Romans: The Power of the Gospel In 2024 we are going to read someone else’s mail. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Rome and gave one of the best and most thorough explanations of the Gospel of Jesus and details about how to live that out. He was writing to people who were followers of Jesus in Rome, perhaps the toughest place to be a Christian at the most difficult time to be a Christian. Perhaps Paul’s letter to them can give us insights into how to live out what you believe when the world is indifferent or even hostile to your beliefs. Let’s dive into God’s Word together as we read and reflect on Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Week 35: “The Part We All Play” As Paul concludes his letter to the Roman Church, he ends it in Chapter 16 with a long list of names. It feels like the ending credits of a movie where he thanks, commends, and recognizes people that played a valuable part in God’s mission and Paul’s missionary efforts. Sometimes when we are watching a movie we skip the closing credits, but if we look at this last chapter and this long list of names, we see a valuable truth: We all have a part to play in what God is doing in the world.
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DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- What are your top 3 favorite movies?
- How do you usually respond when the closing credits start rolling on a movie you are watching?
- READ: Romans 16.
Spend some time SOAPing this passage. You can either spend time SOAPing individually and documenting for a several minutes and then spend time sharing with each -OR- SOAP in real time with each other. Either way make as many observations as you can.
- What are the things that stand out to you about this closing chapter of Romans?
- Doug said that “Relationships will make us or break us, but make no mistake, they will shape us.” How have you experienced that to be true in your life? Both positively and negatively?
- Doug said that we all have a part to play in God’s mission and the story He is writing in life. Read the following verses and discuss each one and what it tells us about the part we play:
Romans 12:3-8
1 Peter 4:10
Ephesians 4:16
Matthew 5:14-16
- Following Jesus is a TEAM SPORT. We all need people in our lives to help each other know and follow Jesus. Who are some of your people? Who would you mention if you were Paul closing out this letter? Who was helped you know and follow Jesus? Who are they and how have they helped you and played a part of your story?
- How could you be intentional about thanking those people this week? *Challenge your group to say it, text it, or write a note thanking some of these people.
- How could we as a small group help each other know and follow Jesus?
- What else stood out from this week’s sermon/passage?
- What is your big takeaway from this week’s sermon/passage?
NEXT STEPS:
Everyone has a next step to apply what we have learned. What is your next step? Be specific.
MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory:
Ephesians 4:16 “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
PRAYER:
Spend some time praying for each other.
Scripture References:
Romans 16:1-27; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Peter 4:10; Matthew 5:14-16