Romans 10
Romans 10 (Boldly Speak)
Food for Thought:
Speak a Better Story • In the first five verses of this chapter, Paul observes what the Jewish people believe, what they’re missing in light of Jesus, and how that shapes the way they live and their relationship with God. He wants them to be saved, and so he knows how the gospel could actually tell a better story than the one the Jewish people think they’re living in.
If you were to tell the story of the gospel in your own words, what would you say?
What story would you SAY you were living in before you encountered Jesus? How did Jesus complete and/or change your story in a better way?
Paul commends the Jewish people for their zeal. How can zeal (passion, enthusiasm) be a dangerous thing without knowledge?
Paul says that the Jewish people are ignorant of God’s righteousness. How can this be, if they’re so well acquainted with the Old Testament? What were they missing?
What does Paul mean when he says that Jesus is the end of the Law for righteousness? How is this good news for the Jewish people?
Speak Clearer Truth • Paul continues by describing what it sounds like when we hear about “the righteousness that comes from faith.” He quotes Deuteronomy 30, but instead of making it about our ability to follow the commands of the law, he makes it about our ability to hear and receive the good news of Jesus.
When Paul talks about “the righteousness that comes from faith,” what’s he mean? Put it in your own words.
He gives a voice to faith-righteousness that first says what it doesn’t sound like. Why would it be important to know what it doesn’t sound like, as much as what it does?
Read Deuteronomy 30. How does the context of this chapter help you understand what Paul was trying to say about Jesus in Romans 10?
Why would anyone ever say that they could bring Jesus down from heaven or up from the grave? What’s Paul really getting at? Why does that matter?
Paul goes on to talk about some of the simple truths of the gospel. What are they? How can they be really good news to the non-Christians - and Christians! - that you know?
Speak with No Strings Attached • Paul teases out the confusion that accompanies the Jewish people’s LACK of believe. They heard from the Lord, and yet have rejected his final and full revelation in Jesus. How can that be?
What’s tough for you - relationally, emotionally, theologically - when you consider the people you want to know Jesus, but who don’t?
Have they heard the gospel? Have you talked to them about it? What’s the spiritual history there?
Is there anything you need to process with the group? People we can pray for?
Paul discusses the long history that God has of having his word be rejected, including Moses and Isaiah. Does it bring you any comfort to know the prophets were in the same boat as us? Why or why not?
Despite the hardship of gospel ministry, what good does it do - whether or not the people we’re wanting to believe actually do believe?
How does sharing the gospel shape you? How do you think Jesus might want the gospel to go to work IN YOU so you can let the gospel go out to others?