Study Questions for July 27, 2008

Study Questions for the week prior to July 13, 2008

Hello everyone. I trust that the get to know you session on Sunday was enjoyable and a testimony to the Lord who has brought us together. It was hot at Kid’s camp but the boys we had were great. The “green team” as we were called kept up with the older kids in both expressing their faith and physically competing. They were a great witness. We also had a few kids that don’t go to church, any church, that came. Much discussion and searching for Christ were found in our small groups.

This week we will take up some great verses in Ephesians 5. We left off in chapter 4 with the admonition both personally and as a group to be kind and compassionate to one another. We were also challenged with several specifics around how we talk and how we are to get rid of falsehood. The challenges were also overlayed with what God continues to tell us – without Him we just can’t do anything. This is, of course, a perfect lead in to what we are challenged to do both individually and corporately as a body.

Read Ephesians 5:1-2

The summary of chapters 5 and 6 start here.

Look at verse 1 – what are we to do?

What is the difference between a child that is dearly loved and one that is not? Why would this be called out separately?

What would it mean to imitate God?

Do children imitate us? Give some examples of how your children or others imitate their parents.

Look at verse 2 – how does this verse begin? What does a life of love look like? Give specific examples.

What would be different from someone that lives a life of love and someone that does not?

Why does verse 2 call out fragrant offering? What can we give to the Lord that is good?

Where in the old testament would you find a fragrant offering? What was it?

Read Ephesians 5:3-4

What is the overall need for these verses?

How doe these verses overlay with verses 1-2? These are back to back for a reason.

Why would you want to stay away from sexual immorality?

What does it mean to have a hint of impurity or of greed?

Read 1 John 1:5. God is holy – how much darkness is in Him?

If we are God’s holy people why would we not want to be holy? What keeps you from being holy?

Read verse 4 – What does this verse tell us?

Ask your spouse what foolish talk and coarse joking are. Share with each other when you have experienced this.

Why would we be constantly giving thanks? What would the thankgiving be about? (Hint: Note verse 2)

Who would we give thanks to and for what?

Read verse 5 – Paul brings these last verses to a final conclusion – what do you call a person with immorality or greed?

Does this person have an inheritance?

Have a great week!

Andy