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 2:8-12 - Paul warns the Colossian church not to trade the freedom found in Christ for religion or spiritual experiences. Jesus is more than enough.
Colossians 2:1-7-The way forward for the first Christians wasn't always easy. False teachers brought confusion and deception, prompting Paul to point believers back to the truth. Just as the best way to spot a counterfeit is to know the genuine article, the best way to recognize false teaching is to know Jesus.
Colossians 1:24-29-Suffering is one of life's hardest realities. We might expect that following Jesus would mean less pain, but Jesus himself suffered and made it clear that his followers would too. The good news is that our suffering is never lost on God and is never in vain.
Colossians 1:21-23 - Paul contrasts two powerful words—alienated and reconciled—to tell our story. Discover how Jesus did the work of reconciliation and why that is the heart of the Gospel.
Colossians 1:15-20 -Colossians centers on Jesus—the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of life, and the Redeemer who restores creation through love.
Colossians 1:9-14 - Paul prays not for comfort, but for deeper faith—knowing God’s will, living for Jesus, and receiving strength to persevere with hope.
