Sin and Temptation Pod

Help your disciples understand and overcome against sin!

Sin is a constant reality in the life of a Christian. The hope of this curriculum is to help you and your disciples understand the gravity of sin and to give you the tools to lean on the Lord to overcome the sin in your life. We can't attain perfection here on Earth, but we can learn how to flee from sin and pursue righteousness in a way that honors God and produces joy in our lives.

In the buttons below you will find videos, articles, podcasts and helpful questions that will help your disciples become mature in each topic. Take your time to read through the materials yourself so that you can be as helpful as you can.

The Root of Sin

Prayer

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Genesis 3:1-7
  • Psalm 51:5
  • Jeremiah 17:9-10
  • Romans 3:23
  • Romans 5:12
  • Ephesians 2:1-10
  • James 1:12-15

Outside Resources

Brief Summary

We can all agree on something: we live in a world that is broken. What we may not all agree on is the root of this brokenness. Brokenness originated in the Garden when Adam and Eve first sinned. The first sin was rooted in a desire to “be like God,” leading to a choice to seize autonomy from God and determine what was right in our own eyes. Since then, all of humanity has been consumed by sin. Sin isn’t just committing wrong actions or neglecting good; it is a state of mind, a way of being, that affects everything we do, leading us out to attempt to fulfill good desires in ways that God has not sanctioned. While the world’s brokenness and the devil’s influence both impact our sinful tendencies, James states that the root of sin is evil desire within our hearts. The problem isn’t around us; the problem is in us.

Sin is a critical issue, a monumental problem, that we cannot solve on our own. No amount of ingenuity, charity, good deeds, or “progress” can eliminate sin in our hearts and lives. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are given mercy that covers our sin and grace that frees us from sin’s penalty, power, and presence. The gospel gives us hope that Jesus, not sin, has the final word. Through Him, we can find freedom from sin, overcoming the desires that eventually lead us to death.

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions.

  • Identify 1-3 desires that you know, if left unguarded, can lead to sin in your life. Write out what those are.
  • Confess to your group the areas where you are tempted to fulfill those desires of the flesh. Name them specifically.
  • Describe how the gospel gives you hope to overcome your sinful desires and tendencies. How does the gospel speak directly to each desire/tendency?
  • How does the problem of sin affect how view and interact with people who don’t yet know Jesus?

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • When thoughts pop up that would typically lead you to sin, how will you address those in the moment? What specific truths will you use to fight against sin?
  • How can we as a group rally around one another for accountability in these areas? Be specific.

Guided Prayer

Father, we acknowledge our sinfulness before you today, both in our actions and at the core of our desires. We ask for your mercy and grace to invade our hearts, knowing that you have provided us everything we need for life and godliness through Your Son Jesus Christ. We confess that on our own, we have no power to deal with the sinful desires and tendencies that we’ve named. We ask that your Holy Spirit would convict us quickly, leading us to confession, both to you and to one another, that we may find healing and freedom. Help us to remember the high cost that Jesus paid on the cross to forgive us of our sins, and lead us to live in light of His sacrifice. We ask this all in the name of Jesus, amen.

The Penalty of Sin

Prayer Requests

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Genesis 2:15-17
  • Genesis 3:17-19
  • Genesis 5:5
  • Psalm 51:4
  • Psalm 103:11-12
  • Romans 6:23
  • Ephesians 2:4-5
  • Ephesians 2:11-12
  • James 1:15
  • Revelation 20:14-15

Outside Resources

Summary

“The wages of sin is death…” Full stop. If the story ended there, God would still be completely just, completely holy. Any sin we commit, partake in, or allow is an offense against a perfectly holy God. Because of this, every sin is worthy of the ultimate penalty: death. But what exactly does death entail? Is it just physical? Spiritual? Something more? To be dead is to be alienated from the life of God. This is, in part, physical death, the unnatural separation of the immaterial from the material, the soul from the body; this is also spiritual death, the eternal separation of a person from the presence of God. This death manifests in our lives on earth, walking in ways that lead to death.

Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Due to no effort or merit of our own, God graciously gives us the gift of eternal life; Jesus took on death in our place, eliminating the ultimate penalty of sin for us. Spiritual death is no longer a concern when we accept this gift through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we still deal with the natural consequences of our sin and the sins of those around us, and physical death is still part of our experience. We believe that one day, Jesus will fully deal with the consequences of sin, finalizing His victory over death and the grave. Until then, we can walk with the understanding that the penalty of our sin has been taken care of at the cross of Christ!

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions.

  • Think of the spectrum of all your sin, from the largest to the smallest. Acknowledge that even the smallest, most insignificant of those was worthy of eternal separation from the presence of God. Turn that weight into gratitude for what Jesus did on the cross for you!
  • While the ultimate penalty of sin is covered, we still deal with earthly consequences of our sin. How can you deal with confront or accept the consequences of your sin in godly ways? Talk about a time where you handled a situation like this well or poorly. What would you do differently? What would you repeat in future situations?

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • As part of your accountability time moving forward, ask not only about acts of sin but also personal responses to the consequences of sin. Make this a regular part of accountability and confession.
  • Incorporate gratitude for forgiveness as a regular part of your personal prayer rhythm.
  • Take time for each group member to pray a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for eliminating the penalty of their sins. End with the guided prayer below.

Guided Prayer

Father, we come to you in total gratitude for the gift of salvation that You freely give to us. You are holy, righteous, and altogether good apart from anything You did for us, and yet You still chose to act on our behalf because of the love that You have for us. We give You our worship, acknowledging that Jesus died in our place so that we wouldn’t have to experience total separation from You. We ask that the Holy Spirit would remind us this week that we are no longer trapped by the penalty of our sin but are free to live for You. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, amen.

The Power of Sin

Prayer Requests

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Genesis 4:6-7
  • Romans 6:1-14
  • Romans 7:21-25
  • Romans 8:1-8
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13
  • Galatians 2:20
  • Galatians 5:16-25
  • Colossians 2:15
  • Colossians 3:5
  • 1 John 2:14

Outside Resources

Summary

Apart from Jesus, we are slaves to the power of sin. Sin is relentless in its pursuit of us, seeking to master us, to make us obey its passions and desires. Sin is a power, a master, which seeks to take us captive. We are born under this power, and our own efforts can’t set us free from it. Sin isn’t just what we do or desire, but a power that keeps us in its grip for as long as possible, coloring every thought, action, and interaction. The battle against sin can feel so hopeless.

Those who are in Christ have died to sin, identifying with Christ in His death and being raised to new life in Him! Because of this, sin no longer has the same power over us, forcing us to bend to its will and desires. Since the Holy Spirit lives within us, we are given the power to overcome sin. Practically, this won’t happen all at once, but as we continually grow in discipleship to Jesus, the Spirit will give us victory over the sin as we learn to “put to death” what is earthly, ungodly, or sinful in us (Col 3:5). This process is called “sanctification,” where we continually die to our own desires and increasingly become more like Jesus by the Spirit’s power and presence in us. It’s only because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that sin’s power can be broken in us!

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions with the group.

  • Are there are any sins in your life that lost their power when you became a believer?
  • Talk about a sin that you, by the power of the Spirit, have effectively put to death in your life. What did that require of you?
  • What sins currently have a strong grip over your life? What steps are you willing to take to put this sin to death in your life?

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • Create an action plan against a sin that you are currently struggling against.
  • Plan check-ins with one another as part of your action plan.
  • Pray for one another that the power of these sins would be broken in each other’s lives. End with the guided prayer below.

Guided Prayer

Father, You are intimately aware of our weaknesses. You know where we try and fail, where we stumble and fall, where we may be stuck in a cycle of sin. Thank You that Your grace is not dependent on our efforts but completely on our position in Christ Jesus. We ask that by Your Spirit, You would give us the grace to continually put to death the things in our lives that aren’t pleasing to You. We pray for quick conviction from the Spirit when we walk into sin, and we thank You that it’s Your kindness that leads us to repentance. We pray for strength to carry us through the day. Show us Your power over sin, and make it apparent in our lives. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, amen.

The Presence of Sin

Prayer Requests

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Psalm 32:1-5
  • Romans 8:19-23
  • 1 Corinthians 15:35-57
  • Galatians 6:9
  • James 5:16
  • 1 John 1:8-10
  • 1 John 2:1

Outside Resources

Summary

We’ve talked about the how the penalty of sin has been eliminated and how the power of sin has been broken, but what about the presence of sin? Can we ever truly escape from sin? The Scriptures provide a realistic picture of this for us. In this life, sin is something we will continually struggle with. Honestly, this sounds a bit like bad news! Why fight if we can never fully get away from it? What’s the point?

We believe that when Jesus returns, He will make a final end to sin and all its effects. Our bodies will be resurrected and glorified like the body Jesus has, untouched by sin. Even creation will be renewed and restored from the effects that sin has had on it. Death will have no more victory, and sin will have lost its sting. So what does that mean for us now?

We live in light of the future hope of full resurrection and restoration. God has given us grace to cover our sins and practices to walk in obedience. Regular confession is one of those practices. Confession in community isn’t a sign of defeat but the evidence of a life that’s coming into continued alignment with the Spirit. We thank God for moments of victory and the practices of freedom, and we hopefully await the restoration of all things.

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions with the group.

  • Describe a time where the practice of confession to a person affected your fight against that sin or temptation.
  • Is there any sin in your life you’ve hesitated to confess up to this point? Be bold to confess that now.
  • Are you ever tempted to give up the fight against sin and temptation? Talk about what that feels like and how you have successfully (or unsuccessfully) combatted that.

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • If regular confession outside of this group meeting time is not a normal part of your rhythm, prayerfully make a plan to incorporate that as part of your weekly rhythm.
  • Commit to pray for one specific person in your group over the course of this week in the area of sin and temptation.

Guided Prayer

Father, we recognize the reality that our struggle with sin won’t come to an end until we experience full resurrection and restoration in You. Thank You for providing us with tools to combat sin, and thank You for the grace we’ve received in Jesus that covers our sins. I pray that we wouldn’t grow weary in doing good, and that Your Spirit would continue to cultivate a desire to please You in our hearts and lives. We submit our continued struggles to You and ask that You continue Your transforming work in our hearts. We pray all this in the name of Jesus, amen.

When Temptation Comes...

Prayer Requests

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Psalm 119:9-11
  • Matthew 4:1-11
  • Matthew 6:13
  • Matthew 26:41
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13
  • Ephesians 6:10-18
  • 2 Timothy 2:22
  • Hebrews 3:7-14
  • Hebrews 4:14-16
  • James 4:7

Outside Resources

Summary

We’ve all learned by now that being tempted towards sin is part of living in a broken world. As believers in Jesus, we become increasingly aware of the way He calls us to live, but we find that sin is still close at hand, calling and coaxing us to fall out of step with the Spirit of God. Oftentimes, temptation feels overwhelming, and sin’s power rears its ugly head again in our lives. What is the way out?

Jesus models for us a dynamic response to temptation. When tempted in the wilderness by Satan, He responds primarily with the word of God. Scripture was so ingrained in His heart that when the pressure to give into temptation squeezed Him, the only thing that came out was God’s word in direct response. Likewise, the word of God wielded in prayerful response to temptation is a powerful weapon against the temptation of the enemy and even of the sinful desires that well up inside of us.

Because He Himself was tempted, Jesus understands our struggle against sin. The author of Hebrews describes Him as our Great High Priest who can sympathize with our weakness because He was tempted in every way as we are (Heb 4:15). In the midst of temptation, we can lean on Him both for strength and support.

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions with the group.

  • Describe a typical step-by-step response of how you fight temptation in your life. Is this effective for you? Why or why not?
  • Is there a difference between sins to confront directly and sins you need to flee from?
  • Are there temptations where your response to them is too soft or dismissive? How can you strengthen your response to those temptations?

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • Choose a relevant Scripture to memorize in your fight against temptation. (Psalm 119:9 and 1 Corinthians 10:13 are good places to start.) Choose a Scripture in the next day or two and review it with your group at your next meeting.
  • Think of a specific sin you struggle with. Write out several Scriptures that specifically address this sin. Put them in a place that’s easy to access when you’re tempted.

Guided Prayer

Father, we echo Jesus’ prayer to You: lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. We ask that You strengthen us in Your word and by Your Spirit. On our own, we are not strong, nor can we resist the temptation of sin. But You have given us new life, and by Your Spirit we choose to walk in that new life. Let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel, that others would come to know Your goodness and love through us. We pray for the Spirit to produce self-control in us, that we may fight well against the deceitfulness of sin. Show us that You are better. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Fighting Sin Together

Prayer Requests

  • How can we pray for you…
    • In your relationship with the Lord?
    • In the key relationships in your life?
    • In your work/school?
  • How has the Lord answered prayer in these areas in the last week?

Accountability

  • What has God been saying to you over the course of the last week…
    • Through Scripture?
    • Through prayer?
    • Through community?
  • Start. Stop. Continue.
    • What do you need to start doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to stop doing to be obedient?
    • What do you need to continue doing that has been helpful in your walk with the Lord?
    • How can we hold you accountable for these things?

Content Overview

Scripture Reading

  • Proverbs 27:5-6
  • Proverbs 27:17
  • Matthew 7:3-5
  • Galatians 6:1-2
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14
  • Hebrews 3:12-15
  • Hebrews 10:24-25
  • James 5:16
  • 1 John 1:7

Outside Resources

Summary

Over the course of these last several sessions, we’ve focused on the root and effects of sin in our life and in the world. The practical portion of each lesson has really dug into the final aspect we want to focus on: the role of community in our fight against sin. The Lord saved us into a family of faith, which means that we are not isolated in our discipleship to Jesus. We were meant to walk through this life with other people; our fight against sin is no different.

All throughout the New Testament, we see exhortations directed to the family of faith to encourage and stir up when another towards faithfulness to Jesus, and to remind one another of the deceitfulness of sin. This isn’t a solo fight; this is a communal effort to walk towards holiness together. Your victory is my victory; my loss is your loss. We choose to step into the lives of our brothers and sisters because we know following Jesus is worth fighting towards that end together.

Model & Practice

The Leader will be the first to walk through these questions with the group, modeling the practices discussed here. Each group member will then follow through the practice/questions with the group.

  • Discuss how the accountability of this group has helped you in your struggle against sin. How can that continue?
  • Have you given full permission to this group to speak into your life? Why or why not?
  • What has been the most encouraging thing to come from this group, either in your life or in the life of another group member?

Actions Steps & Guided Prayer

Actions Steps

  • Discuss how deep accountability can continue as you move into other curriculum or even end your group for the sake of multiplication. What will you take with you?
  • Take a moment together to thank the Lord for each member of your group and they have specifically encouraged your faith.

Guided Prayer

Father, thank You for bringing us into a new family that follows You together. We are grateful for the family of faith that You surround us with. Thank You that in our struggle against sin, we can lean on one another, confessing our sins to each other, and spurring one another to love and good works. Help us to remind one another of the gospel of Your Son and what He has accomplished for us. We pray that the Spirit would continue to bind us together in love as we continue learning what it means to follow You. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, amen.