Monday, November 24, 2008
Hey Junior High students and parents! Wheaton Bible Church is committed to seeing the home as the primary place for spiritual growth. We want to everything we can to make that happen. Below you will find this weeks devotional. Take the whole week to check it out and let us know how it is working for you and your 7th or 8th grader.
Have a great Thanksgiving and we will see you on Sunday the 29th! I am thankful that I have such a wonderful ministry and church to belong to. Thank you for being a huge part of the Junior High ministry of Wheaton Bible Church...
Scott Murray
Junior High Pastor
I AM FREE
Week One: Chapter Three
I AM FREE! When you hear this statement, the first thing you should ask yourself is…”From what?” Our new theme is called “I Am Free!” So, what are we free from? In chapter 1 & 2 we dug deep and looked at how our sin hurts God and our relationship with Him. Chapter 3-5 deals how we are to then live our lives as forgiven (FREE) people. We are free from the penalty of sin. When we become followers of Christ we enter into a relationship that is not held down by the power of sin. This is because of what Jesus did on the cross!
Let’s Dig In…
Read Chapter 3 as a family. After you read it take some time to think openly about what Paul is trying to communicate to his audience.
Helpful Hint> the readers of this letter were, Jewish and Gentile (aka not Jewish) Christians…
1. This freedom that Paul is talking about is something pretty awesome. What exactly are free from?
Helpful Hint> the condemnation of sin…
-The penalty of our sin was paid for on the cross (Rom. 8:1)
2. When we sin, it hurts God. Much like how it hurts a parent when a child lies to him/her. Just because Jesus died on the cross for our sins (John 3:16), it doesn’t mean that it does not hurt God anymore. It hurts our relationship that we have with God (much like between a parent and child). Do you think God wants us to pay him back for what He did for us on the cross…or was it really free?
Helpful Hint> it really was a free gift…
-We cannot pay God back for something that we cannot do for ourselves…
-When God removed our sin, He did it with the sacrifice of His Son.
-The only way we can ever return the favor is to live a life that reflects that gift in how we live.
-Satan loves it when forgiven, free people live like unforgiven, enslaved people to the everyday sins that we all commit.
-Pay Him back with a changed life…but we do not have any debt to pay back because it was a gift!
3. The truth is we have all messed up in our lives when it comes to living that “free” life. From verse 10 to verse 19 we see a list of sins that is quoted from the Old Testament. This list tends to strike us as harsh and unfair. We can usually spot one or two to which we can claim exemption. After all, we think, we don’t kill or openly practice deceit. But as scripture often requires us to do, a second look is helpful.
...They force us to ask ourselves:
-How well do we understand God? (3:11)
-How diligently are we seeking God? (3:11)
-How much goodness would God find in our daily life? (3:12)
-In the wake of our actions and words, do we leave people helped or hurting? (3:13-15)
-What is our record of peacemaking? (3:17)
-In what sense do we fear God? (3:18)
We are all guilty…but God does not want to pack your bags and go on a guilt trip…He wants you to just STOP sinning so much. How can we stop sinning so much?
Helpful Hint> remember…it is impossible to be perfect, but as believers we need to live lives that are honoring to God, not dishonorable.
This week: Keep each other in prayer as you all try to live lives that show the freedom of God in your lives. Tell each other how God is working in your lives and encourage each other to yell once in a while…”I AM FREE!”
