Sovereign Mercy

  1. YOU: What is the most challenging (or difficult to accept) aspect of God’s sovereignty in salvation for you?

  2. BIBLE: Look again to Deut.29:4 and 30:6. What does it take for a man to turn back to God? And what does Jesus equate with “spirit and life” in John 6:63?

  3. SERMON: What was the most helpful thing to you in the sermon on the text?

  4. APPLY: Put on your thinking cap, and reason. What is the option apart from God’s eternal salvation? Also, consider deeply, how is your heart responding to the Words of Jesus? Are you clinging to Him for life and salvation? The Word of God makes it clear that we must. Please reexamine your personal walk and devotion to God. 

Grieving Over the Lost

  1. When was the last time you were even upset over the prospect of someone you love going to hell?

  2. Are you letting the doctrine of God’s sovereignty diminish your zeal for prayer for the lost and evangelism to the lost?

  3. How should the doctrine of God’s sovereignty encourage you to pray and witness?

  4. How can you regularly incorporate praying for the lost into your normal times of personal worship?

  5. What non-Christian(s) has God placed in your life that you can build a relationship with and share Christ with? 

Our Judge and Defender

  1. How much does the reality of Jesus being literally, physically present in heaven affect the way we think about our sins and struggles?

  2. How does Jesus’ intercession at God’s right hand on your behalf strengthen you to continue fighting sin?

  3. What are the present societal issues that are driving us to rest in Jesus as our defender?

  4. What should be our hope when it feels that many things are separating us from the love of Christ?

  5. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

God’s Great Grace Leads to Sacrificial Giving for Kingdom Projects

  1. We saw how sacrificial generosity among the Christian community in Acts 4 gave powerful testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. Have you ever been generously given to by another Christian to help you with a need or assist you in a mission/mercy project? How did that impact you? What about others?

  2. We saw that the sacrificial generosity of the early church was empowered by God’s grace. What specific areas of unbelief do you need the grace of God to challenge so that you can grow in sacrificial generosity?

  3. We saw the early church laying their gifts at the feet of their spiritual leaders, the apostles, to use as the apostles saw best. What about our cultural climate makes this a foreign concept in many ways? What specific step can you begin to take next month to prepare for, save up for, and sacrifice so that you can contribute generously to HCC’s upcoming resource campaign to raise funds for a building as a ministry centre?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Towards a Generous Stewarding of our Time and Talent

  1. In the first point of the sermon, we looked at the gospel context of our stewardship of our time and talents. Why is it is so important for us to keep this in mind as we approach serving (i.e. what will go wrong and how does this help things go right)?

  2. What takes up most of your “free time?” In what ways does the idea of stewarding our time in order to use our talents need to modify how you are using your “free time”?

  3. As you think about using your gifts to serve, which is your greater temptation: to work hard but in your own strength or to be timid about serving because you are not trusting in Christ’s strength on your behalf? How does this text encourage/challenge you in regards to this?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Generous Priorities

  1. Read again [Matt.6:33]. How does prioritizing impact not only the most important thing (God and His Kingdom), but everything else?

  2. How should our giving priority manifest in our personal budgeting and the life of church?

  3. What can we expect from seeking God and His Kingdom first? Can we out-give God? How does God award our giving?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Generous Life

  1. How has God displayed His generosity according to the sermon? What about in your personal life?

  2. How should gratitude manifest in real life? What are some things you are doing well in this respect? How can you grow in your generous expression of gratitude?

  3. What does a life of generous gratitude produce? How can it improve our walk with God?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Rest in the Goodness of Our Sovereign God

  1. Verses 8:26-27 talks about our weakness. In what ways do you struggle when you are going through trial and difficulty? Does it encourage you to know that the Spirit is praying on your behalf in these times? How so?

  2. Romans 8:28 is often misunderstood. In what ways do you see it misused? In the context (see 8:29) what is the “good” to which God is working all things in the Christian’s life? Can you give one example of how you have seen God grow you in Christian maturity through a particular trial or hardship?

  3. Romans 8:29-30 teaches that God is sovereign in saving some and not others. Is this a new teaching for you? Do you struggle to understand or embrace it? If you do embrace it (or if you did), in what ways would it provide comfort and assurance for you?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Expecting Eternity

  1. What things in this life are you most looking forward to? What things do Romans 8:18-25 encourage us to look forward to?

  2. Romans 8:18-25 talks about the redemption of creation. Does this change the way you think about this present creation, or yourself?

  3. Do you sometimes doubt that Jesus will return? Which things can give you confidence you have a certain hope?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Spiritual Life of the Heirs

  1. Have you ever owed anything to anybody? Have they been “good debts” or “bad debts”? Discuss.

  2. How is “debt of gratitude” in Christ different from every other debt?

  3. How does your “Sonship” status help you through struggles and suffering??

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

What Difference Does Life in the Spirit Make?

  1. In this passage, Paul highlights the ministry of the Spirit. Do you think you focus on the ministry of the Holy Spirit enough? If not, why?

  2. In this passage, what new did you learn about the difference the Holy Spirit makes in your life or what was the most important reminder about his ministry?

  3. What do you think it practically looks like to depend on the Holy Spirit to lead us in fighting and overcoming sin?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Living Against Remaining Sin

  1. If sin is our terminal spiritual ailment, what can we hope out of this life? What is the significance? What is the point?

  2. Do you wrestle and struggle to gain victory over against sin? What is the meaning of “dynamic duality”? Share about some success stories.

  3. What of the life in Christ do you actively pursue? How does this pursuit contribute to your sense of purpose and God’s glory?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Serve in the New Way

  1. Is the law sin (7)? If not, why does the law still lead us to sin (5, 8)? What are some of sins that you are struggling with?

  2. Why do we need to be released from the law (5-11)? How do we get released from the law (4)? Have you been released from it?

  3. Does the Moral Law still apply to Christians (6)? How does ‘Spirit-led obedience’ look like? How are you doing with following Jesus?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Free Indeed

  1. What are some things in your life that Christ has freed you from?

  2. How is being a slave to righteousness different to being a slave to sin?

  3. Why should sanctification be a hopeful process and not a fearful one?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

Does Grace Lead to Sin?

  1. In what ways do you find yourself and others using grace as an excuse to sin?

  2. How is Paul’s answer that our union with Christ leads us to a righteous life different and deeper than other answers as to why grace does not lead us to sin?

  3. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text? 

The Last Adam

  1. Is there a mistake(s) you want to “do over” if you could? Would you care to share?

  2. What does new life in Jesus mean for all your sins, mistakes, short-comings and failures?

  3. How can God’s grace apply in this life to shape the way you live?

  4. What is the most helpful thing to you in this text or the sermon on the text?