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All His Benefits - Week 1 Introduction
- 1. All His BENEFITS Week 1 - Introduction
- 2. What are your earliest childhood memories or thoughts of God? When you made your first decision to follow Christ, what were the factors that motivated you, or the benefits that attracted you to be a follower of Christ?
- 3. Psalms 103:1-3 1 Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
- 4. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”. These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
- 5. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
- 6. Genesis 12:1-3 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Editor's Notes
- 1) The first question is just a way to get to know your group a little better. It typically will lead them to tell a little bit of their spiritual background, whether they were raise in a Christian family or not, if they attended church, etc. 2) The second question will lead directly into the lesson as they talk about which of the ‘benefits’ they were first aware of when they became a believer. Many people are initially saved either because they did not want to go to hell, or because it was expected of them, or they really were attracted by the love of Christ that they saw in someone else. Depending on the group, you may decide to share your personal answers first or after they go – sometimes the group will jump right in, so you can wait until the end because often, if you answer first, it may lead the group to answer along a similar line, but if they are a quieter group, you made need to start in order to get them going. But when you are preparing, go ahead and write down your answers so that you are ready to answer whenever it is appropriate.
- Who is David talking to? His soul. His innermost being. He is telling his soul to bless the lord, to recognize and appreciate and thank God and His holy name, the One that is the source of all blessings. Then he is reminding himself to not forget all His benefits – the many specific good things that He does for us. Humans, in our fallen state, are forgetful people. We need to be reminded constantly of God’s blessings. David goes on to list some of the benefits or blessings that he had both experienced but also that he saw prophetically of what would be available to us through what Jesus did on the cross – forgiveness, healing, steadfast love, being satisfied with good, having our youth renewed, etc. That is the basic premise of this study – that we need to learn and remind ourselves of the many benefits that our available to us through Jesus. These are blessings that He died for us to have, so we do not need to be hesitant to seek after these things.
- These blessings and benefits that we are studying are not only for us – for it is only as we receive these benefits that we then can offer them to others. God promised Abraham that He would bless him, so that he would be a blessing. In Christ, we have the same promise – that promise of abundant life that will overflow to touch everyone we come in contact with. But you must receive first, by faith, in order to have the blessings to give to others. Car Analogy – If your car breaks down along the side of the road and you call me for help, I can’t come get you if my car isn’t working either. And the last thing you want to hear is me telling you MY ‘sob story’ about the problems I am having with my car. But if I come and pick you up and then tell you about this great mechanic that helped me and fixed my car, that would be something you’d want to hear about. And then you would really be interested to hear that my mechanic not only does great work, but he also provided car repairs for free – no strings attached. Of course, in reality, the good news we have is even better, because Jesus doesn’t just fix our old ‘junk vehicle’, but he offers us a brand new ‘car’ for free – a new life, a new heart, a clean history, and a great future – it is more than we can even imagine and more than enough for us to be able to share abundantly with those around us.