Lesson 1
GOSPEL-CENTERED EVERYTHING POINTS BACK TO JESUS
PRAYER
Take time to read and reflect on the following passages and short teaching, meditate on the scriptures, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and help you connect with God’s Word. Pray for guidance and help in applying them to your life today. Ask God to help you push past busyness, worry, guilt or insecurities to help you pursue and encounter Jesus during this time.
Study
THE BIBLE
The Bible, also referred to as God’s Word, scripture, or the Word, includes 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament accepted as the Protestant Canon. The Bible is what we consider our “all sufficient rule for faith and conduct”, containing truth God saw fit in his sovereignty to reveal to us (Deuteronomy 29:29). The Bible was written and gathered together as we have it today, beginning during the time of Moses; up through the Old Testament prophets, priests, and scribes; culminating with the New Testament writers who wrote in the 1st century A.D.
The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and love to humanity (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It spans the entirety of the human story, from the creation of the cosmos to the new creation, a new heavens and a new earth prepared for God’s new humanity redeemed through Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:1-8). The Bible is considered God’s self-revelation, that God himself revealed and inspired the writers of scripture in their important work, leaving a reliable witness for the world to know and follow (2 Peter 1:19-21). The Bible is considered special revelation as opposed to general revelation. General revelation is what we can ascertain about God and existence from our general life and from creation (Romans 1:20). However, special revelation is God’s special intervention and revelation of more specific truth to guide humanity to salvation and bring glory to his name (Psalm 119).
All this to say, the Bible is important to us because it is God’s revelation of truth to us. It is God’s instrument to tell us what He is like and what His plan is. It all points toward and preserves the witness of God’s ultimate revelation and plan, Jesus Christ and the salvation He provides (John 5:39, Luke 24:27, Acts 8:35). The Bible is our source for what we can know and trust about God, eternity, and daily life right here and now. Living as a student and doer of God’s word is essential to grow in our faith and it is a true blessing to those who embrace it (James 1:22). The Bible is filled with the revelation of God’s love, faithfulness, and beauty. Through the Bible we can glimpse Jesus and grow more like him. The words are made alive by the Holy Spirit to bring life and transformation to us (Psalm 119:11). Jesus said a life built on God’s word is unshakable (Matthew 7:24-27).
The Bible will often leave us saying yes and amen. Also, there are times the Bible will challenge us, at times it may be hard to understand or even to accept (2 Peter 3:16). You see God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways, his standards are higher and his truth is deeper, and it will constantly challenge us to be transformed, to process, to meditate on and become more like Jesus (Isaiah 55:8-9). Also, the Bible was written long ago, thousands of years ago. This beautiful, cohesive story was written by real people living in real history, culture, and circumstance. Some were kings, prophets, scribes, apostles, even Jesus’ best friends, some were in palaces while some were in prisons, some looked toward the figure of Jesus - writing from the distant past in what we call the Old Testament. They set the stage for Jesus to appear, while some looked back at their recent experience with Jesus in what we call the New Testament, tying together the Old and the New and looking toward the ultimate end, Heaven.
Much of the biblical narrative is told through the lives of real people in real and often tragic circumstances. They depict life situations, some of which we can emulate and others from which we can learn from mistakes made. In it all, God’s story and plan are told. Learning the cultural, literary, and historical setting of the biblical writings is important in order to get the clearest meaning and intended purpose. This can be a huge undertaking and the study of the Bible is a lifelong endeavor. However, you don’t have to be a scholar to know and follow God fully and to love, understand, and grow in God’s Word. You just need to keep going, pick it up, commit to read and reflect on it, and trust the Holy Spirit to help you understand and obey as you learn and grow day by day (John 14:26, John 16:13, Ephesians 1:17, Romans 12:1-2). After all, Jesus said in order to enter the Kingdom, we must have faith like a child. You don’t have to be an expert to grow in God’s Word, just a son or daughter of the King, and that is what you are in Jesus! God’s Word, the Holy Spirit and the Church work together to help us grow (Ephesians 4:11-16).
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
The word “gospel” means “good news” or “good announcement.” This theme is used in the Old Testament by the prophets to describe the redemption and restoration that God would bring into the world (Isaiah 52:7). It is picked up by Jesus and the New Testament authors to describe the culmination of the age old narrative of God’s good work and design in creation (Romans 1:16-17). The gospel carries the idea of the announcement of a new King, and how this new King will rule, how this new Kingdom will function, what it will look like, what its mission and vision are. Jesus comes to announce and present the Kingdom of God, and through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection we see that he is God himself, with us, the King of this ultimate Kingdom revealed as the eternal God merged into human flesh, the second member of what Christians for two millennia have referred to as the Trinity, God existing as three in one (Romans 1:1-4, John 1:1, Hebrews 1:3). The whole plot line of the Bible: creation, fall, redemption and restoration presents us with a story of good news, an announcement that Jesus will redeem and restore God’s good but but fallen creation. It presents us with a choice, repent and join God as a partner in His redemptive restoration of creation, becoming a disciple; or live according to our own desires and miss out on the Kingdom and its place for us. It is a choice that affects us now and for eternity (John 3, John 14:6).
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GOSPEL-CENTERED?
This good news of this King and His Kingdom is pronounced by Jesus with the command to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). You see the Kingdom of God, as we see it outlined by Jesus is not what we would expect. He says that in His Kingdom, the first is last, the leader is the servant, the poor are blessed, the meek will inherit, and the persecuted should rejoice (Matthew 5). This is not what we would expect or how we naturally live. Therefore, we must be willing to repent, to change our mind, direction, and perspective in exchange for this new paradigm to flood over and saturate our being, thinking, and doing. You see, true belief will lead to action, will transform us and guide how we live (Matthew 3:8). As we do this the Holy Spirit is said to begin to inhabit our very self, empowering us to repent and live the way of King Jesus (John 7:38). To be gospel-centered is to be centered in love. God is love, and God so loved us that he sent Jesus to save us. Love is Jesus’ motivation. As we follow Jesus, love will become our way of life.
To be Gospel-Centered means to point everything back to Jesus. It is to give loving allegiance to King Jesus in all areas of our life and world. It means that we will allow God’s grace to lovingly confront and comfort us is every space of life. Repentance is not just a one time thing but needs to happen continuously as we center our lives on Jesus (1 John 1:9). This doesn’t mean that we shift in and out of salvation whenever we fall short but that we are quick to circle back to Jesus at all times and in all things, reconnecting with the confidence we can have in our salvation in Him (Romans 8:1, Romans 8:38-39). This is all made possible through Jesus. His sacrificial death for the sin and injustice of the world and his victorious resurrection pave the way for forgiveness of sin and the obedience that comes as a result of faith (Romans 1:5, Romans 4:25). Our salvation from sin and death, our invitation to see the Holy Spirit transform our life and world, and the gift of eternal life in heaven is made possible by Jesus; through grace, expressed by loving faith in our Savior. Through Jesus we can live eternal life now and forever, and escape the grip of sin, death, and hell in this life and for all eternity. (Ephesians 2:8,9, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9,13, Acts 4:12).
REFLECT
(Based on your study and reflection, journal about the following concepts in your own words, these questions will form the basis for your upcoming Community Group discussion, be prepared to share some of your journal entries to these questions)
What is the gospel?
What does it mean to be gospel-centered, give some examples?
What ideas in the gospel confront you most?
What ideas in the gospel comfort you most?
What could you do today to practice repentance and faith in Jesus?
Serve CHALLENGE
Below is an explanation of and directions for what we call the Serve Challenge. This is a specific practical action step related to the lesson that each member of the group will endeavor to complete, journal about, and be prepared to share about during Community Group time.
Go Full Circle
The gospel gives us courage to face the challenges of life. It empowers us to live out new beginnings in the midst of old struggles - with a renewed perspective, power, purpose - with the presence of God in us. To come “full circle.”
The gospel embodies the whole narrative of the Bible. God creates life and community, sin breaks it, Jesus redeems and restores it. It begins with creation and ends with new creation. It begins with humanity and ends with new humanity. In other words, it all comes full circle. God does not abandon his special project when things go bad, God loves the world so much Jesus is sent to save it. So our challenges, mishaps, pain, and brokenness can be redeemed and faced full circle with healed and restored hearts and powerful confidence now and forever.
When we face tough times, we can come full circle as gospel-centered disciples by choosing not to give in or run away but to face it with faith, wisdom, and community, knowing that God will bring breakthrough and meaning to our every circumstance and situation. This is true transformation, lives changed by trusting the power and authority of God’s inspired Word, the gospel of Jesus.
A full circle moment could be many things. Perhaps simply realizing that God loves and accepts you, facing a fear, seeing freedom and breakthrough in an area of your life, freedom from addiction, a new sense of joy or peace, or discovering purpose. It could be how God helped you change your approach to relationships, marriage, parenting, career, or money.
Share your story
1. Choose a real life example of a full circle moment from your life and write about it. Examples could be: when you put your faith in Jesus, overcoming a fear, how Jesus changed your view of self or life, mending a relationship, finding freedom in a certain area of life, finding joy, discovering purpose, overcoming a challenge, etc.
2. Take the opportunity to share your full circle moment with someone; a friend, neighbor, coworker, classmate, etc. Feel free to be creative in your approach to sharing. Examples of how to share your full circle moment with someone might be: having coffee with someone and sharing, writing someone a letter of encouragement, or sharing through one of the many communication/social apps out there. The important thing is to share and to make a personal connection with someone, preferably one that will involve a two-way discussion or ongoing dialogue.
Be prepared to talk about your experience with the Serve Challenge during your next Community Group time.
Additional Resources/Notes
To dive into more on how to read the Bible, check out The Bible Project: How to Read the Bible Series.
* Biblical accounts predating the lifespan of Moses and other OT authors, such as those recorded in Genesis, are traditionally attributed to oral or written accounts passed down from generation to generation, or direct revelation from God to Moses or other OT authors.
For more on eternity, heaven, hell, and Jesus, check out the book (Erasing Hell: What God said About Eternity and the Things We've Made Up) by Francis Chan, Preston Sprinkle.
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