April 7, 2024
Included | Romans 11:25-36
Israel And Us
All along, we’ve been saying that God’s heart is to see us INCLUDED. That’s why Jesus came, and that’s the subject of Paul’s letter to the Romans. At times, Christians forget God’s radical inclusion of them and go back to the old patterns of competing and comparing. Sadly, that was happening in the Roman Church. Paul has one powerful dose for that sickness.
Songs for this week: Spotify
- When did you last encounter a division within a social group, workplace, school, or even at church? How did you navigate the situation?
- Through Jesus, God brought together Jews and Gentiles in a partnership that no one could have imagined. Have you ever witnessed or experienced an ‘impossible’ reconciliation? Tell that story.
- Conceit causes division. Describe the ways that conceit raises its head on both the offending and offended side of a division.
- Use words and even stories to define God’s mercy. What does God’s mercy look like in your life? Do your best to avoid churchy language when telling your story.
- Paul marvels that mercy, not meanness or might, is at the core of God’s wisdom and knowledge. End your time as a group in prayer grateful for God’s mercy to all - especially those who call on his name.
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Recent Sermons
Colossians 4:2-9 - Prayer isn’t meant to be an afterthought—it’s an invitation to stay connected to God. Paul’s final words challenge us to pray with purpose, keep our eyes open for what God is doing, and look for opportunities to share Jesus. A great way to wrap up a letter—and launch us into the world God loves.
Colossians 3:18-4:1 -Paul closes his letter by showing how following Jesus transforms our everyday relationships—with spouses, children, parents, employees, and employers—and calls us to care for one another with kindness.
Colossians 3:12-17-Sometimes Christianity gets known for what we don’t do. But Paul points us toward something better: how we live, love, and treat one another. What marks a genuine Christian community? It all starts with who God is and how deeply He loves us.
Colossians 3:5-11-Paul points to two areas that reveal who we are at the deepest level: sex and speech. The path to health and freedom isn’t harsh rules or self-focus, but staying close to Jesus, knowing him and growing in him. Christianity isn’t harsh rules; it’s a vibrant friendship.
Colossians 2:20-3:4 - Religious baggage can pull us in all kinds of directions—from expecting God to fit our preferences to trying to earn His approval. Paul’s message to the Colossians was simple: stop guessing what God wants and get back to the core of Christianity—Jesus.
Colossians 2:13-19 - Humans have a problem that we can’t save ourselves from—not through secular programs or religious systems. The good news of Jesus is that on the cross, Jesus dealt with it all. In him we are alive, forgiven, and free!
