9

Speak Up

    1. How do you respond when you are “invited into someone’s hurt” (p. 121)?

        •  Do you encourage that person with words? Listen to him or her? Serve him or her?

        •  Why is this your go-to response?

        •  When you’re in pain, how do you want people to respond to you?

    2. Has anyone ever shared his or her pain with you but also expressed disbelief that God would bring relief to that pain? If so, how did you respond?

        •  Have you ever told someone you were in pain and didn’t believe God would help you?

        •  If so, how did that person respond?

        •  Was it helpful? Explain why or why not.

    3. When Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus’s death, Martha said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21 NLT). How did Jesus respond to Martha in John 11:25–26?

    4. The Greek word translated as admonish is noutheteó,³ which means to exhort. An exhortation is an encouragement with a calling. Consider the following verses. The words in bold are all translations of noutheteó:

Colossians 1:28: “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

        Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

        1 Corinthians 4:14–16: “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me.”

        •  What insights into the purpose of admonition do these verses provide?

        •  How is admonishing different from simply encouraging?

        •  Have you ever been admonished by someone?

        •  What did that person say, and how did it make you feel?

    5. Before Jesus went to Bethlehem to visit Mary and Martha following Lazarus’s death, what did he tell his disciples? (See John 11:4.)

        •  What did Jesus say was the purpose of Lazarus’s death?

        •  Consequently, why could Jesus admonish Martha the way he did (John 11:25–26) even before he raised Lazarus back to life?

    6. Have you had a tragedy in your life that you now see was, as Jesus said, “for the glory of God”?

        •  What was the event, and how did it glorify God?

        •  Has this experience helped you admonish others when they were facing a tragic circumstance? If so, how?

    7. It’s easy to admonish others when our faith is strong, but how can we admonish others when our faith is weak?

        •  Have you ever tried to encourage someone in his or her faith when you weren’t sure about your own? What did you say?

        •  Hebrews 4:12–13 says, “His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what” (THE MESSAGE). Who can get away from God’s Word?

        •  How can you use God’s Word to admonish yourself?

        •  Do you have any go-to passages like Max lists in this chapter? If so, what are they? If not, write down a few verses that you find encouraging.

    8. What does Max say is the job of the church?

        •  Have members of your faith community ever helped lead you back to your faith? How did they do this for you?

        •  Do you know anyone who needs help getting back on the path of faith? If so, who? How could you admonish that person this week?