(Sorry for the glitch in the original version of this post! Please let me know if you have any further difficulties with it!) An overview for teachers, including a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRODUCTION:
???DISCUSSION QUESTION??? What do you think of this quote:
“To be a Christian means to give as much of myself as I can, to as much of Jesus Christ as I know.” (Sam Shoemaker, a well-known pastor in the early 1900s)
(It’s not the fullest definition of a Christian, but I do like the idea he expresses that we commit ourselves to “as much of Jesus Christ as I know.” Because who knows everything about Christ and salvation when they first accept Him? No one! How much did the thief on the cross know? What was OUR theology when we were saved?! We’ve learned a LOT since then right?)
In fact you might even ask: “What’s something you’ve learned about salvation since you were saved, that you didn’t understand at first?”
(There should be lots of answers to that: some might say they thought at first it was just “being forgiven and not going to hell,” but now they know it’s more about a relationship with God; maybe they didn’t understand “once saved always saved” at first, and so on. We learn more about our salvation after we put our initial faith in Christ — and the truth is, we will continue to learn, or we should — as long as we live.)
This week’s passage in Romans 5 is one that teaches us more about our salvation: about some of the blessings of salvation, just how much God loved us that led Him to save us, and what Christ did for us. Let’s pray that it will help each Christian appreciate their salvation more than ever before — and inspire those who don’t know the Lord, to give their life to Him today!
Continue reading
shawnethomas 