Use these for group work, or to assist your personal reflection.
- When you offer prayer of thanksgiving, what do you do or say? How does this differ from what Paul writes in this passage?
- Do speech and knowledge really have the importance this passage seems to give them, as the primary fruit of God’s grace in the life of the believer?
- Do you anticipate the coming again of Christ, or is this something you only think about when the Bible suggests it? Why is this so?
Use the programme which can be found on the link ‘discipleship challenges’. The ‘worksheet’ will help you follow through anything you feel is right to take up. The following notes are for your interest and consideration.
Personal comment:
I did not expect that when writing about this prayer of thanksgiving, I would find myself expounding something about God’s grace. Yet that is what the passage leads us to do! There is so much fear in the life of the church about evangelism that it seems impossible for us to preach this message to a receptive congregation today. Does this passage really link God’s grace with the proclamation of the Gospel so strongly? I ask the question because it is in fact really important. I find it hard to read God’s Word at the moment without finding some challenge to express faith actively and with insight, yet this seems so far away from the experience of most Christians I know. We can only pray that God will lead His people into understanding their obligations and do our best to follow what He tells us each.
Ideas for discipleship programme
- Speak to a friend in church about what you have read today, and see whether they feel confident about understanding their faith and explaining it or speaking it. Pray with one another about this.
- Pray for all God’s people, the church. Pray that all who name the name of Jesus may be prepared to read God’s Word and get to know their Saviour better.
Lord Jesus Christ, save us from becoming so wrapped up with our own lives and our own work that we do not give You time or to listen to Your voice. Bless us we pray with a spirit of discernment, so that we may hear Your Word to us whenever it comes, and head it warnings and rejoice in its encouragement. Thank You, Lord Jesus, AMEN
