Sermon Based Small Group Questions
SBSG Questions for
The Strange Silence of God
Ice Breaker: Every one of us has some element of skepticism. Share with the group yours. Ideas: Honesty in government; truth in advertising; hype of sports teams; belief in global warming; your favorite “urban legend.”
Note to the Leader: Before you dive into the questions below. Take some time to ask your group what their impressions were from the message. Did they have questions? Did they write any highlights in their notes?
Which of the three areas talked about this weekend – Lack of Evidence, Believers, Problem of Pain – have you personally struggled with? A friend? Why was it so much a struggle?
Read Exodus 33:12-23. Discuss the concept of “No one can see God’s face.” Compare
Deuteronomy 5:24; Judges 13:22; 1 Timothy 6:16. How did God answer this? Compare John 1:14, 18; 6:46. What perception do you project onto God?
Discuss John 14:12 – What did Jesus mean when He said that believers would do “even greater things than these”? Is this an overstatement? Compare the early church: Acts 2:41; 4:4; 6:7.
Think of instances in your own Christian experience (giving or receiving) where you have seen, as Dr. King said, “true Christianity” lived out. Do you see echoes of Luke 6:27-37?
Suffering may be the most difficult of all the doubt areas. Talk through Wolterstorff’s comment that “perhaps his [God’s] suffering is his glory.” Compare Romans 8:17; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 2:10; 1 Peter 3:18; 4:13-14.
How does the belief in the resurrection of Christ impact our doubts? Are you using doubt as an “antibody” to your faith?
