Questions:

1. What was confusing, convicting, or encouraging from this study of Scripture?
2. Why was Paul able to rejoice in his suffering? Why do we find it difficult to rejoice when we suffer?
3. “Christ in you, the Hope of glory.” Is this a good summary of the Gospel? How does it encourage you?
4. What would a visitor among us say is the content of our ‘gospel’? Are there things that we tend to focus on that are actually alternatives to the Gospel?
5. Who and what do you pray for? How does Paul’s example in Colossians change who you pray for and what you pray about?
6. “hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love….” Is this a good description of our church and/or our community group? What things threaten our unity and how can we combat them?
7. False teaching is dangerous and destructive. How does Paul’s warning change the way you think about having right theology? How would false teaching hinder people from having joy in God and assurance of salvation?

Questions:

1. What was confusing, convicting, or encouraging from this study of Scripture?
2. What things do we typically pray for ourselves and others? How do our prayers compare to Paul’s prayer in verse 9-14?
3. What does Paul specifically pray for in verse 9?
4. Why do we need to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will? Do you tend to think of God’s will as ‘private individual direction’ or as ‘God’s commands for how we should behave morally’?
5. In verse 10, what is the goal for every believer? What four ways do we accomplish that goal?
6. What is the relationship between salvation and good works? Do my good works earn my salvation or does my salvation produce good works in my life?
7. What is the relationship between knowing God and living for God? Can you have one without the other? Give one example of how your knowing God has changed the way you live. 
8. What does it look like to walk in dependence on God for strength to endure trials and be patient with people?
9. How much strength does God promise to give us to endure trials and be patient with people? Will there be a trial that ever grows beyond his ability to helps overcome?
10. “It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do” (Tim Keller). How can you grow in regularly giving thanks to God? What will it look like to thank God more?
11. What reasons does Paul give to encourage believers to practice thanksgiving?

Questions: What was confusing, convicting, or encouraging from this study of Scripture?   How often are you aware that you are in a continual spiritual battle?   Jesus is fully God and fully man, which of those is harder for you to comprehend?   Gethsemane literally means olive press. Jesus was pressed all the way to death for our sin. His suffering brought us our salvation. Does this change the way that you view your suffering and hardships? Do you see them as tools in God’s hands to produce more genuine faith in your life (1 Peter 1:6-7)?   Read Hebrews 4:14-16—Does it help you to know that Jesus is a high priest who understands your weaknesses? Does it help you in your daily walk with God to know that Jesus experienced the full depth of human agony? Does Jesus’ night in Gethsemane shape the way you cry out to God when life gets difficult?   Though he did not need them, Jesus invited the disciples to join his mission. God doesn’t need us either, but he invites us to be on mission with him. How does it affect you to know that God wants you to join him in his work to see people live with Christ as Lord?