The Power of God

Sermon Notes November 11, 2018 Luke 16:19-31 Short Review Review the main points of the morning message. Focus of Discussion: The power of the bible to cause us to repent, believe and grow in faith. Some Questions for Discussion: 1. 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? 2. Read the story in the text. a. Is the story comforting or scary to you? b. How would a pharisee (see 16:14) see the story? 3. One important point has to be cleared up: how are we ‘saved?’ Why was Lazarus comforted and the rich man in torment? That is, how do we know what our eternal destiny will be? [E.G.: Luke 18:9-14; Luke 18:22 (and 23-27); John 1:12, John 3:16, 11:25-27, Ephesians 1:1-14 etc.] 4. God is for the poor, the lowly, the widow and the orphan. The bible is clear on this. Are the poor saved because they are poor? Why? 5. Are the rich beyond salvation because they are rich? a. Why is money an obstacle to salvation? Read Matthew 19:16-26 and discuss. b. How does this serve as a warning to us who live in the prosperous western world? 6. How do people think and talk about… a. Death? How often have you had a conversation about death with friends? Is it avoided? Why? b. Heaven and hell? What does the “average person” believe about what happens after death? 7. What is the hope of the Christian? [John 11:25f; II Cor. 5:6-8, Phil. 1:23, I Cor. 15:20-28] 8. Read Luke 16:27f – a. Why are Moses and the prophets so powerful? What about the gospel? b. How would you share the truths of the gospel but in your own words? How would you explain why there is so much wrong in the world? Why there is right and wrong by which we’ll be judged? Why the cross is the remedy? What do we have to do to be saved? 9. How can we pray for one another in response to the word today?