CONTENTS 1 POWER TO CHANGE A LIFE 5 BUT WITHOUT THAT POWER... 9 POWER REALISED 12 POWER OVER DEATH FOR LIFE 15 POWER TO CALL GOD FATHER 18 POWER OF HOPE 21 POWER TO TRANSFORM ISRAEL 24 POWER PLAY I: rworld LIVING 27 POWER PLAY 2: TAX AND DEBT 30 POWER PLAY 3: WEAK, STRONG AND WRONG
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes... Romans 1:16 POWER TO CHANGE A LIFE ROMANS 1:1-17 DISCUSSION STARTERS What are the first five words you think of when you hear the word power? What are some images that come to mind when you hear the word power? What do you think of when you hear the title, Power to Change a Life? READ ROMANS 1:1-7 1. Make a list of the details we learn about Jesus from these verses. Why does Paul set forth all these details? 2. What does Paul say about himself in these verses, and how does that affect the authority with which we view the rest of the book of Romans? 1
3. What do you think it means that Jesus was appointed to the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead through the Spirit of holiness? (cf. Psalm 2 for background to the phrase Son of God in context ) It is crucial to recall that s the one who is exalted as son of God in power was already the Son. The appointment of Jesus being described here is his appointment as the messianic king... while Jesus was on this earth, he was the Messiah and the son of God, but his death and resurrection inaugurated a stage in his mess I am in existence that was not formally cheers. Now he reigns in heaven as Lord and Christ. T.Schreiner, Romans (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 42-43. 4. What do you think this means if the Spirit who installed Jesus in power as Lord is the same Spirit who lives within us? (see Romans 8 for some consequences!) In Christ the new era of redemptive history has begun, and this new stage of God s plan Jesus reigns as Son of God, powerfully active to bring salvation to all who believe (cf. 1:16). D.Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 50. 5. What are we Gentile believers called to in response to the gospel? 2
READ ROMANS 1:8-17 6. What is the harvest that Paul wants to have amongst the Roman Church (v.13), and how does it relate to what he has said in verses 1 to 6? 7. What is the power of God that Paul talks about in v.16? What does it do? Who is it available to, and how is it accessed? How does this relate to Paul s prayers for the Roman Church and his plans to come to them (vv.8-15)? 8. What is the righteousness of God Paul talks about in verse 17? Have a go at paraphrasing verse 17 to make the meaning clear to you and your group. For Paul, as in the OT, righteousness of God is a relational concept. Bringing together the aspects of activity and status, we can define it as the act by which God brings people into right relationship with himself. With Luther, we stress that what is meant is a status before God and not internal moral transformation God s activity of making right is a purely forensic activity, an acquitting, and not an infusing of righteousness or a making right in a moral sense. Moo, Romans, 74-75. 3
RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? How does the power of God expressed in this first chapter of Romans compared with the idea is your group shared the beginning of this study? What is it that causes us to be ashamed of the gospel? How does this exploration of the power of God impacts the way we view the Gospel message, and the humble activity of sharing the gospel message with others? As you think about the week ahead, where could you possibly see this power of God at work? 4
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness Romans 1:18 BUT WITHOUT THAT POWER... ROMANS 1:18-3:20 DISCUSSION STARTERS What would you say is a good life? How can you tell? What do you think the world around us thinks of when they hear the word sin? Why do you think they think that? READ ROMANS 1:18-32 1. What is the fundamental root of godlessness and wickedness (18-23,25)? 2. The phrase God gave them over is repeated three times what does God give people over to? How do you think this relates to the statement: the wrath of God is being revealed (18)? 5
3. The list of behaviours is not a comprehensive list of all the things God doesn t like, but are rather examples of the sorts of things that happen in lives not aligned with their Creator. They are not ranked, and everyone of us finds ourselves on the list. What does this do to the human quest to prove themselves righteous by being true to themselves? READ ROMANS 2:1-16 4. How does God condemned the self-righteous older brothers of this world in verses 1 to 4? What does this do to our love of standing on moral high ground in order to feel good about ourselves? 5. What is the big point that Paul is trying to make in verses 5 to 16? Do you think he is really trying to say that people who don t know God but do good works will have eternal life? (see 3:9 and 3:20 and 3:23) READ ROMANS 2:17-29 6. Who is Paul addressing in these verses, and what is the objection he is anticipating with these statements? 6
READ ROMANS 3:1-20 7. How does Paul answer the objection, If Jews are just as bad as Gentiles, they what good is it being a Jew? in verses 1-8? 8. How does Paul recap and underline everything he has said in 1:18-2:28 in 3:9-20? RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? Can there be a good life without God? What is the danger for us in thinking that there can be? 7
How do these verses inform our understanding of the need for and the shape of the power of God that Paul mentions in 1:16-17? How do these verses inform the question, Can I be saved without hearing the gospel? 8
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith... Romans 3:25 POWER REALISED ROMANS 3:21-5:11 DISCUSSION STARTERS What do you think lies behind the human temptation to boast about what we have done or why we have? How do you think this carries over into the way we think about our relationship with God? READ ROMANS 3:21-36 1. But now... - what is the new thing that God has done, to which Paul is testifying? 2. Track the uses of all in these verses - what is being said about all? 9
3. How does the coming of Jesus deal with the problem of humanity that has been outlined up to this point? How does this relate to the gospel being the power of God for salvation (1:16-17)? READ ROMANS 3:27-4:25 4. What is the objection to the gospel that is being answered in verses 27-31? How does this relate to what has gone before in 1:18-3:20? 5. Chapter 4 is one long argument backing up what is said in 3:27-31 - how would you summarise what is being said here? Why is it important in understanding how the gospel is the power of God for all who believe? 10
READ ROMANS 5:1-11 6. How do verses 1-4 answer the question that was raised in 3:27-28? How do these verses fundamentally change a Christian s outlook on life from what the culture around us preaches? 7. How do verses 6-11 summarise 1:16-3:26, and amplify the theme of God s power displayed in the Gospel? RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? What should be our attitude towards boasting? How do you think this plays out in the way we communicate - in our conversations, on social media, in Christmas cards and letters? Spend some time in your group giving thanks for the all the things that Jesus has done for us, listed out for us in these passages. 11
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 POWER OVER DEATH FOR LIFE ROMANS 5:12-7:25 DISCUSSION STARTERS How do you view sin in the Christian life? Why do you think Christians really struggle with sin? READ ROMANS 5:12-21 1. These verses are the contrast between the 2 different heads of humanity - Adam and Jesus. Make a list or a chart comparing what is said about the 2. 2. How does the fact that all sinned in and through Adam support what Paul has said back in chapters 1:18-3:20? What does this reality do to the idea that people are born innocent until they are corrupted by the world? 12
READ ROMANS 6:1-14 3. In chapter 6, Paul deals with 2 questions that arise from his presentation of the Gospel. The first question is: if God s grace is shown by how much sin he forgives us, then why shouldn t we just sin more so that he can show us more grace and therefore look even better? What s the reply to this question? READ ROMANS 6:15-23 4. The second question is: If we are no longer under the law, but are under grace, then why don t we just do whatever we like? How is this question answered? 5. How do Paul s answers to these 2 questions affect the way you view sin in your own life? READ ROMANS 7:1-25 6. Why is it that the Christian free from the power of the law? 13
7. How do verses 5 and 6 preempt the discussion in 7:7-8-17? 8. How does Paul s discussion here show the utter perversity of sin, and therefore the magnificence of what Christ has done on the cross? Note:...the I (in chapter 7) denote s Israel s historical encounter with the law and her ongoing experience of life under the law. Colin Kruse, Romans Additional Note: The Identity of the I in 7:7-25 RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? How can we actively pursue serving Christ as our master, rather than going back to our old master, sin? What does this look like day to day for you and others in our group? How can we help each other in this? 14
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8:1 POWER TO CALL GOD FATHER ROMANS 8:1-17 DISCUSSION STARTERS What are the possible differences in the relationship between and employee and their employer, and a child and their father? READ ROMANS 8:1-11 1. There is therefore now no condemnation... - on what basis were we going to be condemned, and what has happened to prevent that condemnation? 2. How do verses 1-8 sum up all of the argument in chapters 6 and 7? 15
3. How does having the Spirit of Christ change our behaviours? How does having him mean that we live in 2 different ages at the same time? How does this help us understand our desire to live lives pleasing God but our consistent failure to do so (a al Romans 7)? 4. How does the Spirit of Jesus connect us to the resurrection power of Jesus? What difference does this make to the way we view the world? READ ROMANS 8:12-17 5. What is the crucial status change that is wrought upon us when through faith we are given the Spirit of God? What difference does this make to the decisions we make in life? 6. How does knowing that we are heirs of eternal life through the Spirit of Jesus dwelling in us change the way we view obedience to God and his standards and demands for our lives? 16
7. What do you think it means to share in Christ s sufferings, and what do you think it looks like for Christians living in this part of the world at this time in history? RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? What does putting the death the misdeeds of the body look like in practice? What is the motivation for doing this? What difference does it make to not live in fear? What do you think stops us from doing this? How can we overcome this, both on our own and as a community? 17
Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 POWER OF HOPE ROMANS 8:18-39 DISCUSSION STARTERS What are some things you have seen or heard What are the first 5 words that come to mind when you hear the word hope? What images come to mind when you hear of hope? READ ROMANS 8:18-30 1. How do these verses help us to understand the magnitude of sin and its consequences for the world that we live in? 2. What do we learn about hope hear? How does this gel with what is said in Rom 5:1-5? 18
3. What is the wonderful promise given about prayer? 4. What is the promise given about our experience of suffering? How does this differ from other world view s explanations of suffering? 5. What is the point Paul is making when he brings up the reality of predestination? READ ROMANS 8:31-39 6. What sort of things can make you feel like God has given up on you? What does Paul say here that guarantees he never will? 7. Who can condemn you? Who can judge you? Why not? 19
RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? What does hope look like for Christians day to day? Share an example of when hope has sustained you through some tough times. Meditate on and give thanks for the wonderful promise 20
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Romans 9:14-15 POWER TO TRANSFORM ISRAEL ROMANS 9:1-11:36 DISCUSSION STARTERS What difference does it make that you are a Gentile Christian, and not a physical descendant of Abraham? READ ROMANS 9:1-33 1. What is the dilemma that Paul is addressing in this chapter (and the following 2 chapters as well)? 2. What is Paul s answer to the charge that God is unfair in electing some people to be the chosen people of God and others not? What examples from the Scriptures does he use? 21
3. What is the difference between the Gentile Christians that Paul has been writing to and preaching to, and the historical people of Israel? How do these insights hark back to Rom 2 and 3? READ ROMANS 10:1-21 4. How does Paul underline how people can access God s power for salvation (Rom 1:16-17) in these verses? 5. What is the difference between Jew and Gentile in Paul s understanding of how he has dealt with his people up until his day? READ ROMANS 11:1-36 6. How does Paul answer the objection that God had rejected his people by opening salvation to the Gentiles through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? 22
7....all Israel will be saved (v.26) - given all of Paul s arguments about how people are saved and who can be included in God s people, what could this expression mean? On this, see Colin Kruse, Paul s Letter to the Romans Pillar (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2013) Additional Note: All Israel Will Be Saved - he thinks all Israel refers to those who were elected from Israel from the beginning, whose numbers are filled in the course of salvation history (rather than the view that at the end, a large number of Jews will suddenly be converted, just before judgment day. RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? How do these verses apply to the question of how people in all parts of the world can access the power of salvation? 23
If it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:8 POWER PLAY 1: rworld LIVING ROMANS 12:1-21 DISCUSSION STARTERS Where is the line for you beyond which you would choose not to conform to the pattern of this world? READ ROMANS 12:1-2 1. Therefore, in view of God s mercy... - to what is Paul referring here? 2. How does verse 1 define worship? What do you think this looks like? How does this differ from many of the current uses of the word worship? 3. How do we go about being transformed by the renewing of our mind? Why do we find it so hard not to conform to the pattern of this world? 24
READ ROMANS 12:3-8 4. What is the link here to Paul s discussion of boasting in chapters 3-5? 5. Each member belongs to the others... - how does this challenge our culture s radical individualism? How does this change our view of church and the priority of gathering? 6. Compare this list of gifts with 1 Cor 12:4-11 - what do you notice? What sort of other gifts have you seen in the body that aren t listed here? READ ROMANS 12:9-21 7. What is the difference between sincere love and insincere love in action? 25
8. What makes it hard for us to: - honour others as better than ourselves? - practice hospitality? - live in harmony with one another? - love our enemies? - overcome evil with good? 9. How can we, with God s help, be better at being people who worship God with their whole lives? RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? Given that you belong to others, how are you serving them? What could you do as an individual and/or as a group to build up the body? 26
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14 POWER PLAY 2: TAX AND DEBT ROMANS 13 DISCUSSION STARTERS Does it matter whether the leader of our country is a Christian? Why, or why not? READ ROMANS 13:1-7 1. What do these verses say about the government we live with? (How does this differ from the OT view of the kingdom of God?) 2. How do these verses relate to 12:1-2? Are you worshiping God with your taxes? 27
READ ROMANS 13:8-14 3. What is the radical statement about love being made here? How does this change your understanding of the command to love your neighbour? 4. What do you think is meant by verses 11-12? How does this put our days into a bigger perspective? 5. How do the commands not to gratify the desires of the flesh here relate to the power of salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus, and all that has come before chapter 13? 6. Why do you think sexual immorality appears so often as examples of the life lived apart from the power of salvation in Jesus? 28
RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? Are there circumstances in which you would refuse to submit to the authorities? What would they be, and what would it look like? Spend some time reflecting on how you are fulfilling your debt to love others - how have you been challenged? What could this look like going forward? 29
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 POWER PLAY 3: WEAK, STRONG AND WRONG ROMANS 14:1-15:13 DISCUSSION STARTERS Should Christians drink alcohol? Why, or why not? READ ROMANS 14:1-23 1. What is the issue at stake here in this discussion in the Roman church? 2. What is the word here to those Christians who think they are superior to others in what they know and how their knowledge leads to their behaviour? 3. How does the reality that we will all give an account of ourselves before God change the way we view pride in ourselves, and the faith of others? 30
4. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. How is it that doing something that we are free to do could cause another Christian to stumble to the point that they are destroyed? What is the principle here that can be transferred to modern day situations? READ ROMANS 15:1-13 5. How are these verses an extension of the concepts, You belong to each other, and You have an obligation of love to each other? 6. How does the power of God, discussed in the first 11 chapters of Romans, make a difference to our behaviours towards each other? 7. What does Paul say about the Old Testament and believers in Christ in verse 4? How does this change the way you view the Old Testament, whether in church, small group or your own personal devotions? 31
8. How is our treatment of each other as believers in Christ fulfill the Old Testament promises about God s great plans for his people? RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Is that something from Sunday s sermon that struck you or caused you to think? What are the issues that Christians face today that may cause division among the strong in faith and the weak in faith? What stops us from treating the weaker with patience, perseverance and compassion? How does tapping into the power of God help us to overcome that? Give some specific examples of the difference this will make in your own life. 32
The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33 spch.org.au