People often dismiss Christianity outright because there are seemingly obvious reasons why the Christian God either doesn't exist, or isn't worthy of our worship. However, if we withhold judgment and examine such assertions more closely, they actually rather point us to the existence and goodness of God.
God’s demand for worship can sound insecure or even egotistical. If any human insisted on constant praise, we would see them as arrogant and flawed. Yet the God of the Bible not only asks for worship, he commands it for himself alone. Why would a perfect being require such devotion? Is he trying to control us, or have we misunderstood what worship really is?
1. Why is it fitting for God to command exclusive worship? How does worshipping him differ from stroking the ego of a human leader?
2. What are some things in your own life that easily draw your heart away from God’s beauty? What does it practically mean for you to contemplate his beauty?
3. When you think about the Son of God giving himself for you at the cross even though you deserve the very opposite, what can you do differently in response to his call to worship?
Genocide is a highly emotive term, so it is no wonder that some people reject Christianity because of God’s command to exterminate entire populations in the Bible. In this message, we seek to gain a deeper understanding of why a God who claims to love the whole world would issue such instructions, and also address the possibility of people using God’s name to justify genocide.
1. Have God’s commands in the Old Testament to completely destroy entire populations troubled you? Why or why not?
2. What have you learnt about God’s holiness and purpose from the message on genocide?
3. How will you feel if you learn tomorrow that you or your loved one is about to die soon? In the light of God’s word, how should we view our time here on earth, and live it out differently, from the rest of the world?
The existence of suffering is often raised as an argument against God. If God is so loving and powerful, why doesn’t he prevent or end suffering? In today’s message, we will provide you with a simple framework to think about this profound question, so that you may appreciate how the problem of suffering in fact points us to the reality of God and our need for him.
1. How does suffering make people doubt God? Explain why suffering in fact points us to the reality of God.
2. Share about how suffering (your own or others’) has caused you to be upset with God. Why do you think you responded that way?
3. Are you (or someone you know) experiencing suffering? How should we respond to it in a way which will strengthen our faith and honour God?