Note from Pastor Nathan

Hey Leaders!!

Pastor Tim will be continuing in Romans for the next 5 weeks (Sept. 11th – Oct. 9th)
Serve at the Fall Festival- October 22nd
- Click Here To Sign Up
Serve with FCA One Day event on October 15th
- Click Here to Sign up to Volunteer
Serve with KidsClub (Once a week this school year)
- This is a great way to share Jesus with the children in our community! Check out this video to learn more about Kids Club and email JC@venture.cc or Junebeck70@gmail.com if you’re interested in volunteering.

Current Discussion Guide

Note To Leaders – “Finally, Paul concludes the chapter with the most lengthy, and perhaps the most difficult evidence of being a living sacrifice: loving when wronged. “ (1) Our goal in this passage is to observe how good can overcome evil, in ourselves and in the world around us. As we spend time discussing this passage together, let us remember that Christlike love is not something WE conjure up inside ourselves, but is something that Christ himself gives us as we become more like him. Loving others when they have wronged us is a tremendous challenge and also shows the transformative power of the Gospel to change our own hearts towards others.

Ice-Breaker – Share a challenge you’ve overcome during this past week.
- Leaders- Make sure to stop and celebrate something about what they shared (How they showed a fruit of the spirit, a character quality, a Christlike response, etc…)

Romans 12:17 says, “Do not repay evil back with more evil.” There is a natural inclination to repay evil with more evil. Where have you seen this in popular media or in the lives of those around you?

The second half of verse 17 says to do “what is honorable in the sight of all”. Other translations have this translated as “right action” or “good action”.
- Why is honorable/right/good action commanded in response to evil?
- Why is honorable/right/good action so difficult in situations where evil has been done to us?

Verse 18 instructs us to live peaceably with all, but gives an interesting caveat. What is that caveat and what does this mean for your daily life?
- Note to Leaders- The clause: as much as dependeth on you. It may be outwardly impossible for us to live at peace with everybody; but inwardly we should be peaceably disposed, prepared for peace, toward everybody. Not, “if you can,” but, if it is possible, if others will allow it. “All your part is to be peace: whether you actually live peaceably or not, will depend, then, solely on how others behave toward you”. That this is often impossible, the Apostle’s life plainly shows. (2)

Read 1 Timothy 2:1-5 and Romans 12:17-18.
- How does seeking peace-filled lives help spread the Gospel and lead more people to become Christians?

Read Romans 12:19-21
- What do these verses tell us about revenge?
- How can bringing someone to justice be different than revenge or repaying evil with evil?

Share a situation from your life where you have “overcome evil with good”. How did it happen and what resulted from it?

Pray for each other by splitting into groups of two. Share prayer requests on a text message thread with the whole group afterwards.