Questions for Reflection / Discussion:

1. Read Romans 6:15-23. What has been one of your most profound experiences of being set free? Have you seen that dramatized in a movie that really stuck with you? (12 years a slave, Shawshank redemption, Les Misérables) or your own experience? What do you think that was like for either the character or for yourself?

2. Have you ever thought of yourself of

being ‘set free?’ What have you been set free from? What might your life have looked like if Christ did NOT set you free?

3.Paul says three times in this passage that sin leads to death (vs. 16, 21, 23). What do you think Paul means by this? Have you seen any examples of this in your own experience or those you know?

4. What implications are there for you personally if it is indeed true that you have been “set free from sin?” (verse 22) What does that infer or imply?

5. What do you think it means to ‘offer [the parts of your body] in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness’?’ (verse 19). What might that look like for you practically?

6. How do you think these truths of Romans 6:15-23 would change your life and the way you live? This week ask God to reveal to you the power behind these truths.

Questions for Discussion / Reflection

1. Have you ever been held hostage by someone who had a Jesus agenda? How did that feel?

2. What keeps you from naturally, normally talking about Jesus with others?

3. If someone were to ask you “what is the gospel?” how would you reply?

4. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. What, according to Paul, are the elements of the gospel? Why do you think it is important that he includes the phrase “according to the scriptures” twice?

5. What did Mike say are the five movements of God’s Story? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

6. Read Acts 13:13-39 and Acts 17:16:34. How are these two gospel presentations different? Why do you suppose that is? What is similar about them?

7. This week, see if you can go through the five movements of God’s story on your own and pray that God would give you an opportunity to appropriately share with someone in the next month.

Questions for Reflection & Discussion:

1. (For those that were at the gathering) what were your first thoughts when you were staring at the brick wall? How did your reaction change when you finally saw it? Can you recall a similar time before you knew Jesus (and didn’t ‘get it’) and how that changed after having a relationship with Him?

2. Was there a time you can recall where someone offered you generic wisdom or “good words” during a time you were in need, but where they totally missed the mark, and totally missed speaking the good news into your need?

3. Read Ephesians 4:29. What are the parts of our speech that Paul is concerned with? Are there other verses nearby that you can see where he is talking about our speech? Why do you think he is so concerned with our speech? What difference does it make?

4. What is the difference between just not saying ‘bad’ things and saying ‘good’ things compared with speaking grace? How does the grace of the good news ‘benefit’ us in our specific need?

5. For those willing, share some specific needs with one another, and as a group, see if you can not just speak ‘good words’ or ‘generic advice’ toward these needs, but instead ‘speak grace. Then pray for these needs and for the ability to receive the good news.

Questions for Discussion / Reflection:

1. Who was your childhood hero, and why?

2. What’s one of your favorite movies, and why? Are there themes or stories in the movie that can be used to demonstrate or talk about the gospel story in any way? Explain.

3. When you tell your ’story’ what part do you end up focusing on the most? (Old ID, Meeting Jesus, New ID, Jesus the Hero) Which do you tend to focus on the least? Why?

4. Do you think you could create a two-minute version of your ’story’ using the framework of Old ID, Meeting Jesus, New ID, & Jesus the Hero? Go around and try this.

5. When you have the opportunity to talk to others, what do you tend to focus on (challenges, your own ingenuity & hard work, small talk, something else)? Why do you think this is the case?

6. When you talk about your faith, do you sometimes find yourself focusing on secondary figures (church, small group, right-living, bible) and not Jesus? Why do you think this is?

7. Read 1 Timothy 1:16. Why is it that Paul (and us) was shown God’s mercy? What are some practical ways that you can begin to look for & find Jesus in the little things of life, and use those things to talk about Jesus to those who might believe? Pray for these things together.

Questions for Discussion:

1. What languages and or topics would you consider yourself “fluent” in?

2. What elements do you think are necessary when learning a language? Why is this the case?

3. Read Ephesians 4:11-16. Highlight recurring themes. What sticks out to you and why?

4. Do you tend more towards “speaking the truth” or “loving”? Why do you think this is the case?

5. What is one area of your life that you need good news in? How is the gospel of Jesus Christ good news to this?

6. Jesus says, “For out of the overflow of

the heart the mouth speaks.” If this is true, what does your mouth reveal about your heart?

7. What steps will you take this week to begin becoming more fluent in the gospel?

Questions for Reflection:

1. What is one of your best Christmas memories? (gift, time, people, season of life)

2. If you were to sum up this Christmas season in a couple of words, which would you use? If you’ve felt burdened this Christmas, why do you think that is, and where does it come from?

3. Despite what the Apostle John says, do you sometimes feel that God’s commands are burdensome, and why do you think that is? Why do you think John tells us that they’re not?

4. Which of the false kings (People, Pleasure, & Possessions) do you tend to give the crown to in your life? Why do you think this is, and how do you think you can begin to choose to crown Jesus as King over this?

5. What does your walk with Christ look like when you become overwhelmed by the world? What would it look like, in your own life, to overcome the world? What steps do you believe God would like you to take, and who will you ask to come alongside you? Pray for one another.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What is your favorite part about the Christmas season? What is your least favorite? Why?

2. When is a time when you feel like you have really seen God’s glory displayed? Why is that and what was it like?

3. Why do you think the birth, life, and death of Jesus best display God’s glory? What is it that we see about God in the life and death of Jesus we don’t see anywhere else?

4. Read John 12:27-33. Why is Jesus troubled here? What is it specifically that is going to glorify God that Jesus is referring to? What are two things that are going to happen (vs. 31-32) as a result?

5. Read 1 John 4:9-12. How does God show his love for us? What do you think it means that God sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for sin?

6. What is John’s application for our lives of the love of God (v. 11)? What is one way you can practice this and demonstrate it to someone this Christmas season?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. What is one of the most joyous Christmas seasons you remember, and what made it so? What was one of the roughest, and why?

2. When you hear the word ‘Advent’ what do you typically think of? While tradition surrounding Christmas and Advent can be good, how does it sometimes take away or distract from the greater truth of what Christmas represents?

3. Can we fully experience Jesus, but never proclaim Him? Why or why not? What emotion comes to mind when you think of proclaiming Jesus (and why)? John says proclaiming Jesus will elicit the emotion and feeling of joy – why do you think that is?

4. Read 1 John 1:1-6. Read this statement and share what you think: “testimony is very difficult to have without obedience, and the heart of discipleship is obedience based, not acquiring more knowledge.” Agree, disagree, and why?

5. Name one tangible way the Advent of Jesus Christ will change your heart and your actions this very week. Pray for one another.