Holy, Part 2: It Starts In The Mind
July 7, 2024

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Message Review

To be holy, we must actively choose to pursue holiness. However, achieving holiness is impossible without the intervention of the Holy Spirit. This week, we focused on the first aspect of living a holy life: to live a holy life, we must fill our minds with what is holy. 

Main Point: To be holy, we must fill our minds with what is holy.

Scripture References: 1 Peter 1:14-16; Romans 8:5-12; Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8; Philippians 3:12-15

Bible Study      

The focus Bible passage from the sermon was  Romans 8:1-11. Before going to the Sermon Discussion Questions, study the passage by reading through it together, then talk through it using the following Inductive Bible Study Method questions that follow:

·      Context: Discuss the context of this passage (Use the Bible Overview to learn the context)

  • Observation: What do you notice in this passage? What words or phrases stick out to you? And why?

  • Interpretation: What was Jesus’ original intent in this passage? What main point(s) was he trying to communicate, and why is that important?

  • Application: What is one key takeaway or insight you had from this passage? How can or should you apply it to your life?

  • Questions: What questions/tensions do you have from this passage that you want to discuss?

Discussion Questions

  • What were your initial thoughts or takeaways from the sermon, and why?

  • Matt discussed this quote from the book Pursuit of Holiness, “Many Christians have a basic desire to live a holy life, but have come to believe they simply cannot do it…” Why do you think followers of Jesus have come to believe they cannot lead a holy life?

  • Why do you think followers of Jesus experience a disconnect between what we allow into our minds and how it affects our relationship with God?

  • To be holy, we must fill our minds with what is holy. Why do you think our minds play a vital role in living a holy life? 

  • Read Romans 8:5-6 as a group again. What does the author Paul say about filling our minds, and how does it affect living a holy life?

  • Read Philippians 4:8 as a group. What is the key, according to Paul, to filling our minds with holy things? How can you practically do this in your everyday life?

  • Matt gave us three filter questions when deciding what to let into our mind: Is it true? Is it good and honorable? Is it excellent and worth celebrating? 

    • Would the information you allow in your mind change if you used these filtering questions?

    • How can using these questions change your focus and impact your life?

  • Read Philippians 3:12-15(ESV) as a group. What encouragement can we derive from this passage regarding persevering and leading a holy life by controlling what we allow into our minds?

  • How is your consumption (media, entertainment, etc) impacting your pursuit of holiness? What is one next step you can take this week to control what you expose your mind to?

To watch or listen to Sunday’s sermon, visit our Sermons page.