Download Lesson: 1.25.15 Class Notes – Romans 2.1-11
LOOK:
We have looked at how all of us can live a life of obedience more meaningfully by evaluating our motivations on a daily basis. Are we professing our faith in Jesus without works to support it? Is our devotion in motion? Salvation is a free gift, but if our relationship to God stops there, we won’t be much different from the Jewish people who had the Law, knew it, but didn’t obey it.
Rhetorical Q: What motivates you to obey God?
Download Lesson: 1.18.15 Class Notes – Rom 1.18-32
LOOK:
We were introduced the doctrine of general revelation as well as the doctrine of sin. There are two main points that you need to leave with today:
Our part is to strengthen this area of the gospel message and remember that there is a desperate need to carry the Gospel to all men because this is the only way they will be saved.
Download Lesson: 1.11.15 Class Notes – Romans 1.1-17
LOOK:
At the beginning of our lesson, I suggested that all of us can deepen our understanding of the gospel message by reinforcing the ELEMENTS of the gospel message found in the letter to the Romans. After today’s study, what elements of the gospel message did you hear that deepened your understanding of it? Was there an element of the gospel that reinforced your faith walk with God?
Download Lesson: 1.4.15 Class Notes – Ex 35, 36.1-7
LOOK:
God has called each of us into His kingdom, which means we are a part of His church universal, which means we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to use the tools and gifts that He’s given us to partner with Him. But let me shift your thinking: I want you to consider that YOU are His TOOL to further the work of His church.
In Acts 9:15 the Lord tells Ananias to go to Paul who had been blinded on the road to Damascus, and Ananias was protesting because of everything he heard about Paul. But the Lord said, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
In 2 Tim 2:21 Paul is writing to Timothy describing the characteristics of a soldier of Christ, and one of them was being sanctified. He says, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”
There is a song that has been sung in churches over the ages that has the refrain, “Lord, let me be your instrument of peace.” Are you getting the picture that YOU are His TOOL?
As we learned today, He can equip us with everything needed to partner with Him, but we are also responsible for having the right mindset of WILLINGNESS. Are your HEARTS MOVED to serve him wholeheartedly in whatever He calls you to do?
Download Lesson: 12.28.14 Class Notes – Ex 34
LOOK:
I hope you saw a beautiful picture of God’s grace today. Here is a summary of the process God used to restore His children:
•The trigger event for God to restore us is our REPENTANCE.
•Once He sees our broken and contrite heart, God desires to RESTORE the relationship.
•Once He decides to restore us, He’s ALL IN. He renews His covenant of love with us by:
REVEALING His compassion, grace, and abounding love by forgiving us
RENEWING His covenant with His people
His part is to do wonders and drive out the enemies
Our part is to obey what the Lord commands us.
•Don’t make a treaty with those who are idolaters
•Smash their sacred stones and Asherah poles
•Don’t worship any other god
•If you intermarry, don’t prostitute yourselves to their gods
•Don’t make cast idols.
REPEATS the requirements of worship
Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Don’t come to Him empty-handed. Give Him the firstfruits
Rest on the seventh day, even during plowing season
•God REINFORCES the “why” behind His requirements – He is a HOLY God and wants us to have an unadulterated relationship with Him by maintaining purity in our own relationships with others.
In case you think God is still displeased with you and that you could never be forgiven or be back in His good graces, I hope that this passage reveals that God’s grace is alive and well and for us. His standards won’t change. He won’t lower the bar for us because He expects us to have respect for Him by obeying what He tells us to do. And there is nothing that He’s asked of us that He hasn’t empowered us to do!
A healthy theology says let go of your past sins. That means come to God with your broken heart because you know you grieved Him – not because you have to face the consequences. When God restores favor, that does not equate to “no consequences” for bad behavior! He is a just God, so He will not leave the guilty unpunished. If we will simply admit that we rebelled and sinned against Him, then watch God’s compassion, grace, and abounding love for us just wash over us. Watch Him cleanse you. Rest in His unconditional love for you. Enjoy finding favor with Him, but with a commitment to obey Him.