Bible Studies for Life: Adults - Info Guide by LifeWay Christian Resources

adults

PREVIEW GUIDE PREVIEW GUIDE

adults

How Will This Help?

1. The Bible Meets Life

•E ach study starts with an issue we face and shows how we address it from God’s Word. • The entire study is focused on one key point that connects the Bible to our lives.

REALITY CHECK

2. What Does the Bible Say? • I n a conversational tone, the Bible is studied for what God has said about the life issue. • The overall study is broken into bite-sized content to strengthen our ability to understand the meaning of the passage. • Questions are used during the group study to guide the discussion of God’s Word. • A single activity engages our thinking on a different level as we seek to connect the Bible to life.

What makes a house feel like a home to y

The Bible Meets Life

3. Live It Out

If you’re like me, you could practically get home with heart: the bumps in the road, the places to turn, and the trees. So imagine one day you take this same roa you get inside everything is different. The pictures furniture is arranged the wrong way. Even the smell is

•T hree specific application ideas are provided—there’s something for everyone. • One idea is relatively easy, especially for those new to the faith or new to the group. • The other application ideas call for more commitment.

Many people feel the same way when they enter the is a friend of sinners and God loves the world. They church are friendly. And yet when they enter the b inconsistent with those facts. We might think we are entirely different. To ensure we’re a welcoming churc welcome others because of the gospel.

Daily Discipleship Guide

How this works 1. Group Plan

Clear directives and simple instructions are provided to help the leader guide a discussion based on Scripture. • The five discussion questions from the Daily Discipleship Guide are referenced, and alternate questions are provided. • The leader is instructed in how to use the activity from the Daily Discipleship Guide as a part of the group study. • Leader Pack posters and other visual items—designed to generate questions and further discussion—are referenced in the group plan.

2. Commentary Commentary gives the leader a deeper understanding of the people, places, and Bible customs mentioned in the passage.

1 SESSION 1

REALITY CHECK

The Point Our lives should serve as a welcome mat into the church.

The Passage Titus 3:3-11

The Bible Meets Life If you’re like me, you could practically get home with your eyes closed. You’ve made the trip so

many times you know it by heart: the bumps in the road, the places to turn, and even the way the

sun shines through the trees. So imagine one day you take this same road. You come to your hous

but when you get inside everything is different. The pictures on the wall have been replaced. The furniture is arranged the wrong way. Even the smell is different. The address is right, the house is correct, yet everything is off. Many people feel the same way when they enter the church building.

They’ve heard Jesus is a friend of sinners and God loves the world. They’ve been led to believe the peo

in church are friendly, and yet when they enter the building, they find something entirely inconsistent with those things they’ve heard. We might think we’re welcoming, but the reality can be entirely

different. To ensure we’re a welcoming church, let’s go back to the beginning. We welcome other because of the gospel.

3. Application

The Setting

Group session ends with “Live It Out,” challenging group members to live out the point of the study. Three practical suggestions are provided.

evangelized was the island of Crete. When the apostle moved on, he left Titus behind to appoint

After the apostle Paul was released from his first imprisonment in Rome (AD 60-62), he continued his missionary work, taking his Gentile co-worker, Titus, along with him. One of the areas they elders in every town. (See Titus 1:5.) Paul wrote his letter to Titus around AD 63 to remind Titus of

qualifications necessary for the elders, to describe the aspects of new life in Christ, and to encoura

Titus to teach sound doctrine and to rebuke those in the church who were spreading false doctrin

Leader Guide

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

2 GROUP TIME

HECK Our lives should serve as a welcome mat into the church.

Ministry is grounded in the ____________ of Christ. The gospel keeps us from looking down on others (v. 3). Paul reminded Titus that he—and all believers—was once just like the people Titus was seeking to welcome into the faith. Before Christ, we were lost, hopeless, and living for nothing else than to fulfill our next desire.

THE POINT: Our lives should serve as a ___________ _______ into the church.

The gospel reminds us what is possible (vv. 4-5). Paul reminded Titus that all of us, if we’re Christians, have a moment of awakening to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul called this “regeneration,” and it’s the moment when we become new creations in Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.)

Titus 3:3-8a For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy— through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 8a This saying is trustworthy. 3

The gospel points us to the future (vv. 6-7). Thanks to the gospel, we all have a sure hope in the future. We’re destined for eternal life with Jesus.

Ministry is a ____________ to the gospel of Christ. True, faithful, joy-filled, and sustained ministry to others flows out of the gospel of Jesus. That’s because what God has done in us through Jesus always works itself out in good works. Because of the gospel of Jesus, Titus could devote himself to ministering to others.

Titus 3:8b I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 8b

home to you?

Ministry has no room for ______________or _________________. Having spent time in Crete himself, Paul knew the specific issues that might distract Titus from his overall mission. Paul told Titus to avoid these issues, and he mentioned “foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law” (v. 9) in particular. All of the issues Paul mentioned were, at their core, issues of personal preference and self-centeredness. But these issues were not only limited to the island of Crete. We’re all tempted to lose our focus and fixate on issues of personal preference.

Titus 3:9-11 9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. 11 For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.

home with your eyes closed. You know the trip by to turn, and even the way the sun shines through his same road. You come to your house, but when he pictures on the wall have been replaced. The n the smell is different.

Titus was on his own. He had traveled with Paul, seen the power of the gospel to change people’s lives, and even carried a letter from Paul to the church at Corinth. He had been a trusted companion of the greatest missionary the world has ever known, but now he was by himself.

ey enter the church building. They’ve heard Jesus world. They’ve been led to believe the people in enter the building, they find something entirely hink we are welcoming, and yet the reality can be oming church, let’s go back to the beginning. We

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

Please, Come In What would you like your words and actions to communicate to others about the gospel?

Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete to organize and carry out the beginning of the church there. Surely with an assignment like that—in a place that was foreign to both the gospel and Judaism—Titus had many questions about his role. Paul addressed several issues in his letter to Titus. But along with answers to practical ministry questions, Paul also reminded Titus of something that was already very familiar to him: the gospel.

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

SESSION 1

What does the Bible say?

THE POINT

Our lives should serve as a welcome mat into the church.

GET INTO THE STUDY

5 minutes

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance,

Notes

locate a welcome mat and put it at the door to your room. Stand at the door

Washing of regeneration (v. 5)—A description of the Holy Spirit’s activity in a person who puts his or her faith in Christ, resulting in new birth. It is a synonym for salvation.

the trip so

Titus 3:3-11

and welcome group members with a

For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

a table where you have arranged pastries,

to your house

eplaced. The

5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 7

the house is

fruit, juice, and coffee. LEADER PACK: Display Pack Item 1,

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,

6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior

n the way the

handshake as they arrive. Direct them to

the “Welcome Home” poster, to introduce

Want to know about biblical culture, people, archaeology, and history? Biblical Illustrator has articles that tie to each session in this study at lifeway .com/BI .

the major theme of this study, along with the specific focus of each session. DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 13 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG): “What makes a house feel like a home?” Allow time for each person to respond. GUIDE: Direct group members to “The Bible Meets Life” on page 14 of the PSG. Introduce the importance of welcoming others by reading or summarizing the text—or by encouraging group members to read it on their own.

ch building.

elieve the people

y inconsistent

be entirely

elcome others

8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.

serve as a welcome mat into the church.”

9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless.

members discuss “The Point.” Divide into subgroups of three or four people each, and

he continued

Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning.

For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned. 11

reas they

d to appoint

GUIDE: Call attention to “The Point” on page 14 of the PSG: “Our lives should

LEADER PACK: Display Pack Item 2, the “Welcome Mat” poster, to help group invite these subgroups to craft a gospel message. Combine ideas into one message about the gospel you’d like your group to communicate to guests. Write this message onto the blank “Welcome Mat” poster and hang this in your group’s meeting space. PRAY: Transition into the study by asking the Lord to help us see our role in welcoming others by living out the gospel.

mind Titus of the

nd to encourage

g false doctrine.

S FOR LIFE

SeSSion 1

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

Available Resources I’m not just here to hang out.

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE | ADULTS

6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY

SMALL GROUPS

WELCOME HOME

HOW TO PRAY

CONNECTING AND ENGAGING PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH

WELCOME HOME

FALL 2018 CSB

FALL 2018 NIV

That’s why Bible Studies for Life is designed to help you disciple meStudy Guide NEW Daily Personal Discipleship Guide Helps group members An alternative the prepare before the withtowisdom.

WELCOME HOME

FALL 2018 | LEADER GUIDE

FALL 2018 | PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE

HOW TO PRAY

MICHAEL KELLEY & THOM S. RAINER

Personal Study Guide/ Leader Guide model, this resource covers the same content but also contains five daily devotions to reinforce what was discussed in the group meeting. Leader Guide is included. (13 sessions)

meeting, facilitates discovery during the session, and encourages application after group study time. It provides Scripture, commentary, thoughtprovoking questions, key word study, and a life application section called “Live It Out.” (13 sessions)

Leader Guide Provides simple directions to show the leader what to read, when to guide the group, when to invite discussion, and how to transition between Scripture passages. It also offers commentary for each section of Scripture to give the leader a better understanding of the passage. (13 sessions)

Leader Pack The Leader Pack helps leaders prepare, present, and support the group study each week. Details on how each item enhances the group experience are included in both the Daily Discipleship Guide and Leader Guide. This includes: • A variety of posters and other visual aids that bring additional life to the study • A CD-ROM that contains: • Videos to promote the six-session studies • PowerPoint® templates help present sessions. • Leader Guide content in a customizable format.

Digital Options For those who prefer to study using a computer, phone, or tablet, we also offer digital editions of our resources. biblestudiesforlife.com/preview A Bible Studies for Life App is also 800-458-2772 available for Adults and Young Adults at iTunes and Google Play. FALL 2016 | PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE RONNIE FLOYD | GENERAL EDITOR

UNVARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S GREATEST STORY UNSTOPPABLE GOSPEL

biblestudiesforlife.com

Six-session Options Small groups that want to take a topical approach to their study can select Bible Studies for Life options. See available studies on our website.

NEW Adult Group Box Includes 10 Personal Study Guides, a Leader Guide, Leader Pack, Advanced Bible Study, Biblical Illustrator, a free WORDsearch Bible Digital Library, and Quick Start Guide.

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