Cornerstone Class Outline for 2/10/19
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Announcements,
praises and prayer requests—Joe Kerns
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Introduction:
o Thanks for
bearing with me as I learn how to be a discussion leader.
§ I’ll be asking more life-application type questions, which don’t have yes/no answers.
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Previously I’ve asked
interpretive questions, which are
questions about the actual meaning of scripture. Interpretive questions may be
intimidating because oftentimes they have fairly rigid right and wrong answers.
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Life application questions have more to do with how scripture has affected your life.
It has to do with your experiences.
o
Let’s resume in
chapter one and camp a little bit on verses 3 and 4.
§ I think these verses can teach us lessons on how
hardships and trials can work for the good and result in spiritual growth in
our lives.
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Let’s read 2
Thessalonians 1:3-4 NIV:
“3
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so,
because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for
one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about
your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are
enduring.”
o
The Thessalonians
were a church of baby Christians who were experiencing persecutions and trials.
§ They were also maturing significantly, growing in
faith and increasing in love for each other.
o
I think there’s a
link between experiencing persecutions and trials and spiritual growth.
§ There’s great potential for spiritual maturity when we
experience trials.
§ In America, Christians don’t experience much persecution, but
we do experience trials and hardships.
o
James 1: 2-3 NIV says “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and
sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the
testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work
so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
§ James says that trials and the testing of our faith
produces perseverance.
§ We are to let perseverance do its work so we will be
mature and complete
§ The NIV word perseverance
is the same as the KJV word for patience.
J. Vernon McGee says that the literal meaning is “standing under.” McGee says,
“It means to be placed under. A great many people try to get out from under the problems and difficulties. The
person who is patient [persevering] is able to stay under, and he keeps on
carrying the load. He doesn’t throw it off; he doesn’t try to get rid of his
responsibility.”
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QUESTION:
o
How have you
persevered during your trials?
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Paul boasted
about how the Thessalonian Christians were persevering and maintaining faith
during persecutions and trials.
o
Our part is to
persevere and maintain faith during trials.
§ As we persevere, the Holy Spirit makes us mature and complete.
The transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a miracle.
o
2 Corinthians
3:17-18 NIV says:
“17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory,
are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
§ Our part is to allow perseverance to run its course.
Then the Holy Spirit miraculously transforms us.
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QUESTION:
o
All of us have
experienced trials of some sort. Some have or are experiencing significant
hardship. Here’s the question: how have your trials and hardships worked for
the good, either in your own life or the lives of others? Also, how have you
grown as a result of your trials and hardships?
- Tom shares a trial he persevered through and how he grew in empathy towards others with similar struggles. He also grew in his basic faith in God.
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Application/Conclusion:
o
Paul begins and
ends 2 Thessalonians 1 with a focus on God’s grace
§ We don’t deserve the blessings and favor God has given
us
§ We should frequently thank the Lord for His grace
toward us
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Closing prayer
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