12 days with jesus - glendale road church days with jesus.pdf · 2019-11-15 ·...

© 2015 by Jason Hart You have permission to share this, e-‐mail this, print this and pass it along for free to anyone you like as long as you make no changes or edits to its content or digital format. Feel free to make as many copies as possible and share with as many people as possible. The right to bind this and sell it as a book, however, is strictly reserved.

Glendale Road Church of Christ 1101 Glendale Rd Murray, KY 42071

270-‐753-‐3714 www.glendaleroadchurch.org

http://www.glendaleroadchurch.org

tel:270-753-3714

FRIEND Be Challenged. Be Encouraged.

Friend, I hope that I can call you friend. I have many friends and

consider the people that they love to be important to me. Someone close to you has shared this 12-‐Day challenge because they love you and want to see you on board with following Jesus. For that reason, I wish to call you friend. Though I might not know you, I pray for you often and pray that “12 Days with Jesus” will aid in answering those prayers over you. And just so you know, whoever thought enough of you to share this challenge is praying for you too.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can do this by visiting the 12 Days with Jesus Facebook page or Twitter page and post a comment or by sending a direct message. If you are not on Facebook, you may e-‐mail any questions directly to me and I will be happy to answer them as concisely as possible.

Your friend, Jason

The links, as you see them below and throughout the challenge, will take you to the Facebook page, Twitter Page, Share Page, and to Contact by Email.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.glendaleroadchurch.org/12-days-with-jesus/

https://twitter.com/12DayswithJesus

https://www.facebook.com/12dayswithjesus

TABLE OF CONTENTS Your Challenge Awaits

Introduction......THE HANDBOOK................................................ 1

Days 1-‐4 (5-‐24) Day 1 .................SHIFTING INTERESTS ......................................... 7 Day 2 .................COME AND SEE ............................................... 11 Day 3 .................GREATER THINGS ............................................ 15 Day 4 .................A WALK IN THE GALLERY................................. 19

Days 5-‐8 (25-‐44)

Day 5 .................CERTAINTY AND TRUST ................................... 27 Day 6 .................SURRENDER..................................................... 31 Day 7 .................MAKE A STATEMENT....................................... 35 Day 8 .................WHAT’S IN THE WAY? ..................................... 39

Days 9-‐12 (45-‐64)

Day 9 .................SEEKING GOD .................................................. 47 Day 10 ...............SERVING GOD.................................................. 51 Day 11 ...............SHARING GOD ................................................. 55 Day 12 ...............TO BE CONTINUED .......................................... 59 Acknowledgements ................................................................... 65

Introduction

THE HANDBOOK

A Reference for the Rest of Us

WHY THE GOSPEL OF JOHN? The 12 Days with Jesus challenge is mostly a glimpse into the Gospel of John.

Any number of the books of the Bible could have been used, but I have chosen the Gospel of John for this challenge.

Most likely you’ve seen the reference guides “For Dummies.” Perhaps you’ve read a few. Since 1991, with the introduction of “DOS for Dummies,” the publisher has released around 2,000 titles in various languages. Each book, true to the first publication, maintains the subtitle, “A Reference for the Rest of Us.” In spite of what the name suggests, the books are really not for dummies. It’s a novel approach that appeals to the common man or woman who wishes to have a better grasp on any chosen subject. The books set out to accomplish what the name suggests. They are easy to follow, simple to read, simple in design and layout, and are entertaining in their guidance. They are indeed, “A Reference for the Rest of Us.”

What if we had a “Discipleship for Dummies” book?, a book with a simple, straightforward, easy-‐to-‐read guide on discipleship? It would be immensely profitable for all of us!

DISCIPLESHIP FOR DUMMIES The record of the life of Jesus and His teachings is found in the books called the

Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each offers more than their fair share about Jesus. Yet, when observing the records of His life side-‐by-‐side, one book stands apart as “A Reference for the Rest of Us.” It is the Gospel of John.

Though it has its complicated segments, the Gospel of John is simple, straight-‐forward, easy-‐to-‐read, and written for folks just like you and me. It is the believer’s guide to discipleship. It is “Discipleship for Dummies.” If there is any record of Jesus’ life that collectively provides more for His believers about being followers in a single

01

volume, the Gospel According to John should be the handbook of choice. It was written for folks like you and me. It emphasizes Jesus’ movement as He acts in harmony with the Father. It demonstrates the failure of faulty discipleship. It highlights and defines genuine discipleship.

THE OUTLINE Toward the close of His record, John tells us why he has written the things that

he has shared about Jesus (Jn. 20:30,31). It is within these words that we understand the purpose of the Gospel of John, but it is also within these words that we discover a simple three-‐point outline for discipleship:

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His name.” 1

John admits that his record of Jesus is brief. It is not a documentation of everything that Jesus did. God has never been in the business of disclosing everything, but He has always been in the business of sharing what we need to know for our everlasting benefit. So, everything within this record was to fulfill a purpose—and thus, the outline for your next 12 days:

“…that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…” Days 1-‐4 “…and that by believing…” Days 5-‐8 “…you may have life in His name.” Days 9-‐12

THE QUESTION It would be too easy to ask you, “Are you a disciple of Jesus?” Most would

answer that question in the affirmative. But it’s a weak question because it poses no genuine examination. Anybody can be a disciple of anything based upon the weakest amount of interest in the subject. So, the real question needs to be asked:

“Would Jesus Call You a Disciple?”

That’s different, isn’t it? It is challenging. In order to answer, you must confidently speak on Jesus’ behalf, which isn’t easy without knowing what Jesus has to say. The second question is the one that needs to be answered because it doesn’t depend on what you or I think. The answer depends on what Jesus thinks.

Perhaps, you believe in Jesus and the Bible. You grew up with that belief,

02

Introduction—The Handbook

having been raised by “God-‐fearing parents” and you find it quite difficult, if not unthinkable, to disown it. But, when all is said and done, do you consider yourself a disciple because you choose to call yourself one or because you pursued a level of commitment that comes from Jesus’ teachings?

So the question to answer is not, “Are you a Disciple?” but rather, “Would Jesus call you a Disciple?”

THE “12 DAYS WITH JESUS” CHALLENGE I am encouraged that you are interested in discipleship and I hope that you grow

in excitement. The challenge is only for 12 days; not even two full weeks! I understand that life happens and time does not always permit such a commitment. So, please feel free to work through the challenge at your own pace. Just don’t give up!

Most days, you will begin with a reading from the Gospel of John and with prayer (A.M. WITH THE I AM). An exception will be every fourth day. Around midday, you will be challenged to read some thoughts and answer some questions (MIDDAY CRUNCH). Further reading, questions, and a challenge for the following day will be reserved for the evening hours (EVENING LIGHT). Will you be committed to 12 days?

I’m looking for committed people who not only like challenges, but who also like to give challenges. Since this is an e-‐Book, you cannot sign “on the dotted line.” But you can “like” our page on Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment, simply stating, “I’M WITH JESUS!” I’m hoping that you will get involved in our online community and help others by being a friend with a common goal. You can also share this challenge with a friend and challenge them to 12 Days with Jesus. If you want, you can contact me by e-‐mail. Let me know that you plan to work through the challenge and I will say a special prayer for you.

1Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version.

03

Introduction—The Handbook





DAYS 1-4

Seeking the Power of Faith

“These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ...”

(John 20:31 ESV)

05

Day 1

SHIFTING INTERESTS

Seeking Jesus

A.M. WITH THE I AM As you begin your 12 Days with Jesus challenge, may you be encouraged that

Jesus is the life and light of all human beings and that He desires that you believe in Him and receive Him so that you may become a disciple He can call His own.

Read John 1:1-‐14 Pray specifically that Jesus will open your eyes to greater interests.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 1:15-37) If you are studying about discipleship with anything more than a casual

curiosity then you must have some interest in following Jesus. It might be a growing interest and you want to know more. It might be a curiosity about where following Jesus might lead you. You might have some questions about the connection between belief in Jesus and being saved by Jesus. Whatever the case is, you’re thinking about shifting your interest. There is no greater shift than to shift your interest about Jesus from any one person to the Son of God Himself.

Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist was preparing as many people as he could for Jesus. John was so good at what he was doing that many wondered if he was actually the Christ. He preached righteousness, repentance, and baptism. His purpose was to get everybody ready for Jesus (cf. Jn. 1:6-‐8, 19-‐28). People were really excited about the one he was telling them about and they kept coming back to hear more about the Messiah and His Kingdom. Among those many disciples were two men named Andrew and John.

One day, while John the Baptist was standing next to Andrew and John, he saw Jesus and declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus (Jn. 1:35-‐37).

Andrew and John had been following someone that they needed to follow.

07

When they began to follow Jesus they did not disown John. In fact, they owed their newfound discipleship of Jesus to John the Baptist. John’s mission was to lead people to Jesus and that’s exactly what he did with these two disciples. Before Jesus came onto the scene, John the Baptist was the most legitimate teacher of God that was available. It made sense to follow John the Baptist. But, when the Master appeared, Andrew and John simply shifted in their discipleship just as John the Baptist had intended. Get that! They shifted in their discipleship.

If you are a believer in Jesus, then you have learned about Him through some source of knowledge, perhaps a family member or a friend. I’m sure that you learned something about Jesus from somebody else. Regardless of that individual’s depth of knowledge about Jesus, I want you to think about that person as a John the Baptist; someone who was preparing you for Jesus; leading you in the direction of Jesus.

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE You should be very thankful that there was someone who was a hallmark in

your current level of faith. They thought enough to share the very best. They prepared you for Jesus. This person might be very dear to you. He or she might be a grandparent or a parent, perhaps a friend. You might be concerned about shifting to Jesus in a way that is different from what you were taught. But rest assured, like John the Baptist, they didn’t teach you about Jesus for you to follow them in what they do, but instead, to follow Jesus. You won’t forsake your appreciation for them. You won’t dismiss all that you learned from them. You will be shifting your discipleship.

Who would you give the most credit for what you know now about Jesus?

What would honor this person most? a) following him/her, or b) following Jesus

EVENING LIGHT (from John 1:35-38) When Andrew and John caught up with Jesus, He saw them approaching and

asked, “What are you seeking (Jn. 1:38)?” That seems like a silly question for the one who is able to read the thoughts and intents of the heart. Yet, it is a question that needs to be answered, not only by Andrew and John, but from you as well. You need to answer the question…

“What are you seeking?”

When I was a sophomore in high school, I went on a 4-‐H trip to the Mid-‐South fair in Memphis, TN. My parents had decided to take a weekend trip to Memphis. So, instead of riding the bus back to Paris, TN, I was supposed to wait on the curb next to

08

Day 1—Shifting Interests

where the buses dropped off and picked up people. I did exactly as I was supposed to do. However, buses picked up at a different place than the charter buses. I waited and waited. My parents searched and searched. My parents didn’t have to answer the question, “What are you seeking?” The authorities at the fair knew it. They could sense it on my parents’ faces. As they searched, they had one agenda—to find their son. They didn’t ride any of the hundreds of rides, catch a show, observe the livestock barn, or drop by the egg-‐roll stand for a snack. They had one thing for which they were looking.

“What are you seeking?” Jesus is the authority figure asking you this very question. He’s not asking you, “What do you want to ride?” or “What would you like to eat?” He’s asking you if He is the one and only answer to your search.

I’m assuming that when you answered the question, “What are you seeking?” that you thought of the name of Jesus—or something similar. As you follow the conversation between Jesus and Andrew and John, the two new disciples of Jesus answered the question similarly, but notice the difference. They responded, “Rabbi!” which means, “teacher” or “master.” It was more than a simple but respectful acknowledgement, like calling someone “coach.” It was more like saying, “You are now my teacher.” They were no longer following John. They had shifted their discipleship. They were submitting to Jesus.

There is a difference between wanting to follow Jesus and wanting to follow Him and Him only. People follow Jesus all of the time, but never fully submit to His teachings. Not everybody submits to following Jesus only and to follow Him at all costs. So, once again, the question is…

“What are you seeking?

What is important is that you seek Jesus as Andrew and John did—no longer as a recipient of truths about Jesus, but as a seeker of Jesus as your one and only Master, Teacher, and Rabbi. The reason why this is important is because you are about to discover in the next eleven days how Jesus made disciples, how He defined disciples, how He refined them, and how He commissioned them. Without being wholly committed to His teachings, you might acknowledge that He is the Son of God, but never truly become a disciple who is consistent with His teaching about discipleship. I don’t want that and neither do you. You should want to be a disciple who is consistent with Jesus’ teaching.

EVALUATE YOUR COMMITMENT A closer examination of the Gospel of John than what this challenge will cover

would show a number of varying interests in Jesus with different levels of

09


commitment. For example, Nicodemus seems to have been a slow learner, whereas John and Andrew left John the Baptist’s side immediately. Some individuals followed Jesus early in His ministry, but then left Him when things became tough. Others, no doubt disbelieved, such as His brothers, but then became some of the most faithfully driven. Many people were very public about Jesus and others were very silent, sometime secretive.

In an honest evaluation of your interest in Jesus right now, which of the following statements would describe you best? You can’t answer this wrong, so just be honest:

I could care less about Jesus or following Him.

I am not sure that I am ready to be committed to Jesus only.

I am curious about Jesus and discipleship, but I want to know more.

I want to submit to Jesus and His teachings.

I am so interested that I want to share this study with a friend!

MORE OF JESUS your mission for tomorrow, if you choose to accept it

Using a post-‐it-‐note, index card, a note app on your device, or any scrap piece of paper, make a list of five people (or groups) who have positively impacted your current level of faith in Jesus. Thank God for each of these people and personally thank at least one of them face-‐to-‐face, over the phone, by card, or by some other electronic form of communication.

10






Day 2

COME AND SEE

Jesus’ Initial Invitation

A.M. WITH THE I AM Be encouraged that you can listen to Jesus! I hope that you will be encouraged

today to identify the distractions that can hinder you from listening to Jesus: Have you made your list of people for whom you can give thanks to God? Read John 1:38-‐49 Pray this morning to thank God for the people who have influenced your belief

in Jesus and that God will also help you to see Jesus more clearly.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 1:38-42) Andrew and John asked Jesus, “Rabbi, where are you staying (Jn. 1:38)?” Can

you imagine that? Andrew and John invited themselves into Jesus’ home. It’s not necessarily good manners in our culture to do that. You invite a person to your home, but you would never impose on somebody else. It can be considered very rude.

What Andrew and John did is very inspiring, though. They wanted to spend time with Jesus and doing so under His terms. Nobody knows what the three men did until four o’clock that afternoon, but what we do know is that Andrew and John stayed with Jesus (Jn. 1:39).

When it comes to knowing Jesus and how to become a disciple of His, there is neither home-‐court advantage nor neutral ground. You must go and “stay” with Jesus. Of course, I speak figuratively. Jesus doesn’t have an earthly home, but we do have our Bibles. Going to the place where Jesus is staying is how we learn about being a disciple. It’s more, however, than simply reading His teachings. Going to the place where Jesus is staying means removing yourself from any distraction that would keep you from solely learning from Him. Bringing Jesus to where you are staying has its benefits, but where you are staying has internet, TV, family, friends, books, hobbies, and personal ambitions. There are plenty of distractions where you stay:

11

distractions that teach differently than Jesus; distractions that leave little room for His teaching; distractions that cause your eyes to wander and heart to wonder if following Jesus is really worth the effort.

My wife knows me too well. If she wants my undivided attention, she will call me to come to the room where she is staying. She knows that if she comes to the room where I am, she won’t have my undivided attention. She will be competing with a television, kids, games, projects, etc. It’s not enough for me to pause the TV. I need to go to the place where she is staying so she can have my undivided attention. Because I love her, I want to go to the right place so that I can give my attention to her and her only.

When Andrew left from the place where Jesus was staying, he found his brother Simon (Peter) and “brought him to Jesus (Jn. 1:40-‐42).” Andrew knew something about seeing the real Jesus at the place Jesus was staying. Where do you suppose Andrew found his brother? Could Simon have been another disciple of John the Baptist and was listening to John preach? Was he fishing? Your guess is as good as mine, but this we both know: Simon left wherever he was to discover the real Messiah at the place where Jesus was staying.

GOING TO JESUS’ PLACE Everybody has distractions. Distractions can hinder you from listening to Jesus or

prevent you from giving Him your undivided attention.

What “distractions” could keep you from listening to Jesus?

Jesus’ response to Andrew and John was a simple invitation: “Come and see.” There is not much that we know about their few hours with Jesus, but there are three positive reminders that might help you as you think about today and the next 10 days of this challenge: 1) You can encounter Jesus with hopeful expectations, 2) It doesn’t take long to see that Jesus is the Messiah, and 3) You can be convinced that Jesus is who He claims to be and tell others too!

If you could truly “go to the place where Jesus is staying,” what do you think that you could learn from Him?

Can you accept this challenge as a way to “go to where Jesus is staying?”

EVENING LIGHT (from John 1:43-49) After His encounter with John, Andrew, and Simon, Jesus goes on another

disciple hunt. His adventure leads him to Philip (Jn. 1:43-‐51). He first approaches

12

Day 2—Come and See

Philip and tells him, “Follow me.” Philip then found Nathanael and told him the same thing that Andrew had told Simon, but with a few add-‐ins. It is in these add-‐ins that we find a summary of what all of these men had been searching (see verse 45):

• “We have found him…” There must have been a Messiah hunting club in Galilee because it is quite apparent that they had all been waiting and searching for the Messiah to appear.

• “…of whom Moses in the Law…wrote…” Any Jew would have been quite familiar with the writings of Moses about the Messiah. “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen (Deuteronomy 18:15).”

• “…and also the prophets wrote…” The prophetic writing about the Messiah is extensive, but there is one prophetic passage that was the highlight: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth (Acts 8:32,33; cf. Isaiah 53:7,8).”

• “…Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Philip identified the Messiah as a person, saying, “It is Jesus.” Nathanael then wondered, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth (v. 46)?” Perhaps his resistance would have been to the effect of asking, “Can anything so special come from somewhere so insignificant?”

What a surprise it must have been that the real Messiah was an insignificant carpenter, the son of an insignificant carpenter from an insignificant town. Yet, this is exactly as Isaiah had prophesied, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2).” Jesus was the most extraordinary being in the most ordinary person so that He could make ordinary persons the most extraordinary beings. Friend, that includes you!

The invitation offered by Jesus to Andrew and John and the invitation Philip offered to Nathanael was the same: “Come and see.” It wasn’t to see some miraculous sign or something magnificent in terms of monetary or political value. It wasn’t to see a plan of salvation. The initial invitation was and still is to “come and see” that Jesus is the Christ. There are invitations of Jesus that invite you to see blessings, salvation, rest, eternal life, or unsearchable riches. But this invitation—“Come and See”—is to find that Jesus is the Messiah. None of the other invitations matter if this one is not answered first!

13


DO YOU SEE HIM? The most important question at this point in the 12 Day challenge is one that

you need to answer confidently: “Do you see Jesus as the Christ?” You might want to see salvation that is available, the blessings that accompany

Jesus, the challenges of following Him, His purposes for you, etc. I know you want to know these things and I want to share them with you. But first things first! You need to answer Jesus’ initial invitation and see Him first as the Christ.

Do you believe that the person of Jesus of Nazareth is the anticipated Christ?

Are you confident that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies about the Christ?

How can you know that Andrew and Philip were confident about Jesus as the Christ?


Andrew and Philip were so confident about Jesus being the Christ that they went and found a brother and a friend to tell them about Jesus. If you are as confident as Andrew and Philip about Jesus, share this booklet with a family member or friend between right now and tomorrow evening. Challenge them to the 12 Days with Jesus challenge!

14






Day 3

GREATER THINGS

Jesus’ Extended Invitation

A.M. WITH THE I AM It’s Day 3! Can you believe that by the time you finish today’s challenge, that

you will already be a fourth of the way through? I hope the challenge has been good for you so far. If it has, then that’s wonderful. But I must tell you, “You haven’t seen anything yet!”

Your challenge for the day was to challenge another person. Have you? Read John 1:50,51 and John 2:1-‐11 Pray that your decision to listen to Jesus only would open your heart to learn

about the great things that He wishes to share with you.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 1:49-51) Nathanael’s confession of Jesus was special. He made the admission that Jesus

is the Son of God and the anticipated king of Israel (v. 49). But as wonderful as was Nathanael’s confession, Jesus says there is something even more fantastic for those who believe: “You believe? You will see greater things than these (v. 50).”

The initial invitation was to “Come and See” as was recognized on Day 2. Now, we recognize another invitation; something different than the first. Jesus offered Nathanael an extended invitation to see “Greater Things.”

Imagine that you have received a special invitation to meet a world-‐renowned artist, followed by the unveiling of an art gallery displaying his finest work. The invitation is to meet the artist during a banquet held in his honor. For this invitation, the location of the banquet is provided and a map is drawn out. Yet, the extension of the invitation for the unveiling of the art gallery shows no location and no map. Your first thought is that you can’t see the gallery until you meet the artist. Your second thought is that you will be directed from the banquet to the gallery.

When Jesus invites anyone to see Him, it is a special invitation to see that He is

15

the Messiah and to learn from Him alone. You answered the initial invitation on the second day and met the Artist. Jesus is not content, however, with your meeting Him as just some Artist. So, in the same way as He did with Nathanael, Jesus offers an extended invitation to see His greatest work. He says, “You will see Greater Things.”

There are many great things that you can learn from Jesus. You might have some wishes and hopes about Greater Things now that you have come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. But since He is the Master, you need to allow Him to show you and to do so in His time. Your ideas might be good (they might even be right), but what is better is what Jesus shows as Greater Things.

During His earthly life, people often misunderstood Jesus because they didn’t see things in the way He tried to show them. Based upon preconceived ideas, their culture, and personal ambitions, they often expected to see a different gallery than the one the Artist came to unveil. You have the same challenge today. So, to see the Greater Things you need to see them as Jesus does—as He teaches them.

A GREATER EYE Do you have a good eye; an eye to critically observe the finest of art pieces?

Whether you do or not, do you suppose that looking at Jesus’ Greater Things might require a greater effort in order to observe them from His perspective?

What “things” would you wish for Jesus to show you?

Are you willing to put the answer(s) from the question above to the side and patiently permit Jesus to show you what Greater Things He has in store for you?

Why should it be important for you to allow Jesus to show you His gallery of Greater Things?

EVENING LIGHT (from John 2:1-22) Broadway stars are known for their acting, singing, and dancing. If they are

exceptional in all three, then we call them “Triple Threats.” God’s Triple Threat is summarized in three major promises that God gave to His Old Testament people. Like the multiple talents of actors, there are many promises. But when it comes to showtime, God’s star performance is His Triple Threat. These are the Greater Things of God, which every Jew was highly anticipating. They were the box-‐office hits. These were the three that they wanted to see more than anything else.

When Jesus walked on this turf, He was but a taste of Greater Things to come. He was a greater prophet than Moses, a greater king than David, and a greater comforter than angels. But the best had yet to come. Jesus was like the appetizer for

16

Day 3—Greater Things

the best banquet. All of the best things—the Greater Things—would be served after He was glorified.

A few days after Jesus’ encounter with Nathanael, Jesus attended a wedding feast where He turned water into wine (Jn. 2:1-‐11). Why would He turn water to wine? For someone who could walk on water this wasn’t much of a miracle by comparison. “Surely,” you might ask, “If Jesus wanted to manifest His glory, could He not have started off with a bigger bang than this?” The miracle was good, but there is a greater message in this story that makes all the difference in the world for how you might be able to see the Greater Things once they are unveiled. The message is revealed in the words of the master of the feast in verse 10:

“Everyone serves good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

The wine that was given first wasn’t bad, but what Jesus provided was better. Now that the Messiah was in the picture, everything would be better. Even the good things of God already available would be greater.

Jesus appealed to this same principle after He chased the moneychangers out of the temple (Jn. 2:13-‐22). When the Jews questioned Him about it, His reply was, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (v. 19).” Jesus was referring to His body. The Jews would eventually crucify Jesus and in three days His good body would be raised up as a glorious body. Jesus was saying like the master of the feast, “I’m saving the best for last.” The first is good, but the latter is so much better.

God’s Triple Threat—the Greater Things—must be seen from that angle. The three promises were good in serving the purpose of giving hope. These good promises would eventually become greater realities, but not until Jesus unveiled them. So, what is this Triple Threat? What are the three promises that reign supreme in the Artist’s gallery of Greater Things? Whatever they are, they must be greater than what was before, wider in scope, and never experienced.

• The Messiah (The Christ) would be Savior of the world.

• The Holy Spirit would indwell in God’s people.

• The Kingdom of God would be set up forever.

NOW, WATCH THIS! “Now, watch this!” Oh boy! I cringe every time one of my kids say those

words. Yet, this is exactly what Jesus was telling Nathanael (Jn. 1:50), without any

17


cringing. And right now, Jesus is saying the same words to you: “Now watch this!” Tomorrow, as you spend time with Jesus, He will show you His gallery of

Greater Things by offering promises that would be available after His return to Heaven. Eventually, they would be revealed, but for now, He’s simply asking you to see the promise of them, observe them, and believe in them. For now, you need to prepare yourself to enter into the gallery by answering a few questions.

Do you have any pre-‐conceived ideas about Jesus as the Redeemer, the gift of the Holy Spirit, or His Kingdom that need to be set aside?

If being a disciple of Jesus depends on God’s “Triple Threat,” what should be your attitude toward it?

Could anything be better than knowing that Jesus is the Son of God?

If God’s Holy Spirit has been at work since the beginning of time, why would Jesus offer a promise about Him as if this Gift is something new?

If Jesus says that there is a kingdom in which a person could live as His disciple, would it be important to know what that kingdom is and how you could enter into it?


Wear a paperclip on your shirt/blouse, belt, coat lapel, etc. tomorrow to remind yourself of a special connection that you are consciously trying to make with Jesus. If someone asks you about it, tell them why. Perhaps they too would be interested in learning about “God’s Triple Threat!”

18






Day 4

A WALK IN THE GALLERY

Three Promises of Saving Reality

Today, you will take a slightly different walk with Jesus than the previous three days. It will require a little more time and thought, but I promise that it will be worth it! You can do it, friend. I’m praying that you will not only be enriched this day, but that you will also be encouraged by knowing that you are just steps away from becoming a disciple that Jesus can call, “My disciple.”

Jesus has now offered an extended invitation to see a gallery of Greater Things. These are three beautiful promises that will become greater realities after Jesus accomplishes what He came in the flesh to do. In order for these promises to be “greater,” they must meet three criteria:

1. Greater than what was before 2. Wider in scope 3. Never experienced

A.M. WITH THE I AM (from John 4:1-26; 39-42) As you enter into the gallery of galleries, you are first invited to view a self-‐

portrait of the Artist Himself. Yes! You get to see the Messiah! Again. Only now, you are permitted to see Him on a grander scale, not only as a teacher or the Son of God, but also as the Savior of the world.

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:23,24 that there would be false christs. Today, we might not call them “christs” or even “prophets.” They are the people, concepts, ideas, theories, etc. that claim to be saviors, saving us from our futile minds, financial strain, bad health, or relationship struggles. Some of these “saviors” claim to save from sin, but teach salvation by merit—doing good to outweigh the bad. But there is only one Savior of the world.

Most of John 4 details a unique situation in which Jesus travels through Samaria and interacts with a woman by a well. The interaction begins with an exchange highlighted in verse 10. Jesus says,

19

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Though there was some difficulty in understanding, the woman eventually surmises that Jesus is a prophet. Upon further investigation she returns to her town to tell everyone that she might have found the Christ. Their response is epic. Upon spending two days with Jesus, the townspeople said,

“We know that this is indeed the Savior of the world (v. 42).”

This was special! Not only did they see Jesus as a bridge of hope between themselves and the Jews, they also declared Him to be Savior of the entire world, which means Savior for you and me! “From what did Jesus come to save us?” This story in John 4 reveals that Jesus is able to give several things: living water, spiritual refreshment, eternal life, complete teaching, and divine acceptance. From this, several problems can be calculated: without Jesus a person is spiritually dead, dried out and calcified, separated from God, without hope, and destined to eternal condemnation, all of which stem from man’s greatest problem: sin’s guilt and sin’s power. As Savior, Jesus would do something—something that only God can do—to eradicate sin’s guilt, and in so doing, He would form the framework to give new life over the power of sin.

STATUS UPDATE If you are familiar with Facebook, then you have seen the words on your status

update, “What’s on your mind?” Since Jesus is Savior for you, a question that should appear in your status update is, “What’s in your heart?” Jesus’ main objective is to change your legal standing before God, the judge. Does your status need updating?

What does sin do to you without Jesus as your Savior? (Read Jn. 8:21,24,34)

Can Jesus be your Savior and change your legal status? (Read Jn. 1:29; 3:16-‐18)

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 7:37-39) In the back corner of the gallery is the second of the heralded works of art. You

have longingly gazed at the larger-‐than-‐life self-‐portrait of the Artist, but the next masterpiece mysteriously draws you in. It’s hard to explain your interest in it. It’s very inviting, but it’s also very abstract, colorful, and thought provoking. This masterpiece is the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. Of its promise, there are only about four or five prophecies in the Old Testament. Yet, in spite of only a handful of prophecies,

20

Day 4—A Walk in the Gallery

there is no reason for you to be nervous about this special gift. You should want to know this gift because it holds the key to unlocking the power of God to overcome the power of sin.

John 7 records the events of Jesus attending “The Feast of Booths.” This was a weeklong festival commemorating God’s care of Israel as they were wandering in the wilderness. It’s called “The Feast of Booths” because the ancient Israelites lived in tents until they settled into the Promised Land. On the last day of the Feast, the high priest would lead a procession to the pool of Siloam. He would gather water in a pitcher, and upon returning to the temple courtyard, would pour the water out as a symbolic reminder of God’s promise to pour out His Holy Spirit.

The chapter is laced with scenes of criticism and unbelief about Jesus. Even His brothers disbelieved. Many thought He was a heretic. While being surrounded by so much negativity, any normal man would have kept to himself. But not Jesus! If these people really thirsted for the Holy Spirit, then Jesus needed to reveal Himself. Without Him, there was no new saving gift of the Holy Spirit. So, during the pouring of the water, the controversial Jesus steps before the crowd and says,

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me…‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (vv. 37,38).”

Jesus had told the Samaritan woman that He, the Gift of God, could give living water that would flood into an ever-‐refreshing life, but He didn’t reveal to her what that water was. Being a Samaritan, she would have only known the first five books of the Old Testament. Since there are no prophecies of the Holy Spirit there, she wouldn’t have picked up on this. The Jews in Jerusalem, however, would have known what Jesus meant. As a result, they were upset because Jesus was claiming to be the imparting agent of the new gift of the Holy Spirit. This was a truth about Jesus that John the Baptist had promised with intensity (Jn. 1:33; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). John even makes sure that you and I understand what Jesus meant:

“Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus

was not yet glorified (v. 39).”

It should be of interest to you that God’s Holy Spirit had been at work since creation, imparting revelation, guiding men through inspiration, equipping people for service through skill or miracles, and gifting people with prophecy. Yet John points out something wonderful: What Jesus was offering had never been given before—a gift of the Holy Spirit that is universal in scope, inward, and as a part of God’s saving package for those who believe in Jesus.

21


TAKE IT TO HEART Sin poses a serious problem. Not only does it cause one to be in trouble with the

law of God (1 John 3:4), it also causes one to be sin-‐sick or dead in sin. Jesus not only offers Himself as a remedy for the guilt of sin, but also offers new vibrant life through God’s Holy Spirit, replacing a heart of stone with a soft and living heart for the Lord.

What power does sin have over you? (Read Jn. 12:40-‐43)

Can Jesus gift new life to your sin-‐sick soul? (Read Jn. 4:14; 10:10)

EVENING LIGHT (from John 3:1-21) The Artist now peels you away from the Holy Spirit. The first two masterpieces

were great, but you need to see the next exhibit piece, which is a landscape painting of the Artist’s home. Before you see it, you already have a mental picture in your mind as to what it looks like. It must be luxurious, plush, and grandiose. But when you see it, you’re amazed. You’re amazed because you’ve never seen anything like it. It wasn’t at all what you thought. It’s magnificent, but it’s not what you expected.

In John 3:1-‐21, a highly reputable teacher named Nicodemus pays Jesus a visit. He believes that Jesus is someone special; so special, that He believes that God must be with Him. Without any prompting, Jesus begins talking about the Great Kingdom.

“Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (vv. 3,5).”

John the Baptist and Jesus had been preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven would be coming very soon (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). But now, Jesus insists that the Kingdom is not only near, but that it would be available for viewing and entering. This was not easy news for Nicodemus. Most Jews believed that the Messiah’s Kingdom would be a political and military powerhouse and that it would overthrow the empires of the world, especially Rome. Can you imagine how they must have felt when Jesus began telling of a kingdom that was completely different than what they had dreamed? Can you imagine how Nicodemus must have felt when Jesus told him that he must be reborn and that he was not entitled by his heritage to enter the Kingdom? These were foreign ideas, at least in the common Jewish mind.

The practicality of the Kingdom of God is often foreign to the common mind, even today. Perhaps you have heard someone give a secular and critical analysis of the church by saying, “Give me Jesus, but keep the church.” When a person makes such a statement, he doesn’t understand the practicality and necessity of the Kingdom of God. Most likely, he equates salvation with forgiveness only. It must be remembered

22


however, that salvation is offered as a package of many gracious benefits. And being added to the Kingdom of God is one of these—a great one! When one is born again, the Spirit of God acts as an agent of sanctification and changes the convert’s position in relation to God. When once he was under the power of darkness, he is now in the Kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). He is no longer a stranger or an enemy, but rather, a member of the family of God (Jn. 1:11,12). He is child of light (Jn. 12:36) and truly a disciple whom Jesus would call “My disciple.”

Nothing is more practical to discipleship than being in the right relationship with God; to be in His Kingdom, in His Family, in His Church!

COME ONE COME ALL Sheep are curious creatures. They are dirty and defenseless, but they know the

voice of their shepherd. Sheep can mingle in a field with other sheep, but when the shepherd speaks, they separate and follow their shepherd. One image that Jesus gives of Himself is of being a shepherd, who not only leads His sheep, but also to save other sheep and keep them. It is another intriguing image of His kingdom repeated frequently in Scripture.

Whose voice would you wish to follow? (Read Jn. 10:11-‐18)

What benefit would it be to you to be in Jesus’ fold? (Read Jn. 10:25-‐30)


Did you wear your paperclip all day? I pray that someone asked you about it and that you were more than happy to tell them. I earnestly hope that someone, somewhere, has taken you up on this challenge. No challenge for tomorrow!

23






DAYS 5-8

Surrendering to the Power through Faith

“…and that by believing...” (John 20:31 ESV)

25

Day 5

CERTAINTY AND TRUST

Faith is More than Knowing

A.M. WITH THE I AM Today will be a great day! I promise. These next four days might be some of

the most important lessons for your growth in discipleship! Do you believe me? There was no challenge for today. I hope that today will be a day of refreshing

interest to help keep you moving in this challenge until the end. Read John 3:16-‐21 Pray that God will help you have true and unrelenting faith in Jesus.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 9:1-34) “Belief” by the world’s standards is “a certainty of what something means as it

is supported by references.” For example, a man believes that “gravity hurts”—science and experience assures him that “what goes up must come down.” His knowledge about gravity, whether learned or experienced, gives him certainty. This is an adequate understanding of belief as most would see it, but it is not a complete picture of belief. Saving belief (or faith) is more than having a certainty. It has two aspects. It is not only believing that something or someone is true, it is also believing in. It is certainty combined with trusting.

The highly religious of John 9 couldn’t figure out how a blind beggar could now see. Since they couldn’t come up with any satisfying answers, they asked him about it. When he explained that it was Jesus, the Pharisees refused to admit that Jesus could give sight to the blind. They asked, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes (v. 26)?” With what must have been a tiring annoyance with these men, the once blind man responded by asking them a question that is nothing short of sarcasm: “Do you also want to become his disciples (v. 27)?”

He knew their answer. There was no way that these holier-‐than-‐thou men were inquiring with sincerity. So, after the man asked if the Pharisees wanted to be Jesus’

27

disciples, they claimed, “We are disciples of Moses (v. 28).” That was just another way of saying with certainty, “We believe Moses.” This was a familiar lack of trust in Jesus. In a similar situation and with similar people, Jesus stated,

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to

come to me that you may have life” (Jn. 5:39,40).

These Jews who claimed to be disciples of Moses were neither real disciples of Moses nor of the Scriptures. Yes, they had certainty, but no matter how insistent they were about their claims, their refusal to trust in Moses exposed their weak faith. If they had been wholly trusting in the teachings of Moses, as Jesus was pointing out, then they would not have refused to trust in Jesus.

YOU SEARCH THE GOSPEL It is easy to speak negatively about Pharisees. After all, they have become the

poster children of naysayers, antagonists, and hypocrites. Yet, Jesus could as easily say of anyone today—perhaps you—“You search the GOSPEL because you think that in it you have eternal life; and it is the Gospel that bears witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life.” Anybody can have certainty about the Gospel record and make positive claims about Jesus, but it is those who trust in Him that have saving faith.

Do you have certainty about Jesus being the Son of God, Messiah, and Savior?

Are you willing to surrender yourself and trust in Jesus today?

EVENING LIGHT (from John 4:46-54) If saving belief has two aspects, certainty and trust, and trust is the

distinguishing factor between weak faith and saving faith, it should be important for you to know what it means to trust in Jesus. Though the Gospel of John is flooded with stories and statements about belief, I’m not sure that there is a better example of the two aspects of belief than the healing of the official’s son at the close of John 4.

When Jesus returned to Cana where He had turned the water to wine, an official tracked Jesus down to ask Him to come to his home in Capernaum and heal his deathly ill son. Unless Jesus performed a miracle, his son would die. Jesus’ immediate response seems rather harsh, but it was for good purpose. He said, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe (v. 48).” Why would Jesus say this? Didn’t the man believe? Didn’t he travel over twenty miles to search for Jesus

28

Day 5—Certainty and Trust

and ask Him to heal the sick boy? Sure he did! So, what gives? This is a place where Jesus distinguishes between certainty by itself and certainty with trust. Here, Jesus points out the way that most of the world comes to believe something to be true; that is, “Show me great things and I will believe.” This is not the type of faith of true disciples. True disciples of Jesus have belief like Nathanael demonstrated; a belief out of which Jesus said to him, “You believe? You will see great things!” (cf. Jn. 1:50)

In response to Jesus’ remarks, the official could have stormed off in offense or forcefully demand that Jesus come to his home and heal his son. Instead, he persisted and Jesus gave him the opportunity to test his faith. Jesus told him, “Go; your son will live.” There was no argument, no skepticism, no doubt, no confusion. He had trust.

“He took Jesus at His Word (v. 50; NIV).”

Friend, that’s trust. It was the official’s certainty that led him to Jesus, but it was his trust in Jesus’ promise that expressed itself in a return trip home. He believed (certainty with trust) and he was granted the opportunity to see something great.

I find it ironic that the entire non-‐Christian world chases after their own form of salvation by doing everything possible to win over the favor of their supposed savior—whether that is a god, an object, idea, or person. I say it’s ironic because that’s the way of a world corrupted by sin, the very corruption many seek to escape. At the very core of the sin-‐altered universe is the concept of premise. It’s the way of human beings. It’s the philosophy of “If you want something done, you’ve got to do it yourself.” In many ways, this is the pride of life. Yet, this is not the way of Jesus. The way of Jesus is promise, to “take Him at His Word.” The way of Jesus is trusting in His promises, expressing it through full surrender to Him. No matter how certain you might be in Jesus as the Son of God, faith that depends on anything outside of His promises falls short of true, biblical, disciple faith.

John 6 offers more insight. Several people were on a Jesus hunt. Many were of the 5,000 men who had been miraculously fed by Jesus from a midday snack. They had wanted to crown Jesus as king. When they had travelled across the Sea of Galilee and found Him, Jesus rebuked them, saying, “You are seeking me…because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” The rest of John 6 is a lengthy discourse by Jesus that draws off of the image of consuming His teachings and His promises, beginning with what Jesus says they should do to be doing the works of God. Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent (v. 29).”

Jesus’ teaching didn’t soothe their appetite. When many, therefore, walked away, He turned His attention to Peter and the other disciples and asked them if they wanted to go away too. Peter’s response might be one of the most fundamental

29


confessions of true faith that you will find anywhere:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the

Holy One of God (John 6:68-‐69).”

How was this true faith? Because this was an unrelenting faith that had certainty in Jesus as the only Son of God and it trusted in Jesus’ promise as the only one capable of producing eternal life. Like the official from Capernaum, Peter took Jesus at His Word, and as a result, His certainty was bolstered by this trust.

JUST AS REAL The promises of Jesus are as real as He. If Jesus is indeed the one that you have

come to say that He is, that He would neither lie nor deceive you, is there any reason why you would not take Him at His Word? The main question is, “Are you as willing to trust in His promises as you are willing to have certainty about Him?” Are you willing to take Him at His Word?

Are you willing to trust in Jesus’ promise to give you eternal life?

Are you willing to trust in Jesus’ promise to give you the new gift of Holy Spirit?

Are you willing to trust in Jesus’ promise to bring you into a saving union with Him in His Kingdom?


“Do I trust Jesus?” Your challenge for tomorrow is to simply ask yourself this question as often as you possibly can. Whatever it takes to remind you, do it, and don’t look back. If you have access to Facebook or Twitter, you may drop by the “12 Days with Jesus” pages and drop us all a line, simply stating, “I trust in Jesus!”

30






Day 6

SURRENDER Giving Up and Turning In

A.M. WITH THE I AM By the end of today you will be halfway through with the 12 Days with Jesus

challenge. Will you make it all the way through? How will you remind yourself today to trust in Jesus? Read John 3:16-‐21 Rather than simply praying about being a good disciple, spend your time in

prayer this morning asking God to help you surrender yourself to Jesus.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 8:34-59) If Jesus said to you, “If you drink the water I can give you, you will never be

thirsty again,” how would you respond? I would hope that since you believe that Jesus is the Savior that you would respond as the Samaritan woman did: “Give me this water!” (cf. Jn. 4:13-‐15) But what if Jesus asked you a question, just as He did with the woman at the well, for the purpose of examining your behavior? Would you respond as enthusiastically? Would you concede to Jesus or fight Him over it?

Questioning behavior was a frequent practice for Jesus, and for good reason: You cannot be His disciple without changing your behavior.

To His earthly antagonists, Jesus rebuked their exalting of one another (Jn. 5:44), their hypocrisy of being law-‐keepers but not keeping the law (Jn. 7:19), and their being sinful and of the world (Jn. 8:21-‐24). In John 8:34 Jesus made this very clear and precise statement about the power of sin:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” In the lengthy debate that follows, Jesus points out some behavioral problems

of His antagonists, namely, that they had become slaves to sin and that they didn’t even see it. Though they forcefully claimed to be the children of Abraham (or of

31

God), Jesus told them that if they were true children of Abraham, they would love Him and joyfully change their ways (vv. 39,42,56). However, they were in fact the children of the devil (v. 47). They were acting as the devil’s followers: they dishonored Jesus, were liars, were plotting to kill Him, and did not actually know God. Since they had become slaves to their sinful thinking and behavior, Jesus’ teachings would neither take root in their hearts nor grow into understanding (vv. 37,43).

We often think of bad habits as having control over a person. These are typically called “vices” and we include such addictions as smoking, gambling, drinking, drugs, or pornography. These are, indeed, habitual practices that enslave the mind and actions of people, but ironically, Jesus never addressed addictive behaviors as such. Jesus always went directly to the darkened heart and exposed the root of the problem to His light, addictive or not. Perhaps this is the reason why people hated the light of His instruction (Jn. 3:19,20). He didn’t call out everyone with sinful behavior; He called out everyone’s behavior as sinful.

You may not think of yourself as a bad person. I’m assuming that you are a decent man or woman. The issue, however, isn’t goodness. The issue is sin and sin’s power to reign over a person’s will. Nothing could be any clearer from Jesus’ words in John 8. Sin had become such a master over His antagonists’ wills that even as they claimed to be God’s best people, they were completely blind to the fact that sin had disabled their own God-‐given ability to respond positively to God.

YES YOU CAN Jesus tells of two dramatically opposed positions in which a person lives: slavery

in sin and freedom in Jesus (vv. 34,36). It’s one or the other. It cannot be both. No one can serve two masters. Jesus also insists that a person under the mastery of sin can, as a condition for being set free by Jesus, change his behavior positively.

Which is more important to you? a) To be a “good” person or b) To be a “free” person?

Which is more important to Jesus? a) That you be a “good” person or b) That you be a “free” person?

EVENING LIGHT (from John 12:20-26) In my opinion, the most troubling images of discipleship are recorded in Luke

14:25-‐33. There, Jesus defines a condition for discipleship by telling us who cannot be His disciple: those who do not hate the people they love (v. 26), those who do not bear their own cross (v. 27), and those who do not renounce all that they have (v. 33). The reason why these are so troubling is rather obvious. Jesus says that you and I

32

Day 6—Surrender

cannot be a disciple of His without doing three things we don’t like to do:

HATE -‐ DIE -‐ FORFEIT When we think of repentance as a condition for salvation, this is not what we

typically think. We normally think of repentance as the billboard directions that read, “Turn right and keep straight.” This well-‐established and consistent teaching of the Bible is how a sinner chooses to relate to and move toward a holy God. The entire Bible (OT and NT) teaches this understanding as a condition of grace. What Jesus does with these images, however, is to more fully explain the heart or motive of repentance. This all comes out with a bold statement by Jesus in John 12:25:

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Leading up to this grand statement was a unique scenario. Some men with Greek backgrounds had come to Jerusalem for the Passover. During their stay, they make the request, “We wish to see Jesus (v. 21).” When word finally comes to Jesus, He knew that His “hour had come.” We don’t know if Jesus ever met these men, but what we do know is what Jesus immediately suggested (vv. 23,24), and it all boils down to this: To follow Jesus, one must follow Him to the cross.

There is a certain selfish part of me that really wishes that discipleship took a person somewhere else other than the cross. It thrills me that forgiveness points to the cross. It relieves me that God’s promise for new life spills out of the cross. Yet, the hard truth for disciples and would-‐be disciples is that discipleship must go to the cross. That like Jesus, every disciple must die to himself. It is in this that Jesus insists that would-‐be disciples assume an attitude like His own, to “hate your life in this world.”

What does Jesus mean by this? Hate is such a strong word in our culture today that we are very quick to say, “That’s not what Jesus meant,” or “Jesus is speaking in exaggeration.” But it’s exactly what Jesus meant. To hate your life in this world as Jesus says to hate it doesn’t mean to have antagonism that results in bitter and loveless treatment of yourself or anybody else.

Perhaps the perfect picture of this is found in Malachi 1:2,3, which reads, “I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.” Jacob and Esau were twin brothers. God loved them both, as well as their descendants, the Israelites and Edomites. God has always loved the entire world, including Edom (Jn. 3:16), but to create a people through whom Jesus would come, God chose Jacob and his descendants. They became His “treasured possession (Exodus 19:5).” Esau was hated, not because God had a personal vendetta against him or his family, but because he was not God’s choice. He and his

33

Day 6—Surrender

descendents would never be God’s treasured possession, because at the time and for His purposes, they were not His choice.

Similarly, Jesus instructs that to be His disciple, He wants to be your treasured possession: Your choice. He’s not asking you to disown family members, become bitter to friends, or find no joy in work or recreation. He wants to be your only choice.

CUT AWAY AND SERVE Making a list of priorities is a good practice. Making Jesus as your #1 choice is a

good place for Him in any listing. But Jesus is not content with you making Him #1. He wants to be your one and only choice. This requires, not only repentance, but a heart of surrender: hating your life in this world, dying to self, and forfeiting all that you have to follow Him exclusively.

You may think of it as preparing a meal where Jesus is in attendance. Jesus isn’t asking that you cut away the fat and then eat the steak, but that you cut away the fat and serve Him the steak; that you give up yourself and turn yourself in to Him.

How much of yourself should you hate to love Jesus?

What must you do to die to sin; to die to yourself?

What is keeping you from forfeiting yourself for Jesus’ cause?


When the Greeks wanted to see Jesus, Philip went to Andrew and then Andrew went to Jesus. This exchange created a catalyst of events and opened up a great opportunity for Jesus to teach others. Could you do the same? Before tomorrow evening, share this booklet with two others, even if they are already Christians. Don’t be ashamed. If this challenge has been good for you, it can be good for them.

34

Day 6—Surrender





Day 7

MAKE A STATEMENT

Claiming that Jesus is Lord

A.M. WITH THE I AM You’re over half way through! Are you certain about Jesus? Do you trust Him

and His promises to be true? Have you made a real commitment to change for Him? How will you now confess Him publicly and declare Him as Lord of your life?

Who will be the blessed person with whom you will share 12 Days with Jesus? Read John 6:60-‐69 and 12:44-‐50 Ask God to give an opportunity to confess what you believe about Jesus.

Perhaps you could ask Him to give you the courage to share Jesus openly!

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 19:28-30) There were many times in the life of Jesus that our Savior made bold

statements. Among the many daring ones, perhaps none were as openly inspirational to our eternal hope as the words, “It is finished (Jn. 19:30).” When taken into context (cf. v. 28), they were words of accomplishment. When considering the culture, these were the same words used to document a business transaction that was “paid in full” (i.e. Jesus paid the price/penalty for our sins). Yet, there is another very real and often overlooked meaning within these words that brings great clarity to those who wish to be disciples of His. When Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished,” He made a statement. As He had stated to those who would wish to follow Him (Jn. 12:25), He put it into perfect practice—He hated His life in this world.

It didn’t stop there, though. John doesn’t record Jesus’ very last words, but Luke does. When tied together with “It is finished,” these words provide a perfect example. They represent the ultimate surrender.

“Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last

(Luke 23:46).”

35

Jesus’ choice to go to the cross and die was His decision. He plainly made this point many times, emphasizing that no mere man would take His life from Him (e.g. Jn. 10:11-‐18). Yet, as He hanged on the cross about to die, whatever power, knowledge, ability, or talent He had, He forfeited and placed into the Father’s hands for the Father to do His work.

Now, piece the two final statements together! When you add the two together you will discover the ultimate expression of surrender—a confession like none other.

“It is finished!” + “I commit my spirit to the Father”

____________________________________________________________________________

= “My life in this world is finished and I commit myself to Heaven’s plan.”

WHAT AN EXAMPLE! You and I would miss out on so much if Jesus’ death meant nothing more than to show us how to take up the cross. But still, what an example! If there is ever a picture of confession, this is it. This is faith! This is making a statement! Too often, the picture of confession is of an individual publicly admitting that Jesus is the Son of God before the occasion of his conversion. This is nice, but the essence of confession in Jesus gets lost in procedure. Just as certainty of Jesus is a weak faith without trust, so is a verbal admission weak without a committed spirit of trust in the one who works salvation. A strong confession is one that not only admits that Jesus is the Son of God, but is also a renunciation of the futility of trying to save ourselves through our own efforts. It is truly “calling upon the name of the Lord.” It is saying, “I am finished with myself and commit my soul to Jesus’ saving power.”

Have the confessions that you have made about Jesus in the past been weak admissions or strong commitments of trust in His saving power?

Are you willing right now to forsake all else and confess Jesus as being fully able to save your soul? Are you ready to “Make a Statement?”

EVENING LIGHT (from John 12:36-43) The Gospel of John is filled with confessions about Jesus. It’s one of the

highlights of this great Gospel. Perhaps the most notable confession was Peter’s confession in John 6:68,69 when He stated that Jesus is the holy one of God and the only one with the words of eternal life. A close second is probably shared by Thomas, with his confession, “My Lord and my God (Jn. 20:28)!” and the Samaritans who declared emphatically that Jesus is “the Savior of the World (Jn. 4:42).

36

Day 7—Make a Statement

Denials of Jesus appear as frequently and are given as much emphasis in the Gospel of John as those who confessed. One of the many examples of unbelief is found in John 12:36,37. Jesus had made His final public appeals for discipleship, encouraging those who were listening to come to the light while they had the opportunity. When they would not believe, He retreated from their presence.

Such denials of Jesus are sad, but what is disheartening is that there were some authorities in Jerusalem who believed in Jesus, but would not confess Him (Jn. 12:42). John does not distinctly say it, but the implication is that even with belief in Jesus they did not truly hear, understand, turn, or become children of light. And why? John states the reason distinctly in verses 42,43:

“for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess [their belief], so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that

comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”

So, what was the problem? Why wouldn’t they, who believed in Jesus, confess their belief in Him? You need to remember that John was an inspired writer. He’s not giving his opinion as if to make some snarky comment. John writes this as God is guiding him; and God knows the hearts of all men. You can see the reason; it’s in the text: they feared being cast out of the synagogue.

You might want to know, however, “What does this mean to me?” I doubt that you have any fear of being cast out of the synagogue, but the primary problem is still there, and it goes back to the heart of the issue: loving the glory that comes from man rather than the glory that comes from God. For the Jews who would not confess their belief in Jesus, the fear of being cast out was secondary. The primary problem was and still is identified in the questions that believers in Jesus face every single day: “What will my friends or family think?” “How will this negatively affect my social standing?” or “Will I be accepted in school, work, or politics?” In some cases the questions have a religious flare, “What would my parents or grandparents think if I leave their long-‐established line of belief?” or “How can I change what I have always been taught or have known about Jesus?” Whatever the question might be, it’s just another way of dealing with the primary struggle; the struggle between the glory that comes from man and the glory that comes from God.

IMPRESSIONS I don’t want you to get the wrong impression about the conditions of faith,

repentance, or confession. I don’t want you to feel as if Jesus makes it impossible to be a disciple of His. A true confession of Jesus is certainly found in the statement, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” It is a statement of faith, even if such faith has

37


much room to grow. A true repentance is discovered in any person’s movement in the direction of the Holy One of God. No one is perfect and no one will ever be perfect until Jesus comes again and redeems our sin-‐weakened bodies. A true faith, although in weakness of mind, may abound in strength with the growth and the power supplied by God. Jesus is not trying to lose you, but to remake you.

At the same time, I refuse to leave you with the impression that becoming a disciple of Jesus is nothing but signing on the dotted line. Jesus has called you to a personal reformation so that He, the one with the power to do so, may transform you with the power of His might. Conversion is a transformation enacted by God alone upon the heart of those who surrender themselves in complete trust on His promises. Every condition for salvation is thus an embodiment of John the Baptist’s humble cry in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

What dilemmas hinder you from confessing your trust in Jesus?

Is there ever any reason for you to be embarrassed about your faith in Jesus? If so, why does any person or situation make you feel that way?

Is there any reason why you would not confess Jesus right now?


Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He alone has the power to save you from the guilt and power of sin? If so, then more than any day before, I pray that as you advance through tomorrow’s thoughts you will make contact with us. Ask us your questions. Tell us your apprehensions. Share your desires concerning Jesus. E-‐mail us. Go to Facebook or Twitter. Let us know!

38






Day 8

WHAT’S IN THE WAY?

The Occasion of Salvation

Do you remember the three great promises—1) that Jesus can save you from the guilt of sin, 2) that the Holy Spirit can give you life over the power of sin, and 3) that God can transfer you into a saving union within His Kingdom? They’re too awesome!

Begin today with prayer, asking God to show you the grace of Jesus and how you may enter into this wonderful union of salvation and discipleship.

A.M. WITH THE I AM (from John 12:27-33) When we normally think Jesus’ crucifixion, we recognize His sacrifice as a Lamb

for our sake. This is how we think of John the Baptist’s declaration of Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:39).” This is true, but this is only true in a secondary sense. The primary reason why Jesus died on the cross was so that God could be both just and justifier (Romans 3:26); to be both holy and loving.

That God is holy means that He is just and demands that His law be perfectly satisfied in obedience (something neither of us can do) or perfectly satisfied in penalty (something neither of us wants). God must punish sin because sin is a transgression to His holy nature. This is why Jesus says, “You will die in your sins (Jn. 8:23).” That God is love means that He is merciful and does not desire for anyone to perish under the penalty of sin (e.g. Jn. 3:16). This presents an apparent problem that is only fit for God. Because you and I sin, we have no answer for this. It is a dilemma of supernatural proportions. The only answer is that God must satisfy His holy nature Himself.

This is why the cross is necessary. By being “made to be sin (2 Corinthians 5:21)” and by becoming “a curse for us (Galatians 3:13),” Jesus lovingly bore the full force of the wrath of God against our sins. This means that He paid the penalty, satisfying God and substituting Himself for us. Thus, God remains true both to His holy nature and His loving nature by being just and justifier.

So, what does this mean for you? It means that God hasn’t just brushed your sins aside. The penalty has already been paid on the cross! Notice John 12:31-‐33:

39

“Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.”

The judgment of God against all of the sins of this world, past, present, and future—your penalty and mine—was cast upon Jesus on the cross. By His death and resurrection He even triumphed over Satan. And this is the effect: By diverting His wrath wholly upon Jesus, God cleared away every obstacle to forgiveness to where there is absolutely nothing from God’s perspective that stands in the way of you being forgiven. Not even Satan stands in the way! He’s a defeated enemy!

However—and this is huge—from your perspective, what stands in the way is whether or not you will humbly accept God’s offer of forgiveness and thus surrender yourself to Jesus through faith (Jn. 3:16). Nothing stands in the way but you.

SAVORING THE SAVIOR In view of the fact that you are a sinner and must satisfy the penalty of an eternity in hell, which of the following statements do you choose in order to satisfy the requirements of God’s holiness?1

I will satisfy it myself by spending an eternity in hell.

I will humbly accept the fact that Jesus has satisfied this penalty for me, thus allowing God to justify me, a sinner, and at the same time, uphold His holiness.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 4:10-14; 7:37-39) Perhaps no other prophecy of Scripture captures the essence of conversion any

better than Ezekiel 36:25,26. The curse of sin is a double trouble: debt (the legal penalty) and death (the health consequence). Ezekiel shares a solution for both!

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Do you remember the television game show, “Press Your Luck?” It was a fun game to watch when people won prizes, but even more exciting when someone landed on a Whammy. Nobody wanted to land on a Whammy. They were little devil’s that took money and prizes away—kind of like my kids. If a contestant accumulated enough Whammies, then she was out of the game.

Since the beginning of time, Satan has been pressing his luck, gathering up as

40

Day 8—What’s in the Way?

many treasured nations and prized souls that he can. But then along came Jesus and the game changed. With Jesus dying on the cross, Satan must have thought that he had won the big money. But when Jesus rose from the dead—glorified—WHAMMY! And now, with each and every soul that gives his life to Jesus…DOUBLE WHAMMY!

What Ezekiel described is a Double Whammy against Satan’s earnings. Every sinner who enters into a saving union with Jesus becomes a recipient of God’s promised double cure. At the moment of conversion, the blood of Jesus is applied to wash away the legal consequence of sin, and at the same time, He operates on the heart by removing a calloused one and replacing it with a soft and pliable heart.

The first part of the double cure is necessary for salvation, for in it you would be clothed with the righteousness of Christ (cf. Isaiah 64:6; 61:10). So, when God the judge looks upon you, a convert, He sees Jesus’ pure robes and an individual whose penalty has already been paid. This is called “justification,” and as long as you continue to maintain faith in the atoning blood of Jesus, you remain forgiven.

The second part of the double cure is necessary in a different way. Whereas justification changes the legal status, the second part of the double cure changes the health status. This gift is called “regeneration,” and as long as you continue in faith, you would have assurance that the Christian life is possible, no matter how challenging. This was the promise from Jesus about “living water” in John 4:10-‐14.

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. It will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (v. 14).”

This water is able to revitalize your sin-‐sick soul, and beginning at the moment of conversion, will swell like a spring that breaks through a heat-‐crusted ground. It is so overwhelming that Jesus also describes this living water as flowing rivers (Jn. 7:38). If ever you would have doubts about your capability to live in harmony with Jesus, you would need only to remember that as a result of Jesus’ glorification, the second part of the double cure can empower your will to live for Jesus.

In John 7:39 and in Ezekiel’s follow up of 36:27 both tell that the living water or fleshly heart is the Holy Spirit. John especially points out that this new gift of the Holy Spirit would be given after Jesus was glorified. So, once again, as in the offer for forgiveness, the path of salvation has already been cleared for you. The floodgates are wide open for Jesus to pour out God’s life-‐giving Spirit into your heart. The only thing that stands in the way is whether or not you will humbly accept God’s offer of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Nothing stands in the way but you.

SAVORING THE SPIRIT In view of the fact that you are corrupted by sin and spiritually incapable of

41


living a godly life in the name of Jesus, which of the following statements do you choose in order to live out the rest of the days of your life?

I will live my life spiritually dead and by my own sin-‐weakened power.

I will humbly accept the fact that Jesus has offered a newly created life in which I will not only be initially transformed, but will have the strength of will to live it.

EVENING LIGHT (from John 3:3-8) Justification and regeneration are radically extraordinary. These are so

different than anything that our sin-‐filled minds can comprehend that many cannot bring themselves to actually trust that they are true. Even many Christians wander through life fearful of judgment and doubtful of their personal obedience.

Attached to these two beautiful blessings of God’s grace are bountiful riches in Christ, including, but not limited to, assurance of salvation (Hebrews 6:11,12) and assurance of ability (Philippians 2:12,13; 4:13). One such blessing of the saving work of Christ comes as a direct result in the single moment of conversion. It is so closely knit together with justification and regeneration that it cannot be separated from salvation. This blessing is a positional change. According to John, Jesus describes this new position as a family (1:12,13), kingdom (3:3,5), house (8:35), flock (10:27-‐30), relationship to light (12:36), and vine (15:1-‐8). These metaphors describe a position of salvation. It is the way of describing that a convert is in a continual saving relationship with God.

When Jesus was meeting with Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1ff), the extraordinarily radical nature of Jesus’ teaching about being born again threw him into confusion. With such an insatiable urge for the kingdom of God, he wondered, “How can a man be born again (v. 4)?” Jesus answered by disclosing the cause and occasion of regeneration and the simultaneous transfer into the Kingdom of God.

“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (v. 5).”

The ground of being born again, as with all blessings of grace, is in the power of the blood of Christ. This is a truth that should never be overlooked. The source of this new birth, however, is the Holy Spirit who is implanted within the convert and who causes regeneration (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:13; Titus 3:5). Jesus repetitively focuses on this Spirit-‐wrought birth in His short conversation with Nicodemus (vv. 5,6,8) to emphasize that it is a birth from above and is therefore completely in the hands of God. It is not a regeneration that can be caused by any biological or religious entitlement, physical element, or action of man in his puny self-‐resolve (Jn. 1:12,13). The change is too radical for you or any human to accomplish. It is equally as radical

42


and extraordinary as resurrection and creation! This is all the more reason why, in the occasion of regeneration, you must meet God “through faith in the powerful working of God (Colossians 2:12).”

Jesus clarifies the confusing matter to Nicodemus by defining the manner in which one is born again. He says that one must be “born of water and Spirit.” The way Jesus grammatically expresses this condition places “water” and “spirit” in the closest possible relationship, marking it as a single birth with two aspects: a water aspect (baptism) and a Spirit aspect (the agent of regeneration). When you faithfully accept God’s gracious promise in the occasion of baptism and are therefore born again by the working of the Spirit, you will then be given citizenship in the Lord’s Kingdom.

Allow me to sound like a broken record: the path to come into the family of God has already been cleared. The gates of the Kingdom are wide open (Matthew 16:18). The only thing that stands in the way is whether or not you will humbly accept God’s offer to enter into His saving Kingdom. Nothing stands in the way but you.

SAVORING THE KINGDOM In view of the fact that you are living in a state of lostness in the kingdom of darkness and are by the nature of sin positioned outside of Christ, which of the following statements do you choose for your relationship to God?

I would rather remain separated from God, even through eternity.

I will humbly accept the fact that God has prepared a kingdom for me and trust in His power to forgive me, remake me, and set me apart in the occasion of baptism. I wish to surrender myself in complete faith and be baptized.

1See Acknowledgements

MORE OF JESUS your mission for NOW, if you choose to accept it

Perhaps you have questions for us. Then, please ask. Perhaps you have concerns. Please share. Or perhaps, you would wish to surrender yourself through faith in baptism. Then please, don’t put it off. If you do not know of anyone who can help you, let us know and we will find someone to assist you! No challenge for tomorrow!

43






DAYS 9-12

Living through the Power of Faith

“…you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31 ESV)

45

Day 9

SEEKING GOD

Abiding in His Word

A.M. WITH THE I AM From this day forward, I am assuming that you have become a disciple in a true

converted sense. Perhaps, you have not already accepted God’s free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. If not, I earnestly pray that you will soon. Regardless, I encourage you to complete the 12-‐day challenge in its entirety.

Yesterday, there was no challenge. But you were encouraged to commit to Jesus through faith in baptism. If you have not done so, please challenge yourself to discuss this with someone. You can always email me!

Read John 8:31-‐38 and then 6:35-‐40 Pray that God will help you to live each day through the guidance of His Bible.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 8:31,32) Becoming a Christian is the most wonderful feeling in the world! It is a

tremendous relief, knowing that sins are forgiven and eternal life is assured through faith. It is also very exciting, knowing that God now makes it possible to mature in holiness more and more each day. But as great as these emotions might be, perhaps you’d like to know: “What do I do now?” This is the question that is usually answered in what is called “sanctification” or the life of maturing in holiness. For our purposes we are addressing sanctification from the angle of discipleship.

People are generally surprised when they discover that Jesus is rarely recorded as using the term, “disciple.” Of the four records of His life, He is only documented as using this term in seven particular circumstances. One of these carries the weight of a condition, which would be understood as faith and repentance (Lk. 14:26,27,33). Another is in identifying the product of the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19). Two passages, that are parallel accounts, emphasize the humble attitude of being a disciple (Mt. 10:24,25; cf. Lk. 6:40). One other is more or less a passing statement (Mt. 10:42).

47

In any case, Jesus is much more particular about the use of “disciple” than those who recorded the events of His life. In John’s case, there are three unique passages in which Jesus defines discipleship (Jn. 8:31; 13:35; 15:8). These three verses formulate a special outline for your new life of discipleship. They serve the same purpose as the scaffolding of a building project. They not only define “discipleship,” but also provide the framework for your growth as a disciple.

The first of the three Jesus-‐defined characteristics of discipleship is that of continuing to seek God’s will through the Holy Scriptures (Jn. 8:31):

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

We may simply call this Seeking God. Seeking God is accomplished by the study, meditation, and application of His Word. “His Word” is one of the many ways to refer to the revealed will of God as it has been provided for us through the writings of those who were inspired by God’s Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21). So, whether it is called the Bible or His Word, it is one and the same.

YOU CAN KNOW The promise from Jesus is that His Word can sustain you as a true disciple. Even

as you battle daily with temptation and sinfulness, you can know what is good and right for your life. Jesus insists that you can know the truth (v. 32) and that His truth will undoubtedly make you free and keep you free (v. 36). So, to begin answering the question, “What do I do now?” I simply encourage you, “You can Seek God’s will!”

In what ways can you Seek God through His Word?

Why does Jesus make Seeking God an identifying characteristic of a disciple?

How might Seeking God’s will for your life help you to mature?

EVENING LIGHT (from John 6:22-59) As it was noted before, Jesus defines a true disciple as one who “abides in His

Word (Jn. 8:31).” What might strike you immediately is how Jesus attaches “true disciples” with “His Word.” This same teaching is born out elsewhere in John’s record of Jesus’ teaching. For example, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments (Jn. 14:16; cf. v. 21).” The opposite is just as true (v. 24). He also says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love (Jn. 15:10),” and then He describes such obedient disciples as His friends (v. 14). These examples and many others like them amply describe the motivation of love. Rather than simply being

48

Day 9—Seeking God

obligated as a human being created in God’s image, you are now free from sin to attach yourself to God’s Word out of a spirit of love. So, instead of asking, “What do I have to do now?” the disciple who Seeks God in response to His grace asks a different question out of a spirit of love: “What do I get to do now?”

Perhaps, what is even more striking is the manner in which Jesus says that a true disciple is attached to His Word. A true disciple is not merely one who reads and studies the Bible, but one who “abides” in it. In the context of John 8:31-‐38, Jesus’ Word is pitted against the active power of sin to rule over a person’s life (v. 34). A certain contrast is apparent. You have a choice. Either you can live apart from the Word and be in slavery to sin or you can abide in the Word and be in freedom with Christ. But how are you to make sense of this? Reading and studying the Bible makes sense. Carrying a Bible in your pocket or having a Bible app on your phone makes sense. But how do you abide in His Word? In my judgment, it all comes back to the staple of Christianity—Faith in God’s promises.

Through a lengthy discourse in John 6:22-‐59, Jesus frequently identified Himself and the truth of His teachings as “the bread of life (e.g. v. 35).” Those who continue to believe in Him and consume Him, have the promise from Jesus that they will never thirst or go hungry and that they will have life in this age and the next. Additionally, Jesus gives an assuring promise (v. 37):

“Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

In concern of unbelief, Jesus warns that if anyone does not consume Him, there is no life (v. 53). There is no life, because apart from Him and His Word, faith is dead. As long as you have faith in His guidance to give you life and guidance, however, you are abiding in His Word. As Jesus eventually certifies in verse 56, if you feed on Him, you abide in Him. You have no fear, then, because faith in God’s Word will sustain you.

“No one will snatch you out of His hand (Jn. 10:28,29).”

STAVING OFF STARVATION Even though you have been forgiven and raised unto a new life, you still live in

a sin-‐corrupted world and with a sin-‐susceptible body. Sin still seeks to enslave your will and bring you under its power.

Though the devil is incapable of snatching you away from God (Jn. 10:28; 1 John 4:4), he is certainly capable of luring you away from God. He does this by enticing you (James 1:14,15), drawing you away from faithful dependence in God’s Word as your life-‐giving source. If you allow this to happen, your dependence in God for life and guidance slowly weakens to the point that you starve your saving faith.

49

Day 9—Seeking God

This may not happen immediately. It can happen slowly or in stages. It may result from sin against God’s Word or by dismissal of His promises. But eventually, your trust in Jesus can waste away until you have starved your life of faith in Him. When this happens, you inevitably unplug yourself from the life of abiding in Him.

So, the encouragement comes from Jesus: Eat my flesh, drink my blood, consume me, learn of me…believe. Keep seeking God by faith, living in and feeding on His will for your life!

What are some ways that you can individually “attach” yourself to God’s Word?

What could you do by yourself to grow your faith in God’s Word so that you will remain in His hand?

How would it benefit you to attend Bible classes where other disciples gather together to study God’s Word?


I challenge you to read 1 John 4:7-‐21 tomorrow and engross yourself with the words of this loving passage. I realize that the 12 Days with Jesus has much reading to begin with, but it wouldn’t be much of a challenge if it were not challenging. Set aside some extra time and dive into the Word of God. Permit it to speak to your inner depths!

50

Day 9—Seeking God





Day 10

SERVING GOD

Loving Like Jesus

A.M. WITH THE I AM Many of the thoughts for 10th day reflect on our response to the love of Jesus.

There is no greater picture of love found anywhere. As you begin Day 10, I pray that your heart will be filled with the greatest of appreciation.

The challenge for today was to read a portion of 1 John 4:7-‐21. It’s an excellent read and I really hope you can fit it into your busy schedule. You won’t regret it!

Read John 13:1-‐20 Pray that God will strengthen your perception so that you may see the bountiful

opportunities to love others with the love of our Savior.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from Mark 12:28-34) Allow me to direct your attention away from the Gospel of John to the Gospel

of Mark to prepare the canvas upon which Jesus will paint His next picture of discipleship. In Mark 12:28-‐34, Jesus was asked by a scribe (a law expert) “Which commandment is the most important of all?” To answer, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4,5, saying, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…soul…mind…and strength.” He then adds to this by quoting Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

At first glance, it might seem as if Jesus is offering the top two most important commandments, as if to say, “Here is #1 and here is #2.” Whereas it is true that these are two distinct commandments, neither Jesus nor the scribe treated them as such. They both respected the two commands as if they were one synergistic compound. The most important command, then, would be to love God with all of your being while loving your neighbor as yourself. Granted, the two can virtually exist outside of the other. A person can dedicate himself to God with every ounce of His ability while

51

caring very little for his fellow man. In the same respect, an atheist can love a neighbor as much as he loves himself. But from God’s point of view the two are inseparable. Love for God is only real when it manifests itself in love for others and love for others can only be with a power that God can supply for those who love Him.

John wrote about this synergistic compound in his first epistle. Several verses especially emphasize how it is impossible to love God without having love for others (1 John 3:10-‐18,23; 4:20,21; 5:2). Perhaps the most telling is 1 John 4:20:

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God

whom he has not seen.”

Jesus said that loving God and loving others is the most important command of all and is characteristic of those who are in His kingdom. The scribe, with Jesus in agreement, even added that it was more important than the rituals of worship. With this all-‐important synergistic compound, the canvas has been prepped for Jesus to paint the second defining characteristic of true discipleship (Jn. 13:34,35):

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We may think of this second defining characteristic as Serving God. Serving God means loving Him while loving others with the heart of a servant. I have suggested to you that faith is the staple of Christianity. I would also suggest that the staple to Christian living, or discipleship, is love (1 John 4:23).

GIVE GIVE GIVE Perhaps you have heard or have thought this criticism before: “All that Christians

want is for people to give, give, give.” In spite of what is most likely an ill-‐spirited critique, this is a wonderful description of the Christian life. Now that you are a Christian, you are in the business of giving—giving all of yourself to God while giving all of yourself to others. This means giving your heart, time, talents, money, worship, effort, etc., to God freely and not under compulsion, while at the same time, sharing your possessions, giving others the benefit of the doubt, giving second chances, offering your time to help etc., for the well-‐being of others.

Is your idea of the most important command the same as it was to Jesus?

How can abiding in God’s Word help you be a giver instead of a taker?

52

Day 10—Serving God

EVENING LIGHT (from John 13:34,35) The secular teaching that molds much of what we observe in our culture is the

idea that “perception is reality.” The influence that it exerts upon us is quite strong. Whether right or wrong, perceptions can direct our judgments in what we consider to be real. Its negative power can lead to many presumptions about others and personal acts of hypocrisy. Jesus spoke against this negative aspect of perceptions, but He also understood the positive power of it. He neither encouraged showmanship as an act of faith nor considered outward appearance a determining factor of worthiness. At the same time, Jesus knows that a great testimony can be publicly displayed when disciples act like disciples.

The love that Jesus describes in John 13:35 is evidently a love that is perceivable. It is not only mouthed out in conversation, but demonstrated in genuine action. Jesus intends for this love not to be missed. It can’t be missed because it is a love more powerful, more endearing, and more compassionate than love that can be found anywhere else.

This is one of those head-‐scratching verses. On the surface, the meaning is quite simple: show love and be seen as a disciple. But we need to drop below the surface and look deeper. Human beings are creatures who are made in the image of God and are therefore capable of loving. In many wonderful ways the world is filled with loving and caring people because they were created as such. So, there must be something special about this love that Jesus is talking about; something that sets it apart from love that most humans express. It must be something unique. It must be something more noticeable than good deeds and shared luncheons. It must be a love that is deeper than love shared by husband and wife or parents and children. It must be a love, that when demonstrated genuinely by Jesus’ disciples, unmistakably verifies that they are true followers of Jesus.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another (1 Jn. 13:34).”

This is it! It’s a love that is so distinct that it sets loving disciples apart from other loving people. What is it? How is it different? The answer is in Jesus’ example. It is a love that is exemplified by Jesus’ sacrificial work. As Jesus said in Jn. 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends,” love between disciples is pure, sacrificial, and gracious. It is a love that extends beyond any way that we would love ourselves. Indeed, “loving others as yourself” will always be the standard. Nothing will ever change that. What Jesus exemplified through His death and resurrection, however, not only exemplifies this uncharacteristic love, it amplifies the meaning of “loving others as yourself.” Now that you are a child of God

53


by His mercy and kindness (Titus 3:3-‐8), loving others as yourself means loving them as those who need mercy and compassion in its fullest. You are not simply loving others as you love yourself, you’re loving them by sharing the immeasurable riches of Christ (cf. Ephesians 1:9; 2:7). Nothing is more natural to serving God than loving God by loving others in the same way that He has loved you!

AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU The background of this second defining characteristic of discipleship is of Jesus

kneeling down and washing His disciples’ feet (Jn. 13:1-‐20). It was a lesson in humility and service. A disciple’s love for others is thus summarized in Jesus’ word to the men whose feet He had washed:

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to

you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed

are you if you do them (John 3:14-‐17).”

What perceptions of men (or of your own) hinder you from loving others the way that you should love them?

With what motivation do you think you should give, forgive, serve, etc. others as an expression of your love for God?


Your challenge for tomorrow is to seek out an opportunity to serve others. Whether it is connected to a church, community, neighbor, non-‐profit, etc., it does not matter. Your service may actually take place on some other day than tomorrow, but seek out the project in which to be involved tomorrow. And while you’re at it, perhaps there might be some person who could benefit greatly from this challenge. Share it.

54






Day 11

SHARING GOD

Bearing Much Fruit

A.M. WITH THE I AM Throughout the 12 Days with Jesus challenge, you have been encouraged to

share this challenge with others. More so than any other day, you will be asked to help me share Jesus by sharing this challenge with others. I pray that you will!

Did you search out any opportunities of service? If you have not found that one project, keep searching. If anything, just ask, “What need can I fill?”

Read John 15:1-‐11 You are encouraged this morning to pray for the wisdom and strength to share

the Good News of Jesus with others.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 17:15-21) A few hours before Jesus’ arrest and trial, He was alone in a room with His

apostles praying. He prayed about God’s glory, oneness among His disciples…and…for you! If you were to quickly read through this prayer, that exciting tidbit might get lost in some of the repetitious statements. But yes, the fact is that Jesus prayed for you.

Beginning in verse 15, Jesus prays that the Father would protect His disciples as they were being sent out rather than removing them from the world. For their sake, Jesus asked the Father to keep them from evil and sanctify them through the truth. But then, come the special words of verse 20; words which turn this entire prayer into a prayer that is beneficial for you and me:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.”

That was for you! Jesus prayed for you. He prayed for you because you are from God (v. 9). He prayed that the Father would keep you in His name (v. 11) and that you would have Christ’s joy (v. 13). He prayed that while you live in the world

55

that you would not be of the world and that you would be protected from the evil one (vv. 14-‐16). He prayed that you would be sanctified through His Word as you are being sent out with the Good News of Christ (vv. 17-‐19). And He prayed for you to be perfectly one with the Father alongside of Jesus and with all disciples (vv. 21ff). Why did Jesus pray for you? Why did He pray for oneness between you and His disciples, for your protection from evil, and for your personal sanctification through the truth? Because you have been sent out. You have not been commissioned for a life of isolation. You, alongside of all disciples, have been called unto a life of production. This is the primary meaning of the final defining characteristic of discipleship.

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (John 15:8).”

Once again, I want to break this down into the simplest terms so that it may be helpful for you to construct the building of your life as a disciple. You may think of this as Sharing God. This means being evangelistic, being a witness, sharing the Good News of Jesus, or fulfilling the great commission (cf. Matthew 28:18-‐20).

MAKE MORE DISCIPLES After Jesus’ resurrection, He tells His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even

so I am sending you (Jn. 20:21).” The disciples were already involved in the earthly ministry of making disciples (Jn. 4:1,2) and Jesus had told them before, “We must work the works of Him who sent me (Jn. 9:4),” and “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do (Jn. 14:12).” Jesus’ apostles were fully aware that their purpose as disciples was to emulate the teaching ministry of Jesus, to make more disciples. It didn’t stop with them. You have become a part of this great work too!

How does it make you feel, knowing that Jesus prayed for you?

How might serving others with a heart of love help prepare you better to share the Good News of Jesus?

Is there anyone that you could share this challenge with right now? If so, share!

EVENING LIGHT (from John 15:1-11) As you Seek God and Serve God throughout your walk with Christ, you will

produce many fruits. “Fruit” is a metaphor used frequently in Scripture to represent any positive production from God’s people. In your life as a disciple you will continue

56

Day 11—Sharing God

to produce the fruit of repentance while striving for holiness (Matthew 3:8). You will bear the fruit of the Spirit as you learn from your Bible and permit the Spirit to strengthen your resolve (Galatians 5:22-‐25). You will bear the fruit of labor as you put sacrificial love into action (Acts 26:20). You will bear a fruit of praise as a sacrifice from your lips when worshipping God (Hebrews 13:15). All of these and so many other fruits will be produced through you as you live for Christ.

You may not always bear the brightest and purest of fruit. As you continue in your saving union with Christ, there will be some dry seasons and times when the fruit will not yield a great harvest. You will sin, have doubts and struggles, and you will question your effectiveness. No disciple is ever perfect and you should not expect perfection either. This should never be a reason to cast away your faith in Jesus. Instead, it should be an even greater reason to cling to Him more. And here is why:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do

nothing (John 15:5).”

The parable of John 15, otherwise known as “the vine and branches,” should give you the utmost confidence in your discipleship. Jesus wants to put you to good use and glorify God through you. Rather than shoving you out the door to do it on your own, He encourages you that with Him you will bear much fruit (vv. 2,5,8). That’s the thrust of the parable. You can with Jesus. You cannot without Him. You were created in Christ Jesus for good works, and as you abide in Him, God will continue to work in you to give you the will to produce much wonderful fruit (cf. Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12,13).

This parable is fantastic. It is generally a healthy reminder that Jesus’ disciples can do all things through Him. It’s a confidence booster. Bearing healthy fruit is possible. To be more specific though, Jesus seems to have a particular fruit in mind for His apostles, and of course, for you too. Considering that Jesus is preparing His apostles for His departure and for their commission to share the Good News to the world, it is reasonable to suggest that the “fruit” of this parable is “more disciples” who will produce “more disciples.” So, when you consider what Jesus says about bearing much fruit, you may think of one of your roles as a disciple as a “disciple maker.”

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (John 15:8).”

New disciples will find it quite doable to read and learn more about their walk

with Christ. They are often so grateful for their new life in Jesus that they are anxious to be of service to others. But then, there is much apprehension about Sharing God. Many will often wonder, how they, as new disciples, can possibly share Jesus when

57


they are not prepared to do so—not seasoned enough, not educated enough, not ready. Do you feel that way? It’s understandable if you do. At the same time, the God who makes it possible to bear any fruit, and to do so abundantly, gives His promise that as you abide in Him, you can with Jesus.

“Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit…Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,

for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:2,5).”

THE DISCIPLE CYCLE The Gospel records are in agreement: Jesus taught His disciples, He trained His

disciples, and then He sent them out. Jesus intended to make His disciples “to become fishers of men (Mark 1:17).” He intended to mold them into His cooperation with the Father: “Everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40).” So, when Jesus gave what is called the Great Commission, to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19),” He was not sending them on a dunking mission. He had taught them, trained them, and sent them out to make disciples whom they would teach, train, and send out. The cycle was put into motion, a cycle of which you are a big part—to make more disciples, to Share God.

If God has promised that you can produce much fruit with His help, what

apprehensions might you have for operating under His grace?

If God has promised that you can make more disciples with His help, is there any reason why you cannot share this challenge with a friend?


When the 12 Days with Jesus challenge was conceptualized, developing a simple, easy-‐to-‐share study, was the primary energy behind every study, thought, and challenge. If you have been challenging your friends in the way that I hope, I thank you greatly for being a big part of this effort. But now, I’m asking for you to step it up a notch. Your challenge for tomorrow is to send this challenge to FIVE people.

58






Day 12

TO BE CONTINUED

In Harmony with God’s Movement

The promises of Jesus are real. Forgiveness in His blood, new life by His Spirit, and a relationship with God and His people are no mere side items. These make up the main course, within which you have found the meat and potatoes of God’s grace. On this last day, I want you to see how these three great promises, which are now in reality, continue to bless you as you now strive to Seek God, Serve God, and Share God.

As you offer a prayer this morning, please remember the people with whom you have shared this challenge. Others have prayed for you. Please pray for others.

A.M. WITH THE I AM (from John 10:7-30) We may think of three characteristics that qualified Jesus as perfect. In all three

of these, Jesus claimed to be completely in harmony with the One who sent Him: What He thought (Jn. 5:30; 6:38), what He said (Jn. 7:16), and what He did (Jn. 8:29). Instead of thinking of Jesus as being perfect in acts of obedience, you should think in terms of His movement, where His entire being was moving in harmony with His Father’s.

Do you know what qualifies you as imperfect? What you think, what you say, and what you do. Because you are human, your thoughts, words, and actions are not in harmony with God. Perfection is beyond your capability. You are human and it is humanly impossible to move in the same way that Jesus moved. Trying to humanly move in harmony with God as Jesus did is like trying to compete in the Daytona 500 riding a tricycle. There’s no way you could ever keep up. This poses a very serious challenge. If you consider your human interests and sin-‐filled life, there is much about yourself that is out of harmony with God. So, you might be wondering, “How can I, a sinful human, be in harmony with God?”

It might seem impossible, but in John 10, Jesus gives a three-‐fold assurance that goes back to the three great promises that we called the “Greater Things” or God’s “Triple Threat.” Beginning with verse 9, Jesus gives the assurance that you can continue in a saving union as a result of His “laying down His life:”

59

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

By virtue of laying down His life and rising again, Jesus is the authorized “Door” of salvation. You entered through this “Door” when you were baptized. God’s grace, however, is much greater than a one-‐time event. His grace extends beyond your entrance into its saving system and continues as you stand within it by the same access of faith in Jesus (Romans 5:2). When you entered through “the Door,” you entered into a relationship in which Jesus’ blood continues to cleanse you of your sins (1 John 1:5-‐10). Even as imperfect as you might be, the accomplished work of Christ assures you that you are 100% forgiven and fit in the sight of God to remain saved.

Not all Christians live with such assurance. A common misconception is that only a person’s past sins are forgiven in conversion. Then, every sin committed afterwards is recorded on a “sin-‐registry,” where once again, “guilty charges” mount up against the disciple until some reconciliation is made. This is a weak assumption based on a limited view of what our Savior accomplished. Nobody would deny that Jesus bore the sins of the world on the cross (e.g. 1 Peter 2:24), but the full weight of what this means needs to be clarified. When Jesus bore our sins on the cross He paid the full penalty of sins—past, present, and future. This is why “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).” This is how Jesus could say so confidently, that His sheep “will never perish” or be “snatched out of His hand (Jn. 10:28).”

IN HARMONY WITH THE SAVIOR This assurance is contingent upon faith, not only having certainty, but also

having trust. As long as you humbly accept the continual cleansing power of His blood, you remain in a forgiven relationship and are thus fit to move in harmony with God.

Which of the following statements would be in harmony with Jesus’ teaching?

By trusting in my own goodness, Jesus will keep me secure with Him.

By trusting in Jesus’ atoning blood, He will keep me secure with Him.

MIDDAY CRUNCH (from John 10:7-30) Having movement that flows in harmony with God should be the desire of

every disciple. There should be a sense of obligation to keep God’s commands simply because “God said so.” God is our Creator and Ruler and it is morally right that we would glorify Him by living in accordance with His revealed will. There should also be a great sense of love to motivate our obedience. God is also our Redeemer and

60

Day 12—To Be Continued

Savior and it is only natural to reciprocate His kindness with gratitude toward Him and in showing mercy to others. The difficulty, as expressed earlier, is that right living and expressions of love do not always come easy. Since you and I continue to break the law and frequently act selfish, the prospect of moving in harmony with God feels like a shot in the dark. So, you might wonder, “How could I ever get it right?”

Understanding your forgiven state is one step in the right direction of having assurance in your movement with God. That answers the question of permission, but it doesn’t answer the challenge of ability; that is, “How can I?” How can you Seek God, Serve God, and Share God in harmony with Him?

The next step to having assurance of moving in harmony with God is having Jesus’ promise that you can obey God’s will and that you can love Him and love others. In several statements by Jesus in John 10, Jesus promises you that you can have an abundant life (v. 10), know Him (v. 14), listen to Him (v. 16), and follow Him (v. 27). Once you entered through “the Door,” you were not only given access to stand in God’s grace, but you were also provided with the necessary resources, namely, the Holy Spirit, to more fully operate as a disciple (Romans 5:1-‐4).

When taking into account Jesus’ movement that was in harmony with God as the example for our own movement, it becomes overwhelming. As Jesus declared in John 5:19,20, His movement was meant to create a sense of marvel. But when comparing what Jesus said there with what He later promised His disciples in John 14:12, we not only see the obligation to move as He did, we see the possibility to do so as well.

“Truly, truly, I say to you…whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And

greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.”

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

What might seem like a near impossible feat is actually a great possibility as we carry out the works of our Savior in our movement with God. Jesus even says that “greater works” than His own can be accomplished with trust and prayer in the full package of blessings granted through the power of His glorification (see v. 13).

Whereas it is within our God-‐given ability to make right decisions, the promise of God’s Holy Spirit assures us that we can move in harmony with God when it seems so difficult. It is by the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (Jn. 7:37-‐39) that we are aided with the moral power to rejoice in hope, endure suffering, build character, and be faithful no matter what challenges we encounter (Romans 5:2-‐5). He helps us to put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13), strengthens our inner being (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 3:16), and empowers us to produce such fruit as love, patience, and

61


kindness (Galatians 5:16-‐25). Outside of Jesus, we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5), but in and with Jesus, the Holy Spirit empowers us with the motivation that says, “I can!”

IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT Like continual forgiveness, the promise of the Holy Spirit to empower your will is

an assurance that must lean heavily on faith. As long as you humbly surrender more and more aspects of your life to the Holy Spirit’s control, both His instruction through the Scriptures and His personal indwelling will strengthen your inner self to move in harmony with God. You will be “in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).”


By trusting in my unaided intellect and talents, I can move in harmony with God.

By trusting in God’s Holy Spirit, He can help me move in harmony with God.

EVENING LIGHT (from John 10:7-30) Even if you accept God’s gracious power to keep you saved through faith (1 Peter

1:5) and to work in you to bolster your will (Philippians 2:13), you may still lack confidence in your personal usefulness. This is the question of placement: What place do you hold in God’s movement? How and where can you be used?

The metaphor that Jesus used in John 10 to describe the relationship with His followers is that of a sheepfold. By attaching abundant life and His redemptive work to the sheepfold, it is obvious that Jesus is not talking about random followers. He’s describing a shared fellowship of believers. This comes out even clearer in John 10:16.

“I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Most of the discussion in this 12 Days with Jesus challenge has been from the perspective of individual salvation and discipleship. But salvation is not a solitary experience; it is a shared experience. The saving union that exists between you and Jesus is not only a union between you and God. It is also a union with all disciples, which Jesus describes as a single flock. You are a sheep in one flock, which together with other sheep, follow the one Shepherd.

When some religious leaders in John 8 opposed Jesus, He warned them that although they could claim to be the genetic “offspring of Abraham (v. 37),” they were not acting like it (v. 39). That hit a sore spot with these men because being a child of Abraham meant being an equal heir of the greatest promise (v. 33; Romans 4:13). They

62


considered themselves to be first in line. Jesus’ reference to Abraham was not a meaningless barb to criticize the religious

leaders for failing to act like their ancestor. It was a deep cut to the heart of their faulty thinking. Abraham played a vital role to our redemption and to our understanding of the individual’s placement in any movement that would be in harmony with God. Sometimes, God’s family is referred to as Abraham’s family because it was through Abraham that God would bless the world as descendents of faith.

Abraham was a man with whom God had made a special promise. In this promise, the fullest extent of the blessings of salvation and eternal life would be offered through him and to all the people of the earth (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8). It was a gracious promise that would be realized through his one offspring, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16-‐18; Acts 3:25). This is why Jesus tells His antagonists that, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day (Jn. 8:56). Abraham gladly anticipated the fulfillment of this promise by looking for a city built by God that would be inhabited by innumerable descendents (Hebrews 11:10-‐12). Does that sound familiar? To use Jesus’ metaphor from John 10, you could say that Abraham faithfully anticipated a single flock of innumerable sheep, shepherded by a living God. Woven tightly into the fabric of grace is the assurance of your placement with Jesus as a single heir of the promise given to Abraham. Not only do you have the continual pardon by Jesus’ blood and the continual aid of the Holy Spirit, but you also have the continual placement and equal purpose as a member in the family of God.

“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And

to your offspring,” who is Christ… …For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for

you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:16,26-‐29).”

The placement and purpose is as real as the forgiveness and power that grants it to you. You have a home, a family, a body, and a flock. You have not been left alone. Your challenges, temptations, struggles, and pains are born by others connected through a loving fellowship. Your achievements, successes, growth, and joy are shared by others basking in the grace of God. Your purpose to Seek God, Serve God, and Share God, is truly a co-‐mission as you operate as a unified team. You are one with God and one with His people! You are a sheep in one flock, which together with other sheep, follow the one Shepherd.

63


ONENESS IN THE KINGDOM The promise of oneness in the Kingdom, where all subjects are equal and united,

is an assurance that must have your complete faith. As long as you faithfully accept your oneness in the Kingdom, God will insure that you will always have a fitting place and purpose to move in harmony with God and together with His people.


By trusting in my individual efforts without ever devoting myself to the family of God, I can move in harmony with God.

By trusting in my union with the family of God, God can give me purpose and fellowship so that I can move in harmony with Him.

MORE OF JESUS your mission for NOW, if you choose to accept it

Congratulations! You have completed the challenge! You have the permission from God to continue, the help from God’s power to continue, and the right place and purpose by God’s grace to continue. The challenge now is to live your life with continued faith in Jesus, growing more and more like Him each and every day as you Seek God, Serve God, and Share God in cooperation with Jesus and together with His disciples. If this challenge has been helpful for you, share it, share it some more, and share it

often! It’s not the only way to share Jesus, but it’s great way to be involved.

64






ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Great Disciples of Christ

There are a number of people who deserve to be appreciated for their help in the process of piecing together this material, but the following individuals stand out and deserve my deepest gratitude. 1. To my wife, Jennifer: Thank you for being my shield and rock, my sounding

board and brainstorming companion. Thank you for showing me what it means to be patient and forgiving like Jesus.

2. To my children, Daniel, Micah, and Jaycee: I pray that the words and thoughts within this booklet will aid you in your development as disciples of Jesus and that you will live within God’s grace with confidence and assurance.

3. To my parents, Wayne and Patty Hart: Thank you for your constant and unending support and encouragement and all that I do in Christ’s name.

4. To Dr. Ernie Bailey: You are a very special friend and brother in Christ and I thank you greatly for proofing all of the material to go to print.

5. To my Glendale family: Thank you for your active participation and continued support to share Jesus with your friends.

6. To the Future Preachers Training Camps: My attendance and work with these camps at Pennington Bend and Graymere have helped form my ministry and purpose in God’s Kingdom.

7. To Dr. Jack Cottrell: Your influence through your writings has greatly impacted my understanding of God, His Son, and His Spirit and the grace that He has so lovingly and freely given to us. Note: The questions on Day 8 were derived and adapted from p. 139, “Set Free; What the Bible Says About Grace” College Press, 2009.

65

Glendale Road Church of Christ 1101 Glendale Rd Murray, KY 42071

270-‐753-‐3714 www.glendaleroadchurch.org

http://www.glendaleroadchurch.org

tel:270-753-3714

12 days with jesus - glendale road church days with jesus.pdf · 2019-11-15 ·...

Documents