Leader Guide

Objective
Students will grasp God’s abundant grace, removing all guilt and shame through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. They will be empowered to live in freedom and possess the ability to extend forgiveness to others.

Warm Up

• How large is your debt? Can you pay it off by yourself this year?

Our mistakes with money and decisions can create problems for us and affect others. Debt, whether small or significant, is a common outcome. Similarly, sin is like debt, accumulating guilt as compound interest. It weighs us down, hindering our freedom in relationships with God and others. Sin leads to guilt, while being sinned against causes pain. Through these experiences, God reveals our need for His grace and its sufficiency.

When we perceive our sin and guilt as small, we may believe we can manage it with our own resources. Just like a manageable postage fee of 15 cents on a letter. However, if we open the envelope to find a bank notice demanding tens of thousands, it becomes unmanageable.

Foolishly, we may think we can handle sin and guilt, relying on our ability to clean up our own messes.

Yet, the reality is that our sin is an enormous mess, and the debt it incurs is insurmountable. We are in desperate need of God’s grace. Through His infinite wisdom, God the Father sent Jesus as a sacrifice to pay the debt we owe and grant us a life of freedom.

Transition
Micah Tyler’s song “I See Grace” tells a story of redemption from failure and shame through Christ’s full forgiveness. It urges us to receive God’s grace and forgiveness, which we can never earn or deserve. In Christ, we find complete forgiveness and a renewed sense of hope.

The Video
Play the music video for “I See Grace” by Micah Tyler.

Transition
This song honestly faces the reality of our guilt and regret because of sin. And it powerfully reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient - no sin is too huge, no debt is too enormous. Jesus paid the debt in full; He wiped it all away at the cross.

Bible Study
The Bible reveals God’s abundant grace, showcasing our weaknesses and His provision.

It reminds us that our battle is not against people but against spiritual forces of evil. Physical weapons won’t suffice; we need spiritual weapons, powerful in God’s hands, to overcome our struggles.

Read Ephesians 2:1-9
Our situation is desperate without Christ. (Verses 1-3)

• What is our condition as described by the apostle Paul in these verses?
• What words are used here for our sinful life and behavior?
• As you read these verses, can you express your emotional responses? Are you hopeful? Desperate? Frightened?
• God’s love, mercy, and grace are sufficient for all our sin. (Verses 4-9)
• Summarize how God acted to change our condition through Christ.
• List God’s attributes and the steps He took to bring us to Himself.
• How can you receive God’s grace and forgiveness in salvation?

Read Romans 8:1-2
In Christ, believers are free from the bondage of law, sin, and death. Through grace, we live obediently and have eternal life. Our past is erased and we are cleansed. Our new identity in Christ brings hope, as we share in His victory over condemnation.

• Think of a time when you have been troubled by failure: in your family, in your school, or in your job. Did you experience condemnation and shame? What would it feel like to have no condemnation?
• Since you have received grace and are no longer under condemnation, how can you express grace and forgiveness to someone who has sinned against you?

Wrap Up
Sin is a brutal enemy, yet on the cross, God conquered sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He did what we could not do for ourselves, and He did it because of His love and mercy, not because we had earned it. We can now walk in freedom with Christ.

• How can you keep the truth, “God’s grace is greater than all our sin” in mind?
• What are some steps you can take to encourage each other in grace?
• What specific evidence of God’s grace to you do you see today?

Close with a prayer of thanks because grace and gratitude go together.

Playlist
This song is featured on “The Linc: Grace” Spotify playlist – which is the perfect way to remind your students what you’ve taught them in this session. To share it with them, click the live link on the web version of this study.