This week we are resuming our series on Mark. Jeff’s questions for the week are:

1. Reflecting on the Parables in Mark 4, to what extent do you think of the Gospel as a person, the Lord Jesus, and to what extent abstractly as “salvation” or “justification”? How can you bring the two together?
2. Imagine you are one of the disciples and hearing for the first time Mk 4:21-25 how would you feel? What then do you think Jesus means by v24 -25?
3. Read Mk 7:18 in the context of asking questions, for example in Mk 4:10,13, 33-34.
4. Do any in your group, like the disciples have difficulty with Jesus’s Parables? Is Jesus’s reply in Mk 7:17 too direct?

This week we heard from Ben & Michelle, as well as from Jemima and Caroline, about how we can worship in all kinds of circumstances – from isolation to very busy households.

1. Do you have a set pattern or practice of private worship during the week? What does that look like? (We know that many things in our lives can be worship, but what parts of our week do we believe really are worship?)
2. Ben talked about worshipping in spirit and in truth as being light building a solid campfire (truth) and then setting it alight (spirit). Which part of that do you find easiest, and which comes less naturally?
3. What do you think God has prompted you about through Sunday’s sermon and testimonies? What are you going to do about it?

Although we don’t have home groups this week (because of our Open Forum meeting), it would be a good thing to follow up any good intentions from Sunday by printing off the “discipleship bookmarks” (link) and seeking out people who can ask you those questions, and to whom you can ask the same questions.

If you missed Sunday’s sermon and the language of these questions seems unfamiliar, watch or listen to the sermon online here before you tackle the questions!

1. Do you have “team-mates” who see your Christian life as it really is, who can spur you on and challenge you?
2. If not, who should you reach out to? If so, are you meeting regularly to have this kind of conversation?
3. Do you have a spiritual “coach”, who can help you to grow beyond your own vision, who you’d receive a rebuke from, and who can impart wisdom?
4. If not, who should you reach out to? If so, are you meeting regularly to have this kind of conversation?

Jeff encouraged us to live lives of both prayer and praise (as essential as the left and right wings of an aircraft!) and we also heard from Chris and Dawn, encouraging us through practical advice. In looking at these questions, the aim is not just for each individual to answer them, but for us to help each other, from our collective experience and creativity. This will be most effective if we also set some goals for ourselves, and ask others to “check in with us” over the week or at next week’s home group to see how it’s going.

1. What is your biggest obstacle to prayer? (for instance, Chris talked about distraction) Can we help each other to think of ways to overcome these?
2. What or whom do you pray about, beyond your own immediate life and situation? Do you feel challenged to widen your scope?
3. Are your prayers focused mostly in “praying for things”, or do you also find yourself praising God in prayer?
4. Given that God is always present, do we naturally speak to Him when we’re conversing with other believers?
5. Do we try to make our mind up what to pray for when faced with a difficult situation, or are we happy to pray open-ended prayers and trust God to counsel us in what’s right?
6. What practice are you going to change, or what are you going to do differently this week, and what question would it be helpful to ask you next week?

Tim Hinks encouraged us to delight in the Word, to meditate on it, to pray it, and to live it out.

1. Which Scriptures have you memorised, whether recently or long ago? Can you tell the story of a time when recalling that Scripture has helped you practically?
2. Which Scriptures do you struggle with most? Can you think of a time when you have changed your mind on something as a result of something you’ve read?
3. What resources do you use to dig deep into the Scriptures? What translations do you read? (avoid spending too long on this, or it could fill the available space!)
4. How have you encountered God through Psalm 119 so far this week?

As we had no Home Groups last week, you can draw from last week’s passage or this week’s.

Questions relating to Romans 8:1-17:

1. Out of all the comparisons between “by the flesh” and “by the Spirit” in Romans 8, which one do you find affects your daily life the most?
2. How would you explain to a new believer what it means to “live by the Spirit”?
3. Romans 8:16 says that the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirits that we are children of God. How has He done this in your life? Try to avoid using special Christian vocabulary where possible.
4. Think and reflect on our corporate meetings, as well as on your own devotional life. In what ways do we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us? Can you think of ways in which we might quench the Spirit? Can you think of ways we could adjust our corporate practice to make more space for the Spirit to lead us?

Questions relating to Romans 8:18-39:

1. How loved do you feel this evening?
2. How loving towards God and towards others do you feel this evening?
3. How much joy are you feeling right now?
4. Which of the hardships listed in v35-39 have you experienced, and how has this affected your sense of connection with God?
5. Although we know they shouldn’t, are there any hardships that you fear will separate you from God’s love?
6. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (v18) What aspects of this future glory do you regularly think about? Are there any habits you could start that would focus you more on the Second Coming and the glorious existence that will follow for all believers?

This week’s Home Group questions relate to Romans 8:1-17.

1. Out of all the comparisons between “by the flesh” and “by the Spirit” in Romans 8, which one do you find affects your daily life the most?
2. How would you explain to a new believer what it means to “live by the Spirit”?
3. Romans 8:16 says that the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirits that we are children of God. How has He done this in your life? Try to avoid using special Christian vocabulary where possible.
4. Think and reflect on our corporate meetings, as well as on your own devotional life. In what ways do we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us? Can you think of ways in which we might quench the Spirit? Can you think of ways we could adjust our corporate practice to make more space for the Spirit to lead us?

This week’s Home Group questions relate to Romans 7:7-25.

1. What does it look like to grow in love for another person? What actions and choices are involved, and what different ways can you measure love?
2. What does it look like to grow in love for God?
3. What, practically, am I going to do differently this week in order to grow in my love for God?

This week’s Home Group questions relate to Romans 6:1-7:6.

1. Are we in the habit of asking God to reveal to us “any offensive way in us”? If so, how do we go about doing so?
2. How would we describe our identity in Christ, using only words that are commonly understood by non-Christians?
   (if you want to make it a fun challenge, you could try testing our your explanations in this online checker!)
3. What words or phrases do I use to describe myself to others? What words or phrases do I use when I think about myself? Do they reinforce or undermine the truth of my identity in Christ?
4. How would my life change if I truly took on board my identity in Christ?
5. Romans 6 teaches us to offer ourselves as slaves of righteousness leading to holiness. Am I actively seeking to grow in holiness? If so, how? If not, what needs to change?

This week’s Home Group questions relate to Pentecost, and to Acts 2.

1. What aspects of our life and witness would benefit from a fresh empowering of God’s Spirit?
2. In terms of receiving God’s Spirit, do we feel you have already received most of what God has for you this side of eternity? If not, what more are we hoping for? (it may be helpful to read a passage such as Ephesians 5:17-20 or Acts 4:29-31)
3. Do our prayer times – individual and communal – reflect an attitude of expectation with regard to the Holy Spirit?

Rather than more questions, it would be good to leave time to pray for each other for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. You may want to start by reading together Psalm 63: “Lord, you are my God – earnestly I seek you”.

If you want to use the song Al mentioned on Sunday, a version with lyrics can be found here.