Main Text: Galatians 5:16–26 (ESV)16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Preaching Point: Spirit-empowered gentleness should produce a lifestyle of strength under restraint in every arena of your life.

Teaching Points:

1. Consider God’s Gentleness Toward You
2. Exercise Strength Under Restraint
3. Toward Christians
4. Toward Non-Christians

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon.
2. Read Isaiah 40:10-11 and Matthew 11:28-30. How does God’s gentleness help you see the necessity of gentleness, especially when it comes to his dealings with you?
3. How does the world’s views of gentleness contrast the biblical understanding of gentleness?
4. How has the Bible helped correct or refine your understanding of gentleness?
5. Read 2 Timothy 1:7 and Galatians 6:1. How can a distorted view of gentleness excuse and promote fear, passivity, or inaction? According to these passages, what does exercising strength under restraint entail, i.e., gentleness?
6. Read Ephesians 4:2 and Colossians 3:12. How can you practically show gentleness in your interactions with your brothers and sisters in Christ?
7. Read Titus 3:2. What challenges do you face in responding with gentleness toward non-Christians who reject your beliefs, and how does Paul’s instruction to Titus shape the way you should practically engage unbelievers?

Main Text: Ephesians 4:11-16 (ESV) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Preaching Point: Christ expects each of us to take the corporate pursuit of spiritual growth seriously through training that equips us to use the giftings he provides, under the leaders he appoints, to build up his church.

Teaching Points:

1. Train for Your Spiritual Duties (vv. 11-12)
2. Honestly Evaluate Your Continued Need for Training (v. 13)
3. Train for Ongoing Protection (v. 14)
4. Train for Progressive Christlikeness (vv. 15-16a)
5. Train for Church Growth (v. 16b)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon.
2. Read Ephesians 4:11-12 and Matthew 28:19-20. How are you doing at training for the work of ministry and building up the body of Christ?
3. Where do you need to step it up in your training and participation to more effectively partner with your church family to make disciples?
4. Read Ephesians 4:12-14 and Ephesians 6:10-18. According to these verses what is at stake if you lack or neglect training for spiritual maturity?
5. On the other hand, how can you envision yourself advancing and persevering in your faith through ongoing training in your spiritual life?
6. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 4:7-10 and Philippians 1:6. How does understanding the synergistic relationship between you and the Holy Spirit empower you to train hard for progressive Christlikeness?
7. Read 2 Timothy 2:2 and Acts 9:31. God expects his church to grow and multiply. How are you partnering with your church to grow and multiply the ministry of Christ?
8. Our 8th distinctive is, “We are always working to plant new churches.” Multiplying leaders is essential to this mission. Where are you currently serving, and how can you take your next step in leadership, so we can equip someone to replace you, as you replace those we prepare to plant new churches?

Text: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Preaching Point: As a church and as individual believers, we must continually and actively look to teach others to be like Christ.

Teaching Points:

1. Take Your Charge to Teach Seriously (vv. 1-2)
2. Take the Threats to Sound Teaching Seriously (vv. 3-4)
3. Take the Lifestyle of Teaching Seriously (vv. 5)

Application Questions

1. What is one observation or application you found helpful from Sunday’s sermon?
2. Read 2 Timothy 4:1-2. Paul roots his charge in four eternal realities (God’s presence, judgment, Christ’s return, His kingdom). How should those realities affect the way we approach teaching others?
3. What does it look like to be “ready in season and out of season” in your current stage of life?
4. Read 2 Timothy 4:3-4 and Psalm 37:4. How are these verses related and what do they tell us about the root cause of people following false teaching?
5. Read Acts 17:10-12. What safeguards help you stay anchored in truth when culture, media, or even so-called Christian voices pull you elsewhere?
6. Read 2 Timothy 4:5. What does “fulfilling your ministry” look like in your life right now—at home, work, school, or church?
7. Is there someone God may be calling you to intentionally teach or disciple right now? What might obedience look like this week?