CoGro Discussion Q's - Advent #4

1. In the sermon, we said, "As children of God, we inherit eternal life and receive the kingdom of God as a free gift of God." What are some of the ways that we reject God's free gift? What are some of the reasons we do that?
   

2. The parable of the prodigal son is really about two types of people characterized by the younger and older brothers. How do you see yourself in these two characters? Are you more like the older or the younger? Has that changed over time?
   

3. In the movie Amadeus, Salieri thinks he's serving God, but really seems to just want something from God. Have you ever discovered the same about yourself?
   

4. Martin Luther, the great reformer, said that we have to repent even of our good works! What are some of the ways we use good works to justify ourselves as deserving of God's blessing? What about using suffering? What other things might we use to justify ourselves?
   

5. In the sermon, we said, "We think that if we operate on slave-master terms with God that we can have some measure of control over the relationship." How does the older brother do this? What about the younger brother? What about you?
   

6. We concluded the sermon by saying that unbelief was really at the heart of our perception of God and of ourselves as master and servant--that we don't trust God to be our Father. What are some of the ways that we can begin to trust God rather than to try to control him?