3.29.20 - The Battle Within: Living Free Forever

The Battle Within: Living Free Forever

Message for Sunday March 29, 2020

This Week Reading: Romans 8:1-11   

Key Verse: The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace - verse 6
Crossroads Community Group Guide: 

A. Welcome: Welcome everyone especially new persons and read out loud the purpose of your group

B. Purpose: Our purpose is to multiply groups. We do this by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and multiply God's kingdom.

 C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use 10,000 Reasons (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Review:  1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
  2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

E. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): What battles do people have within themselves?

F. Read Background Information: These verse were written by the Apostle Paul. He had experience a radical change in his life. He had experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. In Galatians 2:20 he wrote, " I have been crucified with Christ, I no longer live. The life i live in the body I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." These verse teach us how to overcome our sinful nature in the power of the Holy Spirit.

G. Word: Read Romans 8:1-11 - break it down into smaller portions to read. Read it in portions aloud together several times. (Goal is that everyone understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words - keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses)
1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?
2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.
3. What are the details?
4. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

H. Discuss the following general questions together (Goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion - the leader should not speak more than 30% of the time - let the group discover what God is saying to them).1. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?2. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story? 3. What do you learn about people from the story?4. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?5. What will you do with what you have learned? (make sure everyone answers this)6. As a result of this study what do you need to stop doing?7. As a result of this study what do you need to start doing? 

 I. Commitment - Obedience - Application  (This is the key - have everyone answer this question): 
1. What in specific will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 
 J. Prayer Time:                 
1. Pray for an empty chair representing new people who you want to join your group. Name names of people specifically.                 
2. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. It is best to divide into 2 groups one of male and the other female.
K. For Next time:                 
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.