Source: http://www.fbcelma.org/sermons/category/sermons-by-month
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 11:41:43+00:00

Document:
Big Idea: We must confess Christ as Savior from the heart. Matthew 7:21-23.
What’s something you do to relax?
If you had to give an abbreviated version of Sunday’s message what would you make sure to focus on?
What’s a way you’ve noticed people underestimate God?
How can being still before the Lord help us to overcome struggles? Any personal examples?
How can shame keep us from experiencing God’s best in our lives?
How does the reality of the Trinity affect your faith?
Who’s someone in your life who needs to hear the good news? Pray for one another, and that person.
Big Idea: In our groaning we can have hope.
What’s something for which you often pray?
Why do you think Paul included Romans 8:18-27 where he did in his letter?
What difference can it make to know that your struggles (or groanings) have ultimate meaning?
What’s something we can do to help remember God’s promises?
What’s the connection between intercession and evangelism?
What’s something you could use prayer for? Intercede for one another.
Big Idea: You’re loved in Christ.
What’s something that makes you nervous?
Why do people struggle with predestination?
How can our response to God’s sovereignty affect our relationships with others?
How does Romans 8:31-32 relate to 1 John 4:18?
What’s something God has helped (or is helping) you to conquer?
Why do you think Paul shared Romans 8:38-39 with the Roman Christians?
What’s a way you’d like to grow in faith? Pray for one another.
V. Respond A. Relax in God’s hand.
B. Be bold because God justifies.
What’s something you don’t like making decisions about?
What’s something from Sunday’s message you found meaningful, challenging, or confusing?
How can people misunderstand or misapply the reality of God’s sovereign grace?
Why do Christians sometimes react negatively toward people who engage in behavior they used to engage in?
How can looking forward to God’s future grace change the way we live now?
What’s a way a focusing on God’s sovereignty can change the way we share our faith?
What’s something you need to trust God for this week? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We either stumble over Christ, or He becomes the Rock on which we stand.
B. If we run our own race, we’ll miss the prize. Matthew 21:42; Acts 9:31-32.
What’s something you like to do to relax?
What’s something about Christianity you’ve struggled with?
How has God, perhaps with the help of others, helped you with your struggle(s)?
How has Jesus been your Rock lately?
What’s a way you’d like to pursue righteousness by faith? Pray for one another.
What was a high point of your holiday season?
Why do you think Paul included Romans 6:15-23 at this point in Romans?
How do people misunderstand or misapply God’s grace?
What’s a specific example of how God’s grace has enabled you to obey?
How is pursuing holiness tied to eternal life?
What’s an area in your life you need to apply the gospel to? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: Joining our lives to Christ means we live when we die.
What’s a way people in our culture are unknowingly religious?
Is it possible to have a fruitless saving faith? Why or why not?
How does trusting God lead to bearing fruit? Any examples?
What’s a way churches settle for legalism rather than the fullness of the gospel?
What’s a specific way you can grow in your marriage with Christ? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We’re either waging a war we can’t win, or living out a victory already achieved.
If you had the last week to do over, what would you do differently?
What was something from Sunday’s message you found meaningful, challenging, or confusing?
In what ways do people underestimate the power of sin?
Why might some people find Paul’s honesty about his struggles alarming?
How are humility and giving thanks related?
How can having hope in God’s salvation, despite our struggles, help us to witness?
What’s a struggle you could use prayer for? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We are either controlled by our flesh or lead by the Father who loves us.
What was a low point of your last week? What was a high point?
What’s something from God’s Word you’ve been learning, or relearning, lately?
Why does reading the Bible as good advice miss the mark of why God gave it to us?
What’s something that helps you focus on God’s faithfulness?
How do you know if you’re being governed by God’s Spirit instead of controlled by sin?
How has knowing God as a good Father helped you overcome your fears?
How has your commitment to Christ and others set you free?
Why do we miss seeing God’s glory?
Why do people think God is against them?
What keeps people from receiving God’s salvation/grace?
What’s the significance of Jesus being lain in a manger?
How can we know God is for us not against us?
How can we see Jesus this Christmas?
Big Idea: Justification empowers personal faith that overcomes.
What’s one of your most treasured memories?
What’s a way Christians sometimes misunderstand God’s promises?
What’s a specific way you’ve experienced Jesus keeping His promises to you?
How does our sin affect the way we experience God’s blessings?
How can our unity because of Christ’s justification bring glory to Him in our world?
What’s something you need God’s help to persevere in right now? Pray for one another.
If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would you change?
What was something from Sunday’s message you found important, meaningful, or confusing?
Ever try to muster up peace? How does that go?
How can prayer help us face adversity? Any personal examples?
What’s a specific way your hope in Christ has changed your character?
Why is being broken a good thing?
What’s a way we can boast in God to people who don’t yet know Him?
What belief, attitude, or action do you need to change based on Romans 5:1-11? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We are either in Adam or in Christ.
What’s something you’re looking forward to during the holidays?
In what ways does original sin help us understand life as we know it?
Why do you think Paul brings up original sin at this point in Romans?
How can the reality that we reign with Christ, if we’ve trusted in Him, help us overcome our sin struggles?
How can trusting in the power of God’s Word help us to be better witnesses for Him?
What’s something going on in your life that you can’t fix without God’s help? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We can overcome what kills us by dying in Christ.
If you’ve been baptized, how has it affected your ongoing life of faith? What do you carry with you from that day?
Why is it important to dwell on our unity with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension?
How is the truth that we can follow Christ good news?
How does dwelling on our past sin affect the way we follow Jesus today?
What’s something you’d like to be held accountable for? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: Christian is as Christian does.
A. The Law is good, but legalism is bad.
What’s something from Sunday’s message you found interesting, important, or confusing?
What’s something you’ve been legalistic about in the past? Why did you change your view?
What’s a way Christians compromise their faith?
What Christian practices or traditions have helped you grow in your faith?
How do you check or test your motives?
How have you shared in your Master’s happiness lately?
What’s something over which you’d like God to change your heart? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: Because God is true, we can truly live.
How old were you the first time someone shared the gospel with you?
When was the last time the Bible convicted you or caused you to change your thinking, attitude or actions? What happened?
How can the gospel help us to be more honest with Him and others? Any examples?
How can our honesty with God and each other bring glory to Him in the world?
How has God been challenging you to face the truth or take up your cross lately? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: Being made right with God leads to being right with each other.
What’s something you’re sometimes (or often) tempted to boast about?
If you were to give an abbreviated version of Sunday’s message on Romans 3:9-31 what would you make sure to focus on?
Why do people view fearing God as a negative thing?
How do you know if you’re living in fear of God, or not?
What comes to mind when you hear the word “justification”?
How can conviction over sin lead to disunity?
How does living for God’s glory (in light of His justification) lead to lasting satisfaction and joy? Any examples?
What’s a way God is challenging you to live by?
Big Idea: God’s gift of justification opens the doors of heaven.
Why do you think Paul spent so much time writing about justification in Romans?
Why is it important for Christians to think Biblically and carefully about doctrine?
How has the doctrine of justification shaped your life? Can you relate to Martin Luther, at all?
Is it possible to overemphasize justification? If so, how? If not, why not?
What’s something that helps you rest in God’s salvation?
If you were to share about justification with someone who is not a believer, how would you explain it to him or her? Where would you even start?
How can you respond in a specific way to Romans 4:1-12? Pray for one another.
V. 19 Who is James addressing in this passage?
V. 20 Why can’t our anger produce righteousness?
V. 21 What sort of salvation is James describing in this verse?
Vv. 22-24 How are knowledge, identity and actions tied together?
V. 25 What does it take to experience freedom and blessings?
V. 26 Why does James mention the tongue as a means of measuring religion?
V. 27 What happens if we don’t look after people in distress, or keep ourselves from being polluted by the word?
What’s something you forget to do in response to hearing God’s Word?
How has God spoken to you through this passage today?
What changes in belief, attitude, or actions do you need to make (with the help of God and others) based on what we’ve found in this passage?
Pray for an opportunity to share the truths of this passage with someone?
Big Idea: We can live for God’s glory together by experiencing His grace.
What’s one of the most memorable gifts you’ve ever received?
What was something from Sunday’s message that was meaningful to you, or that you struggled with?
Why is it hard for people to view themselves as slaves to Christ? Or to view Christ as Master?
Many churches communicate that they’re “gospel-centered,” or “Christ-centered” (as we do at First Baptist Elma). What in the world does that even mean?
Read Matthew 10:37-39. How can such teaching by Jesus be considered Good News?
How can belonging to Christ, as members of a church, shape our lives?
What’s a way you’d like to be more faithful in Christ?
What’s something going on in your life that you’d like to see Christ glorified in? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: We can live unashamed lives.
If you didn’t have to sleep what would you do with your extra time?
Why do you think Paul included the content in Romans 1:8-17 at this point in his letter?
How are prayer and faith related?
What are ways God’s love for you in Christ has helped you move out of isolation?
How can the gospel make us more gracious?
Why was Paul so driven to proclaim the gospel? Can you relate? If so, how? If not, why not?
What’s a specific way we can be gracious as a church that will bring God glory?
What’s an area in our life right now that you need to the gospel to touch? Pray for one another.
Why do you think it was necessary for Paul to include Romans 1:18-32 in his letter, especially in the place it appears?
What’s a way we can be tempted to suppress the truth?
How are “God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20) clearly seen?
Why do people tend to look at others’ sins with a microscope and our own with a telescope?
Read 1 John 1:5-7. What’s something you’ve been struggling with lately that you need to bring into the light? Pray for one another.
Big Idea: God’s judgement is a good thing.
If you were to plan your own funeral, what would you include?
What’s something that struck you as important or stuck with from Sunday’s message?
Do you think Christians are more critical or judgmental than the rest of the population? Why or why not?
How has reading the Bible made you humbler?
Why is it good news that God is a just Judge who is aware of everything?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-10. How will Christ’s justification change the way we’re judged for the things we’ve done, good or bad?
What’s a specific way we can proclaim the riches of Christ?
What’s a way you can apply Romans 2:1-16? Pray for one another?

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