Study Guide: Private: Why Jesus?

Sunday August 8, 2010 | Bruxy Cavey

Focus Scripture:

• Romans 5:8

  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Brief Summary:

Bruxy Cavey, our guest speaker from The Meeting House church in Canda, preached that gospel is the good news that God has come to us! God has done this to show God's love, save us from sin, set up the Kingdom of God and shut down religion.

Extended Summary:

Bruxy Cavey preached that gospel is the good news that God has come to us! God has done this to show us God’s love, save us from sin, set up the Kingdom of God, and shut down religion.

Show us God’s love…

Romans 5:8 states that God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. No greater expression of love is even possible! In this way, Jesus shows us what love looks like.

Save us from sin…

Bruxy Cavey put it like this: “’Jesus heals our heart disease.’ 1 Peter 2:24 supports this: “He himself bore our sins” in his body, on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”

Set up God’s kingdom…

Jesus leads us in the way of peace. John 18:36 says: “’Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’” Not only is Jesus from “another place”, but so are his followers. 1 Peter 2:9 states: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…”

Shut down religion…

Jesus makes religion redundant if by religion we refer to working our way into favor with God. Rather, Ephesians 2:8-10 says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Reflection Questions:

1. What stood out to you most from this message and the supporting texts?
2. Consider the many ways in which God shows love to us. Brainstorm together a list of them for a few minutes. Which ways speak most strongly to you?
3. One of the ways God shows love to us is through bearing our sins for us and exchanging our sins for his righteousness. Martin Luther called this “the happy exchange”. Doesn’t this seem to good to be true? What are some things we can do to “live into” this new reality that God offers to us?
4. What can we learn about God’s kingdom from Jesus? What are some practical ways we can express this in our daily lives?
5. Followers of Jesus are saved by grace, through faith. This is clear in Ephesians 2:8-10. But “works” comes up twice in the rest of that passage. How are we to relate to “works” as Christians? What meaning do they have in our walk with God? What meaning do they have in our relationships with each other and the communities in which we live?

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