Sermon Conversation Questions Incarnation: Union With God is Possible 12/03/23 - Richmond Campus STARTER: As a young person, what was your primary source of identity? Was it sports, like Austin? Or maybe something like music or theater? Did you identify as one of the “cool kids,” or did you feel more like an outsider? SCRIPTURE: Galatians 2:15-21 (NIV) “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. 17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
DISCUSSION: 1) What does the concept of justification mean to you? How do you think a person is “justified in Christ”? 2) How would you explain verse 16 to a non-Christian? Particularly someone with high moral standards? 3) What do you think Paul is talking about when he says that he has been “crucified with Christ?” 4) Does dying to ourselves and allowing Christ to live in us mean that we lose our unique identity and personhood? Or does being crucified with Christ actually allow us to be our most pure and authentic selves? 5) In this passage, Paul says that this new life he lives in Christ is marked solely by faith. How much of your current life and identity would you say is found in your faith in Christ? In what areas of your life would you like to be encouraged by your community to improve?
6) In his sermon, Austin invited us to think about the question: “Where have I put additional identity markers for belonging to Jesus?” What are you tempted to require of others before they can belong to Jesus? Must they be a certain age, race, or gender? Must they have a certain income, dress a certain way, or live in a certain area? Take a moment to reflect and then confess to one another any ways that you may bar people from belonging to Jesus in your mind and heart. 7) Another question Austin invited us to ponder was: “Where have we adopted an identity of something other than what Jesus may have for us?” Take a moment and think about this in relation to your small group and church community and then share your thoughts. 8) Reflecting on the Scripture, what will you do to move forward in obedience to it? What is your next practical step? Can this group help you in some way? CLOSING PRAYER