August 23, 2026

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

1. Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. Paul says, “the love of Christ controls us.” What are some other things that tend to “control” or motivate us? How does being captivated by Christ’s love change the way we approach evangelism?

2. It was asked, “Are you amazed that God has saved you?” Why is our own delight in the gospel so important for personal evangelism? What helps you remain amazed by God’s grace rather than allowing the gospel to become overly familiar?

3. Read verses 16-17. It was pointed out how easily we can view people simply as family members, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, or friends. What changes when we begin viewing the people around us in light of their need for Christ and the reality that God can make them a “new creation”?

4. One encouragement was that “it is God who saves, not us.” How should God’s sovereignty in salvation give us greater confidence and freedom in evangelism? How might remembering this help with our fear of rejection or saying the wrong thing?

5. The gospel was summarized using five R’s: Reality, Rebellion, Rescue, Resurrection, and Response. As a group, try explaining what each word represents. Which part of the gospel do you think you would find easiest to explain to an unbeliever? Which part might be most difficult? What are passages you use to share the gospel with others?

6. Read verses 18-20. What does it mean that Christians are “ambassadors for Christ”? How does thinking of yourself as an ambassador, rather than someone responsible for producing a conversion, change the way you think about your responsibility in evangelism?

7. Read verse 21. Why is this verse such a great and helpful summary of the gospel? What does it teach us about our sin, Christ’s work on our behalf, and the righteousness we receive in Him?

8. We ended with a practical challenge: Who is one person along your path who you can pray for, spend time with, and look for opportunities to speak to about Jesus? Share a person if you are comfortable doing so. What is one intentional step you could take toward that person this week?