Sermon Bible Study Guides
Union with Christ
Read Ephesians 1
- Who wrote the book? Who was it written to?
- What does the author tell us about himself?
- What are some repeated words/phrases you see in the passage?
- What does it mean to be in Christ?
- Where do you see this in the text?
- How does Eph 1:4-11 describe the ways we are blessed in Christ?
- What does Paul teach about when Christ chose us? (v. 4)
- What is the reason Paul gives for our predestination? (v. 5–6)
- Why does Paul "not cease to give thanks" for the believers?
- What does Paul pray for them? (v. 17–23)
Application:
- List the ways you can praise God for the spiritual blessings he's provided in Christ.
- How can you know of you are in Christ?
- What are ways you see evidence of God's grace in members of the church?
- Pray Eph 1:17–23 for the members of the church.
THE KING'S Judgment
Read Mark 11:12-33
- What is the setting of this passage?
- Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?
- Why did Jesus cleanse the temple?
- What OT reference is v. 17 referring to?
- Why did the chief priests and scribes seek to destroy him after hearing this?
- In cleansing the temple, was his intention one of reformation or judgement?
- How are the two accounts (Mk 11:12-14 and Mk 11:15-29) connected?
- What are the lessons Jesus teaches from the withered fig tree? (Mk 11:20-25)
- What are some repeated words in Mk 11:27-33?
- What is the source of Jesus' authority, why don't the Pharisees understand this? (Read Mk 1:11 and Mk 9:7)
- Why wouldn't the Pharisees answer Jesus' question? (Mk 11:31-32)
Application:
- What do we learn about the consequence for fruitlessness?
- What do we learn about how we should pray?
- What do we learn about the authority of Jesus?
- Pray for members of the church to bear the fruit that comes from faith in Christ.
