GOD WHO SPEAKS

THE

FALL 2012: Personal Study Guide Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor

THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE, FALL 2012 VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM EDITORIAL PROJECT LEADER: Chad Jordan CONTENT EDITOR: Chad Jordan SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST: Edward A . Crawford GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Charles Long CONTRACT GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Susan Maywald PRODUCTION EDITOR: Scott Latta STUDENT MINISTRY SPECIALIST: Paul Turner Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, The Gospel Project for Students, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 372340174; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jeff Pratt DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY: Ben Trueblood DIRECTOR, SUNDAY SCHOOL: David Francis

Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project for Students (ISSN 1939-0742; Item 005508013) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWays doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

These Christian leaders were part of a team who consulted on the creation of The Gospel Project.
James MacDonald Eric Mason Joe Thorn

Senior Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago, IL

Daniel Akin

Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA

Kimberly Thornbury

Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship, St. Charles, IL

Juan Sanchez

President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

J.D. Greear

Dean of Students at Union University, Jackson, TN

Jay Noh

Pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, TX

Collin Hansen

Pastor at The Summit Church, Raleigh, NC

Director of Missional Leadership and Mobilization, Chicago Baptist Association

Editorial director, The Gospel Coalition / editor-at-large, Christianity Today

SESSION 11

SUBMITTING TO THE GOD WHO SPEAKS

HY DO WE STRUGGLE so much with authority? Why is it often easier for you to listen to advice from a friends parents than it is your own? You know your parents love you and only desire the best for you. So why it it so difficult sometimes to submit to them? Deep inside all of us sin has left its mark. Where we should have been hard-wired to walk with God, we are now hard-wired to rebel. In the same way we struggle to submit to our parents, we also struggle to submit to God and His will for our lives. Thankfully God has dealt with sin and provided a way for us to deal with our sin. Because of Christ we are no longer hard-wired to rebel and can now recognize the authority Gods Word has in our lives and respond rightly to His authority with complete submission.

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READY YOUR HEART

BETTER THAN GOOGLE

Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. Also read 2 Kings 22:3-10 in your Bible. DO YOU KNOW WHERE GOOGLE GOT ITS NAME? The name Google is derived from the number googol . A googol is the number one followed by 100 zeros, or, in scientific notation, 1x10^100 . When the founders of Google were looking for a name, they decided upon Google to convey the message that they were searching an extraordinary number of webpages every time someone used their search engine . So how big is a googol, exactly? Well, for some perspective, the number of electrons in the entire known universe is estimated to be around 1x10^79 . Remember, electrons are one of the components of atoms . That means every single atom has at least one electron, and most have many electrons . If you were to add those up for the entire universe, the number would be 1x10^79 . Significantly less than a googol . Why is this important? It will help us to see how incredible the Word of God is . Throughout the Old Testament, approximately 300 different prophecies regarding the Messiah are presented . In the New Testament, we find that Jesus fulfilled every single one of these prophecies . The mathematical odds of all of these prophecies being fulfilled are literally incalculable . So we ask again, why does this matter? Well, the Bible is the only collection of writings ever to exist that forecast the future with such clarity and precision . Think about it for a moment . The Bible is a single work that was written over a span of 1500 years, by more than 40 different authors, in a variety of locales, in different cultural settings, in many different moods, across three different continents, in three different languages, in a variety of literary styles, and in response to a multitude of controversial subjects . Yet, in spite of this, it tells one central story of Gods redemption of man without a single error or contradiction . In other words, when we pick up our Bibles, we can be completely confident that we are reading the true Word of God!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Why is is important that the Bible tells the truth? How does the truthfulness of the Bible impact your daily life?

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READY YOUR HEART

SHARPER THAN A GINSU

2 Kings 22:11-13 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. Then he commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the kings servant Asaiah: Go and inquire of the Lord for me, the people, and all Judah about the instruction in this book that has been found. For great is the Lords wrath that is kindled against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this book in order to do everything written about us. HAVE YOU HEARD OFTHE GINSU KNIFE? A quick search of Youtube will provide the original commercials of these knives . The maker of these knives claimed they could cut through just about anything without dulling their blades . On the commercials, youll see these knives cut through all kinds of things, including frozen vegetables, tree branches, nails, leather shoes, the bones in T-bone steaks, soda cans, and even the head of a hammer . It takes a pretty incredible (and sharp) knife to slice through all of these objects! Notice what Hebrews says about Gods Word . It says that its sharper than any twoedged sword . In other words, Gods Word cuts deeper than any Ginsu knife could ever cut . It cuts through everything we encounter in this world, and penetrates our hearts . Gods Word slices through our body and exposes the sinful condition of our hearts . No matter how deep we try to bury our sins, Gods Word cuts through and exposes them . And that is a wonderful thing . By cutting through our entire being and revealing the sins weve committed, we can be confronted by the gospel of Christ . The good news of Christ isnt that He came to save a bunch of good people . The good news is that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rom . 5:8)! This demonstrates an important reason for studying the Scriptures . As we learn more and more about who God is, we see the impossibility of becoming like Him on our own . The Bible shows us how desperately we need a Savior!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

What does the Bible reveal about our hearts? Why is it so important to realize the sinful condition of our hearts? How has sin affected the world as a whole? What can we do to overcome the sinful condition of our hearts?

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ANTI-VENOM FOR SIN?

Heb. 4:13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. Also read 2 Kings 22:14-20 in your Bible. I HAVE AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP with snakes . I am absolutely terrified of them, yet am incredibly fascinated by them all at the same time . In the real world, that means if I encounter a snake, I run in the other direction as fast as humanly possible . But, if Im protected by plexiglass at the zoo or stumble upon a snake show on Animal Planet, Im enthralled . This fascination has led to the watching of many television programs of people getting bitten by venomous snakes . Once bitten, the need for anti-venom quickly becomes apparent . Once the person can get to the hospital and the anti-venom is injected, the person begins down the road to recovery . Compare this to the human condition . Weve all been bitten by the poison of sin . Sin has entered our hearts at birth and colors everything we do . It moves throughout our body and soul, destroying everything in its path . Fortunately, God has provided the ultimate combatant to sin: His only begotten Son . Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again in order to forgive us of our sins . In other words, He is the perfect treatment to all the sin in the world . But notice a key element in the process of recovering from a snakebite . The existence of anti-venom is not sufficient for recovery . The anti-venom must be injected into the person . In this instance, the syringe is the instrument that enables the anti-venom to enter the bloodstream and begin its healing properties . The syringe itself doesnt heal the person, but it makes it possible for the anti-venom to do its job . In many ways, this scenario parallels with the Bible . Christ alone is the solution to mans problem of sin . But the Bible is the tool that enables us to see both our sinful condition and point us to the ultimate healer and redeemer, Jesus Christ . That is the main thrust of the entire Bible . Yes it is entirely true . Yes it points out our sinful condition . Yes it tells us about the world, morality, history, and a multitude of other things . But above everything else, it allows us to encounter the life-changing truth of the gospel .

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Why is the Bible important? Does owning a Bible do anything for you? How does the Bible communicate the gospel to the world around us?

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When we submit our lives to God...

Gods Word influences the thoughts, opinions, and behaviors of His people by telling us the truth, cutting to the heart of our sinful condition, and bringing us to repentance.

How does one become

an authority on a certain subject or topic? How do your parents exercise authority over you? What is the difference between authority that is earned and authority inherent to a position?

We Accept His Truths.

Think about the word authority. Do you see another word inside it? Author. The Bible has authority because God is the Author. Its true that God spoke through human authors in order to get His message across. But ultimately it is Gods message revealed in the Scriptures.

Would your attitude toward Scripture change if it were extremely difficult to obtain a copy? How so? What if it were illegal to own a copy of the Bible?

When push comes to shove, we show what we really believe about the Bible by how we act. We can say that we believe the Bible is true and authoritative and therefore we are to submit to it, but if the Bible is true and if it is truly authoritative, it must change the way we live.

What piece of

technology do you want to get next? How is it better than what you currently have? Describe a time when the newer upgrade wasnt better than the original?

What would you say to someone who thinks Scripture is just an outdated booka dinosaur that might have been powerful long ago but lacks relevance today?

Defend the Bible? Would you defend a lion? Loose him; and let him go! Charles Spurgeon, (1834-1892)

He Changes Our Heart.

When John was on the Isle of Patmos, he saw an image of Jesus Christ with a double-edged sword emerging from His mouth (Rev. 1:16). What does this tell us about the power of the Word of God to judge?

The perfect Word of God

shows us our imperfections and gives us a true diagnosis of our fallen state. Whereas the world often tells us that our problem is failing to believe in ourselves, the Bible gives us a stark picture of our true state: we are in rebellion against God. In this way, the Bible cuts to the heart of our sinful condition.
The sword of the Spirit, which is Gods word (Eph. 6:17) is a powerful weapon against Satan (see Matt. 4:1-11), but it is also capable of piercing the hearts of Gods people.

Do you read the Bible merely out of habit or do you expect the Lord to convict you of sin and bring you to repentance through His Word? Give examples of when Gods Word has cut to your heart and convicted you of sin in your life.

Whereas the world often tells us that our problem is failing to believe in ourselves, the Bible gives us a stark picture of our true state: we are in rebellion against God. In this way, the Bible cuts to the heart of our sinful condition.

He Continues to Refine Us.

The joy of salvation is that God does not look

at His people without a filter. Instead, the Father sees believers through the lens of Jesus Christs righteousness. Read Psalm 139. Pay attention to the verbs in this passage. What do these words reveal about the abilities and power of God? What feeling does this knowledge leave with you?

How would you define repent? Compare Ezekiel 33:11 and Matthew 12:41. Who are the recipients of each command to repent? What does this suggest about Gods ultimate plan of redemption?

Conclusion

Ultimate authority does not come from man-made institutions. It does not come from power, wealth, social status, or reputation. Instead, all authority under heaven and earth belongs to God, and you and I submit to the God who speaks by reading and obeying the Word He has spoken. Is the Bible the only source of authority for a Christian or the supreme authority? How can we distinguish among scriptural authority, conventional wisdom, and false religious teaching? How is Gods Word impacting your life?

ENCORE

SUBMITTING TO THE GOD WHO SPEAKS When we submit our lives to God...
1. WE ACCEPT HIS TRUTHS (HEB. 4:12; 2 KINGS 22:3-10). The Word of God is our final authority, the standard by which all things are judgedeven us. The Bible is old, but the Bible never gets old. You and I can examine and scrutinize the Scriptures, but Gods Word also examines and scrutinizes us. Since God is the author of His Word, to disobey or disbelieve Scripture is to disobey and disbelieve God. Think about the word authority. Do you see another word inside it? Author. The Bible has authority because God is the Author. Its true that God spoke through human authors in order to get His message across. But ultimately it is Gods message revealed in the Scriptures. The Bible has authority because God is the Author, the Creator, the ultimate source of all authority. Pastor Joshua Harris writes: The doctrine of Scripture teaches us about the authority of Gods Word. Scripture must be the final rule of faith and practice for our lives. Not our feelings or emotions. Not signs or prophetic words or hunches. What more can God give us than what hes given in Scripture? The question is, will we listen? Will we obey when we dont like what the Bible has to say? When push comes to shove, we show what we really believe about the Bible by how we act. We can say that we believe the Bible is true and authoritative and therefore we are to submit to it, but what we affirm about Gods Word can be denied by actions that undercut the Bibles authoritativeness. If the Bible is true and if it is truly authoritative, it must change the way we live. 2. HE CHANGES OUR HEART (HEB. 4:12; 2 KINGS 22:11-13). The author of Hebrews tells us that Gods Word is sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow (4:12). God spent over 2,000 years forging His Holy Worda pure and perfect weapon without flaw or impurity. We call this truth the infallibility of Scripture. Its the idea that Gods Word is pure in its authority and authoritative in its purity. In other words, Gods weapon contains no deficiencies inherent to its design, construction, and effectiveness. It pierces its target every time, for God said, My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do (Isa. 55:11). Jesus once said that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart (Luke 6:45). Because Gods Word flows from Gods heart, we can be confident that the Bible is the ultimate standard of truth. The sword of the Spirit, which is Gods word (Eph. 6:17) is a powerful weapon against Satan (see Matt. 4:1-11), but it is also capable of piercing the hearts of Gods people. When Christ absorbed the sins of His people, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom and sinners were granted access into the presence of God. Two thousand years later, the Holy Spirit continues to remind us of this event by convicting us of our sins and using Gods samurai-sharp Word to penetrate our hearts, judge our thoughts, remove our impurities, and bring us to a place of repentance and ultimate healing in Jesus.
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ENCORE

The perfect Word of God shows us our imperfections and gives us a true diagnosis of our fallen state. Whereas the world often tells us that our problem is failing to believe in ourselves, the Bible gives us a stark picture of our true state: we are in rebellion against God. In this way, the Bible cuts to the heart of our sinful condition. 3. HE CONTINUES TO REFINE US (HEB. 4:13; 2 KINGS 22:14-20) The author of Hebrews says, all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (4:13). All things. That means youand me. God sees through all of us all of the time. Every thought, every action, every hidden sin and secret is known and perfectly perceived by the all-knowing eye of the Almighty. It is a dangerous thing to stand naked in the presence of a powerful God. The joy of salvation is that God does not look at His people without a filter. Instead, the Father sees believers through the lens of Jesus Christs righteousness. The Messiahs atonement shields us from the wrath of God. Despite our manifold sins and our rebellious natures, God is patientnot wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9) CONCLUSION Of whom did Jesus say, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel! (Luke 7:9)? Was it Peter, James, or John? Perhaps it was Mary or Martha. No. This honor went to a random officer in the Roman army, a centurion. We dont know much about this centurion; in fact, we dont even know his name. But what we do know is that this Roman officer recognized the authority of Jesus better than anyone else Jesus had met, even the disciples. When the centurions slave was sick, he sent his friends to tell Jesus, Lord, dont trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. That is why I didnt even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured. For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, Go! and he goes; and to another, Come! and he comes; and to my slave, Do this! and he does it (vv. 6-8). Why did Christ pay him the compliment I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!? Because this centurion knew the answer to the question By what authority? By what authority can my sick slave become well again? Not by Satans authority. Not by Caesars authority. Not by traditions authority. Not even by religions authority. The supreme authority in heaven and earth belongs to God alone. Ultimate authority does not come from man-made institutions. It does not come from power, wealth, social status, or reputation. Instead, all authority under heaven and earth belongs to God, and you and I submit to the God who speaks by reading and obeying the Word He has spoken.

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