Romans 13

Please join us each Sunday morning at 9:30 am.  We are currently working through the Book of Romans.

This week's assignment is to read Chapter 12.

After reading the passage, use these questions as the basis for your discussion.

1.  What stood out for you / what was interesting and why?  (The Holy Spirit's prompting)

2.  What was the passage about / the main message / big idea?  (The Word of God)

3.  What should we do / how can we apply this  message?  (Faith in Action)

Romans 12 Outline: Living as Transformed Believers
Key Theme: A life surrendered to God transforms relationships, service, and responses to adversity.
I. Foundation of Worship (12:1-2)
  • Sacrificial Living: Presenting our bodies as a "living sacrifice" (v. 1) through daily surrender.
  • Renewed Mind: Rejecting conformity to the world by renewing our thinking through Scripture (v. 2).
  • Application: Discuss practical ways to cultivate spiritual worship (e.g., prayer, Scripture study, ethical choices).
II. Community in the Body of Christ (12:3-8)
  • Humility in Gifts: Recognizing spiritual gifts with sober self-assessment (vv. 3-5).
  • Diverse Roles: Examples of gifts (prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy) and their purpose in unity (vv. 6-8).
  • Discussion: How can your gifts strengthen your church?
III. Love in Action (12:9-16)
  • Genuine Love: Rejecting hypocrisy, clinging to good, and honoring others (vv. 9-10).
  • Practical Hospitality: Serving believers in need and practicing joy/humility (vv. 11-13, 15-16).
  • Activity: Brainstorm ways to "rejoice with those who rejoice" and "weep with those who weep" (v. 15).
IV. Responding to Persecution and Evil (12:17-21)
  • Overcoming Evil with Good: Refusing revenge, trusting God’s justice (vv. 17-19).
  • Radical Kindness: Meeting enemies’ needs to "heap burning coals" (v. 20) — a metaphor for convicting through grace.
  • Case Study: How might this apply to workplace conflicts or cultural hostility?
Conclusion: The Transformed Life
  • Summarize how Romans 12 moves from personal holiness to communal love and enemy-love.
  • Challenge: Identify one area (mindset, relationships, or responses) to apply this week.
Recommended Resources:
  • Skip Heitzig’s How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It for deeper Scripture engagement.
  • Small-group studies on spiritual gifts or conflict resolution.