Steady As We Go

In one paragraph

Pastor Josh opened a new series on the 12 steps and their biblical foundation, starting with steps one and two. He made the case that genuine transformation comes not from willpower or behavior modification but from admitting powerlessness and turning to God. Communion followed as a natural expression of that same posture of dependence. Pastor Josh set the table with Galatians 5:25, the idea that...

Read together

1. Isaiah 25:1 Opening call to worship: 'Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you. I will give thanks to your name for you have worked wonders, plans formed long ago with perfect faithfulness.'
2. Galatians 5:25 If we are living by the spirit, then we also should be walking by the spirit, framing the sermon's theme of walking daily by the Spirit rather than by behavior modification.
3. Galatians 5:19-23 Works of the flesh listed as a representative sample contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit.
4. John 16:7-11 Jesus in the upper room discourse saying it is to the disciples' advantage that He leaves so the Helper, the Holy Spirit, will come to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
5. Jeremiah 31 (implied new covenant passage) Referenced as the promise to write God's law on hearts and give a heart of flesh rather than stone, pointing forward to the new covenant.
6. Romans 3:23 All have sinned, first step of the Roman Road.
7. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
8. Romans 5:8 God demonstrates His love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9. Romans 10:9-13 If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you will be saved; everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
10. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 On the night Jesus was betrayed He took bread and the cup, instituting the new covenant in His blood, read during communion.

Talk about it

1. Pastor McDaniel shared that Ron's trusted friend told him to 'get up from where you are and walk until you find somebody that'll tell you about Jesus.' Who has played that kind of role in your own life, and what did it mean to you at the time?
2. Pastor McDaniel said that for Ron, it was probably going to take a long time to find a way out because it took a long time to get into that shape. How does that idea sit with you when you think about your own struggles or the struggles of people you love?
3. The sermon describes step one as admitting we are powerless over our problem and that our lives have become unmanageable. Pastor McDaniel pushed back on the idea that a saved person can just say 'duh, whatever, I did the thing.' What do you think keeps Christians from being honest about what still has a hold on them?
4. Step two is coming to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Pastor McDaniel explained why the steps use that language rather than naming Jesus directly, pointing to the bad experiences many people have had with Christians or church. How do you respond to that, and what does it make you think about how we present faith to people who are hurting?
5. Pastor McDaniel connected the 12 steps to Galatians 5, saying that trying to overcome our problems by sheer human effort is the same trap as trying to earn righteousness through the law. Where in your own life do you find yourself still trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps instead of walking by the Spirit?