03.25.07
Small Group Plan - March 25, 2007
“The Turning Point”
Small Group Plan
March 25, 2007
Dear Group Leader…
Rob Bell tells the story of being forced to accept a paid debt:
I was having breakfast with my dad and my younger son at the Real Food Café on Eastern Avenue, just south of Alger in Grand Rapids. As we were finishing our meal, I noticed that the waitress brought our check, then took it away, and then brought it back again. She placed it on the table, smiled, and said: “Somebody in the restaurant paid for your meal. You’re all set.” And then she walked away.
I had the strangest feeling sitting there. The feeling was helplessness. There was nothing I could do. It had been taken care of. To insist on paying would have been pointless. All I could do was trust that what she said was actually true and then live in that—which meant getting up and leaving the restaurant. My acceptance of what she said gave me a choice: to live like it was true or to create my own reality in which the bill was not paid.
– Repainting the Velvet Elvis (151-152)
This is the challenge of Romans 3-4. Will we trust that grace pays the bill, or will we live in fear wondering if Jesus really got the job done?
OPEN IT / INTRODUCE IT …
· Why do many, though they are Christians, still feel unacceptable to God?
· Is there a difference between being “unworthy” and being “unacceptable”?
· What are some examples of using human achievement to try to earn God’s favor and forgiveness?
LOOK AT IT / STUDY IT …
The Theology …
Romans 3:21-31
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
· “Justified” (Vs. 24) is taken from the law court. The judge declares that the person on trial has no official charges standing against them. Why is this an amazing word for Paul to use?
· “Redemption” (Vs. 24) is taken from the slave market. It means the person has been bought out of slavery. What kinds of slavery does Paul have in mind here? From what types of slavery have you been freed?
· “Atonement” (Vs. 25) is taken from the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. Animal sacrifices turned away God’s wrath from a sinner. How does Jesus’ sacrifice turn away God’s wrath from us?
· How should we feel about and respond to the role of Jesus in bringing about our “justification” our “redemption” and our “atonement”?
· How do God’s grace and justice meet in the Cross of Jesus?
The Story …
Romans 4:1-25
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” 9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
· Look through these verses and pick out the words and phrases that seem important to you? Why are they?
· Describe the kind of person that God “justifies” (Vs. 5) and “blesses” (Vs. 7-8).
· On what basis was Abraham given righteousness (Vs. 3, 9, 11, 22)?
· Vs. 10 asks when Abraham was considered righteous by God – before or after his circumcision. What does Paul’s answer mean (Vs. 9-12)?
USE IT / APPLY IT …
· How would you feel or live differently if you more fully understood just what Jesus has done for you?
· Verse 22 literally says that the righteousness of God comes “through the faith of Jesus.” It is His work, not ours that brings us salvation.
· Do you find it difficult to believe God’s promise to consider you righteous because of the work of Jesus? Explain.
Close by thanking God for the sacrifice of Jesus.