Prayer
Because the primary goal of our time together is to establish relationships and learn how to walk with one another in all that God has called us to be and do, we’d like to begin by praying for one another. So, does anyone have anything you’d like us to pray for or anything to share regarding how you’ve seen God moving in your life that we can celebrate together?
Introduction Video
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
– Philippians 3:1-11
Opening Question
If you could erase the memory of seeing a particular movie, what movie would you forget just so you could enjoy seeing it for the first time all over again?
Righteousness is the greatest need we have
In the sermon, we heard about six ways cultures typically seek to establish righteousness. Let’s consider the following:
Care/harm: These cultures emphasize compassion, empathy, and nurturing behaviors and attain righteousness through caring for those in need and by seeking to do no harm to others.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing care and shunning harm make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Fairness/cheating: These cultures prioritize justice and fairness; they consider those who are prejudiced or biased unrighteous while the impartial and unbiased are righteous.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing fairness and shunning cheating make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Loyalty/betrayal: These cultures prioritize loyalty to friends, nation, and God. Only the loyal attain righteous.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing loyalty and shunning betrayal make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Authority/subversion: These cultures emphasize respect for authority, law and order, and ancestors. Those who embody this respect are considered righteous while anyone who dishonors and subverts elders and those in authority are unrighteous.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing respect for authority and its subversion make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Sanctity/degradation: These cultures consider external purity, cleanliness, and sanctity a means of attaining righteousness. Those who do not obey the culture’s religious or moral laws are unrighteous.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing external conformity and cleanliness make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Liberty/oppression: These cultures prioritize personal choice and autonomy, dividing people into righteous liberators who believe in freedom and choice and unrighteous oppressors who strive to remove choice.
Is this a culture you have lived in or experienced? If so, what was that like?
How could prioritizing freedom and personal autonomy and condemning oppression make space for the gospel to grow in a culture? How could it prohibit the spread of the gospel?
Righteousness is the greatest problem we experience
In the sermon, we learned that righteousness is defined as “a judiciary approval.” Our greatest problem is that we can sometimes attempt to save ourselves from God’s judgment through our own ability to achieve goodness or righteousness.
How do you tend to derive your approval through your own efforts or achievements? How have you navigated that, and how has the human tendency to earn approval affected your life?
Righteousness is the greatest gift we can be given
In the sermon, Pastor Morgan shared how Jesus has gifted us with his own righteousness.
How can considering the gift of Christ’s righteousness help save us from attempting to earn righteousness apart from the gospel?
What spiritual practices help you remember that we can’t earn our righteousness?
Closing Thought
In your final moments together, spend some time praying for any needs in the group.