Family Dinner: January 23rd – 29th

Open your Bibles to 2nd Corinthians, chapter 2 and read verse 15 together.

We’re to be living our lives attracting others to Christ with our love and good works. Often times we get caught up with civilian affairs and repel others from Christ. It’s time to check the smell of our aroma, not to please people but to please our Father and to not be hypocrites.

Discuss the following questions together as a family:

1. What are ways my aroma could attract nonbelievers to Christ?

2. What are ways my aroma could repel nonbelievers from Christ?

3. Think of how you came to Christ. How did the aroma of the believers that you knew smell? What did they do to make it smell that way?

Practical: Take 5 mins and think of one way for you to improve the smell of your aroma. Discuss your ideas together after the time is up. Put them into practice and keep each other accountable!

Be an Example!

Open your Bibles to 1 Timothy 4 and read verse 12.

Whether we’re young or a seasoned saint, we’re examples to others. What kind of example are you with how you walk with Christ?

Discuss the following questions together:

1. Which of these ways to set an example to others stands out, why?

2. Our words have power. Why is it important to “tame the tongue” as James says in James 3?

3. What are ways that I can set an example in love?                                         

4. Why is it important to be cautious of how I am as an example to the world?

Practical: Share an area you need to grow in and ask for help to grow in this area as an example of Jesus.

Our Belief effects our Behavior

Open your bibles for 1 John 5 and read verses 2 and 3 together.

What we believe effects how we behave. What we believe is our doctrine, and how we behave is our character. How do we know if we’re truly a loving and genuine follower of Jesus? If we love Jesus, obey Him and love people. Do you delight in obeying God’s commands, or are they a burden to you like a chore? Whatever you believe is how you will behave.

Discuss the following questions together:

1. What do you believe that effects how you behave?

2. How do I know if I am a loving Christian, and being a good ambassador for Jesus?

3. Has God ever commanded you to do something that felt like a burden? How did you get through it?

4. What should we do if God’s Word, or His commands become burdensome?

Practical: Go around the table and share your physical and spiritual New Years resolutions. What are you doing to help apply and achieve these resolutions in 2024?

Put on the NEW you!

Open your Bibles to Ephesians 4 and read verses 22 thru 24 together.

As we walk with Christ, He faithfully transforms us from to look more like Him. He has broken us free from our chains of old sin by His blood. He commands us here to not go back to our old ways, but to put it off, be renewed by the Holy Spirit and to put on the new man. We’re now a new creation in Christ!

Discuss the following questions together:

1. What does Paul mean by putting off the old man?

2. Why is it difficult to put off the old man?

3. How can we practically put on the new man? How does this look like in a person?

4. How does the Holy Spirit help us in putting off the old man and putting on the new man?

Practical: Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where in your life you need to put off the old man and put on the NEW you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2024

HE is a Wonderful LIFE!

Open your Bibles to John chapter 14 and read verse 6 together.

Our God is everywhere, all the time, knows all things and has all power, He’s truly wonderful! He knows our every word, action and thought. Yet, God sent His one and only begotten Son to die on the cross for us. Let’s listen to the One who has been to both heaven and earth and gives us the way to get there. How wonderful is He?!

Discuss the following questions together:

1. Why can Jesus claim that “I am the way, the truth and the life.”?

2. Who would you listen to more, either your best friend/parent or God? Why?

3. Jesus also says “No one comes to the Father except through me.” How is Jesus the gateway to God the Father in heaven?

4. Is Jesus the only way to heaven? How do we know?

Practical: Reflect on God’s wonderfulness this past year. He knows all things, sees all things, hears all things and has all power, YET He still loves us. Our God is so wonderful!