CONNECT: Who can you share the Good News of Jesus with this week?

WARM-UP Questions

1. What do you think Australians find most frustrating about hypocrisy?
2. How has the experience of hypocrisy frustrated (or saddened) you?

Read Romans 2:1-5

1. Who was this part of the letter addressed to? Why did they think they were better?
2. Do you think that we can ever be in danger of thinking ourselves better than others?
   How can we be on guard against this?
3. How were people in effect ‘condemning themselves’ as they passed judgment on others?
4. What are the things that you do (or think) that you are tempted to excuse yourself from while condemning the very same things in others? What is the remedy to this?
5. What does hypocrisy show contempt for? Why do you think that is the case – try to think of a really practical example of hypocrisy.
6. What is the point of God’s kindness? How could we reflect that more in our lives?
7. Do you think that you can ever suffer from a stubborn and/or unrepentant heart? What does Paul suggest is the best way to let our stubbornness abate and our unrepentant hearts turn to God?

Read Romans 2:6-16

1. What does a stubborn and unrepentant heart lead to? How have you known this to be true?
2. Why does our behaviour matter? Does this mean that we are saved by works?
3. How does God’s judgment show that – on our own merit – everyone would be condemned?
4. How does this reality so clearly point to our need for the Gospel? (see Romans 1:16)

Read Ezekiel 36:24-26

1. What is the amazing promise that Ezekiel writes about here? How do we know that to be true?
2. Even though we have the gift of the Spirit, why must we still delve into God’s Word to seek his direction, guidance, and will for our lives?
3. How is the Good News of Jesus the ultimate answer to our hypocrisy? How does the Good News free us both from the burden of our guilt and the desire to judge others?

APPLY (this week): What are potential areas of hypocrisy in your life that you need to address?

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Family Resources

• ‘The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector’ by max7.org
• ‘The power of Grace and Mercy’ (for teenagers) by John Mendis

Videos

• “Romans 2:1-3:8” by Andrew Judd
• “Jesus Loves people but…” by Skip Heitzig
• ‘Hypocrisy’ by Mark Dever

Audio

• ‘The Moralist is in need’ by Ian Bentley
• ‘The Verdict of God’ from Holy Trinity Doncaster
• ‘Romans 2:1-16’ by Dick Lucas
• ‘God is Fair’ by Mike Paget

Helpful Reading

• ‘Study and Exposition of Romans 2:1-16’ by Greg Herrick
• ‘The Law in Romans 2’ by NT Wright
• ‘What is Hypocrisy’ by Kevin DeYoung

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