Disciplemaking At the Ridge Section 4: Who We Are in Jesus

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1 Disciplemaking At the Ridge Section 4: Who We Are in Jesus Overview It would be easy to jump straight from Section 3 - What Jesus Did For Us to Section 5 - How We Live For Jesus. When we realize all He has done and what we gain from that by grace through faith, the natural response is to want to somehow pay Him back. However, if we skipped this section you might be tempted to think that your salvation depends on your ability to somehow keep God happy with you, or measure up to an unbearable standard of holiness and obedience that we see in Scripture. When we talk about Who We Are in Jesus, we must redefine how we think about ourselves and how we relate to God and the world around us. Though we know experientially we are not yet who we want to be, we can have confident assurance that in God s view we are holy (1 Cor 6:11; Heb 10:10), righteous (Rom 3:21-23; 5:1), and blameless before Him (Col 1:22) because of the work of Jesus in us. When we are united with Christ through faith, the old is gone and we begin a new life NOW! With that assurance, we are free to see ourselves as God sees us, and we are free to serve Him and those around us joyfully. We are free from guilt and shame confident that it is His power at work in us, and not our own strength. 1 John 4:9-10 reads, In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Believer, you are greatly loved. This week allow your identity to be shaped by what God s Word says about you.

2 Scripture Memorization Section 4: Who We Are in Jesus Who We Are in Jesus o John 17:3 (ESV) 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. o 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (ESV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. o Galatians 2:20 (ESV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. o Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, selfcontrol; against such things there is no law. o Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV) 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

3 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 1: New Creation The salvation we possess by grace through faith in Jesus alone changes everything! While we still see, feel, and experience the effects of sin and the brokenness that results from it, we have confidence that we are not who we once were and that God is working in us to make us more like His Son. In baptism, we see a physical picture of what happens spiritually at salvation. In Romans 6:4, Paul writes, We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. The life of faith is a NEW LIFE! DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 In these verses, we not only see what we are, but also Who is at work in our salvation, and the purpose we have in the world because we are new creations. As you work through these verses, what comes to mind regarding who you are? Do you tend to view yourself by your shortcomings or by what Scripture says about you? How do you view others? DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Colossians 3:1-17 These verses speak about the heavenly reality that we share with Christ now! While we await the final resurrection of our bodies, spiritually we experience a type of resurrection at salvation. We are to actively put to death unrighteousness and put on qualities consistent with life in Christ. Which of these traits stand out to you as areas of strength in your life? Areas of weakness? What is the significance of the fact that these are all relational behaviors within the church?

4 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 2 Timothy 2:14-26 This passage closely mirrors what you read yesterday. In Colossians Paul is writing to the church, whereas here he is writing to a leader, Timothy. As important as it is for all believers to live out and model the life we are called to, it is especially important that leaders meet this standard. What qualities are consistent in yesterday s and today s passage? Which are different? What does verse 14 tell us we are to do for each other? DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 6:1-23 The image of death is a strong one. Paul uses it to show that, just as physical death separates us from the things of this world, dying with Christ separates us from the power of sin in this life. Even though this is a spiritual reality, we are to actively consider ourselves dead to sin. While there is grace for us when we sin, we are to submit ourselves to righteousness, not unrighteousness. How do you do this? What are some ways that you can consider [yourself] dead to sin? Does the image of death or slavery resonate more with you? Write out a paraphrase of this passage as it relates to you personally.

5 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Ephesians 4:17-32 Once more we see that a new life results in different behavior, and again we see that it has implications for our relationships. Paul assumes that if we know Jesus and know what Jesus taught, we will not be who we once were. A new creation really is new! Think about this past week. What are some specific things that reflect your old self? How about the new self? Which comes most naturally? DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. Think about how you would explain the idea that we are a new creation to a nonbeliever. Write down two to three main ideas you would convey to them. III. Apply What are some specific areas you have been convicted about this week that you desire to see God prune out of your life? Find someone to hold you accountable for these areas.

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7 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 1 New Creation Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide Say it together: I am a new creation. Feels weird, doesn t it? We can know something is true, but we also know the opposing truth: we are still human. Stained by sin, we are easily swayed to do things we wish we had not done; we are keenly aware that we are not yet like Jesus, despite our desires. Dallas Willard wrote, Jesus never expected us simply to turn the other cheek, go the second mile, bless those who persecute us, give unto them that ask, and so forth. These responses, generally and rightly understood to be characteristic of Christlikeness, were put forth by him as illustrative of what might be expected of a new kind of person one who intelligently and steadfastly seeks, above all else, to live within the rule of God and be possessed by the kind of righteousness that God himself has [sic] Instead, Jesus did invite people to follow him into that sort of life from which behavior such as loving one s enemies will seem like the only sensible and happy thing to do. For a person living that life, the hard thing to do would be to hate the enemy, to turn the supplicant away, or to curse the curser True Christlikeness, true companionship with Christ, comes at the point where it is hard not to respond as he would. 1 Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word this week? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide this week. 3. Share which areas mentioned in this week s verses reflect the old creation in your life. What about the new creation? Where does he show up? 4. What are some specific ways you have seen growth in your walk? Encourage each other with stories about when you know you have acted like the new creation you are. 5. Talk about the relationship of new creation lifestyles to the health of the church; of the family; of your relationships. Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer End your time together praying for one another. 1 Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1991), 7-8.

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9 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 2: Child of God/Adopted As believers, we have been given a new life and a new family. In past lessons we have discussed the fact that God is our Father. The implication is that we are His children. How did we become children of God? What is the impact of being His child? This week we will explore what it means to be a part of the family of God. DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep John 1:9-13; Ephesians 1:3-11 Who receives the right to become children of God according to John 1:12? Who gives us this right? In Ephesians 1:3-6, we are reminded again that this blessing is solely from God because of His love. God did not arbitrarily choose you. God lovingly chose you before the creation of the world, before you were born and could do anything to deserve it. How does this truth impact the way you see yourself and other Christ-followers? DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Galatians 3:29-4:7 The term Abba literally translated as daddy, is a term we do not see until the New Testament. Though God is referred to as a Father in the Old Testament, through Jesus our relationship is more intimate than possible before. Paul states in verse 5 that we were redeemed by God s Son so that we could be adopted as sons and daughters. Redemption means that there was a cost to being adopted. Jesus paid with His own life. Adoption in our world does not require this level of sacrifice, yet there are similarities. How do natural adoption and God s adoption of us compare? How does viewing God as your Abba help shape or change your view of Him?

10 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 8:1-17 Based on these verses in Romans, what is the mark of being a son or daughter of God? What is the difference between being a child of God versus a slave, as stated in Romans 8:17? What is the definition of an heir? How can the knowledge of being an heir of God impact the way we live our lives? DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 1 John 2:28-3:10 What a privilege that we are called sons and daughters of God! John s joy in conveying this truth is evident as he writes this passage. Does knowing you are a child of God bring you joy? Why or why not? What, if anything, is holding you back from experiencing this joy today? What is John informing us about being children of God? How does knowing that God is righteous help us in knowing that everyone who does what is right has been born of Him?

11 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Colossians 1:9-13 Paul writes to the children of God in Colossians and encourages them to live a life worthy of the Lord. These words remain true for us today. What are the ways we are to live a life worthy of and pleasing to our Father? We are also reminded that God rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His Son. How have you experienced this in your life? DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. Think about how you would explain the idea that we are children of God to a nonbeliever. Write down two to three main ideas you would convey to them. III. Apply Renew your mind daily by thanking God for how He has richly blessed you as His child.

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13 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 2 Child of God/Adopted Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide One of the most amazing blessings of this new life in Christ is that we are now sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Because we are His children, He is completely delighted in us. He rescued us from darkness and brought us into the light. He is in us and we are in Him. Scripture informs us that when we become children of God, we are granted the privilege of experiencing every spiritual blessing in Christ. We do not know what we will become, writes John, but we do know this: when Jesus appears, we will become like Him. Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Person Time in God s Word this week? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide. 3. How has the knowledge of being a child of God affected your relationships and circumstances this week? 4. Which spiritual blessings (i.e., redemption, indwelling of the Holy Spirit, being an heir, etc.) do you identify with most this week? 5. Share with the group aspects of God that were reshaped by seeing him as your Abba Father. Application/Accountability Have each member of the group talk about how the knowledge of his or her relationship to the Father can affect a current life challenge. Group Prayer End your time together praying for one another and thanking God for His graciousness to us.

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15 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 3: Spirit Led Part 1 When a person trusts in Jesus work on the cross, accepting the unmerited gift of salvation by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer. Believers have been freed from sin, freed from the law, and given the Holy Spirit. We are Spirit led. Over the next few topics, we will uncover what this means by taking a deeper look at who the Holy Spirit is and what He does in the life of a Christ-follower. DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 3:17 What do these scriptures say about the Holy Spirit? 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Ephesians 4:30 2 Corinthians 3:17 Turn to RESOURCE J- Work of the Holy Spirit. Take 10 minutes to read through the document and answer the following questions. What are some of the Spirit s work that you were unfamiliar with? How does seeing this chart help you as you interact with the Holy Spirit? DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:9 What does the Spirit do when someone believes? How would you explain indwelling to someone?

16 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 2 Corinthians 3:12-18; Romans 8:9-10 What is the ultimate ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer? From 2 Corinthians 3:18, what causes our being transformed? What are we being transformed into? DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 8:1-17 What are two things about the Spirit that stand out in this verse section? Why is it important to remember that transformation by the Spirit is a process? Where have you seen the transforming power of the Spirit free you from striving, yearning, and earning - enabling you to live in freedom?

17 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep RESOURCE F- Self-Led to Spirit-Led Spend minutes reviewing RESOURCE F and the corresponding Scriptures. How would you explain this chart to someone who is asking you how to fight his or her self-led tendencies? DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. What are two to three takeaways you learned about the Holy Spirit? III. Apply What step(s) will you commit to this week that will allow you to remember and apply this topic?

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19 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 3 Spirit Led Part 1 Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide We are Spirit led. We are not alone in our spiritual walk. Often we can get impatient with discipleship and spiritual growth, but God gives us everything we need for the process to occur: grace and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit builds within us Christ-like character, freeing us to not live in bondage to sin or to the Law. Instead, we learn to live by the Spirit. Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time In God s Word this week? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide. 3. Who is the Holy Spirit and what is His main role in our lives? 4. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18. What does beholding the glory of the Lord mean, and why does it motivate transformation? 5. As a group, review RESOURCE J- Work of the Holy Spirit. Share your answers to the questions on this RESOURCE. Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer

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21 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 4: Spirit Led Part 2 We are Spirit Led. The Spirit s main purpose is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. This happens in a variety of ways, but as we continue growing in our understanding of being Spirit Led we will focus on the following: 1. keeping our minds on the things of the Spirit, 2. walking in step with the Spirit as a means to grow spiritually, and 3. the fruit of the Spirit. RESOURCE F- Self-Led to Spirit Led is a RESOURCE we would like you to reference continually throughout this topic. DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 8:5-8 What does Romans 8:5-8 say about having a mindset that is dependent on Jesus? Describe some practical ways you can keep your mind on the things of the Spirit. DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Galatians 5:16-25 What does Galatians 5:16-25 say about being led by the Spirit? Describe how keeping our minds on the things of the Spirit leads to walking in step with the Spirit? Look at RESOURCE F- Self-Led to Spirit-Led for additional understanding of this essential topic.

22 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 How can we negatively affect keeping our minds on the things of the Spirit and walking in step with the Spirit? How can things like legalism/moralism, tradition, avoiding risks, and a lack of love for others be ways in which we can quench the Spirit? Give examples. In what ways can we be super spiritual on the outside, and lack the fruit of love? Give examples. DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Galatians 5:22-23 What is the proof of walking with the Holy Spirit? Why do you think Paul uses the word, fruit instead of its plural even though there are multiple words listed? In what ways have you seen spiritual fruit growing in your life?

23 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Galatians 5:24-25; Colossians 3:5 According to these verses, what are important truths for us to remember as Spiritual Fruit is being cultivated? When we are walking in the flesh, all of us will try to produce fruit in our own strength. Take 5 minutes reading through RESOURCE K- Fruit of the Spirit. How has you seen the opposite and the counterfeit spiritual fruit playing out in your own life? DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. How would you explain keeping our minds on the things of the Spirit and walking in step with the Spirit to someone? III. Apply What step(s) will you commit to this week that will allow you to remember and apply this topic?

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25 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 4 Spirit Led Part 2 Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide If we want to grow spiritually, we cannot do so apart from the Holy Spirit. Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word this week? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide. 3. What does it mean to quench the Spirit? How can we fuel the Spirit in our minds, thoughts, and actions? 4. Look at RESOURCE K- The Fruit of the Spirit. Discuss each component fruit. How can you can see its opposites and counterfeits playing out in your - or someone else s - life? Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer

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27 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 5: Sin & The Seven Deadly Sins As we submit ourselves to the leadership of the Spirit, we will become more attuned to the continuing presence of sin in our lives. Fundamentally all sins fall into one of two categories: we aren t loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (idolatry), or we aren t loving others as God loves us. The more we see how allencompassing a struggle this is, the more we can rejoice that though like Paul, who did the things he didn t want to do because of the sin that dwelt in him (Rom 7:15-20), we are not condemned if we are in Christ (Rom 8:1)! To help us in identifying our areas of sin, we will use what for many will be a familiar framework: The Seven Deadly Sins. In his book on the subject, Billy Graham writes: Pope Gregory the Great, at the end of the sixth century, divided all sins under seven heads. He said that every sin that a man commits can be classified by seven words. He named the sins: [Envy, Greed, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Anger, and Pride]. They have been called down through the centuries, the seven deadly sins. These sins are nowhere collectively mentioned in a single passage in the Bible, and yet they are all condemned separately in many places. Billy Graham, Freedom from the 7 Deadly Sins DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep James 4:1-3; Proverbs 14:30 Envy makes us dissatisfied with what we have in comparison to others. When we envy, we covet what another person has. We are in essence telling God, You haven t given me enough. What do these verses tell us about the effect of that attitude? How do you think it can impact our family? Our church? Our own hearts? Write down some areas in which you struggle playing the comparison game. DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Ecclesiastes 5:10; 1 Timothy 6:6-10 While envy causes us to compare ourselves to others, greed makes us selfishly desire more possessions, status, and power over the well-being of others and the glory of God. Greed is always coupled with discontent. What do these verses teach us a lack of contentment leads to? What other outcomes can you think of that can result from greed? In your own life do you struggle with possession, status, or power the most? Write down an example.

28 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus takes one of the commandments and shows us how, when understood properly, we all fall prey to lust. This sin doesn t just manifest itself in physical acts. It shows up subtly in our thoughts as well as our behavior. We ve all seen preachers and politicians caught up in scandal, but how often do we consider that the secret thoughts we have about others are just as scandalous? How have you done this week in this area? Is there anything you need to confess? Is there a relationship in which you need to establish boundaries? Pray about who can hold you accountable if this is an area of struggle for you. DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 Sloth may be more socially acceptable than the other deadlies, but it s still sin. Paul warns us in these verses to keep away from anyone who lives this way because of the influence it can have on us. It brings with it not only a reputation of laziness, but it can actually keep us from growing more like Christ. Who have you seen model this behavior well? How well do you think you model this for others? What things come to mind when you read verse 13?

29 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Philippians 3:17-20 Gluttony is usually thought of as indulging in something too much, but at the core the issue is why we overindulge. The sin is in seeking comfort, happiness, pleasure, and security in anything other than God alone. Gluttony can lead to addictions, perfectionism, and many emotionally and physically unhealthy habits. It causes us to make an idol out of what we crave. What does verse 19 say is the ultimate end of this sin? Why do think that is the result? Beyond the obvious examples of gluttony, what are some areas in your own life that have become an idol to you? Look at your bank account and your calendar for clues. DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus, once again, takes our understanding of one of the commandments and expands it to show us just how deceptive and dangerous sin is. Anger leads to rebellion, revenge, and retaliation if uncontrolled; it causes harm to us and to others. What do verses teach about the impact of anger on our worship? What are we to do before we approach God? Is there a relationship you need to repair? What are the steps you might need to take? III. Reflect Reflect on the past week of your personal time in God s Word as well as your Meeting Prep and write down the things that stood out to you the most. IV. Apply What step will you commit to this week that will allow you to remember and apply this topic?

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31 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 5 Sin & The Seven Deadly Sins Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide This week we ve seen how sin seeps into our lives in obvious, and some not so obvious, ways. Today we will talk together about the sin of pride, which scripture shows us is the beginning of all other sin. Though likely talking specifically about Sennacherib and his oppression of Israel, many scholars believe Isaiah, led by the Holy Spirit, is speaking about the fall of Lucifer from heaven. Here we see the origin of sin is pride: Isaiah 14: How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Pride tells us that we can do enough to earn our salvation. Pride tells us that somehow, we can be good enough to earn our way to heaven. Pride leads us to believe that we can become like God, or that we can know better than God. Our only defense against pride and all the other sins we ve covered this week is the Word of God. Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide. Which of the seven deadlies are you most prone to struggle with? 3. How is pride the root of all sins? How was it the root of Eve s sin in the garden? 4. In what ways do you struggle with pride? (i.e., in what relationships? Environments? Situations?) 5. Read Hebrews 4:12 together. What does this verse tell us is our defense against sin? Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer

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33 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 6: Not Yet Perfect, But We Are If we are honest with ourselves we must confess that at any time we are actively battling sin, sinning, or in the aftermath of sin.1 As we talked about a few weeks ago, even though we are no longer slaves to sin, we will continue to struggle. The hope we have is that what Scripture says about us is true in spite of what we know about ourselves. The gospel is ALWAYS good news for the believer! We all readily acknowledge our need of the gospel for salvation, but too often we forget that the gospel is just as relevant for us after we are saved. This week we will look at a sampling of what and who Scripture says we are, now that we are in Jesus. DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 3:21-28; Philippians 3:1-21 Paul reminds his readers that any righteousness he has is from God. It s not his accomplishments, status, or even his obedience. Through Jesus, God has made us righteous in His sight. We must remember this! Do you think of yourself as righteous? Write down how you naturally see yourself. Now write down how God sees you in Christ. DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Peter 1:13-2:12 The word translated sanctified (hagiazō) literally means to make holy. We are called to be holy because God is holy, and we can rejoice that - in spite of what we know about ourselves - God sees us as holy NOW because of Jesus! How do you define the word holy? God sees us as holy and blameless because Christ lives in us and we have His righteousness. Our position as His children is set, and yet our condition varies. To say it another way, we can walk in an unholy manner or a holy manner. This is the battle of the flesh and Spirit. With this as context, how would you explain the call to be holy because God is holy to a fellow Christ-follower? 1 See Jerry Bridge and Bob Bevington, The Bookends of the Christian Life, for great encouragement in preaching the Gospel to ourselves.

34 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Ephesians 2:1-7; Colossians 2:6-15 Scripture talks about us not only being separated from God by our sin, but actually being spiritually dead because of sin. Jesus actually gives our spirit life when we come to him by faith for salvation. Our debt is cancelled and we are now alive! How would you explain to someone the difference between being dead in sin and alive in Christ? As you think over the scriptures you ve read this week, in what ways are you still acting like someone who is dead versus someone who is alive? DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 8:1-39 These verses tell us again that we are now spiritually alive because of Christ, but they go on to show that we are also heirs and conquerors. Though we often may feel and experience defeat in this life, we have confidence that, ultimately, we are victorious because of Jesus. List out all of the specific things these verses say about those who are in Christ (for example: v1 not condemned, v2 set free, etc. ). Circle the ones that mean the most to you and share those with the group this week.

35 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-18 Our true identity is not just for our benefit; rather, it is for the benefit of the church and those who do not know Jesus. God has saved us for good works. How have you seen God use you in the lives of those you know? What situations are you in, right now, that you are praying for God to use you as salt and light to those around you? DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Spend time reflecting on what God has revealed to you this past week. Write out 2-3 main takeaways from this week s Meeting Prep. III. Apply Look back over your list from Day 4. Spend time praying for the ability to remember each of these things specifically.

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37 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 6 Not Yet Perfect, But We Are Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide We tend to view our identity by our past and present, but God sees us as we are in Christ. All of our failures, regrets, missteps, and even successes pale in comparison to who we actually are in God s sight. We must learn to trust that what God knows about us is true. Since God is holy and cannot lie (Titus 1:2), we know this is indeed true! Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word this week? 2. Share your thoughts from the Reflect part of Day 6 with your group. 3. Share the things on your list from Day 4 that stood out the most to you. Talk about why those in particular are meaningful. 4. What causes you to struggle seeing yourself as God sees you? 5. How can having a right view of yourself in Christ change the way you deal with sin and temptation. Application/Accountability Have each member of the group choose one thing to do this week as a result of this week s study. Group Prayer End your time together praying for one another.

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39 Daily Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 7: Called To Share Now that you understand your sin, trust in Jesus work on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, and employ His grace in your life through faith you are a Christ-follower. As a Christ-follower you have a purpose and a calling in your life. You are now someone called to help others come face to face with their sin, who are in need of a savior, who are in need of accepting God s grace through faith. While on this journey of making more disciples, we should be sharing our faith with those who do not yet have a saving relationship with Jesus. John Piper writes: Missions exists because worship doesn t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. Missions begins and ends in worship. 1 The motivation for sharing our faith comes from our love for God and our desire to see Him glorified by more and more people. Though we aren t responsible for the results, we are responsible for obedience to the call to share. This week will help in our understanding of what, why, and how we share our faith. DAY 1 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8 The call to share our faith comes directly from Jesus Himself. He promised not only to be with us, but also to give us the ability to obey this command. What specifically causes you fear in sharing your faith? Take a moment to go to RESOURCE G- Praying & Engaging Non-Believers. Right now, for whom specifically are you praying and looking for an opportunity to share your faith with? DAY 2 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep John 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Refer back to Scripture memory from Intro to Disciplemaking and review the Romans Road To share the gospel, we first have to know what it is. It comes from a Greek word (euangelion), which means good news. Jesus invites us to tell others of the good news of what He has done! From 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, we can summarize the gospel in ten short words: Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. This is a great launching point to discuss who God really is, what we really are, what Jesus did for us, and how we can become who we were meant to be. Refresh your memory by reciting the Romans Road verses in order. These will be extremely helpful scriptures to share when the opportunity presents itself. 1 John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, 17.

40 DAY 3 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Philippians 3:2-11 Building a connection with people will help to empower your words when it comes time to share the good news of the gospel. Paul makes clear that nobody has greater credentials than him, and yet he still considers being a child of God worth more than any of his accomplishments, so others should too. Cultivating meaningful relationships will help to show others how important God really is to you in your daily life, giving credence and validity to your testimony about the gospel. Are there people in your life that you could build more meaningful relationships with in order to prepare their hearts for the hearing of the gospel? Consider what you may do this week to begin building those relationships. And then do it! Continue memorizing the Romans verses from yesterday. DAY 4 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep Romans 10:14-17 It is not enough to simply build strong relationships. There must come a point where we speak the truth of the gospel to people, planting the seeds of salvation. One of the best ways to plant the truth in a heart is to look for opportunities to tell someone about how God's love has practically, measurably changed you. How would you take the verses you are memorizing and talk to someone about Jesus? How would you take your faith story and weave those verses into it? Continue memorizing the Romans verses from Day 2.

41 DAY 5 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Meeting Prep 1 Corinthians 9:20-23; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Paul s strategy involved the combination of his life and his words. Though our lives are our strongest testimony, Scripture is clear that the gospel must be proclaimed. It s not either/or; it s and/both. We earn the right to be heard by how we live. When you have faithfully shared the gospel with someone, and have shown the power of God's salvation in your life, this will eventually cause a response in the unbeliever. Are you prepared to reap that response by leading someone to a salvific relationship with Jesus? The moment when someone approaches you with an open heart ready to submit to Christ can be intimidating. Think through what you would say/do/pray were that moment to come tomorrow. Be ready to share this in your group. Continue memorizing the Romans verses from Day 2. DAY 6 I. Personal Time In God's Word Take minutes in your personal Bible reading and write down a few things God II. Reflect Reflect on the past week of your personal time in God s Word as well as your Meeting Prep, and write down the things that stood out to you the most. III. Apply What step will you commit to this week that will allow you to remember and apply this topic? Continue memorizing the Romans verses from Day 2. Plan to share these with each other at your meeting.

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43 Meeting Guide Who We Are In Jesus Topic 7 Called To Share Prayer Ask someone in your group to open in prayer. Please continue to consult the ARBC Prayer Guide resource to help your group grow in how they pray. Big Idea & Review of Daily Guide This week has been about living out what Jesus referred to as the two most important commandments: loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:29-31). Nothing is more loving than sharing with others the good news about who Jesus is, what He has done in your life, and how their lives can be different by placing their faith and hope in Him alone for salvation! Discussion Questions 1. What are one or two takeaways from your Personal Time in God s Word this week? 2. Share your notes from your time of reflection from Day 6 of the Daily Guide. 3. Get with a partner and recite the Romans verses together. 4. Role-play leading someone to a saving relationship with Christ. Application/Accountability Begin tracking in your group, each week, what relationships we are cultivating with the purpose of sharing Jesus. Build a culture of sharing your faith inside and outside the group. Do not settle for this endeavor to be just talking about your faith, but instead leading out your faith. Group Prayer Pray together for the people you are each personally praying for. Also pray for one another and for opportunities to share with someone this week.