“RUBBISH!”
Conversation Starters
Sunday Nov 8, 2015
Talk about your experience on Sunday morning.
- How did God speak to you this week?
- Did you meet anyone new
Read Philippians 3:1-11 together.
- What words, phrases or verses spoke to you as you read this passage? Why?
Paul commanded the Philippian church (and us as well) to “rejoice in the Lord” (v1)
- What do you think it means to “rejoice in the Lord”?
- Do you think there is a difference between joy and happiness? Explain.
- How can we have joy (and “rejoice in the Lord”) even in the midst of difficult/unhappy circumstances in life (without being “fake” about it)?
Paul had some sharp words for those who would try to force their religion on the Philippian church (calling them dogs, and evildoers and mutilators of the flesh in V3&4).
- Why do you think Paul was so animated about this?
- How is “religion” different from (or, opposite to) the “gospel”? (hint: think ‘earning’ vs ‘grace’). If you can, give specific examples.
- What makes “religion” an enemy to joy and the life that God wants for us?
- In what ways do we today look to “religion” and religious activity to gain God’s approval in our lives?
Paul had quite the “religious resume.” (V-6)
- What might you put on your ‘religious resume’? What “human/moral efforts” have you looked to to make you right with God? (i.e. being a good person, church attendance, having good theology, growing up in the church etc…)
- In what ways do you still sometimes try to earn God’s love, grace, forgiveness and favour?
In verse 8, Paul said that he counted all his religious efforts as “rubbish” (in Greek – Skubula, directly translated as ‘s**t’) when compared to knowing Christ.
- What are the things in your life that you now consider “skubula” when compared to knowing Christ?
- What do you think it means to look to Christ, not religion, to be saved and to become like him (v9-11)?
Jeff concluded his message by saying that we need to “lose our religion and choose relationship instead.”
- What is one action step you can take this week to move away from religion and towards relationship with Christ?
- Spend some time in prayer for one another as a group. Ask God to fill us with his joy so that we can rejoice in him (and not our own human efforts)!
