It’s the last lesson! I always look forward to these final discussions. Yes, it signals the end of a study, usually a small break in my calendar, and that feeling of accomplishment from finishing something. But more than that, this last discussion is a chance to review everything we’ve learned. It’s a chance to reflect to the beginning, just a few short weeks or months ago, and see how the Lord has grown us in His Word. We are different people than we were. Our faith has grown, we’ve experienced the Lord in new ways, and we’ve heard Him speak to our lives in intimate ways that impact us deeply.
By now, you’ve gotten to know your group reasonably well, and you’ll be able to shape this discussion well without too much additional input from me. You know the group members who tend to study deeply, who can add additional insights from some of the deeper segments, or who can bring your group into some of the depth of the For Further Study of this lesson. Or maybe your group is just barely hanging in there as we cross this finish line and you’ll choose to focus your discussion on one of the parts in this lesson that that you know would be particularly encouraging to them.
One thing I always like to do as I finish a study is to have a little celebration at the end. Morning studies sometimes end with a pot-luck fellowship lunch, or a plan to go out for lunch together. Evening studies often end with an ice-cream social. It’s a fun way to build community that prayerfully will continue once the study is over. You may want to get in touch with anyone who started the study with you but has dropped at some point during the study. Encourage them that they are welcome to come join you for the celebration and to pick up on a little of what they may have missed.
As you walk through chapter 4 in your discussion, remember to keep context in mind. There are some very familiar verses in this chapter that lose their depth when applied lightly, but are a great source of strength when we seek the original intended meaning. Remember – it’s never “what does this verse mean to you?” but rather “what does the Lord want to tell us in this verse?” One question makes us the determiner of truth. The other puts the focus where it belongs – on the Lord’s truth.
Discussion Focus: The Peace of God
Philippians 4:9 sums up the focus on this discussion well: “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” We’ll use our time in this discussion not only to walk through chapter 4, but also to review and apply the truths we’ve learned throughout the study.
Always remember to open in prayer.
You may want to open your discussion this week with the first question in the Wrapping it Up portion of the lesson. Have them go back to Lesson 1, where they noted things that they had questions about, and see how the Lord has answered those questions through the study. Use this as a review of Philippians. Perhaps you’ll want to give a chance for the group to answer any questions that remain unanswered. Be careful not to let this overtake your discussion. There’s quite a bit to discuss in chapter 4!
Read through Philippians 4
Ask “What is the theme of this chapter?” Walk them through the chapter section by section (vv 1-3; 4-9; 10-19; 20-23) asking what Paul shares about peace in these sections. This, along with a review of the main takeaways from the study, may be all you need to fill your discussion time. If you need more, select a few questions from the Wrapping it Up section that are particularly relevant to your group. You might also work these questions into your discussion depending on what your group focuses on.
Other Suggested Discussion Questions:
This lessons teaches us how to have peace in our relationships, in our mental and emotional state, and in our finances. Which of these has been a challenge for you in the past? How does Paul’s teaching help you to find peace for the future?
You can work this question into your discussion of the theme of chapter 4. Give your group a chance to discuss personal application. Your role will be to make sure that the application remains biblical – keep bringing them back to the text as they walk out peace.
Why do you believe Paul brings up thanksgiving as he discusses praying through our anxieties?
Philippians 4:4-8 is a go-to passage for me when I am counseling individuals through their anxieties. Remember that for our purposes, we are working through a Bible study, not a therapy appointment. People will have some strong opinions about how to handle anxieties and fears. This is not the place to discuss the benefits or downsides of therapy – secular or biblical, nor the connection between the physical body and emotions. Keep your discussion focused on the text itself and what you studied in the lesson, without bringing in outside research. The text is powerful – and sufficient.
This idea of praying with thanksgiving has been prayer-changing for me. It’s easy to fall into a pity-party when your heart is drowning in the whirlpool of worry. Thanksgiving lifts your head above the water. It changes your perspective, and reminds you that you don’t have to be in control. God is. He has been faithful in the past, and He is faithful in the present, and will be faithful in the future. Remembering His faithfulness and praising Him for it silences the storm.
Philippians 4:13 is a popular verse. Notice the context. What is Paul telling us as Christians?
Remember the theme of this chapter—peace. Philippians 4:13 is all about contentment. Apply this question by asking how Christ can give us strength to be content in whatever circumstances the individuals in your group might find themselves in.
How has Paul modeled peace and joy throughout the book of Philippians? What can we learn from his example?
If you haven’t walked through Philippians chapter by chapter in this discussion, this is a great opportunity to do so. You might even bring in Philippians 4:8 as you do – how has Paul modeled setting his mind on what is true, honorable, just, pure, etc as he experienced the difficulties he speaks of throughout this book?
Wrap up the Study
These questions are similar to what you may have asked last week, but they are an opportunity for your group to bring up ways that the Lord has been teaching them that may have been overlooked.
Was there anything else in the study that we haven’t talked about that made an impact on you as your studied?
I love asking questions like this to see how the Lord is working in the group’s lives. What He’s been speaking to me may be different than what He’s been speaking to you. It’s beautiful to hear the different ways that people can apply the same text. Often, I find that the Lord speaks to me through others in the group.
How has this study taught you to rejoice in the Lord?
This will help them pull everything together. This whole lesson has been about readjusting your vision to keep Jesus at the center of your life. He is our ultimate value, our identity, our goal, and our purpose for the future. It’s all about Jesus!
Closing the discussion
Take prayer requests, but keep them brief. Have them share their requests in one or two sentences.
Close in prayer, either yourself or see if a group member would be willing to close. Do not call on anyone to close in prayer unless you are confident they would be willing to do so.
Next Steps
Now that you have finished your Philippians study, what are you planning to do next?
If you didn’t work through the For Further Study questions, you may plan a few times to get together to discuss those over the next few weeks.
A companion study to this study in Philippians is “Yet I Will Rejoice: An Inductive Study of Habakkuk”. It has the same theme of joy and what we have spent the last several weeks discussing, but from the perspective of an Old Testament prophet. Just like Paul, Habakkuk was facing some challenging circumstances. Habakkuk’s book is an intimate prayer, a wrestling with God as he tries to understand God’s ways in difficult times. How can we trust a God who allows destruction and pain? Is He really good? Does He have a plan? What is His role in major world events? How do the answers to these questions allow us to face devastation with joy – a seemingly impossible conclusion?
How did your study go?
Let me know how it went! Did the Lord have you ask any additional questions that spurred a great conversation? Share your thoughts in the comments!
I’m praying for you and rejoicing with you as you shepherd your flock!
Found this post and wondering what study it goes with? Find Again I Say Rejoice: An Inductive Study of Philippians here or on Amazon.com.
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