Sacred Time | Leviticus 23, 25

Discussion Questions

  1. What does it mean that sacred time is greater than sacred spaces? Why is this an important distinction?

  2. What was the significance and importance of Sukkot to the Jewish people?

  3. How does Sukkot ultimately point to Jesus? How can we apply the meaning of Sukkot to our lives today?

  4. How is Jesus living water, rain, light, shepherd, and king in your life? How does the gospel help relieve your fear and anxiety?

Prayer Points 

  1. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lead you to worship recalling all the amazing things God has done for you. 

  2. Pray that Sound City would be filled with people who have regular rhythms of rest built into their lives. 

Blasphemy | Leviticus 24

Discussion Questions 

  1. Why is blasphemy more serious than other sins? How do we grapple with this sin today?

  2. Are you able to be honest with God and others about your doubts, your frustrations, your fears? Why are these expressions not the same as blasphemy?

  3. Where in your life do you need to be honest with God and his people about your frustrations, doubts, or fears?

  4. How is God calling you to grow in speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15)?

  5. How does Jesus meet us in our words and speech with his word of grace?

Prayer Points 

  1. Praise God for the boundless grace and mercy that we receive as his children. 

  2. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help put our pride to death and help us approach God with humility and honesty. 

  3. Pray that Sound City would be filled with people who speak the truth in love to all those around us. 

Rights and Responsibilities | Leviticus 21-22

Discussion Questions 

  1. What character and attributes of God do you see more clearly reading through the various priestly and high priestly standards? 

  2. How does a biblical understanding of rights and responsibilities help address the cultural movements in the area of authority?

  3. What does it mean for Jesus to hold ultimate responsibility and deserves ultimate praise?

  4. In what ways have you experienced the misuse of rights and responsibilities as the contributor or recipient? 

  5. What would rights and responsibilities rooted in Jesus look like in your marriage, parenting, work and friendships?

Prayer Points 

  1. Praise God for the boundless grace and mercy that we receive as his children. 

  2. Pray and repent of the ways you’ve misused rights and responsibilities. 

  3. Pray that Sound City would be filled with people who use our rights and responsibilities to ultimately point back to Jesus! 

False Spirituality | Leviticus 20

Discussion Questions 

1. Why do we instinctively look down on the idolatrous Israelites? In what ways should we relate to their idolatry and wandering hearts instead? 

2. What are some common examples of spirituality divorced from the one true God? Do any of these tempt your heart away from the Lord? 

3. Past or present, what things have you allowed to replace God on the throne of your heart?

4. What are some ways we can root out the internal reality of idolatry and its external results? What has helped you to do this in the past, or what do you need to do now in your efforts to worship God alone.

Prayer Points 

1. Pray that God would wake us up to the seriousness of false spirituality. 

2. Ask God to impress upon us the need to guard our hearts to keep him on the throne.

3. Pray that God would lead us to join him in proclaiming true spirituality found in the truly good news of Jesus.

A Life of Holiness | Leviticus 19

Aaron Gray | September 18, 2022

Discussion Questions 

  1. How have you personally interpreted and applied the Leviticus 19: 1-2 passage that calls God’s people to be Holy? To think about it differently, are you naturally pulled to reading the command to be Holy as a to-do list or maybe neglect it all together because it seems like an unreachable summit?  

  2. How does holiness rooted in God’s heart of love change the way we pursue and help others to pursue holiness?

  3. In what areas of your day to day life do you pursue and neglect to pursue holiness? 

  4. Consider breaking up into smaller groups of 2-3 men or women and share areas of your life where you would like to grow in holiness and seek accountability with one another. 

Prayer Points 

  1. Praise God for the gift of forgiveness and righteousness through Jesus and pray that the Holy Spirit would empower us to pursue holiness rooted in God’s love. 

  2. Pray repenting of the ways you’ve pursued holiness from a sinful motive. 

  3. Pray that Sound City would be filled with people pursuing holiness with gospel humility, honesty and hunger.

Holy Sexuality | Leviticus 18

Discussion Questions 

For this week, consider having men and women meet separately to help facilitate a more open and honest conversation. 

1. What happens when we avoid talking about sex in the church? What happens when we only focus on the prohibitions and not the fuller picture? 

2. What are right and wrong ways to think about the doctrine of “total depravity”? What does it mean that all of us have been affected by the fall in our minds, feelings, bodies, and desires? What does it not mean? 

3. Why is it important to think of the gospel message in terms of a loving husband pursuing his unfaithful wife? Why is this such an important image for the good news of Jesus?

4. How can Sound City foster a culture of holiness around sexuality? How can we be simultaneously morally serious and filled with exceeding grace for one another?

5. If there is any sexual sin that needs to be confessed, consider sharing it with your group. If there is any sexual woundedness that needs to be healed, consider sharing it with your group or a trusted person. 

Prayer Points 

1. Pray that Sound City would foster a culture of holiness when it relates to sexual behavior: upholding God’s standard for sexual activity, mercy and grace for those who stumble, and courageous honesty in our conversations about such matters. 

2. Pray that God would use us to reach people who are trying to satisfy their need for God with earthly loves and lusts.

The Life is in the Blood | Leviticus 17

Discussion Questions

  1. Why does the Bible spend so much time talking about blood? What reasons might there be for our culture to avoid real blood and instead relegate it to movies and TV?

  2. If someone said to you, “tell me about your life,” how would you likely respond (e.g. family, occupation, hobbies)?

  3. Why is it so important that we connect all aspects of our life to the gospel of Jesus? What happens when we live our lives disconnected from the good news of his death and resurrection?

  4. How is Jesus currently inviting you to abide more deeply in him: in your spiritual life, in your practical life, and your inner/personal life? What steps do you need to take as Jesus invites you to abide in him?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that Jesus would help us each abide more deeply in him in every aspect of our lives: our spirituality, our practical matters, and our inner personal life.

  2. Pray for our church community to be a church where people are welcomed and invited to abide in the love and grace of Jesus.

The Day of Atonement | Leviticus 16

Discussion Questions

  1. Of the five problems discussed in Leviticus 16 (distance, disobedience, death, demonic, and direction/leadership), which one resonated with you most and why?

  2. What in your life most commonly keeps you from drawing near to God?

  3. The Day of Atonement is jam-packed with symbolism, all of which points to Jesus as the ultimate Day of Atonement. What aspect of Jesus’ Day of Atonement work was new to you, or stirred your heart most? 

  4. Consider the people in your life who do not follow Jesus. What reasons might they have for not drawing close to God? How can you help show them God’s desire to draw them close?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that God would continually draw us near. And pray that we would not believe any lies or excuses that keep us from coming close to God.

  2. Pray that we would be people who constantly invite non-Christians to come close to God through the love and sacrifice of Jesus.

The Power of Life | Leviticus 15

Discussion Questions

  1. What do you think when you hear the phrase “life is sacred”? Where are you tempted to lose wonder, awe, and reverence for life?

  2. Where are you personally experiencing the brokenness of the world and the forces of death at work (e.g. illness, death of a family member)? How can those in your group pray for and support you in these difficulties?

  3. How does Jesus’ resurrection give us hope in the face of so much death in the world? How can we help one another experience the abundant, resurrection life of Jesus while we await his return?

  4. How has God gifted and equipped you to be a force for life in this world? What specific issues are you personally passionate about, and where has God opened opportunities for you to serve and minister? (Note: think about your own personal work, and less about voting and politics in light of the list that Aaron shared on Sunday.)

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that God would help us—as individual disciples and as a church—to be about the work of life in our region.

  2. Should the Lord delay his return, pray that each of us would live each day with a readiness to face death with the hope of the gospel and our future resurrection.

For Further Reading

Scaly Skin and Mildewed Walls | Leviticus 13-14

Discussion Questions

  1. “The purity laws of Leviticus are not about morality, but about mortality.” How do things like skin diseases and mildewed clothes remind us that we are living in a land polluted by death? How should we think about the world in its fallen state?

  2. Why are so many of us prone to hide and cover up our fallenness, both our sin and our sufferings? Which one do you struggle with more?

  3. Read Colossians 3:1-11, with a particular focus on verse 3. What does it mean to be “hidden with Christ”? How does this truth free us from hiding, covering, and pretending?

  4. Who do you have in your life that you can be completely open and transparent with, both with your sin and also your suffering? If the answer is “nobody,” what steps do you need to take to change that?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that Jesus would help us as individuals and a church community to walk with openness and transparency with each other, supporting and loving one another with the care of Jesus.

  2. Pray that we would be known to the world around us not as “holier than thou” but as broken people who are loved by a perfect Savior.

  3. Pray for those in your group who share aspects of sin or suffering that they feel ashamed of. Pray for the cleansing that is offered by Jesus, our high priest.

The Blessed Life | Psalm 1 & 2

Discussion Questions

  • Do you make room in your life for silence, solitude, and meditation?

  • It can be uncomfortable to be in this kind of quiet; who can help you do this more often?

  • Have you ever confessed (agreed) to God about your rebellious nature?

  • Do find hope in the truth that Jesus will hold everyone accountable?

  • How does Jesus's definition of blessedness challenge yours?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that our church would grow in our practice of meditation and adoration of Jesus. 

  • Pray that God would give our church a passion to memorize his word. 

  • Pray that our unbelieving friends, family, and neighbors would be stunned and compelled by Jesus’s blessed life lived in us. 

Dwelling in the House of the Lord | Psalm 84

Discussion Questions

Read Psalm 84 aloud together and praise God for the gift of his presence in our lives.

  1. In what ways does your life reflect a biblical or unbiblical understanding of the presence of God? 

  2. If we are always in God’s presence because of Jesus, then why is it important or necessary for Christians to continually seek His presence? (Matthew 28:20, Psalm 105:4, 1 Chronicle 22:19)

  3. Discuss ways in which you as an individual and collectively as a group can take God’s presence to the world.

Prayer Points

This week, find a quiet place and take some time alone. Read a psalm and see if one specific word or phrase jumps out at you. Take that phrase and sit quietly with it for 10-15 minutes and ask God to make you aware of his presence. If your mind wanders, give yourself some grace, and bring your thoughts back to the words of the psalm and God’s presence.

  1. In your group, pray that we would each become more assured and aware of God's presence in our lives. 

  2. Pray that our church would be a body of believers who rest, seek and express the presence of God. 

The Folly of Trusting in Wealth | Psalm 49

Discussion Questions

  1. Read Psalm 49 together out loud and pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide the discussion. 

  2. Good or bad, in what ways has your upbringing shaped your views and beliefs on wealth?

  3. In what areas of your life are you tempted to put your trust in wealth as the source of your security?  

  4. Mathew 6:24 tells us that we cannot serve both God and money. Do you find yourself wrestling to serve two masters? 

  5. Through Jesus we have the promise of an imperishable inheritance. How does this truth help us frame our relationship with wealth?

  6. Share ways the Holy Spirit is leading you to put money in its place (e.g. tithe, share, margin, save, simplify). 

Prayer Points

  1. During your own prayer time, ask the Lord to reveal and forgive you in areas of your life where you’ve been serving two masters.

  2. In your group, pray that we would each have a Christ centered, eternal perspective that would help us have a right relationship with money. 

  3. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lead Sound City to be a generous church.

The Lord Cares for Me | Psalm 27

Discussion Questions

  1. Before unpacking the discussion questions, take time to read aloud Psalm 27 and pray seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance and leading. 

  2. In what specific areas of your life are you prone to 1) believing that God doesn’t care for you or 2) believing that you “are worthy” of God’s love? What is the heart’s motive in either response? 

  3. How is David’s confident humility demonstrated perfectly in Jesus? How does this truth shape our relationship with God?

Prayer Points

  1. This week, find a time to journal all the ways the Lord cares for you and praise Him for them! 

  2. In your group, pray that the Holy Spirit would help each of you grow in Christlike confident humility.

  3. Pray that our church would be an agent of God’s love and care in our homes, work and community. 

Moved by Glory | Psalm 73

Discussion Questions

  1. Where have you been tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked? In what specific ways is your heart prone to desire after sin?

  2. Why is it important for followers of Jesus to have a “both/and” mentality when it comes to 1) theological knowledge and 2) a personal experience of God’s presence? What happens when we neglect one or the other?

  3. In what ways did Jesus rely upon the presence of his Father and the Holy Spirit? If Jesus needed to take time in the presence of God, how much more do we need to?

  4. How does Jesus make it possible for us to enter into God’s presence? Practically speaking, what does it look like for us to enter into God’s presence since there is no longer a physical temple?

Prayer Points

  1. This week, find a quiet place and take some time alone. Read a psalm and see if one specific word or phrase jumps out at you. Take that phrase and sit quietly with it for 10-15 minutes and ask God to make you aware of his presence. If your mind wanders, give yourself some grace, and bring your thoughts back to the words of the psalm and God’s presence.

  2. In your group, pray that we would each become more aware of God's presence in our lives. Pray that our hearts would be moved by his glory more and more often.

  3. Pray that our hearts would not envy the arrogant or the wicked, but that we would tell people about the good news of Jesus with great joy and passion.

Take Refuge in the Lord | Psalm 118

Discussion Questions

  1. Why are the psalms so important for those who follow Jesus? How do they shape our minds as well as our hearts?

  2. In Psalm 118, we are instructed to put our ultimate trust in the Lord. Why do our fickle hearts so often search for refuge elsewhere? Where are you personally tempted to put your trust apart from the Lord?

  3. How did Jesus face distress, danger, disgrace, and death? How does his perfect faithfulness in these situations ensure our salvation?

  4. Share with those in your group some ways that God has proven to be a refuge for you? Give testimony of his trustworthy nature as our rock.

Prayer Points

  1. Give God thanks that he is a rock, a firm foundation, and an unwavering source of safety.

  2. Pray prayers of repentance for the ways that you have put your hope in other places.

  3. Pray that God would use us to bring the good news of Jesus to a world that is being constantly shaken in so many ways.

Childbirth and Atonement | Leviticus 12:1-8

Discussion Questions 

  • How do ritual purities help us see the nature of God more clearly?

  • In what ways can we see childbirth being celebrated in the Bible?

  • What would it look like for you to carry the death of Jesus in your body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in your body in your family, work and community?             

  • Share examples of how God brought new life from moments that felt like big or small deaths. 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for His goodness in bringing new life out of death! 

  • Pray that the Holy Spirit would deepen our understanding and love for God as we study and meditate on challenging topics like ritual purities. 

  • Pray that Sound City Bible Church will be filled with disciples who carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 

Why Does God Care What I Eat? | Leviticus 11:1-47

Discussion Questions 

  • Why was it important for God’s people in the old covenant to obey His commands concerning food? 

  • What are some of your struggles or internal wrestlings as you read through challenging passages like the food laws? How can the more challenging parts of scripture deepen our affections for God?  

  • Does your eating demonstrate a satisfaction in God? Is there gluttony you need to address? How can you incorporate the spiritual discipline of fasting as a response and reminder to finding our satisfaction in Jesus.

  • Does your eating set you apart as belonging to God? Care for your body? Care for your neighbor? Care for the earth?

  • Does your eating further the mission of God? As a group, come up with ways you can incorporate eating to further the mission of God in your local context. 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for His sovereignty in all things reminding us that His thoughts and ways are higher. 

  • Pray that the Holy Spirit would deepen our affections for God through even the most challenging parts of the Bible. 

  • Pray that Sound City Bible Church will be filled with disciples who find our greatest satisfaction in God. 

  • Pray for opportunities and relationships in your life to further the mission of God through sharing a meal together.

A Holy Priesthood | Leviticus 8:1-10:20

Discussion Questions

  • Consider your daily “rituals”, where are you following false, impotent priests and what is at the heart of following these false priests?

  • Currently in your life, are you drawing near to God through Jesus? Where and how can you practice and encourage the sacrifices of prayer and praise in your life and the lives of others?

  • Are you guarding that which is holy and sacred? (e.g. sabbath day, marriage bed, etc.)

  • In what ways can you shape your life to extend the glory of God?

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for the gift of the ultimate priest in Jesus.

  • Spend time in prayer confessing areas in your life where you’ve been following false priests.

  • Pray that Sound City Bible Church will be filled with disciples who offer sacrifices of prayer and praise.

  • Pray for opportunities and relationships in your life to extend the glory of God.

The Guilt Offering | Leviticus 5:14-6:7, 7:1-10

Discussion Questions 

  • What are some of the differences and similarities between the guilt offering and other offerings? 

  • What are some ways you use the word “guilt”? How is the word “guilt” used in Leviticus?  

  • Share and discuss examples of unintentional sins. How do we realize when we sin unintentionally? 

  • What role does restitutions play in the practice of guilt offerings? Why was it necessary? What does it mean for us today? 

  • In what ways is the Holy Spirit leading you to repent of your sins and make necessary restitutions?  

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for the forgiveness he offers us through the work of Jesus! 

  • Praise God for the opportunity we have to respond and care for those that we sin against. 

  • Pray for healing and shalom for individuals in your life who have been sinned against.

  • As recipients of God’s forgiveness, pray that the Holy Spirit would empower our church body to respond and do all that we can to bring the good news of the gospel to the world.