Text:
Genesis 3:1-13
Opening question: What is sin? Describe it with 1-2 word phrases. (responses will let you know how serious your group takes the concept of sin and how they really feel about it). Are the responses strong and intense? Or are the responses light, almost like admitting that sin is really not that big of a deal?
-One of the goals of this new series is to help communicate the severity of sin. If we don't get offended by sin, then we really don't see a need for a savior. If sin is no big deal, then why do we need Jesus? What do we need saving from?
Here are 3 reactions to sin that we have to guard ourselves against. A great exercise is to get out a piece of paper and get the group to privately write down sins in their own lives that fall into these categories. One of the first steps to eradicating sin in our lives is identifying them and admitting they are a problem!
vs. 1-7: When we sin, we often try to justify is or downplay it.
1. Are some sins more serious to you than others? Do you have some that are heinous, yet others that are "little white lies?" Do you know that God does not categorize and differentiate between levels of sin? Sin is sin, and God detests it all.
2. What are ways that we try to downplay or justify our sins? a. we look at the sins of other people and consider them more severe (oftentimes simply trying to make our own sins more palatable).
3. How can we avoid downplaying or trying to justify our sins? By constantly confessing them, realizing our depravity, depending on God. Again, if we don't think it's a problem, then we'll never more towards fixing it!
4. What are some sins in your life that you are downplaying or justifying?
vs. 8-9: When we sin, we often try to hide it.
1. When Adam sinned, he used a fig leaf to hide behind. What is your fig leaf? Warning: fig leaves can even be good things in-and-of themselves. However, when they are used to hide the real issues in our lives, they can be destructive. Is it possible that people are using their involvement in rGroup as a way to hide behind their sin and keep it a secret?
2. Share some things that you have used as a fig leaf in your past to help others in your group from making the same mistakes. Have you used your past or your hard life as a crutch? Are you allowing a difficult past to be the enabler for your current sin? Maybe your leave is the sin of others, which pushed you towards the mentality of "as long as I'm not as bad as they are, then I'll be ok."
3. What are the sins in your life that you are trying to hide?
vs. 10-13: When we sin, we often try to blame someone or something else.
1. When you are at work and you are busting it hard, and one of the other teammates isn't doing their job, it's frustrating when they make excuses. It's even worse when they mess up and then try to blame someone else for their failure. Our sin is no different. It seems like we live in a society where no one is willing to take the blame for their actions!
2. Would anyone be willing to share a story of when you blamed God, your family, your friends, your circumstances, etc, for the sin in your life? How did that turn out?
3. What are the sins in your life that you are trying to blame on something or someone else.
Let's compare those 3 to the biblical response to sin.
1. Admit that you are a sinner and that sin is a problem.
2. Confess your sins to God.
3. Repent of your sins.
Spend some time in prayer this week responding to God in these three simple steps. Sin is a serious issue that separates us from God. I hope that we can begin to realize how God views sin, and that our reaction will be similar when we see sin in our own lives.
0 comments:
Post a Comment