1)Listen to Podcast
2)GG Questions
02/16/2020
Saturate: Who are we? Family
Romans 8:14-17
1. We Are Family : What are some of the ways the Bible speaks of (1) the inner-Trinity’s relationship (John 5:19-20), (2) our personal relationship with God (Isa. 49:14-16; Jer. 31:18-20; Hos. 11:1-4), and (3) the relationships among fellow believers (1 Thess. 2:7-12) in familial terms? Do you have a hard time believing you are a son or daughter of God? How would your self-perception and sense of self-worth change if you really believed John 15:9?
2. Indicative >> Imperative : Students of the Bible have noticed a pattern in Paul’s writings where he moves from the indicative to the imperative (Eph. 5:8; Col. 3:1), that is, he starts by telling the churches who they are (their identity) and then follows that up with what they must do about it. Being precedes doing, or, you do who you are. What do you look to for your identity? What defines you? Are there times where you look to something other than God’s word for your worth and purpose? How might a misplaced being result in mistaken doings ?
3. We Love Because… : A slight adjustment of 1 John 4:19 reads like this: “We love [like family], because he first loved us [like family].” Not everyone is blessed with a close family on earth, but those that are will tell you it fosters a kind of love and loyalty like nothing else on earth. As Christians, we have been welcomed into an even greater family and an even greater love (Rom. 8:14-17). Vanderstelt writes, however, “If you don’t love others well, it could be because you do not fully know God’s love.” Do you agree (1 John 4:7-8, 11, 20-21)? Who can you love like family where you live and where you have been sent?
4. Who Are You? : Vanderstelt asked four key questions throughout his material for this week. Work together to establish concise, one-sentence statements in answer to these four, key questions: (1) Who is God? (2) What has God done? (3) Who am I? (4) What am I to do?
