Breakout Format
Welcome/Greeting (1 min.)
Prayer: (1 min.)
Ice-Breaker Activity (2 min)
Worship: Testimony/Read a Psalm (1 min)
Breakout Discussion Questions
Closing Announcements
Breakout Discussion: “What Are You Contending for?”
On Sunday, Pastor preached about why we must Contend for the Faith. When times are hard and pressure intensifies, there is a natural tendency to want to give up. The times we are living in now are without a doubt times of pressure. And tonight, our objective is to pray that God would help us recognize what we are contending for and what we are contending against.
Breakout Scriptures:
1 Peter 4:18-19 NLT
And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" [19] So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Luke 22:31-32 KJV
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: [32] But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Jude 1:3-5 KJV
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. [4] For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [5] I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Breakout Questions:
Q1: According to scripture, the righteous are “barely saved”. Discuss what can bring a believer to the point of being “barely saved”? (Note: “comfortable Christianity”, once saved always saved, etc…)
Q2: The Bible teaches us that salvation is a gift from God. Like protecting a valuable gift, discuss the following questions.
> What should we be CONTENDING FOR?
> What should we be CONTENDING AGAINST? (Note: Consider “self” & Jesus’ criteria for being his disciples.)
Q3: Pressure can come in various forms. Whether the pressure comes from the world, the devil tempting us, trials or testing, the pressure of being criticized or persecuted for choosing to walk by faith, believe God and obey His word among those who reject Christ, it’s still pressure. What scriptures in the Bible encourage you to keep the faith in the midst of pressure?
Prayer: How can we agree with you in prayer?
Benediction: Jude 1:24-25
