Going Deeper

Taking what we talk about on Sunday mornings and "Going Deeper" into our understanding and life application, as we learn to THINK, LOVE, and LIVE like Jesus.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY 

ROMANS 8:12-17  :: CHRIS MEADE :: AUGUST 16

Romans 8:12–17 reminds us that life in Christ is not merely about believing differently—it is about belonging to a new family and living from a new identity. Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we are no longer obligated to follow the desires of the flesh, but are empowered to pursue the Spirit and experience the life He produces. We do not obey in order to become God’s children; we obey because, through Christ, we have already been adopted into His family. As sons and daughters of God, we can approach Him intimately as “Abba, Father,” live with the confidence that we belong to Him, and look forward to an eternal inheritance with Christ. And while that inheritance includes glory, it also means faithfully following Jesus through suffering, trusting that what awaits us far outweighs anything we face in this life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ha” moments? 

2. READ ROMANS 8:12-13. 

  • Paul teaches that we don’t put the flesh to death in order to earn the Spirit; rather, because the Spirit already lives in us, He empowers us to put the flesh to death. How does understanding this difference change the way you approach obedience, temptation, and spiritual growth? 

  • The sermon emphasizes that learning to recognize the Spirit’s leading requires prayer, experience, wisdom, and being saturated in God’s Word. When you face an important decision, what voices tend to influence you most? What could you do to make God’s Word and the Spirit’s guidance your first reference point?

3.  READ ROMANS 8:14-16

  • Through Christ, we are able to call God “Abba, Father,” experiencing intimacy, closeness, connection, and belonging with Him. How would you describe your relationship with God right now: distant, fearful, transactional, trusting, intimate, or something else?  Why?  What would it look like to approach Him more fully as your Father?

  • If being part of a family means sharing its identity, values, and culture, what should visibly distinguish someone who belongs to the family of God? Looking at your relationships, priorities, finances, calendar, habits, and home, where is the Spirit shaping a distinctly Christ-centered “family culture” in your life, home, and church? Where is change still needed?  

    • How do you establish and assess these?   How does Scripture help shape these values?  

4. READ ROMANS 8:17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 1 Peter 1:3-7; Matthew 5:10-12; John 15:20, 16:33

  • Paul says that God’s children are heirs with Christ, sharing not only in His glory but also in His suffering. How do you normally respond when following Jesus becomes costly, uncomfortable, or difficult? 

  • How might viewing suffering through the lens of your eternal inheritance help you remain faithful without losing heart?

NO CONDEMNATION

ROMANS 8:1-11  :: CHRIS MEADE :: AUGUST 9

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ha” moments? 

2. READ ROMANS 7:24-8:1

  • Heart Check: Paul declares, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Where are you most tempted to live under guilt, shame, or the feeling that God is disappointed with you?  If God does not condemn us or feel ashamed of us–why do we do this to ourselves?

  • Paul emphasized that if you belong to Jesus, your position is “in Christ.” The Father cannot condemn you because He cannot condemn His own Son.  How does knowing that your standing with God is based on what Jesus has done rather than how well you performed this week, nor how guilty or sad you felt, change the way you approach God after you fail?

  • How would truly believing Romans 8:1 change the way you relate to God, yourself, and others?  

3.  READ ROMANS 8:2-8

  • Inspect the Fruit: The sermon encouraged us to ask, “What fruit is this bearing?” Think about a situation or conflict that is currently affecting you. Is it producing love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—or bitterness, anger, division, selfishness, shame, or resentment? 

  • What might that reveal about what is currently directing you?

  • You can’t control people’s actions. Often your circumstances are out of your control.  How would it look for you to focus on YOU–and making sure YOU are operating in the Spirit in this? What would change? 

4. READ ROMANS 8:9-11

  • The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in every follower of Christ. What is one area of your life—an attitude, relationship, temptation, fear, habit, or decision—where you desperately need His power right now? What specific prayer or step of obedience can you take this week to surrender that area to Him?

EXTRA TOOLS: 

HOW DO WE MOVE FROM BEING IN THE FLESH TO IN THE SPIRIT???  

1. RECOGNIZE THE FRUIT.  ASK: WHAT FRUIT IS THIS BEARING?  Self-condemnation, SHAME, bitterness, resentment, rage, clashing relationships, factions—are NOT of GOD.   Some of you are living and experiencing the defeated life—because you think this fruit of the flesh is NORMAL.  This is what you have known for so many years. 

 2. RECOGNIZE RESPONDING IN THE FLESH OR IN THE SPIRIT—IS A CHOICE.  The Spirit has set you free to choose something better.  You are NOT a victim to your flesh, to your history, to your past hurts, or your pain.  You in Christ, now CHOOSE how you respond. 

3. RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ONLY CONTROL YOU.  You don’t control your circumstances. And you don’t control how other people act or respond—be it in the flesh or the Spirit.  You only control how you respond—and what choice you make.  What are you going to give power to in that moment?  

4. RECOGNIZE THIS IS A DAY-BY-DAY, HOUR-BY-HOUR, SOMETIMES MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DECISION.  You are not defeated.  You are in Christ, empowered by the Spirit. 

5. PRAY.  SEEK THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT.  Turn to God, rather than destructive actions. ASK:  Empower me to live, respond, and react in a way that bears the FRUIT of the SPIRIT?

SPIRIT DIRECTED COMMUNICATION: 

1. FOCUS ON SCRIPTURE AND MAINTAIN PRAYER.  “Test the spirits…” (1 John 4:1) by assessing the “voice” and direction you hear from the Spirit–to make sure what you are hearing is of God.  God cannot contradict His Word… and will not lead you away from obedience to it.

2. PAUSE BEFORE REACTING OR RESPONDING.  Recognize when you are moving into the FLESH and responding in the FLESH with anger, bitterness, fear, etc.  Pray and respond when in the Spirit (with calm, patience, confidence, care, selfless love, etc.).  Take breaks if needed.  

3. REPENT QUICKLY. FORGIVE QUICKLY.  The most healing words you can say in a tense moment are: "I WAS WRONG BY…(clearly name and articulate the action).  I AM SORRY.  WILL YOU FORGIVE ME?"  When you have responded and acted fleshly, recognize it and say this quickly.  ///  On the opposite end, if someone repents and asks for forgiveness, forgive quickly and release them from the bitterness and retribution you might desire.

THE BATTLE WITHIN

ROMANS 7:13-25  :: CHRIS MEADE  ::  AUGUST 2

Why do we keep doing what we hate—even when we sincerely want to change? In Romans 7:14–25, Paul gives honest words to the exhausting battle between our desire to obey God and the power of sin within us. This message exposes the limits of willpower, the emptiness of trying harder, and the danger of depending on rules to produce real transformation. But it also points us to hope: freedom is not found in becoming stronger, smarter, or more disciplined—it is found in becoming more dependent on Jesus. When you finally reach the end of yourself, you may be closer to victory than you realize.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ha” moments? 

2. READ ROMANS 7:13-14

  • How have you been tempted to present yourself as better than you really are? How? Why? 

  • Paul admits, “The trouble is with me.” Where are you tempted to blame another person, your circumstances, or God’s expectations instead of honestly acknowledging your own sinful attitudes and responses?

3.  READ ROMANS 7:15-20

  • Paul wanted to do what was right but found himself doing what he hated. When the battle you face is yourself, what usually rises to the surface? What fleshy response do you return to—anger, bitterness, gossip, complaining, isolation, revenge, giving up, or something else—even though you know it does not produce life?  

    • What would be a response to the same situation “in the Spirit” that would produce the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23? 

  • The sermon reminds us that our struggle, this “battle within, can reveal life because the Holy Spirit is giving us a growing desire for what honors God and a growing distaste for sin. How can your struggle with sin actually give hope and become evidence of God’s work rather than a reason to doubt or give up? 

4. READ ROMANS 7:21-25

  • The word wretched describes someone exhausted from laboring. In what area of your life are you exhausted from trying to change yourself, fix someone else, control an outcome, or obey God through your own strength? How has this worked in the past? 

  • Chris shared: “The Christian life is not a life of independence and self-will.  Rather, the victorious Christian life is the SURRENDERED LIFE– a life of dependence on Jesus and dying to the flesh.  What would it practically look like this week to stop relying on your own willpower, die to the flesh, and depend on Jesus and the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength?  Where do you need to do this?

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?


A NEW WAY

ROMANS 7:1-13 :: ZACH GAMES :: JULY 26

In Romans 7:1–13, Paul explains that believers have died to the law through their union with Christ and now belong to Him so that their lives may bear fruit for God. Using marriage as an illustration, Paul teaches that death brings release from the law’s binding authority. The law itself is not sinful; rather, it reveals God’s holiness and exposes the sin already present within us. Paul points specifically to the command against coveting, explaining that sin seized the commandment as an opportunity to produce further rebellion and bring death. The passage reminds us that God’s law is holy, righteous, and good, but it cannot save us or transform our hearts. Only through Jesus can we receive new life and serve God through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than through mere rule-keeping.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ha” moments? 

2. READ ROMANS 7:1-5

  • Paul says that believers have died to the law and now belong to Christ. What does it practically mean for your identity and daily life to belong to Jesus?

  • Even though we are no longer under the Old Testament Law, what are the laws that you are placing on yourself that are hindering you from following Jesus?

3.  READ ROMANS 7:6.  Paul says:  You (the Jews) have DIED to what once bound you (the Law), and have been RELEASED from the law, SO THAT we serve in a new way IN THE SPIRIT. 

  • Are there areas of your faith where you are relying more on rules, performance, or willpower than on your relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit? 

  • How do you know if you are operating and serving “in the Spirit”?  Read Galatians 5:13-25.  List out what Paul says (straight from the text) about living in the Spirit.  

  • How can the fruits of the Spirit (the end result of living in the Spirit) show/prove you are in the Spirit?    

4. READ ROMANS 7:7-13

  • Why do you think forbidden desires can sometimes become stronger when we are simply told not to do something? What does that say about our heart? 

  • What areas of your life can you see the “new way of the Spirit” taking effect?   What has been the fruit of relying on His power and His voice vs your own power and effort?  

  • What is one specific way you can move from merely knowing what God commands to joyfully serving Him “in the new way of the Spirit” this week?  

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?  


SLAVE TO SOMETHING 

ROMANS 6:15-23  :: DAVID PALMER :: JULY 19

Romans 6:15–23 teaches that God’s grace does not permit believers to continue in sin; instead, it frees them from sin’s control so they can live in obedience to God. Paul explains that everyone serves a master—either sin, which produces shame and death, or God, whose grace produces righteousness, holiness, and eternal life. The sermon emphasizes that Christians are no longer powerless before temptation because Jesus has broken sin’s authority and brought them under His loving ownership. Since Christ held nothing back to rescue us, we are called to present every part of our lives—our time, relationships, finances, ambitions, and choices—to Him, trusting that serving Jesus is not bondage but the truest freedom we can experience.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ha” moments? 

2. READ ROMANS 6:15-16

  • Heart Check: Paul teaches that we become servants of the one we obey. What repeated choices in your life reveal who or what is currently exercising the greatest influence over you? What area of your life—your time, finances, relationships, ambitions, habits, or body—are you most tempted to withhold from God?

3.  READ ROMANS 6:17–19

  • . What does it mean that believers have been set free from sin’s mastery? How should this truth change the way you respond when temptation tells you that you are powerless?

  • The sermon compares temptation to an old boss who continues calling even though you no longer work for him. What “old boss” continues trying to make demands on your life, and what practical step can help you “hang up” this week?

4. READ ROMANS 6:20-23

  • Read Romans 6:20–23. When you look honestly at past sinful choices, what “wages”—such as shame, damaged relationships, addiction, disappointment, or spiritual distance—did those choices produce? How has following Christ produced a different kind of fruit?

  • Next Step: Because Jesus held nothing back to rescue you, what specific act of obedience is He asking you to take this week? How can your group pray for and encourage you as you take that step?

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?  


THE TALENTS

 MATTHEW 25:14-30  :: MATT TROMBLEY :: JULY 12 

In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus teaches that while we wait for His return, He entrusts each of us with valuable resources to use for His kingdom. The servants who faithfully invested what they were given were commended and invited to share in their master’s joy, while the servant who acted out of fear and buried his gift revealed that he did not truly understand the master’s grace. The message reminds us that God does not compare the amount we have been given, but He does call us to be faithful with our time, talents, and treasure. One day we will give an account of how we stewarded the “dash” of our lives, so we should live courageously, gratefully, and intentionally for the advancement of the gospel.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Read Matthew 25:14–18. 

  • What has God entrusted to you during the “dash” of your life? Consider your time, abilities, relationships, influence, finances, opportunities, and knowledge of the gospel.

  • The master distributed resources “according to each one’s ability.” Where are you tempted to compare what God has given you with what He has given someone else? How can you shift your focus from comparison to faithfulness?

3.  Read Matthew 25:19–23. 

  • The first two servants received the same commendation even though they produced different results. How does this encourage you to measure success by faithful obedience rather than by visible outcomes?

4. Read Matthew 25:24–27. 

  • Fear and a distorted view of the master caused the third servant to bury what he had received. What fear, insecurity, excuse, or misunderstanding of God may be keeping you from using His gifts?

  • Examine the three primary resources God has entrusted to you: time, talent, and treasure. Which one are you currently stewarding well, and which one needs greater intentionality? What practical change could you make this week?

  • Imagine standing before Jesus and giving an account of how you invested your life for His kingdom. What is one specific act of faithful stewardship you believe He is calling you to begin, continue, or change so that you may hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone? 


IDENTITY 

IDENITITY:  1 PETER 1:1-8; 2:9-12  :: KYLE BROYER :: JULY 5

In this standalone message from 1 Peter 1:1–8 and 2:9–12, we are reminded that our identity is not ultimately found in what we do, say, produce, accomplish, or carry, but in the price Jesus paid for us. Peter writes to believers living under pressure and reminds them that they are “elect exiles,” chosen by God, given a living hope through the resurrection, and made into His people for His purposes. Because of the cross, we no longer have to build our worth on shifting circumstances, roles, success, failure, or the opinions of others. Instead, we continually realign our hearts with who Jesus says we are, so that our lives proclaim His goodness to the world.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Read 1 Peter 1:1-8 

  • Peter describes believers as “exiles” and “strangers” in this world. Where do you feel the tension between following Jesus and fitting into the culture around you?

  • In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter says we have been given “new birth into a living hope.” What are you currently tempted to place your hope in besides Christ?  What are you most tempted to build your identity on right now: your role, success, family, reputation, failure, productivity, or someone else’s opinion of you?

  • When life gets shaky, what usually becomes your “office chair” identity — the thing you try to balance your worth on even though it keeps moving underneath you?

3.  Read 1 Peter 2:9-12

  • In 1 Peter 2:9, God calls His people “chosen,” “royal,” “holy,” and “His own possession.” Which of these descriptions do you most need to remember about your identity? Which of those truths do you most need to realign your heart with this week, and why?

  • Peter says we are God’s people “so that” we may proclaim His excellencies. How can your life this week point others to Jesus instead of simply pointing to what you do, say, or produce?

4. Peter says we have been given “new birth into a living hope.” 

  • How does the resurrection of Jesus take the pressure off your need to prove yourself?  How can His identity become more of your identity?

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?  


FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: LIVING FREE

ROMANS 6:1-14 :: DAVID PALMER :: JUNE 28
In Romans 6:1–14, Paul teaches that the grace of God not only forgives our sin but also frees us from its power. Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection, meaning our old, sinful selves have died, and we have been given a new identity and a new life. Because we are no longer slaves to sin, we no longer have to live under its control. Paul calls us to remember what God has already done, to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, and to daily present every part of our lives to God as instruments of righteousness. As we live according to our new identity rather than our old nature, we experience the freedom, victory, and transforming grace that Jesus has already secured for us.


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
         1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God's Word? Were there any "ah-ha" moments?


         2. Heart Check: Read Romans 6:1-10. Paul reminds believers that through Christ we have died to sin and have been raised to walk in a new life. 
          • What does it mean to you personally that your identity is no longer defined by your past or your sinful nature, but by Christ? When you think about yourself, do you identify more with your past failures or with your new identity in Christ?
          • Is there an area of your life where you've begun believing that "this is just who I am" instead of believing what God says is true about you? How can you replace that lie with God's truth?
        3. Read Romans 6:11-14. Paul tells us to "consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." 
          • Why do you think believing God's truth must come before living God's truth?
          • The sermon challenged us to stop identifying ourselves with our sin and instead see sin as something trying to regain control over someone who has already been set free. How might this change the way you respond the next time you're tempted?
          • Verse 13 tells us to present every part of ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. Is there a particular area of your life—your mouth, thoughts, eyes, attitudes, time, or relationships—that you need to intentionally surrender to God this week? What practical step can you take?
          • Paul concludes by saying, "Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." What would it look like for you to begin each day this week declaring that Jesus—not sin—is your Master? How might that reshape your choices and attitudes?
         

          4. What has God taught you that you can share with someone else this week? 

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: TWO MEN

ROMANS 5:12-21  :: CHRIS MEADE :: JUNE 21

In Romans 5:12–21, Paul contrasts the two most influential men in human history: Adam and Jesus. Through Adam's one act of disobedience, sin, condemnation, and death entered the world and affected every person. Yet through Jesus' one act of perfect obedience, God offers something far greater—grace, righteousness, justification, and eternal life. While all people are born "in Adam" and inherit a sinful nature, those who place their faith in Christ are made spiritually alive and declared righteous before God. The message challenges us to recognize which kingdom we are living under, to embrace the life-changing grace available through Jesus, and to actively pursue lives that reflect His leadership, obedience, and transforming power.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Heart Check: Read Romans 5:12-14; Genesis 2:15-17; Gen 3.  Paul discusses the impact on the historical figure of Adam, and that through his one act of disobedience, sin and death entered into the world.

  • Adam's failure affected countless lives, and Jesus' obedience brought life to countless lives. What does this teach you about the influence your own choices can have on your family, friends, and those around you?

  • Where do you most often see the effects of your sinful nature ("Team Adam") showing up in your attitudes, reactions, relationships, or habits? What would it look like to surrender those areas to Christ?

  • ‘You cannot control outcomes. But you can influence them.” How do we confuse the two?  What does it mean to influence while releasing the control of outcomes to God in your life? 

3.  Read Romans 5:17-21. Paul shares how Jesus and His obedience are greater than Adam’s disobedience.  Grace is greater than sin.  Life in Jesus is greater than death in Adam.

  • Paul teaches that every person is either "in Adam" or "in Christ." We can also act, react, and make decisions in Adam or in Christ. Which reality is currently shaping your identity, decisions, and priorities the most? In what areas of your life?  How can you tell?

  • What would it look like to surrender those things “in Adam” to being “in Christ”? 

  • For husbands, fathers, and spiritual leaders: In what ways are you actively leading, protecting, and pointing others toward Jesus? In what areas are you tempted to become passive like Adam in the Garden?

  • The passage concludes by saying that grace reigns through righteousness and brings eternal life. What is one practical step God is asking you to take this week to live more intentionally under the rule of God's grace rather than the pull of your flesh? (If you don’t know, ask Him.)

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?


FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: PEACE WITH GOD

ROMANS 5:1-11  :: CHRIS MEADE :: JUNE 14


Romans 5:1-11 reminds us that because we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God, access to His grace, and hope for the future. Even our trials are not wasted, because God uses them to shape us into the image of Christ. The same God who loved us when we were His enemies continues to hold us, strengthen us, and help us persevere until the day we see Him face to face.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Read Romans 5:1-2  Paul talked about having peace with God. But that doesn’t mean that we have peace in life.  

  • What does it mean for you to have PEACE with God?  How does that give greater perspective when your peace with God actually creates warring and battles with or spiritual enemies, culture, and possibly our community (the people around us)? 

3.  Read Romans 5:3-5 and James 1:2-4.  Paul shares how God redeems the beatles and suffering we face in our life–and that we can actually “glory in our sufferings” because God is at work in and through them. 


      • When life becomes difficult, do you typically respond in the flesh or in the Spirit?  How do you know the difference? What specific patterns of fear, anger, pride, anxiety, or avoidance reveal areas where I need to learn to think, love, and live more like Jesus?
      • What are the conflicts, hardships, or struggles are you facing, and how might God be using it to develop perseverance, character, and hope in you?  Instead of asking, "How do I escape this?" what would it look like to ask, "God, what do you want to produce in me through this?"
      • Is there a relationship, situation, ministry, church, or challenge where God may be calling you to persevere rather than quit?  What would faithful endurance look like in that situation, and what steps of obedience can you take this week to respond/react in the Spirit to your situation?

4. Read Romans 5:6-11. Paul shares with us the depth of God’s love.  

      • How does remembering that Christ died for you while you were powerless, ungodly, a sinner, and God's enemy affect the way you view yourself and the depth of God’s love for you?
      • Where have you seen evidence of God's transforming work in your life over the past year? Do you find yourself celebrating the spiritual growth God is producing in your life, or focusing only on past failures instead of recognizing the steps of faith He is helping me take? Why?
      • Is there a person that you find most difficult to love, forgive, or understand right now? How would your attitude and actions change toward them if you intentionally remembered that Jesus loves that person with the same sacrificial love He showed you?

5. What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone?  


FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: RIGHT FAITH 

ROMANS 4:13-25 :: CHRIS MEADE :: JUNE 7

The Christian life is not built on religious performance, cultural expectations, or personal effort. Like Abraham, we are called to place our faith in the God who keeps His promises, trusting that our righteousness comes through grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone—even when circumstances seem impossible. We don’t try to get God to do things by our faith. We place our faith in the God who will do what He promises. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any
“ah-ah” moments?

2. Heart Check: Read Romans 4:13-15 Paul challenged the Jewish believers to move beyond finding their identity in the Law. 
        • What cultural or religious traditions have you accepted as essential to your faith that may actually be keeping you from fully embracing God's grace? Are there traditions, expectations, or "Christian rules" that you rely on? 
        • How has the gospel shaped your identity rather than your background, culture, achievements, wounds, or failures?
        • Chris talked about being “Married to the MISSION…and not the methods.” The mission is what Jesus has called you to (be disciples who make disciples), while methods (how that is done) change so that we can be effective disciple-makers. Do you recognize times when you were more married to methods than to the mission? How would you personally combat that to be open and ready for preferences to change? 
3. Read Romans 4:16-21. Abraham believed "against all hope." Abraham's faith was not that he could make something happen; his faith was in the God who had promised.
        • How would you explain the difference between 1) placing faith in God Himself and 2) placing faith in a specific outcome you want God to produce? How do you distinguish between trusting God's promises and trying to make God fulfill your personal expectations?
        • What situation in your life requires faith in God's character and promises rather than confidence in what you can currently see? 
        • Consider the promises mentioned in the sermon: forgiveness of sins, God's presence, His provision, His love, His purpose for your life, your ability to approach Him boldly, and obedience is ALWAYS better. Which promise speaks most directly to your current season? Which promises of God do you need to intentionally remind yourself of this week? 
4. Read Romans 4:22-25. Abraham's story was given not only for him but for us.
        • How might God use your faith journey this week to encourage someone else to trust Him?
        • What has God taught you this week that you can share with someone else?  

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: BLESSINGS OF FAITH 

 ROMANS 4:1-12   Zach Games ● May 31, 2026

In Romans 4:1-12, Paul points to Abraham as the ultimate example of how God justifies people—not through religious performance or good works, but through faith. Abraham had nothing to boast about before God because righteousness was credited to him when he believed, not because he earned it. Paul reminds us that justification is God's gracious declaration that sinners are righteous through faith in Him, resulting in the forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God. Abraham's faith came before circumcision, proving that God's salvation has never been based on religious rituals, ethnic background, or personal achievement. The good news of the gospel is that anyone—Jew or Gentile, religious or irreligious—can be declared righteous before God by placing their trust completely in Jesus Christ. Faith is not about performing for God; it is about trusting in what God has already done for us through Christ.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Heart Check:  Read Romans 4:1-3

          • When you think about your relationship with God, do you tend to feel accepted because of what Jesus has done for you, or because of how well you have performed recently?
          • What does that reveal about where you are placing your confidence?
          • In what ways do people today still try to “earn” God’s approval?

3. Purpose Defined: Read Romans 4:4-8  

          • Romans 4:5 says God justifies the ungodly. Why is it difficult for many Christians to believe that God extends grace to people who don't deserve it—including themselves?

          • Is there a part of your story where you still struggle to accept God's forgiveness? Read verses 7-8 out loud.  What does the truth of–your sin is completely forgiven and that God will NEVER count your sin against you–mean to you? If God has forgiven you and doesn’t hold ANY of your sin against you, do you still hide from God? Do you still feel guilty?  Do you feel like you need to punish yourself? Do you feel you need to confess your sin to be forgiven? 

4.  Faith over Religion: Read Romans 4:9-12; Hebrews 11:6

          • What religious habits, traditions, or spiritual disciplines have you been tempted to treat as the basis of God's acceptance rather than a response to His grace?

          • How can you enjoy those practices without turning them into a way of earning favor with God?

          • Abraham believed before he was circumcised, showing that faith comes before religious activity. How does this challenge the way we sometimes view church attendance, baptism, communion, service, or other acts of obedience?

Foundations of Faith: ONLY JESUS

 ROMANS 3:19-31   Chris Meade ● May 24th, 2026

In Romans 3:19–31, Paul makes clear that no one can achieve God’s perfect standard through good works or obedience to the Law. The Law was never meant to save us, but to reveal our sin and our desperate need for grace. Yet in the middle of mankind’s guilt and failure comes the hope of the Gospel: through faith in Jesus Christ, God freely gives His righteousness to all who believe. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are justified—declared righteous before God—not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us. Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for sin, redeeming us from guilt and restoring us into relationship with God. Salvation is not earned by works, religion, or moral performance, but received by grace through faith in Jesus alone.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?

2. Heart Check: Read Romans 3:19-24 

          • Romans 3 teaches that no one can achieve God’s perfect standard on their own. Why is it so difficult for people to admit their need for grace, and what keeps you from fully surrendering your failures to Jesus?
          • Paul says that “through the law we become conscious of our sin.” In what ways have you tried to “earn” God’s approval through your behavior, performance, or religious activity instead of resting in His grace?
          • Paul writes that the righteousness of God or “God’s perfection” is given to us through faith in Jesus.” How does understanding that your standing before God is based on Jesus’ perfection—not your own—change the way you view yourself and your relationship with God? 

3. Purpose Defined: Read Romans 3:25-31

        • The message emphasized that we are “justified freely by His grace.” What is the difference between being “declared righteous” by God and trying to “make yourself righteous”? Why does that distinction matter in everyday life?
        • Jesus paid the penalty for sin through His redemption and atonement. Is there any guilt, shame, or past failure that you still struggle to believe Jesus has fully paid for? What would it look like to truly trust Him with it?
        • Paul says boasting is excluded because salvation comes through faith, not works. How can pride, comparison, or self-righteousness subtly creep into our faith, and how does the gospel humble us while also giving us confidence?

4. Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear something that you learned through this study?

        • Romans 10 declares that salvation is available to “all who believe.” Who in your life needs to hear the message of grace, and what is one practical way you can share the hope of Jesus with them this week? 

5. KEY DEFINITIONS:

        •  RIGHTEOUSNESS = God’s perfection
        • JUSTIFIED = (legal term) the instantaneous and irreversible divine declaration of the unrighteous as positionally righteous. (TGC) (The imperfect–are declared perfect) 
        • REDEMPTION = Freed…released…through the payment of a ransom.
        • ATONEMENT = Reconciliation–the complete restoration of relationship or “At-One-Ment”
        • GRACE = “Unmerited Favor” or Receiving what we don’t deserve. 
        • MERCY = Not receiving what we do deserve.