Grace: Simply Incredible, Incredibly Simple
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Mercy Me1 Digging Deeper
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Loves Me, Loves Me Not1 Digging Deeper
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Defined by Kind1 Digging Deeper
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Two of the Greatest Men I've Known1 Digging Deeper
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Tale of Two Davids1 Digging Deeper
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Theophilia and a Thief1 Digging Deeper
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O, The B-I-B-L-E1 Digging Deeper
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Jesus, Blessed Jesus1 Digging Deeper
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Hoping for Heaven1 Digging Deeper
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I'm Alright with My Appetite1 Digging Deeper
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Barbed, Tarred & Hard1 Digging Deeper
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A Godhead of Grace1 Digging Deeper
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Group Progress
Group Progress
I’m Alright with my Appetite
Why do you think some people choose to misuse God’s grace and continue following the “god of their belly”?
Philippians 3:17-19
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
With what should we replace our earthly desires as we try to conquer our self-serving appetites?
Philippians 3:13-17; 20-21
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us…
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What did grace move God to do? How might this thought help us continue to wrestle with our self-serving appetites?
1 Corinthians 15:3
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
Philippians 3:18-19
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
What are the consequences that flow from continuing to life a life of self-service? How doe these consequences compare to the temporary pleasures of this life? Now, be honest, are the temporary pleasures of this life really worth it?
Philippians 3:19
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Matthew 10:28
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Can we continue to fulfill our self-serving appetites and enjoy God’s grace? Why or why not?
Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
James 4:4
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1 John 2:15
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Is it possible to fight and conquer the addictions, materialism and sin that are fed by our self-serving appetites? Who can help us conquer these battles? What would you say to someone who has been broken by these challenges and is longing for a better, more abundant life?
1 Corinthians 15:9-10
9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.