There are three different sets of questions for you to use, whether you are exploring God’s word within your Life Group, in other group settings, or simply using them on your own.

A. DISCUSSION STARTERS

These are simple questions to provoke discussion together out of the talk (ideal if you are watching our Sunday Service online with others in your group):

 1) Was there anything that particularly struck your during Tim’s talk?

2) Was there anything that you didn’t agree with, or found difficult to understand in the talk?

3) How might you live differently as a result of the talk?

B. QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE

These are questions that are based on the talk and the surrounding themes:

1) What would you say the purpose of the Holy Spirit is?

2) Read John 16:6-15. What does Jesus say that the Holy Spirit (whom he calls the ‘advocate’ or ‘counsellor’) will do? What strikes you about the things that Jesus mentions?

3) Notice in v8-11 that Jesus mentions that the Holy Spirit will ‘prove the world the world to be wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement’. No-one likes to be told they’re wrong, but why is it really good news that the Holy Spirit does this? Do you think it is significant that the Holy Spirit does this, rather than us?

4) Verse 10 is astonishing – it seems that what Jesus is saying is that because he is going back to his Father, the righteousness we long for has been achieved. Because Jesus died in our place, the righteousness of Christ is now ours! Job done (see Romans 3:22-24). And, the Holy Spirit reveals this to us. Why do you think we need the Holy Spirit to do this important work?

5) Read v12-16. What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the bible? How does the Holy Spirit ‘guide us into all truth’?

6) Karen A Ellis writes that ‘The Lord of hosts is with us. He’s not watching us move through this stream of history, he’s actually navigating it with us through his Holy Spirit.’ How does this give us confidence as we try and help others get to know Jesus and grow as his followers?

7) Take some time to pray that you would grow more aware of what Jesus has done for you, and that you would know the confidence that the Holy Spirit is at work as you try and help other people get to know Jesus. You may like to use the words of the prayer below.

C. GOING DEEPER

These are questions to help you go a little deeper, by exploring the wider biblical context.

1) If you were asked what the role of the Holy Spirit is in your life, what would you say?

2) Read John 16:6-15. Notice that Jesus describes a number of things that the Holy Spirit does. What are they?

3) Jesus describes the work of the Holy Spirit in ways that can broadly be grouped under two headings:

a) v8-11 – the Holy Spirit convicts

b) v12-15 – the Holy Spirit guides

Read Acts 2:37-39 and Ephesians 1:17-19. How do you think the Holy Spirit convicts and guides today?

4) Notice what Jesus says in verse 10. Read Romans 3:22-24 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. In light of these verses, what do you think Jesus meant when he talked about righteousness and the fact he was ‘going to the Father’? Why is this such good news?

5) In verse 12-16 Jesus describes how the Holy Spirit will ‘guide you into all truth’. Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16. What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Bible? How does the Holy Spirit guide us ‘into all truth’?

6) Karen A Ellis writes that ‘The Lord of hosts is with us. He’s not watching us move through this stream of history, he’s actually navigating it with us through his Holy Spirit.’ Why does this give us confidence as we try and help others get to know Jesus and grow as his followers?

7) Take some time to pray that you would grow more aware of what Jesus has done for you, and that you would know the confidence that the Holy Spirit is at work as you try and help other people get to know Jesus. You may like to use the words of the prayer below.