Grow Guide | April 23, 2023

Through Faith For Faith 3rd Sunday of Easter

Romans 1:1-17

Connecting Questions

What’s your best story of a phone call with a telemarketer?

What been the best phone call you received? What was a hard phone you received?

Prayer for Illumination

Let us pray, Loving God, we pause today grateful for this next breath. We are grateful for the chance to connect with others today no matter how simple the experience. Open your Word to us. Open our hearts to let your word speak to us and change our lives. We pray in the name of the Risen Jesus, Amen.

Context

This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of the Easter season, and we are beginning a new worship series considering the book of Romans. Through Faith for Faith will help you discover life giving promises in this important lesson. For six weeks, we’ll open up this letter a piece at a time and you’ll discover why Martin Luther said:

This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that they should occupy themselves with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.

What was the most memorable dish that you had at Easter? Can you describe how it tasted? Interesting, Luther compares Romans—a letter in the Bible—to food. He says, the more you read it, the better it “tastes.” As Christians who are invited to grow, what practice or discipline does that invite in our daily lives? What does this look like in your life?

From Pastor Arland Hultgren at EntertheBible.org, a summary of Romans:

The Apostle writes the longest of his letters to a community of Christians in Rome, announcing that he plans to visit them, to be mutually encouraged, and to be sent on by them to Spain. To accomplish the goal of having the support of the Roman Christians, Paul sets forth an account of the gospel that he preaches–particularly about the saving work of God in Christ–and spells out its implications for the Christian life. In addition, he writes concerning the salvation of the Jewish people, discusses some particulars of Christian conduct (life under the Roman government, living together during disagreements, and fulfilling the law of love). He speaks of his plans for travel as an apostle and sends greetings by name to some twenty-six persons known to him in Rome. 

Look at the Book

• Read Romans 1:1:1-17. Warning! It can feel like a long sentence so, break it into bit sized bits first.

  • Romans begins with Paul’s introduction.

  • What is the first way he describes himself? What do you think that means?

  • Remember, there was a significant divide between slaves and everyone else in Paul’s day. Why would Paul choose this title?

  • Where in our community might modern day slavery lurk?

  • Apostle is a Greek word for “one who is sent out.” How does this contribute to our understanding of our Christians identity?

  • Paul’s understanding that he is called contributes to our understanding of being called to focus on something in different seasons of our lives. What is something you feel called to do/be in this season of your life? If that’s hard to answer, consider Paul’s posture of servant as a place to start wondering.

  • Define the word “gospel.” According to Paul, what is the gospel in verses 2-6?

  • Read verses 16-17. What does this gospel do?

  • Circle the words: through faith for faith. What do you think that means? Here we get a window on how God—not us—creates faith. Faith is life giving and powerful, so we want everyone to experience this good news found in Jesus.

Taking it Home

Paul begins with his calling (and yours!) and ends with faith. Who has been a powerful example of faith to you who is younger than you? Older?

In the next weeks, we will hear the words “grace” and “faith” a lot. Write down what you think they mean now and revisit those words at the end!

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.