Discovering Joy - Where is our Confidence?
Studies on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians for SGSG Small Groups
Where is our Confidence? Philippians 3:1-11 27 October
Welcome
Watch the Sound of Music clip ‘I have confidence in me’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzs0oUUFWmM
Question: When or where do you think you are you confident? or not?
Worship
Sing a worship song that speaks of God’s majesty.
Continue in worship, and speak out prayers of thanks to God for His majesty and greatness, and that HE is our source of purpose and confidence. Finish by reading Philippians 3:1-11.
Word
3: 1-6
Background: The Philippian Christians are under attack from a group Paul describes as “filthy (or wild) dogs”. They have infiltrated the church and are preaching that all the new Gentile Christians should be circumcised in order to become ‘real’ Christians. For them, faith in Jesus isn’t enough.
What is Paul’s view on this teaching? See v3, and Romans 2:29.
How do true Christians worship? How do they not worship?
v4b-6 Identify Paul’s reasons for confidence from the things he has inherited from birth, or from his personal achievements. How might they be similar for us? Use two sheets of paper to note down the group’s thoughts. You should end up with something like the attached. You may like to record some of what you have written on your group journal.
3: 7-11
In v7-8 Paul said he had more reason than most to be confident, but he wasn’t. Paul’s faith gave him a new perspective on the achievements that used to give him the “profit” of confidence. He now considers them as leaving him with a heavy “loss”.
What is Paul’s new relationship with Jesus based on? v8-9 (also Romans 3:20)
What is the righteousness Paul describes and how do we get it? (Romans 3:21-26)
How do we receive this gift (v9)? (Romans 3:28)
v10-11 What strikes you about these verses? What do they really mean for us? How do they challenge us?
If there is time, you might like to ask people to share their personal experiences of how faith has impacted their confidence, significance, or sense of value. People may like to write them or illustrate them on your group journal.
Witness, Care and Prayer
In a time of quiet, reflect on: 2 Corinthians 5:6 and Ephesians 3:12. Ask God to reveal his message to each individual through these verses.
Pray for friends and family who are struggling to understand the Christian faith, or struggling with self-esteem issues.
Ponder on Philippians 3v10 and 11. Pray around these verses, pray that we may base our confidence entirely in Christ, and that we experience the freedom this brings.
Inherited from Birth
Personal Achievements
