Ecclesiastes 4 • Group Discussion Guide

Group Discussion Guide

Icebreaker Question:
What’s something in your life that feels chaotic right now, and how do you usually handle it?

OR

Can you think of a time when you were caught in a literal or figurative storm? How did you handle it?

“These next discussion questions are intended to give us each a chance to engage in the message personally and hear what Jesus is doing in each of our lives too. In this, we all become preachers to one another as we learn to follow Jesus together.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Ecclesiastes highlights the harshness of a dog-eat-dog world. "We were supposed to be like God; instead we behave like dogs." How do you see this dynamic playing out in society today, and how does it affect you personally?
2. In the story of Jesus calming the storm, how does this image of Jesus bringing peace to chaos speak to areas of your life where you feel overwhelmed?
3. The passage in Ecclesiastes talks about how we strive after the wind in pursuit of power and riches. What are some ways that you’ve experienced this kind of striving, and how can you find contentment in what God provides?
4. In verse 12, Ecclesiastes talks about the importance of community: "A threefold cord is not quickly broken." How can we as a group build stronger connections with each other to support one another during tough times?
5. The sermon pointed out that Jesus is our true friend, who sticks with us through every season. How does this change the way you view your relationship with Jesus?

For Further Study:

1. Mark 4:35-41 – Jesus calms the storm.
2. John 15:13 – "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
3. Philippians 4:6-7 – "Do not be anxious about anything... the peace of God will guard your hearts."
4. Isaiah 26:3 – "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you."
5. Proverbs 18:24 – "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
6. Psalm 46:10 – "Be still, and know that I am God."
7. Colossians 3:15 – "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."
8. Matthew 11:28-30 – Jesus invites us to find rest in Him.
9. Romans 12:18 – "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

Gospel Connections

Let’s discuss how we can apply this message to our lives as we seek to make the following connections as we follow Jesus:

1. Am I done with the dog eat dog?
 How can Jesus make me/us more like God?
2. How can our church community become a safe haven where people find true friendship, support, and peace in the midst of a dog-eat-dog world?
3. How can our group build deeper relationships that reflect the love and peace of Jesus, strengthening the "threefold cord" among us?
4. How can we, as individuals and as a church, bring the peace of Christ to the city, offering a contrast to the chaos of the world around us?