Breaking Ground
What do you consider to be your biggest life transition thus far? Consider things like moves, career changes, relationships, etc.
The Dig
First, read Romans 6:1-10. Here, Paul confronts a group of Christians who’ve been promoting the idea that God’s grace can be used to avoid healing in our brokenness & experiencing transformation. Paul rejects this notion & makes his point by pointing to the symbolic ritual of baptism.
In doing so, Paul depicts Christ’s death & resurrection as something that must exist beyond just the realm of knowing specific facts. Instead, it is meant to be the new framework for our very understanding of reality & life.
What are your first reactions to Paul’s description of baptism? What imagery or themes stand out the strongest?
Discuss Paul’s belief that we’re called to experience our own death & resurrection in the present (not just as a future event after we die).
What does it mean to die to who we once were as disciples of Jesus? What has this looked like in your life?
What does it mean to experience resurrection from who we once were as disciples of Jesus? What has this looked like in your life?
How does this change how you think about human brokenness & transformation?
Close by reflecting on what dying to your old self & experiencing resurrection life means for you in this season.
What in your life feels like it’s holding you back from new life? What might it look like for you to experience a death of your self in that area? Consider things like unhealthy thought processes, repeated actions, relational patterns, etc.
What might resurrection on the other side of dying look like in this area? How might this understanding of taking part in Christ’s own death & resurrection in the present change how you approach healing in this area?
As you move into the new year, what is one, small way you can begin to experience new life in this area? Keep it small, focused, practical & actionable.
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time this week to reflect on what baptism means to you.
If you’ve already been baptized, then reflect back on that experience. How does it make you feel in remembering it? What’s changed since? Is there anything about your spiritual life that you need to recommit to in this season?
If you haven’t been baptized yet, then reflect on what it might mean to embrace Christ’s story of death & resurrection in this next season or reach out to the pastoral staff to have a conversation about baptism.
Journal about your answers to these questions & pray for insights. Share your experience with the group next week!
Additional Resources*
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
Romans for Everybody by NT Wright
The Resurrection and the Son of God by NT Wright
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, October 9: Join us for the first week of our new series Breathe! We will be taking 7 weeks to explore the Book of Psalms!
* Please see mye3.org for details.