From Believers to Disciples
Friday, March 30, 2007
From Believers to Disciples Calendar
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A note about online study
“Study to show yourself approved by God …” 2 Timothy 2:15a KJV
Prayer Focus for Today
Pray for each of us to live this week with joy and confidence as the Holy Spirit leads and guides!
God’s Word Today
Galatians 6:11-16
11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting. 12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don't really keep the whole law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples. 14 As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead. 15 It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. 16 May God's mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God.
From Today’s Reading, a Believer …
In verse 14, Paul tells us that he will only boast about the cross his Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look at two other translations of that verse:
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. King James Version
14 I hope I will never brag about things like that. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging. Through the cross of Jesus my world was crucified, and I died to the world.
New Century Version ©1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
From reading these three verses, what does Paul mean when he uses the word “boast?”
Let’s Go Deeper in Our Walk with Jesus
Paul regarded the cross as the great dividing line between two worlds: the Old Creation in Adam and the New Creation in Jesus Christ.
Paul lives in the world, but he no longer belongs to the world. The cross of Jesus transformed him into a new and different person (verse 15).
The New Creation in Jesus Christ is no longer bound to the law – to circumcision, holy days and seasons, dietary restrictions, etc.
Believers and disciples are the new people of God (verse 16). The cross brings mercy and peace to believers and disciples of Jesus.
How can you boast – glory – brag – in the cross each day?
The flesh – the world – consistently desires self-glory. It desires to take pride in our labors. How can we prevent this?
Complete the phrase: To ________ be the glory for the great things ________ has done. This should be our boast!
From Today’s Reading, a Disciple of Jesus Will …
None of us will be saved because we are perfect or because anything we do earns God’s approval. The peace of God and the mercy of God are free gifts purchased on Calvary by the cross of Jesus Christ. (Amen and thank God!).
A disciple of Jesus will come to the cross each day. Jesus crucified should be the basis of our prayers and we should glory – boast – in the cross with each breath we are given.
“The gospel is not a set of swimming instructions for a drowning man, but a pardon and reprieve from death for a man who does not deserve it.” (Paul Little)
Thank God for the wonder of the cross!
Ministry, Mission, Outreach, Service Opportunities to Consider
New Life plants a Community Garden at our local mission and outreach home at The Bridge, 102 Bay St., Penn Twp. Helpers are needed to plant, weed, water and harvest the produce. Saturday, May 5 is garden preparation day – we’ll be digging and getting the ground ready for seeding later in the month. Lots of helping hands are needed. Contact Karen at 724-586-2241 or karen@newlifexn.org for specifics!
My Journal
Note any thoughts from Through the Bible or the Daily Reading here:
Growing and Going!
The young donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such pride! He thrust his head high and gave his tail a quick shake. “I am number one!”
He walked to the water well. The crowd of people there didn’t move – no one seemed to notice him. They went on drawing their water – chatting and laughing. “Throw your garments down! Don’t you know who I am?” he boasted.
The people looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him on the rear and ordered – ordered! – him to move away. “Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll go to the market. The people there will remember me!”
But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the boastful donkey. “The palm branches! Throw them down like you did yesterday!” he shouted. “Honor me with your hosannas!” No one did.
Hurt and confused, the donkey went home. His mother met him – and saw the pride and glory in his walk and talk. “Foolish little donkey,” she said. “Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?”
Without Jesus and the cross, we are ordinary, sinful and condemned. We have nothing to boast about. But with Him and in Him – all things are new. We are new people of God. If we boast, let our boast remain in Him and His cross alone.