When In Rome: Oops, I Did It Again

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When In Rome: Oops, I Did It Again

October 29, 2023 • Garry Firth • Romans 7:7–25

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Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life:

1. What was (or is) your favourite subject in school? What do you like about it?

2. I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. (Romans 7:7-8)

In the message we heard that it’s “human nature to want what we don’t have.” Why do you think that is?

3. So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. (Romans 7:14)

Garry said, “We all have a sin problem, the problem is we don’t think we have a problem with sin.” Do you agree/disagree with that statement? Why/why not?

4. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:18-20)

Do you find those verses encouraging or discouraging because it seems as though Paul is saying we can’t overcome sin and do the things we know we should?

5. How does the reality of Paul’s life as a Jesus-follower encourage you in your own life?

When In Rome: Better Together

December 17, 2023 • Garry Firth • Romans 15:20–22, Romans 16:1–20, Matthew 16:18, Hebrews 11:35–38, 2 Corinthians 4:14–16

1. When do you open Christmas gifts? On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? What other Christmas traditions do you have? 2. What was your biggest take away from today’s message? 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me…Romans 16:3 In what ways is it ‘risky’ to be a Jesus follower in Nanaimo or Canada today? 4. Who is someone that is ‘working hard’ that you could ‘greet’ and say thank you to? 5. What was your biggest take away from this series and why? (Good News/Bad News, Deal #1/Deal #2, Defining the Relationship, Oops I Did it Again, Graceville/Shouldsville, Sharing in God’s Glory, Build & Bear)

When In Rome: Build & Bear

December 10, 2023 • Russ Smith • Romans 14, Romans 15:1–3, Galatians 6:2–3, Colossians 3:13, James 1:19

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. Maybe you have a story about encountering a bear. What happened? 2. There’s that saying Unity in the essentials, liberty in the non-essentials, and in everything love. What do you think are some of the essentials about what Christians believe? What are some of the non-essentials? 3. Is there a way in which you feel “strong” in your faith in God that you need to be careful about when you’re around someone that’s “weak” in their faith? 4. How about the opposite - what way do you feel “weak” in your faith that’s sometimes difficult when you’re around people that are “strong” in their faith? 5. To build & bear this week, the big challenge for us is to listen to someone (be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry). What’s another way you can build & bear people this week?

When In Rome: I'm Supposed To Do What?

December 3, 2023 • Garry Firth • Romans 12:1–2, John 13:34–35, Romans 5:8, Romans 12:9–16, Romans 13:1–10

1. When do you put up your Christmas decorations? When do you take them down? 2.In Romans 12:9 Paul writes: Love must be sincere. We heard how it literally means to love without hypocrisy. Our love for others is to be genuine (without wax, remember?) In what ways is your love for others ‘genuine/without hypocrisy’ and in what ways could you improve in your love for others? 3. Paul says that we are to Bless those who persecute you. (Romans 12:14) What is your initial gut reaction to that? Do you find it difficult to do that? What would help you actually put this into practice? (Think about God’s grace and mercy.) 4. ‘Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. (Romans 13:1-2) God created government for our good because it brings order. What are your thoughts about standing against the government? When is that appropriate? 5. There’s a lost world looking for answers, looking for an alternative from what culture and the world is offering and we have the answer (the gospel message–the good news about Jesus) The best way to get the gospel message out is to live our lives in a way that stands out from the everyday in the everyday. So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) What is one thing in your everyday life that you could give to God that would help get the message of Jesus out to those who need to hear it?