Grace Place Sermon Questions

Icebreaker: What is your favorite perfume or cologne scent? How are you using essential oil scents? Prayer: During this series on prayer, determine to spend more time in personal prayer each day. As a group, pray before your discussion. Start a prayer log to record requests and answers. Check the church’s weekly email blast for needs to add to your log. Overview: In this week’s lesson, the sinful woman anoints Jesus’s feet with a fragrant ointment. Scents were often used by cultures where personal hygiene was not as convenient as it is today. These days not everyone responds favorably to fragrances. I recently attended a multi-day convention where all attendees were asked to refrain from using fragrances to accommodate other attendees with allergies to fragrances. I must admit I felt a little uncomfortable without my signature fragrance each day. Jesus enjoyed the luxury of the sweet, fragrant anointing. He knew it was an expression of her appreciative heart that was

Icebreaker: What is your dream car? When have you been tempted to spend money on a luxury item? Prayer: During this series on prayer, determine to spend more time in personal prayer each day. As a group, pray before your discussion. Start a prayer log to record requests and answers. Check the church’s weekly email blast for needs to add to your log. Overview: Temptation can make us do things we wouldn’t normally do. I once bought an expensive purse during a “retail therapy” session after a difficult day at work. I didn’t need the purse. I didn’t really like the purse. Once I came to my right mind, I returned the purse. It would have been better had I prayed in my weak moment for God to rescue me from my temptation instead of trying to salve my hurt feelings with pretty things. An expensive purse is a harmless example of a momentary temptation. Sometimes the results of temptation are more hurtful and have ramifications that can span generations. Heavenly Father deliver

Icebreaker: What is the average age of a piece of clothing in your wardrobe? How often do you buy new clothes? Seasons? Trends? Prayer: During this series on prayer, determine to spend more time in personal prayer each day. As a group, pray before your discussion. Start a prayer log to record requests and answers. Check the church’s weekly email blast for needs to add to your log. Overview: Have you ever seen the TV show “Strange Inheritance?” The odd things that people inherit from their family is fascinating. So fascinating that the series is in its fourth season. Most of us have no need for the world’s largest bottle cap collection or a bug museum but the inheritance that our Heavenly Father has for us is worth everything. After all, He gave His precious son to buy it for us. Discussion: Review theme scripture from Matthew 6:5-15. Read Galatians 3:27-4:7. Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. -- Matthew 6:9 NLT Who is God? Why must His nam

Icebreaker: What is the best thing anyone (not Jesus) has ever done for you? How do you like to show your concern for someone? Prayer: During this series on prayer, determine to spend more time in personal prayer each day. As a group, pray before your discussion. Start a prayer log to record requests and answers. Check the church’s weekly email blast for needs to add to your log. Overview: Social media has changed the way we communicate with others. Remember when on your birthday you would receive a few birthday cards in the mail instead of 100 posts on your Facebook page? It is nice to know so many people thought of us on our special day. Social media is also an effective way of inviting hundreds of people to pray for a need just when the prayer is most needed. When a friend says, either on social media or in person, “I am praying for you,” it touches our heart. Our prayer joins with the prayers of others to petition God concerning a single need. There is mighty powe

Icebreaker: What is your favorite warm-weather day activity? What is a perfect summer day to you? Prayer: During this series on prayer, determine to spend more time in personal prayer each day. As a group, pray before your discussion. Start a prayer log to record requests and answers. Check the church’s weekly email blast for needs to add to your log. Overview: Have you ever considered the length of the Lord’s Prayer? It is approximately 60 words depending on the translation you are quoting. The model prayer of our Lord is not a long, wordy one. He instructs us to not speak elaborate prayers that will be admired by others. We have all experienced a well-meaning saint whose prayer went on for several minutes instead of several words. Long, private prayers where our heart is crying out to God are not a bad thing. Jesus prayed all night before His arrest in the garden. God wants to hear from His children. Just like your mom and dad do. Our prayers do not have to be long

Icebreaker: How do you prepare for Easter? What Easter activities will you participate in this week? Overview: As believers, the day we are baptized stands out in our memories. For some of us baptism happens immediately; for others it comes later. Sometimes the delay is due to a lack of available water as was the case for me. Our church did not have a baptistery back in the early 1960’s when I needed it. We had an agreement to use the baptistery at New Hope Baptist down the street. I don’t remember the date, but I remember the day. Jesus’ baptism was a big day as well. It was the public proclamation of who He was – The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!   Discussion: Read Matthew 3:13-17 and John 1:29-34. Share your baptism story. Why was Jesus baptized? How did Jesus identify with sinners? What effect did Jesus’ baptism have on those who witnessed it? What meaning does Jesus’ baptism have to us? When have you felt the Spirit of God on you?

Icebreaker: What was your favorite part of Easter weekend? Overview: I will admit it: I have never seen “The Passion of the Christ” movie. It disturbs me to see violent scenes in movies or TV. My granddaughter still mocks me because I hid my eyes when the dinosaurs went on a rampage in the last Jurassic movie. I KNEW the dinosaurs were not real, but I still hid my eyes. I have read in scripture about the real torture that our Lord suffered prior to and during His sacrifice on the cross. What He suffered for me is unimaginable, yet I believe His death on the cross gave me eternal life! NOTE: For a PG version of the crucifixion of Christ, check out the TV series, “JESUS: His Life,” on the History Channel. Rev. Kimberly Majeski from Anderson University is a featured Biblical expert on several episodes. Kim grew up at the Grace Place and is the niece of Nancy Ricketts and Sharon Odum. Discussion: Read John 19:1-22 and Philippians 2:8-11. Why were there so many different