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Worry Less. Work Hard. Sermon

Matt Stout [College Grove Campus Pastor]

Sermon Points & Scripture References: 

• Sermon Takeaway = Worry Less. Work Hard.

• Scripture Reference: Daniel 8:1-27

• Sermon Point: The Wicked Never Win

• Scripture Reference: Psalm 73:17-18

• Scripture Reference: Lamentations 3:37-38

• Sermon Point: God Gives His Word to Warn His People

Sermon Point: Worry Less and Work Hard

Sermon Discussion Questions

Get to know me

The purpose of these questions is to generate responses that are self-revealing and informative. Feel free to ask all of these questions to your group or simply choose the one that best fits your group.

1. Think of a time when you didn’t get something good you deserved or got something bad that you didn’t deserve. What happened? How did you react? How did you go about life afterward?

Into the Bible

The purpose of these questions is to draw group members into the Bible to discover the truth from passages that were not the primary text for the weekend message.

1. Read Romans 12:18-19. There are times when justice can be served through people and times when only God’s vengeance will do. In all times, though, we as believers are to live in the trust and goodness of the finished work of Jesus. How do these verses speak to the way you have been living and to how you should be living?

2. Read Philippians 4:8-9. You can turn on the TV or look through social media without seeing bad news. We can hope for good news to appear more frequently, but we can’t count on it. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is about encouragement, no matter the situation. These passages, as he’s ending the letter, are some of the most encouraging in all of the New Testament. How can you apply these passages to your life right now and in the coming years?

Application

The purpose of these questions is to apply the main points from the weekend message.

1. Read Daniel 8:15,27. The vision in chapter 8 speaks specifically of people and kingdoms that attack God’s people 250 years later after the Jews leave Babylon and return to Judah. Verse 15 says Daniel sought understanding, but verse 27 says after his dream, Daniel lay sick for days, didn’t understand the dream, and still went about the king’s business. How does Daniel’s action post-dream encourage you? 

2. Read Matthew 16:24-25. The enemy wants us to forget that following Jesus requires continual and daily sacrifice. The enemy’s strategy still revolves around causing us to forget what Jesus’ sacrifice accomplished. What comes to mind in your life, whether daily or weekly, that you could deny in order to spend time growing in the Lord? What area of spiritual discipline do you feel you need to grow most?

3. Read Acts 20:22-30. Today, the enemy tries to destroy the church. Sometimes, through persecution. Sometimes, it’s through a passive/weak church commitment. Sometimes, it’s compromising biblical truth. That’s why Paul warned the elders to protect the church from savage wolves that attack God’s people through false teaching. In what ways do you see false teaching taking place? How can you recognize false teaching? How can you work against false teaching?