CROSS PERSPECTIVES – “Social Conformity”
Bible Study Instructions:
For these Bible studies, you are invited to watch the video and then work through the material with people in your home or call someone else and work through it with them over the phone. You may also post comments, responses, or questions on this page and respond to other people’s comments as a way to engage with the broader faith community. Pastor Dan will check on the comments section of this page from time to time to respond to questions that come up.
You will need access to a Bible for this study. If you do not have a Bible, biblegateway.com is a good website you can use to look up passages online.
FINK YOUTH: You are asked to work through this with your Faith Partner. Please let Brenda Erber know when you and your Faith Partner have had the opportunity to do this.
Crucifixion Character: Pontius Pilate (this is the title of the video)
Bible Study:
Share a high and a low for the week. Or you may share a concern and something you are grateful for.
Read Ephesians 4.14-16, 21-24.
Discuss the following:
1) What about this passage stands out to you the most?
2) The writer of Ephesians cautions about being “tossed to and fro… by every wind of doctrine.” The writer is warning the Christians in Ephesus not to simply believe everything they are hearing about Jesus, but to stay true to the teachings that he passed on them when he was with them in Ephesus. He is concerned about the people being divided against one another arguing over different understandings of Jesus. In our current day, there are many ideas, pressures, and appeals that may cause us to stray from living out our faith in Jesus the way we should. We live our lives in ways that seek to satisfy our own desires. We try to make other people like us by joining in thoughts, words, and actions that may be opposed to who we are or who God calls us to be as followers of Jesus. We even do or say things that we wouldn’t normally do or that we feel are wrong, yet we fall to peer pressure. Sometimes we are aware of what we are doing in the moment, sometimes we only realize it later.
a. What are some ways that you have fallen to peer pressure in your life?
b. What caused you to realize that your thoughts, words, or actions were wrong?
c. Why did you think you ended up caving in?
3) The writer of Ephesians then points out that we have new life in Jesus, we are changed because of God’s grace and renewed by the Holy Spirit. In our new life, our identity is rooted in being God’s beloved children. Our value and worth are not dependent upon the approval of others. This frees us from the pressure we might feel to conform.
a. How does it make you feel that your value and self-worth are not dependent upon the approval of others?
b. Why is it still difficult for us to resist peer pressure even though our true identity is rooted in God’s love?
4) Part of this new life is our calling to share God’s love and grace with others, even in ways that might not be considered popular, ways that might cause others to dislike us, or in ways that push us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes this means talking with others about Jesus. Sometimes this means speaking, thinking, and acting in ways that demonstrate God’s love.
a. What makes it difficult for you to live out your faith in your daily life?
b. What are ways that we as Christians can help one another overcome these difficulties? What can you do to help others in this way? Who can you ask to help you in this work?
Do this activity:
Think of a way that you could be living out your faith in your daily life that you currently are not. Set a goal for yourself to try and make a change in that aspect of your life. Share that goal with the person you are doing this Bible study with and write it down for yourself. Set a date for a reasonable time in the future for you to check on your progress in working toward this goal. Mark that date on the calendar so you will be reminded to check in. If it would be helpful, ask someone to be your accountability partner and have them set a reminder to check in with you on the date that you set.
Say this prayer together:
“Lord God, we give you thanks that in Christ we have a new life. Help us to trust that our lives are grounded in your love and give us the courage to live out our faith every day with the help and guidance of your Holy Spirit. We ask this and all the things we hold in our hearts in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Take turns blessing one another:
“(Name), child of God, the Spirit makes you new. Amen.”Amen.”
For these Bible studies, you are invited to watch the video and then work through the material with people in your home or call someone else and work through it with them over the phone. You may also post comments, responses, or questions on this page and respond to other people’s comments as a way to engage with the broader faith community. Pastor Dan will check on the comments section of this page from time to time to respond to questions that come up.
You will need access to a Bible for this study. If you do not have a Bible, biblegateway.com is a good website you can use to look up passages online.
FINK YOUTH: You are asked to work through this with your Faith Partner. Please let Brenda Erber know when you and your Faith Partner have had the opportunity to do this.
Crucifixion Character: Pontius Pilate (this is the title of the video)
Bible Study:
Share a high and a low for the week. Or you may share a concern and something you are grateful for.
Read Ephesians 4.14-16, 21-24.
Discuss the following:
1) What about this passage stands out to you the most?
2) The writer of Ephesians cautions about being “tossed to and fro… by every wind of doctrine.” The writer is warning the Christians in Ephesus not to simply believe everything they are hearing about Jesus, but to stay true to the teachings that he passed on them when he was with them in Ephesus. He is concerned about the people being divided against one another arguing over different understandings of Jesus. In our current day, there are many ideas, pressures, and appeals that may cause us to stray from living out our faith in Jesus the way we should. We live our lives in ways that seek to satisfy our own desires. We try to make other people like us by joining in thoughts, words, and actions that may be opposed to who we are or who God calls us to be as followers of Jesus. We even do or say things that we wouldn’t normally do or that we feel are wrong, yet we fall to peer pressure. Sometimes we are aware of what we are doing in the moment, sometimes we only realize it later.
a. What are some ways that you have fallen to peer pressure in your life?
b. What caused you to realize that your thoughts, words, or actions were wrong?
c. Why did you think you ended up caving in?
3) The writer of Ephesians then points out that we have new life in Jesus, we are changed because of God’s grace and renewed by the Holy Spirit. In our new life, our identity is rooted in being God’s beloved children. Our value and worth are not dependent upon the approval of others. This frees us from the pressure we might feel to conform.
a. How does it make you feel that your value and self-worth are not dependent upon the approval of others?
b. Why is it still difficult for us to resist peer pressure even though our true identity is rooted in God’s love?
4) Part of this new life is our calling to share God’s love and grace with others, even in ways that might not be considered popular, ways that might cause others to dislike us, or in ways that push us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes this means talking with others about Jesus. Sometimes this means speaking, thinking, and acting in ways that demonstrate God’s love.
a. What makes it difficult for you to live out your faith in your daily life?
b. What are ways that we as Christians can help one another overcome these difficulties? What can you do to help others in this way? Who can you ask to help you in this work?
Do this activity:
Think of a way that you could be living out your faith in your daily life that you currently are not. Set a goal for yourself to try and make a change in that aspect of your life. Share that goal with the person you are doing this Bible study with and write it down for yourself. Set a date for a reasonable time in the future for you to check on your progress in working toward this goal. Mark that date on the calendar so you will be reminded to check in. If it would be helpful, ask someone to be your accountability partner and have them set a reminder to check in with you on the date that you set.
Say this prayer together:
“Lord God, we give you thanks that in Christ we have a new life. Help us to trust that our lives are grounded in your love and give us the courage to live out our faith every day with the help and guidance of your Holy Spirit. We ask this and all the things we hold in our hearts in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Take turns blessing one another:
“(Name), child of God, the Spirit makes you new. Amen.”Amen.”