Popular – Who With?
What makes someone popular in your eyes? And why?
Matt.
Or, what might happen to this Christian/follower of
Christ in his/her family?
What would you do if your family responded to your
Christian dedication in this way, and why?
Mk. 8:31-33 Why wasn’t Peter very popular with Christ during this incident?
Have you ever rebuked a dedicated Christian for his/her
plans to do the will of God because you didn’t think it was a good idea? Or, have you ever been rebuked by
another Christian because you wanted to wholly do God’s will in some area or
way that just didn’t seem right to that person? If so, when?
And what was it?
Lk. 6:22, 23 What is true of the
believer/follower of Christ when he/she is ostracized, insulted, and/or spurned
by others because of his/her relation to Christ?
And what should that believer’s reaction be when
he/she is not popular with others?
Have you ever been ostracized, insulted, or spurned
by others because of your devotion or relationship to Christ?
If so, when?
What happened, specifically?
And what was your response to it all?
Lk.
[“woe” means “ruinous trouble”].
Do you or have you ever compromised your convictions
in order to be accepted by people? When?
What was it?
And why did you do so?
Lk. 11:42, 43 Why is the judgment of “woe” put upon these Pharisees?
Do you ever love to be in the “spot
light” or publicly honored? Or, maybe in some other way?
If so, which?
When, and why?
Jn. 12:42, 43 What was the real reason these new
believers didn’t confess their faith openly?
Has this been or is this ever true
of you? Why?
If so, when?
What has or would change your
perspective or actions in this area?
Jn.
And
what weren’t they seeking from God?
Which
is true of you? When?
Why?
Jn. 15:18, 19;
17:14-16 Who
does the world love?
When will the world hate Christians?
Explain what this means or involves.
Acts 4:1, 2,
18-20; 5:26-29 When faced with a
decision, whom did the apostles choose to obey – the authorities or God?
With
the threatening difficulties with which they faced, what would you have done if
you were them, and why?
Rom.
Have you ever been ashamed of the
gospel? Why?
What will need to happen in your
life so that you’re not ashamed?
[“in the flesh” – controlled by their sin nature].
If you as a Christian want to please God, what
should you do?
[“set on the Spirit” – fixed
on what the Holy Spirit desires, e.g., Christ-like character – Rom. 5:5; Gal.
5:22, 23; evangelism – Acts 1:8].
Are you consistently setting your mind on the Holy
Spirit’s desires, and why?
If so, how do you do so?
Rom. 12:2 What is the will of God for all Christians here?
Which do you do, and why?
1 Cor.
Do you want to be popular with “bad
company” (i.e., those who don’t want to
obey God and the Bible), and why?
Does Jesus’ eating with sinners in
Lk. 5:29-32 contradict this, and why?
2 Cor. 5:6-9 What was their ambition (vs. 9)?
And
what pleases God (Heb. 11:6; Jn.
What is your ambition? Why?
2 Cor.
Who are you living for? And
why?
2 Cor.
Do you get caught up in this? Why?
Gal.
Why?
If it means displeasing God in order
to please people, what would you do, and why?
Gal.
[The
world is dead to him and he to the world means they mutually lost interest in
each other.].
Is this true of your life? If so, why?
Eph. 5:6-10 What should the Christian try to learn?
Are you doing this? How, and why?
Phil. 3:7-10 What did Paul count as loss in view of
the surpassing value of knowing Christ his Lord?
How did Paul regard all the things that were of
personal gain to him, and why?
How valuable are the things or people you cherish
the most in comparison to your desire to know Christ better?
And does the time you spend with Him in prayer and
reading and obeying the Bible reflect this?
If so, how?
Col. 1:9, 10 What prerequisite does it take in order to live in a manner that
is pleasing to Christ in all respects?
How does a person become filled with the knowledge
of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom (Psa.
119:160)?
Are you pursuing knowing God’s Word, the Bible, well
so that you know what pleases Him in all respects?
If so, how?
Col. 3:1-3 What are we to seek and set our minds on?
Are
you focusing on eternal, spiritual things, like God’s kingdom and godly
qualities (Rom.
What do you seek most and spend the
majority of your time setting your mind on, and why?
1 Thes. 2:3, 4 How did Paul and Timothy speak?
When you speak the gospel or other
truths, who do you try to please, and why?
1 Thes. 4:1 What does Paul exhort these believers to
excel still more in?
Are you doing this? If so, how?
2 Tim. 2:4 What doesn’t a soldier (Christian)
in active service do, and why?
[“entangled”
– means to get wrapped up in, nearly enslaved in/to something].
Are you entangled in the affairs of everyday life (e.g., career, school, sports, music, computers, TV, house, pets, cars, hobbies, family, money, grades, relationships with the opposite sex, lifting weights, etc.)?
What should we be deeply involved with, and why (Matt. 28:19, 20; Rom.
2 Tim.
How do you respond to this promise?
Do you ever try to walk the fence
and please both sides in order to be accepted by both? Why?
Heb. 11:5, 6 Without what is it impossible to please God?
[This entails
believing that He is (who He says He is), and believing that He is a rewarder
of those who seek Him (that He will do what He says).].
Are you desirous of pleasing God? If so, what will you do
about it, and how?
Jas. 4:4 What or
who do you want to be a friend or popular with, and why?
1 Pet. 1:14, 15 What shouldn’t we be
conformed to?
What should be true of us?
Which is true of you, and why?
1 Pet. 4:3-5 What are non-Christians surprised that
we don’t do?
And what do they do when you don’t do these things
with them?
Are you willing to be maligned by people and not be
popular in order to be popular with God by living a holy life?
If not, what will it take for you to do so?
Do you surprise people, or do you
run with them (non-believers or even
carnal believers), and why?
2 Pet. 2:18-21 What is true of those who promise you
freedom in doing your own thing – whatever you want?
What is a person enslaved to?
For whom has the “last
become worse than the first”?
Are you entangled in or overcome by anything? If so, what do you plan to do
about it, and why, and when?
1 Jn. 2:15-17 What are we not to do?
What is true if we do this?
Do you love the things in the world (i.e., “the lusts of the flesh” – immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, illicit drugs; “the lust of the eyes” – coveting things/possessions or people; “pride of life” – position, fame, wealth, materialism, power, etc.)? Are you more interested in being popular with God or the world?
1 Jn.
Are you surprised when this happens
to you?
[If
it has never happened, you might ask yourself whether or not you have been
trying to be popular with the world.].
1 Jn.
Is He responding to your prayers in a positive way?
If not, could it be because you’re not keeping His
commandments or doing the things that please God?
If so, what do you plan to do about it, and when?