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God's Love Must Be Earned |
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LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Wednesday Night, August 30, 2006
“God’s Love Must Be Earned”
5 Minutes - Welcome / Prayer
5 Minutes - OPEN
Jesus shared with us numerous stories about grace in order to call us to step completely outside of our tit-for-tat world of un-grace and enter into God’s realm of infinite grace. Some examples would be:
* Where he left the 99 for 1 lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7);
* Where Mary took a pint of expensive ointment and anointed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:36-50; Jn. 12:1-11);
* Where the landowner hired workers late in the day and paid them the same as those who had worked an entire day (Mt. 20:1-16).
Occasionally, a grace note sounds to interrupt the monotonous tone of un-grace in our world. Allow different group members to site examples of such they’ve witnessed this past week.
15 Minutes - DIG
Almost anyone who carefully studies the teachings of the New Testament will have to admit that salvation is based on God’s grace. Any teaching about salvation that does not relate to righteousness misses the point.
Since we are incapable of achieving or maintaining God’s righteousness, the only possible way for man to be righteous is to receive it as a gift from God (Rom. 5:17; 4:6; 2 Cor. 5:21).
There is only one remedy for the chasms created by un-grace – the bridge of forgiveness (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14)!
With that being true, there are times when the New Testament seems to put faith and works in opposition to each other. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith . . . not as a result of works” (Eph. 2:8, 9). James wrote, “you see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).
These text highlight two truths:
* There are no works man can perform that will rescue him from his fallen condition;
* However, good works become evidence of the genuineness of our Christian faith.
Maintaining a balance between faith and works will help us avoid two serious pitfalls. One is the pitfall of legalism. The other extreme is license.
To what extreme are you most susceptible?
God’s great gifts are distributed not because they are earned, but because He is gracious. It is so easy to lull one-self into believing “I’m pretty good” which left to its own devices yields a “holier than thou” attitude. In the kingdom of God, the principles of merit and ability are set aside so that grace can prevail. Whatever makes us feel superior to other people is not grace!
Using Jesus’ parable where is contrast the Pharisee and publican in Luke 18:9-14, describe in your own words the fundamental difference in these two religious types.
15 Minutes - REFLECT
How should a “graced” person act as a husband or wife; as an employer or employee; as a customer; as a citizen, as a church member?
Might it be that dispensing grace is our most important Christian contribution? God needs humble people (which usually means humbled people) to accomplish His work.
If grace is so amazing, why don’t Christians show more of it? How is it that Christians called to dispense the aroma of grace instead emit the noxious fumes of un-grace?
Why is it such good news that God’s love is not tied to our performance?
5 Minutes - CLOSING PRAYER
How will your reflection and study of this subject change your thinking and behavior in the future?
Submit these matters to prayer.
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