Advent (Part 2): Peace That Surpasses Understanding

1. God desires peace with us. (Rom. 5:1, Col. 1:19-20, Eph. 6:15)

2. We are at war with God. (Rom. 1:18-2:4)

3. We are justified by faith. (Rom. 5:6-11)

4. We have access through Him into grace. (Rom. 5:2)

5. We boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:2)

6. We boast in our afflictions. (Rom. 5:3-5)

7. We experience all these blessings by rejoicing in Christ instead of focusing on our afflictions. (Phil. 4:4-7)

TAG Questions

T.A.G. Questions (try these out with friends after the worship service)

1. What is something the Lord taught you through the sermon?
2. How does it apply to your life?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. Ice-Breaker - Share what you did for Thanksgiving. Is there anything that happened that we can praise God for together?

2. Pastor Josh said, “peace with God is far more important than the temporary absence of personal anxiety.” What do you think about this statement?

3. Read Romans 1:18-2:4. What stands out to you? If someone who wasn’t a Christian asked you to explain why people are not at peace with God, how would you explain that to them from this passage?

4. Read Romans 5:1-9. Pastor Josh talked about there are many spiritual “jewels” here that we can enjoy. Look through the passage and name a few of them. Why are they significant?

5. Read Philippians 4:4-7. From this passage and our study in Matthew 6 last week, the Bible tells us to “not worry about anything.” How has this been a struggle for you? How have you tried to work on obeying this passage?

6. Pastor Josh talked about how worry is kind of like a billionaire complaining about the traffic - it’s easy to lose perspective. What does it look like for you to have your mind more consumed with giving thanks than worrying? What is one step you can take to grow in this?