Main Text: Philippians 1:12–14 (ESV) 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Preaching Point: You need to prioritize sharing the Gospel because God has placed you where you are for His redemptive purpose to reach unlikely people

Teaching Points:

1. Trust God is at Work (v. 12)
2. Remember God Reaches Unlikely People (v. 13)
3. Fearlessly Proclaim the Gospel Together (v. 14)

Main text: Romans 4:25-5:1 (ESV) 25 (Jesus) was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Preaching Point: We must trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection as the only means of dealing with our sin and securing our peace with God.

Teaching Points:

1. Own Your Sin (v. 25a)
2. Trust in the Risen Christ (vv. 25b-1a)
3. Enjoy Peace with God (v. 1b)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon. Why did it stand out to you?
2. Read Isaiah 53:4-6 and 1 Peter 2:24. How do these passages show that your sin, not just sin in general, put Christ on the cross?
3. Why must anyone who claims to trust in Jesus fully own their culpability in his death?
4. Read Galatians 2:16 and Romans 10:9-10. If you stood before God today, what would you point to as the basis for your acquittal, and does your answer match what these passages teach? How so?
5. How would you explain to a friend or family member how the death and resurrection of Christ make it possible for them to be declared righteous before God? (Be ready to share in LifeGroup this week.)
6. Read Jeremiah 6:14-15. Israel’s leaders falsely assured the people they had peace with God, even though God promised judgment unless they repented. It is possible to believe you have peace with God when you don’t. How can someone know for certain that they are not deceived about their position before God?
7. Read Romans 5:9-11 and Isaiah 53:5. According to these passages and Romans 4:25-5:1, why should a genuine Christian have confidence that they have true peace with God?
8. What other benefits does the Bible say belong to those who have peace with God? (Write down the verses you find below.)

Main Text: Matthew 21:14-17 (ESV) 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Preaching Point: We must respond to Jesus’ authority with humility and praise, knowing that our response reveals whether our relationship with God is genuine or merely a counterfeit commitment to Christ.

Teaching Points:

1. Notice the Kinds of People Who Come to Jesus (vv. 14,15b)
2. Distinguish Religious Activity from Genuine Faith (vv. 15a,15c,16a)
3. Speak Wonderfully of Jesus (vv. 16b-17)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon. Why did it stand out to you?
2. Read Matthew 18:3-4, James 4:6 and Isaiah 57:15. What do these passages teach you about the kind of people who truly come to Jesus?
3. What area of your life do you need the reminder that God opposes the proud but draws near to the humble and contrite?
4. Read Acts 17:22-31. Why is it possible to be very religious and yet not truly know God? What are some ways this can show up even in a church context?
5. Where might you be relying on religious habits, knowledge, or background instead of genuine trust in the person and work of Jesus?
6. Read Romans 14:23. Paul teaches that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Where are you tempted to engage in “religious activity” that is not flowing from real faith?
7. What steps can you take to ensure that your beliefs, convictions, and actions are flowing from a genuine relationship with Christ and submission to his authority?
8. Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 and 1 Peter 2:9. How are you doing at speaking wonderfully of Jesus in your interactions with others?
9. Where are you most tempted to stay quiet about Jesus? How can you be more bold about speaking more wonderfully about Jesus in your daily life?