#423 - UNASHAMED - (25/8/21)

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

This text is rich in gospel truth. It speaks of gospel as ‘the testimony about our Lord’. It’s the story of the death, and resurrection of Jesus for sin. This gospel message saves us. Through it, He has ‘destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light’. We have eternal life in Christ. The gospel is a ‘light’, it shows us the way to this victory. Wonder of wonders, we are saved ‘not because of anything we have done’. It’s God’s gift to us in Christ. Through the gospel, He has ‘called us to a holy life’. We have ‘grace given to us’ for this new life; Jesus’ victory also frees us from sin.

2. UP

Although God is sovereign, He will not protect us from all difficulties. However, He will give us the power to endure suffering for Him.

It’s God who has called us to salvation and a new life ‘not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace’. This text gives great emphasis to God’s sovereignty in salvation. It tells us that ‘this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time’. God is eternal. His plans are eternal. He predestines who will come to Him from all eternity.

3. IN

We are to be brave and unashamed of the gospel. The Father will give power - The power of the Spirit - to those who are willing to share the gospel openly.

The Father wants us to remember that salvation includes living a ‘holy life’. Holiness is being separated for God in all things, particularly a willingness to share and suffer for the gospel.

The Father wants us to know that we have been chosen from all eternity. The glory of His grace is to move our hearts to be unashamed of the message which saved us.

4. OUT

We are to understand that salvation is from the Lord - it’s His gift of grace. However, we have a crucial part to play. We are to depend on the Holy Spirit’s power as we unabashedly share the gospel. Salvation is through the gospel. We must share the gospel.

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

An application could be to spend time in prayer searching our hearts - are we open or are we ashamed of the gospel?

At the beginning of each day, pray for opportunities to share the gospel.

Study ‘predestination’ which is taught in this text.

Read about or attend some training on evangelism.

We are saved not because of anything we have done… Take time to meditate on the grace of God in our salvation.

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?