Reflect

Once you've watched the featured video, take time to reflect on these questions.

1. What was the point of the 613 commands given through Moses? (Video 2:31-3:41)
2. In your own words, how would you summarize what Jesus did to rescue and renew humanity? (Video 3:42-4:30)
3. What is one practical way Paul encourages Jesus’ followers to live in God’s renewed, multi-ethnic family? (Video 6:59-8:28, or view Romans 12-15)

Go Deeper

Humanity’s failure to trust God’s wisdom brings despair and division into creation. Paul’s letter to the Romans shows that the damage we cause by our failure cannot be remedied by law, rules, or rituals. While the Law is good, it cannot bring life; only Jesus can transform hearts and reverse creation’s downward spiral. So how does he bring this hope? Jesus invites everyone, Jew and non-Jew, into his renewed multi-ethnic family. Those who accept his invitation are empowered by the Spirit to live in his love and forgiveness. As God’s family learns to live together with God’s others-centered mindset, his mission to bring life and peace expands to renew all of creation. Let’s explore this in more depth together.

Read: Romans 8:1-6, Romans 8:14-21

1. Compare Romans 8:5-6 to some of the other places where Paul uses the concept of “mind” or “thought” (Greek: phronema, phroneo) in the rest of the letter (read Romans 12:3, Romans 12:16, and Romans 15:5-6). What do these passages have in common?
2. After observing the above passages, what is one practical way to set our minds on the Spirit? How does this move us into real life and peace within God's family?
3. How does Paul describe life in the family of God in Romans 8:14-18? How does it compare to our lives before adoption into the family of God?
4. How does Paul describe the hope and future of creation in Romans 8:18-21?
5. Take some time now to pray and acknowledge the ways we struggle to share a humble and loving mindset in God’s renewed family. The Spirit rescues us from the despair and tension that harms our world, so let’s express our gratitude while we ask for his help to live in peace together.