**We apologize for the quality of the audio for roughly the first 1 minute and 43 seconds. The audio recording was for that time was lost.**

// Sermon Review Questions //
Read Romans 12:3-8. Perhaps review the context leading up to Romans 12.

1. What were the 4 ways, mentioned by Pastor Ryan, that the church is described in the New Testament?
• The church is a kingdom where Christ reigns. (What is the significance of this?)
• The church is a building, where we are brought close to the Holy One. (What is the significance of this?)
• The church is a marriage, where Jesus pursues a wayward Bride. (What is the significance of this?)
• The church is the very body of Christ, connected to Christ as our head. (What is the significance of this?)

2. The body is a perfect illustration of Christ's church. What were the 3 ways that this was described?
• We are one body in Christ.
• We each have different functions.
• We belong to one another.


// Application/Discussion //

1. Christ reigns over all rulers and authorities on earth. He is infinitely above all other rulers! Where are you struggling to see/believe that Christ is reigning sovereignly right now over the details in your life?

2. The body of Christ has functions that vary from one another. Not all are hands. Not all are the mouth. Not all are feet. How are you currently functioning in the body? What role are you presently filling?

3. We belong to one another. We are "members, one of another..." When we withhold our service from the church, we are robbing the church of our gifts. Are there any roles you believe you ought to be filling with your gifts that you currently aren't? What keeps you from serving the body with your gifts?

May the Lord help these discussions to unleash every single gift (large and small) in service towards one another and ultimately in service to King Jesus, for His great glory.

// Sermon Review Questions //

Spend a little time (5-10 minutes) putting the sermon back into the minds of your group members. Before meaningful applications of the text can be made, it is always helpful to remind one another of the text itself. Read together Romans 12:3-8.

1. What was the theme (big-picture idea) of this text? ("Having gifts, let us use them.")

2. What were the 3 truths that Pastor Ryan shared with us regarding the giving of Spiritual gifts?
• Every Christian has at least one gift.
• Each individual Christian receives gifts that differ from one another.
• Every gift is meant to be used for mutual upbuilding.
• Where do we see these things from the text/context?

3. What were the 3 questions that Pastor Ryan led us to consider together?
• What gifts have you been given?
• How are you using those gifts to serve the church?
• How are you improving your gifts?

4. What is the great enemy/principle that keeps Christians from properly using their gifts to serve the church? --> Pride. Where do we see that in the text? (see verse 3)

// Application/Discussion Questions //

1. Have each member of the group (young, older, married, single) list out their specific gifts that have been given to them by God at their conversion.
• Why do you believe that God has given you that specific gift?
• Are there different gifts that you wish you had been given? Describe.

2. How are you presently using your gift(s) to serve the church?
• Where and how are you using them?
• Anywhere you believe the Lord wants you to be using them that you currently aren't? Describe.

3. What are you doing currently to improve your gifts (fan them into flame)?

4. What are the two primary ways that our pride can manifest itself and keep us from being fruitful in using our gifts? --> Inflation and deflation. Describe.
• Which of these (inflation or deflation) are you more prone towards? Describe.
• How does an inflated view of your gifts and/or a deflated view of your self reveal that you are thinking too highly of yourself?
• What can you do to put pride to death in the coming week(s)?

May the Lord use these discussions to fan into flame every member to use every gift that the Lord has given His people to build one another up in love.

// Sermon Application //

1. The Christian life is not complicated, but is is hard. What aspects of living the Christian life are you presently finding "hard" to put into practice? Describe those areas.

2. Living the Christian life involves resisting/shunning the world. What aspects of the world are difficult presently for you to resist/shun? What about them makes them hard to resist?

3. Describe some of the worldly influences that you are presently shunning. What's it like for you to resist those temptations (hard/difficult)? Why? Describe.

4. Can you see any areas of your life that are presently not being governed by God's Word? Describe.

5. Can you see any areas of your life presently where you are not content with Christ's justifying work on the cross for you? Describe.

6. Is the highest treasure/aim of your life "to see God"? What competes?

7. Describe how you are being transformed through the renewal of your mind/thinking. What "thinking" is leading to your actual transformation? What "wrong thoughts" hinder your transformation?

8. Are you filling your mind with Biblical truth throughout the week? How? What are you presently doing to fill your mind with Biblical truth?

9. How are you doing with private reading of the Word and memorization?

10. Who are you spending time with throughout the week? Mostly Christian friends or mostly unbelievers? What effect is this having on your living?