Accessible God

Community Group Questions: Hebrews 10:19-25 "Accessible God"

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1. With the turning of each new year, God graciously gives us the opportunity to look forward with fresh goals and resolutions. What “new year’s resolutions” have you made for 2019?  Do you find the process helpful?  Why or why not?
2. Read Hebrews 10:19-25 aloud as a group. If the author of Hebrews were giving us a set of resolutions for 2019 from this passage, what would they be?  How do these kinds of resolutions compare with the kinds we normally make in our lives?
3. Verses 19-21 explain why, as sinful people redeemed by Christ, we are now able to approach God confidently in worship, prayer, and relationship. In what ways does Jesus Christ, in his person and work, fulfill the Old Testament institutions of Tabernacle, High Priest, and Sacrifice?  How did Jesus “open the way” for those who believe?
4. In light of our great access to God in Christ, verse 22 tells us to spiritually “draw near” to God. What things in your Christian life often keep you from drawing near to God?  (Busyness? Guilt?  Shame? Etc.)  How does Jesus help us overcome those barriers?
5. In your life, what spiritual disciplines or habits do you hope to practice in 2019 that will help you draw near to God on a regular basis? Share ideas with the group about what has worked for you.  How do you hope to change and grow in these habits this coming year?    
6. In verse 23, we’re told to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” The word “confession” refers to the content of what Christians believe and confess about the nature of God, the salvation found in Jesus, and the sure hope of Christ’s return.  Some of the original recipients of this letter were tempted to “waver” from their confession, and to turn away from the Christian community because of persecution from the broader culture.  What forms of ridicule and persecution will we likely face as Christians this coming year?  The verse says, “he who promised is faithful.”  How does God’s promise that Jesus will be our high priest forever (see Psalm 110:4) give us strength to hold fast no matter what we face?
7. Verses 24-25 urge us not to neglect our regular meetings as a church, but to come together to “stir up one another to love and good works,” and to, “encourage one another.” One major function of Christian gatherings is mutual edification.  If you are being honest, do you treat church more as something you “attend” or something you “participate” in as a vital contributor?  As you look ahead to 2019, what tangible things can you personally do each time the church gathers to “stir up others” toward Christ?  In what ways can you better allow others to stir you up when we gather?  What can our church family, as a whole, do to better carry out this vision of participatory worship?
8. How does the Christian worship gathering itself stir up the members who come? In other words, when you come together with other Christians to sing, pray, read, preach, and give, how does this reinforce the faith of others around you?  In light of this, what are the best reasons to make corporate worship a priority in our lives in 2019? 

Prayer suggestion: Pray for our church.  Pray that together we would draw near, hold fast, and stir each other up.  Pray for one another in our personal goals, that we would draw near to God through regular spiritual habits this coming year.