Grow Group Questions • Hall of Fame Verses • Romans 8:28-30

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As we begin this All-Star verse series, what are some of your All-Star verses and why? How have these helped you? (Group leaders, share one of your verses first to give the group time to think through their answers).
Sermon Based Questions (15-20 minutes)
Read Romans 8:28-30. Attempt to memorize at least part of these verses, if not all of them over the next two weeks. After all, it is a Hall-of-fame verse! Pastor Thad used the illustration of a skyscraper and how these tall buildings need deep bases for support and compared this to the high promises of God and how we need to have a deep base of knowledge regarding theological truths about God so that His promises ring true in our lives. Do find truth in this contention?  Which attribute of God appeals to you most and why? How does this impact your life? Is there story you can share that illustrates this? Which attributes causes you to pause? Why is this important? Attributes of God (partial list to generate conversation): Holy-Perfect-Good. All-knowing. All-loving. All-powerful. All-wise. Infinite. Immutable (never changes). Self-Sufficient (has no needs). God is everywhere. God is truth. Pastor Thad pointed out the variant translations of Romans 8:28 in different texts and why he preferred one over the other. Read a few different translations as a group, starting with ESV, NIV, and The Message. What do you like or dislike about each one?
Do you think it’s important to be aware of some of these decisions by translators and how we internalize the meaning of these verses? Does this make you want to read multiple translations during your Bible study time?
Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Pastor Thad spent time in his exposition speaking about the difference between “knowing” in head knowledge vs. “knowing” something through experience. How does this relate to your knowledge or experiences with Christ and the impact you can have sharing your testimony?
How does this relate to your ability to comfort someone going through a challenge or struggle? Do you have a story you can share in how you have helped others through your experiences? Or a time you were helped through someone else’s experiences?
Digging Deeper (15-20 minutes)
Pastor Thad listed several ways that negative experiences can have good repercussions in our lives. In thinking about your life, can you give an example of how bad things brought about a positive in your life or illuminated some truth for you? Here are some categories to help you think through this question. How has suffering or challenges or negative experiences:
Refined your faith walk (or showed you a short-coming) Drove you to God (Like Jesus in the garden) Gave you a thirst for the eternal and future grace
Consider the following quotes and discuss how they impact your life, and read the following questions. “That which should distinguish the suffering of believers from unbelievers is the confidence that our suffering is under the control of an all-powerful and all-loving God. Our suffering has meaning and purpose in God’s eternal plan, and He brings or allows to come into our lives only that which is for His glory and our good.”― Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.”– Spurgeon
Do you find the sovereignty of God to be a comfort? Do you find comfort in God’s purposes for your suffering? Why or why not? Have you been through trials in the past that have caused you to question God’s plan or God’s love for you? Have those feelings been resolved? Why or why not?
Challenge and Prayer (15-20 minutes)
Are you going through any trials or suffering right now? How can the group pray for and support you? (Leaders: consider splitting into gendered groups for prayer time to discuss this)
What is one key thought or take away that you need to remember from this week’s sermon or group time? (For example, my experiences can help others so I need to remember to share or I need to, at least on occasion, use different translations [or understand the rationale behind the different translations] to get a fuller orbed understanding of certain texts in my Bible study or I need to think through how I feel about negative experiences or challenges and how they relate to God’s goodness so that I am prepared to face them as they come into my life, or to help someone else) Prayer: To walk with Jesus intimately over the long haul so that like Paul, we can say “we know” in regards to working all things out to the good.
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