Wednesday 30 April 2014

Read: Exodus 19:5-6

Country

So far in our journey through the Gospel we have seen that even in the face of mankind's rebellion and sin, God is at work to rescue and restore a people to Himself. Even at mankind's original rebellion God was gracious to them and did not destroy them. Instead He promised a rescue. At the time of the flood God spared His people by providing a way of salvation. He is actively working to protect and provide for His people. This work of God comes right into the foreground of the story with our next card: Country.

God establishes for Himself a people on Earth, a nation through whom He will bring about His rescue plan for all people. This is the Nation of Israel. God began this work by making a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 that God would create a nation through Him. 400 years later, in one of the most dramatic moments in the whole Bible, God steps in to rescue this nation, His people, from slavery in Egypt. God brings this people out of slavery and establishes them as a nation. This nation is not to be inward looking but is instead to show the truth to the world. They are to be a kingdom of priests that show God to the world and a holy nation that demonstrates God to all people.

But the nation of Israel rejected God just like Adam and Eve did. They rejected the commands and rule of God and refused to yield to His plan for them. They chose their own way and deliberately chose to walk in sin and unrighteousness.

At this point it seems like God's plans have failed. Instead of showing God to the other nations of the world Israel sinks into sin and becomes just like everyone else. How could God possibly use this to rescue mankind from sin?

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. How did God intend Israel to function within itself as a nation?
2. How did God intend Israel to function to the other nations around them?
3. What does Israel's rejection of God show us about God, about mankind and about Jesus?

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Pray by name for those in your family who don't know Christ and have not heard the Gospel. Pray that your life would be an example to them of God's work. Pray that God would be at work in their lives and that they would have an opportunity to hear the Gospel. Pray that God would give you opportunities and boldness to share the good news with them.
• Pray for PlayPals this morning at ChristLife. Pray that the mothers from the community would come with open hearts and minds. Pray that good relationships would be built and that many mums would come to know Christ. Pray that the Christian mums who attend would be bold in sharing their faith.
• Pray for the three people you listed above and for an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

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Tuesday 29 April 2014

Read: Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 6:5-8, Hebrews 11:7

Corruption and Catastrophe

We began our discussion of the Gospel at the creation of a perfect world. A world with no sickness, pain, suffering or death. When we compare this perfect world with our broken reality it quickly starts to seem like a fairytale. What went wrong with this perfect world? Why do we live in such a broken place? To explain this difference we must look at the next C2C card:Corruption.

God gave mankind one big rule in Genesis 2:17. They could eat the fruit of any tree in the perfect garden that God had placed them in with one major exception: they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In an incredible rejection of God's rightful rule, mankind disobeyed God and ate the fruit of this tree. The cards represent this rejection of God's rule with a cross through the crown.

As a result of mankind's rejection of God's rule over creationperfection was lost. God rightly punished mankind and the world for their rejection of Him but, in His grace, did not immediately dish out the full punishment deserved. From this point forward mankind would struggle against temptation and what was once a perfect world became a negative world. Suffering, pain, struggle and death became the way of things forever. Where once people were happy now they were sad.

After this first corruption there was a continuance of evil, sin and rebellion against God. Mankind became more and more evil. Their crimes against God and each other became more and more horrifying. Genesis 6 tells us that every inclination of man was only for evil all of the time. God could not idly stand by and watch this forever, it was time for judgment. God poured out His righteous judgment on mankind by sending an incredible, worldwide flood.

This hardly seems like good news but even here, at one of mankind's lowest points God provides a way of salvation. God commands Noah to build an ark for the salvation and rescue of Noah and his family as well as two of every kind of animal. Through Noah and his family the human race can continue and God shows His great grace to mankind.

The result of the flood is total renewal of the Earth. God has wiped away the damage and evil that mankind has done and gives them the chance to begin again. God provides to Noah and his family arainbow as a symbol of his promise that never again will He judge the whole world by means of a flood. Through this promise God gives mankind renewed hope that He is at work in the world and is at work to rescue His people.

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. How do people who don't believe in Genesis explain evil and suffering in our world?
2. Was God unjust in destroying the world through the flood?
3. What does the catastrophe teach us about God, about mankind and about Jesus?

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Pray by name for those in your workplace who don't know Christ. Pray that God would be at work in each of their hearts to soften them towards Him. Pray that God would give you opportunities to share your faith with them and that He would give you courage and wisdom to take advantage of those opportunities.
• Pray for the women in your congregation including those who are wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, single, widowed, young and old. Pray that God would be at work in each of their hearts so that they might grow in their love for Him. Pray that they might serve Him with their whole hearts.
• Pray for the three people you listed above and for an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

Monday 28 April 2014

Coming Up: Sonday 4 May 2014

The Gospel

Romans 1:1-17

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Read: Romans 1:16-17, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:31

Creation

The Gospel drove every single part of Paul's life. It caused him to spend his life as an apostle, (Romans 1:1) enduring incredible persecution and hardship for the sake of the Gospel. It made him willing to give up nearly anything for the sake of preaching the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12,19). It changed Paul's personal life, causing him to count everything else as rubbish compared to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8-9). Paul served God with his whole heart in the mission of preaching the gospel (Romans 1:9). Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel, it drove his entire life...

I wonder if we could say the same thing about our own lives? Does the Gospel drive everything we do and say? Do we desire to preach the Gospel with our whole heart. Do we show the Gospel by our lives to those in our workplace, our friends and our family. Are we willing to take advantage of opportunities to share the Gospel with these same people? Or are we ashamed of the Gospel? Do we even know the Gospel enough to be able to share it without fear and shame?

This week we will see together exactly what this Gospel message is. There are many tools that can help you share the Gospel like the Romans Road, Christianity Explained and there are even apps you can get for your phone! We will be studying the Creation2Completion (C2C) program which explains the Gospel by looking at the whole of redemptive history. Use the pictures and the words on each page to help you remember what you are explaining. By the end of the week you should be able to confidently explain the Gospel using these cards. If you would like a set of these cards to use in evangelism come see us at the ChristLife office or send us an email atadmin@christlife.org.au.

To explain the Gospel to someone it is helpful to start right at the beginning of time. In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. God made every single thing that exists. From microscopic organisms to you and me all the way to the millions of galaxies in the universe God made every single thing. Because He made it He was the rightful ruler over all things. The crown represents this rulership over all creation. God made mankind as well and intended that they be totally obedient to Him as their rightful ruler. They were to obey every command that He gave. This creation was perfectly good, there was no bad at all. No sickness, no pain, no war, no sorrow, no death. This world was perfectly good. Everyone was smiling and happy, just how God intended.

This is the perfect world that God created for mankind. But this isn't the world we live in now is it? Tomorrow we will see why...

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. Why is it important to start with creation when sharing the Gospel as opposed to starting with Jesus?
2. Share with the group three people who you want to share the Gospel with and pray for them together.

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Praise God for the incredible news of the gospel! Praise Him that we can have righteousness before God through the work that He has done on our behalf. Pray that God would be working in your heart that you might be able to serve God with all your heart. Pray that this week God would help you to fully understand the Gospel and fill you with a passion to share it with others.
• Pray for the small groups that will be gathering throughout this week to study God's Word together, to pray together and to encourage one another. Pray that God would give each group great wisdom and help them to apply the Word in their lives.
• Pray for the three people you listed above and for an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

Saturday April 26, 2014

Read: Romans 1:1-7

Paul addresses the Christians who are in Rome those who are ‘loved by God’. Have you ever thought about yourself in that way? You are loved by God! Warts and all you are loved by God. God is not waiting for you to change, to get better, to improve yourself, to be a better Christian or anything else. You are loved by God right here right now!

Worship Moment

A life lived in response to the love of God is a life of worship. How often do you respond to the love of God?

Our love is often conditional and limited. We love those who make us feel good. We love those who support us and help us. We limit our love to those who can love us back and give us something in return. But God’s love is unconditional. You are loved by God. As humbling as it may sound, there is nothing you can do to make God love you or to prove your worth to God. He loves you warts and all. When you accept this and stop fighting against God by trying to prove yourself or earn His love you will be free to live in that love and to enjoy its blessings and abundance.

As a called child of God you are loved by Him! Meditate upon that daily and free yourself from the burden of trying to prove yourself! Free yourself from self hate, self condemnation and the need for self approval by accepting and meditating daily on this truth: You are loved by God.

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. A believer asks you how they can experience the love of God. What do you say in response?
2. How can you keep the love of God in your head/heart daily?
3. What is the relationship between the love of God and the knowledge of God?

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Ask the Lord to move powerfully among you and your congregation tomorrow so that each person experiences the love of God. Pray that this would grow and edify the believers and draw those who are distant from God to bow the knee and to confess that Jesus is their Lord.
• Pray that the Gospel will be powerfully preached in your congregation tomorrow and that God would work powerfully through His Word. Pray that the kingdom would grow as a result of the preaching of the Word.

Friday April 25, 2014

Read Romans 1:1-5. Romans 16:19, 26

Every successive year more people are traveling the world to the shores of Gallipoli where the ANZAC legend was born. Many cite it as the “spiritual” experience of their lives. Similarly, there are many Christians in the world today looking for an experience or a buzz. Some want a spiritual high. Others want that warm fuzzy feeling they had when they first believed. Still others want that emotion of assurance that once surged through their veins. Some want to feel the Holy Spirit.

Spirituality in the Bible is not a feeling or a buzz. To define the word spiritual you could easily substitute the word ’obedient’. Those who are obedient are the spiritual ones according to the Scriptures. It’s not the ones who have some kind of experience! Satan can easily counterfeit an experience but he can never counterfeit true obedience!

Walk Moment

The Bible says we find our selves and our life when we lose it for Jesus. Read Matthew 16:24-25 You can lose your life in obedient serving of others and by putting their needs above your own. It is here at the bottom of the pile that you find the heights of spirituality you are looking for.

Romans 1:6 makes it exceedingly clear that spirituality and obedience are parallel. Paul was called by God to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. His mission was to call others by preaching the Gospel. At the end of verse 5 we see what Paul was calling people to. Read the verse carefully and notice that people are called by God through the preaching of the Gospel to the “… obedience that comes through faith.”

The bench mark of Christianity, the hall mark of spirituality, the core of our faith is OBEDIENCE! What God loves and values is consistent, daily obedience. The mother who obeys God loving her husband and raising her children in accord with God’s word pleases God. The husband who loves and cherishes his family and acts in line with the Word of God puts a smile on God’s face. The single man or woman who walks humbly in obedience refusing to act like the world or to chase the pleasures of the world finds God’s approval. The teenager who refuses to indulge in the passions and lusts of the world is pleasing to God.

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. A believer says to you, ‘I need to be slain in the Spirit again. I’m desperate for it.’ How do you respond?
2. Why should a Christian strive to be obedient?
3. Obedience doesn’t save us yet we are called to be obedient. Please explain.

The book of Romans begins with a call to obedience and finishes (Romans 16:19, 26) with obedience suggesting that it is a major theme of the Gospel call. As we’ll see throughout our Romans series obedience is not just trying harder and harder in the desperate hope that one day we will overcome our struggles and be a better Christian. Obedience comes through faith and is as much a work of God’s grace as our salvation is. We do have a role to play but it is definitely NOT to try harder in our own strength. That will inevitably lead to frustration and hopelessness in our struggle with sin. Obedience comes and grows as we grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Ask the Lord to be working powerfully among our youth. Pray that they would grow in their faith and that grace would strengthen their hearts, protecting them against the lusts of the world, the ways of the world and the desires of the world.
• Pray that our youth would shine brightly for Jesus bringing many people into the kingdom through their lifestyle and witness.

Thursday April 24, 2014

Read: Romans 1:1-4, Psalm 2:1-12

We have seen that Jesus was fully man. He is a descendant of the Great King David and also of Adam, the first human created. But He is not just fully human. He is fully God as well!

The resurrection from the dead declares Jesus to be the Son of God. When we speak of “resurrection” we are using a well worn cliché in the Christian world where as it should be a revolutionary term packed with meaning! Resurrection is different to resuscitation. When someone is resuscitated they are brought back to life as in a resurrection. But unlike a resurrection, a resuscitated person will die again. Jesus, being resurrected, defeated death. He destroyed death and will never die again. He was NOT resurrected as a spirit or a ghost but in bodily form and will live forever as a resurrected body not a spirit or ghost.

Worship Moment

The resurrection of Christ is proof and guarantee that you too will be resurrected. You can praise God and thank God continuously for this. Such hope is the basis of a life of worship.

This resurrection from the dead proves that Jesus is the Son of God. “Son of God” is another Christian cliché that gets bandied around without much thought. When the Bible talks of Jesus as the Son of God it’s referring to the Anointed One. The Hebrew term gives us the word ‘Messiah” or “Christ” in Greek. This Anointed One will be installed as King in Zion over all the nations. He is the one whom the Lord will use to bring judgment and vengeance upon all the peoples of the earth who conspire, plot and rage against the LORD. This Son of God is the one who will dash them to pieces like pottery! This Son is the one to whom the Father will give the nations as His inheritance. He is the one to whom the ends of the earth will be given. He is the one to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, to the glory of God the Father.

The gospel that has been foretold through the ages by the prophets concerns this Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is fully man and fully God.

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. What do you find amazing or incredible about the resurrection of Christ from the dead?
2. Can you explain in simple language (say to a 7 year old) the idea that Jesus is fully man and fully God?
3. Why did Jesus come into our world as a man? Could we have been saved any other way?

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Ask the Lord to grow our children in their faith, that those who haven’t yet accepted Jesus in their own right would do so and that each of them would be deepened and strengthened in that faith.
• Pray that they would understand the Gospel and that they would be willing to share this Gospel among their peers.

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Wednesday April 23, 2014

Read: Romans 1:1-3, Matthew 1:1-17 (If you’re game!)

Genealogies can be rather boring and tedious. But even so the Bible is filled with them. Interestingly, the genealogies tell us a lot about God, about mankind and about ourselves.

Word Moment

Never groan when you come to a genealogy. God has put it there to teach you some incredible truth. Ask yourself what God is telling you through this genealogy and get excited by digging for the truth God is conveying to you.

God could have done many things to bring mankind to repentance and faith in His only begotten Son Jesus. He could have opened the heavens to show the world Jesus sitting on the heavenly throne. He could have transported people to the heavenly throne room and given them the task of testifying what they saw to the world. He could have simply created ‘belief’ in each and every single person effectively removing all doubt.

But God chose to humbly enter our world through the lineage of the great King David who was a descendant of Abraham who in turn was a descendant of the first person, Adam. The genealogies we see throughout Scripture are often linked to the promise of God to bring the Saviour into the world. Adam, Abraham and David had the gospel promised to them. Genealogies are often given in impossible situations. Mary for example was found to be with child before she was married. In our day, that’s a common thing but in Mary’s day it was intolerable and was punishable by death!

God also shows us how gracious He really is and how far reaching His grace extends. In the genealogy we see that Ruth is mentioned. This woman was a Moabitess, not a Jew. By Old Testament standards, she should not have a major role in Jewish society. But by God’s grace she is grand mother to the Great King David. Tamar is mentioned who disguised herself as a harlot and offered herself to Judah, her father-in-law to continue the family line. Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho that was sieged and destroyed by Joshua. Rahab welcomed the spies, hid them from the army and was rewarded for her support. She married Salmon (a fishy guy??) and gave birth to Boaz who married Ruth and thus became an ancestor to Jesus.

God in all His wisdom chose to send Jesus through the lineage of David. He chose to humbly enter our world as the Son of Man, knowing that no other way would suffice to make atonement for our sins!

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. When we come to genealogies at church people often groan and moan. What positives can you think about genealogies?
2. Why do you think God put genealogies into the Bible?
3. What function(s) do genealogies serve? Brainstorm to make the list as long as you can!

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• As many cell groups meet tonight, pray that God would grow these cells in love and compassion for each other. Pray that the time of Worship, Word and Walk would be an edification to all involved and that cells would begin to reach outwards with the gospel.
• Pray that God would bless our MOPS and Playpals ministries. Ask the Lord to use these two ministries to touch many lives with the Gospel and to bring many into His kingdom. Ask your Lord to raise up the support needed for these ministries to thrive.

Tuesday April 22, 2014

Read Romans 1:1-2, Isaiah 52:13-53:1

Ever since Adam and Eve rejected God in Eden and were kicked out of that perfect paradise, God has been telling His people that Jesus would come to rescue them and make them right with God. In Genesis 3:15 we see the first foretelling of the coming of Jesus. Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Walk Moment

Someone at church says to you that God is calling him/her to leave this church to find another. How do you respond?

Every generation throughout the Old Testament had the gospel foretold to them. In Isaiah’s day they had the clearest presentation of the Gospel. The servant of the Lord would come and suffer on behalf of the people. He would be despised and rejected. He will take up the infirmities of the people, be stricken by God, smitten and afflicted. God would pierce and crush Him. God would lay on Him the iniquity of all the people. He would be oppressed and afflicted and would not open His mouth to complain of the unfair and cruel treatment. He would die as a criminal and be assigned a grave with the rich. Yet even so, God would raise this servant to life and He will see the light of life. If you can’t hear the truth of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection in these verses take time to read Matthew 26 to the end of the chapter or Mark 14 to 16 or Luke 22 to 24 or even John 13-21.

The reality is that God has never been into performance. Even in the Old Testament God saved the people first and then gave them the Law as a guide on how to live. Think about it. In Exodus 1-19 God saves the people and then in Exodus 20 through Leviticus He gives them the Law. He has never, and will never, save people because of their performance. Why is this so? It’s because people can never live up to God’s perfect standard! People will always need rescuing.

Our God is a God of grace. He loves to share His grace. He loves to lavish people with his love and mercy. He loves to freely bless people. But here’s the unexpected bit. God chooses to lavish people with mercy through you and I! God chooses to call people (remember yesterday’s readings) through the preaching and sharing of the Gospel. That means you and I have the immense privilege of being ambassadors for God. That means you and I can have a meaningful life of eternal consequence as we share our faith with everyone who will listen. Your family, your friends, your work or school mates, your neighbours and acquaintances can all be lavished with God’s love and forgiveness through YOU. How awesome.

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Ask the Lord to be opening doors for you to speak out the Gospel into others’ lives. Ask the Lord to grant you the courage to speak about Jesus when that door is opened. Pray this for everyone in your congregation.
• Ask your Lord to create a passionate zeal within your congregation to be sharing the Gospel. Pray that each person would be willing to share at every opportunity and more so, that they would be looking for opportunities to share.

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Monday April 21, 2014

Read Romans 1:1, 8:28-30, Acts 2:37-39

Being “called” by God has a lot of baggage in the Christian world. The term is often misused and abused and even sometimes in contexts that contradict God’s Word and God’s character. People report that God has called them to all sorts of things including murder, destruction and blatant sin.

Witness Moment

When ever you speak to a non believer you have an opportunity to turn that conversation into a spiritual conversation. Ask them what they believe. Ask them about church. Ask them why they don’t believe in Jesus or what they think about Jesus. You’ll be amazed at how often you can share your faith when you ask lots of questions.

We see in Romans 8:1 that Paul, previously known as Saul the Pharisee, was called by God to be an Apostle and that he was set apart, or sanctified in the Greek, for the sake of the Gospel. God’s calling here was person and task specific.

Earlier, as Peter spoke to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, he clearly and boldly preached the Gospel to them. At the end of his sermon he declared that the Gospel promise is open to all who repent and believe in Christ, for their children and ‘for all whom the Lord our God will call’.

People are irresistibly called as the Gospel is preached. These people who are called by God will be placed on a pathway to glory. God, according to Romans 8:27-39, foreknows certain people. These he predestines. Then he calls them through Gospel proclamation. Those whom He calls He justifies and those He justified He also glorifies.

Take note very carefully the wording of Romans 8:28. God works for the good of those who love Him. We often hear that clearly and loudly. Yet who are those people who love Him? Look at the next part of that verse 28. It’s those who have been called by God. While there are often many types of people in the church for various reasons– what they can get out of it, prestige, healing, relationship and mate finding etc - those who are called love God. God is their number one priority. The relationship is certain. If you are called by God you will love God. One of the sure signs of being called by God is having an inner love for God. Do you have this inner love for God? Do you attend church because you love God? Is God’s calling filling your insides so much that it oozes out as love for God?

Even more so, those who are called by God will seek to find others who are called by God. They do that in the same way that both Paul and Peter did: by preaching the Gospel, knowing that God will call His people through that Gospel message.

Prayer

Use today’s readings to write down prayer points

Adoration:

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. What is “God’s calling“?
2. How does God call people?
3. Some people talk about God’s irresistible call? What do you think this means?
4. Someone at church says to you that God is calling him/her to leave this church to find another. How do you respond?

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to preach the Gospel so that His calling can reach more and more people. Pray that you would have the wisdom and ability to disciple those who are called through the Gospel sharing you engage in.
• Pray that God would mature and deepen the faith of everyone in your congregation. Pray too that those who aren’t truly saved would be brought into genuine repentance and faith through the love and grace of God.

Friday April 18, 2014

Read Mark 15:16-41.

Good Friday Service.

See you and your friends, family and neighbours there.

Saturday April 19, 2014

Read Mark  15:42 - 16:8. Matthew 28:17.

Christianity is unique in so many ways. Ultimately the faith of Christians rests on the resurrection of Christ Jesus. If the resurrection can be proven to be false then Christianity would die and could never rise from the dead.

Even though many people think that Jesus was just a good man who taught good things but lived and died just like us, the historical facts present a totally different picture. When Jesus died on the cross Pilate was surprised to hear that He had died so quickly. The Roman soldiers released the body to a certain man of Aramathea called Joseph. Roman soldiers were experts in killing people and would not release Jesus’ body unless he were completely and utterly dead. The idea that He could have been comatose or only half dead only sits well with half-wits. Romans knew how to kill.

After the Sabbath was over, the women went with spices to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. Upon arriving at the tomb they are greeted by angels. As they shake in fear the angel tells them that Jesus had indeed risen, just as He had foretold. Trembling and afraid they ran to tell the other disciples that Jesus was indeed alive.

Later, the disciples met this risen Jesus and, as we read in Matthew 28:17, they worshipped Him. They bowed down to Him as if He were God. Good law abiding Jews would only bow down to God and would stone to death others who bowed down to anyone or any thing else. Yet despite their knowledge and heritage, when they see the risen Jesus they bow down and worship Him as God.

The disciples did not worship a dead man but the One who overcame and defeated death.

Will your worship Him who overcame death with your heart, soul, mind and strength?

Prayer:

Having read today’s passages, jot down 2 points for each type of prayer.

Adoration:

Confess:

Thanks

Supplication:

ª Pray that in tomorrow’s Easter Sonday services across the nation preachers will fearlessly and boldly proclaim Christ risen from the dead and that they would call upon people to repent and believe in Jesus. Ask God to bring many conversions across this land and into your congregation.

ª Pray that we would see God powerfully at work to bring people to faith in Christ through the proclamation of the Word and through the witness of His saints. Pray that each of us would be bold in sharing our testimony of Jesus with those around us.

Witness Moment –  When you realise that the death of Jesus was immensely unjust, you begin to realise the enormity of grace lavished upon yourself. As you realise more of God’s grace, you are less likely to have a superior attitude towards others in need of grace. That humility and acceptance leads to a powerful witness that words alone cannot produce

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus was falsely arrested, wrongly tried and unjustly sentenced to death?

2. What role does the sovereignty of God play in all of this?

3. Given all you’ve read and discussed, who is responsible for the death of Christ Jesus?