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Grace Wheel: Salvation

2/28/2021

When have you felt like you needed to be rescued?
When have you asked God to get you out of a situation?
Should we ask God to deliver us from difficult situations?

The meaning of "salvation"
The basic meaning of the word "save" in the Old Testament is to ‘bring into a spacious environment,' but it carries the metaphorical sense of ‘freedom from limitation’ i.e. deliverance from factors that constrain and confine.

What are the moral and spiritual factors in our lives or even your life which constrain and confine us/you?
Jesus' name means "to deliver, to rescue." From what did Jesus come to deliver and rescue us?

Read Romans 3:19-26

We often think deliverance from our moral problems comes by simply following the rules. "Just do the right thing and you won't have any problems." Can you think of any examples?
Can you explain what Paul is telling us about how we're declared righteous and why?
Can you explain what role the Law plays and why?

Read Romans 8:9-17

Can you explain what Paul is saying here about us, our sinful nature, and the Spirit of God?
In light of all this discussion, from what does Jesus save us?

Grace Wheel: Regeneration

2/21/2021

What is something (like a business, fad, etc) that no longer exists that you would love to see reborn or come back?
Read John 3:1-8
What do you think Jesus meant when he said we are to be “born again” or “born from above?”
Why was Nicodemus (someone who was so well educated and has steeped in religious tradition) struggled to understand what Jesus meant by being born again?
Read 1 Peter 1:3-5
What is our new birth grounded in about and what does this new birth lead to?
How does (or should) our understanding of our inheritance affect our priorities in this life?
Read Ephesians 4:22-24
How do we “put off” our old selves and “put on” our new selves?
How is your mind a key aspect to being made new?
What areas in your life do you still need to shed/surrender to become more like Christ?

Grace Wheel: Justification

2/14/2021

Would you rather win an argument or win a game?
How do you feel about losing or being wrong? Have you lost or been wrong about anything lately?
Pastor Jim said "Peace begins with humility." In other words, to find peace with God you must be humble enough to trust him; to find peace with others, you must be humble enough to admit when you're wrong; even to find peace with yourself, you must be humble enough to admit you need to deal with something in your life. Which of these three speaks to you?

ABOUT THE GRACE WHEEL
(NOTE: Do this if your group would like to talk more about being more natural about sharing Jesus with others, turning the Gospel Dial, and applying the Grace Wheel. Look at the various images of God’s grace around the Grace Wheel, name each one, and ask, the questions... "Who needs this image the most? What kind of story would they have? How can we best portray this image to them?")

Justification (The Judge’s Gavel) - We are justified, acquitted of our sins, declared not guilty, and made righteous through faith in Jesus.
Regeneration (The Baby's Feet) - We are new creations in Christ, we are born again, made new, and given new life.
Salvation (The Life Ring) - Jesus came to rescue us from our sin.
Redemption (The Broken Shackles) - Jesus pays the price to free us from our bondage as slaves.
Adoption (The Family) - Through Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God and become co-heirs with Christ.
Reconciliation (The Hearted Hands) – Jesus restores our relationship with God.

ABOUT JUSTIFICATION

Explain that Justification means God’s act of remitting the sins of our guilt, and accounting us righteous, freely, by his grace, through faith in Christ, on the ground, not of our own works, but of the representative law-keeping and the redemptive, cleansing blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Read Romans 3:23-26 and ask why Jesus' blood? Why not his death or his resurrection? What is it about his blood? (The answer is found in Hebrews 10:19-22)
Read Romans Romans 4:5-8 and ask, "What happens when a person is justified?"
Read Romans 5:18-19 and ask, "What does it mean that we are made righteous?"

Grace Wheel: Reconciliation

2/7/2021

Would you rather live with extreme cold or extreme hot?
Pastor Jim talked about some of the adjustments they're having to make after moving back to Minnesota from Phoenix....the cold, the snow, all the extra winter clothes, and so on. Would you rather deal with all that winter brings or deal with the desert heat?
Pastor Jim taught about what he calls The Grace Wheel. Show the graphic below and ask if they understood it and what they thought of it.

Which of these images do you think might connect best with your heart?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and ask "How does understanding that reconciliation is at the very core of why God sent Jesus change the way you see God and treat other people?"

A Better Future

1/31/2021

NOTE: Be prepared to talk about real-life stories of people in your group going through difficult times.

What did you think of the Adult & Teen Challenge? Did any part of their stories resonate with you? If you missed it, you can watch their stories during the service below.

Have you experienced anything in your life that was or is so difficult, it felt or feels like you couldn't or can’t recover from it?

Philippians 4:6-7 says to not be anxious about anything, but in every situation pray to God. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Have you ever experienced the peace of God in a way that you didn’t understand? What was that like?

Jim explained that Paul tells us in Romans 10:9-10 that if we believe in our hearts that God had the power to raise Jesus from dead then we can also believe that he has the power to raise us from the death of anything we experience in our lives. Can you see the power of God giving you life again after what you’ve experienced?

Jim explained that when you put your faith in Jesus, you gain a new identity in Christ. You are no longer defined by the world but by who God says you are. When someone becomes unemployed, what message do people tend to believe this says about who they are? When someone divorces? When someone is single? When someone has a dark past with serious mistakes?

Jim explained that a better future in Christ is not a more comfortable life, but a more contented life. It isn't a wealthier life, but it IS a richer life. It isn't a life without pain and struggle. Rather, it's a life that, with God's help, rises above the pain and finds purpose in the struggle. God doesn't promise to make your life easier, but he does promise to be there with you.

Does any of this resonate with you? Are there any ways in which you can see God leading you into a better future in Christ?

My Commitment to You

1/24/2021

Prepare - Do a little reading about the Babylonian Captivity and be prepared to help people understand at least the basics of what it was. Here's a quick summary!

Casually, as a natural transition from chatter to discussion, ask: Would you rather have a time machine to jump to a different time or a teleporter to jump to a different place?
Picking up on themes of their responses, find a way to ask something along the lines of what have been the most difficult changes for you over the last 9 months?
Read Jeremiah 29:4-14 and ask what people know about the Babylonian Captivity and be prepared to help people understand at least the basic idea of what happened.
Tell them that the experience of "exile" and our longing to return to a familiar life or for a better life is a universal human experience. Ask, in what ways have we been experiencing the feelings of exile in our culture recently?
If possible, watch "Exile" from the Bible Project (see below). It's 5 minutes long. Discuss impressions of the video.
Return to Jeremiah and discuss observations of what God commands them to do while in exile in Babylon and how that relates to what he wants us to do now while we experience feelings of exile today.
Finally, discuss ways that God provides hope for a better future in this passage (vs 10-14) and what we are called to do.

Greener

1/17/2021

Name a character from any movie or tv show that you can most relate to. What about this character connects to you?
Images from other characters or items can help us understand better what someone may be thinking or experiencing. God uses this similar practice in talking about two different paths we can take and what their outcome when tough times come our way. Read Jeremiah 17:5-8.
What stood out to you from this passage?
Who or what do people tend to turn to (outside of God) when things get tough or find themselves needing help? Why do we go to these things?
Why does God say that trusting in man is like a bush in the wasteland and does not prosper?
What does it mean to be “rooted” or to trust in the Lord? What does that look like?
What happens to us when we are not rooted in God? Why does this matter?
In which areas of your life do you find it easy to trust in God? Which areas are the hardest?
How does trusting God during seasons of trials or difficulty help us bear fruit? What is that “fruit”?
What do you need to focus on this week to help root yourself (or deepen your roots) in the Lord?

A New Year or a New You?

12/27/2020

What are your hopes or dreams for the new year? Why are these things on your list?
Read Isaiah 43:14-21
What caught your attention from this passage?
What do we learn about God from this text?
What had God done for the people of Israel (see v16-17)? Why do you think he reminded them of these things?
How does remembering what God has done in the past impact us in the present?
Why do you think in v18 that God told them to forget all those things?
How does dwelling on the past (whether good or bad) impact us? How does this impact our relationship with God?
What things are you dwelling on today from your past that might be getting in the way of God leading you toward something new?
Do you tend to embrace or resist new things? Why do people struggle so much with change?
What are God’s promises in v19-21?
What is one area where you feel like God might be calling you to follow him down a new path in your own life? What are the dreams and visions that God is putting on your heart for the future?
What new thing might God do in your life group this next year?

How Can a Baby 2000 Years Ago Change My Life?

12/20/2020

What are some important events that you recall that have changed our nation or world?
How did these events change you?
How has the choice to follow Jesus changed your life?
The voices in the video said that some elements of the Christmas story seem so remote and make no sense to them.
Luke 1.26-38 describes the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary who was probably 16 or 17. At that stage of life what were you expecting or hoping for?
How did Mary respond? What does it say about her? What do you think may have gone through her mind as she listened to the message?
What would happen to her and around her if she say “yes” to God?
In the message Pastor Ken said that everyone already been impacted by the birth of Christ, whether a person believes the story or not. Christian teaching and example have affected family life, education, expressions of compassion and lifting up the downtrodden. Do you agree with this assertion? Why or why not? Can you think of other ways the world has benefited from the coming of Jesus?
We heard about 4 people whose life changed because they heard about Jesus: an author, a lawyer in Romania, a prisoner, and a business man. Can you share examples of others whose lives have been changed by Christ?
These people met Christ in unexpected ways. How did you come to faith? How was God “tapping on your shoulder” in ways you did not anticipate?
How might your experience help someone else find Jesus?

Is the Christmas Story Just a Fairy Tale?

12/13/2020

Ken talked about “faith-based” Christmas and “holiday” Christmas. What happens if these get all mixed up?
Have you ever been questioned about the validity of the Christmas narratives in the Bible? What did people ask? How did you respond?
What was the other “Son of God” story circulating in the Roman Empire? Do you think people really believed it? Why or why not?
Read John 1.1-5, 9-14. This is John’s explanation of Jesus’ origins. How is it different from the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke? Who might John have been trying to reach by using this format?
The Greeks and Romans believed the term “Word” referred to the divine soul or rational mind behind all things. How do you think the average person heard this? What do you think it meant to them?
Look at these verses from the Old Testament about how the term “Word” was used. How is this different from the Greek / Roman concept mentioned above?
- Genesis 1.3, 11.
- Psalm 33.6
- Isaiah 38.4
- Jeremiah 1.11
- Isaiah 1.10
What do each of these phrases in John 1 indicate…
- “In the beginning was the Word”
- “the word was with God”
- “the word was God”
Read vs. 14 again. Why is this such an astounding claim? Why is it so offensive to some?
The Bible contains many accounts of miracles. Name some from both the Old and the New Testaments. Why do people doubt these things happened?
How does the history of the church contradict the claim that the gospel is a fairy tale?
If you believe the whole gospel – from the birth of Jesus to his resurrection – what difference has it made in your life? How does it show up in the way you live and how you treat others?

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