Hope Christian Church
Message Notes
Sermon notes and Life Group Questions 1-19-25
Locations & Times
Hope Christian Church
9273 Coach Stop Rd, Columbia, IL 62236, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
I Choose....Responsibility
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Galatians 6:2-5
1. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:39, 30
“You who live by the Spirit should restore that person Gal 6:1
*“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 2 Peter 4:10
2. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Gal 6:3
3. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else… Gal 6:4
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”
Gal 6:4, 5 The Message
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke 18:10-12
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14, 15
4. …for each one should carry their own load. Gal 6:5
“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Romans 14:12
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, either good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Galatians 6:2-5
1. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:39, 30
“You who live by the Spirit should restore that person Gal 6:1
*“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 2 Peter 4:10
2. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Gal 6:3
3. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else… Gal 6:4
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”
Gal 6:4, 5 The Message
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke 18:10-12
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14, 15
4. …for each one should carry their own load. Gal 6:5
“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Romans 14:12
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, either good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
Life Group Questions week of 1-19-25
OPEN:
Think back to when you were a kid....if a parent or a teacher said, “You are so irresponsible.” What were they likely talking about?
DIG:
1. What are some trends in society that make personal accountability more challenging?
2. There’s a contrast between the world’s competitive, self-centered values and what Christ calls his followers to....a love that doesn’t run from responsibility but embraces it.
Share a story or something you’ve experienced that demonstrates “a love that doesn’t run from responsibility but embraces it.”
3. In the message, Roy emphasized personal responsibility and the fact that as Christians we are to help carry others’ burdens but at the same time we must also "carry our own load" by taking responsibility for our own actions and growth.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
What do you think it means to "carry each other's burdens"? Can you think of an example when you helped someone bear their burden or someone helped you bear yours?
How do you differentiate between when you should help carry someone else's burden versus when they need to carry their own load?
4. As a group, have several people in your group take turns reading each of the following scriptures dealing with responsibility....
Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Galatians 6:5, “For each one should carry their own load.”
James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
1 Timothy 5:8, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
James 4:17, “So whoever knows the rights thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
James 1:2–4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
5. Which one or two of those scriptures hit you the hardest? Why?
REFLECT:
How can our group support each other in living out our faith responsibly?
PRAY
OPEN:
Think back to when you were a kid....if a parent or a teacher said, “You are so irresponsible.” What were they likely talking about?
DIG:
1. What are some trends in society that make personal accountability more challenging?
2. There’s a contrast between the world’s competitive, self-centered values and what Christ calls his followers to....a love that doesn’t run from responsibility but embraces it.
Share a story or something you’ve experienced that demonstrates “a love that doesn’t run from responsibility but embraces it.”
3. In the message, Roy emphasized personal responsibility and the fact that as Christians we are to help carry others’ burdens but at the same time we must also "carry our own load" by taking responsibility for our own actions and growth.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
What do you think it means to "carry each other's burdens"? Can you think of an example when you helped someone bear their burden or someone helped you bear yours?
How do you differentiate between when you should help carry someone else's burden versus when they need to carry their own load?
4. As a group, have several people in your group take turns reading each of the following scriptures dealing with responsibility....
Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Galatians 6:5, “For each one should carry their own load.”
James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
1 Timothy 5:8, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
James 4:17, “So whoever knows the rights thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
James 1:2–4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
5. Which one or two of those scriptures hit you the hardest? Why?
REFLECT:
How can our group support each other in living out our faith responsibly?
PRAY