Once again, John gives us a glimpse into the world of crippling religion – showing us characteristics that are easy for any one of us to adopt without God’s grace. Find out what those characteristics are and how the gospel saves us from each of them as we look at “Jesus Versus The Religious – Round 3” – part of The Gospel According to John Series.
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MESSAGE STUDY NOTES (also as PDF download above)
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WARM UP
How do you tend to respond to slander on the internet? What guides you?
READ
John 7:25-52; Ephesians 4:31; James 1:26; II Timothy 3:3
KEY INSIGHTS
[Religiosity – any attempt to save or justify yourself]
Characteristics of a Religious Person
1. Slander
2. Blindness
3. Arrogance
Five Signs of Worshiping Self
1. Arrogance, 2. Insecurity, 3. Defensiveness, 4. Loneliness, 5. Rebelling against authority
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What is slander? How do you know if you are slandering someone?
2. The religious accused the crowds of being fools and cursed by God, yet were blind to their own sin. How do you think religiosity contributes to blindness?
APPLICATION
What are some things a follower of Jesus can do to avoid becoming arrogant?
FOR MENTORING
If your mentee displayed signs of arrogance or slandered someone in front of you, how would you want to respond?
