REVO rGroup Discussion Guide - Baptism

This guide is a tool to help you facilitate discussion with your rGroup. Use it to lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying God’s Word. This is a flexible tool, not a rigid task list. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead as you lead your group. You don’t need to ask every question.

Opening Question: What was your favorite part or something that stood out from Baptism Sunday?  

  Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth

READ John 1:19-34

• What is baptism? What isn’t it? 
  • Examples: It is a story about who God is and what he’s done in our lives; it’s a picture of our death to sin and being made alive; it’s not something that saves us; etc.  
• Why was Jesus baptized?
  • Examples: It was a symbol of what would ultimately happen in his life (death, burial, resurrection); Even though he had never sinned in his life and didn’t need baptism, he did it to show that he loved and wanted to be identified with us, the sinners he had come to save; It demonstrated that Jesus would one day baptize people with the Holy Spirit; etc. 
• What does it mean that Jesus called the 'Lamb of God'? 
  • Hint: See Exodus 12 & 1 Corinthians 5:7 — Christ is the ultimate Passover Lamb who would die and pay for the sins of his people, so they might have forgiveness and a relationship with God. 

  Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life With God

• Why do you think baptism is such an important step for Christians to take? 
  • How do you know if you should be baptized?
• Baptism tells a story to those around us about who God is and what he’s done in our lives.  For many of us, the day of our baptism is behind us, but how can the story behind our baptism still go on each day? How can each day be like our baptism day? 
• What hope can the world receive when they experience a baptism and hear people continually sharing their stories of how God changed their lives? 

 Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin

• If you haven’t been baptized, what are some of the reasons that are holding you back? Or if you’ve already been baptized, was there anything you struggled with before taking that step of faith and obedience?
• Like we said earlier, our story of life-change was meant to be shared long after our baptism. When was the last time you’ve publicly professed your faith, the last time you shared with others the story of who God is and what’s been doing in your life? 
• What is keeping your from being a witness and continuing to share the ongoing story of who God is and what he’s done in your life now? 
  • Examples:
    • Fear — I fear what people will think of me more than what God thinks of me. 
    • Guilt & Shame — I feel like I’m worse, or that I haven’t continued to change
    • Apathy — I've lost sight of who God is and what he’s done or doing in my life. 
    • Selfishness — I don’t want to make time and effort to share with others. 
    
    

Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God

• As people who still continue to struggle with sin and continue to need life-change, why is remembering that Jesus is “Lamb of God” such a good reminder for us?
• READ Romans 6:3-11 — What do you think it would look like to remember this and live this out on a daily basis? 
• Living this way can be very difficult. It’s not something that we can accomplish in our own power. What help and power does Jesus give us that makes all of this possible? 
  • John 1:33 - Jesus baptizes us with / gives us the Holy Spirit! We are never left to do this on our own. God is always with us and helping us do all of these things.