September 30, 2018 | Kyle Brenon | Romans 8:26-28
Community Group Questions
Do you ever worry that you have made such a mess of things, that there is no way they could ever be turned around? Or have you ever felt like you somehow wandered down a trail that suddenly ended without warning, and now you are destined to wander the wilderness forever? Maybe, it just seems like no matter what you do, everything is stacked against you and you just can’t catch a break. When we find ourselves in impossible situations, do we panic, do we furiously try to work our way out of it, or do we trust the God of the impossible?
This week we continue our sermon series “Standing Firm on the Promises of God,” as we look at Romans 8:28. Here we are given a valuable promise that If we have set our sights on God and His purposes, and if our heart’s desire is for Him to be glorified in all we do, we can be confident that all things will work together for our good no matter how difficult or impossible the situation may seem. This is true even when we can’t see through the trial enough to even know what to ask Him! What a valuable promise to hold on to!
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)
Read: Romans 8:26-28
Discuss:
1. So far we've looked at a number of the promises of God, and seen them in the context in which they were given. What's the one promise that has taken new meaning in your life OR dispelled a lie that you've believed in the past?
2. Often we twist Romans 8:28 to mean what we want it to mean - “All things work out” OR “God causes all things” OR “All things bring good to everyone”. The truth is, these aren’t the promises God gives. What does Paul really mean when he says;
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
3. What does Paul mean by “Our good” in verse 28? It doesn't mean what we often think it means.
4. When Paul says, "all things", what does he have in mind? What are some situations we looked at from scripture that sheds light on this?
5. Read Romans 11:36; I Cor. 3:21-23 and Romans 5:3-5. Do these verses change the way we should understand Romans 8:28? If so, how?
