SESSION 1
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
You were created by a passionate God who relentlessly pursued you to bring you into His family. Welcome home.
GET STARTED
REFLECT
In this study, we’ll explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. You’re probably reading this because you’ve recently made a decision to take a step of faith. This decision may seem like something you initiated, but God has been at work in your life and pursuing you for quite some time. Take a moment to describe some of your encounters with God:
Describe the first time you heard about God.
Describe the first time you prayed to God.
Describe a time that God may have been present and active in your life but you didn’t recognize it at the time.
PRAY
One of the ways we communicate with God is through prayer. At its core, prayer is simply talking to God—telling Him what’s on your heart and actively listening for His response. When you’re starting out, it might feel uncomfortable, erratic, and difficult. If so, don’t worry. That’s normal.
Spend a few moments with God by bowing your head to acknowledge
who He is. Close your eyes to block distractions. If you need help getting
started, here’s a five-point prayer for guidance. We’ll be looking at other
approaches to prayer in the next few sessions.
· Greet God. How you address God may depend on what you want to talk to Him about. He functions in a limitless capacity: Father, Daddy, Friend, Almighty, Savior, and
Redeemer.
· Tell Him what you’re thankful for.
· Tell Him what you’re concerned about.
· Ask Him to help you understand the elements of the study today.
· Take time to listen for His response.
INTRODUCTION
New creation. Saved. Born again. Redeemed. These are just a few
ways the Bible describes “conversion,” our response to the great gift of
salvation, through which we’re forgiven for being less than God created us to
be. Jesus called the disciples, “Follow me” and explained that we must be “born
again.” But what does “born again” mean?
Ultimately, salvation or to be “born again” means leaving your
old ways behind and trusting God. He initiated a relationship with you and
offered you a way to experience that relationship. And you responded. That’s
what just happened to you. You’ve turned from your old life and turned toward
God. You’ve been freed from sin and made right in His eyes. And you’ve been rescued
from the enemy of God, Satan, and adopted by God.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What old things are you hoping will go away?
What new things do you hope Jesus will bring to your life?
The way we experience God’s grace and mercy looks different for
different people. Perhaps it felt as though you turned a corner in your life
and discovered God right in front of you, or maybe you felt like He chased you
down and caught you from behind. Regardless of how you describe your own
journey, all such stories share a few things in common—a change in what you
believe, a transfer of loyalty, and a reversal of direction. God forgives,
saves, restores, and reconciles.
Are there people you’ve “followed” over the course of your life? There are a few ways you can follow someone or something. You can follow people on Twitter, Facebook, or
Instagram. You can follow a favorite sports team or celebrity gossip. You can
follow a philosophy or an idea. But when the Creator of the Universe, God in
the person of Jesus Christ says “follow me” (see Matt. 4:19), we know intuitively that’s something much different.
THE STORY
KNOW THE STORY
One day as Simon Peter was cleaning his fishing nets after an unsuccessful day on the water, Jesus climbed into his boat. Jesus had an unusual instruction for Simon Peter with a miraculous outcome. He told Simon Peter to push back out into the water and to cast out his net again. With much hesitation he did as Jesus said. The net filled up with fish. After the massive amount of fish began to sink his boat, Simon Peter realized who Jesus was and it brought him to his knees.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I’ll let down the nets.” 6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!” 9 For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they took, 10 “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told
Simon. “From now on you will be catching people!” 11 Then they brought the boats to
land, left everything, and followed Him.
LUKE 5:10-11
What are some practical examples of what it will look like to follow Jesus in your life?
What will make it difficult to follow Jesus? In what ways will it be easy?
Being a Christian isn’t about following rules; it’s about following a Person. It’s not about asking Jesus to follow us but about deciding to follow Him. Jesus doesn’t stand in a far off place and demand that we get our act together before approaching Him; rather, He invades the reality of our lives and beckons us into a life larger than our own.
Following Jesus is ultimately about doing what Jesus did the way
that He did it. It’s that simple. We love the people He loved, serve the people
He served, and do the things He did. We strive to replicate His character,
ways, and mission.
UNPACK THE STORY
Creation. Fall. Redemption. Re-creation. These four events represent the great story of God—the gospel story. It was the story Simon Peter was swept into and it’s the story you have now been swept into. Our lives make sense only as we understand them against this backdrop. Let’s examine each of these events.
CREATION—In the beginning, God created. At the sound of His voice,
galaxies were hurled into orbit and the smallest organisms were established.
Water was pure, creation was untainted, and life was perfect. Then God created
man and woman. Fashioned with His own hands and infused with His own breath, He
created Adam and Eve to be in relationship with Him and to be stewards of His
creation.
Why do you think it’s important to know God as Creator?
FALL—Then, the Villain entered the story. Twisting the words of God and promising a better life, Satan planted a seed of unbelief in the woman’s heart. Eve doubted the goodness and trustworthiness of God and reached for the very thing that compromised her relationship with Him. Adam and Eve believed a lie, turned against God, and
pursued a story of their own making which left them separated from their Creator. Sin entered the world through humanity and everything broke. And that’s what sin is: turning away from God’s desire with actions, attitudes, or thoughts.
Discuss the idea that everything broke when sin entered the world through humanity.
How do you see sin’s effects today?
Violence. War. Dishonesty. Greed. Sickness. The perfect creation became overgrown with evil, chaos, and despair. It was soon overrun with people who searched for meaning and salvation through selfish ambition. The world needed a Savior.
For centuries, God pursued His people. He gave them leaders,
prophets, and priests to guide them into relationship with Him. But over and
over, the people became distracted and turned their attention to man-made gods.
God’s complete redemption was yet to come.
REDEMPTION—In order to reverse the disastrous effects of sin, to free
people from the clutches of the Villain, and to restore people to God the
Father, Jesus came to the earth with His eyes on the cross. Fully God, Jesus
made the perfect sacrifice to pay the debt of our sin and to cancel the curse
of death on our lives. Fully human, Jesus was able to fully represent man
before God. Redemption had come. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave to
conquer sin and death once and for all.
What is significant to you about Jesus being both fully God and fully man?
RE-CREATION—The story didn’t end at the empty tomb; it had just begun. The
great story of God would explode across the globe and change the hearts and
lives of men and women for all eternity. All of creation is moving toward a
great day when Jesus returns and fixes everything that’s broken once and for
all.
When you read the overarching story of God, is there anything that surprises you? Why?
ENGAGE
Here’s a simple description of what it means to follow Jesus: doing what Jesus did the way that He did it. Read Philippians 2:5-11 together, aloud. Using this passage as a guide, make a list of the attributes and actions of Jesus that His followers should imitate.
Attributes of Jesus
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
In addition to studying God’s Word, work with your group leader to create a plan for personal study, worship, and application between now and the next session. Select from the following optional activities to match your personal preferences and available time.
Worship
· Read your Bible. Complete the reading plan for this session.
· Spend time with God by reading and answering the questions in he Homecoming devotional.
· Connect with God each day. Start each morning with the five-part prayer included in the beginning of this study. At the end of every day, reflect on the times you felt
closest to God and when you felt most distant.
Personal Study
· Read and interact with Personal Study 1, “How Jesus Came.”
· Read and interact with Personal Study 2, “Why Jesus Came.”
Application
· Connect with your church. Attend a church worship service and take notes as the pastor teaches from the Bible.
· Connect with others. Seek out someone of the same gender who has also recently come into a relationship with Christ. Discuss your individual experiences over
dinner or coffee.
· Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have
come.” Share this newly memorized verse with two different people.
· Spend time journaling. Benjamin Franklin said, “The shortest pencil is longer than
the longest memory.” Keeping a record of the things you are learning and the
ways God is working in your life is a great way to track your spiritual growth.
Each day, write down one thing you are learning about God.
· Other:
WORSHIP
READING PLAN
Read through the Gospel of Mark this week. Record your thoughts
and responses.
Day 1
Mark 1:1-20
Day 2
Mark 1:21-45
Day 3
Mark 2:1-17
Day 4
Mark 2:18-28
Day 5
Mark 3:1-19
Day 6
Mark 3:20-35
Day 7
Mark 4:1-20
HOMECOMING
The first words
preached by Jesus are found in Matthew 4:17 where
he said: “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” It’s also the
foundation for the first sermon preached in the book of Acts, when Peter
declared: “Repent ... and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
When we hear “repent” we often think it includes punishment or
correction. But this word gives life. It doesn’t mean “get your act together”
or “clean up your behavior” so much as it means to simply turn around: to turn
from sin and turn to God. It implies readiness. It results in a complete change
of mind, heart, and action, but the first step is to turn around and see God.
Repentance isn’t something we do
in order to come to God, it’s simply our coming to God. What is your reaction
to this statement?
Take a moment and read Luke 15:11-24. What are your initial thoughts from the
parable of the lost son?
This story follows the journey of a man who strays far from home
and far from the man he was destined to be. But eventually he backs away from
his depraved life, turns around, and walks back home. And that’s what
repentance is. It’s homecoming. And when we return home, we don’t find a father
who is angry or eager to say “I told you so.” Rather, we see a Father who runs
to us. Jesus doesn’t call us to repentance to just change our behavior. He
calls us to change our hearts and where we rest our heads. It’s about who or
what we are trusting in.
Before trusting in the work done
by Christ on the cross, what were the things you trusted in?
The journey home begins with repentance at the cross. The
greatest plot twist in history was God himself coming to earth to deal with
sin. At the cross, Jesus took all our sin onto him and paid our debt. This
paved the way for us to go back home. Because of this we know we were created
by a passionate Father in heaven who relentlessly pursues His children to bring
them back to the family. Welcome home.
Give an example of an area in
your life in which you need to change direction.
Have you ever thought that your
sin made you too far removed from God’s pursuit of you? Explain.
PERSONAL
STUDY
HOW JESUS CAME
For
a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will
be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace.
ISAIAH 9:6
God made a promise at the very beginning of time that He would
make things right, and that’s what the coming of Jesus was about. Jesus came
not just to teach moral lessons or to set good examples. He came to liberate,
make things right, and start a revolution. Let’s look at four of the ways Jesus
came to us.
1. Jesus left His rightful
place in heaven and came into the chaos of humanity.
In a stone feeding trough for animals, the voice of God was
heard in the cry of an infant. He came dressed in the skin of His own creation,
subjected Himself to the care of His own creation, and fixed His eyes on the
salvation of humanity. He turned water into wine. He showed mercy to sexually
promiscuous women. He healed the sick. He commanded dead men to walk out of
their graves. He loved and showed honor to the scum of society.
But
we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s
grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of
His suffering in death.
HEBREWS 2:9
Have you ever thought of Jesus in
these terms? How does the way Christ came to Earth encourage you as we live in
a culture tainted by sin?
2. Jesus came as a man.
He was born; He had
a physical body and physical limitations; He expressed human emotions; He grew
physically, emotionally, and relationally (see Matt.
1:18, John 4:6, John 19:28). Because He was fully human, He’s able to
represent us, to pay our penalty, to mediate for us before God, to serve as our
example, and to identify with us.
7 He emptied Himself by assuming the
form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man
in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.
PHILIPPIANS
2:7-8
3. Jesus also came as God.
His birth was
supernatural. He claimed to be God, God declared him to be God, and even the demons
recognized Him to be God. He displayed attributes of deity such as working
miracles and forgiving sins (see Matt. 1:18, Col. 2:9). Because He was fully God, He was able to offer
a perfect sacrifice.
And
we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we
may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
1 JOHN 5:20
Is it difficult for you to grasp
the thought of Jesus as fully God and fully man? Why or why not?
Why is it important that He is
both?
4. Jesus came to serve,
sacrifice, and save.
Romans 5:8 declares,
“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us!” He is uniquely designed to represent people to God and God to
people. Because He is fully human, He can offer the sacrifice on our behalf.
Because He is fully God, He can offer the perfect sacrifice.
9 God’s love was revealed among us
in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live
through Him. 10 Love
consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 JOHN 4:9-10
The Bible teaches that salvation
isn’t found in what we do for God; rather, it’s all about what He has done for
us. What is your reaction to this statement?
PERSONAL
STUDY
WHY JESUS CAME
Being a Christian isn’t about what you do for God; it’s about
what God has already done for you. Jesus paid our debt, freed us from sin and
death, and reconciled us to God and others. Jesus divinely disrupted and
reversed the story of humanity. On the cross, our guilt, the bondage of sin,
and our separation from God was reconciled. During this exercise you’re going
to unpack these terms for better understanding.
Guilt: Everyone understands words like “guilt” and “debt.” But
what many don’t realize is that we’re born into much less-than-favorable
standing with God—by association with Adam. We’re literally “born into” guilt
and bondage. But Jesus paid a debt that He didn’t owe and that we couldn’t pay
so that the charges of sin are canceled against us. Through Jesus, we
experience forgiveness and cleansing. This is called propitiation.
He
made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
2 CORINTHIANS
5:21
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of guilt.
Bondage: Jesus defeated the power
of sin and death on the cross, liberating us from its grip on our lives and
granting us eternal life in Him. Through Jesus, we are freed from sin. This is
called redemption.
22 But now, since you have been
liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which
results in sanctification—and the end is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 6:22-23
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of bondage.
Separation: Jesus removed the wedge
between us and God and made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
Through Christ, we are reunited with God. This is called reconciliation.
10 For if, while we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having
been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! 11 And not only that, but we also
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this
reconciliation through Him.
ROMANS 5:10-11
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of separation.
Respond to the following
statement: Jesus’ work on the cross pays for our sin and removes our guilt. It
liberates us from bondage and restores our relationship with God.
Which term do you not fully understand?
Who will you seek out this week to gain a better understanding of this?
Jesus didn’t die on the cross to give us comfort and safety.
Some people sell salvation like it’s an insurance plan or a safety net.
Unfortunately, we sometimes think that coming to God means that everything will
be OK. Life will get better. Sometimes, it gets worse. We aren’t promised that
everything will be OK; we’re promised His presence. He doesn’t promise to keep
us safe; rather, He invites us into a dangerous story to be proclaimers of hope
in the midst of a very unsafe world.
Jesus didn’t die to make us safe
but to make us proclaimers of hope in an unsafe world. How might this affect
the way you view life?
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
You were created by a passionate God who relentlessly pursued you to bring you into His family. Welcome home.
GET STARTED
REFLECT
In this study, we’ll explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. You’re probably reading this because you’ve recently made a decision to take a step of faith. This decision may seem like something you initiated, but God has been at work in your life and pursuing you for quite some time. Take a moment to describe some of your encounters with God:
Describe the first time you heard about God.
Describe the first time you prayed to God.
Describe a time that God may have been present and active in your life but you didn’t recognize it at the time.
PRAY
One of the ways we communicate with God is through prayer. At its core, prayer is simply talking to God—telling Him what’s on your heart and actively listening for His response. When you’re starting out, it might feel uncomfortable, erratic, and difficult. If so, don’t worry. That’s normal.
Spend a few moments with God by bowing your head to acknowledge
who He is. Close your eyes to block distractions. If you need help getting
started, here’s a five-point prayer for guidance. We’ll be looking at other
approaches to prayer in the next few sessions.
· Greet God. How you address God may depend on what you want to talk to Him about. He functions in a limitless capacity: Father, Daddy, Friend, Almighty, Savior, and
Redeemer.
· Tell Him what you’re thankful for.
· Tell Him what you’re concerned about.
· Ask Him to help you understand the elements of the study today.
· Take time to listen for His response.
INTRODUCTION
New creation. Saved. Born again. Redeemed. These are just a few
ways the Bible describes “conversion,” our response to the great gift of
salvation, through which we’re forgiven for being less than God created us to
be. Jesus called the disciples, “Follow me” and explained that we must be “born
again.” But what does “born again” mean?
Ultimately, salvation or to be “born again” means leaving your
old ways behind and trusting God. He initiated a relationship with you and
offered you a way to experience that relationship. And you responded. That’s
what just happened to you. You’ve turned from your old life and turned toward
God. You’ve been freed from sin and made right in His eyes. And you’ve been rescued
from the enemy of God, Satan, and adopted by God.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What old things are you hoping will go away?
What new things do you hope Jesus will bring to your life?
The way we experience God’s grace and mercy looks different for
different people. Perhaps it felt as though you turned a corner in your life
and discovered God right in front of you, or maybe you felt like He chased you
down and caught you from behind. Regardless of how you describe your own
journey, all such stories share a few things in common—a change in what you
believe, a transfer of loyalty, and a reversal of direction. God forgives,
saves, restores, and reconciles.
Are there people you’ve “followed” over the course of your life? There are a few ways you can follow someone or something. You can follow people on Twitter, Facebook, or
Instagram. You can follow a favorite sports team or celebrity gossip. You can
follow a philosophy or an idea. But when the Creator of the Universe, God in
the person of Jesus Christ says “follow me” (see Matt. 4:19), we know intuitively that’s something much different.
THE STORY
KNOW THE STORY
One day as Simon Peter was cleaning his fishing nets after an unsuccessful day on the water, Jesus climbed into his boat. Jesus had an unusual instruction for Simon Peter with a miraculous outcome. He told Simon Peter to push back out into the water and to cast out his net again. With much hesitation he did as Jesus said. The net filled up with fish. After the massive amount of fish began to sink his boat, Simon Peter realized who Jesus was and it brought him to his knees.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I’ll let down the nets.” 6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!” 9 For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they took, 10 “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told
Simon. “From now on you will be catching people!” 11 Then they brought the boats to
land, left everything, and followed Him.
LUKE 5:10-11
What are some practical examples of what it will look like to follow Jesus in your life?
What will make it difficult to follow Jesus? In what ways will it be easy?
Being a Christian isn’t about following rules; it’s about following a Person. It’s not about asking Jesus to follow us but about deciding to follow Him. Jesus doesn’t stand in a far off place and demand that we get our act together before approaching Him; rather, He invades the reality of our lives and beckons us into a life larger than our own.
Following Jesus is ultimately about doing what Jesus did the way
that He did it. It’s that simple. We love the people He loved, serve the people
He served, and do the things He did. We strive to replicate His character,
ways, and mission.
UNPACK THE STORY
Creation. Fall. Redemption. Re-creation. These four events represent the great story of God—the gospel story. It was the story Simon Peter was swept into and it’s the story you have now been swept into. Our lives make sense only as we understand them against this backdrop. Let’s examine each of these events.
CREATION—In the beginning, God created. At the sound of His voice,
galaxies were hurled into orbit and the smallest organisms were established.
Water was pure, creation was untainted, and life was perfect. Then God created
man and woman. Fashioned with His own hands and infused with His own breath, He
created Adam and Eve to be in relationship with Him and to be stewards of His
creation.
Why do you think it’s important to know God as Creator?
FALL—Then, the Villain entered the story. Twisting the words of God and promising a better life, Satan planted a seed of unbelief in the woman’s heart. Eve doubted the goodness and trustworthiness of God and reached for the very thing that compromised her relationship with Him. Adam and Eve believed a lie, turned against God, and
pursued a story of their own making which left them separated from their Creator. Sin entered the world through humanity and everything broke. And that’s what sin is: turning away from God’s desire with actions, attitudes, or thoughts.
Discuss the idea that everything broke when sin entered the world through humanity.
How do you see sin’s effects today?
Violence. War. Dishonesty. Greed. Sickness. The perfect creation became overgrown with evil, chaos, and despair. It was soon overrun with people who searched for meaning and salvation through selfish ambition. The world needed a Savior.
For centuries, God pursued His people. He gave them leaders,
prophets, and priests to guide them into relationship with Him. But over and
over, the people became distracted and turned their attention to man-made gods.
God’s complete redemption was yet to come.
REDEMPTION—In order to reverse the disastrous effects of sin, to free
people from the clutches of the Villain, and to restore people to God the
Father, Jesus came to the earth with His eyes on the cross. Fully God, Jesus
made the perfect sacrifice to pay the debt of our sin and to cancel the curse
of death on our lives. Fully human, Jesus was able to fully represent man
before God. Redemption had come. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave to
conquer sin and death once and for all.
What is significant to you about Jesus being both fully God and fully man?
RE-CREATION—The story didn’t end at the empty tomb; it had just begun. The
great story of God would explode across the globe and change the hearts and
lives of men and women for all eternity. All of creation is moving toward a
great day when Jesus returns and fixes everything that’s broken once and for
all.
When you read the overarching story of God, is there anything that surprises you? Why?
ENGAGE
Here’s a simple description of what it means to follow Jesus: doing what Jesus did the way that He did it. Read Philippians 2:5-11 together, aloud. Using this passage as a guide, make a list of the attributes and actions of Jesus that His followers should imitate.
Attributes of Jesus
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
In addition to studying God’s Word, work with your group leader to create a plan for personal study, worship, and application between now and the next session. Select from the following optional activities to match your personal preferences and available time.
Worship
· Read your Bible. Complete the reading plan for this session.
· Spend time with God by reading and answering the questions in he Homecoming devotional.
· Connect with God each day. Start each morning with the five-part prayer included in the beginning of this study. At the end of every day, reflect on the times you felt
closest to God and when you felt most distant.
Personal Study
· Read and interact with Personal Study 1, “How Jesus Came.”
· Read and interact with Personal Study 2, “Why Jesus Came.”
Application
· Connect with your church. Attend a church worship service and take notes as the pastor teaches from the Bible.
· Connect with others. Seek out someone of the same gender who has also recently come into a relationship with Christ. Discuss your individual experiences over
dinner or coffee.
· Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have
come.” Share this newly memorized verse with two different people.
· Spend time journaling. Benjamin Franklin said, “The shortest pencil is longer than
the longest memory.” Keeping a record of the things you are learning and the
ways God is working in your life is a great way to track your spiritual growth.
Each day, write down one thing you are learning about God.
· Other:
WORSHIP
READING PLAN
Read through the Gospel of Mark this week. Record your thoughts
and responses.
Day 1
Mark 1:1-20
Day 2
Mark 1:21-45
Day 3
Mark 2:1-17
Day 4
Mark 2:18-28
Day 5
Mark 3:1-19
Day 6
Mark 3:20-35
Day 7
Mark 4:1-20
HOMECOMING
The first words
preached by Jesus are found in Matthew 4:17 where
he said: “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” It’s also the
foundation for the first sermon preached in the book of Acts, when Peter
declared: “Repent ... and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
When we hear “repent” we often think it includes punishment or
correction. But this word gives life. It doesn’t mean “get your act together”
or “clean up your behavior” so much as it means to simply turn around: to turn
from sin and turn to God. It implies readiness. It results in a complete change
of mind, heart, and action, but the first step is to turn around and see God.
Repentance isn’t something we do
in order to come to God, it’s simply our coming to God. What is your reaction
to this statement?
Take a moment and read Luke 15:11-24. What are your initial thoughts from the
parable of the lost son?
This story follows the journey of a man who strays far from home
and far from the man he was destined to be. But eventually he backs away from
his depraved life, turns around, and walks back home. And that’s what
repentance is. It’s homecoming. And when we return home, we don’t find a father
who is angry or eager to say “I told you so.” Rather, we see a Father who runs
to us. Jesus doesn’t call us to repentance to just change our behavior. He
calls us to change our hearts and where we rest our heads. It’s about who or
what we are trusting in.
Before trusting in the work done
by Christ on the cross, what were the things you trusted in?
The journey home begins with repentance at the cross. The
greatest plot twist in history was God himself coming to earth to deal with
sin. At the cross, Jesus took all our sin onto him and paid our debt. This
paved the way for us to go back home. Because of this we know we were created
by a passionate Father in heaven who relentlessly pursues His children to bring
them back to the family. Welcome home.
Give an example of an area in
your life in which you need to change direction.
Have you ever thought that your
sin made you too far removed from God’s pursuit of you? Explain.
PERSONAL
STUDY
HOW JESUS CAME
For
a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will
be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace.
ISAIAH 9:6
God made a promise at the very beginning of time that He would
make things right, and that’s what the coming of Jesus was about. Jesus came
not just to teach moral lessons or to set good examples. He came to liberate,
make things right, and start a revolution. Let’s look at four of the ways Jesus
came to us.
1. Jesus left His rightful
place in heaven and came into the chaos of humanity.
In a stone feeding trough for animals, the voice of God was
heard in the cry of an infant. He came dressed in the skin of His own creation,
subjected Himself to the care of His own creation, and fixed His eyes on the
salvation of humanity. He turned water into wine. He showed mercy to sexually
promiscuous women. He healed the sick. He commanded dead men to walk out of
their graves. He loved and showed honor to the scum of society.
But
we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s
grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of
His suffering in death.
HEBREWS 2:9
Have you ever thought of Jesus in
these terms? How does the way Christ came to Earth encourage you as we live in
a culture tainted by sin?
2. Jesus came as a man.
He was born; He had
a physical body and physical limitations; He expressed human emotions; He grew
physically, emotionally, and relationally (see Matt.
1:18, John 4:6, John 19:28). Because He was fully human, He’s able to
represent us, to pay our penalty, to mediate for us before God, to serve as our
example, and to identify with us.
7 He emptied Himself by assuming the
form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man
in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.
PHILIPPIANS
2:7-8
3. Jesus also came as God.
His birth was
supernatural. He claimed to be God, God declared him to be God, and even the demons
recognized Him to be God. He displayed attributes of deity such as working
miracles and forgiving sins (see Matt. 1:18, Col. 2:9). Because He was fully God, He was able to offer
a perfect sacrifice.
And
we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we
may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
1 JOHN 5:20
Is it difficult for you to grasp
the thought of Jesus as fully God and fully man? Why or why not?
Why is it important that He is
both?
4. Jesus came to serve,
sacrifice, and save.
Romans 5:8 declares,
“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us!” He is uniquely designed to represent people to God and God to
people. Because He is fully human, He can offer the sacrifice on our behalf.
Because He is fully God, He can offer the perfect sacrifice.
9 God’s love was revealed among us
in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live
through Him. 10 Love
consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 JOHN 4:9-10
The Bible teaches that salvation
isn’t found in what we do for God; rather, it’s all about what He has done for
us. What is your reaction to this statement?
PERSONAL
STUDY
WHY JESUS CAME
Being a Christian isn’t about what you do for God; it’s about
what God has already done for you. Jesus paid our debt, freed us from sin and
death, and reconciled us to God and others. Jesus divinely disrupted and
reversed the story of humanity. On the cross, our guilt, the bondage of sin,
and our separation from God was reconciled. During this exercise you’re going
to unpack these terms for better understanding.
Guilt: Everyone understands words like “guilt” and “debt.” But
what many don’t realize is that we’re born into much less-than-favorable
standing with God—by association with Adam. We’re literally “born into” guilt
and bondage. But Jesus paid a debt that He didn’t owe and that we couldn’t pay
so that the charges of sin are canceled against us. Through Jesus, we
experience forgiveness and cleansing. This is called propitiation.
He
made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
2 CORINTHIANS
5:21
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of guilt.
Bondage: Jesus defeated the power
of sin and death on the cross, liberating us from its grip on our lives and
granting us eternal life in Him. Through Jesus, we are freed from sin. This is
called redemption.
22 But now, since you have been
liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which
results in sanctification—and the end is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 6:22-23
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of bondage.
Separation: Jesus removed the wedge
between us and God and made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
Through Christ, we are reunited with God. This is called reconciliation.
10 For if, while we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having
been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! 11 And not only that, but we also
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this
reconciliation through Him.
ROMANS 5:10-11
Journal your thoughts on the
concept of separation.
Respond to the following
statement: Jesus’ work on the cross pays for our sin and removes our guilt. It
liberates us from bondage and restores our relationship with God.
Which term do you not fully understand?
Who will you seek out this week to gain a better understanding of this?
Jesus didn’t die on the cross to give us comfort and safety.
Some people sell salvation like it’s an insurance plan or a safety net.
Unfortunately, we sometimes think that coming to God means that everything will
be OK. Life will get better. Sometimes, it gets worse. We aren’t promised that
everything will be OK; we’re promised His presence. He doesn’t promise to keep
us safe; rather, He invites us into a dangerous story to be proclaimers of hope
in the midst of a very unsafe world.
Jesus didn’t die to make us safe
but to make us proclaimers of hope in an unsafe world. How might this affect
the way you view life?