Unit2_Session6_PersonalStudyGuide

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FALL 2012: Personal Study GuideEd StetzerGeneral EditorTrevin WaxManaging Editor


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A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L

Tese Christian leaders were part of a team who consulted on the creation of Te Gospel Project.

James MacDonald

Senior Pastor at Harvest BibleChapel, Chicago, IL

Daniel Akin

President of Southeastern BaptistTeological Seminary, WakeForest, NC

J.D. Greear

Pastor at Te Summit Church,Raleigh, NC

Eric Mason

Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship,Philadelphia, PA

Kimberly Thornbury

Dean of Students at UnionUniversity, Jackson, N

Jay Noh

Director of Missional Leadershipand Mobilization, ChicagoBaptist Association

Joe Thorn

Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship,St. Charles, IL

Juan Sanchez

Pastor of High Pointe BaptistChurch, Austin, X

Collin Hansen

Editorial director, Te GospelCoalition / editor-at-large,Christianity oday

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 Craword

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 LieWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-

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MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jef 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 Li feWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza,

Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President.

2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.

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We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for i ts end;

and truth, without any mix ture 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 quota -

tions marked (NIV) are f rom 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 permi ssion of Tyndale House

Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reser ved.


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52 TGP Personal Study Guide

SESSION 6

NUMB TO THE WORD:DISOBEDIENCELEADS TO DEATH

LEPROSY IS A NASTY DISEASE. In biblical times, leprosy

was a long, slow, painul process that ultimately ended

in death. There was little that could be done besides

treating a ew o the symptoms. There was no cure,

there was no hope. Leprosy was a death sentence. This

week we are going to see how sin turns us into spiritual lepers. Sin

is a disease we cant cure, its efects will cause a lietime o pain

and struggle, and it will ultimately lead to death. Let untreated,we become numb to the voice and actions o God. Fortunately

or us, there is a cure. The world tries to sell multiple cures or our

disease, but one and only one will x the problem: Jesus.


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5FALL 2012

READY YOUR HEART

Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in ChristJesus our Lord. Eph. 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2in whichyou previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who

exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.

EVERYONE LIKES FLOWERS Theyre great or impressing a date or or sitting ona bookshel at least or a while But over the course o a ew days, even the most

beautiul fowers start to wither The reason behind that withering is simple:Flowers in a vase are dead

Sure, they look good or a while They have the appearance o lie But in the end,

they are cut o at the stem, and without that link to the root, they are dead Sure, theymight show signs o lie or a while, but that beauty is a lie A wonderul lie, but a lie all

the sameThis is an important spiritual truth or us to recognize Too many people are fowers,

not in a garden, but sitting in a vase They may look pretty, even enhancing the beautyo the room theyre sitting in, but that beauty is a lie Though they have signs o lie,

theyre actually spiritually dead; apart rom Christ, all o us are cut o rom the sourceo lie And its just a matter o time until we start to show the signs o that death ratherthan lie

Verses like Ephesians 2:1-2 might sound at best pessimistic, and at worst mean,but these are words o love rom the Lord God loves us enough to tell us the truth

about ourselves Hes not content to have us acting like were alive; He wants us to be

alive The only way that lie happens is through a living and vital connection to the vineo God in Christ

DEATH SENTENCE

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Why is Ephesians 2:1-2 rooted in the love o God? What does it mean to be spiritually alive? Be honest with yoursel, are you a fower in a

garden or a vase?


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READY YOUR HEART

Is. 64:6All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like apolluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT about what makes Christianity unique as a religion?You might think about stu like the virgin birth, miracles, or the prophecies o the Old

Testament, but think about this, too:Christianity is the only religion that tells people how bad they are

According to Emil Brunner, the Swiss theologian: All other religions spare us theultimate humiliation o being stripped naked and being declared bankrupt beore GodThats pretty strong language

And yet it points to the humiliating nature o Christianity Other world religionsdont treat humanity with such pessimism In all other schools o thought, we have

something to bring to the table We can strive toward God and meet Him, and in a sense,be congratulated when we do

Not ChristianityIn Christianity, we bring nothing to the table In act, the only thing we bring to the

table with God is the sin we need to be rescued rom Perhaps thats why, i we look back

into history, Christianity has been called the religion o women and slaves In cultures othe past, neither o those two groups had many rights, so it wasnt a ar stretch or them

to admit their abject need o Gods complete and total intervention on their behalThe bottom line is this: The one character faw that has, and will continue to, keep

most people rom Christ is not greed Its not lust Its not lying or stealing or killing Its

pride Thats the only thing there is no room or at the oot o the cross

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Why does pride, above all things, keep people romJesus?

Are you taking pride in your spiritual achievementstoday?

PRIDE


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5FALL 2012

READY YOUR HEART

Rom. 3:10-12 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one whounderstands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become

useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.

CHANGE IS A NATURAL PART o lie You change classes You changeavorite songs You change your underwear (hopeully) But the real discouraging newsrom the Bible is that there is one key thing that you cannot change:

You cant change your heartThink about it in terms o love How would you tell someone how to love? Tricky

question, right? You can tell someone how to behave, how to study, or how to set up aDVR, but how to love? Thats much harder, and maybe even impossible Love is a deep,

heartelt emotion that is backed up by choice and action But because its a condition,you cant make yoursel do it This is where the gospel starts to connect with us

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God And the second

commandment is like it: to love other people Heres the thing, though because wecant change our hearts, we cant actually keep these two commandments Jesus

gave usJesus knows this, and thats why He doesnt tell us to change He does the

changing or usWhen you believe the gospel, you get a new heart, complete with new desires and

aections Now, you actually can love God, not because you made yoursel do so, butbecause Jesus gave you the kind o heart that can

TRANSPLANT

PAUSE AND REFLECT Is it encouraging or discouraging to you that you cant

change your heart? How does knowing that you cant change the heart

change the way you talk about the gospel to others?


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Our disobedience...LEPROSY IS A DISEASE that adversely aects the nervoussystem. It gradually numbs a persons extremities to thepoint at which pain is no longer elt. It also causes the bodyto be covered in sores and open wounds. Over time, lepersliterally destroy their own bodies through their actions.

Why? Because they cant eel anything. They dont sensethat anything is wrong until its too late.

The result of our disobedience is death.Our suppression of Gods revelationshows that we dont value Gods Word aswe should. Because we dont recognizethe value of God and His Word, weexchange the truth of God for a lie.

What are some liesthat our world believesin contrast to thetruth o God revealedthrough creation?

What are some liesthat we in the churchbelieve in contrastto the truth o Godrevealed in His Word?

The power of all temptation isthe prospect that it will makeme happier. No one sins out of asense of dutyThe Word helpsme stop trusting in the potentialof sin to make me happy. Insteadthe Word entices me to trust inGods promises.2

John Piper

Caused a Separation.When our response to Gods Word is disobedience, or sin,our relationship with Him is damaged from our side. Webecome numb to His working and words. This spiritualnumbness causes us to suppress the truth made available

to us in general revelation (through creation) and also thetruth made available to us in special revelation(Gods direct Word to us). Can you think o actions in your lie that refect a

suppression o Gods Word?

What sins have we in the church made respectable?How does this suppress Gods Word?


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Our ActionsCant Repair.Scripture doesnt teach us merely that we eelunworthy but that we are unworthy. And when we tra

the signs o our brokenness and pain, we nd the rootcause o sin, and at the bottom o sin is unbelie.

What is the dierence between shame and guilt?

Isaiah 64 makes it clear that no one will be savedbecause o personal eort. Rather than just sweep oursin under the rug and ignore it, God has dealt with it bysending His Son to bear its burden.

Is it possible to run rom God while trying to earnHis avor? How can our best eorts get in the

way o true salvation?

How does our inability to save ourselves providea platorm or God to display His glory? How doeboasting in the gospel infuence the way wethink about evangelism and missions?

ConclusionThe gospel says that Jesus still touches lepersand when does, eeling is restored. What was once disgured and deis made whole and alive! When we repent and turn to Chrisat the sound o His voice, numbness fees and we are enabto eel the pleasure o His love evermore in His presence.

Are you more sensitive to Gods Word and voice now thwhen you rst believed? Why or why not?

How does our being healed o spiritual leprosy lead usto take the message o healing to the spiritual lepersaround us?

Our Desires Cant Overcome.In Romans 3, Paul quotes a number o Old Testament textdrive home the point that there is no one righteousthereno one who seeks God.

What are some signs in a persons life that indicateGods work in preparing their heart for salvation?

Beore the all, man and woman were created to refect Goglory and they were capable o doing that. Ater the all, sideteriorated everything.

If sin has left a permanent mark on us, how can weenter Gods holy presence?

How often do you notice you have the desire to dosomething but your actions never play it out? Why

How is all sin rooted in

unbelief? Why might we preer the word

mistakes over sin when speakingo our attitudes and actions?

We have no better chance o covering oursin than Adam and Eve did when theychose g leaves to cover their nakedness.

Why did they eel the need to covertheir nakedness when just momentsbeore, in Genesis 2:25, they werenaked, yet elt no shame?


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ENCORE

1. CAUSED A SEPARATION (EPH. 2:1-2, ROM. 6:23).

In Ephesians 2:1-2, we learn that we are spiritually dead. What does it look like or us to be deadin our trespasses and sins and to walk according to the ways o this world? Te apostle Paul shinesurther light on this spiritual deadness in Romans 12. Tere he shows that we suppress the truthmade available to us in general revelation (through creation) and also the truth made available to usin special revelation (Gods direct Word to us).

So rst, we suppress the truth o general revelation. In His goodness, God has shown Himselto us in creation. But rather than gloriy God or show gratitude, mankind has suppressed anddisobeyed this God-speech and turned to idolatry. Second, we suppress the truth o special

revelation, meaning we disregard Gods direct Word to us. Our suppression o Gods revelationshows that we dont value Gods Word as we should. Because we dont recognize the value o Godand His Word, we exchange the truth o God or a lie. And this disobedience results in death. Werebel against God as our Master only to nd we are now enslaved by another masterthe Evil One.Our spiritual deadness is a slow death.

I Gods standard is perect righteousness (and it is), and we are lled with all unrighteousness(and we are), then Gods Word says that we deserve death. As we read above in Romans 6:23, Paulspeaks o the wages earned by the sinner as being deathnot just physical death, though that iscertainly on the horizon. Te death that Paul speaks o is the same death that God warned Adamabout in Genesis 2:17you will certainly die. Tis is worse than physical death, which separates

us rom Gods world. Paul is speaking here also o spiritual death, which separates us eternally romGod Himsel. Sin earns death.

2. OUR ACTIONS CANT REPAIR (ISA. 64:6).

Scripture doesnt teach us that we merelyfeelunworthy, but that we areunworthy. And when wetrace the signs o our brokenness and pain, we nd the root cause o sin, and at the bottom o sinis unbelie. Each time we knowingly (or unknowingly) transgress Gods righteous standard, weare doing so because we believe something (or someone) more than we believe God. Were not justmaking mistakes. We are all lled with all unrighteousness, so that even the good things we do aretainted by unrighteous motives. No amount o cheerleading our own worthiness will make us

truly worthy o Gods love.In Genesis 3, we read that ater Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately made coverings or

themselves in the orm o g leaves. Tis was a vain attempt to x themselves. Why did they eel theneed to cover their nakedness when just moments beore, in Genesis 2:25, they were naked, yet eltno shame? Te implicit reasoning is that once they suppressed the truth o God (you will certainlydie) and believed the lie o the serpent (you will not die), their eyes were opened and now they eltguilt and shame. Te eeling o guilt is a git rom God, much like nerve endings are to the humanbody. Guilt helps us avoid those things that are destructive in our lives. It is an internal working othe Spirit prompting the conscience when we abandon the righteous standard o God.

NUMB TO THE WORD

Our disobedience...


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5FALL 2012

ENCORE

Shame is the emotional or physical response to guilt. When improperly handled, guilt and shamedrive us deeper into sin by causing us to hide in the bushes, much like Adam and Eve. When therst man and woman covered themselves with g leaves, it was because they recognized that theyno longer met Gods righteous standard. Fig leaves wither, thus making their eorts in vain. Had

God not graciously replaced the leaves with skins, Adam and Eve would have been orced to coverthemselves over and over in one act o vanity ater another.

Rather than just sweep our sin under the rug and ignore it, God has dealt with it by sending HisSon to bear its burden. Jesus is the righteousness o God, and those who put their trust in Him havethe burden o their sin completely removed and receive the blessing o His righteous standing beorethe Father as their own.

3. OUR DESIRES CANT OVERCOME (ROM. 3:10-12).

In Romans 3, Paul quotes a number o Old estament texts to drive home the point that there is noone righteousthere is no one who seeks God (Pss. 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccl. 7:20; Pss. 5:9; 140:3; 10:7;

Isa. 59:7-8; Ps. 36:1). None o us really pursues God on our own. Te bottom line is this: I a personis seeking God, it is because the Spirit is at work.

In Genesis 12, God created man and woman in His own image, and the result was nothingshort o glorious. Glory carries the connotation o weightiness. Tere was a glory to the manand woman in relation to the rest o creation because they reected Gods own glory. Tey had thedistinct privilege o being Gods steward over all that He had made. And man was up to the task.

Why? Because he was living in perect harmony with God.But then the man and woman ell rom that glory. Teir ability to accurately reect Gods glory

was lost. Tey were still in His image, but that image was ractured. All creation suered as a result.Mankind had allen short o the glory o God. No longer was there perect harmony between God

and man and no matter what man did, man couldnt restore harmony. Our best eorts and desireswere eternally damaged by sin. Tankully God hasnt let us without hope. While our eorts anddesires are in vain, His and only His eorts and desires are sufcient.

CONCLUSION

We were created to relate to God and to one another. God has spoken clearly, telling us how to live,but all too oten we ignore Him. Ater a while, our hearts are so hard and calloused that they nolonger eel conviction. When this happens, weve become spiritual lepers! Like those in Jesus day,lepers have a tendency o gathering together in shared misery.

Te gospel says that Jesus still touches lepersand when He does, eeling is restored. What was

once disgured and dead is made whole and alive. When we repent and turn to Christ at the soundo His voice, numbness ees and we are enabled to eel the pleasure o His love evermore in Hispresence. You need no longer bear the internal pain o being unclean. Youve been made clean andnow are ree to gather with others whove been made clean in a new colony called the churchthepeople tasked with spreading the message o hope and salvation to a world o spiritual lepers.

Charles Spurgeon amously said that evangelism is nothing more than one beggar telling anotherbeggar where to nd bread. Applying Spurgeons insight to leprosy, we might say Gods mission goesorth when His people, whom He has healed o spiritual leprosy, go out and tell other spiritual lepersabout the Savior who is willing to stretch out His hand and heal them too.

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Unit2_Session6_PersonalStudyGuide