DAILYDEVOTIONS
4-Sided Triangles Week 4 – Goal of the Gospel
The goal of this sheet is to help you develop the massively productive habit of daily prayer and Bible reading. Not everybody knows what they are looking at when they read the Bible, so this is a tool to help you overcome that obstacle. Here you have five days’ worth of “devotions” to help you devote your days to God between now and next Sunday. This material is a closer look at the material you will encounter in this week’s message. Before you get started on your daily reading, here’s a good way to start in prayer:
- Thank God for the good things in your life. If there are a lot of bad things you could focus on right now. Instead, thank God for saving you and that this temporary trouble is the worst it will ever be. This life is not all there is.
- Ask God to reveal any sin that is destroying you and those around you while mangling your relationship with Him. When the Holy Spirit brings these things to mind, you can either waste time rationalizing and arguing with Him about it, or you can confess it, receive His forgiveness, and move on with the good God has called you to accomplish today.
- Ask God to show you what He wants you to see from the passages you will look at each day.
After you finish each day’s Bible reading and reflection, pray and ask God to help you renew your mind with the truth He has shown, and reshape your actions and words to bring life to you and those around you.
Day 1:
This week we continue building the foundation to answer the questions raised about obedience and salvation from week 2 of this message series. We start by looking at three reasons for why we are looking at the New Testament teaching on obedience and Gospel. The three reasons are that (1) other people’s disobedience to King Jesus the Christ harms you, (2) your disobedience to King Jesus the Christ harms you, and (3) your disobedience to King Jesus the Christ harms others. Please carefully read and reflect on Romans 6:15-23 with special emphasis on verse 21.
What has been the effect of others’ sin on your life?
What has been the effect of your sin on your own life, and then on the lives of others?
The Good News of The Gospel is that once Jesus was enthroned, He sent the Holy Spirit to set us free from that which was enslaving and destroying us and others. What do you need to ask the Holy Spirit so that you can learn to walk obedience and bondage (Romans 6:18) to that which brings life?
Day 2:
Where do you go for hope?
The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that still drives our belief that we do not need God and can solve our own problems with the right knowledge, technology, and resources.
What have you seen from the fruit of this pursuit?
How would you grade us in using knowledge, technology, and money over the last 100 years or so?
Please carefully pray through 1 Corinthians 1:18-29. Are there areas in your life where you think you are wise and trust in your own strength, intellect, resources, education, or technology apart from God?
What effect is your flight from God having on others?
God never called us to be anti-science, anti-technology, anti-finance. To the contrary, He calls us take dominion and image Him to His creation. When we grow our understanding of His Creation and build and produce with His raw materials, we fulfill this calling. But all our knowledge and power cannot deal with the sinfulness in the human heart. Knowledge, technology, and money in the hands of rebellious people only brings pain and destruction.
How do you use these things to bring life rather than destruction?
Day 3:
What would you say is the “goal” of the Gospel?
We know that Jesus came to “seek and save the lost”, but is that all? Save them from what? Save them to what? Today will be different because it is imperative that The Christ’s disciples embrace His full mission and not tear it apart and render it powerless. Please take some time to ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the full mission of God in the world and the read the following passages. Hint: It’s always helpful to read the verses around the ones listed.
“Bring Obedience” - Romans 1:5, 15:18-19, 16:25; Romans 10:16
“Obey Gospel” – Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 4:17
King Jesus’ “Law” – Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; James 1:25
“Take away sin” – John 1:29; 1 John 3:5-6
What will the effect be on the world when people come to King Jesus the Christ to be set free from bondage to sin and then began walking in freedom by the power of the Spirit He has sent?
Think about the effects on corrupt politics, domestic violence, sex trafficking, corporate oppression, and even your own relationships. Would this deliverance from sin and into obedience be “good news” to you?
Day 4:
Because Jesus came to fulfill ceremonial aspects of the Old Testament Law (sacrifices, priesthood, circumcision, etc.), a lot of Christians misunderstand and think that Jesus came to abolish His Law.
What are His own words about this in Matthew 5:17-20?
What does Jeremiah 31:31-34 teach us about the change in the Law God brings with the New Covenant? Here’s the hint: It doesn’t go away.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when we start talking about obedience to Christ’s Law, but this is usually because we think about how to meet God’s demands in our own strength.
What good news does Ezekiel 36:26-27 give about the source of our power to obey Christ’s life-giving statues?
Part of the Gospel (the Good News!) is that the enthroned King Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit to liberate us from that which enslaves and destroys us and others. Are you walking by the power of the Holy Spirit Galatians 5:16, 24-25?
If you are not walking in step with the Holy Spirit, what will stand in your way from learning how to live this power and freedom?
Day 5:
What is the hope of the world in time BEFORE the King Jesus’ Second Coming? If you were to plan out how to eradicate destructive behavior, corruption, lies, abuse, addiction, tyranny, indifference, and apathy, what would be your strategy? The right education? The right laws? The right politicians? Enough money? That’s been our approach and it isn’t working. All the knowledge and money and technology are only amplifying the evil in our hearts. Evil people use tools for evil and redeemed people use tools to redeem. Please read and pray through Matthew 28:18-20.
Who is God calling you to recruit to King Jesus’ mission?
What’s it gonna take (WIGTake?) to recruit every single one of your family, friends, bosses, employees, coworkers, mayors, governors, senators, congressmen/women, neighbors and enemies? Not all will accept Jesus’ beautiful calling, but how will they have the chance hear (Romans 10:14)? You don’t have access to all those people, but someone else does. Jesus has called you to make disciples who make disciples – the social network carries His message.
How are you doing with that mission?
King Jesus has sent His Spirit to liberate and empower. Are you focused on this mission or is there clutter in your schedule and clutter in your life pulling you away?
What do you need to change to have time for prayer and time to make disciples?
This is our hope. Never settle for less.