Good News or Fake News?

Small Group Discussion Questions: October 21, 2018 Matt. 7:15-20 Short Review Review the main points of the morning message. Focus on: The importance of discerning and staying away from false teachings. Some Questions for Discussion: 1. Were you ever ‘corrected’ in school? Why? [Who would dare to say no?!] 2. Correction is hard to take, but there are some people whose job it is to correct others – teachers in school, for example. Why do we take correction from them? 3. We’ve all been corrected as adults. Can you share an episode where a) the correction was minor, irrelevant or just a matter of opinion – and it might have irritated you, and an episode b) where you appreciated the correction? What made the difference? 4. Let’s begin by asking: a. What resonated with you from the Sunday message? b. Did you write down any ideas you want to talk about, questions you have? Were there particular applications to your own life which the Spirit was making? 5. Look at the text and review. a. How do we decide if someone’s fruit is good or bad, or someone is not doing ‘the Father’s will’, or someone is lawless? b. What are wrong reasons (for Christians or the culture in general) to make such a decision? c. Can you give specific examples of how the Bible helps us to make a “judgment” about a teacher or pastor’s ‘lifestyle’ or whether that person is doing ‘the Father’s will?’ 6. Read Titus 1:9, James 3:1 – why is there a special burden on teachers? What is required for a teacher to be true to the Word – what practical steps should teachers take to not be ‘false?’ 7. Read Matthew 7:15; Acts 20:29,30; Romans 16:17; I John 4:1-3; Jude 3,4. How do these texts fit in with the commands to love one another? How, practically, does a church love everyone and at the same time obey Jesus’ command to “beware” of false teachers? 8. Why is it important for Christians today to beware of false teachings? 9. How can we pray for one another in response to the word today?