Reflection Questions: Hebrews 3:12-13

For the message, Encourage Given by Pastor John at New City Church on July 21, 2013

These discussion questions are designed to help you reflect upon and apply the message from the Scriptures. You can use these by yourself for reflection, or you could use these with your family or small group for discussion.

Introduction: On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being unknown and 10 being well-known, where would you rank yourself on how well you know yourself, and why? Questions: 1. Read Hebrews 3:12. How does this passage grab our attention? 2. Read vs. 13 as well. How is the progression of falling away from the living God described? Have you seen this played out in the lives of people you know? 3. Check out Proverbs 4:23. Why does Scripture place such an importance on keeping or guarding our hearts? 4. Pastor John described the idea of exhorting one another as coming alongside one another to encourage or urge, and then illustrated it with the idea of a crowd cheering on a long distance runner. How does this translate to our every day lives? What sort of Life Together does the author of the book of Hebrews envision? 5. One of the application points to the message was that we ought to have a healthy suspicion of ourselves. What did Pastor John mean by that? 6. Another point of application was, Live close to Jesus AND his people. What is the connection between having a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and having a communal relationship with each other? 7. Finally, we were challenged to pursue and invite accountability with one another. Why is this so hard to do? 8. Reflect on the words of CJ Mahaney, Are you regularly informing others of your temptations and sins, or do you present to them a carefully edited and flattering version of yourself? How does the gospel free us from the need to be presenting carefully edited and flattering versions of ourselves? In other words, what difference does it make that Jesus died for your sins? Conclusion: What is the one thing you want to take away from this study to remember or to make a change in your life? How does this text challenge you to follow Jesus?

Renewing your mind: Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?