Growth

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Growth

Philippians 2:12–13

LAUNCH

In your sport, what does it take to grow?

THE WORD

Philippians 2:12-13

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

EXPLORE

What do you learn about the relationship between the author and the recipients from the language he uses?

What do they do when he is around? Why do you think he tells them to obey “much more in my absence”? (Think: when is practice more intense, when coach is absent or when coach is present? Why?) How does that correspond to what Paul is commanding here?

In verse 12 Paul says, “work out” your salvation. We’ve talked before about how salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (see Ephesians 2:8-9). What is the difference between “work out” your salvation and “work for” your salvation?

Why do you think he says “with fear and trembling”? Who or what do we fear? Why do we tremble?

Look at verse 13. Paul just said to work out our salvation, but now he says God works in us. What does he mean?

APPLY

Based on this passage, what is our role and what is God’s role in spiritual growth?

When an airplane is in autopilot, the pilot doesn’t even have to put his or her hands on the controls. If a car has power steering, the driver still has to have hands on the wheel, but steering is empowered by the power steering pump. Which one is more illustrative of the Christian life? Why?

Notice that God works in us to will and to work for HIS good pleasure. What is God’s good pleasure? What does he delight to see happen in your life?

How have you experienced God “working in” you in the past? How might you be experiencing God working in you right now?

What are some things you’ve done in the past to “work out” your salvation?

If you evaluate your “working out” your salvation right now, what grade would you give yourself? Why?

What are some steps you can take this week and/or this year to keep growing in your faith?

MEMORIZE

Philippians 2:12b-13

“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

The Grace of God

Ephesians 2:1–10

LAUNCH When was a time when someone gave you a really lavish or expensive gift? THE WORD Ephesians 2:1-10 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. EXPLORE Why are people spiritually “dead” according to verse 1-3? Pick one word to summarize the condition of people in verses 1-3. Pick another word to summarize the condition of people in verses 4-6. What was God’s motivation for doing what He did in verse 4? (Look for two). “grace” - unmerited favor, undeserved gift With that definition in mind, what do you think it means in v. 8 that it is by “grace you have been saved”? Saved from what? “Faith” - trust, confidence With that definition in mind, what do you think v. 8 means when it says that “you have been saved through faith”? What do you think the text means when it says “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”? Why would this exclude boasting in self? If v. 9 just said that salvation is “not a result of works” what do you think it means that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”? APPLY Think back to the first question you answered. When someone gave you that expensive gift, how did you respond? How is this related to salvation that we looked at in this passage? Sometimes we think that acceptance before God is based on performance (works), but according to this passage, salvation is based on grace - a free gift. How does that affect you to know that we are freed from performance to be accepted by God? How should this passage affect your relationship with God if salvation is not a result of works, but salvation actually produces works? MEMORIZE Ephesians 2:8-10 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Assurance of Salvation

1 John 5:11–13, 1 John 5:9–13

LAUNCH On a scale from 0-100%, how sure are you that you’d spend eternity with God? Why? What gives you that confidence? What causes doubt? THE WORD 1 John 5:9-13 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. EXPLORE When a witness gives a testimony, what is a testimony? How do you know whether to trust or not trust a testimony? According to this passage, what is God’s testimony? According to v. 9-10, why should we accept God’s testimony? How do we receive eternal life? Why does John say that he writes these things? APPLY Click the "Apply" button below to view image. MEMORIZE 1 John 5:11-13 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.