Questions for discussion (from Good Word Online):

Leading Question: “Why is the cross of Christ so crucial for the Christian faith?”

If we accept all that Scripture claims for God, we are faced with a number of dilemmas that stem from our human limitations: Is the cross some kind of transaction that was necessary in order for God to accept us into his kingdom? Did the cross somehow “persuade” God to save humankind? This lesson seeks to explore the meaning of the cross within the framework provided by what the Scriptures tell us about the character of God.

1. An Eternal God. Read Psalm 90 and ask how we know God’s nature and character.  Do we believe certain things about God because Scripture says so, or do the statements of Scripture match what we intuitively believe God should be and is? Is it reassuring or troubling to affirm that God has always been there and always will be?  Is there anything that could shake your conviction about God’s eternal nature?

2. A Loving God. Is God’s gift of himself in the person of Jesus Christ the most powerful evidence of his love? To what extent is the sense of our need of redemption inherent in our fallen human nature? How does the cross meet that sense of need?