Session 2 – Small Group Study Guide
Study Questions
- How do you personally tend to think about work? What are your priorities, your attitude, and the thoughts usually on your mind when it comes to this topic? How does your Christian faith factor into how you think about it?
- What does it mean that we were “designed for work” (Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:5-6, 15)?
- “When sin causes us to only think about ourselves, we cannot possibly set our gaze upward and outward to be witnesses for Christ.” What are some of the sins and idols that work commonly exposes in your life? What have been some of the consequences and ways that they hinder your witness for Christ?
- One way that we witness for Christ is how we approach our work itself—by working for the Lord and not for men. What are ways that you are tempted to forget this and what would it look like to work for the Lord?
- Another way that we witness for Christ is how we think about and interact with the people in our workplaces, especially those who might be difficult. What are your particular struggles and temptations in this area and what would it look like to be a witness for Christ?
- Brian suggested that one way we live as believers in the workplace is to present a gospel-centered worldview to unbelievers. What might that sound like for you? Consider some of the different areas of your life (e.g. marriage and family life, sports, weekend plans, personal ambitions, suffering) and how they can be avenues to demonstrate a gospel-centered worldview.
- What are some truths to remember that can help you view your work not as a burden, drudgery, or a savior, but rather as a joyful privilege, an act of worship, and an opportunity to witness for Christ?
Practicing Prayer Individually
One of our hopes this season is to not only meditate on the contents of our study, but to allow such meditation to transform how we think and interact with God. In this specific session, you should have two areas to pray for: (1) The original area of prayer that you’d like to grow in from session 1 reflection in question #1; and (2) Prayer for work reflected in questions #2-3. So answer the following questions:
- Think back to session 1. What was the one area of your life that you identified that you’d like to grow in praying over for the rest of this season? How have you since grown in praying for that one area from our last study?
- Although this topic might not be related to your original prayer from session 1, we still have an opportunity to allow Scriptural truths to shape our prayers. So based upon what you learned from this session, how might you use the following ideas in your prayers for work:
- Work was created and designed by God to reflect his character to a watching world. Thank God for the privilege to work and witness.
- “When sin causes us to only think about ourselves, we cannot possibly set our gaze upward and outward to be witnesses for Christ.” Confess the sins and idolatry that hinders you from being an effective witness in your workplace.
- Christ endured suffering and responded graciously (1 Pet 2:21-24). Thank God for the example of Christ and ask for strength to love the difficult people in your life.
- Write out a prayer based upon what you learned and take time to pray that prayer for work.
Sharing and Prayer in Groups
- Based upon what you wrote down in “Practicing Prayer Individually,” (1) How has this study impacted the one area of your life you’ve been praying for? (2) How has your study of 1 Peter 2:18-25 impacted your prayer for work? Share this with your prayer group so they know how to pray for you.
- Share other prayer requests:
