How can we stay hopeful when the world feels like it’s tearing itself apart? This week in our series The Road, we’ll look at wisdom given to the first-century church in Rome—a Christian community divided by culture, ethnicity, and religious tradition. We’ll see how trusting God’s good plans for the future helps us navigate the present with love, honor, and respect, even toward those we don’t understand or agree with. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of our time together. Then we’ll take a couple of minutes to go around and share where we’ve seen God at work in our lives this week. Introduction Last week, we explored how true freedom comes through Jesus, who breaks the power of sin and gives us a new identity by his Spirit. The suggested Action Steps were to: Spend time each day this week thanking God for the freedom provided for you through Jesus or patiently support someone who is groaning through their growth right now. How did that go this week? This week, we move into a part of Romans that wrestles with some difficult and timely questions. How do followers of Jesus relate to people groups, nations, governments, and those with very different convictions? In a divided world, how do we stay hopeful without becoming cynical, combative, or fearful? Connect Is there something in your life that you enjoy debating about that isn’t very serious? What kinds of differences most often create division between people? When you disagree with someone strongly, what is hardest for you? Opening We all feel the pull to sort people into categories: safe or unsafe, right or wrong, us or them. But Paul keeps challenging that instinct. In Romans, Paul reminds his readers that God’s plan is bigger than one group, one culture, or one point of view. He is creating a family from many different people. He is still at work even when we cannot fully see or understand it. That does not remove complexity, but it does give us hope. This leads us to our Main Idea for the week: This leads us to our main idea for the week: We can have hope when our world seems irrecoverably divided. Unpack Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses. Read Romans 10:11–13 In this passage, Paul emphasizes that God’s mercy and salvation are offered generously to all who call on him. What stands out to you about who is included in this passage? How does this challenge favoritism, superiority, or exclusion? Why is it important to remember that God’s heart is bigger than our categories? Read Psalm 133:1–3 In this passage, the psalmist celebrates the goodness and beauty of God’s people living together in unity. What makes unity beautiful according to this psalm? Why is unity often difficult to maintain in real life? What is the difference between unity and sameness? Read John 15:16 In this passage, Jesus explains that he takes the initiative in calling his followers and invites them to a life with specific results. What does Jesus’ statement, “I chose you,” tell us about why God calls people? What might be the difference between “fruitfulness” and “success”? How can God’s calling produce humility instead of superiority? What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do? Action Step This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice. Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways. 1. Identify and surrender to God one cultural, ethnic, or political bias you have against a person or a people group. Ask God to reveal where pride, suspicion, fear, or contempt may be shaping your attitudes. 2. This week, genuinely seek to understand someone who sees things differently than you, and resist all-or-nothing thinking in conversation. What would it look like to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and speak with humility? As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so you can encourage and pray for one another. Closing God’s work in the world is often bigger and more mysterious than we can fully grasp. But that does not lead us to despair. It leads us to humility. As we trust God’s wisdom we can become people who resist contempt, honor others, and live with hope in a divided world. Pray Together As we wrap up, we’ll go around and invite anyone to share anything they’d like prayer for together. You can share or just pass. Also, below is a Journey of Faith Missionary we can pray for as we close. Missionary Focus Barbara Lee **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.: Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life. Prayer Requests: For Barbara to continue to provide support and care to missionary kids going through important life transitions That God would continue to provide her ministry with helpful resources, tools, and educational materials Spend a few minutes in prayer for Barbara. Reflection Verse for the Week *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week. Romans 11:33 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. Daily Devotional Verses Use the “Discovery Method” to reflect on the verses below. For each passage of Scripture, ask yourself these questions: What do these verses reveal about who God is? What do these verses reveal about us/others? What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do? Day 1: Genesis 12:1–3 Day 2: Psalm 67:1–4 Day 3: Isaiah 2:2–4 Day 4: Luke 6:27–28 Day 5: Ephesians 2:13–18 Day 6: 1 Peter 2:17 The post Hope for a Divided World appeared first on Journey of Faith.
