10 | A Good Fight

1 Tim 6.11-16, 20-21

The first part of our “A Good Fight” series concludes by looking at Paul’s final charge in 1 Timothy 6. Paul gives Timothy some punchy exhortations — Flee! Pursue! Fight! Take Hold! Keep! Guard! Avoid! — in an effort to drive home the need to engage this fight with a gritty and grace-filled tenacity. The need to engage this fight has not lessened today, and in our own context face the battle on multiple fronts. Holding to the message of the gospel, with deep personal integrity and lives oriented to God’s Kingdom, will always be a hard fought battle. But God is on his throne, sovereignly orchestrating history toward the great revealing of King Jesus, and our job is to cling to that hope together.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. What would you say are the key theological battlefronts today? How important are they? How do we keep the gospel central?

2. What is the role of church leaders in this battle? What is the role of the whole church?

3. What is your context for the battle? Where do you need to engage?

April 25, 2021 - Steve Hart

09 | Contentment

1 Timothy 6:3-10/ 17-19

Growing up near the pacific coast there were many days that started with a cloudy marine layer, but most days, by noon the marine layer would burn off leaving a perfectly sunny climate to enjoy. Sometimes, around mid-day, you’d be surprised that the marine layer hasn’t burnt off and instead of a clear day, you’re left scrambling to find the hoodie you have somewhere. The spiritual life can feel like that. Sometimes things are so clear and lovely, glimpses of the way God meant them to be. Other times we are trapped in a place that seems like it is always winter but never Christmas. We long for the good life, and because of that, we find ourselves striving for it in a lot of odd ways. We claw, climb, and chase wealth, ambitious goals, relationships, and material as if it will bring about the good life. We even try to use God as a simple means to the good life. We compromise conviction and contentment for avarice and self-destruction. All the while God is patiently offering us treasure and a good foundation, so that we may take hold of that which is truly life.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. What distracts you from God and his invitation? What is your life wrapped up in? What is it about those things that appeal to your heart?

2. How have you used God as a means to an end?

3. If you took time this week to slow down and pay attention, what joy might you discover?

April 18, 2021 - Gabe Shippam

08 | Gospel Culture

1 Timothy 5:1-6:2

The culture or ethos of the local church is incredibly important but rarely discussed. We talk about our doctrines, programs, and leadership; we talk about our vision and mission; we talk about our budgets and buildings. While all that is important, it actually tells you very little about the internal health and vitality of the local church. Paul wants Timothy to keep an eye on how the church relates to one another, urging the church to be a community of both honor and exhortation. We’ll consider why church culture matters, and how we can fight together for a genuine gospel culture.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. In your experience, what makes for a healthy church culture? How do you know if a church is healthy or not?

2. Read 1 Timothy 5.1-6.2, a long section describing relational realities within a local church. While he addresses a number of different kinds of relationships, what seems to be Paul’s main theme(s)?

3. Where can you practice honor this week? Where can you practice exhortation?

April 11, 2021 - Steve Hart

07 | Servant Leadership

The church in Ephesus was under attack, from both promiscuous licentious people swallowed in culture, and also from religious legalistic Gnostics who were saying salvation is from Jesus and obeying rules. These same forces are alive and well today. And they are moving and powerful and they push the church away from its story. Join that with our own desire to build our own little empire in life and you have a strong danger in the church. Paul moves in his letter in chapter 4 to instruct Timothy on how to have the church stand their ground and move forward into their city. They are to nourish themselves on the full story God’s rescue of mankind and then to discipline themselves for Godliness. To these two tasks, Paul uses the words, train, toil, strive, devote, practice, immerse, and persist. So this week we will encourage ourselves to nourish ourselves on the great epic story of Redemption and Jesus and also to discipline ourselves to godliness.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1.Which do you most identify with and find yourself drifting to: a religious rule following, justify myself by how good I accomplish or a freedom wanting, do as I please and redefine who Jesus is based on my own desires? 

2. What are ways you can continue to remind yourself or learn about the story line of what God has accomplished in the Bible?

3. What are some sources in your life that feed you “false stories” and conversations that push you away from what God has accomplished in Jesus as being the most important thing? 

4. What would it look like this week to discipline yourself to be like Jesus (godliness)? What would it look like to be self-sacrificing, loving,  compassionate, and full of hope in the kingdom to come with your neighbors and coworkers? 

March 28, 2021 - Scott Cooley

Easter | The Victor

Isaiah 54

For community discussion questions see somaspokane.org/holyweek

April 4, 2021 - Steve Hart

06 | Gospel on Display

1 Timothy 3:14-4:5

We drift from what is important. There is something in each of us that is prone to take the easier route, to forget our priorities, and slowly forget our commitments. Often, and especially when it comes to our faith, this drift happens in very subtle ways. Paul is writing because he is deeply concerned about the drift from gospel-centered mission in the church in Ephesus. He has strong warning and corrective instructions, but all these imperatives are rooted in, first and foremost, the Gospel of Jesus. In this section he is pleading with the church to not get distracted and attempting to recenter the church in her identity in Jesus. There is invitation for the church to hold tight to the message of truth and hold high on display of gospel of grace!

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. Read 1 Tim 3:14-4:5. What seems to be Paul’s main concern in these verses? 

2. Where do you drift? Drift sneaks up on us, and shows up in very subtle ways. But, it’s really in those subtle, every-day and mundane areas where the good fight happens. Where is the fight for your faith really taking place? 

3. How are you trying to overcompensate for your faith? How do you try to add to grace? In what ways do you look to behavior for justification? 

March 21, 2021 - Gabe Shippam

05 | Men, Women, & Leadership

1 Timothy 2:11-3:13

In chapter 3, Paul describes the kind of leadership structure that contributes to a local church flourishing in mission and ministry. Last week we learned that mission and ministry is what the whole church does, men and women, in our various contexts. Everyone is called to pray, live, and proclaim for gospel advancement. At the same time, a local church needs called and qualified leadership, and Paul says there ought to be two offices. Elders are the spiritual fathers of the community: men of character and integrity who hold the doctrinal DNA and oversee the mission and ministry of the church. Alongside them are the deacons: servant leaders among the church family — women and men tasked with helping the church accomplish the disciple-making ministry in all varieties of roles. Paul roots the call for men to be elders in the narrative of creation and fall, showing how Jesus restores us to a flourishing complementarity between men and women.

[To read Soma Spokane’s position paper on Men, Women, and Ministry, click here.
To access the Men & Women Study Guide, click here.]

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. Read 1 Tim 3:1-13. What seems to be Paul’s main concern in these verses? Why might he be telling this to Timothy?

2. As you read through the character qualifications for elders and deacons, what stands out?

3. How do we all contend for this kind of Christ-like leadership in the local church? How do we honor the roles of men and women?

March 14, 2021 - Steve Hart

04 | Mission & Ministry

1 Timothy 2:1-10

Paul’s main concern in his letters to Timothy and Titus is the flourishing of the church. Paul wants the churches he’s planted to be long-term disciple-making outposts, communities committed to Jesus, his way, and his mission in the world. In this week’s text, he’s specifically concerned to see that the churches remember their primary purpose of making Jesus known in word and deed. The gospel is the good news about God’s desire to save and his actions in and through Jesus to accomplish salvation. The church’s role is to pray fervently, live authentically, and speak boldly about this news so the world can see and hear it. Paul also warns the church about key ways we get distracted and drift from this mission, and how to fight together for single-minded missional unity.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

1. Read 1 Tim 2:1-10. What seems to be Paul’s main concern in these verses? Why is that his concern?

2. What hinders you most from going all in on Jesus’ mission? From a Spirit-empowered boldness in word and deed mission?

3. What missional opportunities are in front of you? Who is God pursuing around you, and how can you join in?

March 7, 2021 - Steve Hart