Matthew 5:43-4843 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’  and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what rewar...  Read More

1 Peter 1:15-1615 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” What in the world does it mean to be holy? How can we be holy like God is holy?These questions have been around for a long time. And these questions, these texts make us feel uncomfortable often. Let me set up a scenario that maybe you...  Read More

Exodus 3:1-12"3 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to him...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion. Feel free to add or subtract or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPENHave you ever experienced something that was known to be bad turn out to actually be good? What was it and what was that experience like?HEADRead 1 Cor. 1:18; Mark 8:27-35;  Hebrews 13:13-16; Phil. 1:21; and ...  Read More

Mark 10:37-4537 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”39 “Oh yes,” th...  Read More

Philippians 1:2121 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Who thinks dying is even better than living? What kind of sense does that make? This statement is deeply uncomfortable. Did Paul want to die? Was he really okay with no longer living? Why would he say such a thing? Can I be comfortable with what is being said here?I don’t believe that Paul went through his life...  Read More