Bible Study Questions

1. Read 1 John 3:19-24 together. What does it mean to "set our hearts at rest in his presence," and why is this important for our spiritual health?
2. Ken identifies three tests throughout 1 John for real Christians: believing in Jesus, walking in obedience, and loving others. Which of these three do you find most challenging in your own life, and why?
3. The sermon suggests that many Christians struggle more with "needlessly accusing ourselves" than with "shamelessly excusing ourselves." Do you agree? What are some signs that we might be condemning ourselves when God doesn't?
4. How does our culture's understanding of conditional love (being loved because we're lovely) affect the way we view God's love? Share examples from your own experience.
5. Ken says "God's perfect knowledge isn't a reason for fear but a reason for hope." How does Psalm 103:8-14 support this idea? What comfort does God's omniscience bring you personally?
6. Discuss the statement: "Your worth is not based on who you are. It is based on who God is." How does this truth challenge or change your self-perception?
7. Romans 5:8 tells us God loved us "while we were still sinners." Why is the timing of God's love so significant? How does this address our condemning hearts?
8. What does it mean that our lives are "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3)? How should this truth affect the way we view ourselves daily?
9. Ken explains that the Holy Spirit convicts us but doesn't condemn us. What's the difference, and how can we discern between conviction and condemnation in our lives?
10. The sermon summarizes Christianity as "Trust Jesus, Obey His Commands, and Love People." How does having a heart at rest in God's love make this simpler to live out?
11. When our hearts are at rest, we can "pray bolder" and approach God's throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). What prayers have you been hesitant to bring before God, and how might this truth embolden you?
12. The story of Steven Curtis Chapman yelling "Will Franklin, your Father loves you" to his son demonstrates the power of assured love in our darkest moments. How can we speak this truth to others (and ourselves) who are struggling with condemning hearts?

Discussion Questions

1. When have you experienced a "condemning heart" in your spiritual life? What triggered those feelings, and how did you respond?
2. Ken mentions that we often struggle to love the unlovely and those who can offer us nothing in return. Who are the people in your life that challenge your capacity to love, and what makes loving them difficult?
3. Share about a time when you doubted whether God truly loved you. What circumstances or thoughts led to that doubt?
4. The sermon suggests that fairy tales like "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella" teach us that only the lovely deserve love. What other messages from childhood or culture have shaped your understanding of how love works?
5. Ken says, "I have no doubt at all in my mind that God loves every one of you...but in my own moments of questioning and doubting, I don't have that same confidence that God loves me." Why do you think it's easier to believe God loves others than to believe He loves us personally?
6. What unhealthy patterns have you developed trying to earn or maintain love from God or others (working too much, perfectionism, people-pleasing, etc.)?
7. The sermon states that God "does not equate our raggedness with worthlessness." What are the "ragged" parts of your life that you fear make you unworthy of God's love?
8. How would your daily life change if you fully believed and lived in the truth that God loves you unconditionally? Be specific.
9. Ken describes obedience flowing from joy rather than fear when our hearts are at rest. What does joyful obedience look like versus fearful obedience in practical terms?
10. The Holy Spirit is described as overwhelming our condemning hearts with God's love. Have you experienced moments when you felt empowered to love beyond your natural ability? What was that like?
11. In the story about Will Chapman accidentally killing his sister, his father's words "Will Franklin, your Father loves you" brought comfort in an unimaginable tragedy. When have you needed to hear (or say) similar words of assured love during a crisis?
12. Ken summarizes the Christian life as "Trust Jesus, Obey His Commands, and Love People." If this is "Job One" for Christians, what are some "Job Two" or "Job Three" things that distract us from this simple mission?