Matt Beaney

Jul 27, 20214 min read

#402 - CHOOSE LIFE - (27/7/21)

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series I’m taking a different approach to these devotionals. I want to us work harder at searching the scriptures for ourselves. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method below to help us with this. It’s well worth the hard work involved!

TODAY’S TEXT

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

I’ve included my reflections on today’s text below. However, I encourage you to pray and spend time reflecting (writing can be helpful) using the 5 questions below before reading my thoughts.

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

MY REFLECTIONS

1. †GOSPEL

Life and death, blessings and curses are set before us in the message of the cross. Jesus was alive but went to death. Jesus was blessed but was cursed. In Christ, our death is turned to life and our curse is turned into blessings. We had broken God’s laws and so deserved judgement. Jesus was cursed in our place.

‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.’ (Galatians 3:13-14)

“Lord Jesus, you are ’my Life’. I boast in you. I ‘hold fast to’ you by faith. I deserve wrath, but in you I have ‘every spiritual blessing’. I am overwhelmed that you went to the cross for my sin.”

2. UP

God blesses and curses according to our obedience to His revealed will. He wants us to love Him and listen to Him. The text also teaches that God remembers and keeps His promises.

3. IN

We are to choose life. Choosing to love and listen to God is what it means to choose life. This text teaches that the wellbeing of our children is also bound up with our faithfulness to God.

4. OUT

We are called to ‘witness against’ to this unbelieving world. We are to give them the choice of ‘life and death’ in christ. Blessings and curses are tied to receiving or rejecting Christ.

5. DO? - Here are a few examples of application that I’ve come up with:

“Now choose life.” An application could be to remember the message of the cross - the righteous died for the unrighteous.

You could meditate on the Ten Commandments - a summary of the Law - reflecting on how Jesus kept it in your stead, and how you could obey them in light of Jesus’ coming.

Choosing life - love and obedience - brings wellbeing to children. Reflect on your parenting in light of biblical teaching. Are we teaching them to love and listen?

HEAR - Pray about how the Holy Spirit might want you to respond.

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series we are going to take a different approach to learning from the Bible together. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily Method’ together (Gospel, Up, In, Out, Do) - you will have to do all the work!

1. Icebreaker - How has God spoken to you from the Bible this week? (During this LEARNING TO HEAR series, we are seeking to develop a culture of listening to God out of His word)

2. Select a text of scripture. (You could use the text from Sunday’s message or something of your choice.)

3. Read and recall. (Read the text and ask each person in the group to put it into their own words.)

4. Please go through these questions together:

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray and share (if it’s appropriate) about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

5. SIV - Finally, it would be helpful to talk and pray about how we are doing in regard to Serve, Invest and Invite. Do you have any encouraging stories or any plans in this regard? How do you want to pray in regard to our mission?

#402 - CHOOSE LIFE - (27/7/21)

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series I’m taking a different approach to these devotionals. I want to us work harder at searching the scriptures for ourselves. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method below to help us with this. It’s well worth the hard work involved!

TODAY’S TEXT

I’ve included my reflections on today’s text below. However, I encourage you to pray and spend time reflecting (writing can be helpful) using the 5 questions below before reading my thoughts.

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

MY REFLECTIONS

1. †GOSPEL

2. UP

God blesses and curses according to our obedience to His revealed will. He wants us to love Him and listen to Him. The text also teaches that God remembers and keeps His promises.

3. IN

We are to choose life. Choosing to love and listen to God is what it means to choose life. This text teaches that the wellbeing of our children is also bound up with our faithfulness to God.

4. OUT

We are called to ‘witness against’ to this unbelieving world. We are to give them the choice of ‘life and death’ in christ. Blessings and curses are tied to receiving or rejecting Christ.

5. DO? - Here are a few examples of application that I’ve come up with:

“Now choose life.” An application could be to remember the message of the cross - the righteous died for the unrighteous.

You could meditate on the Ten Commandments - a summary of the Law - reflecting on how Jesus kept it in your stead, and how you could obey them in light of Jesus’ coming.

Choosing life - love and obedience - brings wellbeing to children. Reflect on your parenting in light of biblical teaching. Are we teaching them to love and listen?

HEAR - Pray about how the Holy Spirit might want you to respond.

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series we are going to take a different approach to learning from the Bible together. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily Method’ together (Gospel, Up, In, Out, Do) - you will have to do all the work!

1. Icebreaker - How has God spoken to you from the Bible this week? (During this LEARNING TO HEAR series, we are seeking to develop a culture of listening to God out of His word)

2. Select a text of scripture. (You could use the text from Sunday’s message or something of your choice.)

3. Read and recall. (Read the text and ask each person in the group to put it into their own words.)

4. Please go through these questions together:

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray and share (if it’s appropriate) about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

5. SIV - Finally, it would be helpful to talk and pray about how we are doing in regard to Serve, Invest and Invite. Do you have any encouraging stories or any plans in this regard? How do you want to pray in regard to our mission?

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