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Bible Essentials

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Jesus Brings Reconciliation with God

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Opening

  • Share life updates
  • Review highs and lows of the week
  • Share prayer requests and praises

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Icebreaker

  • Share about a time when you shared the good news of Jesus Christ with someone else.
  • What happened? What was the outcome of the conversation?

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2 Corinthians 5:16-21

  • Read the passage
  • What is the context for this passage?
    • Second letter of Paul to the church in Corinth
    • Paul encourages the Christians in Corinth not to follow false teachers and not to turn away from the truth
    • Paul shares nuggets of theology with the Corinthian church

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2 Corinthians 5:16-21

  • Read the passage again, in a different version if available.
  • Summarize the passage in your own words.

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What does the passage say about God?

  • God is the only one who can make people new.
  • God reconciled the world to himself through Christ.
  • God does not count people’s sins against them if they are in Christ.

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What does the passage say about people?

  • People should not regard others from a worldly view.
  • People should not regard Christ from a worldly view.
  • People have been given the message of reconciliation.
  • People are Christ’s ambassadors to the world.
  • People need to be reconciled to God.

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What does the passage say about God’s plan?

  • God’s plan is that those who are in Christ will be made new.
  • God’s plan is that those who are in Christ should have a ministry of reconciliation.
  • God’s plan was that Jesus would be our substitute for sin and righteousness.

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Discussion

  • How does the passage fit into the overarching story of the Bible?
    • We are sinful, and the punishment for sin is death and separation from God.
    • God desires to rebuild the relationship with each of us.
    • God accomplished this by sending his Son to bear the punishment for our sins.
    • Only God can do the work of reconciliation.

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Discussion

  • What else strikes you about this passage?
  • How does the passage affect how you view God? How you view yourself?
  • How does this passage affect how you will live your life?