General Epistles
Milk Not Solid Food
Today Pastor Chris is speaking about “milk versus solid food” based on the text we read last Thursday. But today is also Father’s Day, so this week we would like to peek ahead at the text we will read on Friday, June 25.
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Hebrews 12:7-11 (NLT)
1. Recall a time that your father (or a father figure) rightly disciplined you and share the story with the group. What did you do wrong that warranted the discipline? At the time, what was your reaction to the discipline?
2. How do our earthly fathers reflect our Heavenly Father through their discipline? What are other ways that our earthly fathers reflect our Heavenly Father?
3. Because all people are sinful and broken (even faithful fathers), we often do things that demand discipline; nonetheless we do not like to be disciplined (or even discipline others). What is the lie we are believing when we act as though discipline is not deserved and even “good?”
4. Pray together a prayer with two areas of focus: (1) Thanking God for the earthly father figures He has used to faithfully form you. (2) If needed, ask God to help you forgive your earthly father figure for the times He did not faithfully reflect the love of your Heavenly Father.
Feel free to reword these questions if you have kids in your group.
Series Information
The eight books of the Bible from Hebrews through Jude are often called the “General Epistles”; and in many ways, they are like the thirteen letters written by Paul. However, Paul tended to write his letters to a specific church or person; whereas the General Epistles are usually written to broad groups of churches or are not specifically addressed at all.