WARM-UP
Pick Me!
It starts as a kid the first moment you find yourself on a playground at recess, at the park with some friends or in P.E. class. Game time creates a tension that comes from our natural desire to be loved, wanted and accepted. “Pick me!” is an outward expression of a very real, internal need.
And it only intensifies over time. We want to be picked to make the team, picked to start, picked for honors and awards, picked for a scholarship offer, etc. Each time, it’s a gut punch when things don’t go as we’d hoped.
Q: Think about a time when you were hoping to get picked. Were you . . .
Nervous?
Fearful?
Excited?
Relaxed?
Q: How do you feel when you get picked and why?
Q: How do you feel when you don’t get picked and why?
WORKOUT
The Worst of Them All
While Saul was traveling to a town called Damascus as part of his attack against the first Christians, he had an incredible encounter that would change his life and the course of history. A blinding light brought him to his knees. A voice from Heaven followed:
“‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’‘
Who are you, lord?’ Saul asked.
Saul obeyed Jesus. His sight was restored and he spent the next few years growing closer to God and studying Christ’s teachings. Saul (who became known as Paul, his Roman name) began ministering across the region. Even as he rose to prominence in the church, he never forgot the radical way he came to faith in Christ.
Jesus picked Paul even when he was still doing wrong. He made him a new person and gave Paul a passion and a calling. Paul would go on to write the majority of the New Testament letters, which would impact the world for generations to come.
Q: Describe a time when you received something you didn’t think you deserved. How did that make you feel about yourself and the person who gave you that gift?
Q: Have you ever seen someone go through a similar transformation like Paul? If so, how did that impact your view of God?
What Everyone Needs
So how was Paul able to be saved? Before we can answer that, it’s important to understand why Paul needed to be saved and why we all need to be saved.
Here’s a brief overview on how it all went down:
The first created man and woman sinned against God. (Genesis 3)
Everyone is born with sin. (Romans 3:23)•God sent His Son to die for everyone’s sins. (Romans 5:8)
God offers everyone eternal life through Jesus’s sacrifice. (John 3:16)
Everyone can enjoy a relationship with God through Jesus. (Romans 3:22)
Salvation through Jesus Christ also means we are free of the guilt and shame from our past sins and we can experience fullness of life. Saul (who became better known as the apostle Paul) wrote from his personal experience in this powerful explanation to the Christians in Ephesus:
When life feels meaningless and empty, it’s often because we aren’t living in the fullness of a relationship with God or perhaps we have yet to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and don’t understand the difference between life with Him and life without Him. And as Paul can attest, that gift from God (Ephesians 2:8), which is available to everyone through Christ, makes all the difference in the world.
Q: How easy or difficult is it for you to wrap your mind around the fact that salvation through Jesus Christ is for everyone? Explain.
Q: Of the promises discussed in this section, which one is the easiest for you to receive? Which one is the most difficult for you to receive? Why?
WRAP-UP
Everyone Through Christ
Salvation is for everyone. It’s even for anyone who feels like they don’t deserve it because of choices they’ve made.
Here’s a couple of things to remember as you think about the truth that everyone can be saved through Jesus Christ and what that means for your life:
1. You Are Saved. Through Christ, you can be rescued from eternal death, restored back to a transformative relationship with God and inherit the promise of abundant life on earth and eternal life in Heaven.
2. You Are Free. Through Christ, you can be released from destructive addictions, the world’s purposeless trappings and the limitations you have placed upon your life.
3. You Are New. Through Christ, there is no need to live in shame or carry around the weight of guilt. Your past is in the past. It’s forgiven and forgotten.
As you allow these truths to take hold within your heart, you will be even more empowered to receive the beautiful promise found in our daily theme verse:
OVERTIME
As a Huddle, go back through the promises that come with the miracle of salvation (salvation from death, relationship with God, abundant life, eternal life, freedom from sin, freedom from guilt and shame).
Q: If you were to fully embrace these truths, which ones would have the most significant impact on your life? How so?
If you haven’t yet committed your heart to Jesus Christ, talk to your group leader or another staff member about making that life-changing decision today. You can also search for The FOUR in the app.