BOTTOM LINE:

GRACE
Undeserved favor receiving the opposite of what I deserve.

START TALKING

When have you seen someone at work, school, or family seem to always get the opposite of what they deserve? What did you think they deserved or earned? Why and how did they get the opposite of that?

START THINKING

Read Ephesians 2:8-9. Take the first sentence and the three "big" words you see: saved, grace, and faith/belief. How would you define and explain each of those to someone who is new to faith or unsure about faith?

Think through each of those words again. What do you think people usually assume these words to me? How are the true definitions of these words different? How does that change things and show why it is important to truly understand their meaning?

START SHARING

What are the subtle (or not so subtle) ways that you find yourself acting as if you have to earn grace or as if salvation is a reward for the good things you do?

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. What does this passage say we should boast in? What do you think that means? How have you experienced the most grace (receiving the opposite of what you deserve) in your greatest areas of weakness? How has grace been a force for you to experience Jesus in your weakness?

START DOING

Read Hebrews 4:15-16. Why does the "throne of grace" allow us to pray bold prayers? What is the opposite of what we deserve when it comes to praying bold prayers? What is deserved?

What would it look like for you to pray bold prayers with grace as the force you live by?

How can you show grace to someone this week who doesn't deserve it?

START PRAYING

Pray that God helps each of you to experience his grace each and every day. Pray that He helps you to show grace to others who need to experience it, and that by you living out grace in a real and tangible way, it could be the way someone else experiences Jesus.