Free (2) – Now You Know

Welcome to CROLCC, we are so glad you are here worshiping with us.  Last week we started this series Free and we are talking about something we all have in common – why is it that I don’t do what I think I should do but keep doing what I don’t think I should do?  What’s wrong with me?  You probably are smart enough to come up with a theory of your own, but we said that the reason you behave that way is this – you were born a sinner!  Before you get offended and ask “what did I do,” remember we also said that you didn’t do anything, it was because long long time ago Adam did something and through his one disobedient act, sin entered the world.  And because you were born through Adam and into this world, you were therefore born a sinner.

Confuse yet?  Don’t worry; we will talk more about this topic in the coming weeks.  Better yet, if you have never been to our Holistic Redemption class and/or encounter retreat, I hope you can attend.  It will be an opportunity for you to further understand what sin really is and what it can do to you, but at the same time how to live free and redeemed through Jesus Christ.  Because when we place our trust in Jesus Christ, we can be Free.

Moving Forward

When you became a Christian you were taken out of Adam and baptized into Christ. What was true of Adam was true of you: you were condemned, guilty, unrighteous, a slave of sin. In Christ, what is true of Christ is true of you: you’re free from sin.

Choose an area of your life that you might be struggling with and as you begin your wrestling match, whisper: Sin is not my master. I am dead to sin but alive to God.

Discussion Questions

1. Talk about a time when you did something—big or small—that you knew was a bad idea. Why did you do it even though you knew it wasn’t wise?

2. Talk about some of the “whats”—willpower, discipline, self-help books—you’ve relied on in the past to try to solve your self-destructive behaviors. How did those things work for you?

3. Read Romans 6:1–4. What are some obstacles we face in living out the truth that Jesus has freed us from the power of sin? Why is that truth so difficult to grasp?

4. How might your life be different if you truly accept the truth that Jesus’ death and resurrection didn’t just provide a way for you into heaven, but freed you from slavery to sin in this life?

5. When you’re faced with temptation, what is one thing you can do to remember to whisper to yourself, “Sin is not my master. I am dead to sin but alive to God”? What can this group do to support or encourage you?