Adult
• 3 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 3 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• Handouts
1. Romans 5:12-19
2. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
3. Romans 5:1-11
In the Northern Hemisphere, the weeks before Easter come when we are tired of winter but still waiting for spring. We begin to notice the lengthening of daylight, which gives this time of year—Lent—its name. The word “lent” comes from an Old English word for spring, referring to the lengthening days. The pause between winter and spring offers a time to reflect on our spiritual lives and to prepare for Easter, the holiest time of our Christian observance.
The themes for the next three weeks are appropriate to the reflective nature of Lent. They include some of the most basic concepts of our Christian faith—the nature of sin, faith, and grace. Sometimes these basic ideas are so familiar that they are hard to define. However, when we understand better the concepts of sin, faith, and grace, we also have a fuller understanding of Jesus and ourselves.
The unit is based in Romans, which is not the easiest of Paul’s letters. The book often reads like a legal document, with a repetition of themes and cumulative logic that can make for slow reading. However, many believe Romans is Paul’s greatest work, a careful statement of faith that contains Paul’s definition of the basic elements of Christianity.
An interesting parallel also makes this study in Romans appropriate for the Lenten season. Paul wrote Romans around ad 55–64, possibly in Corinth, and it is clear that he was not optimistic when he wrote. Just as we pause at this time before Easter, Paul had reached a pause in his career and was taking the time to think carefully about the larger ideas of Christianity. We will be doing the same for the next few weeks. Sin, faith, and grace are basic ideas for Christians, but the meaning we can find in Scripture is never exhausted. May these studies help us prepare for Easter, giving deeper meaning to the joyous celebration that lies ahead.
by Cathy High
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