Asking Great Questions to Live Out Scripture

Living Out the Lesson

The Word of God holds up a mirror in which we can see our own face: our character, values, attitudes, and habits. It offers an opportunity to compare our face to that of Christ, noting the similarities and differences.

“What now?” questions in Bible study ask for relevance. “What now?” questions are pointed and ask for action. In your own study of God’s Word be sure to include “What now?” questions to apply God’s Word to real life.

Here are some sample questions for a small group setting:

• How can you put this insight into practice this week?
• What can you do to cultivate this into a habit?
• How can our prayer time as a group better reflect what we have been learning?

Counting the Cost

Jesus told a parable about two sons, in which one son agreed to do what his father asked but then didn’t follow through, while the other balked but eventually obeyed (Matthew 21:28-32).

People frequently talk about how a passage applies to them but don’t do anything about it after the discussion. One reason for this is that they don’t consider the risks and costs of living the gospel. Jesus urged His followers to count the cost and to be sure they knew what they were getting themselves into before embracing the kingdom of God.

Here are some questions you can use when studying a passage that you know asks something difficult, such as Matthew 21:28-32:

• What are the risks of doing what Jesus says here?
• What obstacles hinder you from living that way consistently?
• What would be the benefits of living like this?

Learning when and how to ask effective questions, and how to promote follow-up discussions will move you from good thinking to life application in your study of the Bible.

_{Content taken from How to Ask Great Questions: Guide Discussion, Build Relationships, Deepen Faith by Karen Lee-Thorpe Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved. For purchases please visit navpress.com}