This past Sunday night, we dove right into the reason for evil, brokenness, hate, death, and every other aspect of evil in our world...sin. Put together with our first week of Life in 6 Words, we see all around us where people have turned from their perfect Creator, God, and the perfect relationship He created us to have with Him, and we have turned to our own ways, desires to be our own gods and rulers of life, and ever since then...everything has gone terribly wrong.
This isn't one of those pick yourself up and try harder feel good type of topics. This is a, I'm dead in my sin type of topics, and without God's amazing grace, I will remain dead.
Tough one isn't it?
But for those of us who know how the story ends, we have hope...because the same God who we have turned our backs against, has turned His back towards us and has come to take our sin upon Himself...the very sin that was comitted againist Him...He took our place to mend the broken relationship we have caused with Him.
That's love.
But we must understand our sin to understand His love.
Recognizing that sin is the cause for all the evil and brokenness in our world makes alot of sense. However, our world, in our pridefulness, doesn't take the idea that it is OUR sin that has caused what we know as life, very well. We like to blame our issues on others...and to be honest, sometimes that is the case...but as a whole of humanity...it is our disease, and there is only one with the cure.
But even at the same time that our world doesn't like the idea of sin and our responsibility for it, I believe the idea of sin...and the brokenness it causes in our world, is one of the greatest proofs we have for God and our Christian message. We can point people back to the fact that our broken world isn't just radom evil, but rather part of a much larger story...one that, in the end, is full of redemption and grace.
Use these thoughts, questions, and scripture passages to help you dive deeper with this week's topic of "OUR."
1. How do you react to the idea of sin? Guilt? Embarassment? Grateful for Jesus?
2. Read Romans 3:9-12 & Isaiah 53:6. These are honest passages that speak the truth about each of us.
We are dead in our sin. Sin is not something we partake in...it is something we are...its our broken Identity.
- Why is it important to understand that we don't just partake in sin, but rather, that it is apart of who we are?
3. How is the idea of sin and everything that is broken in our world as a reflection of sin...how is this a great way to share Jesus with others?
- Can you point out something from this week that you heard of that is a reflection of our sin and brokeness? Can you trace it back to the Garden where we first turned our backs on our Creator?
(Recognizing that those of you who may be reading this are followers of Jesus, the follow questions are aimed towards dealing with sin as Christ followers.)
4. Read Gal. 2:20-21. For those of us who are in Christ...we have a new DNA...no longer sinful at our core, but rather Jesus is our core. Does this give you hope?
- Here is a question we all deal with...then why do I still struggle with sin?
- Why do you think this is?
5. Read 1 Thess. 5:24. This verse is saying that God won't let you go.
- Does this give you hope?
6. Dealing with and confessing sin.
- WHAT sin are you struggling with? (Write it down)
- WHERE do you fall prey to sin and temptation? (Location/People/Situations)
- WHY do you think you sin? What lie are you believing?
7. Read 1 John 1:8-10. Confess your sin to God knowing that He is faithful to forgive you.
8. Arm yourself with truth. Write down the lie that temptation is trying to get you to believe. What truth of the Gospel can you combat that lie with? Fight to trust the Gospel!
Join us Thursday night at Matt & Amanda's at 7pm, as we take these things deeper in hopes of growing more in our walks with Jesus!
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