Study Questions: Proverbs #12
Following God
Proverbs 16 (CGS#12)
INTRODUCTION: The mission statement of our church is “Connecting people into life-defining relationships in Christ.” What stands out to you in that statement? If I may, I’d venture to guess that it is the phrase “life-defining.” Why? Because if you are like me, it is not a phrase that is commonly used in any other sphere of our lives. We don’t approach our marriages with the mindset of “life-defining.” Marriage is intimate and sacred, and it gives meaning and purpose to our lives, but no healthy married person would say that they are completely “defined” by their spouse. And you don’t need to be married to live a meaningful life. Don’t believe me? Talk to Paul in the Bible! Then there is our work and careers. As Westerners, we place a significant amount of value and personal identity in our work. Yet, we have a phrase that describes someone whose life is defined by their work, and it isn’t a compliment. We refer to people like this as workaholics. They have a disproportionate relationship with their work, and it negatively affects the other areas of their lives. Work is important and purposeful, but is it truly life-defining? No, it isn’t.
So, what is supposed to be life-defining and healthy at the same time? Our relationship with God.
Remember, Proverbs started out by saying this in 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This is the motto of Proverbs, and it tells us that the foundation for our lives, the thing that is to give our lives ultimate definition, is God and God alone. The Westminster Catechism (a series of questions and answers) was written in the 1640s. The very first question and answer goes like this: Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Catch that? The “chief end” of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Another way of saying it is that man was made to follow God in a “life-defining” way. Proverbs 16:9 will say it like this, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” “Establish” is the word that should stand out to us. There is a clear distinction that Proverbs makes, man can make plans, but it is only God who can establish a person. We get the sense that planning is finite and passes away, but what the Lord can do is infinite and lasting. What is the difference? God’s authority and sovereignty. It is why Proverbs told us the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of knowledge. That fear is about seeing God rightly, taking him seriously, and following him. He is the one who spoke the cosmos into existence. He is the one who numbers our days and causes us to draw breath. It is in him that live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). He is the only one who gets to define us. So, it is fitting that our church mission is centered around following God in a life-defining way. The key to all of this is that while God’s authority can be seen in the glory of the cosmos, it is best understood in love. His radically generous love that is extended and seen perfectly in his Son, Jesus. God’s sovereignty is not a doctrine of cowering fear but a message of hope — the assurance that God freely chooses to be for us, with us, and in us through the saving work of Jesus Christ. So, Proverbs will tell us there is nothing more central or more life-giving than following God. It is what we were made for. It is our chief end and greatest purpose. It is the thing that should define us and everything that we do. When we say “life-defining,” we don’t mean secondary, occasionally, or when it seems to benefit me. When we say “life-defining,” we mean what the Bible means: central, first, and primary.
GETTING STARTED – As a group, take time to answer this question. What is something that you might say “defines your life?” Do you feel like it truly defines you to the core, or is it just deeply important?
IN THE WORD – Let’s dig back into the passage(s). It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.
First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)
Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.
Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?
Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?
Note: Another way to approach your time together is to talk through the following questions.
- What did you hear God’s Spirit say to you through the passage this week? How does it encourage you? How does it sharpen you?
- Is there an image, word, or picture that stands out to you in the passage from this week, and what about it is powerful or helpful?
- If “fear of the Lord” is the beginning (foundation) of knowledge, how are you purposefully learning God’s truth? Or is there something else that your life tends to be built on?
- When you think of God’s love how does it motivate you towards obedience and faithfulness to God’s teaching and precepts?
- You were created to know and enjoy God, part of that is joining God on mission. What gift has God given you (Eph. 4:11-16), and how are you currently using it to build up the body (church) into maturity?
- If you do not know your Spiritual Gift, please consider taking Discipleship 301. – You can find info about it on the church website. Ccames.org/events