Dec. 12, 2021

Abundant Faith

 Primary Text:  1 Peter 1:6-7                       December 11 & 12, 2021

 Last Week’s Teaching:   Abundant Joy

 1)  The Joy Before Him

 Hebrews 12:2:  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

DQ 1) Define joy.   How might the world’s definition of joy be different from that of Christ?

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 2)  Your Strength

 Nehemiah 8:9-10:  Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God.   Do not mourn or weep….  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."  

DQ 2) What is the joy of the Lord?

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 3)  His Joy

 John 15:9-17:  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

DQ 3) How does Christ’s joy differ from joy that comes only from within ourselves?

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 This Week’s Teaching:

 1)  The Foundation

 Hebrews 11:1-2:  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.

Ephesians 2:8-9:  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. 

2 Corinthians 5:6-7:  Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  We live by faith, not by sight.

DQ 1) Define your personal faith.  How does it impact your life?

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 2)  Essential Evidence

 James 2:20-22, 26:  You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?  Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did….  As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. 

DQ 2) How can works be evidence of faith but insufficient for earning salvation?

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 3)  Proven Faith

 1 Peter 1:6-7:  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

DQ 3) How do trials refine our faith?  Why?  

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 4)  Tested, Mature Faith

 James 1:2-4:  Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

DQ 4) What is mature faith?  How is it displayed in the lives of believers?

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