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Life Is A Journey: Student's Guide
Life Is A Journey: Student's Guide
LI F E IS A
JO URN E Y
A G u i d e t o Un d e r s t a n d i ng the
S p i r i t u a l Jo u r n e y o f L i fe
BI LL MOUNCE
Life is a Journey
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ii Life is a Journey
Overview
When we became a follower of Jesus, we started on the spiritual journey of our life. We went
through the gate of conversion and started up the path of discipleship. As we travel the
path, we will start to change, not because we have to but because we want to. We wouldn’t
always make the right decisions; we will stumble, but Jesus and your fellow travelers are
there to help you get back on your feet. The further you travel, the more you will learn about
God, how to listen to him and how to talk with him. You will learn more deeply who God is,
who Jesus is and what he did, and who the Holy Spirit is and what he does for us. And you
will learn about walking with other believers (the “church”) and inviting others to join you
(“evangelism”). Because life is a journey, God does not expect you to get everything right the
first time; we are all on a learning curve and God is patient with us. However, we were never
intended to walk alone. We were saved into a new family, with new brothers and sisters, and a
new Father. In this study you are encouraged to find an older traveler and invite them to walk
with you.
GOALS
1. To gain a broad understanding of the theological themes of the Bible
2. To understand how the different teachings fit together
3. To understand why theology is important
4. To learn how to apply theology to life in gracious and God-honoroing ways
REQUIREMENTS
1. 12 sessions
2. 30 minutes a day, four days a week
3. Three hours, a day a week (lesson and discussion)
PREREQUISITES
None
FORMAT
Video and audio
Overview iii
BiblicalTraining.org
DISTINCTIVES
World class. All Bible classes are taught by world–class professors from major seminaries.
Holistic. We want to see students move through content to deep reflection and application.
Configurable. Ministries can use BT lectures as well as their own to design their educational
program.
Accessible. BiblicalTraining is a web–based ministry whose content is provided at no cost.
Community–based. We encourage people to learn together, in mentor/apprentice relation-
ships.
Broadly evangelical. Our materials are broadly evangelical, governed by our Statement of
Faith, and are not tied to any one church, denomination or traditiona
Partners. We provide the content and delivery mechanisms, and our partner organizations
provide the community and mentoring.
iv Life is a Journey
Table of Contents
WELCOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
STUDENT’S GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IX
MENTOR’S GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XI
It’s always a good idea to look back over your conversion experience. What do you think
happened when you became a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you unclear about anything?
Could you possibly have misunderstood anything? Did anything happen of which you might
not be aware?
“Conversion” means you converted from one thing to another. In your case, you changed
from not being a disciple of Jesus to being one. It also means that God is now at work in your
life, starting to make you be more like Jesus. Does this surprise you? What actually happened
when you became a Christian? What does this new life as a follower of Jesus look like? Does
my life change automatically?
Even though God’s power is at work within you, helping you to become more like Jesus, you
will stumble. This is not to remove the joy of your new faith; it is to prepare you for the joy of
spiritual growth that lies ahead. God knows this and is not surprised, and it does not affect
his commitment toward you. What is “sin”? Is temptation sin? How will you tell God that you
sinned and are sorry? Does he forgive? Can you be cleansed?
Table of Contents v
4. LISTENING TO GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
A crucial element of any relationship is communication, both listening and speaking. God has
spoken to us two basic ways, through creation and through his Word, the Bible. What do the
terms “inspiration,” “authority,” and “canonicity” mean? Can we trust the Bible? How do I listen
to God as I read his word? Am I supposed to do anything beyond reading it?
Healthy communication requires not only listening but also talking. Prayer is simply talking
with God, about anything and everything. He is our new Father, and he wants to hear from
you. How do you pray? What do you pray about? What if I have trouble listening to him
speaking?
When you became a Christian, you understood certain things about God. But did you know
that he knows everything? That he is present everywhere? That he is all-powerful? How then
should we respond to a fuller knowledge of God? What is worship? How should we respond
to what we know of God?
Jesus is the best known person in history. He has had more affect on world history than any
other leader or philosophy or political movement. Many people know the name, but who is
he? What did he say about himself? What did his followers say about him? And what is the
significance and relevance of these questions and our answers?
Jesus did many things while on earth, but the most significant of all was dying on the cross.
But what exactly happened? What was accomplished? What does the Bible mean when it
talks about Jesus being the “Lamb of God”? Is there anything that can help me understand
the significance of his death. Do I need to be reminded about it on a regular basis?
vi Life is a Journey
9. LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Christians are monotheists; we believe in one God. But we are also Trinitarians; we believe in
three “persons” of the Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Who
is this third member of the Trinity? What actually does he do? What is his on-going role in
my life? What does it mean to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit? Do I have to do
anything, or does he do all the work? Where would we be if it were not for the work of the
Holy Spirit?
When you became a Christian, you started to walk with God. It is a day-by-day process in
which sin has less hold on your life and you more and more look like Jesus. But some days
are more difficult than others, especially when difficult things happen. Why do these “bad
things” happen? Can I keep back parts of myself from God if doing so helps me avoid pain?
Are there any consequences to allowing sin in some parts of my life? What does it mean that
Jesus is both “Savior” and “Lord”?
While we become God’s children one disciple at a time, as children we are members of a
new family with a new father, new brothers and sisters, and a new home. How do I relate to
these people? Do I need to spend time with them? Is this an easy or difficult task? How does
the early church help us understand these issues? How does my love for God show itself to
others?
Disciples are to make more disciples. This is one of the most joyous experiences of your life
as you share how God made you alive, and he will do the same for your friends, neighbors,
and others. This isn’t a frightening process; it is in fact natural for people who have been
changed and are living changed lives. How will people respond to you? What is a “personal
testimony”? How do I tell people they too can be a disciple of Jesus? What if they don’t like
me?
Formerly Bill was a preaching pastor at a church in Washington state, and prior to that
a professor of New Testament and director of the Greek Program at Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary. He also taught at Azusa Pacific University for ten years.
Bill is the author of the bestselling Greek textbook, Basics of Biblical Greek, and many other
resources. He was the New Testament chair of the English Standard Version translation of the
Bible, and is currently serving on the NIV translation committee.
Robin and Bill have been married since 1983 and have three children.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. 1981, in New Testament. Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, Scotland.
M.A. 1977, in Biblical Studies. Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.
B.A. 1975, in Biblical Studies, minor in Greek. Bethel College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Western
Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1971-74.
Welcome
Welcome. We are glad that you have decided to use this curriculum. Our deepest desire is to
help new believers start their new lives well. The Bible talks about the Christian life as a “walk,”
a journey. It is a marathon, not a sprint, but taken one step at a time. With each step comes
new joys and perhaps new challenges. We would be privileged to help you start your journey
by taking the right steps in the right direction.
The Christian walk was never intended to be taken alone. One of the most important things
you can do is find a mentor, a coach, a friend — whatever you want to call him or her. This
person will get to know you, regularly pray for you, and meet with you periodically and work
through this material with you.
There are twelve lessons, and each lesson is broken into six days. Ideally, you would do a little
work each day (with one day off per week), and meet with your mentor on the fourth day to
• No prior knowledge of the Bible or church is necessary. We assume that you have just
become a Christian and everything is new.
• Stay focused on Jesus, not on church or religious traditions to which you may have been
exposed. In these twelve lessons we will cover a lot of ground, but the central truth is who
God is and how you relate to him.
• Please buy a Bible. Your mentor can help you with this since there are many translations
and many different editions of the Bible. We use the ESV (English Standard Version)
throughout the lessons.
• Get involved in a church. Again, your mentor can help you with this. Just make sure that
when the preacher is done speaking, you have heard the Bible explained. The Bible is
God’s words to you; make sure the preacher helps you understand them.
• Get involved with people. You are now part of a new family, and they will be an
encouragement to you as well as you to them.
• Please commit to working through all twelve lessons on a regular schedule; twelve weeks
would be best. It is important to cover all the basics.
• Be patient with yourself. All of the years of your life up to this point have taught you to
think and respond a certain way. Many of those patterns are going to be changed.
• You are not alone. God does truly love you, and he will work to give you new desires and
a new ability to work out those desires. The power of God that raised Jesus from the dead
now lives in you. Together, you can do this.
• From the beginning you are encouraged to pray. Lesson 5 is all about this, but basically
prayer is just speaking with God. It may feel strange at first, talking to someone that you
can’t see. But he has promised to be with you every step of the way; he is listening! As
time goes by, this will become a natural part of your life.
• Never forget that the goal of all this is to have your life transformed. Training isn’t just so
you will know more, but the goal of all biblical training is that God will work through the
truths of the Bible to transform your life. Everything we talk about in the next twelve weeks
should have some practical impact on your life.
Welcome ix
Student’s Guide
We are pleased that you have chosen to use materials from BiblicalTraining.org. We trust that
you will find the materials to be of the highest quality and truly helpful in your own spiritual
growth and that of your church. Please read through the following guidelines; they will help
you make the best use of this guide.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
• This curriculum is broken into twelve weeks. You can make a “week” extend for however
long you wish.
• Each “week” is broken into six “days.” Again, you can make each day be any period of
time, but don’t let them extend too long. You don’t want this initial training to take so long
that you never get through it.
• Apart from the fourth “day” when you work through the lesson, each day is designed
to either prepare the new Christian for the lesson (Days 1 to 3) or to help them reflect
over the lesson (Day 5-6). The person needs to start developing spiritual disciplines like
journaling, memorizing, and praying on a regular basis. These need to become part of
their every-day life. Be sure to meditate on the truths covered as well as just read and
discuss.
• The fourth “day” is when you listen to the talk and take notes.
• The fifth “day” is when you memorize a verse. This is another important spiritual discipline
that will frighten some people but still a discipline to be mastered.
• Everybody seems to be a little different as to when they can do this. Please start to
develop the trait of spending regular time with God, whenever is best for you: morning,
noon, or night. Be consistent. Have it be a quiet, peaceful time. Don’t be in a hurry.
• Feel free to ask any question. The only “dumb” question is the unasked question.
Especially if you are older, it may feel uncomfortable starting something this new later in
life and you may have some hesitancy. There is too much at stake, however, not to ask.
• Be honest. Tell him or her exactly how you are feeling, what your expectations are and
whether they are being met. Your mentor may be a little nervous, and he or she needs
your help in order to help you.
x Life is a Journey
Mentor’s Guide
The time you spend with this new Christian may be the most significant hours of your life.
You have been entrusted with a special person, and God wants to work through you to direct
his new child in the right direction. Please take this trust seriously. You may be challenged in
the process, and you may grow spiritually, as much as the new Christian, which is part of our
thinking behind how this curriculum is laid out. Here are some practical suggestions for you.
• Don’t be afraid. Throw yourself into the relationship. You won’t have all the answers;
that’s okay. But if you have been walking with the Lord yourself, you will know most of the
answers. For those other questions, admit you don’t know and then ask someone who
does.
• Pray regularly for this person. Even if you don’t pray for anything else, pray for this person,
and for yourself that the truths of God’s kingdom will not only be taught but also caught,
from you.
• Be sure you are prepared. Work through the material. Read. Pray.
• Be regular in meeting with them. Please make it a priority. A large part of who they
understand God to be and the nature of their relationship with Jesus is going to be
gleaned from you. It is a great responsibility and an immense privilege.
• You may want to take some time especially at first and discuss expectations. Share what
you think will happen over the next twelve weeks. Assure them that the Christian walk is a
process, a walk taken one step at a time, and each step brings with it joys and challenges.
• Don’t get sidetracked. Some times these “rabbit trails” can be helpful, but not too many of
them.
• This person will become very dear to you (cf. 1 Thess. 2:7-8). Cherish these times; they
soon will be over.
• Spend time with the person outside of any mentoring context. Have fun together. Let
them see you for who you are. Be real. Get to know their life’s story.
• Get a commitment from the person to follow through all twelve chapters on whatever
time schedule works for them. Make sure all expectations are clear.
• Open and close each meeting with prayer. They need to see your spiritual disciplines at
work.
• Don’t lose contact with the person when the twelve weeks are over. Keep praying and
checking up on them.
Mentor’s Guide xi
xii Life is a Journey
1
Let’s Review Your Conversion
It’s always a good idea to look back over your conversion experience. What
do you think happened when you became a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you
unclear about anything? Could you possibly have misunderstood anything? Did
anything happen of which you might not be aware?
VERSES ON SALVATION
The following verses are some of the best known in the Bible on the topic of salvation. The
information in parentheses (such as “John 3:16) give the location of the passage in the Bible
(e.g., the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Romans 6:23).
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift
of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable
things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without
blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
700 years before Jesus was born a prophet named “Isaiah” told us about the importance of
Jesus’ death. Read through the verses and write out what you have learned from him. It is a
book in the Old Testament named “Isaiah,” chapter 53, verses 5-6. “Lord” refers to God.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was
the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all.”
2 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
One of the most famous passages in the Bible is in a book called “Psalms.” In Psalm 23 God is
compared to a shepherd who will care for his sheep; you and I are the sheep. What does this
passage tell us about our God?
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads
me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his
name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in
the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
In this first talk we will go back over your conversion, see if you have any questions, and
perhaps fill out your understanding of what God actually did for you. In preparation, think
through how you would tell someone you became a Christian.
4 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
Introduction
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed
him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for
our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the
chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8).
How is it possible that one man’s death paid the price for another person’s sin?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
a. Fully ___________________________________________________________
b. Fully ___________________________________________________________
6 Life is a Journey
“That whoever believes in him:”
“Whoever” ____________________________________________________________________
Psalm 23
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own
doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
What are some of the benefits of eternal life here and now?
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom
you have from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. So
glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
“You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not
with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of
Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
8 Life is a Journey
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Have you always believed that God existed? If so, why? If not, why did you change your
mind?
2. Can you put into words how you feel knowing that God loved the world and created the
world with purpose? How is that different from your friends who do not believe in God?
3. Explain in your own words what it means for sin to separate a person from God and for
the punishment of sin being eternal separation from God.
4. It is essential for you to be able to explain what happened on the cross. You need to have
a clear understanding for yourself, and you will want to be able to explain it to others.
Give it a try.
5. How will you explain to someone else that Jesus’ death paid the penalty of your sins?
How is that possible?
6. Did you have any trouble believing that God could forgive even you, with everything you
have done wrong? What convinced you otherwise?
7. What did you think of Christianity before you became a Christian? Was it a religion or a
relationship? How would you explain it now?
8. How would you put John 3:16 into your own words? Make sure that you clarify the
significance of “believe into.”
9. What does it mean to be saved by God’s grace and your faith? What do you think would
happen if you had to earn your salvation?
10. What are you looking forward to in heaven? What parts of heaven are you looking
forward to enjoying while still on earth?
11. What might your new faith in Jesus cost you?
10 Life is a Journey
DAY SIX
Write out John 3:16 using your own words. Feel free to take longer to say it so as to bring out
the meaning of the verse.
“Conversion” means you converted from one thing to another. In your case,
you changed from not being a disciple of Jesus to being one. It also means
that God is now at work in your life, starting to make you be more like Jesus.
Does this surprise you? What actually happened when you became a Christian?
What does this new life as a follower of Jesus look like? Does my life change
automatically?
BIBLE VERSES
Paul makes the Philippian church a wonderful promise, that God will not only give them the
desire to do the right thing, but also the ability.
“Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you.
And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God’s saving
work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you,
giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians
2:12-13, New Living Translation).
Paul also tells the church in Galatia that their lives are going to change. These changes are
called “fruit,” and the fruit will be produced by the working of God’s Spirit within them.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
“For they themselves report … how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who
delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
They “turned from idols” and turned to “the living and true God.” While it is still early in your
Christian walk, there probably are things that you have turned away from. Can you list any?
You have also turned to God. What are some ways in which you have started to do this?
14 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
On page 23 you read Galatians 5:22-23 and Paul’s discussion of the “Fruits of the Spirit.” As
you look over this list of what your life is going to look like, which do you long for the most?
Are there any that you don’t understand or don’t see as beneficial?
In tomorrow’s talk we will see that changed people live changed lives. God has changed you
from the inside out, and that change is going to start showing itself in your attitudes, activities,
even what you say and what you talk about. This is an exciting time.
But please do not get discouraged. It is not like God is sitting there with a scowl on his face
demanding that you change your life right away. Remember Philippians 2:12-13 that we
looked at the other day. He gives you the desires and the ability.
What are you looking forward to? What do you want this new changed life to look like?
Dream a little.
16 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
Emphasis
1. Separated
2. Called to ___________________________________________________________________
a. Changed my _________________________________________________________
3. Dead to ___________________________________________________________________ .
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own
doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
Rescued ________________________________________________________________
Forgiven ________________________________________________________________
Justified ________________________________________________________________
Redeemed ______________________________________________________________
18 Life is a Journey
Sanctified _______________________________________________________________
“By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2).
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by
baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans
6:3-4).
1. Life of ______________________________________________________________________
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me” (Mark 8:34).
“Monotheists” _____________________________________________________
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5).
“Trinity” __________________________________________________________
20 Life is a Journey
Is the change automatic? What is my role, if any?
1. Not automatic
2. The desire, and the ability to meet that desire, are both from God
“You must be even more careful to put into action God’s saving work in your
lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you,
giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him”
(Philippians 2:12-13; New Living Translation).
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight
your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“You are the salt of the earth .... You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13,14).
“We were _________________ at the gate, of course our lives will be _______________ .”
22 Life is a Journey
DAY FIVE
Write out and memorize Philippians 2:12-13, and then write it out in your own words, making
its meaning clear.
There are a lot of things that happened when you became a Christian. Upon reflection, which
of the metaphors we discussed in the talk are the most important for you? Why?
24 Life is a Journey
3
When You Stumble
Even though God’s power is at work within you, helping you to become more
like Jesus, you will stumble. This is not to remove the joy of your new faith; it is
to prepare you for the joy of spiritual growth that lies ahead. God knows this
and is not surprised, and it does not affect his commitment toward you. What
is “sin”? Is temptation sin? How will you tell God that you sinned and are sorry?
Does he forgive? Can you be cleansed?
PSALM 51
King David in the Old Testament sinned with a woman named Bathsheba. Psalm 51 is his
repentance and call for forgiveness. There is a lot we can learn from David’s confession of sin
and God’s ability and willingness to forgive.
David continues by promising God to teach others after he has been forgiven.
51:16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
26 Life is a Journey
DAY ONE
This week we are going to look at the fact that in your new walk with Jesus, you will stumble;
you will do something that you shouldn’t have done. We don’t want to discourage you; rather,
we want to help you get ready for it and know how to handle it.
In Psalm 51, verses 1-5, the author (King David) is agreeing with God that his sin is really bad.
What are some of the ways in which David makes this abundantly clear?
What else do you learn about sin and confession from this passage?
In Psalm 51, verses 6-12, King David looks forward to having his sins forgiven. What are some
of those specific joys?
28 Life is a Journey
DAY THREE
Before looking at things that might cause a little discouragement, let’s focus on the things that
are happening in your life? What has changed? What are some of the new joys? It is important
to thank God for these.
1. “Relativism”
Definition:
Christians believe that God our Father is the __________________ and that he
has the __________________ and the __________________ to determine truth
and that he wants the _____________ for his creation.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
30 Life is a Journey
2. “Sin”
Definition:
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is
good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those
who hear.... Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,
which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians
4:29; 5:4).
3. “Temptation”
Definition:
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome
the world” (John 16:33).
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is
faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with
the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be
able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh”
(Galatians 5:16).
What will you do when you stumble and miss the mark?
Defining moment
Definition:
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
32 Life is a Journey
What may be your tendency to do instead of following the model of Psalm 51?
“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another”
(James 5:16).
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
3. Be cleansed
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast
love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not
deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For
as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward
those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove
our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so
the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he
remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:8-14).
“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For
day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat
of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).
“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Blessed is the
one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against
whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:5,
1-2).
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What are some ways in which you already see your life changing? How has God’s love
and saving power started to change who you are?
2. Are there any areas of your life where you think God is asking you to start changing?
3. As you look back over your life, are there ways in which relativism had crept in? How did
you used to determine what was right and wrong? Do you have any questions about
trusting in God’s right or wisdom in determining truth? Do you think that God has your
best interests in heart? (This is a difficult issue. Please do not be afraid to share openly.)
4. Some people are uncomfortable with the word “sin.” Are you? What are some “marks”
that you know God has already laid out before you?
5. Are you a bit overwhelmed with the idea of temptation and sin? Are there any
temptations that you will probably face this week that seen too much to handle. Again,
please share openly so your friends can help.
6. Is there anything in your past that has created a bad picture of God in which you think
he wants you to fail? How can we think together about things such that you see God is in
fact on your side and desperately wants you to succeed?
7. How will your handling of sin, confession, and forgiveness become a “defining moment”
in your spiritual life?
8. Confession is a difficult topic. Many people find it difficult. Why do you think that is the
case? What will work against you confessing early, often, fully, to one another?
9. Please read through Psalm 51 again and talk about it. How does it model biblical
confession?
10. What challenges will you face in receiving God’s forgiveness? For example, some
people have trouble believing God really loves them, and they think that they have to
experience punishment before God will truly forgive them. How about you?
34 Life is a Journey
DAY FIVE
Read Psalm 51 and write out five things that you did not see earlier about confession.
Read Psalm 103 and list five issues in your life that it promises will be cleansed.
36 Life is a Journey
4
Listening To God
Paul is writing to his good friend Timothy, encouraging him to trust the Bible (also called “the
sacred writings,” “Scripture,” and the “word”) and use them in his life and ministry. It is from
the book called “2 Timothy,” chapter 3 verse 14 through chapter 4 verse 5. The “man of God”
Paul refers to is Timothy.
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from
whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every
good work.
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and
the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and
out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the
time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they
will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from
listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure
suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
4 . Listening To God 37
DAY ONE
Read Psalm 19. Verses 1-6 talk about what we can know about God by looking at creation.
Verses 7 and following talk about the “law of the Lord,” which is the Bible. What does it tell
you about how God speaks to us?
Write down what you believe God has been speaking to you about lately.
38 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
Spend some time looking over the table of contents in your Bible and the handout. Become
familiar with the names of the books that make up the Bible. Notice which ones are in the Old
Testament and which are in the New Testament. (If you don’t know what these terms mean,
don’t worry; we will explain them.)
It is helpful to write out names of the books in the New Testament, just to get familiar with
them.
4 . Listening To God 39
DAY THREE
What do they tell us about the origin of the Bible? Do you believe that the Bible is not a
human book?
40 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
1. “Revelation” ________________________________________________________________
“What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to
them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things
that have been made” (Romans 1:19-20).
a. _____________________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________________
c. _____________________________________________________________________
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims
his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals
knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not
heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the
end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4).
4 . Listening To God 41
3. “Specific Revelation” _________________________________________________________
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is
sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the
heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of
the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous
altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter
also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:7-8,10).
The Bible
The Bible is divided into two parts: the _________ and the __________ Testaments
1. “Inspiration” ________________________________________________________________
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
42 Life is a Journey
2. “Authority” __________________________________________________________________
All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
proficient, fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
3. “Canonicity” ________________________________________________________________
4. “Trustworthy” _______________________________________________________________
1. __________________________________________________________________________ it!
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is
from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught
by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (1
Corinthians 2:12-13).
4 . Listening To God 43
2. _______________________________________________________________________ on it.
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in
the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of
the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted
by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither”
(Psalm 1:1-3).
3. __________________________________________________________________________ it.
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm
119:11).
4. __________________________________________________________________________ it.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice
is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall,
because it had its foundation on the rock. ut everyone who hears these words
of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his
house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and
beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).
In the process of obeying it, you will come to trust it and be transformed by it.
44 Life is a Journey
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. As you look at creation, what are some of the things that stand out to you about God?
2. Do you have any questions about how the Bible is divided? Are you a little more
comfortable getting around in it?
3. We covered a lot of ground when we looked at the four terms: “inspiration”; “ authority”;
“canonicity”; “trustworthy.” You probably will have a lot of questions on these topics if
you don’t right now, but is there anything in general you need to ask? To learn more, go
to bit.ly/mounce-bibliology.
4. Think through what communication looks like in a healthy relationship. How can you
transfer that information over to your relationship with Jesus?
5. When might be the best time for your quiet time?
6. Work through some examples of meditation.
7. Share some experiences from your last week when you were not sure what to do, and
ask your mentor if he or she knows of any verses that apply. How would knowing these
verses have changed how you handled the situation?
8. What might be some signals that you are being tempted to compartmentalize? How
will you work toward obeying from the heart? Think of some situation, and describe the
difference between external obedience and obeying from the heart.
9. Have your mentor share some experiences of how he or she came to trust the Bible.
4 . Listening To God 45
DAY FIVE
46 Life is a Journey
DAY SIX
Meditation and memorization are often difficult for people. Minds wander during quiet,
reflective times, and some of our minds simply go away when we try to memorize. What
might help you be more successful? Talk with your mentor about this.
4 . Listening To God 47
48 Life is a Journey
5
Speaking With God
Healthy communication requires not only listening but also talking. Prayer is
simply talking with God, about anything and everything. He is our new Father,
and he wants to hear from you. How do you pray? What do you pray about?
What if I have trouble listening to him speaking?
MATTHEW 6:7-15
Jesus’ disciples wanted to learn how to pray, and this passage is Jesus’ answer. It has
traditionally been called, “The Lord’s Prayer.”
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they
will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him. Pray then like this:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you
do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Think through how you speak with your friends. What are some of the basic ingredients of
effective speaking? Honesty? Forthrightness?
If you had a perfect relationship with God and could speak with him perfectly, what would be
some of the characteristics of your communication?
50 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
The first half of the Lord’s Prayer shows that we are supposed to start our prayers by focusing
on God. “Hallowed” means “holy, without sin.” God’s “kingdom” is his kingly rule in the hearts
of his children. Read and reflect on what the first four lines mean.
Write out six ways in which the truths of these four lines can become true in your life.
Do the same with the end of the prayer that you did yesterday for the first four lines.
Write out six ways in which the truths of the final lines of the prayer can become true in your
life.
52 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
Introduction
“Father” ______________________________________________________________________
“Hallowed”: ___________________________________________________________________
Meaning: _____________________________________________________________________
Meaning: _____________________________________________________________________
54 Life is a Journey
PART 2: EXPRESS OUR TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR EVERYTHING
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what
you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than
food, and the body more than clothing? … For the Gentiles seek after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the
kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to
you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious
for itself” (Matthew 6:25,32-34).
Meaning: _____________________________________________________________________
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will
not forgive your sins (Matt 6:14–15).
“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive
your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be
tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he
is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:13-14).
Meaning: _____________________________________________________________________
Practical Suggestions
2. Memorize it
56 Life is a Journey
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What preconceptions did you have about prayer when you first became a Christian?
Which ones were good, and which ones were bad?
2. Does your relationship with your earthly father help or hurt your relationship with your
heavenly father? This is an important point; if your idea of a father is negative, you will
have to consciously work through that as your relationship with God progresses.
3. What are some experiences you have had to which you responded in awe? The first
time you saw the Milky Way? Your first glimpse of a giant redwood? How can these
experiences help you understand the awesomeness of God?
4. What are some ways in which your life might hurt God’s reputation? Why would
someone praise God for what you do or don’t do, say or don’t say?
5. What are some ways in which God’s kingly rule has been growing in your own life? How
might that rule move out to people with whom you come in contact?
6. It’s hard, isn’t it, to keep saying “not my will but God’s be done”? You can be honest; we
all struggle with this in some areas of our life. What would be an encouragement to you
to truly pray, “your will be done”? What would be an impediment?
7. Most if not all of your pre-conversion life was lived under the influence of the world
saying, “Be self-sufficient!” “You don’t need any help!” “God is only for weaklings.” So
admitting your dependence on God for all things and not just for salvation might be
something you have to work at. Ask your mentor how God has provided for him or her.
Have you had a chance yet to see this happen in your own life?
8. What is the difference between “needs” and “greeds”? How will you keep them
separate?
9. Learning to forgive others is going to take most people some time. Have you ever been
hurt so badly by someone else that you have not yet forgiven them? What is keeping you
from forgiving them now? Would you be willing to commit this situation to the Lord in
prayer, asking that he help you learn to forgive?
10. How can you remind yourself, when you are in the midst of a difficult situation, that God
is with you, delivering your from evil and the Evil One?
11. Do some role playing with your mentor on conversational prayer. How might God’s Spirit
talk to you while you are reading your Bible? How could you respond?
12. Practice praying through the Lord’s Prayer but inserting the specifics of your life into the
prayer. For example, “Give us this day our daily bread. Father, you know that I cannot pay
my medical bills. Please help me trust you with this.”
Memorize the Lord’s Prayer. Be sure to think through what each phrase means as you
memorize.
Pray through the Lord’s Prayer, making it match some specific circumstances in your life. For
example: “Father, thank you for talking with me, and listening. Thank you for being close to
me as a dad. Help me to understand that you spoke the galaxies into existence; help me
never to think of you as a small, unimportant, weak person.”
58 Life is a Journey
DAY SIX
Prayer is about God, his honor and our dependence upon him. Yes, God is concerned about
the details of your life, but you need to learn not to let your prayers be all about yourself. It
is a difficult balance. List some ways that might help you focus on God while you at the same
time ask him to meet your needs. This is a difficult question; you may want to ask your mentor
for help.
When you became a Christian, you understood certain things about God. But
did you know that he knows everything? That he is present everywhere? That
he is all-powerful? How then should we respond to a fuller knowledge of God?
What is worship? How should we respond to what we know of God?
O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise
up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are
acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it
altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is
too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to
heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the
morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and
your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about
me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is
as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the
depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every
one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count
them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
62 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
In the talk for this week we are going to enlarge our vision of God. We will talk about the fact
that God knows everything, exists everywhere, and is all-powerful. It is hard for human beings
to come to grasp with the enormity of God, but we will try to do so.
1. What does it mean for God to know everything? Does he know your thoughts? Your
secrets? The things done in private? How does this make you feel? Does it bring you comfort?
Why?
2. There is no place you can go where God does not exist. You are probably used to thinking
that you can hide, but you can’t hide from God. Does this bring you comfort or discomfort?
Why? Are there places you go in life that cause you to fear? How does knowing that God is
there affect your actions?
3. This is a hard one. God is all-powerful. Anything he wants to do, he can. Do you believe
this? What might lead you to question the truth of the statement?
In Isaiah 6:1-8, the writer is given a glimpse of heaven and the throne room of God. What
does Isaiah learn about God. How does he respond to each piece of information?
64 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
Introduction
“Incomprehensibility”
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”
(Isaiah 55:9).
1. “Omniscience”
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and
when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and
my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on
my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:1-4).
“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring
the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah
46:9-10).
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33).
”Omnipresence”
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say,
‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the
darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light
with you” (Psalm 139:7-12).
“In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
66 Life is a Journey
“Omnipotence”
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“Sovereign”: __________________________________________________________________
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
“Worth-ship”: _________________________________________________________________
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the
seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he
covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’ And the
foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the
house was filled with smoke And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man
of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes
have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your
guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’ And I heard the voice of the Lord
saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send
me.’” (Isaiah 6:1-8).
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
68 Life is a Journey
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What were some of the pictures you had of God before you became a Christian? Which
ones were accurate, and which ones were wrong? How will you go about unlearning the
wrong pictures?
2. Does it bother you that you will never fully understand God? How will his
“incomprehensibility” help you worship him more fully?
3. Do you believe God is omniscient? How will you come to a fuller understanding of what
this means? List five ways in which God’s omniscience will impact your life. Please be
specific.
a. ______________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________________________________________
4. Do you believe God is omnipresent? How will you come to a fuller understanding of
what this means? List five ways in which God’s omnipresence will impact your life. Please
be specific.
a. ______________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you believe God is omnipotent? How will you come to a fuller understanding of what
this means? List five ways in which God’s omnipotence will impact your life. Please be
specific.
a. ______________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________________________________________
6. Did you have any ideas of Christian worship before you became a Christian? Were any of
them wrong?
7. The Isaiah 6:1-8 passage is especially powerful. In preparation for this talk you listed
what Isaiah learned about God. Try to put yourself in his shoes, and how would you
respond to each piece of revelation about the character of God?
a. Holiness
b. Mercy
70 Life is a Journey
DAY FIVE
As you have been reflecting on the talk, what practical applications are you making about the
four terms we learned?
1. “Incomprehensibility”
2. “Omniscience”
3. “Omnipresence”
4. “Omnipotence”
72 Life is a Journey
7
Learning More About Who Jesus Is
Jesus is the best known person in history. He has had more affect on world
history than any other leader or philosophy or political movement. Many people
know the name, but who is he? What did he say about himself? What did his
followers say about him? And what is the significance and relevance of these
questions and our answers?
“‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty
works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves
know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,
you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs
of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…. This Jesus God raised up,
and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having
received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you
yourselves are seeing and hearing.… Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that
God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard
this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what
shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For
the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord
our God calls to himself.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort
them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word
were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
Before you became a Christian, who did you think Jesus was?
74 Life is a Journey
DAY TWO
What does Peter tell you about who Jesus is? List as many as you can see.
Help me to know you, God. Thank you for what I already know. I look forward to all I will know
and experience with you as our relationship grows.
We are next going to look at the doctrine of Jesus’ “incarnation,” that he was God incarnate,
God made flesh. This means we believe Jesus was fully God and fully human. If this does not
make a lot of sense to you, welcome to the crowd. We believe it because the Bible teaches it,
but it ultimately remains a mystery.
When you think of Jesus being fully human, as human as you and I are, what does that make
you think of?
Read the following verses. What do they tell you about Jesus being a human being?
76 Life is a Journey
DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
“I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1
Corinthians 2:2).
“Jesus of Nazareth”
Jesus is “Lord”
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of
God” (Luke 1:35).
“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” (John 20:31).
“This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only
was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father,
making himself equal with God” (John 5:18).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God” (John 1:1).
“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has
made him known” (John 1:18; see also John 20:31).
“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” (John
8:58).
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Christ’s divinity outside the gospels
“The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).
“Incarnation”
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
without sin” (Hebrews 4:15)
Mystery
Fully human
“He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might
become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make
propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
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Fully God
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could
number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes,
with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the
elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before
the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and
wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our
God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12).
“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is
not from God” (1 John 4:2-3).
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
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DAY FIVE
John 1:1
Romans 10:9
Identify what you learn about Jesus as God and about Jesus as human in this passage.
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8
Learning More About What Jesus Did
Jesus did many things while on earth, but the most significant of all was dying
on the cross. But what exactly happened? What was accomplished? What does
the Bible mean when it talks about Jesus being the “lamb of God”? Is there
anything that can help me understand the significance of his death. Do I need
to be reminded about it on a regular basis?
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a
skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the
cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription,
for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin,
and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the
Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written I
have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four
parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece
from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see
whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments
among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar
full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch
and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and
he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about Jesus’ death and what it
would accomplish. Read these verses from Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and see what he tells you
about Jesus, whom Isaiah calls God’s “servant.”
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DAY TWO
All of the gospels tell the story of Jesus’ death. We will be talking about the gospel of John,
so you may want to read the account in another gospel, perhaps Mark 15:33-41.
There is a curtain in the temple that separates a place called “The Holy of Holies” from the
rest of the temple. The actual presence of God used to dwell in this place. It is separated from
the rest of the temple with a six inch curtain. Only the High Priest could go in, and only once
a year, symbolizing the holiness of God and the sinfulness of people. The curtain represents
God’s presence among his people as well as their separation from him.
When Jesus died, he ripped this curtain in two. What do you think that symbolizes?
The Bible says that only Jesus’ death on the cross makes it possible to have our sins forgiven,
and for you and me to be given access directly into God’s presence. What are some ways that
the world says our sins can be forgiven? Why do most people think that we should all get to
go to heaven?
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DAY FOUR: NOTES ON THE TALK
Introduction
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes way the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
“Lamb of God”
Sacrificial system
If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall
bring a male without blemish, priests shall throw its blood against the sides of
the altar. And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest
shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar, but the entrails
and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn
it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the
Lord” (Leviticus 1:10-13).
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
“He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we
are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become
the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Ramification #1: Only the Lamb of God can take away sin
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me (John 14:6).
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given
among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
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Ramification #2: “Sufficiency of the cross”
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins
of the whole world” (1 John 2:1, NIV).
Definition: ______________________________________________________________
Sufficiency illustrated
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
“The curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Mark
15:38).
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in
him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
Grace: _______________________________________________________________________
Faith: ________________________________________________________________________
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Reinterpretation by Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on
the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he
broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance
of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is
the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance
of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the
Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
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DAY FIVE
Reflect on the imagery of a lamb being slaughtered by the hand of a sinner, which is you.
What do you learn from the imagery?
Is there some way in your own culture to explain to someone else the significance of the
temple veil ripping in two? Is there some way to use images common to where you live that
might explain the same truth of the sufficiency of the cross?
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9
Learning More About The Holy Spirit
Christians are monotheists; we believe in one God. But we are also Trinitarians;
we believe in three “persons” of the Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit. Who is this third member of the Trinity? What actually does
he do? What is his on-going role in my life? What does it mean to be led and
empowered by the Holy Spirit? Do I have to do anything, or does he do all the
work? Where would we be if it were not for the work of the Holy Spirit?
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am
going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I
have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is
to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if
I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning
righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of
the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are
opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by
the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality,
impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,
divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against
such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become
conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Jesus knew that he was going to die. In preparation he gave his disciples many last-minute
instructions. Among these was the news that just as Jesus had helped them, so also God was
going to send “another Helper” who would never leave them.
Read John 6:14-11. Write out what Jesus tells us about this new Helper.
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DAY TWO
The Bible tells us many things about this “new Helper,” who we call the “Holy Spirit.” Here are
a few. Summarize each passage in your own words.
“In him [i.e., Jesus] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus
Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6).
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children,
then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16-17).
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
Paul tells the church in Galatia that they should “walk by the Spirit.” This mean that the Holy
Spirit was present to help them by guiding them so they would know what to do and also
empowering them to be able to do what is right. The “fruit” signifies the changes in their lives
that the Holy Spirit would encourage them to do. Read Galatians 5:16-26.
Of the fruits that Paul lists, which ones have started to characterize your life? Which “desires of
the flesh” still tempt you?
Introduction
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________
“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he
saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to
his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6).
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the
guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of
his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14; see also 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5).
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor
knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh”
(Galatians 5:16).
a.
b.
2. Daily he:____________________________________________________________________
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in
you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
“Be keener than ever to work out the salvation that God has given you with a
Empowerment
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see
him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
“How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who
has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant
by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews
10:29).
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If
anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. The Trinity can be a confusing teaching because it ultimately is a mystery. How would you
explain it to another person, especially a child?
2. As you look back over you life before your conversion, can you think of any events in
which you now see that the Holy Spirit was active, especially when you did not recognize
him at the time?
3. Since the time of your conversion, have you noticed any events in which the Spirit has
been active in sealing you, confirming your faith in Christ and protecting you from harm?
4. In what ways has the Holy Spirit been guiding you? What passages of the Bible have
spoken directly to you? Have you experienced and recognized his leading?
5. What about his empowerment? How has he given you the strength to do something that
previous to your conversion you were unable to do?
6. What are your natural gifts? What are you really good at? As you grow in your Christian
walk, how might your new supernatural gifting add to your natural gifting? Do you see
that you have a new ability that you never had before? This process may take some time
to recognize, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t identify your spiritual gifting.
7. Given your personality, how might you quench or grieve the Spirit? How will you prepare
yourself so that if (or when) you do, you can be sensitive to it and stop?
8. Given your personality, will it be difficult for you to confess your inability to do the work
that God has placed before you? If so, what will you do about it?
Thankfulness to God for your regeneration; increased sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading;
willingness to let the Spirit work through you; a desire to never be lazy and sit back, doing
nothing for your spiritual growth.
Read Romans 8. This is a marvelous chapter on the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. There
are many promises and some warnings scattered throughout the chapter. Write them down
and claim them for your own.
Thankfulness that even in the midst of difficult and trying times, there is no one to condemn
you and nothing that can separate you from God’s love.
When you became a Christian, you started to walk with God. It is a day-by-day
process in which sin has less hold on your life and you more and more look like
Jesus. But some days are more difficult than others, especially when difficult
things happen. Why do these “bad things” happen? Can I keep back parts of
myself from God if doing so helps me avoid pain? Are there any consequences
to allowing sin in some parts of my life? What does it mean that Jesus is both
“Savior” and “Lord”?
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (English Standard Version).
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer
to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (New
International Version).
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be
a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for
you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God
wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is” (New
Living Translation).
Over the past several weeks we have talked quite a bit about how your life as a Christian
will be different from what it was before. What are some ways in which your life has been
changing since you became a Christian?
Help me to rejoice in the good I see happening, and not get discouraged about what is still
difficult.
Spend some time reading through the different translations of Romans 12:1-2 (page 119).
The latter translations are a little more interpretive because they want to help you understand
what the verses mean.
What are some areas in your life where God might want to do some more changing? We will
call these your “areas of challenge.”
Some of the things you will hear in the next talk may be a little strong. We are going to talk
about some of the challenges you might have as the months go by, and perhaps you are
already experiencing some of them right now.
Do you tend to get discouraged? Ask your mentor for practical ways to keep moving forward
in your Christian walk.
Definition of “sanctification”
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that
by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).
“All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy
3:12).
“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been
grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more
precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter
1:6-7).
“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know
that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have
its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James
1:2-4).
Temptation to compartmentalize
“Compartmentalize”:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me” (Mark 8:34).
“Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple”
(Luke 14:33).
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives
in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Consequences of Compartmentalization
1. Harm ______________________________________________________________________
2. Lose _______________________________________________________________________
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31).
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
You and I have been reconciled, “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and
steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Colossians
1:23).
“For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the
end” (Hebrews 3:14).
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31).
“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his
commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his
commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word,
in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in
him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he
walked” (1 John 2:3-6).
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either
cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit
you out of my mouth. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous
and repent” (Revelation 3:15-16,19).
The Bible has many images to help us understand that we are to be different from the world.
One of my favorites is “salt” and “light.” Here is the passage.
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it
useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light
of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way,
let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly
Father” (Matthew 5:13-16).
Salt was used to preserve meat in the ancient world. How do Christians interact in the world
such that they preserve it? What would you guess it means to “preserve” the world?
The second image is a little simpler. Jesus is the true light of the world, and through us he
illumines others. In what practical ways can your new faith in Jesus Christ illumine the lives of
those around you?
“I do not ask for these only [i.e., his disciples], but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The
glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are
one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may
know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they
also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have
given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father,
even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent
me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love
with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and
signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and
had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and
distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple
together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and
generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added
to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Even before you became a Christian, you most likely lived in some kind of community —
family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, friends at school, etc. God did not create us to live
in isolation but to live within “circles of relationships.” What are some of the things that you
treasure the most about your relationships?
The longer you are a Christian, the more relationships you should be building within the
church, your new spiritual family. While there certainly will be some conflicts — after all, we
are all still human — there will also be great joys. What are some of the things you are looking
forward to in terms of spiritual relationships that you might not have experienced with your
non-Christian friends?
Read the description of the early church in Acts 2:42-47 (page 131 above) and list as many
characteristics you can see of what healthy, biblical community looks like.
“… that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also
may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.… I in them and you
in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent
me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:21, 23).
“Him [i.e., Jesus] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all
wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling
with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28-29; cf.
Ephesians 4:11-15).
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ
forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
“Haven of Grace”
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good
works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing
near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods
and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does
God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but
in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18).
None of this relational “stuff” comes automatically or naturally. It is hard work. It will probably
involve you stepping out, extending yourself, and taking relational risks. Some people may
not be interested in community and they will lose the privilege and joy of knowing you better
and better. But don’t let that stop you. We are called to be radical and counter-cultural, just
like Jesus. What do you believe will be the greatest roadblocks to you functioning as part of
an authentic, biblical community?
What are you willing to do to overcome the obstacles and reach out, while at the same time
receiving those who reach out to you?
Disciples are to make more disciples. This is one of the most joyous experiences
of your life as you share how God made you alive, and he will do the same
for your friends, neighbors, and others. This isn’t a frightening process; it is in
fact natural for people who have been changed and are living changed lives.
How will people respond to you? What is a “personal testimony”? How do I tell
people they too can be a disciple of Jesus? What if they don’t like me?
The following passages summarize this walk. Changed people live in a changed way, people
will notice your actions more than your words, they will respond in one of two ways, and you
should be prepared to explain why you are different.
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness
be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under
people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do
people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
1 Peter 3:1-4 “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not
obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives—when they see
your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair,
the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing—but let your adorning be the hidden person
of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is
very precious.”
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal
procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we
are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are
perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”
1 Peter 3:15-16 “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason
for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience.”
When you became a Christian, you were changed from the inside out. God made you new,
made you alive, gave you a new birth. Then he called you to live a changed life, which means
that you are going to be different from people who do not follow Jesus.
As you live out your life, what have you stopped doing that might attract people’s attention.
How are you visibly different? (By the way, this should be an encouragement to you.
Sometimes changes are gradual and we don’t see them.)
The reverse is also true. You will have started doing things that you didn’t do before, and this
too will attract the attention of your non-believing friends. List some of them.
Thank God for these changes. Ask him to encourage you to continue living a changed life.
Paul tells the Corinthians that we all have a fragrance to our lives. Some people think that
we stink; in other words, they see the changes in your life and they don’t like it. Has this
happened to you yet? Explain.
Other people will think that we have a sweet fragrance that is inviting to them; they will see
the changes in your life and want to get closer, to know why? Has this happened yet?
Ask God for strength when people don’t understand or like the changes in your life; ask him
to show you the positive ways in which people are responding to your new life.
As your life continues to change and people see the “new you,” some will want to know
why you are different. You need to be ready to tell them what has happened and why. Think
through the answers to the following questions. What you are writing is called your “personal
testimony.”
1. What were you like before you became a Christian? You don’t need to get into the lurid
details (if there are any).
2. Why did you decide to become a disciple of Jesus? What were the events surrounding that
experience?
For clarity of expression as you try to explain your new faith, and for the opportunity to share
these changes with a close friend who is not a believer.
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
People who follow Jesus are to invite others to join with them
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ ” (Matthew
28:18-20).
“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are
ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf
of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).
“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and
innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted
generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do
people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light
to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that
they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”
(Matthew 5:14-16).
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness
be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and
trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13).
Christ “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14 in the King
James).
“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make
us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right” (New Living
Translation).
1. Aroma of ___________________________________________________________________
2. Stench of ___________________________________________________________________
“The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in
sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same
flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him
who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:3-5).
“Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your
speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to
answer each person” (Colossians 4:5-6).
Always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the
hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience” (1
Peter 3:15-16).
1. KISS: _______________________________________________________________________
a. _____________________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________________
c. _____________________________________________________________________
ABC
John 3:16
Go back to Day Three and review your personal testimony. Now that we have gone over the
talk and you have had more time to think about it, write out your testimony and practice it
with your friend.
That God would prompt someone to ask you about why your life is different, and that you
would respond naturally in joy and not with fear.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
That God would give you the opportunity not only to share the plan of salvation with a friend
who asks, but to bring to your mind another friend who perhaps needs to be challenged with
the plan of salvation.
Congratulations. You’ve taken the first steps of your Christian walk in the right direction. You
will spend the rest of your life building on this foundation. What’s next for you?
By now you should have become involved in a good church and have started to develop the
spiritual disciplines of regular prayer, Bible reading, meditation, and application. Have you
enjoyed journaling? These are the disciplines that you will continue to develop throughout
your life.
Now that you have a grasp on the overall picture, you can start to center in on some specifics.
Choose something you enjoy. Do you want to know more about Jesus? Read the gospel of
Mark. Do you want to know more about how we all got here? Read Genesis. Do you want to
learn more about worship? Read the Psalms.
But whatever you do, please continue in the same direction you have started. It’s not just how
you start, but how you finish the race that matters. May God richly bless you along the way