Meet the Ordinary Means of Grace, in Bible Study
Group Guides | Sharing the gospel, sharing our lives (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
By way of introduction: Where do we see the relational concept of ‘grace’ being used around us in our society?
1. Read Ephesians 2:1–10 and discuss the depths of grace that people of faith in Christ Jesus have received using the language of this passage.
2. We are saved by grace, and this gift of God is communicated to us by means that God has given. The Reformers used this language of the “ordinary means of grace”, and it has been captured in question and answer 88 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism….
“What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption?”
The catechism’s answer is,
“The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.”
a. Read Acts 2:42–47 and discuss from what we see in this episode how the ordinary means of grace communicate the benefits of redemption.
b. Taking into account what is descriptive and what is prescriptive in the Book of Acts, what makes the ordinary means of grace so ordinary?
3. Read Titus 2:11–15 and…
a. discuss what the grace of God is and what it is not (v.11)
b. describe how the grace of God trains us (v.12)
4. From the sermon we heard, “God’s extraordinary grace has something ordinary, a human face.” How does this help us as we look into the ‘ordinary means of grace’ of the word, sacraments and prayer?
5. What picture does Titus 2:11–15 give of the church that engages with the ordinary means of grace?
Pray for one another and our church, that we would delight in the ordinary means of grace.
Prayer points for people…