The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Matthew 8:1-4, 9:1-17, 12:1-21, Mark 1:40 – 3:21, Luke 5:12 – 6:19
Act 3: God’s New Covenant People
Scene 2: Christ’s Ministry; God’s True King Manifests His Kingdom
Background Information: Matthew 8:1-4, 9:1-17, 12:1-21, Mark 1:40 – 3:21, Luke 5:12 – 6:19
Jesus did not come to simply bring reform; he came to bring new life. To reform something is to restore it to its original intent. Jesus came to bring new life to human hearts. Of course, Jesus was no plan “B,” for he was always God’s plan “A” to redeem humanity. All through the Old Testament, the signs pointed forward to Jesus. Now that he had come, the opportunity for reform had come and gone with Israel’s continual refusal to heed the prophet’s warnings. A change of perspective was needed for people to be prepared to embrace the changed heart of new life in Christ. Of course, the new life in Christ is more than a mental change, but it is certainly not less than that. Perspective shifts come through what key leaders communicate, demonstrate, and celebrate. Jesus communicated, demonstrated, and celebrated the fact that the New Covenant had come in person and that it was for all people. Jesus communicated that the new has come and the old is gone. He did not do away with the Old Covenant, but he fulfilled it. Any attempts to simply repair the old garment would fail. Any attempts to blend the old with the new would be like pouring new wine into old, brittle wineskins. The fermenting process of the new wine would burst the old skins. Jesus demonstrated through his shows of power that the gospel was for all people and not a select few. His miracles were applied to Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus celebrated those who embraced the New Covenant with faith, even those who came from outside the scope of the chosen people. The Lord would continually apply this three-fold process of communication, demonstration, and celebration throughout his life and ministry as he was training his followers to shift in their thinking from the Old to the New Covenant way of life.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Tonight is our church-wide prayer meeting at 6:30. Ask God to enable us to endure as we labor in prayer and seek his face on behalf of our church and on behalf of the lost.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.