This week's questions:

1. Ironically it was the blessing of God that led to Asa's demise. How do we deal with comfort to avoid becoming comfortable?

2. The prophet says that Asa's folly let Aram escape. What does that mean?

3. Asa only sought help from doctors not the Lord. What is the relationship between faith in God's healing and going to the doctor?

This week's questions:

1. 2 Chronicles 15:13 is an account of the death of those who 'would not seek the Lord'. What are we meant to do about verses like this one?
2. There seem to be a lot of ideals and high places to be removed in Israel. Why?
3. What does it really mean in practical terms to 'seek the Lord'?

1. Do you think Sabbath has anything in particular to say about work?

2. When we think of what Sabbath is in today's context we seem to get into details that could easily become legalism. Are we over-complicating the Sabbath?

3. Looking at examples from the Bible, is Sabbath mainly observed independently or with others? If mainly with others, what does that look like for GBC as a church?

1. We explored the gods battling each other. There is the command to have no other gods. Is there evidence of other gods?

2. Does the Sunday “church service” (for some clergy & lay people) make it difficult for some to observe Sabbath?

3. We looked at why we should sabbath. Knowing it’s a practice we don’t often do & whether it be sabbath or something else, isn’t it enough that God commanded it?

In the Big 3, Marc Rader answers the Big 3 questions from Sunday's sermon (11th August, 2024)

1. What does observing a Sabbath year look like in our modern life? Should we dedicate an entire (metaphorical) year to trust God and giving out or is it different?

2. Practically speaking, if Israel had kept the Sabbath year, would they have prepared for it or blindly trusted God to provide? Wouldn’t prepping undermine trust?

3. If generous actions are permissible how can we do them while still resting?

1. The proscription to rest ie. not to work is clear enough. Are we also being implored to do holy things, “Keep it holy”? What does it mean to keep it (be?) holy?

2. In the OT sabbath was about physical rest at a prescribed time. What does the NT say about the “new” rest we now have available to us through the Holy Spirit.

3. Marc explores some potential future ways to "Sabbath" as a spiritual practice.

1. Can you elaborate on praying specifically rather than sin as a whole? Who are we to decide that, doesn’t God know more about what we need?

2. Does God only do something or answer prayers if we ask? What happens if we only praise or repent?

3. What did it mean that the Tax Collector went home justified? Can you unpack this idea a bit more?