Sermon Discussion Guide 10-18-26

Sermon Discussion Guide
Romans | Romans 3:21-26 | How God Saves Sinners

Gathering Question:
What is one way you’ve seen God at work in your life this week?

Gathering Prayer
Father, by Your Spirit, would you guide us into all truth. Help us to hear and be attentive to Your voice as we work through this study. In the name of Jesus, Your Son, we pray. Amen.

Opening Questions

• What stood out to you in the sermon? 
• What insights did you gain? 
• What questions did it raise?

Read Romans 3:21-26

Blood

• If we misunderstand the problem, we will misunderstand the solution. How does our culture tend to explain what is wrong with people and the world? How does the Bible’s understanding of sin differ from these explanations?
• Sin is more than individual mistakes or bad behavior; sin is a power that distorts our lives and brings destruction into the world. How does understanding the seriousness of sin help us understand the necessity of the cross?
• If we could make ourselves right with God through self-improvement, education, morality, or religious effort, why would we need Jesus to die for us? What does the cross reveal about both the seriousness of our sin and our inability to save ourselves?

Justice

• Romans 3:24 says that we are “justified freely by his grace.” What does it mean to be justified by God's grace rather than to earn our standing before him? Why is this difficult to accept?
• Grace is a scandal: Jesus gave himself for people who did not deserve it. Why is it difficult to receive forgiveness we haven't earned? When have you struggled to believe that God's grace really is for you?
• In Romans 3:25–26, Paul explains that God acted through Jesus to demonstrate his righteousness, so that he could be both just and the one who justifies sinners. How does the cross help us understand that God doesn't ignore sin but deals with it himself?

Faith

• Faith is more than believing that God exists or agreeing with Christian doctrine; it involves trust and reliance. What is the difference between believing something is true and actually relying on it? What does relying on Jesus look like in everyday life?
• The world asks, “Who tells me who I am? Who takes care of me? Who forgives me?” How might trusting Christ for our identity, security, and forgiveness change the way we respond to comparison, anxiety, failure, or other people's opinions?
• Good works are the fruit of grace, not the basis of our acceptance by God. How does this change our motivation to obey God, forgive others, serve people in need, or practice generosity?

Closing Prayer