Gospel-Centered Life

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1 Gospel-Centered Life What is the Gospel? The goal of this discipleship group lesson is to teach that the Good News is not simply a one-time transaction, but a reality that impacts every single aspect of life. Receiving the Gospel is not an event, but a process that continually transforms us into the image of Christ. To get things started, have everyone in the group write down on their paper their definition of the Gospel. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16) The Gospel is the power of God, by which he brought salvation to us on the cross. The Gospel is the news God is holy, righteous, and just; we are weak, sinful, and broken; but God willingly offers reconciliation and relationship. As Tim Keller says, The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved that Jesus was glad to die for me. 1 This Gospel is not just the beginning of the Christian life, but the defining reality. The good news of God s power and His grace is the fuel of the Christian life. Two Traps Imagine if you boarded a plane tomorrow to fly across the Pacific. You got settled in your seat, put on your seatbelt (as if that would possibly save you in the case of an unexpected landing!), and relax. The pilot comes on the PA, Welcome aboard flight #1491 to Tokyo. We ve just closed the cabin doors and are preparing for takeoff. Due to airline cutbacks, we ve fueled up enough to take off and get to cruising altitude. At that point I ll use all the willpower and flight school training I have to keep us in the air for the next 5,000 miles. You d pull the emergency hatch and go down the slide pronto! Very few Christians would claim to come into faith by their own means. But we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that once we accept Jesus, we are on the hook for righteous Christian living. We think, The Gospel gets us into the Kingdom, but once we are, we better follow the rules! The danger of this bad thinking is that we will fail in one of two ways: 1. Legalism: We minimize both our sinfulness and minimize God s holiness. We think we aren t all that bad. In fact, we do a lot of good things that cause God to think highly of us! We develop a self-righteousness as we follow the rules, and judge others who don t have the same willpower. We change our behaviors, but inside we are full of filth. You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are 1 The Reason for God. Tim Keller. p187

2 you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Galatians 3:1 3 The church in Galatians was falling out of the Gospel-centered life. What the Spirit had begun in their lives, the people were now trying to earn by works of the flesh. It is no more possible to be saved apart from the Gospel than to live a righteous life apart from the Gospel. 2. License: We realize it is impossible to follow all the rules, so we give up! The guilt and shame of trying and failing over and over again is exhausting. After all our entrance ticket to Heaven is at will call, so what happens in the meantime doesn t really matter. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Romans 6:1 How would you answer this question? What do you think is the relationship between grace and sin? Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:4 What is the relationship between Christ and the law? What should our relationship with the law look like in light of Christ? Christ fulfilled the law, not so that we would be exempt from it s conditions and requirements, but so that as we follow Christ, His righteousness becomes ours as we are transformed into His likeness. We are obedient to the law, not out of a sense of moral obligation, but because as Sprit-enabled image-bearers we can t help but follow the law. Living the Gospel-centered Life So how do we live a Gospel-centered life? What does it look like to live between legalism and license? The key is to look at the source of our motivation and our ability. Read these passages and fill in the chart. Motivation: Love Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon replied, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven. You have judged correctly, Jesus said. Luke 7:41 43

3 Ability: Spirit-empowered living For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3 4 Motivation Ability Result Legalism Outward appearance God s acceptance I should Flesh I can Pride Self-righteousness License No motivation, apathy No ability I can t Small view of sin Consequences of sin Gospel Love Joyful response to God s love and forgiveness The Spirit s power Christ s righteousness God s Grace Humble confidence Supernatural obedience What a mind shift! What a difference! The Gospel is at work here. God s righteous standard is recognized. Our brokenness is realized. We recognize Jesus is the one who fulfilled the law and we can be victorious through Him. We avoid legalism by acknowledging our inability to succeed and our need for God s help. We avoid license by recognizing the incredible gift of God s grace and forgiveness and the joy of obedience. Arenas of Gospel-Centered Living The Gospel impacts every arena of your life. Using the chart, talk about about how you operate when it comes to your identity, money, Sabbath, sexuality, honoring your parents, etc.

4 Gospel-Centered Life What is the Gospel? Definition: Two Traps Trap #1 Gospel Trap #2 Galatians 3:1 3 Romans 6:1 Romans 10:4

5 Living the Gospel Motivation: Luke 7:41 43 Ability: Romans 8:3 4 Legalism Motivation Ability Result License Gospel Arenas of Gospel Living Money Relationship with roommates/housemates Sexual Purity Honoring parents Your studies Sabbath THE GOSPEL AFFECTS ARENA YOUR LIFE!