Thursday, October 6, 2016

Touching Base - Part 313

09 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 1
“BIG GOD, BIG WORK, BIG WORLD!”
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are starting a series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text.

Notes:

Big God (v.1-4)




Big Work (v.1-7)




Big World (v.5-17)




Text: Romans 1:1-17
Question: What is the Gospel?
Big Idea: Big God, Big Work, Big World.

Discussion questions:

1.     Big God

How does Paul “dwarf” himself in light of the main character of the gospel?
What does the word gospel” mean and note how many times Paul uses it in the first 17 verses.
What does Paul say that illustrates the bigness of Jesus?
What is going on in your life these days that says “I need a big God!”

2.     Big Work

Identify and discuss the key words that describe the big work God has done in Paul’s life and in the heart of his listeners.
Read Acts 8:1-3,Galatians 1:13  and contrast with Romans 1: 8-16. How does this contrast illustrate the big work God has done in Paul’s life?
What is going on in your life these days that says, “ I need God to do a big work in my life!”

3.     Big World

Note the use of the words “nations”, “Rome”, “Greeks” and “barbarians”.
What does the use of these terms indicate about the far-reaching scope of the Gospel?
How might this have created tension for the original audience?
How do our prejudices against people hinder us in offering the Gospel to all people?

Wrap

Note that Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel”. To be ashamed means “to be embarrassed”. What aspects of the gospel could be a cause of embarrassment today in our pluralistic culture?
What can happen when we are ashamed or embarrassed of the good news?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw

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