DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

From Philippians 1:12,13, you discover that it is your responsibility to develop the
salvation you have in Christ. With this in mind, we will consider more closely the
tools God uses and the choices we make that will help us become more like Jesus.

1. Some people have thought that Paul's reference to working out our salvation
means that we have to earn our salvation. What does Ephesians 2:8-9 have to
say about this?

41. "Working out" your salvation can be compared to a physical workout. Your
workout is to develop what you already possess. In what ways is discipleship
like a physical workout?

42. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Paul says the Bible is "useful." In what ways have
you found the Bible "useful" in your life? What keeps the Bible from being more
useful in your life?

43. *Read Romans 8:28 and James 1:2-4. How has God used circumstances
and trials in your life to bring growth and Christ-likeness?


SERVE

10 Minutes

One very important tool God uses to mature us is our circumstances.
You cannot choose what is going to happen to you, but you can
choose how you will respond.

*How can your circumstances be opportunities for you to serve
1. God and others? What circumstance have you experienced that God could use
as an opportunity for you to serve others?

44. Pair up and turn to the Purpose Driven Health Plan on page 51 in the Small
Group Resources section. Select one purpose in which you need to grow and
write down one action step that you could take this week to grow in that purpose.

SHARE

15 Minutes

Although none of us has achieved our goal of becoming completely
like Christ, the good news for us is, God uses imperfect people to
fulfill His purposes.

How are the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and circumstances all important
in reaching people for Christ? Several of you share how God is
1. using these things to reach out to your friends and family.

WORSHIP

15 Minutes

Recognizing that God does so much to help us grow to be like Christ
is good reason to worship Him.

*Take some time as a group to thank and praise God for His
provision of salvation and His work in transforming us to be like
1. Jesus Christ. Use short one-sentence prayers to give everyone a chance to
praise the Lord. You may pray several times, but keep your prayers short. You
can begin by saying, "Father, we thank You for...," or, "Jesus, You have given
us...."

45. In today’s lesson we learned that prayer is an indicator of whether or not you
are depending on God. What are you holding onto that you need to turn over to
God and trust Him to handle? Spend some time praying for these issues.

ADDITIONAL STUDY

God created us to become like Christ. He has given us His Word, His Holy Spirit,
and custom-made circumstances to help us grow. Let's look further at some verses
that confirm the truths of this lesson and challenge us to take responsibility for our
part in this process.

1. *What truth do we learn about our responsibility in the process of spiritual growth
in Ephesians 4:22-24?

46. How is our faith affected by the Word of God, according to Romans 10:17?
What encouragement does Romans 8:11 give us in our spiritual growth?

47. What other good news do we see in 2 Corinthians 3:18 regarding God's work
in us?