Meeting God in Jesus - Session 4: The Power of God in Christ

1. Introduction & Hook (8 minutes)

Leader's Script:

Say: "Welcome back! In our series 'Meeting God in Jesus,' we've seen God's faithfulness. Tonight, we tackle the idea of power. Our series is based on John 14:9, where Jesus says, 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.' So our big question is: What does Jesus's power show us about God's power?"

Ask (Icebreaker): "When you hear the word 'power,' what comes to mind? Think about movies, history, or the world today. What does a 'powerful person' look like?"

[Teacher's Insight & Notes]: List their answers on a whiteboard under "World's Power" (e.g., strength, control, money, influence).

Say (The Pivot): "These are all examples of power as control or self-will. But to understand why we desperately need God's power, we first have to get brutally honest about our own."

2. The Problem: Our Powerlessness (15 minutes)

Leader's Script:

"Let's turn to Romans, chapter 7. The Apostle Paul gets incredibly real about his own struggle. Let's start by reading verse 14." (Read Romans 7:14 aloud).

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Romans 7:14 “14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.”

"What does Paul say his condition is? He says he is 'a slave to sin.' What does it mean to be a slave?" (You have no freedom, you are owned, your will is not your own). 

"Exactly. This is the Bible's diagnosis of the human condition. It's not that we're just weak or make mistakes. It's that we are in bondage. Our will is not truly free; it's owned by sin and death.

Now let's read verses 18-25a and see how Paul describes this slavery." (Read Romans 7:18-25a aloud). 

Romans 7:15–25 ESV

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Ask: "Paul says, 'I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.' Does this mean we can't do anything good? Or does it mean we are fundamentally powerless to please God on our own?"

[Teacher's Insight & Notes]: "This is the doctrine of total inability because of total depravity. Total depravity means that because of sin, every part of us — our thoughts, desires, and actions — is affected by sin. We can still do things that look 'good' by human standards, but our hearts are still broken and turned away from God.

Because of this, we have total inability — we are spiritually powerless to free ourselves, overcome our sinful nature, or earn God’s favor. Our will is in bondage, and we cannot choose God on our own. We need Him to make the first move and change our hearts."

"This idea of being a slave to sin is all over the Bible." (Briefly reference these): 

"In, Jesus says, 'everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'" John 8:34 

"In, Paul says you are a 'slave of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.'" Romans 6 

"And in, he says the sinful mind 'is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.'" Romans 8 

"So no wonder Paul screams out in verse 24, 'What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?'

He knows he can't rescue himself. He needs a power from outside himself that is stronger than the power of sin and death that owns him."

what is this solution??

3. The Solution: The Person & Work of Jesus (25 minutes)

Part 1: The Work of Jesus (Power in Action)

"Let's see the power that answers Paul's cry. Turn to Mark, chapter 4, starting in verse 35." (Read Mark 4:35-41 aloud)

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Mark 4:35–41 ESV

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

"What's the situation?

What are the disciples feeling?"

(Fear, panic, powerlessness).Ask: 

"Look at the disciples' reaction in verse 41. The storm is gone, but they are 'terrified.' Why? What question do they ask?" ('Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'). 

Part 2: The Person of Jesus (The Source of Power)

Say: "That question—'Who is this?'—is the answer to our powerlessness. We must never separate what Jesus does from who Jesus is. His power isn't a magic trick; it flows from his identity. Let's read Colossians 1:15-20 and see a complete gospel presentation of who this person is." (Read the text aloud).

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Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Say (Gospel Presentation): "Let's break this down.

First, WHO JESUS IS (vv. 15-17): He is the 'image of the invisible God.' By Him, all things were created. He is before all things. And 'in him all things hold together.' This isn't just a powerful person; this is the Creator and Sustainer of the entire cosmos.

Second, WHAT JESUS DID (vv. 18-20): Through His blood shed on the cross, He made peace and 'reconciled to himself all things.' He is the head of the church, the firstborn from the dead.

Say (The Great Exchange): "Remember our slavery to sin? Here is the rescue. The same person whose power holds every atom in the universe together is the person whose work on the cross reconciles us to God. His work of atonement is the way we get access to His person."

Ask: "So how do we get His power? Do we ask for a piece of it?"

[Teacher's Insight & Notes]: Lead them to the answer: No. We get united to Him. Salvation is our union with Christ . When we are joined to Him by the Holy Spirit through faith, we are joined to the Creator Himself. The same power that holds the universe together is now holding us together. This is where we find true freedom. Our will, once owned by sin, is now freed in Christ to truly love and obey God.

4. Application: The Paradigm Shift (10 minutes)

Leader's Script:

Say (Synthesis): "The core of the Christian life is a paradigm shift. We stop trying to fix our powerlessness with our own willpower. Instead, we shift our entire focus from our own ability to Christ's ability. We stop trying to live for Jesus and start learning to let Jesus live through us."

Ask: "I know the next question is, 'Okay, but how do I apply this practically?' Let's think about this. Jesus said in Matthew 6, 'Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.' This is a verse about focus."

Say (Practical Outworking of the Shift): "This isn't a 3-step program. It's a reorientation of your entire framework. Here’s what it looks like:

In Repentance: When you sin, don't just say, 'I'll try harder next time.' Instead, see it as a moment where you stopped trusting Christ's power and started trusting your own. Repent of that self-reliance and rest again in His finished work.

In Prayer: Instead of praying, 'God, give me strength to do this,' try praying, 'Jesus, you are my strength. Live your power through me in this situation.' The source of the power changes from you to Him.

In Identity: Your first thought in the morning isn't 'I have to do...' but 'I am in Christ.' Your identity is not 'a sinner trying to be good,' but a 'saint who is united to the all-powerful Creator and is learning to walk in that reality.'

Ask (Challenge): "Where is one area this week you can consciously shift your focus from your own power to Christ's indwelling power? In a difficult class, a tempting situation, or a strained relationship?"

Say (Closing): "Our slavery to sin is real and our powerlessness is total. But the power of the Creator is greater. Because of the cross, we are united to Him, and His cosmic, creation-sustaining power is the very power that now works in us to set us free."

Memory Verse: Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through him who gives me strength."

So tonight, we've seen that God's power isn't just a force; it's the personal, creative, universe-sustaining power of the Son of God Himself, who lives in us. But that raises a huge question. We've seen God is all-powerful, but how do we know we can trust that power? Is He also wise? Power without wisdom can be terrifying. Next time, we're going to dive into 'The Wisdom of God in Christ.' We'll tackle one of the biggest paradoxes in our faith: Why did God's smartest, most powerful plan to save the entire universe look, to the world, like the most foolish and weak moment in history—a man dying on a cross? Join us next time as we discover how Jesus's life, and especially His death, reveals a divine wisdom that turns our world's logic completely upside down."