"When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis an Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those of Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

Acts 17:1-3, 11

The Berean Jews used questions to go deeper and deeper into truth.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

    Have you ever used questions to drive you deeper and deeper into truth?   If so, what were those questions and what truth did it lead you to?

    Do you have questions now that you need to lean into and not avoid that could lead to more questions or maybe even deeper truth?

    Have there been questions that you have had that you did not feel allowed to say out loud?

Cliche answers or simplistic sayings do not work when someone is grieving or has real questions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

    Has there been a time when a simplistic answer from someone was more harmful than helpful for you or someone you know?

    As image followers of Christ, what should we do instead of giving simple cliches when someone is looking for answers or in a hard situation?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."    Genesis 1:1

We need to understand the story from the beginning.

The Bible can be broken down into 4 chapters:

Creation: We were created to be image-bearers of the Living God. This is where the story begins

Fall: Things fall apart and this world is not as it should be. But we are still image-bearers. This is a story of love where God never gives up on the people He created. 

Redemption: Jesus steps into the story as one of us. He lives among us and pays the high price his own life for our redemption.

Restoration: Jesus is raised from the dead. Death does not have the last word.

This is more than a story of forgiveness and a ticket to heaven some day! Between the chapters of Redemption and Restoration we have work to do. We are still image-bearers of God. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

    How are YOU called into the story of redemption as an image-bearer of God?

    How can you create a safe place for people to ask hard questions?

    How have you seen people show Christ to those around them in their everyday lives?

As we continue this series, let's pray that we will be like the Berean Jews and go into this with great eagerness and off a safe place for all to ask honest questions!

Take time this week to pray for those you know who are living far from Christ and about how you might offer real hope to them.