Whatever the Cost
Whatever the Cost
Romans 9:1-5
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
Today we are going to take another approach to exploring God’s Word for the sermon. At the 8:00 am service we commissioned new leaders for our ChristCare ministry – a ministry of small groups that gather around God’s Word to care for each other and to grow in their faith. Today I would like to give you a taste of a typical Bible Study for a ChristCare group. Now it won’t be the same because it is impossible for you to interact with everyone like you could in a ChristCare group, but I think you will get a good idea of what happens. On the back of this sheet is the outline we will follow.
The ChristCare bible study is based on a model called Biblical Equipping. There are 8 steps that help us as a group get into God’s Word and apply it to our lives. This model is designed to help a group of people create community through Christ, or as the motto of ChristCare states, “Circles of Care with Christ at the Center.” While you could use this model for yourself individually, it is more effective in a group, which is really how I think God wants us to grow, with fellow believer.
There are two themes I found in this text that can be used for discussion. The first is based on the title of this sermon, “Whatever the cost.” Paul was struggling over the lack of faith in Jesus from the Jewish people, whom he was one of. He agonized for them because they were so close and yet either rejected Christ or didn’t understand that He was the Messiah. Paul wants them to come to know Christ even if it would cost him his salvation. That is “whatever the cost” idea of evangelism.
The second theme comes out of the variation in the New Living Translation (which is the one used on the reverse side of this sheet.). In verse 4 it states that the Jewish people had the privilege of worshiping the true God. Paul continues in this chapter to lay out the idea that those who follow Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are part of the true Israel. So this idea of privilege extends to us. We are privileged to be a follower of Christ. Even when we were dead in our sin Christ came to us to redeem us. What a privilege!
The study on the next page is designed to help you explore, with other Christians, these two themes or others that come to you as you study this text. Use it as an outline for your study whether it is in a ChristCare group or in you family or even just another Christian brother or sister who you can discuss spiritual things with.
Again, I truly believe that God intended for us to come to His word together; to hear it, explore it, connect with it and to help each other grow in it. Each step is designed to help God’s Word move from head to heart in our life and the life of those around us. I believe we grow stronger as we share together!
May we take to heart this passage from Romans chapter 9 and see that whatever the cost, we can carry God’s saving Word to the world. May we view it as a privilege to be called a Christian. And may we join together in community with Christ and each other as we grow spiritually. “No man is an island,” the famous poet Dunn stated and that is true as we are the body of Christ. Enjoy the Bible Study and bring someone along on your faith journey!
Amen