God's Response to Mankind's Sin: Day 2

God responds to sin, and in my situation, I had to respond as well.  I responded by making, gradual but drastic changes in my lifestyle.  These changes forced me to walk down a slow road of recovery that had a lot of ups and down. Two steps forward and one step back was quickly followed by two steps forward and three steps back.  It was frustrating, hard, and many times it felt like suffering.  In fact I think Romans 8:17 is speaking of the maturing process when it says: 

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

During those times of pain and frustration, it's easy to doubt God's love and goodness.  It's easy to think that He doesn't care, but that's a lie.  The truth is: life on earth sucks at times.  It's hard, frustrating, and disappointing, but God is still good.  God didn't promise to make this life perfect, He promised to make the next one perfect.  That's good of Him, but there is something even better.

God also promised to use pain, suffering and disappointments to changed our destiny.  Ephesians 2:1-10 revealed that God saw the pain and suffering we experience and He stepped in.  He responded to the painful effects of sin by absorbing it.  On the cross, Jesus took our punishment and rewrote our eternity.  We suffer because of our sin; He suffers because He loves us.  He suffers because He wants to bring us something very good: reconciliation.

Read about God's reconciliation in Ephesians 2:11-18 (NLT):

Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Answer the following questions:

1. Gentiles are non-Jewish people. How did Jesus accomplish reconciliation for the Gentiles?
2. Which relationships are reconciled through Jesus?
3. This passage shows that Jesus brought good news. Restate the good news in one sentence.
4. Are there any relationships in your life that need to be reconciled? Take time to pray for them.

Week 2 Challenge:

Prejudice is wrong, because God desires unity between all people. Ask God to show you a group of people that you are prejudice against, and look for an opportunity to show kindness to them.

God's Response to Mankind's Sin

My first three years of college were a blur of selfish choices that inflicted trauma on myself and other people, but I couldn't stop chasing after sin. I had lost control over my desires, and was craving wickedness in increasing amounts. I didn't realize it at the time, but the sin that began as a “fun escape” had started to infiltrate every area in my life.  I was addicted.

The more I followed my desires, the more I became blinded by those desires.  I was trapped and unable to save myself, but thankfully, God intervened before it was too late. 

One day while I was in the middle of an immoral behavior, I began to feel convicted and ashamed of my actions.  In the past, I had tried to ignore shame and guilt whenever I experienced them, but that time was different.  That time I wasn't able to ignore the feelings.  God had captured my attention, and wanted to give me another opportunity to turn my life around.  It was an opportunity I didn't deserve at all.  

"Opportunity" is a strange word to use for conviction, but I think it's an accurate one.  My addiction and shame created a bondage, but God offered to release me.  Interestingly, it didn't feel like an "opportunity" back then, instead, it felt like a quick slap to the face that left my body vibrating.  It felt like shock therapy, but it was the best thing that ever happened to me.   

Read Paul's introduction in Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT):

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does Paul reveal about the life of a non-believer?
2. What does this passage reveal about salvation? 
3. How did God save us, and why?
4. How has God been changing your life as you spend more time with Him?    

Our Response to God's Love: Day 3

I saw a picture online which had stirred up a lot of controversy not too long ago.  The picture showed a grocery receipt of food purchased with food stamps, and it stirred up controversy because the food consisted of lobster and porterhouse steak.  People were outraged that their taxes helped other people eat more luxurious than they did.  And how would you feel if you found the receipt?

Would you feel cheated and taken advantage of?  Would you feel as though justice was being perverted?  What emotions are stirred up as you think about those questions?

Interestingly, the story doesn't end there.  The guy who bought the lobster and steak turned around and sold the food at 50 cents to the dollar.  In essence, he used the food stamps as an ATM machine.  But why would he do that?  Why was he willing to forfeit half of the money in order to get cash...?  

You probably have a few ideas, and it probably makes you angry.  It doesn't seem right, does it?  It seems unfair and unjust, doesn't it?

That's because it is.  In fact, the spokesperson for the Department of Human Services said that the purchases go against the intent of the program.  

You were cheated, and how does that make you feel?  

I keep asking you to consider your feelings, because I want you to consider God's feelings. We are cheating God when we say "I'm going to sin now and ask for forgiveness later," and how do you think He feels?  Even more importantly, are you concerned with His feelings?

Those are hard questions to think about, because many times we are more concerned about ourselves than Him.  At least, I know I'm guilty of that.  God has feelings, and I am sorry for the way I have hurt Him.  That was sinful of me.

As we continue to read about God's incredible love for us, let's remember to use that love appropriately.

Read Paul's prayer for other Christians in Ephesians 1:15-23 (NLT):

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does Paul teach us about prayer as he describes his prayer for other believers?

2. What do we learn about Jesus Christ and what do we learn about the Church? How are they related to one another?

3. What do you need that you believe only God can satisfy?

4. Who do you pray for? Does anyone pray for you?

Conclusion:

Focusing on God is important, but it's also important to have the right motives. Some people believe they can earn God's forgiveness by reading the bible and going to church, others believe God's love is a license to sin, while still others might believe that God is mean and will send them to hell if they don't go to church and read the bible. However, all of these motives are wrong. God's forgiveness is a gift that we can't earn, but it's a gift He wants to give us. Our motive for prioritizing God should be based on His love for us, and next week we will discover why God's love is so amazing.

p.s. If you want to read the food stamp story online, here is the link:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/receipt.asp