Sermon Guide June 21:  Romans 1-3

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Definitions:

1. Sin: an archery term: to miss the mark
2. Law: a covenant term: God's instructions for how His people are to live
3. Righteousness:a measurement term: perfectly meeting God's standard
4. Justified: a legal term: to be declared righteous by the Judge
5. Grace: a royal term: the undeserved favor of the King
6. Redemption: a rescue term: freedom secured by the payment of a price
7. Atonement: a sacrifice term: a sacrifice that covers sin and restores peace

Key Takeaways:

1. We are more broken than we realize - The law exposes that we've missed the mark entirely, not just by a little bit.
2. We cannot fix ourselves - Neither comparison nor religious effort can make us righteous before God.
3. God has provided what we could never earn - Through Christ's death and resurrection, righteousness is available to all who believe.
4. The entire Bible tells one story - From Genesis 3:15 forward, Scripture points to Jesus as our Redeemer.
5. We now wear Christ's righteousness - When God looks at believers, He sees the perfection of Christ.

Discussion Questions: 

1. The Ten Commandments acts as a "mirror." Which commandment hits you hardest and why?How does the expanded understanding of commandments (like murder including hatred, adultery including lustful thoughts) change your view of your own righteousness?
2. Two ways we typically respond to bad news about our sin are comparison ("at least I'm better than...") and religion (trying harder). Which one do you tend to lean toward? Why do you think that is? Why doesn't "being better than someone else" actually solve our problem before God?
3. What does it mean that we're "dead people who need to be made alive" rather than "bad people who need improvement"? How does this change your understanding of what you need?
4. Share a time when you felt like you were on a spiritual "treadmill"—working hard but getting nowhere. What was that experience like?
5. The entire Old Testament pointed forward to Jesus as the "serpent crusher." Why is it important that this wasn't "Plan B" but God's plan all along?
6. How does understanding the Day of Atonement imagery (the high priest, the mercy seat, the blood) help you appreciate what Jesus accomplished on the cross?
7. Believing isn't just acknowledging Jesus existed, but "leaning your entire eternity on the fact that when Jesus died and rose again, it counted for you." What's the difference between these two kinds of belief?
8. Using the house fire illustration, what does it look like practically to "call the fire department" rather than just acknowledge it exists?
9. Justification means "just as if I never sinned" AND "just as if I've always obeyed." Why are both parts necessary for us to stand before God?
10. How does knowing that Christ's righteousness has been "stamped onto your account" change how you feel about approaching God?

Practical Applications:

1. Each day this week, read through the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) slowly and prayerfully. Journal about how they expose your need for Jesus, and end each time by thanking God for the righteousness of Christ that covers you.
2. Memorize Romans 3:23-24. Set a daily reminder on your phone with the words "But Now,” and when it goes off, pause and thank God for the gospel.
3. Identify one person who needs to hear the "but now" message. Pray for an opportunity to share how Christ has changed your standing before God.
4. Make a list of ways you've experienced God's undeserved favor this week, and share it with your group next time you meet.

 Sermon Guide

June 28:  Romans 8:1-17

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. If you're in Christ, there is zero condemnation—past, present, or future.
2. The Spirit requires us to slow down enough to listen and follow.
3. What's in your heart will overflow from your mouth. The Spirit transforms from the inside out.
4. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.
5. As God's adopted children, we receive all the blessings and inheritance of Christ.

Discussion Questions: 

1. What does "no condemnation" mean to you personally? How does this truth impact your daily life and relationship with God?
2. Read the quote: "We should not be entertained by what Jesus died for." What TV shows, music, or habits might you need to reconsider in light of this statement?
3. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous but still faced hardship (childlessness). How does this challenge the belief that following Jesus makes life easier? Share an example from your own life.
4. What does it mean to "walk" by the Spirit rather than run or rush? Why is this pace important in our digital age?
5. Tyler mentioned missing his exit because he turned off the GPS audio. What "good things" in your life might be drowning out the voice of the Holy Spirit?
6. Read Galatians 5:19-21 (works of the flesh). Which of these do you see most prominently in our culture today? Which do you struggle with personally?
7. Romans 8:7 says the mindset of the flesh is "hostile to God." How should this truth change the way we engage with people who disagree with us, especially online or in political discussions?
8. "Why are we expecting people who can't be holy or righteous to be?" How does this perspective change your expectations of non-Christians in your life?
9. Verse 6 says the mindset of the Spirit is "life and peace." On a scale of 1-10, how much life and peace characterizes your current mindset? What needs to change?
10. What does it mean to be "led by the Spirit" versus living in "slavery to fear"? Which one better describes your current spiritual state?
11. We are called "Abba, Father"—an intimate term. How comfortable are you with this level of intimacy with God? What holds you back?
12. "The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children." If someone observed your life this past week, would they see evidence that the Holy Spirit is affirming you?
13. We are "co-heirs with Christ." Do you truly believe you have the same access and benefits as Jesus? How would your life look different if you lived like this was true?

Practical Applications:

1. Where do you stand? Are you walking by the Spirit or the flesh? If you haven't entered a relationship with Christ, is today the day?
2. Are you walking by the Spirit? Would others affirm that the Holy Spirit is evident in your life based on how you're currently living?
3. Do you acknowledge yourself as a rightful heir with God? How can you lean more into this identity during the week?
4. This week, track how much time you spend on social media, news, or entertainment versus time spent in Scripture, prayer, or Spirit-led activities. Share your findings next week.
5. Identify one "good thing" that's drowning out God's voice and commit to adjusting it this week
6. Memorize Romans 8:1 or another verse from this passage
7. Examine entertainment choices: What are you watching/listening to that Jesus died for?

 Sermon Guide July 5:  Romans 12:1-21

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. Worship is a lifestyle, not just a Sunday morning activity - True worship happens when we drive off the hill and live differently in our everyday lives.
2. Living sacrifice means daily surrender - Unlike Old Testament sacrifices that didn't walk home, we must choose to climb back on the altar every single morning.
3. Transformation requires renewed thinking - We're called to be transformed by renewing our minds, not conformed to the patterns of this world.
4. Our gifts are for service - Every believer has gifts meant to be used actively, simply, and with the right attitude.
5. Forgiven people forgive - When we understand the magnitude of what we've been forgiven (200,000 years of wages), we can't withhold forgiveness from others.

Discussion Questions: 

1. Read Romans 12:1-2. What does it mean to you personally that worship is "your reasonable response" to God's mercy? How does this change your perspective on what worship actually is?
2. We've been justified, given peace with God, reconciled, freed from condemnation, adopted as heirs, and nothing can separate us from God's love. Which of these mercies resonates most deeply with you right now? Why?
3. What does it look like practically to "climb back on the altar" each morning? What are the biggest obstacles that keep you from doing this?
4. Read Romans 12:3-8. We tend to either exaggerate our abilities or exaggerate our weaknesses. Which tendency do you struggle with more? How does this affect your service?
5. If you have a gift to serve, you should... serve. Why do we often complicate something so simple? What's one way you could keep it simple this week?
6. Discuss the three principles for using spiritual gifts: get to work (don't wait around), keep it simple (use what you have), do it with the right attitude. Which of these three challenges you most?
7. Read Romans 12:9-13. What does "love without hypocrisy" look like in practical terms? Can you think of a time when you wore a "mask" in how you loved someone?
8. Love should be mixed all the way through, complete and sincere. How can we tell if our love is "sincere all the way through" or just surface-level?
9. Love is a choice which is followed by an action that sometimes brings an emotion. How does this definition challenge the way our culture talks about love? How does it challenge you personally?
10. What's the difference between "detesting evil" in our own lives versus focusing on evil in others? Why is it easier to point out others' sins than our own?
11. Read Romans 12:14-21. "Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep." Why is this sometimes harder than it sounds? When is it most difficult for you—rejoicing with others' wins or weeping with their losses?
12. We've learned to "weep with people without ever getting our cheeks wet." What does it mean to truly sit with someone in their pain rather than just sending a crying emoji?
13. "Live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on you." What's the significance of that qualifier—"as far as it depends on you"? Where do you need to apply this right now?
14. Discuss the 200,000 years of wages parable. How does remembering what you've been forgiven help you forgive others? Who in your life do you need to stop "choking over gas money"?

Practical Applications:

1. Take 3-5 minutes of silence for personal reflection: What specific area of Romans 12 is God highlighting to you today? What's one way you've been "conformed to this world" that you need to change? Is there someone you need to forgive this week? What gift has God given you that you're not currently using?
2. Daily spend 5 minutes consciously "climbing back on the altar"—surrendering your day, your plans, your relationships to God.
3. Identify one person you've been loving "with a mask on" and take one concrete step toward sincere, complete love toward them.
4. Practice "philoxenia" (love of strangers) by intentionally reaching out to someone who seems uncomfortable or alone—at church, in your neighborhood, or at work.
5. Make a list of what you've been forgiven (your 200,000 years). Then list what others owe you (100 days wages). Pray through releasing those debts.
6. Identify one relationship where there's tension. Ask yourself: "As far as it depends on me, what can I do to pursue peace?" Then do it.

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Sermon Guide

July 12: Romans 16

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. Every believer matters to God and has a role in the body of Christ. There are no "nobodies" in God's family.
2. The gospel creates radical unity across all human divisions. Economic status, ethnicity, gender, and social position are transcended by our identity in Christ.
3. Meaningful relationships require consistent presence. You cannot build deep Christian community by showing up sporadically or only when convenient.
4. Faithful service often goes unnoticed by people but is always seen by God. Many of the people Paul mentions are unknown to history except for this passage, yet God knows them intimately.
5. We need each other. The "me and Jesus" approach to faith is not biblical. We were created for community and need skin-and-bones relationships.

Discussion Questions: 

1. Before this sermon, had you ever read Romans 16 closely? What surprised you most about this chapter? Romans 16 comes after 15 chapters of deep theology. Why do you think Paul ended this theological masterpiece with a list of names?
2. Look at the diversity of people mentioned: Phoebe (a deacon), Priscilla and Aquila (a ministry couple), Tertius (a former slave), Erastus (a city treasurer). What does this tell us about God's kingdom?
3. Nobody is a nobody in the family of God. Have you ever felt like a "nobody" in church or in life? How does Romans 16 speak to that feeling?
4. Paul describes various people by their service. How does this challenge our modern view of significance and success?
1. Phoebe: "a servant... a benefactor of many"
2. Mary: "worked very hard for you"
3. Tryphena and Tryphosa: "worked hard in the Lord"
5. How did "you can't have close friendships if you never leave your house" and the philosophy that "me and Jesus" is enough challenge the way you do life? How do you respond to this? Where do you see individualism affecting your faith?
6. Priscilla and Aquila served together as a couple. They discipled Apollos, hosted a church, and "risked their necks" for Paul.
1. For married couples: How can you serve together more intentionally?
2. For singles: Who could you partner with in ministry or service?
7. Tertius was born a slave and given a number instead of a name, yet Paul let him add his personal greetings to this letter. What does this reveal about the gospel's power to restore dignity and identity?
8. The gospel "doesn't just decimate the ceiling that keeps us from reaching God. It tears down the wall between all of us.” What "walls" still exist in our church or Christian community? How can we actively work to tear them down?
9. We build deep relationships by showing up. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your consistency in "showing up" for church, small group, or Christian community? What barriers keep you from showing up more consistently? What's one practical step you can take this week to "show up" better?
10. Review the different roles people played in Romans 16. Which role most resonates with your gifts? How are you currently using those gifts? How could you use them more?
1. Servants/Deacons (meeting practical needs quietly)
2. Disciple-makers (like Priscilla and Aquila)
3. Hard workers (like Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa)
4. Hosts (like Gaius)
5. Encouragers (like Rufus's mother)
11. The sermon emphasized greeting "one another with warmth." Who in this group or in our church:
1. Do you need to greet more warmly?
2. Might be feeling like a "nobody" who needs to be seen?
3. Could you intentionally connect with this week?

Practical Applications:

1. Commit to attending church and/or small group for the next four weeks without exception (barring genuine emergency). Notice how consistency affects your relationships.
2. Identify one practical need in your church or small group this week and meet it without announcing it or seeking recognition.
3. Identify someone newer in the faith or younger in life and intentionally invest in them this week—invite them for coffee, offer to pray with them, or share your story.
4. This Sunday, arrive 10 minutes early and intentionally seek out three people —especially someone who might feel like a "nobody" or someone you don't usually talk to.