SESSION 10 – Week of November 20 /
ROMANS
THE SERMON SERIES
A word about the study guides:
Each weekly study guide is meant to help you engage the Scripture lesson and explore its meaning for your life. You may use the study guide in a variety of ways. You can follow it carefully, point by point. You can skip over sections if you do not find them helpful. If you sense the Spirit leading you to ask other questions or highlight points not mentioned in the study guide, follow that path. Bottom line – the study guide is intended to facilitate discussion and deeper reflection, use it in ways that best suits your group.
Check In
· Begin with prayer
· It’s the week of Thanksgiving Day.
v What is a fond memory of Thanksgivings past – a family tradition, food, or activity that you enjoy(ed)?
v What are some things you are thankful for since last Thanksgiving – perhaps a development or unanticipated development over the course of the past year?
Bible Study: Romans 5:1-11
· Focus on verse 1. Paul begins by declaring “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The sermon contrasted popular worldly notions of peace with the peace Paul writes about.
v What are some of the ways the world understands peace?
v What is peace with God all about?
v How does God’s peace make life more vibrant, beautiful, and full?
· Focus on verse 2. Paul writes “we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” (He writes something similar in verse 11.)
v What is this boasting all about?
v What does it mean, or what does boasting in God look like?
v What are some ways you, or we, boast in God?
· Focus on verses 3-5. speak of suffering that leads to perseverance, character, and hope.
v How does suffering produce these three virtues?
v How does the Holy Spirit fit into the positive outcomes of suffering? Note verse 5. Share some examples or people from your life or that you know of, who have persevered through suffering and become encouraging, even inspiring, examples of character and hope.
Continued…
· The sermon shared the story of Florence Chadwick, who gave up on her long distance swimming goal because she could not see her goal – the California shoreline because of heavy fog.
v How do we keep our eyes “fixed on Jesus” (Heb 12: 2) so that we do not give up and lose hope during seasons of hardship?
v Can you think of practical ideas or ways to remember not to give up or lose hope?
· Focus on verses 9-11. speak of salvation as a present and future reality.
v How does this dual emphasis – present and future salvation – help us “boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ”?
· Have more time? Focus on verse 8. The sermon emphasized Paul’s words in verse 8, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
v Do we tend to forget the reality of this verse?
v Do you see ways that you or Christians in general, slide into trusting in things other than Jesus dying for us “while we were still sinners”?
v The sermon shared the story of a pastor who became deeply discouraged and depressed because he saw himself as a failure. How can the truth of verse 8 encourage us?
· The sermon did not address the content of Psalm 147: 1 – 11, the OT lesson. However, this Psalm can connect well to this study.
v How do see these verses fitting into the theme of boasting in God?
Prayer
It’s always a good practice to reserve ample time for prayer.
· Pray for members in your group who may be suffering that God will give strength to preserve so they will find hope and encouragement.
· Pray that God will fill help us understand the beauty and joy of His grace in a fresh and deeper way.
· Spend time praising and thanking God for the many, many ways he blesses us – it’s Thanksgiving week!