow of what Jesus has done in us.

This week the same is true: We are zealous to grow and reflect Jesus in our life because of His tremendous goodness to us in the gospel. Zeal is the overflow of believing and living gospel truth.

Conversation

  1. What stuck with you from this week’s message?
  2. Check out Titus 1:16-2:6. Why do you think self-control is a character challenge for all age groups?
  3. Check out Titus 2:11-12. How do you think the gospel message speaks into our struggle with self-control?
  4. How do you think the Holy Spirit trains us to be self-controlled?
  5. What do you think causes the outside world to look at the church today and criticize God’s Word?
  6. Paul spoke to bondservants and challenged them to live in such a way as to make Jesus attractive to a watching world. Slaves were challenged to live this way in spite of their circumstances. Which circumstances in your life cause you to reflect Jesus and the gospel poorly to a watching world?
  7. Check out Titus 2:13-14. How do you think the Gospel message has the power to makes us a people who are zealous to do good works? What in your thinking needs to change in order to have that be true of you?

Useful Links

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[expand title=”Zeal For The Gospel”]

1.February.2015

at the MSU Venue

Titus 2:14 – Titus 3
Ephesians 2:10
Colossians 1:13
2 Cor. 4:4
Matthew 5:14-16
1 Peter 2:12

Quick Thoughts

Zeal in our walk with Jesus doesn’t come from trying harder to be good or from somehow stirring ourselves up into an emotional frenzy. It comes from allowing the life transforming truth of the gospel to seep into every aspect of our lives.

Because of Jesus I am who I am. And because of Jesus I do what I do.

If what we do as a Christian doesn’t come out of a life caught up with the amazing goodness of God evidenced in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf, following Jesus will feel like a duty and the Christian faith will feel like religion. But if the gospel captures us, those truths will fuel a zeal to live for Jesus and point others to Him.

Conversation

  1. What stuck with you from this week’s message?
  2. Check out Titus 2:14-Titus 3:2.Why do you think Paul directly connects the gospel and it’s impact on someone’s life with the motivation to follow Jesus?
  3. When you read Titus 3:1-2, which of these areas do you think causes you the most challenge? And why? How do you think your challenge with that area is connected with a disconnect with the gospel?
  4. Check out Ephesians 2:10. How do you feel about the idea that in Christ God has created you to do good works?
  5. Check out Titus 3:3. What do you do with the memories of what your life was like before Jesus? If you are still exploring the faith, how do you feel about the idea of a life before Jesus and a life after embracing the gospel message?
  6. Check out Titus 3:4-7. Why do you think this needs to be the core motivation for your life? If you don’t live out of the goodness of this message, what do you think are the ramifications?

Useful Links

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