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Bearing gods Image

fall 2013: Personal Study Guide Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor

the gospel project for students

personal study guide, Fall 2013 volume 2, number 1 PRODUCTION and MINISTRY TEAM Vice President, Church Resources: Eric Geiger General Editor: Ed Stetzer Managing Editor: Trevin Wax content editor: Andy McLean DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jeff Pratt DIRECTOR, student ministry: Ben Trueblood Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, The Gospel Project for Students Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0174, Or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com Send questions/comments to: Publishing Team Leader, The Gospel Project: Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com. 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. Photos: iStockphoto and Getty Images

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unit 2

Gods Provision for Humanity

Colossians 1:15 declares Jesus the image of the invisible God. He is the visible reflection of God, who is invisible. There is a common saying for a child who resembles a parent: He is the spitting image of his father or She is the spitting image of her mother. In the same manner, Jesus is the perfect image and reflection of God the Father. Christians are called to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. Romans 8:29 says, He also predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of His Son. As Christ reflects God the Father, so should we reflect Christ in every way. As children of God, we want to be the spitting image of Christ because He is the perfect image of God. Whom do you reflect most in your life? Some Christians expend energy trying to reflect someone else whom they admire: family, friends, pop culture icons, heroes, heroines, and the like. But these pale in comparison to the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. We must always seek to reflect Christ because of His surpassing greatness in comparison to all others. We are the children of God, and therefore, we ought to reflect the image of our Father through Christ. Take a spiritual inventory of your life by asking how clearly you reflect the image of Christ. Then seek to grow as a reflection of the image of Christ through regular worship participation, prayer, reading and meditation on Gods Word, and learning from other maturing Christians in your local church. In what ways is Jesus the perfect reflection of God the Father? How can we reflect the image of Christ in our relationships with one another?

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SESSION 6

Jesus Reflects

ave you ever wondered what God looks like? Throughout history, there have been many attempts to depict Gods appearance. The human imagination has created plenty of ideas and images for God. Google images of God, and youll see a variety of them. The prophet Isaiah had a vision of the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple (Isa. 6:1). He saw the Lords robe as God was seated on the throne, but Isaiah does not describe seeing the face of God. The prophet Ezekiel described his own vision of God as the appearance of the form of the Lords glory (Ezek. 1:28). Words run out, and we are left with magnificent mystery. Is there any way to see beyond the brilliant light to behold God in His splendor? How do we know what God is like? The answer is in Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the exact representation of God in human form. The Son is the radiance of Gods glory and the exact expression of His nature (Heb. 1:3). Jesus said, The one who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the perfect reflection of God the Father. He is the visible image of God who is invisible.

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Ready Your Heart

No Ordinary Man
Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Jesus was just a great moral teacher. Jesus was just a everyday carpenter. Jesus was just a very good man. Jesus was a prophet. Jesus was a wonderful example. Have you ever heard anyone use one of these phrases to describe Jesus? Our culture has a bad habit of minimizing the reality of Jesus by painting Him as an ordinary guy. Theyll admit that He was a historical figure and probably even admit that He was a great and inspiring person. But thats as far as culture will take Jesus. The problem is that this line of thinking runs completely contrary to the claims of Scripture. To help us see how extraordinary Jesus is, Paul wrote an extended description of Christ in Colossians. Paul tells us that Jesus was not just some ordinary manJesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (v. 15). He tells us that everything was created by Him, everything was created for Him, and everything is held together through Him. In other words, if we think of Jesus as an ordinary man, we completely miss the point. Jesus is the one and only God-Man, sent to dwell on this earth and suffer the most horrible death imaginable. Then, after three days, this God-Man arose from the dead and ascended to His rightly throne in heaven. Now this is no ordinary man, but rather the Lord of Lords and King of Kings!

Pause and Reflect

Spend some time meditating on this passage, and thinking about the incredible reality of who Jesus is. Why does our culture tend to minimize the reality of Jesus? How can believers engage culture and communicate the real Jesus?

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Ready Your Heart

No Ordinary Message
2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with Gods word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyones conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Most reality show competitions are taped well in advance of their television air dates. Shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, Big Brother, or The Bachelor are all examples of this phenomenon. Even though the events often take place months earlier than the airings and winners have already been crowned, the viewing audience has no idea what happens until the show is broadcast. How is this possible? By a little document called a non-disclosure agreement. The participants of all of these shows are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before being selected to participate in the competition. By signing this agreement, the contestant contractually promises not to reveal, or disclose, the results of the show to anyone until after it has been televised. These non-disclosure agreements enable the results of the show to be kept a secret until the big reveal on national TV. Unfortunately, too many believers act like theyve signed a non-disclosure agreement when it comes to the gospel. Many Christians hide, or veil, the gospel inside themselves and dont put it out on display. This is a tragedy since Scripture clearly states, If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing (v.3). The message of Christs death and resurrection isnt meant to be a secret for those who are believers. It is meant to be a message of truth and hope to a dying world. It is when this message of truth and hope is prominently on display that our God gets the glory and honor that He demands and deserves. Glorify God by making it a priority to promote and exalt His glorious gospel!

Pause and Reflect

Why do some believers fail to display the gospel? What are the consequences of failing to display the gospel? How is God glorified through the display of His gospel?

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No Ordinary Mission
John 5:35-40 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. For a complete reading of this passage, read John 5:35-47 in your Bible. What comes to mind when your hear the term mission? Do you think about military involvement or strategy? Or did you think of a special statement that your school or work or church has thats called a mission statement? Or perhaps you thought of mission work you or your youth group are involved in or the memory of a missionary that came to visit your church? At its core, the word mission simply means a specific task with which a person or group is charged.1 So, a military mission involves a team of soldiers banding together to achieve a specific objective in order to defend their country. A mission statement is used to band an organization together under a central vision or task. Missionaries travel the world with the task of reaching all nations with the gospel of Christ. Lets go a step further with this understanding of mission. Notice that a mission has two components. First, there is a specific task, and second, there is a person or group of people charged with fulfilling this task. Using this definition, it becomes quite clear that the church has a mission from God. In this passage, we see that Jesus is doing many works to give testimony to the truth of who He is. Jesus sets the example, defining the mission for the church. God has given an extraordinary mission to the church. He has tasked the church with making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). This specific task (making disciples of all nations) given to this specific group of people (all believers of Christ) composes Gods mission in this world. Jesus communicated and reflected this mission, and He expects us to follow after Him by living out this mission.

Pause and Reflect

What is Gods mission? Why is it important for believers to know and embrace Gods mission? How can you participate in Gods mission?
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http://www.merriam-webster.com

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Jesus perfectly reflects...

God is restoring His image-bearers through Jesus Christ, who is the perfect reflection of God. In Jesus, we see Gods nature, Gods glory, and Gods mission. And because of His work, we are able to fulfill our purpose of bringing God glory.

Gods nature.
Christ the Son has revealed God the Father to us. Have you ever heard someone say to a child, Youre the spittin image of your daddy? Kids usually look like their parents. And just like children bear the image of their parents, Jesus reflects God the Father.

Read Colossians 1:15-20.

When we repent of our sin and put our faith in Jesus (the perfect image of God), He begins to work in us, shaping and forming us until we resemble our Father more and more. He works to restore the image of God in us that was distorted by our sin.

 What are some attributes of God the Father we can see in the life of Jesus? What does it look like for Christ to be first place in your life? In what ways do we show others the authority of Jesus in our lives by our obedience?

Christ not only created all things, but He maintains the entire universe. He sustains the order in the universe. He holds it all together. Doesnt this give you hope? If He holds the universe together, surely He can hold our lives together as Christians! Whenever we are tempted to give up on hope and on life, to feel like we can barely hold it together, we ought to remember that God is God and we are not. Jesus holds everything together by the power of who He is!

Gods glory.
Jesus Christ is the perfect reflection of the glory of God. He never fell short. Our aim should be that others see the glory of Jesus Christ. If we proclaim ourselves, there is no glory of God in it. If we proclaim Christ in all that we do, the glory of God will shine brightly. His light has shined in our hearts. Now we are to shine for His glory so that others may be brought out of darkness and into the light.

H  ave you thought lately whether you are seeing Jesus correctly? Are you aware that you are seeing Gods glory on display when you read about Jesus in the Gospels? What can help you see Him for who He truly is? In what ways are we tempted to withhold glory from God or seek our own glory?

 Remember, Christ was not a deified man, neither was he a humanized God. He was perfectly God and at the same time perfectly man. Charles H. Spurgeon

Jesus reflected the Fathers mission in everything He did while He walked the earth. His works were the evidence that God had sent Him into the world to accomplish a very important missionthat mission being the work of redemption He began in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned against Him (Gen. 3:1-16). J  esus said His works testified about His identity. In what ways do our works testify about ours?  How does the truth that Christ was sent by the Father affect the way we view our own missionbeing sent by the Son?

Gods mission.

Conclusion

Take a look at the portrait of Jesus in the New Testament and you will see the perfect picture of God. Jesus is the perfect representation of God the Father. He came to show us the Father, and through a right relationship with Him, Gods image in us is restored and made anew. How would you explain to someone the identity of Jesus?  What does it look like for a life to reflect a genuine relationship with Christ?

Encore

Jesus Reflects Jesus perfectly reflects...

1. Gods nature (Col. 1:15-20). One of the basic teachings of Scripture is that God is Spirit and therefore cannot be seen. His invisible nature is a reflection of the fact that God is different from the humans He created. Humans are visible and visual creatures. But God is not limited to our visual world. Though God is invisible, Scripture makes clear that we have incontrovertible evidence of His nature and power in creation (Rom. 1:20; 1 Tim. 1:17). Visible and Invisible. These are opposites that seem to be incompatible, right? Visible refers to what can be seen with human eyes. Invisible refers to what cannot be seen with human eyes. Something visible can be observed, studied, learned, and understood. Something invisible is mysterious to us and often difficult to understand. But God is the one in whom the visible and the invisible come together! God, who is invisible, is made visible through His Son Jesus Christ. Christ is the image of God. In other words, Christ is exactly what God looks like. He makes God visible, thus revealing the nature of God through His life, His death, and His resurrection. Whats more, when we repent of our sin and put our faith in Jesus (the perfect image of God), He begins to work in us, shaping and forming us until we resemble our Father more and more. He works to restore the image of God in us that was distorted by our sin. This passage of Scripture teaches that Christ was before all things, which indicates that He is eternal. Christ is not created; He is the eternal Creator. Whenever the beginning took place, He was already there making everything become a reality. In John 8:58, while debating with the Jewish leaders, Jesus made it clear that He has always existed: I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am. Christ not only created all things, but He maintains the entire universe. He sustains the order in the universe. He holds it all together. Doesnt this give you hope? If He holds the universe together, surely He can hold our lives together as Christians. 2. Gods glory (2 Cor. 4:1-6). In this passage, Paul the apostle defended his ministry against criticism while at the same time celebrating the glory of God seen most clearly in Jesus Christ. Lets spend a moment focusing on verses 3-4. Do you see how Paul wrote about the gospel being veiled to those who are perishing? He was referring back to an earlier part of the letter where he used Moses as an illustration. What is all this talk about Moses and the veil? The story goes back to Exodus. While the ancient Israelites were camped at Mount Sinai in the wilderness, Moses went to meet the Lord on the mountain for forty days and nights (Ex. 34:28-35). When Moses returned from being in the presence of the Lord, his face was radiant in reflecting Gods glory. Moses had to cover his face with a veil whenever he appeared before the people because of the radiance of Gods glory was so brightly reflected in his face. These events happened as the Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land. Pauls point in using the veil as an illustration was this: the glory that Moses reflected is no comparison for the glory of God reflected in the face of Jesus Christ! The revelation of God in the law
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Encore

is outshined by the revelation of God in the gospel (2 Cor. 3:9-11). Its like holding up a candle outside in the brightness of the noonday sun. Jesus Christ is the perfect reflection of the glory of God. He never fell short. And the good news is that once we trust in Christs sacrifice for us and then begin proclaiming the gospel, we too reflect the glory of God in Christ. Like the ancient people of Israel, we are on mission with God to display His glory throughout the world. But unlike the ancient people of Israel, we know that Gods glory is seen in its greatest clarity in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 3. Gods mission (John 5:36-44). Jesus reflected the Fathers mission in everything He did while He walked the earth. When He was in the Temple at the age of twelve, He engaged in a dialogue with the teachers of the law. When His parents found him, Jesus replied, Why were you searching for me? Didnt you know I had to be in my Fathers house? (Luke 2:42-52) The Fathers mission was the consuming passion of Jesus life and teachings. But not everyone correctly understood Jesus and the mission that the Father had sent Him on. In fact, those who we might expect to best understand what Jesus was all about were the very ones who least understood Him. This is clear in Jesus words to the religious authorities in the passage above. Jesus confronted the unbelief of the Jews by telling them that the Scriptures (especially the Law of Moses) testify of Him. Even though the Jews studied the Bible, they completely missed the true meaning of the Scripture. They missed the point: the Scriptures are all about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus confrontation with the Jews reflects the missionary heart of God the Father for the lost sheep of Israel. The mission God sent His Son to accomplish began with the Jews (Matt. 10:6; 15:24; Rom. 1:16). The mission ultimately would include the whole world (John 3:16). As Jesus reflects the missionary heart of God the Father so should we as Christians reflect our missionary God by speaking the truth in love to all people (Eph. 4:15). Jesus spoke truth to His people, even though they rejected Him. He was willing to risk their rejection in order that some of them might repent and receive Him as Savior. Conclusion Take a look at the portrait of Jesus in the New Testament and you will see the perfect picture of God. Jesus is the perfect representation of God the Father. He came to show us the Father in order that we may be saved. In John 14:7-11, the dialogue between Jesus and Philip illustrates this point very well. Jesus said, If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him. Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father, and through a right relationship with Him, Gods image in us is restored and made anew. Because of His love and grace towards us, let us seek to reflect and represent Jesus faithfully in our everyday lives just as He came to represent God the Father faithfully.

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