Daily Guide What Jesus Did For Us Topic 4: Faith

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1 Daily Guide What Jesus Did For Us Topic 4: Faith When we receive God s grace for our salvation and for all of our core needs/desires, we are exercising faith. Living by faith is how we utilize God s grace and our new identity. Faith keeps us dependent on Christ, actively relying on grace for each moment of our lives. DAY 1 II. Meeting Prep Romans 10:9-10; Romans 3:23-24; Titus 3:7; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 Faith is first initiated when we believe in the gospel. What truths must you believe to be saved? What happens to you spiritually when you trust in these things? What does it mean to be justified? By what are you justified? Think about when you first trusted in Jesus. In what ways did your personal salvation experience demonstrate faith? DAY 2 II. Meeting Prep Mark 2:1-5; Biblical faith is believing that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. It s personal trust in God and His will; therefore, faith is both believing and acting. How was the paralyzed man dependent on Jesus? What actions did the paralyzed man take? If he said he believed, but he didn t get up and walk how would you describe his faith?

2 DAY 3 II. Meeting Prep Genesis 15:6; James 2:21-23 Abraham s faith shows us the connection between dependence and action. In Genesis 15:6 What is God doing, and how does it say Abraham responded? In James 2: How does James explain Abraham s faith? DAY 4 II. Meeting Prep Verses from RESOURCE F: Self-Led to Spirit-Led We grow daily by exercising the same faith in the same Christ that saved us. We don t get saved by faith and then go back to relying on self. Every day, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have to practice faith in Jesus (taking active steps in moving from self-led to Spirit-led). As our dependence increases, likewise will our actions of love towards God and others. Spend time in RESOURCE F- Self-Led to Spirit-Led. How do you see the idea of believing and acting playing out within this visual? Write down one or two examples of how this idea of moving from Self-Led to Spirit Led has played out recently in your life.

3 DAY 5 II. Meeting Prep Philippians 2:12-13; 1 John 4:11; Romans 12:1 God never commands us to do something that He has not enabled us to do. Throughout the Bible God reveals what He has done, is doing, or will do for us through Jesus. He also reveals what our part is as we are empowered by His Spirit. Identify His part and our part in each of the following verses: Philippians 2: John 4:11 Romans 12:1 Why is it important to understand the distinction between His part and our part? DAY 6 II. Reflect Faith never focuses on itself: it is focused on the object of our faith Jesus Himself. Faith s fuel is God s grace and our new identity in Jesus. Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. Write down two or three takeaways you want to remember as you move forward in your walk with Him. III. Apply What step will you commit to this week that will allow you to remember and apply this topic?

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5 Meeting Guide What Jesus Did For Us Topic 5 Faith Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide When we trust What Jesus Did for Us, our life of faith is initiated. It is common to think this faith is dependent upon our grit and effort. But we learned this past week that faith begins and endures in Jesus. Faith is fueled by continually depending on God s grace, by living life out trusting what He has done. Discussion Questions 1. What stood out to you the most from your time with God in the Daily Guide this week? What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word this week? 2. Why does faith require both believing and acting? What is your natural leaning - do you lean more toward just passively believing, or do you lean more toward self-reliant action? Explain. 3. Read James 2:24 & Romans 3:28. Are Paul and James saying different things? How would you respond to someone who says, Well, if salvation is a free gift, does that mean I can then live however I want? 4. Name three biblical commands that are difficult for you to live out (For example, the call to forgive or the call to humble yourself)? Explain why this is a struggle. 5. In what ways do you need to believe, trust, and depend on God more? In what ways do you need to exercise, live out, and be more active with your belief, trust, and dependence on God? Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer Read Romans 3: As you close your time, pray through the themes of this passage.