Week of 5/5-5/11: New - The Mission of God's People

Day Two: I Corinthians 1:18-25 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Jesus crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Jesus the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

DISTRACTIONS CAN BE A KILLER. Think about all the “don’t text and drive” ads that have been produced recently. As tempting as it is to text and drive, the truth is you may cause an accident. Even worse, it could cost someone his or her life. The ad makes sense because it is true: do not let yourself be distracted from the important task of driving!

A similar message can be applied to Christians. We have been entrusted with the single most important message in the world: Jesus died for our sins and we can be saved. We cannot afford to be distracted.

Unfortunately, we often get distracted. The cares of this life, our priorities, and even sin distract us from sharing the one Message that changes lives for eternity. The Enemy will go to great lengths to distract you and keep you from sharing the Gospel.

Sometimes these distractions arise from seemingly good things. For example, imagine God’s disappointment when a church is more concerned over paint colors then about reaching their community for Christ. Or when a school Bible club is more concerned with which T-shirts to wear rather sharing the reality of the Gospel with lost students in the lunchroom.

These potentially “good things” are major distractions. When we as Christians miss opportunities to take part in God’s work, it costs lives for eternity the message of the Gospel must be our top priority. It must be so important to us that nothing else can steal our passion to share it with the world!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What are some “distractions” in your life?

▷▷How has the message of the Gospel changed your life?

▷▷Name a few people that you need to share the Gospel with this upcoming week.

Week of 5/5-5/11: New - The Mission of God's People

Day Three: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 For Jesus’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Jesus in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Jesus, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Jesus, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Jesus, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Jesus’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS IS A LONG TIME to live a complete lie. But that is exactly what Marilee Jones, the Dean of Admissions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has admitted to doing. MIT is regarded as one of the greatest educational institutions in the United States and the person who represented them was living a lie.

What was the lie? Ms. Ones did not have the qualifications that she claimed. She lied on her resume almost 30 years ago about having very important degrees that she did not have. The woman who represented the school to prospective students was a total hypocrite!

We look at someone like Marilee and wonder how she could have lived a lie that long. Yet, many who claim to follow Christ misrepresent Him even more. It is important to remember that as a Jesus follower, you are a representative, an ambassador of Him. According to these verses in 2 Corinthians 5, God has committed the message of reconciliation to you. You are an ambassador for Jesus.

As an ambassador for Christ, your life holds great significance. Your actions tell a story. Where you find pleasure matters. If you find more pleasure in sin than you find pleasure in God, you are misrepresenting the life that Jesus has called us to live.

Today, focus on representing Jesus accurately in every area of your life.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What does it mean to be an ambassador?

▷▷On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself on accurately representing Christ in your everyday life?

▷▷What are some ways to improve that score and become a better ambassador for Christ?

Week of 4/28-5/4: New - The Grace Shaped Family of God

Day One: Acts 15:1-5 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!” But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy. When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses!”

A TOTAL OF 36,000 SADHUS (Hindu holy men) were part of the estimated crowd of 40 million attending the two-month “Kumbh Mela” festival in India last spring. People came from all over to bathe in a specific river as a religious practice. These people believed that mangling and punishing them would gain them approval from a god they didn’t know. As ridiculous as this seems, Christians look as equally pitiful when we think we can add anything to the salvation offered in Jesus Christ.

It’s very dangerous for Christians to view their works as part of their redemption. Problems arise when we believe that how we live dictates how God should move. Here are a few indicators that you may rely on your works more than you realize:

1. You feel like God doesn’t love you when you sin.

2. You feel more approved by God when you do good things.

3. You expect God to fulfill your desires because you’re a “good person.”

When these are true in our life, we take our act of obedience and worship and make it a bargaining chip with God. “God, I’ve done this, so you should do respond the way I want you to…” You may not be bathing in an Indian river, but if you think you can win God’s approval by doing moral works, your mindset is very similar.

Rest today in the completed work of Jesus on the cross for your sin. Worship Him because you have been rescued. Serve others because He has served you.Realize that you can do nothing to change Jesus’ love for outlive in the freedom that the Gospel gives.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why is it dangerous to feel like God doesn’t love you as much when you sin?

▷▷Have you ever expected God to respond to your requests because of how you live for Him? Why?

▷▷Why is it freeing to know that our salvation has nothing to do with our works?

Week of 4/28-5/4: New - The Grace Shaped Family of God

Day Two: Galatians 2:15-21 We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners” know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified. But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild the system I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker. For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

IMAGINE THIS: YOU’RE STARVING. Even though it is noon, the day has already been long and the lunch lady’s version of “speghana” (that left over spaghetti and lasagna mix) does not work for you this time. So on your way home, you stop at McDonald’s to grab a bit of Dollar Menu deliciousness. After placing your order for a McDouble and large fries, you realize you have no cash. The total is $4.72 but you are broke. No way is this happening!

Out of nowhere a man who had been standing in line puts down a $5 bill to cover your late lunch. He then steps out the door and into the parking lot. There is no way to repay him. There is no way to work for the $5.It is a gift and you have accepted it.

Salvation is God’s gift to you.Obviously, salvation is infinitely more meaningful and costly than a burger. Also, Christ didn’t simply pay a debt and walk away, He paid a debt so He could then build a relationship. But, much like the burger in this story, the gift cannot be repaid or earned. Your only reasonable response is to accept it and then live a life of worship and obedience. The life that we live as Christ followers is a response to what Jesus has already done for us.

Salvation has been given by grace.You cannot be good enough or do good enough.You are not nice enough or even good looking enough (despite what mom says).Salvation is all about Jesus.Take a moment and thank God for His grace today.Thank Him that even though you aren’t good enough, He is!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How have you seen grace at work in your life?

▷▷Why is it comforting to know that you cannot earn your salvation?

▷▷How does understanding God’s grace impact how you will live today?

Week of 4/28-5/4: New - The Grace Shaped Family of God

Day Three: James 2:18-26 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder. Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN SOMEONE THAT claimed to know a famous person? A friend of mine in high school used to tell us his cousin played for the Dallas Cowboys. It was tough to believe him because he didn’t have any pictures, never went to any games, and never visited him. This became a joke to the rest of us. We still don’t know if he was telling the truth or not, but all the evidence pointed to it being a lie.

Unfortunately, this example symbolizes

the perspective of many people who claim to be Christians quite well. “Well, I am a Christian, I have faith in God. I’m just not walking with God right now.” “Yes, I asked Jesus in my heart. I’m not a Jesus freak, I’m not going to hell”. These are modern examples of James 2: I have faith, but no works.

Faith and works are inseparable. If you say you have faith, your life should reflect that truth. If you admit that the God of the universe is alive and inside of you right now, your life should at least begin to look different than it did before Christ.

Our works do not produce salvation for us. We understand our works do not grant us faith. Works can strengthen our faith, but they are not the source of our faith. Our “good works” are actually the fruit of our faith and are a response of worship because of what Jesus has done for us. We do not do good works in order to be accepted. Rather, we do good works because we have already been accepted by God. Today, your good works should flow from a heart of gratitude for what Jesus has done for you.As you love God and serve others, your faith will grow and others will be pointed to Jesus.

PAUSE AND REFLECT:

▷▷Why is it important that our works be a result of our faith?

▷▷As a follower of Jesus, how do we know that God already approves of us?

▷▷List a few ways your life has changed since giving your life to Jesus.

Week of 4/14-4/20: New - God Indwells His Covenant People

Day One: Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

ELECTRICITY IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE. From the moment your alarm goes off way too early on a school day until the time your head hits the pillow at night, electricity has played an important role in your day. Electricity’s effects are felt when you use your phone, hang out on Facebook, and even when you are in the kitchen finishing your homework. All the technological devices that are so vital to us, or seemingly vital to us, are completely useless without electricity. They simply can’t do anything they were created to do apart from the power of electricity.

Your life as a follower of Jesus is v

ery similar: just as your electronics rely on electricity, you must rely on the work of the Holy Spirit in you.

The Holy Spirit of God moves into your heart the moment you give your life to Jesus. There are many names for the Holy Spirit: Comforter, Counselor, Truth and Power (John 14:17, Luke 1:35).This is important; because the Spirit is God’s presence in your life to guide you and help you grow in your relationship with Him. God doesn’t save you and say, “Good luck! I hope everything works out for you!”

Instead, the Bible says we are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).He indwells us and never leaves us. This truth should bring us great comfort. God calls us to an incredible life and mission; He also gives us his presence to complete it.

You were not created to have all the answers or to be the most talented; you were created to trust the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of fulfilling the mission to which God has called us.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why does Acts 2:1-4 bring us hope?

▷▷What do you trust in more on a daily basis to help you and guide you: your own ability or the Holy Spirit?

▷▷What is one area in your life you need to trust the work of the Holy Spirit today?

Week of 4/14-4/20: New God Indwells His Covenant People

Day Two: Acts 2:29-36 “Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not left in Hades, and His flesh did not experience decay. “God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”

Read the beginning of the story, Acts 2:22-28, in your Bible.

THE SATURN V ROCKET was created to do one thing: put a man on the moon. It is the most powerful rocket to have ever been built. It burned just over 15,000 gallons of fuel per second. When launched, it generated enough energy to light the entire country of India. The ground shook almost 3 miles out from its launch site.

President John Kennedy gave NASA a mandate: get to the moon before 1970.There were astronauts, there was a mission, and the Saturn V rocket gave men the ability to complete the mission.

As a Christ follower, you also

have been given a mission. Far more important than reaching the moon, the mission we have been given is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19).

And just like the astronauts, you are incapable of completing the mission on your own. In Acts 2:22-36, we see Peter share the truth about Jesus to thousands of people. This is the same Peter that sank while walking on water and that denied Jesus three times.

Peter did not complete this mission on his own, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. On his own, Peter was incapable; with the Holy Spirit at work in him, Peter was unstoppable. The Holy Spirit’s power enabled Peter to do incredible things for God that he would never have been able to do on his own.

The same is true for young our own, we are weak and frail. When we trust the work of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to accomplish what God has called us to do.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What would you be willing to change today if you knew God would use you in an incredible way for His glory?

▷▷Can you think of a time when you had to rely on the Holy Spirit to help you? What happened?

▷▷Is there a person in your life with whom you need to share Jesus? What keeps you from sharing?