Sept 13, 2013
TRANSPARENT FAITH
Getting Real with God & Ourselves
Iron Pillars Youth Ministry
The Book of Romans
When in Rome
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When in Rome:
“Rome was the capital and most important city of the Roman Empire. In Paul’s day the city had a population of over one million people, many of whom were slaves. Rome boasted Romans 12:3
magnificent buildings, such as the Emperor’s Palace, the Circus Maximus, and the Forum. “Because of the privilege and
Some of the people who were converted on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) probably authority God has given me, I give
founded the church at Rome. Paul longed to visit the Roman church but was prevented to do so. Although many barriers separated them, Paul felt a bond with them -­‐ they were each of you this warning: Don’t think
brothers and sisters in Christ. This book is, in a way, Paul’s declaration of faith (who he is you are better than you really are.
and what he believes) and challenge to these believers.” ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Be honest in your evaluation of
Verse of the Year
The Message: yourselves, measuring yourselves by
“In the book of Romans Paul clearly sets forth the foundations of the Christian faith -­‐ He presents the gospel: All people are sinful; Christ died to forgive sin; salvation is available to all regardless of a person’s identity, sin, or heritage; we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross; through Him we stand before God justified, “not guilty.” (Chapters 1-­‐5) “With this foundation Paul communicates a freedom that comes from being saved -­‐ freedom from the power of sin, freedom from the domination of the law, freedom to become like Christ and discover God’s limitless love, freedom from the fear of death, and freedom to give ourselves to the loving service of God and others.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Digging Deeper:
1. Rome was notorious for its Emperors who opposed and persecuted Christians (example: Nero). How is Christianity opposed today? Give examples of ways that you face opposition. The idea behind this question is for the students to make a connection between our culture and the culture Paul was writing to. There was a lot of opposition in Paul’s day. Nero killed many Christians brutally and the Emperor before Nero expelled Christians from Rome for about 10 years. We also see persecution/opposition today and you don’t have to go to far away places, like China to find it. Have them think about our society, our government, and our schools -­ are people accepting of Christianity...NO 2. Thinking back to our large group lesson, we saw how Paul was addressing both the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers. What were some differences between the two groups? On the most basic level, Jewish believers were just that -­ Jewish. These are people who were Jews (a nation chosen by God, those who received the commandments, the Covenants, and the Old Testament Law) and had accepted Jesus as their Savior. Gentiles, on the most basic level, are not Jewish. Although they were not part of the chosen nation and therefore weren’t the recipients of the Covenants, Commandments, and Law, they were people who accepted Jesus as their Savior. They were still equally accepted in God’s eyes, but their different background caused differences in beliefs and interpretation. This, at times, caused disunity 3. Those differences were a theological issue and thats why many people feel Paul wrote this “declaration of faith” (what he believes). How can differences negatively affect a group? How should a Christian respond to any kind of differences? As we see above, differences in any group could cause disunity. Maybe people form false impressions, which might lead to gossip or slander. As Christians, we are to speak the truth in love. We might not agree wholeheartedly with everyone else’s point of view, but we are still to show Christ’s love. 4. In regards to Paul’s message, what stands out to you the most? How does this message of freedom speak volumes in our culture today? Many people struggle with guilt or fear and everyone wrestles with some kind of sin. Through Jesus, we are set free from all of this [1]
the faith God has given us.”
__________________________
Pristine Clarity
“We all know how to put on masks. As students we don’t like to admit our feelings of apprehension regarding our future. As Christians we say that we’re “good Christians” while never admitting to the sins we struggle with on a daily basis. Hiding is no longer an option for the believer. God loves us too much to allow the masks to stay on.” ________________________________
Let’s Get Real
A True Servant
The Power of the Gospel
Our Need for the Gospel
The Verdict - Guilty
Paid in Full
Peace at Last
Amazing Grace
“Now that you have been set
free from sin and have become
slaves to God, the benefit you reap
leads to holiness, and the result is
eternal life.” ~Romans 6:22~