ARCC Sermons

DNA Questions: Romans 7:21 - Romans 8:8

Discover:

What does Paul mean in verse 21 that evil lies close at hand?

What is the "body of death" that Paul speaks of in verse 24?

What or who is the Spirit of life?

Nurture:

In what ways do you relate to Paul in verses 21-25. What law of sin seems to hold you captive?

How does the Spirit of life set one free from the law of sin and death?

How does one set their mind on the things of the Spirit?

Act:

What is one area of your life where you continually have your mind set on the flesh? What would it look like for you to pursue setting your mind on the Spirit in that instance?

How can we help each other to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh?

DNA Questions - Philippians 1:1-11

Discover:

Meditate on verse one. How has this played out in your life?

What does it mean to be in full accord and of one mind?

What does Paul mean when he says that Christ Jesus did not count equality with God something to be grasped?

Nurture:

How would you know if you were doing things out of selfish ambition or conceit? Do you think you have ever done anything with zero selfish ambition or conceit?

What is true, gospel formed, Christ exalting humility?

What fuels our ability to consider others more significant than ourselves?

Act:

What is the first area of your life that comes to your mind when you think about this notion of considering others more significant than yourself?

What would it look like practically to make this shift?

n our digital age, especially for our communication and information, we have never had a greater need to lean into the implications of the incarnation of Jesus…that is Jesus, as God, coming to be present in the flesh.

The greatest purpose and meaning for this life begins and ends with our relationship to God and just under that would be our relationship to others. The key to both of those realities lies in the incarnation of Jesus…putting on flesh to come and be physically present with us. If this is true then we have deep and abiding theological grounding for a skepticism towards any other substitute promising deep and meaningful relational connection.

In this series we want to belabor a point that it has, perhaps, never in the history of the church been more important to take seriously the implications of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus.

DNA Questions - Mark 10:17-31

Discover:

What are the assumptions that this young guys is making by asking Jesus such a question?

What do we learn about "eternal life" from this story?

What do we learn about Jesus from this story?

Nurture:

What things in your life do you use to protect the "one thing" that Jesus would point at in your life?

What discouragement and sorrow and grief do you need to honestly bring to Jesus in order to draw near trusting in His comfort?

In what ways have you experienced the promise of Jesus regarding the "hundredfold" blessing that comes with leaving everything for the gospel?

Act:

What hindrance or entanglement could you let go of if you actually believed Jesus in this text?

How does this story impact our gospel conversations with the people in our life?

DNA Questions: Luke 9:23-27

Discover:

Who is Jesus talking to in this text?

Why does He feel the need to address this?

What is the Kingdom that "some" will see?

Nurture:

What do you think Jesus would ask you to deny?

What sacrifices would Jesus ask you to make?

What direction would Jesus take you?

Act:

How would your week look different if you lived unashamed of Jesus and His words?

What direction in life would open up for you if you were truly willing to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Christ?

DNA Questions - Matthew 4:18 - 5:12

Discover:

What is the significance of the fact that Jesus would call guys who were fishermen?

What is the correlation between "the gospel of the kingdom" and Jesus healing every disease?

Who is Jesus calling "blessed" in the famous Beatitudes?

Nurture

Are you following Jesus? How would you know?

How have you experienced the "good news of the kingdom" in your life?

If Jesus is talking to the same people from the end of chapter 4 in His sermon on the mount, how does that impact your understanding of blessedness?

Act:

What would it look like for you this week if your whole life became oriented around being a "fisher of men"?

What small, yet significant way could you bring The Kingdom of God into your home, work, or play this week? (Consider the Beatitudes)

DNA Questions - (Genesis 35:1-15)

Discover:

What is the actual "blessing" that God gives to Jacob?

How did his people fall into so much idolatry while in Shechem?

What is the significance of God's call for them to "be fruitful and multiply"?

Nurture:

What are the "foreign gods" in our culture that seem to lure you the most? How would you know?

Is there a "loss" in your life that you need to acknowledge and grieve over similarly as they wept for Deborah?

What would it look like for you to reestablish your identity in God? What promises do you need to reclaim?

Act:

How would your week look different if you were to put away any "foreign gods" in your life?

What gospel conversations can you have knowing the "foreign gods" of your home, work, and/or school?

DNA Questions (Genesis 34)

Discover:

What does this story teach us about the nature of sin?

What would it look like for Jacob to step in and speak a better word?

In what ways does Christianity impact culture and in what was has culture impacted Christianity?

Nurture:

How has anger impacted your life? How does the gospel/scripture help us to understand its rightful place in our lives?

In what ways do you relate to Levi and Simeon? How do you relate to Jacob?

How is Jesus the better Jacob especially for the hearts of Levi and Simeon who have just experienced the tragic mistreatment of their sister?

Act:

Believing that God sees, hears, knows, and acts how can we respond differently this week to life's brokenness?

Believing that the gospel speaks to the deepest longings of the heart, what crucial conversations are waiting to be had with family, friends, co-workers, classmates, teammates, etc. that would allow us to present Jesus?

DNA Questions: Genesis 33

Discover:

-What stands out to you the most in this part of the story? Why?

-What does this section teach us about the way God works?

-What does Jacob mean when he tells Esau that seeing his face was like seeing the face of God?

Nurture:

-How does this story of reconciliation resonate with you? Are there relationships in your life that you desire healing? How does this story encourage you?

-What would it look like for us to "bow ourselves to the ground seven times" before entering into a difficult conflict / relationship?

-How does the gospel prepare us for such an interaction?

Do:

-Believing you are beloved of God how could you begin to move closer to a difficult relationship this week?

-Believing you are beloved of God how could you respond to conflict differently than you normally do?

-What are the gospel conversations that need to be had with those around you at home, work, school, or play?