Winter Cycle, Week 7
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 6:1-11
6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
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.
THE BIG PICTURE: The focus this week is upon our union with Christ. Please use the text from Galatians 2:20 to further explore this theological truth. The application will flow from how surrender allows us to enter into his presence & experience his purpose and power. Some people may ask you why we are studying this text again. This is your opportunity as a leader to communicate the importance of diving deeper into Scripture and allowing it to shape who we are.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (about 20 minutes):
Opening Question: If you listened to the sermon, what stood out to you?
1) Verse five is expanding upon the imagery of baptism. What is the significance of the word "united"?
2) Read Galatians 2:20 as a group. Spend a couple minutes thinking through it. What does it mean that Christ lives in me?
3) How does Galatians 2:20 help us better understand Romans 6:1-11?
4) Here is a quote from theologian Sinclair Ferguson explaining in a nutshell why union with Christ is the foundation for sanctification:
"If we are united to Christ, then we are united to him at all points of his activity on our behalf.
We share
- in his death (we were baptized into his death),
- in his resurrection (we are resurrected with Christ),
- in his ascension (we have been raised with him),
- in his heavenly session (we sit with him in heavenly places, so that our life is hidden with Christ in God), and we will share
- in his promised return (when Christ, who is our life, appears, we also will appear with him in glory)"
How does union with Christ affect our day to day walk and growth?
APPLICATION:
Union with Christ calls us into his presence, purpose and power. How important is surrender (reorienting our lives around Jesus) in allowing us to truly experience the riches of Christ? What are ways you believe God is calling you to surrender?
Close with a time of prayer.
