Winter Cycle, Week 5
Start your time with a Check-in (about 15 minutes)
inductive bible study (30-40 minutes)
Open your Bibles and begin with a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you read God's word. Read the passage out loud once together and then silently once more on your own, noting your observations and questions. Then take a few minutes to share your observations and questions together.
Key Scripture: Romans 5:12-21
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Take some time to answer a key question you've raised as a group and think through how the issues you've explored apply to your lives.
Below is an outlined structure prepared by Pastor Andrew.
DISCUSSION (about 20 minutes):
Discussion Questions:
1) What is Paul trying to show by putting Adam and Jesus side by side? How are they compared? How are they contrasted?
2) On Sunday, Pastor Andrew used the term "recapitulation" to point out the key idea in this passage. Theologian Joshua McNall defines recapitulation as Christ "reliving, retelling and reconstituting the human story as the true Adam" (The Mosaic of Atonement, 29). In what ways do you see Jesus recapitulating the human story in this text? How does this deepen our understanding of what Jesus has done for us and the human life that is possible in Him and by the Holy Spirit?
Application:
1) By the atoning work of Jesus our guilt is taken away, but many of us continue to live under a burden of shame (that deep sense, not just that I have done wrong, but I am wrong.) We often know we're forgiven, but shame continues to cling to us. How does this text bring good news, not only about the erasing of our guilt, but also the healing of our shame?
2) Think about an area of your life, or in the world that manifests the brokenness of sin. What would that area look like if there was a “reign of grace” instead of a "reign of death?
Close with a time of prayer.
