WEEK 4 // A place for acceptance and hope
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- Read Romans 15:7-13
- What stands out to you from the passage?
- What do you remember about the Roman church of the time? Why is what Paul’s saying significant?
- What is the significance of the Old Testament passages that Paul is quoting? What point do you think he is trying to make?
- Who do you find hard to accept? What steps could you make this week to become more accepting?
- How easy do you find it to express the hope you have in Jesus? What steps could you take this week to become better at it?
WEEK 3 // A place for re-focusing and renewing
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- Read Romans chapter 12 verses 6-8, and Romans chapter 13 verses 11-14.
- What stands out to you from these verses?
- Reflecting on verse 11a in Romans 13 on how God calls us to be discerning in recognising the unique times that we live in, what are some aspects of the times we live in that you believe we need to be most attentive to as followers of Jesus?
- Reflecting on verses 11b-14 in Romans 13 on how God calls us to be renewed,
– what are some habits of life and faith that have been disrupted that need renewing in your life?
– what are some things that you need to ‘put aside’?
– what are some things that you need to ‘put on’ or ‘be awakened’ in?
- Reflecting on verses 6-8 in Romans 12 on how God calls us to be ready to contribute, in what ways are you or could you be a contributer rather than a consumer in God’s church?
- Consider any further feedback you may have arising out of Sunday’s focus on the questions ‘What has changed?’, ‘What might God be calling us to?’, and ‘What challenges might we face?’ when it comes to the life and ministry of BMBC moving forward through and beyond the COVUD season. Email or speak with Pastor David or the relevant ministry leader or team on these things.
WEEK 2 // A place for the weak and strong
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- Begin by reading Romans chapter 14 verses 13-23, and chapter 15 verses 1-6.
- Reflecting · on verses 13-15 on the need to check our hearts for any potential hazards, what are some ways that it can be easy, if we’re not careful, in our attitudes or actions, to
– pass judgement on someone else who might take a different position to us?
– be a stumbling block for someone else in their faith?
- Reflecting on verses 16-20 on the importance of keeping perspective on what matters most in God’s kingdom purposes,
– what can cause us to lose perspective?
– what can help us to regain perspective?
- Reflecting on verses 22-23, and earlier from Romans 14 verses 2 and 5-8, why is the role of our personal conscience under the Lordship of Christ so important in the position followers of Jesus take on different matters?
- Why is it also so important that our personal consciences are calibrated with both God’s Word and God’s Spirit?
- Reflecting on verses 1-6 of Romans chapter 15, why is checking who we are pleasing so important?
- What is a way that you or your small group can ‘bear with’ or help ‘carry or lighten the load’ of someone else in the church family?
- Take some time to pray, asking God’s Spirit to help you to be attentive to how you see and respond to others who might hold different positions to you on various non-essential matters within God’s family.
WEEK 1 // A place for belonging and loving
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- Begin by reading Romans chapter 12 verses 3-5 and 9-21
- In what ways have you experienced a sense of belonging or a sense of being loved, within church family life, or in other aspects of life, through COVID times?
- Reflecting on verses 2-5, and 16, what might it look like for you to
– be transformed by the renewing of your mind
– live in harmony with one another and associate with all people
– belong to one another as part of the body of Christ
- What are some ways in these times that you can look out for others, and help them to experience a sense of belonging in God’s church?
- Reflecting on verses 9-16, and what the church is to look like, what it might it look like to
– be authentic or sincere in love (verse 9)
– be devoted to one another in love (verse 10a)
– be humble, honouring one another above yourself, and coming alongside others where they’re at (verse 10b-13, 15)
– be consistent and persistent in faith and life (verses 10-12)
- Reflecting from verses 14, 17-21 and into Romans chapter 13 on how we are to respond when others make our life difficult, what might it look like to live out what Paul speaks about in these verses? What can get in the way of us doing so?
- Take a few minutes to pray for
– others to know a sense of belonging and love in the church family
– people who may make your life difficult, whatever aspect of life that may be in e.g. family, work, governing authorities etc