The Word: Crosses

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Jesus arrives as the fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham. Jesus conducts himself as a new Adam, rejecting the lies of enemy to cease blessing on his own. Jesus acts as a new Moses, who leads his people out of captivity from sin. Jesus is also a better David and has kingly authority over the powers of darkness. As the Royal Priest we need, Jesus is also becomes the perfect sacrifice we need to return from our exile and back into relationship with God. In our lives, we are tempted to use Jesus as a solution for our presenting problems like the Jews did in the case of Roman occupation. When we see Him as a means to our own ends we are prone to miss his real mission: To reconcile us to himself. Jesus invites us to trust God in the way that he did by forsaking our own lives for loves sake. His own resurrection gives a guarantee that those whose love completely only die to what is temporal and we're actually given eternal life through a relationship with God. READ. Key Passage: Romans 12:1 & Luke 9:23-25 Discussion Questions: Truth: What is the presenting issue in your life that seems as though if it were solved life would finally be good? (ie. Roman Occupation) Repentance: Why does Jesus invite us to offer ourselves as sacrifices if he supposed to be the ultimate sacrifice? Faith: What area in your life is Jesus inviting you to follow his example of ultimate trust in God? What would is cost you? What might the results be? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]