Luke 2:1-7 Message
Discussion Questions
1. How do you see God's sovereignty through the Christmas story in Luke?
2. How can you see God's sovereign hand move in your life today?
3. Are you still moved by the Christmas story today or has it become just another story you hear around Christmas? What does it mean to you?
No Separation (Romans 8:35-39)
Romans 8:35-39 Message
Discussion Questions
1. When you are going through a time of suffering, do you think that God has abandoned you? Or do you see it as a time to rejoice because God is at work in your life?
2. What does Romans 8 say about why we can find hope in times of suffering or trials?
3. What do you see as your primary identity in life?
4. Think upon this quote & discuss: "Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, husband, etc.) thinks you are. How would your life change if you truly believed the Bible's astounding words about God's love for us, if we looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?"
Discussion Questions
1. When you are going through a time of suffering, do you think that God has abandoned you? Or do you see it as a time to rejoice because God is at work in your life?
2. What does Romans 8 say about why we can find hope in times of suffering or trials?
3. What do you see as your primary identity in life?
4. Think upon this quote & discuss: "Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, husband, etc.) thinks you are. How would your life change if you truly believed the Bible's astounding words about God's love for us, if we looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?"
No Accusation (Romans 8:33-34)
Romans 8:33-34 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have such a deep sense that God is for you that is doesn't matter who opposes you, criticizes you, rejects you, or disrespects you, as long as God is for you?
2. What "charges" or "accusations" does the enemy seem to bring against you time and time again? After a period of sharing, spend some time praying together that you would see yourselves the way God sees you, justified and in right standing before him.
3. Has guilt from your past "trained" you to act as though you're not free?
4. How do you see yourself before God? Do you live in the freedom and joy of God's forgiveness, or do you feel like you're working hard to pay off a debt yourself?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have such a deep sense that God is for you that is doesn't matter who opposes you, criticizes you, rejects you, or disrespects you, as long as God is for you?
2. What "charges" or "accusations" does the enemy seem to bring against you time and time again? After a period of sharing, spend some time praying together that you would see yourselves the way God sees you, justified and in right standing before him.
3. Has guilt from your past "trained" you to act as though you're not free?
4. How do you see yourself before God? Do you live in the freedom and joy of God's forgiveness, or do you feel like you're working hard to pay off a debt yourself?
God is For Me (Romans 8:31-32)
Romans 8:31-32 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Do you truly believe that God is for YOU, in your heart of hearts? Or do you think he is mad at you or doesn't care about you?
2. What does this passage mean to you?
3. With all the condemning voices that come into our heads it is vital to read, pray, meditate, linger upon, and memorize the Word of God. Are you spending time doing these things?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you truly believe that God is for YOU, in your heart of hearts? Or do you think he is mad at you or doesn't care about you?
2. What does this passage mean to you?
3. With all the condemning voices that come into our heads it is vital to read, pray, meditate, linger upon, and memorize the Word of God. Are you spending time doing these things?
Destined to be Like Him (Romans 8:29-30)
Romans 8:29-30 Message
Discussion Questions
1. The topic of predestination can bring about alot of emotions. What is God saying to you about Sovereignty in salvation?
2. What is the human responsibility in all this? How do you reconcile having divine sovereignty with human responsibility?
3. Do you fully expect to understand God? How big a God would he be if we could understand everything? Spend some time discussing these thoughts and how they relate to your frustrations or confusions with predestination.
Discussion Questions
1. The topic of predestination can bring about alot of emotions. What is God saying to you about Sovereignty in salvation?
2. What is the human responsibility in all this? How do you reconcile having divine sovereignty with human responsibility?
3. Do you fully expect to understand God? How big a God would he be if we could understand everything? Spend some time discussing these thoughts and how they relate to your frustrations or confusions with predestination.
Suffering in Perspective (Romans 8:28)
Romans 8:28 Message
Discussion Questions
1. How can you seen God at work in your life right now?
2. How have you seen him work something that you thought was bad in your life toward good?
3. Do you truly believe and live Romans 8:28? "And we KNOW that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."
4. Homework Assignment: When you get home write at the top of a page "How God Brings Good out of Bad", and make a list of all the things God has done in your life. Thank him for these things.
Discussion Questions
1. How can you seen God at work in your life right now?
2. How have you seen him work something that you thought was bad in your life toward good?
3. Do you truly believe and live Romans 8:28? "And we KNOW that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."
4. Homework Assignment: When you get home write at the top of a page "How God Brings Good out of Bad", and make a list of all the things God has done in your life. Thank him for these things.
Groanings (Romans 8:23-27)
Romans 8:23-27 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Do you feel this longing/groaning deep inside you for Christ to return? Or do you find yourself just living in the here and now?
2. What do you think God is saying to us about present sufferings and coming glory?
3. What is God saying to you today about pain and suffering? What sufferings are you going through today?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you feel this longing/groaning deep inside you for Christ to return? Or do you find yourself just living in the here and now?
2. What do you think God is saying to us about present sufferings and coming glory?
3. What is God saying to you today about pain and suffering? What sufferings are you going through today?
The Perspective of Eternity (Romans 8:18-22)
Romans 8:18-22 Message
Discussion Questions
1. What do you do with the pain of today? Do you do what Paul did?
2. What kind of suffering are you going through right now? What have you gone through?
3. What kind of passions have developed from the sufferings you have gone through?
Discussion Questions
1. What do you do with the pain of today? Do you do what Paul did?
2. What kind of suffering are you going through right now? What have you gone through?
3. What kind of passions have developed from the sufferings you have gone through?
Life on Mission (Acts 1:1-8)
Acts 1:1-8 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Are you living your life today as if you are on a missions trip? Or are you waiting for some event to happen in order to act?
2. How are you individually "Bringing Hope to the World?" How are you as a group "Bringing Hope to the World?"
3. Where is your Jerusalem? (name those areas) List specific people that you can talk to about Christ in your Jerusalem.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you living your life today as if you are on a missions trip? Or are you waiting for some event to happen in order to act?
2. How are you individually "Bringing Hope to the World?" How are you as a group "Bringing Hope to the World?"
3. Where is your Jerusalem? (name those areas) List specific people that you can talk to about Christ in your Jerusalem.
No Second String (Mark 5:1-20)
Mark 5:1-20 Message
Discussion Questions
1. How has your life changed since encountering Christ?
2. Reflect on some of the great things the Lord has done for you through your life time and how he has had compassion on you. Share with the group.
3. Do you actively go out and share the great things the Lord has done for you?
Discussion Questions
1. How has your life changed since encountering Christ?
2. Reflect on some of the great things the Lord has done for you through your life time and how he has had compassion on you. Share with the group.
3. Do you actively go out and share the great things the Lord has done for you?
We are Adopted (Romans 8:12-17)
Romans 8:12-17 Message
Discussion Questions
1. The heart of this passage is that you are the adopted child of the God of the universe. That is a profound thought. His word says we are heirs. What does it mean to be an heir?
2. On a scale of 1-10 how difficult is it for you to relinquish control to someone else? What area of your life to you find it most difficult to relinquish control? Why?
3. What do you think a life "led by the spirit" looks like in practical day to day terms?
4. What would be the implications for your family if you were led by the Spirit? What is the most noticeable thing they would see change in you?
Discussion Questions
1. The heart of this passage is that you are the adopted child of the God of the universe. That is a profound thought. His word says we are heirs. What does it mean to be an heir?
2. On a scale of 1-10 how difficult is it for you to relinquish control to someone else? What area of your life to you find it most difficult to relinquish control? Why?
3. What do you think a life "led by the spirit" looks like in practical day to day terms?
4. What would be the implications for your family if you were led by the Spirit? What is the most noticeable thing they would see change in you?
Spirit Led (Romans 8:9-11)
Romans 8:9-11 Message
Discussion Questions
1. How do you feel about the idea of surrender to the Holy Spirit?
2. Where is this hard for you?
3. How do you feel about dependence upon the Spirit's power rather than your own resources?
4. Where is this difficult for you?
Discussion Questions
1. How do you feel about the idea of surrender to the Holy Spirit?
2. Where is this hard for you?
3. How do you feel about dependence upon the Spirit's power rather than your own resources?
4. Where is this difficult for you?
Spirit or Flesh (Romans 8:5-8)
Romans 8:5-8 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Do you feel like the church at large has neglected the Holy Spirit? Do you feel like you yourself have neglected the Holy Spirit?
2. Is your mind preoccupied with self or with Christ? Do you seek your agenda or Christ's agenda? Do you consider life as yours or does it belong to Christ? Are you focused on the things of this world or things of the next world? Do you set your "mind on things of the flesh" or do you set your "mind on things of the Spirit?"
3. What are you actively doing right now to set your mind on things of the spirit instead of things of the flesh?
4. Do you deliberately, intentionally, consciously depend upon power of the Spirit and not your own power, as you live life and face daily challenges?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you feel like the church at large has neglected the Holy Spirit? Do you feel like you yourself have neglected the Holy Spirit?
2. Is your mind preoccupied with self or with Christ? Do you seek your agenda or Christ's agenda? Do you consider life as yours or does it belong to Christ? Are you focused on the things of this world or things of the next world? Do you set your "mind on things of the flesh" or do you set your "mind on things of the Spirit?"
3. What are you actively doing right now to set your mind on things of the spirit instead of things of the flesh?
4. Do you deliberately, intentionally, consciously depend upon power of the Spirit and not your own power, as you live life and face daily challenges?
Romans 8:1-4
We are going to start doing things a little differently, instead of reading through a brief summary of the message from this weekend's message we will post a link to the actual message itself and then continue on with the discussion questions afterwards. We hope you find this to be more helpful and informative.
Romans 8:1-4 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Have you come to grips with the cross, Jesus' shed blood for you, and the grace he pours out for you?
2. Read Romans 8:2, what are we liberated from? What sins are you still living in bondage to that Christ has already sent you free from?
3. Is your life a reflection of living according to the flesh or according to the spirit?
4. Write down an "I will.." statement for this week that you will do when sin or the flesh starts to rise up in you. (something specific and measurable) Ex. I will memorize this passage and ask God is etch it on my heart.
Romans 8:1-4 Message
Discussion Questions
1. Have you come to grips with the cross, Jesus' shed blood for you, and the grace he pours out for you?
2. Read Romans 8:2, what are we liberated from? What sins are you still living in bondage to that Christ has already sent you free from?
3. Is your life a reflection of living according to the flesh or according to the spirit?
4. Write down an "I will.." statement for this week that you will do when sin or the flesh starts to rise up in you. (something specific and measurable) Ex. I will memorize this passage and ask God is etch it on my heart.
Vision Weekend
Three years ago, December, we moved into our new campus. Just before the move the global recession hit which was about the time alot of money was due to come in for the 'building fund'. But alot of people ended up losing about 40% of their wealth or lost their jobs and as a result we ended up moving into the new campus with alot more debt than was expected. Which led to cutbacks and later layoffs. WoodsEdge has had a tough 3 years, alot of financial pressure and staff transitions. We have had some hard lessons but have come out stronger on the other side.
Growth Areas:
- Need more cushion in the bank account, and we now have it.
- Get out of debt, we are working towards that.
- In the midst of all of this, God has stirred our hearts to give 50% of our income outside the four walls of our church.
- God has called us to holiness like never before.
Growth Areas:
- Children's Ministry: We have a gap between where we are now and where we want to be.
- Student Minstry: There is so much good, but there has been alot of transition. The key thing for students is relationships and relationships require people, people like you to volunteer!
- Small Groups: We have tremendous groups overall and alot of people are in a group. But there are also alot of people who are not in a group and walking alone. If you are not in a group you are going against your 'wiring', God made you to live in community.
- Debt: We spend much less than we take in and are aggressively paying down the debt. We have gone for $15M to $11M. Over the next 2 years we are asking for special giving, over and above 10% if you are able or feel God's calling.
- Reaching Lost: All of us should be praying, loving, serving, and inviting people to service. There are lots of people that have been reached but there are so many more than are still unreached. We need to Bring Hope.
- Find Calling: For your sake, start serving.You don't want to miss out on what God has for you.
- Heart for God: There are so many passionate worshipers at WoodsEdge, people going all out for Jesus. Servant hearts all over the church and people that are authentic!
- Diversity: We have alot of diversity at WoodsEdge; from racial, ethnic, linguistic, economic, and political. We are a very diverse church and we hope to continue to have more of that.
- Local Missions: Last few years we have gone from a "C" grade to an "A". There are alot of different things going on outside the four walls of this church and we are excited about it. Bring Hope.
- International Ministries: So much good going on in IM, it has really grown over the past couple of years. We have Church Planting Movments (CPM) going on in Malawi and Ecuador and are hoping to start in other countries. There are plenty of other things going on all around the world that we are involved with as well as many local things right here. It continues to grow. Bring Hope.
- Staff Team: We have very Godly elders and have really grown a great staff team over the years.
- Prayer Service: We have had the best three months ever at prayer service. Prayer is the epicenter of our culture, need to be at the Prayer Service.
House of Prayer
Jesus has done some pretty unusal, surprising, and outrageous things. For example the time he went into the temple and saw people buying and selling, animals bleeding, moneychangers shouting - like a big flea market. He makes whips, comes into the temple and begins driving people out, overturning tables, and scattering money and then he says "It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." This is God's house, a house of prayer not of the law, of scripture, teaching, sacrificing, or helping the needy. A house of prayer!
We see the importance and theme of prayer throughout Jesus life, multiple times in the book of Luke there are references of Jesus taking time to pray. Read Luke 5:16, 6:12, 9:18a, 9:28, 11:1, 18:1, 19:46. In Acts, a book about the early church, prayer is what brought about change, rapid revival, and the hand of God. The early church was birthed in prayer, read Acts 1:14a. Prayer is the heart beat, it is what brings about the kingdom of God. In Acts 3, when Peter and John are arrested and their lives are in danger the early church did not sit down to strategize, analyze, or organize how to get them out of jail. They prayed! With this crisis, God is telling us: The church must be a house of prayer. The main business of the church is prayer. The real work of the church is prayer. The lifeblood of any church is prayer. Is this true of the church in the US? If there is a great work of God, it is because people in the church rely upon prayer! At every hinge point in the early church, people were relying upon prayer.
If for Jesus, the main activity was prayer. If for the early church, the main activity was prayer. Then for us, the main activity should be prayer. God is saying to us: Call out to me. Call to me first. Call to me immediately. Call to me with all your heart. Call to me as the main thing. Be a house of prayer. In the book Fresh Wind Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala he writes "I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show himself mightily on our behalf." That is the way we should feel, to not want life to pass us by without seeing the hand of God move. To see God work in a powerful way, to see breakthrough!
Eight Steps for all of us to raise the bar for prayer:
1. Meditate on this quote and then discuss "When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do, and so. Nor am I disposed to undervalue any of these things in their proper place, but when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do." What do you rely on?
2. Do you feel the way Jim Cymbala does? "I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show himself mightily on our behalf."
3. What if we significantly raise the bar in our prayer life, what would the church look like then?
4. Are you satisfied with your prayer life right now? What are some ways that you desire to change your prayer life?
We see the importance and theme of prayer throughout Jesus life, multiple times in the book of Luke there are references of Jesus taking time to pray. Read Luke 5:16, 6:12, 9:18a, 9:28, 11:1, 18:1, 19:46. In Acts, a book about the early church, prayer is what brought about change, rapid revival, and the hand of God. The early church was birthed in prayer, read Acts 1:14a. Prayer is the heart beat, it is what brings about the kingdom of God. In Acts 3, when Peter and John are arrested and their lives are in danger the early church did not sit down to strategize, analyze, or organize how to get them out of jail. They prayed! With this crisis, God is telling us: The church must be a house of prayer. The main business of the church is prayer. The real work of the church is prayer. The lifeblood of any church is prayer. Is this true of the church in the US? If there is a great work of God, it is because people in the church rely upon prayer! At every hinge point in the early church, people were relying upon prayer.
If for Jesus, the main activity was prayer. If for the early church, the main activity was prayer. Then for us, the main activity should be prayer. God is saying to us: Call out to me. Call to me first. Call to me immediately. Call to me with all your heart. Call to me as the main thing. Be a house of prayer. In the book Fresh Wind Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala he writes "I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show himself mightily on our behalf." That is the way we should feel, to not want life to pass us by without seeing the hand of God move. To see God work in a powerful way, to see breakthrough!
Eight Steps for all of us to raise the bar for prayer:
- Meet with God daily in an unhurried time.
- Continue in prayer throughout your day.
- Prompt prayer throughout the day (open your car door - pray).
- Increase prayer in your small group
- Attend our Wednesday night prayer service. Make it a regular part of your week.
- Pray immediately, right now. Don't wait until later.
- Assume divine appointments. Pray over the people who cross your path.
- Fast regularly.
1. Meditate on this quote and then discuss "When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do, and so. Nor am I disposed to undervalue any of these things in their proper place, but when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do." What do you rely on?
2. Do you feel the way Jim Cymbala does? "I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show himself mightily on our behalf."
3. What if we significantly raise the bar in our prayer life, what would the church look like then?
4. Are you satisfied with your prayer life right now? What are some ways that you desire to change your prayer life?
Servanthood
There are a few things to learn about serving in "your highest calling". God does not always give you life purpose at once, he reveals it over time. It can change with the season of life. It can be very difficult at times. But there is much fulfillment and joy in it when you are in your "sweet spot"! Every believer has a calling, a ministry, a place in the kingdom.
If you have not found your purpose in life yet, you are missing out on so much. Imagine if Shakespeare never knew he could write sonnets and plays? Or if Mother Teresa never discovered the joy of helping the poor? Or if Michael Jordan never discovered he could play basketball? They would have missed out on so much joy and satisfaction because that is what they were wired to do. That is true for us! When you find your sweet spot in ministry, you feel God's pleasure.
Fortunately the Bible addresses the topic of purpose/calling/place of ministry in the kingdom. Read Romans 12:4-8. There are many members of the church and each one of them has a different role or gift. We need to use those gifts! Read I Corinthians 12:7-11. Each believer is given gifts or a manifestation of the spirit all for the common good. It is God's decision who gets each gift of the spirit, not ours, he gives as he wills. Read Ephesians 4:7-16. Again, each believer is gifted and everyone is needed for the kingdom to work properly and grow. Read I Peter 4:10-11. We are to be good stewards of the gifts that God has given us and we are to use our gifts to serve the body.
Think of people in the Bible. All kind of occupations and personalities and they all had a call in the kingdom. Moses, Elijiah, Sarah, Isaac, Jeremiah, and the list goes on. They all had a place in the kingdom, they all had a calling. The Bible is a book of examples not of exceptions.
How can you find God's calling for you life? Start serving somewhere. Serve God while you are seeking his purpose. In the serving you will find your calling. Think of David taking food to his brothers in the army. He gets there and hears Goliath's taunts. Does he go to the battlefield planning to kill the giant? No, he's just serving in a simple way - taking food to his brothers, obeying his father Jesse. But that led him to killing Goliath and that changed his whole life. How can you find God's calling for your life? Start serving somewhere, serve God while you are seeking his purpose. Don't wait for a bolt of lightning. Get started serving somewhere now.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know your calling or your purpose? At least for this season? Are you on a journey to find it or have you been derailed in the journey or have you never begun the journey?
2. What things "light you up"? What are you passionate about?
3. Where are you serving right now?
4. What would church look like if everyone was serving in their "highest calling"?
If you have not found your purpose in life yet, you are missing out on so much. Imagine if Shakespeare never knew he could write sonnets and plays? Or if Mother Teresa never discovered the joy of helping the poor? Or if Michael Jordan never discovered he could play basketball? They would have missed out on so much joy and satisfaction because that is what they were wired to do. That is true for us! When you find your sweet spot in ministry, you feel God's pleasure.
Fortunately the Bible addresses the topic of purpose/calling/place of ministry in the kingdom. Read Romans 12:4-8. There are many members of the church and each one of them has a different role or gift. We need to use those gifts! Read I Corinthians 12:7-11. Each believer is given gifts or a manifestation of the spirit all for the common good. It is God's decision who gets each gift of the spirit, not ours, he gives as he wills. Read Ephesians 4:7-16. Again, each believer is gifted and everyone is needed for the kingdom to work properly and grow. Read I Peter 4:10-11. We are to be good stewards of the gifts that God has given us and we are to use our gifts to serve the body.
Think of people in the Bible. All kind of occupations and personalities and they all had a call in the kingdom. Moses, Elijiah, Sarah, Isaac, Jeremiah, and the list goes on. They all had a place in the kingdom, they all had a calling. The Bible is a book of examples not of exceptions.
How can you find God's calling for you life? Start serving somewhere. Serve God while you are seeking his purpose. In the serving you will find your calling. Think of David taking food to his brothers in the army. He gets there and hears Goliath's taunts. Does he go to the battlefield planning to kill the giant? No, he's just serving in a simple way - taking food to his brothers, obeying his father Jesse. But that led him to killing Goliath and that changed his whole life. How can you find God's calling for your life? Start serving somewhere, serve God while you are seeking his purpose. Don't wait for a bolt of lightning. Get started serving somewhere now.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know your calling or your purpose? At least for this season? Are you on a journey to find it or have you been derailed in the journey or have you never begun the journey?
2. What things "light you up"? What are you passionate about?
3. Where are you serving right now?
4. What would church look like if everyone was serving in their "highest calling"?
Psalm 24
The most likely scenario of Psalm 24 is around the time of 2 Samuel 6 when the ark was being returned. Imagine the scene was filled with rejoicing and celebration over this return. There are three movements in this Psalm:
Read Psalm 24:3. The tabernacle in Jerusalem was built on the very highest hill in the city, so when we read "who shall ascend the hill of Lord" it is referencing that. The point being: who can come into God's presence? The Psalmist then gives us four answers to that question. Read Psalm 24:4; clean hands, pure heart, does not lift up his soul to what is false/idol, and does not swear deceitfully. God is calling us to holiness, not to rule-keeping or a "holier-than-thou" philosophy but to Christlikeness. Read Psalm 24:5-6. May we be a people a generation who seek the face of God, who run hard after Jesus with all our hearts. The acid test for if you are running hard after Jesus is: are you spending unhurried time with him day after day?
Read Psalm 24:7-10. You can just imagine the scene, the gate is flung open and the processional with the ark of the covenant enters the city, there is a thunderous ovation and people singing with wholehearted admiration to God. God is the King of Glory, he exudes glory. So what exactly is this "glory" of God? Dwight Edwards describes it and says, "I like to call it his 'spectacular-ness'. His glory is his stunning radiance, the overwhelming splendor of his excellence, his incomparable and exquisite beauty. The hebrew term for 'glory' comes from a root meaning 'heavy' or 'weighty'. God's glory carries the full weight of his attributes. The Bible likens that glory to images such as blinding light, raging fire, crashing thunder, flashing lightning, and a magnificent rainbow. Whatever else it may be, one thing is for sure - God's glory is awesome in appearance. It's too spectacular a sight to pass by without taking notice."
Discussion Questions
1. Having the perspective of a steward and not an owner is very difficult for we humans. To what extent would you say you do this?
2. What is your biggest challenge area for a stewardship not ownership perspective?
3. Has the word holiness become a positive term for you or does it still have negative connotations? Why or why not?
4. What is the biggest challenge area for you when it comes to idolatry?
5. What did Jeff suggest is the acid test for seeking God? Do you think he is right? How do you measure on that test?
- God owns it all.
- God calls us to holiness.
- Celebrate the glory of God.
Read Psalm 24:3. The tabernacle in Jerusalem was built on the very highest hill in the city, so when we read "who shall ascend the hill of Lord" it is referencing that. The point being: who can come into God's presence? The Psalmist then gives us four answers to that question. Read Psalm 24:4; clean hands, pure heart, does not lift up his soul to what is false/idol, and does not swear deceitfully. God is calling us to holiness, not to rule-keeping or a "holier-than-thou" philosophy but to Christlikeness. Read Psalm 24:5-6. May we be a people a generation who seek the face of God, who run hard after Jesus with all our hearts. The acid test for if you are running hard after Jesus is: are you spending unhurried time with him day after day?
Read Psalm 24:7-10. You can just imagine the scene, the gate is flung open and the processional with the ark of the covenant enters the city, there is a thunderous ovation and people singing with wholehearted admiration to God. God is the King of Glory, he exudes glory. So what exactly is this "glory" of God? Dwight Edwards describes it and says, "I like to call it his 'spectacular-ness'. His glory is his stunning radiance, the overwhelming splendor of his excellence, his incomparable and exquisite beauty. The hebrew term for 'glory' comes from a root meaning 'heavy' or 'weighty'. God's glory carries the full weight of his attributes. The Bible likens that glory to images such as blinding light, raging fire, crashing thunder, flashing lightning, and a magnificent rainbow. Whatever else it may be, one thing is for sure - God's glory is awesome in appearance. It's too spectacular a sight to pass by without taking notice."
Discussion Questions
1. Having the perspective of a steward and not an owner is very difficult for we humans. To what extent would you say you do this?
2. What is your biggest challenge area for a stewardship not ownership perspective?
3. Has the word holiness become a positive term for you or does it still have negative connotations? Why or why not?
4. What is the biggest challenge area for you when it comes to idolatry?
5. What did Jeff suggest is the acid test for seeking God? Do you think he is right? How do you measure on that test?
Psalm 18:1-29
"Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God." A.W. Tozer
David, in Psalm 18, exemplifies an exalted view of God. When David starts the psalm he identifies himself as "David, the servant of the Lord." Even though he was a King and he had done all these marvelous things he still knew who he was, a servant of the Lord. This is who we are, it is our ultimate identity, our calling, and our privelege. A final note of background on the Psalm, David is on the run from Saul who is trying to kill him; he is in the Judean Desert hiding for his life.
We expect David to start off with "Lord, help. Deliver me!" But instead he starts off with "I love you, O Lord, my strength." Sense David's passion, sense the love affair and burst of tender affection. Prayer is all about love, it is not just about bringing needs or requests. It is about coming into the Father's presence and letting him hold you close, feel his love, basking in his tenderness. This is a heart of prayer, not duty or obiligation, but of love. If you do not understand that the gospel is a love affair, then you do not understand Jesus, the Bible, or the gospel message. It is a love affair.
Read Psalm 18:1-2. David confesses his dependence on God. "You are my strength, you are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer..." That is the view we should have of God, an enlarged view of who he truly is. Psalm 18:3, call upon the Lord. That is what God's people do, they call upon the name of the Lord and as God's people we should be doing the same.
Read Psalm 18:4-19. This is a figurative story of God's rescue of David. As we read this I just picture a Dad who is working while his children are playing, all of a sudden he hears fierce barking and his two little girls screaming in fear. He takes off with all his might heart racing, swoops in and rescues his two girls from these ferocious dogs and carries them off to safety. That is the view we should have of God! A fierce warrior ready to fight and defend on our behalf, there is safety in his arms.
In your trials or problems, do you depend on God or yourself? Do you surrender your problem to God or try to fix it yourself? What is your view of God? Do you think he can handle your problems? David's view of God was not just that he was good and loving, but that he was good to him, loving to him, and delighted in him. God in heaven is crazy about YOU, believe that, accept that, and know that!
Read Psalm 18:20-24. We cannot take this in a nitpicky way. David was not saying that he was perfect or sinless. He was admitting that he was completely surrendered to God and with that came holiness. Read Psalm 18:25-27. God rescues the humble, dependent, poor in spirit and brings down the haughty, arrogant, and self-reliant. Who are the humble and what do they look like? They don't focus on self, depend on the Lord, surrendered to the Lord, obey the Lord, see themselves as servants, are not self-righteous, are grateful, are worshipers, Jesus-preoccupied, and don't care who gets the credit. Who are the haughty and what do they look like? They are self-reliant, self-preoccupied, refuse to submit to God, self-righteous, draw attention to themselves, overly critical of others, are not servants, not thankful, and need no one. The first group God will save, bless, and rescue. The second group God will bring low. Read Psalm 18:28-29. Again we see the way David views God: Great and Good. Lord My God!
How do we see God as who he really is? Pray. Ask for it. Give yourself fully to worship. Hang out with people who have an exalted view of God. Read the word, fill your mind with God's mind. Saturate yourself in scripture.
Discussion Questions
1. Talk about the way you see God, down deep. What are strong areas for you? What are growth areas?
2. Where does Psalm 18:1-29 challenge you?
3. In terms of seeing God as he really is, what are the key next steps for you?
David, in Psalm 18, exemplifies an exalted view of God. When David starts the psalm he identifies himself as "David, the servant of the Lord." Even though he was a King and he had done all these marvelous things he still knew who he was, a servant of the Lord. This is who we are, it is our ultimate identity, our calling, and our privelege. A final note of background on the Psalm, David is on the run from Saul who is trying to kill him; he is in the Judean Desert hiding for his life.
We expect David to start off with "Lord, help. Deliver me!" But instead he starts off with "I love you, O Lord, my strength." Sense David's passion, sense the love affair and burst of tender affection. Prayer is all about love, it is not just about bringing needs or requests. It is about coming into the Father's presence and letting him hold you close, feel his love, basking in his tenderness. This is a heart of prayer, not duty or obiligation, but of love. If you do not understand that the gospel is a love affair, then you do not understand Jesus, the Bible, or the gospel message. It is a love affair.
Read Psalm 18:1-2. David confesses his dependence on God. "You are my strength, you are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer..." That is the view we should have of God, an enlarged view of who he truly is. Psalm 18:3, call upon the Lord. That is what God's people do, they call upon the name of the Lord and as God's people we should be doing the same.
Read Psalm 18:4-19. This is a figurative story of God's rescue of David. As we read this I just picture a Dad who is working while his children are playing, all of a sudden he hears fierce barking and his two little girls screaming in fear. He takes off with all his might heart racing, swoops in and rescues his two girls from these ferocious dogs and carries them off to safety. That is the view we should have of God! A fierce warrior ready to fight and defend on our behalf, there is safety in his arms.
In your trials or problems, do you depend on God or yourself? Do you surrender your problem to God or try to fix it yourself? What is your view of God? Do you think he can handle your problems? David's view of God was not just that he was good and loving, but that he was good to him, loving to him, and delighted in him. God in heaven is crazy about YOU, believe that, accept that, and know that!
Read Psalm 18:20-24. We cannot take this in a nitpicky way. David was not saying that he was perfect or sinless. He was admitting that he was completely surrendered to God and with that came holiness. Read Psalm 18:25-27. God rescues the humble, dependent, poor in spirit and brings down the haughty, arrogant, and self-reliant. Who are the humble and what do they look like? They don't focus on self, depend on the Lord, surrendered to the Lord, obey the Lord, see themselves as servants, are not self-righteous, are grateful, are worshipers, Jesus-preoccupied, and don't care who gets the credit. Who are the haughty and what do they look like? They are self-reliant, self-preoccupied, refuse to submit to God, self-righteous, draw attention to themselves, overly critical of others, are not servants, not thankful, and need no one. The first group God will save, bless, and rescue. The second group God will bring low. Read Psalm 18:28-29. Again we see the way David views God: Great and Good. Lord My God!
How do we see God as who he really is? Pray. Ask for it. Give yourself fully to worship. Hang out with people who have an exalted view of God. Read the word, fill your mind with God's mind. Saturate yourself in scripture.
Discussion Questions
1. Talk about the way you see God, down deep. What are strong areas for you? What are growth areas?
2. Where does Psalm 18:1-29 challenge you?
3. In terms of seeing God as he really is, what are the key next steps for you?
Psalm 16
Masada, a flat topped mountain located in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, is 1300 ft high with sheer cliffs on all sides of the summit. Herod the Great built a palatial fortress there years ago which was used as a refuge in case of attack. Our refuge or fortress is not in a great big place like this, but in person. God himself is our refuge, our fortress, our "Masada".
Where David began in Psalm 16 is very personal and tender. Read Psalm 16:1, David's only request is "preserve me, protect me, take care of me, you are my refuge, my place of safety." Then he moves from a petition to God to a declaration of allegiance to God in vs. 2. David's statement "I have no good apart from you." Seems a little bit of an exaggeration. Surely there are good things in life outside of God: marriage, kids, health, good restaurants, great books, etc. Yes, these are all good things, but all of these good things are from God. Every good thing in the universe comes from God. Read James 1:17. Not only is God the source of all good, but when we desire these good things we are desiring God. We don't know it but we are, we are longing for God. We are longing to fill that empty place in our souls. This desire or longing is a gift from God, and you can ask to have that gift.
Read Psalm 16:3. David calls God's people saints, excellent ones, those in whom is all my delight. The saints are God's people; not God's perfect people but God's flawed people. God's stubborn people. David doesn't delight in them because they are "good" but because they are God's. Some of God's people are easier to enjoy compared to others of course, but there is a bond that is bigger that us. It is a spirit-produced bond, we are bound together as a body. We are bound together by blood, by the blood of Jesus. Because David delighted in God, he delighted in people of God.
Read Psalm 16:4. In contrast to God's people, now he turns to idolaters. Those who run after other gods will multiply their sorrows, that is the cost of sin it always hurts us. If we place anything before God it is idolatry and in the end always ends up hurting us. For us, the issue of idolatry is usually not some other god but something in life more important than God: career, money, family, marriage, children, hobbies, and the list could go on. Only God should be our God, remove anything else.
Read Psalm 16:5-6. David moves from petitioning to allegiance to now blessing the Lord. He says "You are my portion, my cup, my inheritance. All my good is in you. You have been so good to me." David had a choice, he could focus on what he had or focus on what he didn't have. We have that same choice. If we focus on what we don't have - bitterness and misery are close behind. If we focus on what we do have - gratitude and joy are just around the corner. It is our choice. Some of us need to work on cultivating a thankful heart, David had a thankful heart let that be the goal. Read Psalm 16:7. God himself if our counselor. Go to him first, rely primarily on him. He is the all-knowing, ever-present, ever-loving counselor. God may use human counselors, but ultimately we must look to God. Just imagine: Your own personal counselor. Ready to listen, ready to guide, and ready to heal at all times. No wonder David exclaimed "I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me." Read Psalm 16:8. What would it look like for you and me to always have the Lord before us. We would be thinking about Jesus frequently, we would talk with him continually, we would depend on him, we would live for his approval not the approval of others, we would fear him, and sing to him. We would become more and more preoccupied with Jesus and less preoccupied with ourselves.
Read Psalm 16:9-10. David says he has joy and peace as he looks ahead to death because he believes that God will resurrect him. But this statement was ultimately fulfilled in the Son of David, Jesus. Read Acts 2:25-32. It was a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus.
Delight in the Lord. Let him be your refuge, your portion, your cup. Let him counsel you and protect you.
Discussion Questions
1. What would you say is the main rival for God in your life?
2. Take about 5 minutes alone with God and make a list of the things you are thankful for.
3. What could you do to encourage more of a spirit of gratitude to God?
4. What helps you to keep the Lord set always before you? (vs.8)
Where David began in Psalm 16 is very personal and tender. Read Psalm 16:1, David's only request is "preserve me, protect me, take care of me, you are my refuge, my place of safety." Then he moves from a petition to God to a declaration of allegiance to God in vs. 2. David's statement "I have no good apart from you." Seems a little bit of an exaggeration. Surely there are good things in life outside of God: marriage, kids, health, good restaurants, great books, etc. Yes, these are all good things, but all of these good things are from God. Every good thing in the universe comes from God. Read James 1:17. Not only is God the source of all good, but when we desire these good things we are desiring God. We don't know it but we are, we are longing for God. We are longing to fill that empty place in our souls. This desire or longing is a gift from God, and you can ask to have that gift.
Read Psalm 16:3. David calls God's people saints, excellent ones, those in whom is all my delight. The saints are God's people; not God's perfect people but God's flawed people. God's stubborn people. David doesn't delight in them because they are "good" but because they are God's. Some of God's people are easier to enjoy compared to others of course, but there is a bond that is bigger that us. It is a spirit-produced bond, we are bound together as a body. We are bound together by blood, by the blood of Jesus. Because David delighted in God, he delighted in people of God.
Read Psalm 16:4. In contrast to God's people, now he turns to idolaters. Those who run after other gods will multiply their sorrows, that is the cost of sin it always hurts us. If we place anything before God it is idolatry and in the end always ends up hurting us. For us, the issue of idolatry is usually not some other god but something in life more important than God: career, money, family, marriage, children, hobbies, and the list could go on. Only God should be our God, remove anything else.
Read Psalm 16:5-6. David moves from petitioning to allegiance to now blessing the Lord. He says "You are my portion, my cup, my inheritance. All my good is in you. You have been so good to me." David had a choice, he could focus on what he had or focus on what he didn't have. We have that same choice. If we focus on what we don't have - bitterness and misery are close behind. If we focus on what we do have - gratitude and joy are just around the corner. It is our choice. Some of us need to work on cultivating a thankful heart, David had a thankful heart let that be the goal. Read Psalm 16:7. God himself if our counselor. Go to him first, rely primarily on him. He is the all-knowing, ever-present, ever-loving counselor. God may use human counselors, but ultimately we must look to God. Just imagine: Your own personal counselor. Ready to listen, ready to guide, and ready to heal at all times. No wonder David exclaimed "I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me." Read Psalm 16:8. What would it look like for you and me to always have the Lord before us. We would be thinking about Jesus frequently, we would talk with him continually, we would depend on him, we would live for his approval not the approval of others, we would fear him, and sing to him. We would become more and more preoccupied with Jesus and less preoccupied with ourselves.
Read Psalm 16:9-10. David says he has joy and peace as he looks ahead to death because he believes that God will resurrect him. But this statement was ultimately fulfilled in the Son of David, Jesus. Read Acts 2:25-32. It was a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus.
Delight in the Lord. Let him be your refuge, your portion, your cup. Let him counsel you and protect you.
Discussion Questions
1. What would you say is the main rival for God in your life?
2. Take about 5 minutes alone with God and make a list of the things you are thankful for.
3. What could you do to encourage more of a spirit of gratitude to God?
4. What helps you to keep the Lord set always before you? (vs.8)
Psalm 13
Life can be so good at times, but it can also be hard, cruel, and unfair. This year you may have struggled with unemployment, financial pressure, chronic back pain, your marriage may be struggling, you may be hurting from a recent divorce, or maybe you have gone through heartache with your children. Life can be tough! In Psalm 13, God speaks powerfully about suffering, pain, and heartache.
Psalms are songs that were meant to be sung. This one in particular was written by David when he was hurting. It does not tell us the exact circumstances David was in; whether he was being chased by Saul, Absalom, or a foreign army. All we do know is that at one point he fled to En Gedi, and he hid in the caves in the Judean Desert, which was a bleak and barren land.
Read Psalm 13. David goes from the depths to the heights in six short verses. In the first part David questions God and complains to him. He feels abandoned and forgotten by God. The sense of closeness that David had to the Lord was gone, he feels God has gone silent. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. You may not get answers but you will meet him in the questions.
Sometimes we feel that our suffering is due to our sin, but that is an unbiblical point of view. We don't and will never understand all that God does. A.W. Tozer once said "It is doubtful that God can ever use any man greatly until he has hurt him deeply." In verse 2, David is restless and weary. He admits that he is helpless and needs God's intervention. He is surrendered to God and not striving. Read Psalm 55:22. David is honest and tells God how he feels abandoned. He brings to God what he actually feels, not what he ought to feel. So often we can be less than honest with God, but its a mistake. God wants us to be real, honest, and authentic with him. He is big enough to handle our honesty. Be honest with God.
Read vs. 3-4, now David transitions from hurting to hopeful. When we are suffering there is simply no substitute for prayer, call out to God. At times, we pray but get no answer. At least not the answer we want, and God seems hidden from us or we feel abandoned and it can be terrifying. David felt it. One of the greatest men of God in the Bible felt it. Maybe, if David felt it, it's not so bad if we feel it too. So, what do we do when we feel like God is not answering or we feel abandoned by him? For one, we need to keep talking to him. Pour your heart out to God, don't withdraw and turn your back on him. Keep talking. Praying scripture is vital, it is life-giving and refocusing our mind.
Read vs. 5-6, David has gone from hurting to hopeful and now to a healthy trust in the Lord. Trusting in God's steadfast love, unfailing love, loyal love, a love that never forgets us or abandons us. The point is not our trust by the God we are trusting in. It is not our faith, but the object of our faith. Practical things to bolster faith. First, we must choose joy we must choose to rejoice in all circumstances. One way of doing that is by giving thanks, another way is to sing to the Lord or praise his name. When we do that, we take the focus off of ourselves and move it to God. But the foundation is to continually recall the goodness of God in your life. God has been good to us despite all our sufferings, he is a gracious God. Rejoice. Give thanks. Sing to him.
Discussion Questions
1. Describe a burden that you are currently wrestling with. To what extent do you feel like you have surrendered this burden to the Lord?
2. To what extent would you say you are honest with God in prayer? Why is it so important for us to be honest with God?
3. What are the indictations that you are trusting in the Lord?
4. List 10-15 ways that God has been good to you and share with the group.
Psalms are songs that were meant to be sung. This one in particular was written by David when he was hurting. It does not tell us the exact circumstances David was in; whether he was being chased by Saul, Absalom, or a foreign army. All we do know is that at one point he fled to En Gedi, and he hid in the caves in the Judean Desert, which was a bleak and barren land.
Read Psalm 13. David goes from the depths to the heights in six short verses. In the first part David questions God and complains to him. He feels abandoned and forgotten by God. The sense of closeness that David had to the Lord was gone, he feels God has gone silent. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. You may not get answers but you will meet him in the questions.
Sometimes we feel that our suffering is due to our sin, but that is an unbiblical point of view. We don't and will never understand all that God does. A.W. Tozer once said "It is doubtful that God can ever use any man greatly until he has hurt him deeply." In verse 2, David is restless and weary. He admits that he is helpless and needs God's intervention. He is surrendered to God and not striving. Read Psalm 55:22. David is honest and tells God how he feels abandoned. He brings to God what he actually feels, not what he ought to feel. So often we can be less than honest with God, but its a mistake. God wants us to be real, honest, and authentic with him. He is big enough to handle our honesty. Be honest with God.
Read vs. 3-4, now David transitions from hurting to hopeful. When we are suffering there is simply no substitute for prayer, call out to God. At times, we pray but get no answer. At least not the answer we want, and God seems hidden from us or we feel abandoned and it can be terrifying. David felt it. One of the greatest men of God in the Bible felt it. Maybe, if David felt it, it's not so bad if we feel it too. So, what do we do when we feel like God is not answering or we feel abandoned by him? For one, we need to keep talking to him. Pour your heart out to God, don't withdraw and turn your back on him. Keep talking. Praying scripture is vital, it is life-giving and refocusing our mind.
Read vs. 5-6, David has gone from hurting to hopeful and now to a healthy trust in the Lord. Trusting in God's steadfast love, unfailing love, loyal love, a love that never forgets us or abandons us. The point is not our trust by the God we are trusting in. It is not our faith, but the object of our faith. Practical things to bolster faith. First, we must choose joy we must choose to rejoice in all circumstances. One way of doing that is by giving thanks, another way is to sing to the Lord or praise his name. When we do that, we take the focus off of ourselves and move it to God. But the foundation is to continually recall the goodness of God in your life. God has been good to us despite all our sufferings, he is a gracious God. Rejoice. Give thanks. Sing to him.
Discussion Questions
1. Describe a burden that you are currently wrestling with. To what extent do you feel like you have surrendered this burden to the Lord?
2. To what extent would you say you are honest with God in prayer? Why is it so important for us to be honest with God?
3. What are the indictations that you are trusting in the Lord?
4. List 10-15 ways that God has been good to you and share with the group.
2 Timothy
2 Timothy is the warmest most personal letter and it is the final letter from Paul as well. Just imagine the aging Apostle Paul in a dungeon in Rome, he knows the end is near, for 3 decades he has given his life for the gospel, God has used him greatly, there are churches all over the empire, he has suffered greatly, wrote much of the new testament and now it is time for his departure. He is expressing his heart to Timothy in this letter; he charges, reminds, and warns him. He is writing this letter to his 'son in the faith' and we can see Paul's clear father's heart in this letter. There are 5 marks of a father in 2 Timothy.
1. Freely express love for your kids. Paul freely expresses his love for Timothy. Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2. He calls Timothy "my beloved child", in the NIV it says "my dear son." Those are both terms of endearment and love. It expresses the way Paul saw Timothy in how he addressed him. In vs. 3-4, Paul freely expresses his love for his son in the faith. "Long to see you, that I may be filled with joy." In 2 Timothy 4:9-13; 21 he is telling Timothy to come and see him to come soon. As we read that passage you can almost hear Paul's voice to Timothy.
2. Prayer is a priceless gift you can give your kids. Read 2 Timothy 1:3. We can see Paul's heart as he basically says "Timonthy you are on my heart. I'm always praying for you. All the time." Can you imagine how encouraging that would be to Timothy? This is no more valuable a gift than the gift of intercession; to bring God's power, his love, his hand down. Paul modeled this out.
3. Live the life you want to see in your kids. The way Paul lived his life is the way he wanted to see Timothy live his. He modeled what it means to walk with God. Read 2 Timothy 1:13; 3:10, 14. There is something to be said about the power of modeling and how that example can impact a person. Abraham Lincoln once said "There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go, and this is to travel that way yourself."
4. Point your kids to Christ, not yourself. Throughout this letter we can see Paul pointing Timothy to Christ, not to himself. The hero is not Paul, it is Christ; all the focus was on Jesus. Read 2 Timonthy 1:1, 8; 2:1, 8. It was all about Jesus! There is no need to pretend we are perfect. Christ is the Savior, not us.
5. Every child needs to hear this message from their father. "I believe in you. I am confident in you. I am proud of you. By God's grace, you can do it." The whole premise of the letter was based on Paul's belief "Timothy, you're the pastor of the church in Ephesus. You're the leader. Lead on." Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5. Paul is telling his that he is the man and that God has equipped him for the task.
Discussion Questions
1. Think about this quote and discuss. "As a child I watched with fascination as my Dad prayed in church. His prayers were different from so many others. They were real. He seemed to believe he was really talking to someone. That made an enduring impression on me. I didn't want to settle for shallow pleasure when contact with God was possible. I could imagine reality because I tasted it in Dad's relationship with God." - Larry Crabb.
2. How often to you encourage or edify your children? Do they hear you say "I'm proud of you. I believe in you." Are there hurts in your own life from not hearing those words from your own father?
3. What kind of life do you want your kids to live as they grow older? Are you modeling that for them today?
1. Freely express love for your kids. Paul freely expresses his love for Timothy. Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2. He calls Timothy "my beloved child", in the NIV it says "my dear son." Those are both terms of endearment and love. It expresses the way Paul saw Timothy in how he addressed him. In vs. 3-4, Paul freely expresses his love for his son in the faith. "Long to see you, that I may be filled with joy." In 2 Timothy 4:9-13; 21 he is telling Timothy to come and see him to come soon. As we read that passage you can almost hear Paul's voice to Timothy.
2. Prayer is a priceless gift you can give your kids. Read 2 Timothy 1:3. We can see Paul's heart as he basically says "Timonthy you are on my heart. I'm always praying for you. All the time." Can you imagine how encouraging that would be to Timothy? This is no more valuable a gift than the gift of intercession; to bring God's power, his love, his hand down. Paul modeled this out.
3. Live the life you want to see in your kids. The way Paul lived his life is the way he wanted to see Timothy live his. He modeled what it means to walk with God. Read 2 Timothy 1:13; 3:10, 14. There is something to be said about the power of modeling and how that example can impact a person. Abraham Lincoln once said "There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go, and this is to travel that way yourself."
4. Point your kids to Christ, not yourself. Throughout this letter we can see Paul pointing Timothy to Christ, not to himself. The hero is not Paul, it is Christ; all the focus was on Jesus. Read 2 Timonthy 1:1, 8; 2:1, 8. It was all about Jesus! There is no need to pretend we are perfect. Christ is the Savior, not us.
5. Every child needs to hear this message from their father. "I believe in you. I am confident in you. I am proud of you. By God's grace, you can do it." The whole premise of the letter was based on Paul's belief "Timothy, you're the pastor of the church in Ephesus. You're the leader. Lead on." Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5. Paul is telling his that he is the man and that God has equipped him for the task.
Discussion Questions
1. Think about this quote and discuss. "As a child I watched with fascination as my Dad prayed in church. His prayers were different from so many others. They were real. He seemed to believe he was really talking to someone. That made an enduring impression on me. I didn't want to settle for shallow pleasure when contact with God was possible. I could imagine reality because I tasted it in Dad's relationship with God." - Larry Crabb.
2. How often to you encourage or edify your children? Do they hear you say "I'm proud of you. I believe in you." Are there hurts in your own life from not hearing those words from your own father?
3. What kind of life do you want your kids to live as they grow older? Are you modeling that for them today?
Romans 7:14-25
In Romans, we have learned who we are in Christ. We are joined to Christ. We died with Christ and are raised with him. We are new people, with new hearts. We are dead to sin, sin has no power over us we are alive in Christ. We are under grace, not law. We live by the power of the spirit, not the old written code. The end of Romans 7 talks about the battle or struggle with sin and the only way to win that battle.
Read Romans 7:14. Paul says "I am of the flesh...", the flesh he is talking about is the unredeemed sinful selfish tendency we have in us. All of us have it. It is not you but it is in you. Kind of like a sea creature that has a shell. The shell is not part of the creature, it can leave the shell and go to another, but it has the shell while it is alive.
Read Romans 7:15-17. We completely understand his struggle, make sure to note the distinction in vs. 17. It is not really me that sins, but the sin in me. We are responsible for the sin that we do but the distinction here matters, it is not really me who sins but the sin in me. Read Romans 7:18-20. Paul basically restates what he said in vs. 15-17. He then clarifies in vs. 18 that it is the unredeemed sinful tendency that is opposed to God, we have the desire to do what is good but the flesh does not. He carries it further and says that he does not have the power to carry out what his desires are. Paul admits that he is powerless to win the battle against sin, the only way he can win is with God. He is needs God's help to overcome. We can relate to this!
Paul makes the point twice in this passage that he struggles with sin, but the sin is not part of him, it is not what he desires, instead the sin is part of the flesh in him and he lacks the power to overcome. He needs God's strength to overcome the pull of sin/flesh. Read Romans 7:21-25. Isn't it true? Sin is not eradicated completely, instead it sits close at hand, waiting. In our inner beings we desire to please the Lord and delight in God's law. But there is and will always be a battle raging in our body and minds with the flesh and the spirit, sin and holiness. These two things drastically oppose one another and will constantly be at war within us. In desperation Paul exclaims in vs. 24 "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" He is desperate, he needs help, he cannot wage the battle on his own he needs God's help, he is at the end of his own strength. But this is a great place to be, even though it is hard. That is right where God wants us; desperate for him.
When you reach the end of yourself and cannot fix, solve, or handle the problem you need to depend on Christ. That is where your strength is, it is not from yourself, it is from God. The word is: Surrender. You need to completely surrender, be depend on Christ, and desperate for his guidance. "My power is made perfect in your weakness."
Discussion Questions:
1. How do you identify with Paul's struggle in Romans 7? Have you felt this way? When?
2. Would you be willing to talk about a specific sin that you are struggling with these days? Have you come to the place of surrender - you cannot take care of this problem, only Christ can?
3. Does it make any difference for you if you see the problem not as you, but as sin in you?
4. As we finish up Romans for this season what are some of the truths that you learned about your identity and God? What are some practical ways that you can "write these truths on your heart" so as not to forget?
Read Romans 7:14. Paul says "I am of the flesh...", the flesh he is talking about is the unredeemed sinful selfish tendency we have in us. All of us have it. It is not you but it is in you. Kind of like a sea creature that has a shell. The shell is not part of the creature, it can leave the shell and go to another, but it has the shell while it is alive.
Read Romans 7:15-17. We completely understand his struggle, make sure to note the distinction in vs. 17. It is not really me that sins, but the sin in me. We are responsible for the sin that we do but the distinction here matters, it is not really me who sins but the sin in me. Read Romans 7:18-20. Paul basically restates what he said in vs. 15-17. He then clarifies in vs. 18 that it is the unredeemed sinful tendency that is opposed to God, we have the desire to do what is good but the flesh does not. He carries it further and says that he does not have the power to carry out what his desires are. Paul admits that he is powerless to win the battle against sin, the only way he can win is with God. He is needs God's help to overcome. We can relate to this!
Paul makes the point twice in this passage that he struggles with sin, but the sin is not part of him, it is not what he desires, instead the sin is part of the flesh in him and he lacks the power to overcome. He needs God's strength to overcome the pull of sin/flesh. Read Romans 7:21-25. Isn't it true? Sin is not eradicated completely, instead it sits close at hand, waiting. In our inner beings we desire to please the Lord and delight in God's law. But there is and will always be a battle raging in our body and minds with the flesh and the spirit, sin and holiness. These two things drastically oppose one another and will constantly be at war within us. In desperation Paul exclaims in vs. 24 "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" He is desperate, he needs help, he cannot wage the battle on his own he needs God's help, he is at the end of his own strength. But this is a great place to be, even though it is hard. That is right where God wants us; desperate for him.
When you reach the end of yourself and cannot fix, solve, or handle the problem you need to depend on Christ. That is where your strength is, it is not from yourself, it is from God. The word is: Surrender. You need to completely surrender, be depend on Christ, and desperate for his guidance. "My power is made perfect in your weakness."
Discussion Questions:
1. How do you identify with Paul's struggle in Romans 7? Have you felt this way? When?
2. Would you be willing to talk about a specific sin that you are struggling with these days? Have you come to the place of surrender - you cannot take care of this problem, only Christ can?
3. Does it make any difference for you if you see the problem not as you, but as sin in you?
4. As we finish up Romans for this season what are some of the truths that you learned about your identity and God? What are some practical ways that you can "write these truths on your heart" so as not to forget?
Romans 7:7-13
Read Romans 7:7. It shows us the law reveals our sin and shows us the sinfulness of sin and hopefully leaves us convicted of our sin. Paul then gives us an example in the end of verse 7. He would not have known what it means to covet if the law would not have said "you shall not covet." To covet means to desire something that is not yours. The object of your desire is on something other than God meaning idolatry. Who is free of these? We are all guilty.
Read Romans 7:8. The law stirs up sin. It reveals the sinfulness of sin; the deep-seated rebellion, independent spirit, "don't tell me what to do" mindset in us. Just tell a two year old to share a toy and you'll get the idea. The essence of sin is independence from God. So the law reveals sin and stirs up sin. The Bible is clear that the problem is not the law but our sinfulness.
Read Romans 7:9. "I was once alive apart from the law" - meaning complacent, self-satisfied, self-righteous, thought he was fine. "but when the commandment came" - conviction of sin. "sin came alive and I died" - realized his sin, his guilt, and knew he was spiritually dead. The law condemned him, it condemned his sin. The law condems sin. So the law: reveals sin, stirs up sin, and condemns sin.
Read Romans 7:10-11. Note very carefully in verse 11 that the culprit is not the law but sin. "Sin deceived me and killed me." So going back to verse 7, "Is the law sin?". NO WAY. Read Romans 7:12. The law is completely good and blameless, it is holy. An x-ray machine is not bad because it exposes tumors. So likewise, the law is never responsible for my failure to keep it. The problem is sin. Read Romans 7:13. The law exposes the sinfulness of sin, the deep-seated rebellion against our maker and independence from God. "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6
Discussion Questions
1. What exactly is the law in Romans 7? Is the word sometimes used in other ways in the Bible?
2. Jeff talked about some of the purposes of the law. Are there other purposes that he did not discuss?
3. How might we define sin? Is there a good verse that gives the essence of what sin is? What sin or rebellion in your life is God challenging you about?
4. In what ways do you struggle with the law-keeping mentality or a performance mentality in the spiritual life? What can you do to combat this mentality?
5. What are the implications that we have been set free of the law?
Read Romans 7:8. The law stirs up sin. It reveals the sinfulness of sin; the deep-seated rebellion, independent spirit, "don't tell me what to do" mindset in us. Just tell a two year old to share a toy and you'll get the idea. The essence of sin is independence from God. So the law reveals sin and stirs up sin. The Bible is clear that the problem is not the law but our sinfulness.
Read Romans 7:9. "I was once alive apart from the law" - meaning complacent, self-satisfied, self-righteous, thought he was fine. "but when the commandment came" - conviction of sin. "sin came alive and I died" - realized his sin, his guilt, and knew he was spiritually dead. The law condemned him, it condemned his sin. The law condems sin. So the law: reveals sin, stirs up sin, and condemns sin.
Read Romans 7:10-11. Note very carefully in verse 11 that the culprit is not the law but sin. "Sin deceived me and killed me." So going back to verse 7, "Is the law sin?". NO WAY. Read Romans 7:12. The law is completely good and blameless, it is holy. An x-ray machine is not bad because it exposes tumors. So likewise, the law is never responsible for my failure to keep it. The problem is sin. Read Romans 7:13. The law exposes the sinfulness of sin, the deep-seated rebellion against our maker and independence from God. "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6
Discussion Questions
1. What exactly is the law in Romans 7? Is the word sometimes used in other ways in the Bible?
2. Jeff talked about some of the purposes of the law. Are there other purposes that he did not discuss?
3. How might we define sin? Is there a good verse that gives the essence of what sin is? What sin or rebellion in your life is God challenging you about?
4. In what ways do you struggle with the law-keeping mentality or a performance mentality in the spiritual life? What can you do to combat this mentality?
5. What are the implications that we have been set free of the law?
Simply Jesus
Over the past 2000 years no individual has commanded the respect and honor like Jesus Christ. In Western Civilization, our laws and ethics are molded by his teachings. We preach and teach about his will and his ways, tell his stories from memory, celebrate him in worship, and serve him with enthusiasm. Yet underneath it all, many of us feel there should be more. He seems so far away, so historical, so much like church.
Read Philippians 3:7-11. Paul knows Christ, but wants to know him more. That's Paul's journey. This servant of God. Tireless worker to spread the gospel. His greatest possession was his relationship with Jesus Christ and his greatest desire was to know him more. That is and should be our journey, to know him more. How do we get there? Most of us would say that "I'm in, but how?" Here are five things we must do to know him more and to walk more intimate with Jesus.
1. The first key is in vs. 10 "I want to know him." Pretty simple, we must want it. Jesus is easy to find, we just have to spend the time with him.
2. We must be pure in heart. (Matthew 5:8) In other words, if you are not pure in heart today, don't expect to experience Christ in a compelling way. Bitterness, unresolved anger, pride, sexual impurity, untruthfulness, slander, etc... you are going to feel the distance. Jesus doesn't meet us on those playing fields. He will pull us out of the ditch, but he won't stay there. Read Psalm 139:23-24, that is how David became a man after God's own heart. David did alot of wrong, but he ran after the heart of God. He wanted God. You must search yourself and cleanse yourself.
3. You or Jesus. We are so in love with ourselves. We spend millions of dollars annually on self-help books or therapist's trying to understand "who I really am?" That's just the inside, on the outside we are consumed with our tans, weight, clothing, and eyelash extensions. We are so consumed with ourselves that Jesus can be pushed to second chair. To be a fully devoted follower of Jesus, life is an adventure in knowing him. When we live to know him, we find that knowing him is the key to understanding and accepting ourselves. We must find our purpose and value in being children of a risen God. As we die to self and run after Jesus we must walk in humility; understanding the world isn't about us. A good definition for humility is to stop thinking about self... period. Don't put yourself in the equation, don't ask 'how will this affect me?"
4. Rejoice in the Lord. We need to move from rejoicing in ourselves and start rejoicing in Jesus. When we move from ourselves to Jesus it frees us from worrying about being recognized, affirmed, adequately appreciated. It soothes our fragile egos, keeps us from being irritated when we don't get what we think we deserve, the praise we have earned, or a pat on the back. When we long for or believe we need these things what we are saying is "praise me". We are looking for others to rejoice in us! Read Jeremiah 9:23-24 and Colossians 1:14-18.
5. Value Jesus more than his blessings. A popular song in churches is "open up the sky, fall down like rain, we don't want blessing we want you..." Do you want God or do you want his blessing? Truth for most of us is both. But what if you could only have one? Sit on that question for a minute. God is calling us to want him no matter your situation, your needs, and your wants.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you want Jesus or his blessings? What would someone looking in from the outside say about you?
2. What challenged you the most about this message? What was the Holy Spirit speaking to you?
3. Do you have a heart like David's that is continually asking: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Read Philippians 3:7-11. Paul knows Christ, but wants to know him more. That's Paul's journey. This servant of God. Tireless worker to spread the gospel. His greatest possession was his relationship with Jesus Christ and his greatest desire was to know him more. That is and should be our journey, to know him more. How do we get there? Most of us would say that "I'm in, but how?" Here are five things we must do to know him more and to walk more intimate with Jesus.
1. The first key is in vs. 10 "I want to know him." Pretty simple, we must want it. Jesus is easy to find, we just have to spend the time with him.
2. We must be pure in heart. (Matthew 5:8) In other words, if you are not pure in heart today, don't expect to experience Christ in a compelling way. Bitterness, unresolved anger, pride, sexual impurity, untruthfulness, slander, etc... you are going to feel the distance. Jesus doesn't meet us on those playing fields. He will pull us out of the ditch, but he won't stay there. Read Psalm 139:23-24, that is how David became a man after God's own heart. David did alot of wrong, but he ran after the heart of God. He wanted God. You must search yourself and cleanse yourself.
3. You or Jesus. We are so in love with ourselves. We spend millions of dollars annually on self-help books or therapist's trying to understand "who I really am?" That's just the inside, on the outside we are consumed with our tans, weight, clothing, and eyelash extensions. We are so consumed with ourselves that Jesus can be pushed to second chair. To be a fully devoted follower of Jesus, life is an adventure in knowing him. When we live to know him, we find that knowing him is the key to understanding and accepting ourselves. We must find our purpose and value in being children of a risen God. As we die to self and run after Jesus we must walk in humility; understanding the world isn't about us. A good definition for humility is to stop thinking about self... period. Don't put yourself in the equation, don't ask 'how will this affect me?"
4. Rejoice in the Lord. We need to move from rejoicing in ourselves and start rejoicing in Jesus. When we move from ourselves to Jesus it frees us from worrying about being recognized, affirmed, adequately appreciated. It soothes our fragile egos, keeps us from being irritated when we don't get what we think we deserve, the praise we have earned, or a pat on the back. When we long for or believe we need these things what we are saying is "praise me". We are looking for others to rejoice in us! Read Jeremiah 9:23-24 and Colossians 1:14-18.
5. Value Jesus more than his blessings. A popular song in churches is "open up the sky, fall down like rain, we don't want blessing we want you..." Do you want God or do you want his blessing? Truth for most of us is both. But what if you could only have one? Sit on that question for a minute. God is calling us to want him no matter your situation, your needs, and your wants.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you want Jesus or his blessings? What would someone looking in from the outside say about you?
2. What challenged you the most about this message? What was the Holy Spirit speaking to you?
3. Do you have a heart like David's that is continually asking: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Romans 7:1-6
Read Romans 7:1. We must know who we are, the spiritual life begins in the mind. Before we come to Christ we are bound by law, bound by rule-keeping, rules and regulation's, do's and don'ts, legalism. We are enslaved. When Christ died, that ended. Read Romans 7:2-3. An illustration is given, the point is not of marriage but of civil law. In Roman law when two people were married they were bound to each other, they were bound to each other until death. The point is: death severes relationships.
So now we are to apply that concept to Mosaic Law. Read Romans 7:4. In the illustration (vs. 2-3) it says: if your spouse dies then the bond ends and you can marry again. In vs. 4 it says when you die the bond ends and you can belong to another. It might be a little confusing, but the point is that death severes the bond to Law. We died with Christ, and are crucified with Christ. We are in Christ, joined to him. When Christ died, we died. The bond to the Mosaic Law ended, we don't belong to the Law anymore. Now we belong to Christ, there is no more rulekeeping or legalism with him, we have died to that. Yet, so many Christians still live under the Law.
What does it mean to "bear fruit?" It means becoming like Jesus, having Christlikeness. Galatians 5 connects the Holy Spirit with fruitfulness. (Read Gal. 5:22-23) Does God see these things in you? Do these things characterize you more and more? If not, why not?
Read Romans 7:5. Living in the flesh means that you are living for yourself rather than for Christ. The Law is not bad, but it tends to stir up sin and the result is we start to bear fruit of death. (meaning guilt, shame, misery, broken relationships, etc.)
Read Romans 7:6. We are in a New Day. We are released from the Law. No longer under the Law, that was Old Testament life. We live in the New Testament in the New Covenant. We no longer serve God under the Law, we serve God in the new way of the Spirit. We can live life in the Holy Spirit: led by the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, and baptized by the Spirit. This is a New Day and the Age of the Spirit.
Discussion Questions
1. After studying Romans 6 and part of Romans 7, is your sense of identity changing? Are you seeing yourself more like Christ sees you? Are you talking to yourself rather than listening to other voices? How could you do this more?
2. Contrast a life "in the flesh" and a life "in the spirit." How would you define each of these, and what are the implications of each kind of life?
3. Would you say you are moving more towards a life in the Spirit?
So now we are to apply that concept to Mosaic Law. Read Romans 7:4. In the illustration (vs. 2-3) it says: if your spouse dies then the bond ends and you can marry again. In vs. 4 it says when you die the bond ends and you can belong to another. It might be a little confusing, but the point is that death severes the bond to Law. We died with Christ, and are crucified with Christ. We are in Christ, joined to him. When Christ died, we died. The bond to the Mosaic Law ended, we don't belong to the Law anymore. Now we belong to Christ, there is no more rulekeeping or legalism with him, we have died to that. Yet, so many Christians still live under the Law.
What does it mean to "bear fruit?" It means becoming like Jesus, having Christlikeness. Galatians 5 connects the Holy Spirit with fruitfulness. (Read Gal. 5:22-23) Does God see these things in you? Do these things characterize you more and more? If not, why not?
Read Romans 7:5. Living in the flesh means that you are living for yourself rather than for Christ. The Law is not bad, but it tends to stir up sin and the result is we start to bear fruit of death. (meaning guilt, shame, misery, broken relationships, etc.)
Read Romans 7:6. We are in a New Day. We are released from the Law. No longer under the Law, that was Old Testament life. We live in the New Testament in the New Covenant. We no longer serve God under the Law, we serve God in the new way of the Spirit. We can live life in the Holy Spirit: led by the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, and baptized by the Spirit. This is a New Day and the Age of the Spirit.
Discussion Questions
1. After studying Romans 6 and part of Romans 7, is your sense of identity changing? Are you seeing yourself more like Christ sees you? Are you talking to yourself rather than listening to other voices? How could you do this more?
2. Contrast a life "in the flesh" and a life "in the spirit." How would you define each of these, and what are the implications of each kind of life?
3. Would you say you are moving more towards a life in the Spirit?
Romans 6:15-23
Read Romans 6:15. Begins with a question, the point of the question is to say that we do not live under the law but under grace. Read Romans 6:16. The Christian life begins with the mind. We need to know who we are in Christ, that we are no longer a slave to sin. The Bible assumes that we are a slave to somebody, it is either to sin or to God. We have two choices on how to live: slave to sin or slave to God, obey sin or obey obedience, live in death or live in righteousness. If we are slaves to God then it leads to life; if we are a slave to sin then it ruins our life, it hurts us, and leads to death. At one time, we had no choice but now we have a choice.
Read Romans 6:17-18. Once we were slaves to sin, serving sin, dominated by sin. But no more, we are now liberated to serve God. Read Romans 6:19. We were once slaves to impurity and lawlessness which led to more lawlessness wondering how we were to get off this "path" of sin. Then Christ came and the quickest and shortest way off our path of destruction was to get onto his path and surrender to him. We are going to have to surrender to somebody, is it going to be to sin or to God?
God calls us to a life of holiness, once we surrender to him we start to become like him. As we surrender, beauty emerges, that of Christlikeness. We will be different when we surrender to him, we cannot not be different.
Read Romans 6:20-23. When we were slaves to sin we didn't worry about righteousness. But the fruit we were producing was ruining us and hurting us. With Christ there is sanctification, holiness, Christlikeness, and eventually eternal life. This is free gift of God, nothing we have done has ever allowed us to deserve the eternal life that Christ will give us if we surrender to him.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know who you are in Christ?
2. Do you know your known areas of rebellion? How are you dealing with those areas to ensure that you do not compromise to them?
3. Do you know your role in the Kingdom of God? What is your calling? What is your battle station?
Read Romans 6:17-18. Once we were slaves to sin, serving sin, dominated by sin. But no more, we are now liberated to serve God. Read Romans 6:19. We were once slaves to impurity and lawlessness which led to more lawlessness wondering how we were to get off this "path" of sin. Then Christ came and the quickest and shortest way off our path of destruction was to get onto his path and surrender to him. We are going to have to surrender to somebody, is it going to be to sin or to God?
God calls us to a life of holiness, once we surrender to him we start to become like him. As we surrender, beauty emerges, that of Christlikeness. We will be different when we surrender to him, we cannot not be different.
Read Romans 6:20-23. When we were slaves to sin we didn't worry about righteousness. But the fruit we were producing was ruining us and hurting us. With Christ there is sanctification, holiness, Christlikeness, and eventually eternal life. This is free gift of God, nothing we have done has ever allowed us to deserve the eternal life that Christ will give us if we surrender to him.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know who you are in Christ?
2. Do you know your known areas of rebellion? How are you dealing with those areas to ensure that you do not compromise to them?
3. Do you know your role in the Kingdom of God? What is your calling? What is your battle station?
Mark15:15-39; 16:1-7
Read Mark 15:15-19. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but attempting to satisfy the crowd he released Barabbas and gave Jesus to them after "scourging" him. Scourging is a simple word but a brutal ordeal. It was so brutal that most people did not survive it. Bits of bones and metal embedded in a leather whip, so when struck by this whip it would rip the flesh open. As we read on we see that the soldiers were mocking Jesus, their hearts were hardened and did not care what they were doing to him; the scourging was more of a diversion for them. It could get out of hand fast and get ugly, almost a mob mentality. But Jesus just takes all of it. Read Mark 15:20-21. The kind of descriptions in this account are full of detail, as if from an eye witness account. These kind of details are never present in an invented story. Read Mark 15:22-24. The "wine mixed with myrrh" was used in those days to deaden the pain, but Jesus refused to take it.
The gospels never once highlight the physcial pain of crucifixion, that was not the point. The point was the purpose of Jesus death, which was to die for our sins and be our substitute. But here lets expand on the physical portion a bit; it was overwhelming painful. Three spikes through the wrists and heels, slow suffocation, muscle spasms, and pain shooting throughout entire body. It was intended to be cruel and reserved for the worst of criminals, it was meant to be extruciating! Jesus did not die in a bed, he died on a bloody cross. The most painful of deaths. Read Mark 15:25-32. It would have been the worst thing in the world if Jesus would have came down from the cross like the chief priests were taunting him to do. If so, we would have had to die for our own sins - an eternal death. Dying on that cross was the whole reason Jesus came.
Read Mark 15:33. Imagine what that must have been like: a bright, Middle-Eastern sky, at noon, and all of sudden it turns black! People would be thinking "what's going on?" It must have been eerie and sobering. God was expressing his heart and the magnitude of this moment! It was so big, the biggest thing ever!
Read Mark 15:34. There was never a more horrifying prayer burst from a humans lips. At that moment Jesus bears our sin; ALL your sin placed on Jesus. He is then separated from the Father and the Father cannot even look upon his son. Jesus experienced real pain, he bears the guilt and shame of the world and is separated from his Father. With a closeness like they had, it would almost be unbearable.
Read Mark 15:35-38. No one takes Jesus life, he chooses to die for us. He offers his life willingly. In the gospel of John is says "It is finished," meaning sin is paid for, death is defeated, satan was sentenced, and salvation is won; all through one act! The temple curtain was meant to separate the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place and only one man could enter into that Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement. When Jesus died, God tore the curtain from top to bottom symbolizing that we could now come to him through the blood of Jesus the door to God is now open.
Read Mark 15:39. The centurion, commander of 100 men, was taking it all in. He had seen people die before, lots of men and some by his own hand. But he had never seen anyone die the way Jesus did. What did he see? He looked in Jesus eyes and probably saw peace, strength, love, forgiveness. It probably seemed like Jesus was in charge of the whole thing, like he could leave at any time but he choose not to. He did not see fear or intimidation, shame or bitterness in Jesus eyes; just love. Then the last cry came "it is finished," it probably sounded more like a roar than a cry, a shout or roar of victory. But the main thing that the centurion noticed was Jesus eyes, he couldn't get over his eyes. They were full of tender love and compassion and strength and grace.
Mark goes on to tell of the burial and resurrection. Read Mark 16:6. Jesus died, but did not stay dead. Death couldn't hold him down!!! He burst forth into victory and is alive!
The gospels never once highlight the physcial pain of crucifixion, that was not the point. The point was the purpose of Jesus death, which was to die for our sins and be our substitute. But here lets expand on the physical portion a bit; it was overwhelming painful. Three spikes through the wrists and heels, slow suffocation, muscle spasms, and pain shooting throughout entire body. It was intended to be cruel and reserved for the worst of criminals, it was meant to be extruciating! Jesus did not die in a bed, he died on a bloody cross. The most painful of deaths. Read Mark 15:25-32. It would have been the worst thing in the world if Jesus would have came down from the cross like the chief priests were taunting him to do. If so, we would have had to die for our own sins - an eternal death. Dying on that cross was the whole reason Jesus came.
Read Mark 15:33. Imagine what that must have been like: a bright, Middle-Eastern sky, at noon, and all of sudden it turns black! People would be thinking "what's going on?" It must have been eerie and sobering. God was expressing his heart and the magnitude of this moment! It was so big, the biggest thing ever!
Read Mark 15:34. There was never a more horrifying prayer burst from a humans lips. At that moment Jesus bears our sin; ALL your sin placed on Jesus. He is then separated from the Father and the Father cannot even look upon his son. Jesus experienced real pain, he bears the guilt and shame of the world and is separated from his Father. With a closeness like they had, it would almost be unbearable.
Read Mark 15:35-38. No one takes Jesus life, he chooses to die for us. He offers his life willingly. In the gospel of John is says "It is finished," meaning sin is paid for, death is defeated, satan was sentenced, and salvation is won; all through one act! The temple curtain was meant to separate the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place and only one man could enter into that Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement. When Jesus died, God tore the curtain from top to bottom symbolizing that we could now come to him through the blood of Jesus the door to God is now open.
Read Mark 15:39. The centurion, commander of 100 men, was taking it all in. He had seen people die before, lots of men and some by his own hand. But he had never seen anyone die the way Jesus did. What did he see? He looked in Jesus eyes and probably saw peace, strength, love, forgiveness. It probably seemed like Jesus was in charge of the whole thing, like he could leave at any time but he choose not to. He did not see fear or intimidation, shame or bitterness in Jesus eyes; just love. Then the last cry came "it is finished," it probably sounded more like a roar than a cry, a shout or roar of victory. But the main thing that the centurion noticed was Jesus eyes, he couldn't get over his eyes. They were full of tender love and compassion and strength and grace.
Mark goes on to tell of the burial and resurrection. Read Mark 16:6. Jesus died, but did not stay dead. Death couldn't hold him down!!! He burst forth into victory and is alive!
Romans 6:1-5
Read Romans 6:1. Why does Paul ask the question? Because in the previous verse it says "but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." We as humans tend to rationalize. With this verse we could think, "I'll just do this sin. God will forgive me." Could be alcohol, sexual sin, pornography, gossip, divorce... Paul responds, "By no means!" Read verse 2, he says of course not, why would you keep on sinning when you have died to that; stop living in it. Paul stands behind grace, he does not back off. Grace can be abused. The answer is not a works salvation or legalism, it is who you are and what Christ has done for you. Dying to sin and living in sin don't go together. We are joined to Christ and when Christ died to sin, so did we; so stop living in it.
Read Romans 6:3-5. Remember God deals with mankind on the basis of a representative. We are connected to Adam by birth, when he sinned we sinned. We can be connected to Christ by faith, when Christ died to sin we died to sin and we raise to newness of life when he rose from the dead. We need to know who we are in Christ and what Christ has done for us. The goal is not to have head knowledge of this but for it to move to our heart. That's not to imply that knowledge doen't matter. It is the basis, the foundation, it is crucial. Life with God is based on the truth of God. When Paul talks about Baptism in verses 3-4 he assumes that they all have been baptized. There were no unbaptized believers in the New Testament, after they trusted Christ they all were baptized. Baptism is a seal a symbol that you belong to God, just like a wedding ring is a symbol of marriage. When we are immersed under the water, it is a symbol of our death with Christ and when we rise out of the water it is a symbol of our resurrection with Christ into newness of life.
Sin has no further claim on Christ because the penalty was paid. Therefore, sin has no further claim on us because Christ died as our representative. It has no claim, no power, no say in our life. We don't have to listen to those lies, we don't need to serve sin anymore. The rope around our neck has been snapped and we are free.
Discussions Questions:
1. Do you walk in newness of life or are you still living in the bondage of sin?
2. Are you different than your non-christian friends? How? Are you living for yourself or Christ? Are you trying to impress others? Do you worry or do you trust the Lord?
3. Who are you in Christ? What is your identity?
4. If you are a believer, are you baptized? If not, what is holding you back?
Read Romans 6:3-5. Remember God deals with mankind on the basis of a representative. We are connected to Adam by birth, when he sinned we sinned. We can be connected to Christ by faith, when Christ died to sin we died to sin and we raise to newness of life when he rose from the dead. We need to know who we are in Christ and what Christ has done for us. The goal is not to have head knowledge of this but for it to move to our heart. That's not to imply that knowledge doen't matter. It is the basis, the foundation, it is crucial. Life with God is based on the truth of God. When Paul talks about Baptism in verses 3-4 he assumes that they all have been baptized. There were no unbaptized believers in the New Testament, after they trusted Christ they all were baptized. Baptism is a seal a symbol that you belong to God, just like a wedding ring is a symbol of marriage. When we are immersed under the water, it is a symbol of our death with Christ and when we rise out of the water it is a symbol of our resurrection with Christ into newness of life.
Sin has no further claim on Christ because the penalty was paid. Therefore, sin has no further claim on us because Christ died as our representative. It has no claim, no power, no say in our life. We don't have to listen to those lies, we don't need to serve sin anymore. The rope around our neck has been snapped and we are free.
Discussions Questions:
1. Do you walk in newness of life or are you still living in the bondage of sin?
2. Are you different than your non-christian friends? How? Are you living for yourself or Christ? Are you trying to impress others? Do you worry or do you trust the Lord?
3. Who are you in Christ? What is your identity?
4. If you are a believer, are you baptized? If not, what is holding you back?
Romans 5:18-21
Read Romans 5:18. One trespass: fall = condemnation. One act of righteousness: cross = justification. We have condemnation, not because of what we did, all our sins. But because of what Adam did. We are justified, not because of what we do, but because of what Christ did. Personal sins don't send you to hell and personal good deeds don't send you to heaven. The last part of 18 does not mean that all men will be saved. The word all means people in general, not every single person. Entire book of Romans is clear that we are right with God only by faith in Christ. There are solemn warnings in Romans about wrath and judgment. We may not like the truth of hell and we certainly don't understand it but God is God and we are not. We don't get to choose which doctrine or truths we like and which we don't. We must submit to God and his holy Word and trust that God is good, right, and just.
Read Romans 5:19. This is the fifth verse in a row saying: because of Adam's disobedience we died and because of Christ's obedience, we can have life. Perhaps the author is emphatic because human pride wants to earn salvation. We get right with God not because of anything we do but because of what Christ did. Rest in the cross of Christ. Our only hope is the cross of Jesus.
Read Romans 5:20. The law, 10 commandments and 613 commands, never saved one person that's not the purpose. The purpose of the law is to show our sin and lead us to Christ, it actually increased our sin! If you are going to tell your 6 year old son to not open the drawer, he is goign to do it. That is human nature. But, where sin increases grace abounds. Do you feel your sin is so bad, God can't forgive it? Then that's a small view of God's grace. Do you feel you need to pay for sin by feeling guilty for a long time? That's relying on yourself and it doesn't work. Rely on Christ.
Read Romans 5:20-21. Because of Adam, sin reigned. But now, because of Christ, grace reigns. We don't serve sin and death anymore. Grace reigns we have been forgiven. God is calling us to obedience, to holiness. The first step is to know you dont' have to sin. The second is to no longer serve that sin in your life.
Discussions Questions:
1. Are you still striving to "earn" your salvation? What things do you need to give up and lay at the foot of the cross?
2. What sin are you struggling with? (fear, anger, unforgiveness, alcoholism, etc.) It's a lie that you have to serve that sin as master, lay it at the cross.
Read Romans 5:19. This is the fifth verse in a row saying: because of Adam's disobedience we died and because of Christ's obedience, we can have life. Perhaps the author is emphatic because human pride wants to earn salvation. We get right with God not because of anything we do but because of what Christ did. Rest in the cross of Christ. Our only hope is the cross of Jesus.
Read Romans 5:20. The law, 10 commandments and 613 commands, never saved one person that's not the purpose. The purpose of the law is to show our sin and lead us to Christ, it actually increased our sin! If you are going to tell your 6 year old son to not open the drawer, he is goign to do it. That is human nature. But, where sin increases grace abounds. Do you feel your sin is so bad, God can't forgive it? Then that's a small view of God's grace. Do you feel you need to pay for sin by feeling guilty for a long time? That's relying on yourself and it doesn't work. Rely on Christ.
Read Romans 5:20-21. Because of Adam, sin reigned. But now, because of Christ, grace reigns. We don't serve sin and death anymore. Grace reigns we have been forgiven. God is calling us to obedience, to holiness. The first step is to know you dont' have to sin. The second is to no longer serve that sin in your life.
Discussions Questions:
1. Are you still striving to "earn" your salvation? What things do you need to give up and lay at the foot of the cross?
2. What sin are you struggling with? (fear, anger, unforgiveness, alcoholism, etc.) It's a lie that you have to serve that sin as master, lay it at the cross.
Romans 5:12-17
This passage talks about the contrast between Adam and Christ, first man and God-man. Two people, two acts, shape the destinies of all mankind. There are three movements in Romans 5:12-17:
12-14 Adam and Christ Introduced
15-17 Adam and Christ Contrasted
18-21 Adam and Christ Compared (next week)
First movement, Adam and Christ introduced. Read Romans 5:12-14. Sin came in through one man, Adam. Not through Eve, as the man or husband Adam was held responsible. Husbands are held responsible before God for the spiritual life of their family. In 12b it says "and so death spread to all men because all sinned." The point of this is to say that death spread to all men because all sinned in Adam. Adam was our representative, when he sinned we sinned. Read Romans 5:13-14. The point is: from Adam to Moses people sinned. But these sins were not counted against them because there was no law yet. Yet, there was still death. Why? Because all men sinned in Adam. We were charged with sin when Adam sinned. All of us. In the context of verses 12-21 there is much emphasis (five times) that it references "sin of one man". (vs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). The whole analogy between Adam and Christ in this passage is based on truth. Adam was our representative in sin. We sinned in Adam. All humans. Christ was our representative in life. We are made alive in Christ. All believers. We died because we were connected to Adam, by birth. We will live because we are connected to Christ, by faith. The Bible teaches "original sin", we sinned in Adam, we were born into sin. Born with a sin nature and the penalty is death. I may not like it when Adam sinned and his sin was charged to me. But I do love it that when Christ paid for sin, that was given to me. Without this representative or federal headship, with Adam and Christ, we could never be saved, because we would have to die for our sins.
Second movement, read Romans 5:15-17. Three contrasts:
15 Adam Sinned Many died. Christ Obeyed Many saved.
16 Adam Sinned Condemnation. Christ Obeyed Justification.
17 Adam Sinned Death reigned. Christ Obeyed We reign in Life.
If we are in Christ, and have received abundance of grace, then we need not be dominated by death and sin. We don't have to serve sin anymore, don't have to fear death. We reign in life, because of the cross we are set free. We don't have to be defeated by sin anymore, we have the victory. Stop listening to the lies of the enemy, you don't have to give in anymore. Because of the cross and Christ you have been rescued. We need to stop listening to ourselves and start talking to ourselves more.
Discussion Questions:
1. What sin is God calling you to surrender right now?
2. What are some of the things you need to stop listening to and start speaking some truth to? What is that truth?
Romans 5:6-8
We humans really struggle with believing that we are loved by God. Especially in light of the pain and suffering that is going on all around us. How can we know that God loves us? God says: "Look at the cross of Jesus and see my love for you." Read Romans 5:6-8. The passage begins, "for a while we were still weak", not physically weak but spiritually. We were powerless, helpless to save ourselves. Then it says, "at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." He didn't die for the "good people" he died for the ungodly. Three indictments: weak, ungodly, sinners. We were rebels to God at heart, no way to save ourselves, under the wrath of God, deserving of judgment and eternal condemnation. Christ died for us while we were weak, ungodly, sinners. God's love goes to undeserving people. We cannot understand God's love apart from this. Despite the fact that we were weak, ungodly, sinners, rebels, ingrates, undeserving... he still loves us! God's crazy about you, not because of your performance, but just because he loves you! It is undeserved. The fact that Christ died for weak, ungodly, sinners is so unexpected and surprising. Paul elaborates the point in vs. 7. Read Romans 5:7. He points out that we might possibly die for a good person, but Christ died for rebels, sinners, people that didn't love him back. The first thing to understand about God's love is that it is undeserved.
The second thing to understand is that it involves sacrifice. Because God loved us, he gave his own Son. John 3:16. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the love. What sacrifice could God have made greater than this? God sends his own Son, eternal Son of God, to become a man, to die an excruciating death, to bear the sin of the world, to be separated from his Father, so that Jesus cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" What more could he have done? God's love for you is sacrificial love.
The evidence of God's love is not found primarily in the life of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, examples of Jesus, miracles of Jesus, and healings of Jesus. But the evidence of God's love is found in the death of Jesus. That's why Romans 5:8 points to the death of Christ. Love is sacrifical, read John 15:13. Jesus laid down his life for us. Jesus laid down his life for you. What more could God have done to show you how much you matter to him? Romans 5:8 teaches us that the heart of God's love for us is, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Make the cross the center of your life. Focus on the cross, it is what shows us God's love and his heart to us.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you get God's heart? Have you felt it or experienced it? (share)
2. Do you see God as this vast, infinite God with no heart? Or, have you seen, touched, felt the rentless love of God? Give an example.
3. When you are discouraged do you tend to look to the cross? Or at other things?
4. When you think of the cross what comes to mind?
The second thing to understand is that it involves sacrifice. Because God loved us, he gave his own Son. John 3:16. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the love. What sacrifice could God have made greater than this? God sends his own Son, eternal Son of God, to become a man, to die an excruciating death, to bear the sin of the world, to be separated from his Father, so that Jesus cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" What more could he have done? God's love for you is sacrificial love.
The evidence of God's love is not found primarily in the life of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, examples of Jesus, miracles of Jesus, and healings of Jesus. But the evidence of God's love is found in the death of Jesus. That's why Romans 5:8 points to the death of Christ. Love is sacrifical, read John 15:13. Jesus laid down his life for us. Jesus laid down his life for you. What more could God have done to show you how much you matter to him? Romans 5:8 teaches us that the heart of God's love for us is, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Make the cross the center of your life. Focus on the cross, it is what shows us God's love and his heart to us.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you get God's heart? Have you felt it or experienced it? (share)
2. Do you see God as this vast, infinite God with no heart? Or, have you seen, touched, felt the rentless love of God? Give an example.
3. When you are discouraged do you tend to look to the cross? Or at other things?
4. When you think of the cross what comes to mind?
Romans 5:1-5
Read Romans 5:1-5. There are 3 movements in this passage:
- Peace & Grace 1-2a
- Rejoice in Hope 2b
- Rejoice in Suffering 3-5
First movement: Peace & Grace. Read vs. 1, it does not refer to peace of God meaning peace in hearts not worried or fearful, no it says we have peace with God. Meaning all sins forgiven, right standing with God, we are accepted forever, we are safe secure and loved. Read vs. 2. Now it says we do not just have peace with God but grace from God. That grace is permanent, we cannot fall in and out of favor with God. Both vs. 1-2 say we have peace with God and grace from God through faith.
Second movement: Rejoice in Hope. What does it mean to rejoice? To take joy in, to choose joy, to be glad, give thanks, to praise God. It pleases God and honors God for us to find joy in him. "Joy is the surest sign of the presence of God." Rejoice in hope. We need to have a confident expectation in God. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. What is glory? Exodus 33, Moses prayed "Lord, show me your glory." He was asking to see God's greatness, his goodness, his majesty; to see God for who he really is. Read Romans 8:18-25, now we groan inwardly because we are living in a world of sin, heartache, sickness, and death. But one day, no more pain, tears, heartache, sin, cancer, depression, death. Full freedom and joy, that is what rejoice in the hope of the glory of God means!
Third movement: Rejoice in Sufferings. Read vs. 3-5. We need to rejoice not because of our suffering but in our suffering. God is saying "when you experience setbacks, disappointments, heartaches take joy, rejoice, be glad, give me thanks, bring praise to me... don't complain, whine, grumble, grow bitter. But rejoice in the Lord!" In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are in prison and beaten, but what are they doing in the evening: praising God and singing - rejoicing in their suffering! Read James 1:2, I Thes. 5:16-18, Philippians 4:4. Why do we rejoice in our sufferings? The answer is in vs. 3. God uses sufferings to build faith, to shape our souls, to grow our hearts. Overtime God will use suffering to produce endurance, character, and hope. Hope does not put us to shame or disappoint, because of God's overwhelming love for us. (vs.5) God does not drizzle or litely drip his love, he gives us a downpour a flood of his love. It is the Spirit's work to pour out God's love in our hearts!
Discussion Questions
1. Think on this statement and discuss: "It is a Christian duty for everyone to be as happy as he can." Do you choose to be happy or rejoice no matter the circumstances?
2. Do you rejoice in your sufferings? Are you rejoicing or complaining/grumbling about your suffering right now?
3. What is your biggest challenge right now? Are you praises God in it?
4. Are you rejoicing in the glory of the Lord?
Life of Faith (Romans 4:16-25)
Read Romans 4:16. The first thing we see is promise comes by faith. We obtain what we desire: approval, acceptance, right standing before God, forgiveness of our past, eternity with the King; ALL through faith not by seeking to earn it. Promise comes by faith, that which works can't do - faith does! It is a fantastic promise, we see in the next 13 verses that the promise includes: Personal righteousness before God and it also makes us the heir of all the world. The second thing we see about the promise from verse 16 is ".... so that it may be by grace and be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring." What is grace? It is the enrichment we don't deserve, God's riches to us at Christ's expense. When grace came in it guaranteed the promise. It is by God alone, therefore it IS guaranteed. God doesn't fail, God won't fail, God can't fail!
Read Romans 4:17-20. God is the object of Abraham's faith and our faith. The quality of our faith depends on the object of our faith, not the amount. Jesus told us we just need a little faith, that of a mustard seed, the object of our faith is God. Our God can move mountains, he calls the stars out by name, tells the sun when to rise and set, tells the waters they can go no further. There is nothing our object of faith cannot do, NOTHING. We shouldn't talk about our faith, we should talk about the God in whom our faith is fixed. The question is not how big or little your faith is? But, how big or little is your God? How big do you think he is? The passage tells us two things about God: He is the God who gives life to the dead. He is a God who calls things that are not, as though they were. He calls things into existence that don't exist. He is creative.
When we are called to exercise our faith, we will face obstacles. ".. against all hope, Abraham in hope believed." (vs. 18) "... yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God." (vs.20) God's promise itself was an obstacle of faith, it seemed too good to be true. God flies in the face of logic, our entire Christian life is too good to be true, and it is why so many people struggle. That is the God we serve: he promises us things through hopeless circumstances and gives staggering possibilites. Just imagine the conversation between Abraham and Sarah when God tells them they are going to have a baby, and that through that baby all nations will be blessed and through this child will come THE seed - the Messiah, the King of Kings. The promise of God hung on the fact that Abraham and Sarah had to have a baby. Faith isn't ignoring the facts. Abraham did see the facts, but he chose to focus on the fact of how great his God is. Our obstacles exerise our faith.
What is the objective of faith? Where does that take us? Read Romans 4:21-25. We can exercise the same faith as Abraham. Through our faith we are made afresh and anew daily. Like Abraham we are righteous, heir's to the world, full of the Holy Spirit, and a friend of God. We should have more faith than Abraham; we have the Bible God's written word, we live in a post-resurrection world, the Holy Spirit lives in us, what more do we need?
Discussion Questions:
1. Who or what is the object of your faith?
2. Where is your focus? Are you focusing on the facts? Doctors? Friends? Or a God that can speak change?
3. What obstacles have you faced in the past or are you facing now to your faith?
4. Where do you need God to call something into existence? Where are you hopeless?
Read Romans 4:17-20. God is the object of Abraham's faith and our faith. The quality of our faith depends on the object of our faith, not the amount. Jesus told us we just need a little faith, that of a mustard seed, the object of our faith is God. Our God can move mountains, he calls the stars out by name, tells the sun when to rise and set, tells the waters they can go no further. There is nothing our object of faith cannot do, NOTHING. We shouldn't talk about our faith, we should talk about the God in whom our faith is fixed. The question is not how big or little your faith is? But, how big or little is your God? How big do you think he is? The passage tells us two things about God: He is the God who gives life to the dead. He is a God who calls things that are not, as though they were. He calls things into existence that don't exist. He is creative.
When we are called to exercise our faith, we will face obstacles. ".. against all hope, Abraham in hope believed." (vs. 18) "... yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God." (vs.20) God's promise itself was an obstacle of faith, it seemed too good to be true. God flies in the face of logic, our entire Christian life is too good to be true, and it is why so many people struggle. That is the God we serve: he promises us things through hopeless circumstances and gives staggering possibilites. Just imagine the conversation between Abraham and Sarah when God tells them they are going to have a baby, and that through that baby all nations will be blessed and through this child will come THE seed - the Messiah, the King of Kings. The promise of God hung on the fact that Abraham and Sarah had to have a baby. Faith isn't ignoring the facts. Abraham did see the facts, but he chose to focus on the fact of how great his God is. Our obstacles exerise our faith.
What is the objective of faith? Where does that take us? Read Romans 4:21-25. We can exercise the same faith as Abraham. Through our faith we are made afresh and anew daily. Like Abraham we are righteous, heir's to the world, full of the Holy Spirit, and a friend of God. We should have more faith than Abraham; we have the Bible God's written word, we live in a post-resurrection world, the Holy Spirit lives in us, what more do we need?
Discussion Questions:
1. Who or what is the object of your faith?
2. Where is your focus? Are you focusing on the facts? Doctors? Friends? Or a God that can speak change?
3. What obstacles have you faced in the past or are you facing now to your faith?
4. Where do you need God to call something into existence? Where are you hopeless?
Romans 4:1-15
Our human mindset is that of "earn this", we need to earn the life that was given to us; so in sports, career paths, school, family, music, religion. It is pervasive. Now, look at the message of the Gospel. God says, "You could never earn this. I will send my Son to earn it for you, to be your substitute to die on the cross so you can receive this free gift by faith."
Romans 4 talks about Abraham and Abraham's faith. Abraham was not saved by works, circumcision, or the law, he was saved by faith. Read Romans 4:1-5. These verses were very important to the Jews because Paul was referring to the founder of their religion. That Abraham was seen as righteous in God's eyes because of his faith, not anything he did to "earn it" by following customs but because he believed. Read Romans 4:6-8. Now Paul gives an example of David, the greatest king; he was seen as righteous in God's eyes apart from works. Again, no works, he did not earn it.
Circumcision was huge back then, the Jews felt it guaranteed salvation. Read Romans 4:9-10. Abraham was saved in Genesis 15 and was circumcised years later in Genesis 17. Read 4:11-12. The issue was not circumcision it was faith! Not by works, the law, or circumcision was he counted as righteous but by faith. Read Romans 4:13-15.
Why was God so emphatic about being saved by faith? He mentioned it four times in 1:16-17, nine times in 3:21-31, nine times in 4:1-15, and more in 4:16-5:12. Why so focused and riveted on faith?
Romans 4 talks about Abraham and Abraham's faith. Abraham was not saved by works, circumcision, or the law, he was saved by faith. Read Romans 4:1-5. These verses were very important to the Jews because Paul was referring to the founder of their religion. That Abraham was seen as righteous in God's eyes because of his faith, not anything he did to "earn it" by following customs but because he believed. Read Romans 4:6-8. Now Paul gives an example of David, the greatest king; he was seen as righteous in God's eyes apart from works. Again, no works, he did not earn it.
Circumcision was huge back then, the Jews felt it guaranteed salvation. Read Romans 4:9-10. Abraham was saved in Genesis 15 and was circumcised years later in Genesis 17. Read 4:11-12. The issue was not circumcision it was faith! Not by works, the law, or circumcision was he counted as righteous but by faith. Read Romans 4:13-15.
Why was God so emphatic about being saved by faith? He mentioned it four times in 1:16-17, nine times in 3:21-31, nine times in 4:1-15, and more in 4:16-5:12. Why so focused and riveted on faith?
- Earn this mindset so pervasive: Self-reliance, earn your way, do it yourself mentality in deep-rooted in the human heart. Every religion is focused on it, cults, and even much of the Christian church sadly. But not Jesus, not in Romans, not in the Bible does it focus on this "earn this" mentality.
- Stakes so high: World War II was thought to have high stakes, rescue europe from evil, racist, oppressive dictator and nazi regime. But the gospel is much bigger than this. World War II was 50-60 years of life and freedom instead of bondage. The Gospel is Eternity of life and living a life in Heaven instead of hell.
- Difficult Passages: The difficult passages, passages like James 2, Acts 2, and even Romans 2 they can confuse and are hard to understand. Why does God include those in the Bible? He's God and we're not! His ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. On one hand we have a handful of difficult passages and on the other there are tons of passages that are so clear, let the clear passages interpret the unclear. Not by works but by faith in Christ Jesus.
- Message of the Gospel counters of spiritual pride: If we were saved by works, if we contributed anything to our salvation, we would raise one hand in praise to God and the other and pat ourselves on the back. We would become proud, self-righteous, self-reliant people; that's just human nature. The way God planned everything, we have nothing to boast about, we did nothing. Jesus paid it all!
- Believers need to hear the gospel over and over: We need to be reminded frequently that it is a grace plan and not a performance plan. That it's not be works but by faith that we are saved. Just the blood of Jesus!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have the "earn this" mentality? Are you still striving to earn God's grace and salvation? Are you on the performance plan or grace plan?
2. Are you still relying on your self , do you have a "do it yourself" mentality or are you completely trusting God?
3. Do you give God the glory he deserves are you generous with the praise you give him and the honor due his name or are you stingy and still "patting yourself on the back" thinking that you helped make something happen?
Romans 4:1-5
Read Romans 4:1-2. The question is asked, "What about Abraham? Was he justified by works?" Paul goes back to scriptures, Read Romans 4:3. Paul does what Jesus did, he appeals to the scripture. He quoted Genesis 15: Abraham believed God. Not Abraham obeyed, did good works, and therefore was good enough. Consider the text of Genesis, Abraham was told by God that his old barren wife was going to give him a child. Abraham believed and trusted in God's promise and that belief is what made him right in the eyes of God, it was credited to him as righteousness. It was not when he obeyed God, but when he believed that he was made righteous. This is the first time in the Bible that we see how to get right with God. By faith! By faith! By faith! How much faith does it take to sit on a stool? That's what God requires of us, enough faith to just sit. Faith is all about God, not about you. It requires humility, "I cannot do it, I need you Lord."
Read Romans 4:4-5. Verse 5 is the strongest statement in the New Testament on salvation by faith. All four of the clauses makes the point:
Discussion Questions
1. What is faith? What does it require of us?
2. Have you completely transfered trust in yourself over to God? What are you still holding onto that you don't want to give up?
3. Discuss this quote in your group: "How is it possible for the righteous God to declare the unrighteous to be righteous without either compromising his righteousness or condoning their righteousness?"
Read Romans 4:4-5. Verse 5 is the strongest statement in the New Testament on salvation by faith. All four of the clauses makes the point:
- And to the one who does not work: does not rely on works at all
- But believes in him: believes, puts all faith, not works
- Who justifies the ungodly: God justifies ungodly people? YES!!! It's a good thing too, because we are ungodly people. Romans 1-3 so clear of that.
- His faith is counted as righteousness: God sees our transfer of faith and trust from ourselves to him and counts that as righteousness for us. God wipes out our sin and then gives us righteousness on top of that.
Discussion Questions
1. What is faith? What does it require of us?
2. Have you completely transfered trust in yourself over to God? What are you still holding onto that you don't want to give up?
3. Discuss this quote in your group: "How is it possible for the righteous God to declare the unrighteous to be righteous without either compromising his righteousness or condoning their righteousness?"
Romans 3:21-26
This passage is all about Rescue! It is the heart of the Gospel one of the key paragraphs of the Bible. Read Romans 3:21-26. The point of this passage is that God has rescued us from our sin!
The term righteousness used in verse 21 sometimes refers to God's righteous character and other times it refers to God's gift of righteousness, right standing with God, or being right with God. Read Romans 1:16-17, then read Romans 3:21 again. Righeousness is God's gift to be right with him. How do we get this right standing? Read Romans 3:22. It is given to all those who believe/faith. What is faith? It is trust, reliance, dependence, faith, believing in someone or something. The Bible mentions this "faith" as a key component, two times in verse 22, four times in 1:16-17, and twice more in 3:25-26. Bible is emphatic!
The term righteousness used in verse 21 sometimes refers to God's righteous character and other times it refers to God's gift of righteousness, right standing with God, or being right with God. Read Romans 1:16-17, then read Romans 3:21 again. Righeousness is God's gift to be right with him. How do we get this right standing? Read Romans 3:22. It is given to all those who believe/faith. What is faith? It is trust, reliance, dependence, faith, believing in someone or something. The Bible mentions this "faith" as a key component, two times in verse 22, four times in 1:16-17, and twice more in 3:25-26. Bible is emphatic!
Read Romans 3:22 again, all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Sin is not about hurting people but about rebellion against God. If you don't live for the glory of God, if you dishonor him, if the glory of God is not supreme then you have rebelled against him. Our tendency, "I'm not as bad as those people." The standard is not bad people, the standard is Jesus Christ. Read Romans 3:24. There are four phrases to underscore:
- And are justified: It is passive tense, you don't justify yourself, God justifies you. It was done to you, not by you. You are declared right with God.
- By his grace: God's favor to those who don't deserve it. It is absolutely free and undeserved favor from God. It is not earning something but receiving something. Read Romans 11:6.
- As a gift: Underscores grace as a gift. We don't deserve it, don't work for it, can't earn it, can't pay for it, it is Free, it's a GIFT!
- Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: The idea that we were held ransom by sin and that the ransom price must be paid. Jesus paid that price to set us free with his own blood and our death. Read 1 Peter 1:18-19.
Read Romans 3:25-26. The cross was not just for us. It was for God too, to vindicate God. Why did he need vindicating? Because he had been so forgiving, he has been forgiving since Adam and Eve. Sin must be paid for or punished, and if we don't pay it someone else must step in and pay it for us. The wrath of God is a holy response to sin, a punishment of sin. Jesus took the wrath of God for us and the price was paid once and for all.
Discussion Questions
1. Where is your trust, in Jesus or yourself? If someone were asked that question about you, looking at the way you live your life, what do you think they would say?
2. Think and meditate on this phrase, then discuss your thoughts. "God justifies the believer - not because of the worthiness of his belief, but because of Christ's worthiness who is believed."
3. What is holding you back from obeying a God who paid the ransom for you to be right with him? In what area is God calling you to obey?
Romans 3:9-20
If you are tolerating sin, in any area, it is like sucking sewage. It's gonna hurt you sooner or later. If God is challenging you about some sin, it is for your liberation, protection, and life.
John Owen said, "He that has slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God." Unless we recognize the severity of our sin problem, we will never be able to appreciate God's gift of forgiveness, our need for a Savior, the glory of the cross, and the grace of God.
Read Romans 3:9, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles we are all under sin, under the power of sin, all feel that burden. Then Paul quotes 7 passages from the old testament, underscoring the importance and authority of scripture. (Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Isaiah) Read Romans 3:10-18. All of us have sinned and are under it! Few comments:
1. No one seeks for God, unless God draws you. God alone is the seeker. Do Adam and Eve seek God? Read Genesis 3:8-9. They hid from him, he seeks them and asks where they are. Omniscience doesn't need information, he knew exactly where they were he was just seeking them.
2. No one does good, not even one. Even the best actions are riddled with self-centeredness and pride. Sin is not just what we do, its why we do it.
3. Such sin is expressed through our words. Our mouth is an open grave, we deceive people. Our tongue can be like the poison of vipers. Read Proverbs 18:21a.
4. There is no fear of God before their eyes. The summary behind all sin is the failure to fear God, to give God the reverence and honor due his name.
Now 3 general comments about the string of Old Testament quotes:
1. Sin is a universal problem. Read Romans 3:10-12. Not one single exception! Not Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, no one does.
2. Sin is a pervasive problem. It extends to every part of us: our throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet, eyes, every part. Nothing we do is untainted by sin.
3. Sin is a rebellion against God. Essence of sin is not wronging or harming someone, it is rebellion against God. It starts in vs. 11 "no one seeks God" and ends in vs. 18 "There is no fear of God before there eyes." David says in Psalms 51:4 "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." David has a good view of sin, it is not wronging someone it is rebellion or revolting against God.
Read Romans 3:19-20, lots of talk today about boasting, definance, giving excuses, or blaming others. One day, every mouth will be stopped and all will have to answer to God. No one has kept all the commandments, think of the greatest commandment. Has anyone kept those perfectly? The whole world will be accountable before God for the things they have done, everyone must own his own sin. Cannot blame circumstances, upbringing, parents, spouses, boss, or other problems. We are the ones who choose to rebel against God, we did it. The law was never given to save us from our sin, it was given to show us our sin, and our need for a Savior.
Our basic human problem is not financial, educational, political, judicial, or economic. Our basic human problem is spiritual and it is our own sin problem.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you hiding like Adam and Eve from your sin?
2. Do you tend to give excuses for your sin? In what ways do you make excuses, do you blame your circumstances, upbringing, things from the past, etc.
3. What does it mean to "fear the Lord?" Do you truly believe that you fear the Lord?
John Owen said, "He that has slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God." Unless we recognize the severity of our sin problem, we will never be able to appreciate God's gift of forgiveness, our need for a Savior, the glory of the cross, and the grace of God.
Read Romans 3:9, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles we are all under sin, under the power of sin, all feel that burden. Then Paul quotes 7 passages from the old testament, underscoring the importance and authority of scripture. (Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Isaiah) Read Romans 3:10-18. All of us have sinned and are under it! Few comments:
1. No one seeks for God, unless God draws you. God alone is the seeker. Do Adam and Eve seek God? Read Genesis 3:8-9. They hid from him, he seeks them and asks where they are. Omniscience doesn't need information, he knew exactly where they were he was just seeking them.
2. No one does good, not even one. Even the best actions are riddled with self-centeredness and pride. Sin is not just what we do, its why we do it.
3. Such sin is expressed through our words. Our mouth is an open grave, we deceive people. Our tongue can be like the poison of vipers. Read Proverbs 18:21a.
4. There is no fear of God before their eyes. The summary behind all sin is the failure to fear God, to give God the reverence and honor due his name.
Now 3 general comments about the string of Old Testament quotes:
1. Sin is a universal problem. Read Romans 3:10-12. Not one single exception! Not Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, no one does.
2. Sin is a pervasive problem. It extends to every part of us: our throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet, eyes, every part. Nothing we do is untainted by sin.
3. Sin is a rebellion against God. Essence of sin is not wronging or harming someone, it is rebellion against God. It starts in vs. 11 "no one seeks God" and ends in vs. 18 "There is no fear of God before there eyes." David says in Psalms 51:4 "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." David has a good view of sin, it is not wronging someone it is rebellion or revolting against God.
Read Romans 3:19-20, lots of talk today about boasting, definance, giving excuses, or blaming others. One day, every mouth will be stopped and all will have to answer to God. No one has kept all the commandments, think of the greatest commandment. Has anyone kept those perfectly? The whole world will be accountable before God for the things they have done, everyone must own his own sin. Cannot blame circumstances, upbringing, parents, spouses, boss, or other problems. We are the ones who choose to rebel against God, we did it. The law was never given to save us from our sin, it was given to show us our sin, and our need for a Savior.
Our basic human problem is not financial, educational, political, judicial, or economic. Our basic human problem is spiritual and it is our own sin problem.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you hiding like Adam and Eve from your sin?
2. Do you tend to give excuses for your sin? In what ways do you make excuses, do you blame your circumstances, upbringing, things from the past, etc.
3. What does it mean to "fear the Lord?" Do you truly believe that you fear the Lord?
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