Winter Cycle, Week 1
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 5:1-2 (including Romans 4:18-25 for context)
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Look back over Romans 4:18-25
1) What does “credited to him as righteousness” mean? (v22)
2) What does this mean today for us who believe? (v24)
Here is a summary of chapter 1-4 (from the Bible Project)
Ch1: All humanity is trapped in sin and needs to be rescued
Ch2: Rescue won’t happen by trying to obey the laws of the Torah
Ch3: God’s righteousness has rescued the world through Jesus
Ch4: To create a multi-ethnic family of Abraham
OR
You can check out the Bible Project’s summary video (focus on chapter 5 & 6, which ends at 2:30). This will be the focus of our next eight weeks.
Starting in chapter five, Paul goes on to show how this new family is a part of something much bigger that calls us to a new way of life together.
Questions to consider from Romans 5:1-2
1) Define justification. What is the connection between justification and peace?
2) What specifically have we gained access to (v2)?
3) What would you say is the grace in which we now stand? How does this affect your daily life?
DISCUSSION (about 20 minutes):
Close with a time of prayer.
