January 7, 2024
Included | Romans 1:1-17
Included
Paul wrote to the small church in Rome even though he’d never met them. They were one church he hadn’t planted. In some ways the letter is him making friends. Good friends make us feel included; they let us know that we belong. It wasn’t something that Paul did that included the believers in Rome; it was what Jesus had done and was doing in them through his Spirit that allowed them to belong. The letter begins with Paul telling them just how ‘included’ they were!
Songs for this week: Spotify
- Remember a friend from childhood that made you feel included. Tell that story.
- How do you explain the ‘Good News’ or gospel? Give us your 30-second version.
- Take time with each of Paul’s “I am” statements: “I am a debtor.” “I am so eager.” “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” In what way does one, or all, of these apply to your life right now?
- Explain the phrase, “The righteous will live by faith.” What are the other options people try to live by?
- In what ways can you or your group be more inviting or more careful with others so that they know they are also included in God’s Good News?
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Recent Sermons
Acts 28:30-31 - From a historic move to a growing future, St. Paul’s Leaskdale reflects on past crossroads and seeks God’s direction for the next chapter.
Rev. 22:12-21 - Jesus the Groom, the Church as His Bride, and the Holy Spirit as the matchmaker who brings it all together. Explore how God’s longing heart and our deepest desires find fulfillment in Him.
1 Corinthians 13 - Paul reminds the church in Corinth that love—not spiritual gifting—is the true measure of maturity. Love is a way of life, and unlike gifts, it lasts forever.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about leadership, relationships, self-discipline, and spiritual life. In this message, we explore how the Holy Spirit helps us discern spiritual realities—with Jesus at the very centre of it all.
Galatians 5:16-26 - The Holy Spirit surprised both the convinced and the curious in the early Church—working through powerful deeds and transforming lives from within to become more like Jesus.
Acts 2:1-21 - The long-awaited gift of God’s Spirit given to ordinary women and men finally touched down! A few unlikely believers huddled together in an upstairs room were the first recipients. This story unlocks the plan that the Spirit of Jesus has for us all.
