Living the Cross Centered Life Reading Schedule

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Britney Hoover
6 years ago
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2 Reading Schedule Week # Chapter(s) Pages # of Pages 1 Intro & Ch & & & & &

3 Discussion Questions for the Intro & Chapter 1 1. From what you ve read so far, what does it mean to live a cross centered life? 2. Each of our lives is centered on something. What s at the center of yours? (p. 13). How would you answer this question for your own life? 3. One overarching truth should motivate all our work and affect every part of who we are: Christ died for our sins (bottom p. 14). How does this overarching truth affect you on a daily basis? 4. The author identifies three main tendencies (middle of p. 16) that draw us away from the gospel. Which of the three apply to you? Explain. 5. The author asks a key question: are you willing to repent to God and reorder your life? What s your answer? 6. On page 18 there s a list of four symptoms of not living a cross centered life. Do any of these describe you? Which of the four potential lessons (below symptoms) appeal to you most? 7. In Paul s last letter to Timothy he commands him to remember Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:8). The author then says, You don t need a new truth... But you do need to guard the one truth (middle of p. 25). What do you think is significant about Paul s instruction to Timothy? 8. According to the author (pp ), why did Paul live a cross centered life? How does the author, like Paul, seek to maintain his amazement at God s grace (p. 28)? What helps you to be regularly amazed at God s grace? 9. What if you don t have a dramatic conversion experience (p. 28)? Can you still appreciate the cross? How so? 10. Only those who are aware of God s wrath are amazed at God s grace (p. 29). Explain this statement. How can you grow in a healthy understanding of God s wrath?

4 Discussion Questions for Chapter 2 1. In a typical day, how often do you make decisions and evaluate reality based primarily on your emotions at the moment? (middle of p. 32). 2. We let our feelings tell us what s true, instead of letting the truth transform our feelings (top of p. 33). Can you think of specific examples from your life showing this to be true? 3. Our feelings simply cannot be trusted (bottom of p. 33). Do you agree? Why or why not? 4. In our arrogance, we invest our feelings... with final authority... (bottom of p. 34). Why is this arrogant? 5. How does the author describe the humble person in relation to God s Word (middle of p. 35)? Is that a good description? Why or why not? 6. Knowing and wholeheartedly believing the truth will always bring you, in time, to a trustworthy experience of the truth (bottom of p. 36). Is this true of your own experience? 7. What are the specific ways in which you are tempted to listen to yourself (pp ). 8. We can either listen to ourselves..., or we can talk to ourselves... (middle of p. 38). What s the difference? How specifically do you need to begin to talk to yourself? 9. What s the difference between an inward and outward focus (middle of p. 40)? Which most often describes you? 10. The cross centered life starts with biblical thinking. Will you therefore build your life on what is real--or merely on what you feel? (middle of p. 41). What s your answer? What specific changes do you need to make?

5 Discussion Questions for Chapter 3 1. Images, however, cannot adequately convey the gospel s content (mid. of p. 46). What does the author mean? What, then, does adequately convey the gospel s content? 2. But do we ourselves adequately understand the deepest reasons behind the cross? (top of p. 47). How would you answer the question for yourself? Explain your answer. 3. Why is it important to understand why Jesus died? Why isn t it enough to know how or that he died? 4. As a group read Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (it divides evenly into 5 groups of 3 verses each). What stands out to you? What doesn t make sense? if somehow a group photograph could have been taken... we most likely would be unable to distinguish... Jesus (mid. of p. 51). Does this thought surprise you? Explain. 6. Go back to Isaiah 53:4-6. Make two columns on paper. In the first column write down all the references to Jesus (e.g., he, his, him ), and in the second write down all the references to us (e.g., we, our, us). What do you notice? 7. He does it not at our request, and not with our encouragement and support, but while being despised and rejected (mid. of p. 53). What is significant about this truth? 8. The author tells a profound and moving story of sacrifice and heroism (p. 54), but he concludes that it falls short of being an adequate illustration of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ... (top of p. 55). Why is this so? 9. Who killed Jesus?... Why? (mid. of p. 56). What are the biblical answers to these questions? Can you find Scripture references to defend your answers? 10. Do you ever doubt God s love for you? What is the best way to be regularly convinced of God s love for you? How does this work practically on an ordinary day?

6 Discussion Questions for Chapters 4 & 5 1. The author s response to the question, How are you? is regularly, Better than I deserve (bot. of p. 59). Do you believe this to be true about you re doing? Explain. 2. What is the connection between grasp[ing] the terrible threat facing each of us in our human condition and being perplexed and bewildered by God s love (mid. of p. 61)? 3. Why is God righteously and furiously opposed to every bit of [sin]? Why can t He simply overlook or excuse it (bot. of p. 62)? Can you find any Bible references for support? 4. What is the impossible predicament (mid. of p. 63) to which the author is referring? Have you ever personally felt the weight of this dilemma? Explain. 5. What s the difference between the process of mediation between two people compared to the process of mediation between a person and God (pp )? 6. Our Mediator s work would be a labor of blood (top of p. 69). What s significant about Jesus blood? 7. J. I. Packer refers to 1 Timothy 2:5-6 as the key, not merely to the New Testament, but to the whole Bible... (bot. of p. 69). Why do you think he says this? 8. Only someone both fully divine and truly human can effectively mediate between God and men... (top of p. 71). Why must Jesus be fully God and fully man to save us? 9. According to the author, What does Christ s death mean for us--for all who turn from their sins and trust in this unique mediator? (mid. of p. 73). 10. Does proclaiming the good news feel to you like a privilege, responsibility, or both? What will help you to grow in your passion to share Christ with others (pp )?

7 Discussion Questions for Chapters 6 & 7 1. The sorrow in our Savior s soul at this moment is so powerful... (mid. of p. 77). Describe one of your most sorrowful moments. How does it help you to understand the Savior s sorrow? 2. Jesus experienced an agony that [goes] infinitely beyond any physical aspects of His suffering (bot. of p. 78). What agony is the author talking about? 3. We need divine assistance to take it in... (mid. of p. 79). Why do we need help in this area? How practically do we get this help? 4. What is in the cup that Jesus asks the Father to remove (pp )? 5. This is your cup. You re responsible for this. It s your sin! (mid. of p. 82). How does the truth behind this quote affect the way you think about your sin? 6. Why does Jesus have no reply to these bogus charges? (bot. of p. 84). How would you answer the author s question? How does Jesus response differ from your own when lies are made up about you? 7. With whom do you most identify in the events of this dark day? (mid. of p. 86). 8. Unless you see yourself standing there with the shrieking crowd, full of hostility and hatred for the holy and innocent Lamb of God, you don t really understand the nature and depth of your sin or the necessity of the cross (top of p. 87). Do you agree are disagree? Explain. 9. When we begin to grasp that we joined that mockery--that we are to blame for the Savior s death--we start to understand the seriousness of our sin (top. of p. 88). How well do you feel that you re grasping this reality?

8 Discussion Questions for Chapters 8 & 9 1. Chapter eight opens with a description of Jesus being mocked (p. 89). How do you usually feel when you read the biblical accounts that describe the mockery? Why? 2. It isn t the nails that kept Him there (mid. of p. 90). Explain this quote. 3. Luther said that we all carry in our pocket His very nails (bot. of p. 90). How would you explain this statement to a non-christian friend? 4. Why did darkness cover the land while Jesus was on the cross? What was Jesus experiencing during this time (p. 91)? 5. What does it mean that Jesus was forsaken by God? Why would God forsake His own beloved Son (pp )? 6. Please don t ever grow overfamiliar with forgiveness (top of p. 95). What are some signs of becoming overfamiliar with forgiveness? Do any of these apply to you? 7. Do you usually think of God as being able to understand your suffering? Why or why not? Have you ever suffered? Explain? 8. How is Jesus able to help you in your time of suffering (p. 98)? 9. We need to be trained prior to suffering, so that we may be fully sustained in suffering (top of p. 99). Explain why Christians need to be educated about suffering. 10. God promises to never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5), so why does it sometimes feel like He is gone? What is a biblical strategy for fighting against these kind of feelings (p )?

9 Discussion Questions for Chapters 10 & Answer the author s question: In your own times of severe distress, which are you more aware of--your suffering or your salvation? (mid. of p. 105). 2. That s why my heart aches for any believer who lacks the certainty of God s specific, passionate, and personal love (mid. of p. 106). Do you have a healthy understanding of God s love for you? Explain. 3. The author asks, In the last week, what was your primary preoccupation in life? What was your spiritual focus? (bot. of p. 106). How would you answer his questions? 4. What does it mean to preach the gospel to yourself (bot. of p. 107)? Why is it necessary? How practically does a person do this? 5. Are you someone who s consistently joyful... or do you normally appear to be... burdened, busy, and easily bothered? (mid. of p. 108). What s your answer? 6. What is legalism? How have you experienced it? 7. Why does the author say that legalism is rooted in selfworship (pp )? 8. How does the illustration of the spinning plates help you to understand legalism (pp )? 9. Do you think of God as disappointed with you rather than delighting over you? (pp ). What s your answer? 10. What is the difference between justification and sanctification (pp )? Why is it important to not confuse the two (pp )?

10 Discussion Questions for Chapters 12 & Take some time to answer each of the questions found on page The true story of the uninvited guest (pp ) comes from Luke 7: Read that passage of Scripture. How do you think you would have responded if you were at that dinner party? What can you learn from that story? 3. Our promises of future obedience, however sincere, can t resolve condemnation for past sin (top of p. 129). Explain this quote. Have you ever tried to use future obedience to take care of past sin? 4. How would you help a struggling friend to beat condemnation (pp )? 5. Do you think of yourself as the worst of sinners that you know (pp )? Why or why not? Should you? 6. Practically speaking, what does it take to build a cross centered life (top of p. 132)? 7. Talk about each of the five strategies the author gives for helping to draw near to the cross each day (pp ). Which have you done personally? Which have worked the best for you? Which do you need to grow in or start for the first time? 8. What role does the Holy Spirit play in developing a more cross centered life? How does this shape the way you should move on from here?

11 Discussion Questions for Chapter As the book comes to a close the author says, Never let the cross slide into second or third place in your life. Never lay it aside. Never move on (bot. of p. 149). What do you need to do to heed this exhortation? 2. What is the relationship between the cross and the Old Testament? 3. What is the relationship between the cross and prayer? 4. What is the relationship between the cross and holiness? 5. What is the relationship between the cross and relationships? 6. What is the relationship between the cross and the issues that you re facing in life right now? 7. What was the most impacting lesson that you learned from this book?

Gospel Christianity. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Leaders Guide Course 1. Galatians 2: 11-16

Gospel Christianity. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Leaders Guide Course 1. Galatians 2: 11-16 Gospel Christianity Leaders Guide Course 1 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 2: 11-16 Tim Keller Redeemer Presbyterian Church 2003 Table of