SESSION 2
THE CENTRALITY OF CHRIST
Christians are people who’ve had a spiritual
revolution placing Jesus at the center of their lives.
GET STARTED
REFLECT
We examined in the previous session the overarching story of God
and His calling us into it. We saw how Jesus’ death paid for our sin, freed us
from bondage, and restored our relationship with God. We also learned that
being a follower of Christ is doing what Jesus did the way that He did it.
Which of the assignments did you
explore this week? How did it go?
What did you learn or experience
while reading the Bible?
What questions would you like to
ask?
PRAY
Begin the session by connecting with God through prayer. Use the
following guidelines as you speak with Him:
·
Thank
God for His goodness and grace in saving you though His Son, Jesus Christ.
·
Confess
that you are still sinful and need His grace just as much as you did the day
you were saved.
·
Ask God to bring the hearts of the individuals in your group
together over the next few weeks.
INTRODUCTION
The Bible uses a
construction analogy to describe followers of Christ, saying that Jesus is our
“cornerstone” (see Eph. 2:19-22). For a
builder, the cornerstone of a building was central to its construction. It was
both the strongest stone and the straightest as every other stone in the
building was aligned by it. The cornerstone was laid first. If the cornerstone
was straight, every other stone in the building naturally ended up in its
proper place. If its angle was even slightly off, every other stone was off.
The Bible says Jesus is the cornerstone of a Christian’s life. His place in our
lives isn’t decided by anything else. A Christian is a person who says, “the
place of everything in my life is negotiable but Jesus.”
A modern analogy would be the universe. Before Copernicus, the
universe was interpreted as revolving around ourselves (Earth). Copernicus
discovered that something much larger and more powerful was at the center of
our universe—the sun—and that everything else revolved around it. This sparked
a revolution in which all understanding of the solar system had to be reworked
around a new center.
This is exactly what happens when someone becomes a Christian;
having realized that Jesus is at the center of the universe, we must rework our
understanding of everything else around Him as the new center. This is how everything
in our lives finds its proper place. A Christian is a person in the midst of a
spiritual Copernican revolution.
What are some fears or confusions
you have about “reworking our lives around a new center”?
What stands out the most as you
learn about the spiritual Copernican revolution?
THE STORY
KNOW THE STORY
The gospel of Luke describes a man for whom Jesus has become
central.
1 He entered Jericho and was passing
through. 2 There
was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus
was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a
sycamore tree to see Jesus, since He was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He
looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today I must
stay at your house.” 6 So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain,
“He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man!” 8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said
to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if
I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!” 9 Today salvation has come to this
house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to
seek and to save the lost.”
LUKE 19:1-10
What was central to your identity
before you became a Christian? What defined you?
Zacchaeus was wealthy because he extorted money from people as a
tax collector. But that changed when he met Jesus. Zacchaeus’ focus on money
shifted (v. 8)—Jesus was the new center of his life.
Why do you think Zacchaeus—a
wealthy man by all indications—would choose to give it all up to make Jesus
central in his life?
UNPACK THE STORY
CENTRAL TO MY
IDENTITY
Zacchaeus was a hated man. For the most part, tax collectors in
his time were hated men in a Jewish community for two main reasons:
1. They were notorious thieves who gained
their wealth by extorting money from taxpayers. They were hated for their
thievery.
2. They were also known as traitors to
their culture as Roman governors would choose Jewish men as tax-collectors in
Jewish regions. They were hated for betraying their ethnic community to ally
with the pagan Roman government.
Judging from what you know about
his story, what do you think Zacchaeus thought about himself before
encountering Jesus?
What did Zacchaeus’ lifestyle
suggest about his identity and motivation?
Zacchaeus had always been hated, but what caused Zacchaeus to
change was the whole new view of himself that Jesus gave him: you are loved and
accepted by Christ.
Similarly, when we become Christians, Jesus redefines us as He
becomes central to our identity and view of ourselves. For Christians, the defining
moment of our lives is Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross and everything it says
about them is the most true thing about themselves.
Why is it so important to
understand that we are loved and accepted by Christ?
CENTRAL TO WHAT I DO
Jesus must also be central to what we do. He puts everything
else in life into its proper place.
The story of Zacchaeus shows that there’s only one position
Jesus will occupy in a person’s life: a central position. When Jesus became
central to Zacchaeus, we’re shown that it dramatically altered his actions in
two areas: people and money.
Because Jesus had become central, Zacchaeus’ treatment of people
and money were now taking their cues from Jesus. As Christians, we approach
every area of our lives with the intent of aligning them to Jesus.
What’s the most difficult part of
this realignment?
What’s the most freeing part of
approaching life with this new perspective?
Take a few minutes to read Luke 18:18-23. Discuss what you think was going on in the
ruler’s heart that kept him from obeying Jesus’ challenge.
Jesus saw the ruler’s heart and
asked if he’d be willing to get rid of his money and reorient his entire life.
The man went away sad because he didn’t want the decisions he made with his
money to revolve around Jesus. Because his money was central, the ruler saw
Jesus as secondary.
ENGAGE
Take some time to
go below the surface and engage the text at a different level. Read Acts 7:54-60 and Luke
23:32-46 together. Highlight the similarities you find between how
Jesus died and how Stephen died.
54 When they heard these things, they
were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy
Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with Jesus standing at the right
hand of God, and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 Then they screamed at the top of
their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and
began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young
man named Saul. 59 They
were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out
with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this,
he fell asleep.
ACTS 7:54-60
32 Two others—criminals—were also led
away to be executed with Him. 33 When they arrived at the place
called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on
the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive
them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided His
clothes and cast lots. 35 The people stood watching, and
even the leaders kept scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this
is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They
came offering Him sour wine 37 and said, “If You are the King of
the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 An inscription was above Him: THIS
IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 Then one of the criminals hanging
there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and
us!” 40 But
the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are
undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because
we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done
nothing wrong.” 42 Then
he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “I assure you:
Today you will be with Me in paradise.” 44 It was now about noon, and darkness
came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed.
The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud
voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” Saying this, He breathed
His last.
LUKE 23:32-46
How do these two passages
contribute to our understanding of the centrality of Christ?
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 the Increasingly Central devotional.
·
Connect
with God each day. Every morning this week, commit several minutes to prayer.
Ask God to help you solidify Jesus as central to your identity. Use the
following prayer as a starting point. “Dear Father, because of Jesus, there is
nothing I did yesterday that made You love me less and there is nothing I could
do today to make You love me more.”
Personal Study
·
Read
and interact with Personal Study 1, “Central to My Identity.”
·
Read
and interact with Personal Study 2, “Central to What I Do.”
Application
·
Connect
with your church. As an expression of the centrality of Jesus in your finances,
give to your local church this week.
·
Memorize Philippians 1:21: “For me, living is Christ and dying is
gain.”
·
Do
something for someone. Find a practical way to help someone who cannot help you
in return this week.
·
Place
Jesus at the center. Make a budget and a weekly schedule that reflects Jesus as
central to your finances and to your usage of time.
·
Other:
WORSHIP
READING PLAN
Continue reading through the Gospel of Mark this week. Record
your thoughts and responses.
Day 1
Mark 4:21-41
Day 2
Mark 5:1-20
Day 3
Mark 5:21-43
Day 4
Mark 6:1-13
Day 5
Mark 6:14-29
Day 6
Mark 6:30-44
Day 7
Mark 6:45-56
INCREASINGLY CENTRAL
This is a visual representation of the Christian life and the
process by which the cross becomes increasingly central in our thinking. The
chart moves chronologically from left to right and the point of divergence is
when someone becomes a Christian. The longer someone is a Christian, two things
happen: they have a deeper understanding of God’s holiness and of their own
sinfulness.
This is why Paul, one of the holiest men who has ever lived,
referred to himself as “the chief of sinners.” As these two awarenesses grow,
one’s view of the cross gets ever larger and larger. Someone who has been a
Christian for two decades will be far more aware of how much the cross did for
them than someone who has been a Christian for two days. As a person’s view of
the cross grows, this naturally results in attributes like thankfulness,
gratitude, love, mercy, justice, etc. The Christian’s character is now being
transformed into the image of Jesus. This is a key aspect of how Jesus becomes
increasingly central in a Christian’s thinking, feeling, and acting.
In the time that you’ve understood
what Jesus has done for you on the cross and giving your life to Him in
response, have you seen Jesus become increasingly central in your life? If so,
explain.
Do you see the ugliness of your
sin any more than you did when you first became a Christian? How so?
PERSONAL
STUDY
CENTRAL TO MY IDENTITY
In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus never commanded him to repay
those he’d stolen from or to give to the poor. Zacchaeus made that decision on
his own. Take a look:
But
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my
possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone,
I’ll pay back four times as much!”
LUKE 19:8
What do you think motivated
Zacchaeus to these actions?
What did Jesus’ actions
communicate to Zacchaeus about his identity?
Is there a moment in your life—a failure, success, etc.—that you
have allowed to define you until now? For Christians, the defining moments are
Jesus’ death for us on the cross and His resurrection. Because of these
moments, we find our identity in Him. What once defined us has now been erased
and replaced with righteousness, love, and forgiveness.
God
presented [Jesus] to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that
He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
ROMANS 3:26
6 For while we were still helpless,
at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a
just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to
die. 8 But
God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us! 9 Much
more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be
saved through Him from wrath. 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 5:6-11
How do these two passages
describe our identity in Jesus?
Look at the following case studies and answer the questions
attached to each.
CASE STUDY #1: Someone who grew up in a strict, morally conservative
family thinks, “I am a good person.”
What is this person making
central to their identity?
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
CASE STUDY #2: Someone who was abused as a child has spent their whole
life thinking, “I am dirty.”
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
CASE STUDY #3: Someone wrestling with both the gospel and their sexuality
says, “I don’t know if I can become a Christian because I am gay.”
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
Examine your own story. What are
practical things you can do to make Jesus central in your thinking about
yourself?
PERSONAL
STUDY
CENTRAL TO WHAT I DO
Alarm. Protein. Five miles. Shower. Clothes. Coffee spill.
Change clothes. Breakfast. Traffic delay. Meeting. Class. Emails. Lunch across
town. More meetings. More classes. Traffic delay. Groceries. Errands. Home.
Dinner. Homework. Chores. Emails. News. Bed. Repeat.
What does your day look like? Your life may be shockingly
similar to the routine listed above. It may be even more hectic. Life is busy.
And it will always be filled with things that compete with Jesus for your
attention.
What things in your life are
competing with Jesus for centrality in your heart?
What are symptoms that something
besides Jesus is central in your living and decision making?
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.
PROVERBS 3:5-6
Read Proverbs
3:5-6 above. Since becoming a Christian, how have you specifically
started trusting God? How are you still not trusting Him?
What does it mean to “think about
Him in all your ways”?
Take a few moments and examine what it looks like to make Jesus
central in the following four areas of your own life. Don’t hold back. Answer
the questions for each area honestly.
RELATIONSHIPS:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?
FINANCES:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?
TIME / SCHEDULE:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to make
Jesus more central to this area of your life?
SEX:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?
THE CENTRALITY OF CHRIST
Christians are people who’ve had a spiritual
revolution placing Jesus at the center of their lives.
GET STARTED
REFLECT
We examined in the previous session the overarching story of God
and His calling us into it. We saw how Jesus’ death paid for our sin, freed us
from bondage, and restored our relationship with God. We also learned that
being a follower of Christ is doing what Jesus did the way that He did it.
Which of the assignments did you
explore this week? How did it go?
What did you learn or experience
while reading the Bible?
What questions would you like to
ask?
PRAY
Begin the session by connecting with God through prayer. Use the
following guidelines as you speak with Him:
·
Thank
God for His goodness and grace in saving you though His Son, Jesus Christ.
·
Confess
that you are still sinful and need His grace just as much as you did the day
you were saved.
·
Ask God to bring the hearts of the individuals in your group
together over the next few weeks.
INTRODUCTION
The Bible uses a
construction analogy to describe followers of Christ, saying that Jesus is our
“cornerstone” (see Eph. 2:19-22). For a
builder, the cornerstone of a building was central to its construction. It was
both the strongest stone and the straightest as every other stone in the
building was aligned by it. The cornerstone was laid first. If the cornerstone
was straight, every other stone in the building naturally ended up in its
proper place. If its angle was even slightly off, every other stone was off.
The Bible says Jesus is the cornerstone of a Christian’s life. His place in our
lives isn’t decided by anything else. A Christian is a person who says, “the
place of everything in my life is negotiable but Jesus.”
A modern analogy would be the universe. Before Copernicus, the
universe was interpreted as revolving around ourselves (Earth). Copernicus
discovered that something much larger and more powerful was at the center of
our universe—the sun—and that everything else revolved around it. This sparked
a revolution in which all understanding of the solar system had to be reworked
around a new center.
This is exactly what happens when someone becomes a Christian;
having realized that Jesus is at the center of the universe, we must rework our
understanding of everything else around Him as the new center. This is how everything
in our lives finds its proper place. A Christian is a person in the midst of a
spiritual Copernican revolution.
What are some fears or confusions
you have about “reworking our lives around a new center”?
What stands out the most as you
learn about the spiritual Copernican revolution?
THE STORY
KNOW THE STORY
The gospel of Luke describes a man for whom Jesus has become
central.
1 He entered Jericho and was passing
through. 2 There
was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus
was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a
sycamore tree to see Jesus, since He was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He
looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today I must
stay at your house.” 6 So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain,
“He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man!” 8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said
to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if
I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!” 9 Today salvation has come to this
house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to
seek and to save the lost.”
LUKE 19:1-10
What was central to your identity
before you became a Christian? What defined you?
Zacchaeus was wealthy because he extorted money from people as a
tax collector. But that changed when he met Jesus. Zacchaeus’ focus on money
shifted (v. 8)—Jesus was the new center of his life.
Why do you think Zacchaeus—a
wealthy man by all indications—would choose to give it all up to make Jesus
central in his life?
UNPACK THE STORY
CENTRAL TO MY
IDENTITY
Zacchaeus was a hated man. For the most part, tax collectors in
his time were hated men in a Jewish community for two main reasons:
1. They were notorious thieves who gained
their wealth by extorting money from taxpayers. They were hated for their
thievery.
2. They were also known as traitors to
their culture as Roman governors would choose Jewish men as tax-collectors in
Jewish regions. They were hated for betraying their ethnic community to ally
with the pagan Roman government.
Judging from what you know about
his story, what do you think Zacchaeus thought about himself before
encountering Jesus?
What did Zacchaeus’ lifestyle
suggest about his identity and motivation?
Zacchaeus had always been hated, but what caused Zacchaeus to
change was the whole new view of himself that Jesus gave him: you are loved and
accepted by Christ.
Similarly, when we become Christians, Jesus redefines us as He
becomes central to our identity and view of ourselves. For Christians, the defining
moment of our lives is Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross and everything it says
about them is the most true thing about themselves.
Why is it so important to
understand that we are loved and accepted by Christ?
CENTRAL TO WHAT I DO
Jesus must also be central to what we do. He puts everything
else in life into its proper place.
The story of Zacchaeus shows that there’s only one position
Jesus will occupy in a person’s life: a central position. When Jesus became
central to Zacchaeus, we’re shown that it dramatically altered his actions in
two areas: people and money.
Because Jesus had become central, Zacchaeus’ treatment of people
and money were now taking their cues from Jesus. As Christians, we approach
every area of our lives with the intent of aligning them to Jesus.
What’s the most difficult part of
this realignment?
What’s the most freeing part of
approaching life with this new perspective?
Take a few minutes to read Luke 18:18-23. Discuss what you think was going on in the
ruler’s heart that kept him from obeying Jesus’ challenge.
Jesus saw the ruler’s heart and
asked if he’d be willing to get rid of his money and reorient his entire life.
The man went away sad because he didn’t want the decisions he made with his
money to revolve around Jesus. Because his money was central, the ruler saw
Jesus as secondary.
ENGAGE
Take some time to
go below the surface and engage the text at a different level. Read Acts 7:54-60 and Luke
23:32-46 together. Highlight the similarities you find between how
Jesus died and how Stephen died.
54 When they heard these things, they
were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy
Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with Jesus standing at the right
hand of God, and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 Then they screamed at the top of
their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and
began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young
man named Saul. 59 They
were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out
with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this,
he fell asleep.
ACTS 7:54-60
32 Two others—criminals—were also led
away to be executed with Him. 33 When they arrived at the place
called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on
the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive
them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided His
clothes and cast lots. 35 The people stood watching, and
even the leaders kept scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this
is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They
came offering Him sour wine 37 and said, “If You are the King of
the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 An inscription was above Him: THIS
IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 Then one of the criminals hanging
there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and
us!” 40 But
the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are
undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because
we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done
nothing wrong.” 42 Then
he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “I assure you:
Today you will be with Me in paradise.” 44 It was now about noon, and darkness
came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed.
The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud
voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” Saying this, He breathed
His last.
LUKE 23:32-46
How do these two passages
contribute to our understanding of the centrality of Christ?
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 the Increasingly Central devotional.
·
Connect
with God each day. Every morning this week, commit several minutes to prayer.
Ask God to help you solidify Jesus as central to your identity. Use the
following prayer as a starting point. “Dear Father, because of Jesus, there is
nothing I did yesterday that made You love me less and there is nothing I could
do today to make You love me more.”
Personal Study
·
Read
and interact with Personal Study 1, “Central to My Identity.”
·
Read
and interact with Personal Study 2, “Central to What I Do.”
Application
·
Connect
with your church. As an expression of the centrality of Jesus in your finances,
give to your local church this week.
·
Memorize Philippians 1:21: “For me, living is Christ and dying is
gain.”
·
Do
something for someone. Find a practical way to help someone who cannot help you
in return this week.
·
Place
Jesus at the center. Make a budget and a weekly schedule that reflects Jesus as
central to your finances and to your usage of time.
·
Other:
WORSHIP
READING PLAN
Continue reading through the Gospel of Mark this week. Record
your thoughts and responses.
Day 1
Mark 4:21-41
Day 2
Mark 5:1-20
Day 3
Mark 5:21-43
Day 4
Mark 6:1-13
Day 5
Mark 6:14-29
Day 6
Mark 6:30-44
Day 7
Mark 6:45-56
INCREASINGLY CENTRAL
This is a visual representation of the Christian life and the
process by which the cross becomes increasingly central in our thinking. The
chart moves chronologically from left to right and the point of divergence is
when someone becomes a Christian. The longer someone is a Christian, two things
happen: they have a deeper understanding of God’s holiness and of their own
sinfulness.
This is why Paul, one of the holiest men who has ever lived,
referred to himself as “the chief of sinners.” As these two awarenesses grow,
one’s view of the cross gets ever larger and larger. Someone who has been a
Christian for two decades will be far more aware of how much the cross did for
them than someone who has been a Christian for two days. As a person’s view of
the cross grows, this naturally results in attributes like thankfulness,
gratitude, love, mercy, justice, etc. The Christian’s character is now being
transformed into the image of Jesus. This is a key aspect of how Jesus becomes
increasingly central in a Christian’s thinking, feeling, and acting.
In the time that you’ve understood
what Jesus has done for you on the cross and giving your life to Him in
response, have you seen Jesus become increasingly central in your life? If so,
explain.
Do you see the ugliness of your
sin any more than you did when you first became a Christian? How so?
PERSONAL
STUDY
CENTRAL TO MY IDENTITY
In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus never commanded him to repay
those he’d stolen from or to give to the poor. Zacchaeus made that decision on
his own. Take a look:
But
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my
possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone,
I’ll pay back four times as much!”
LUKE 19:8
What do you think motivated
Zacchaeus to these actions?
What did Jesus’ actions
communicate to Zacchaeus about his identity?
Is there a moment in your life—a failure, success, etc.—that you
have allowed to define you until now? For Christians, the defining moments are
Jesus’ death for us on the cross and His resurrection. Because of these
moments, we find our identity in Him. What once defined us has now been erased
and replaced with righteousness, love, and forgiveness.
God
presented [Jesus] to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that
He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
ROMANS 3:26
6 For while we were still helpless,
at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a
just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to
die. 8 But
God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us! 9 Much
more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be
saved through Him from wrath. 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 5:6-11
How do these two passages
describe our identity in Jesus?
Look at the following case studies and answer the questions
attached to each.
CASE STUDY #1: Someone who grew up in a strict, morally conservative
family thinks, “I am a good person.”
What is this person making
central to their identity?
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
CASE STUDY #2: Someone who was abused as a child has spent their whole
life thinking, “I am dirty.”
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
CASE STUDY #3: Someone wrestling with both the gospel and their sexuality
says, “I don’t know if I can become a Christian because I am gay.”
What would it look like for this
person to make Jesus central to their identity?
Examine your own story. What are
practical things you can do to make Jesus central in your thinking about
yourself?
PERSONAL
STUDY
CENTRAL TO WHAT I DO
Alarm. Protein. Five miles. Shower. Clothes. Coffee spill.
Change clothes. Breakfast. Traffic delay. Meeting. Class. Emails. Lunch across
town. More meetings. More classes. Traffic delay. Groceries. Errands. Home.
Dinner. Homework. Chores. Emails. News. Bed. Repeat.
What does your day look like? Your life may be shockingly
similar to the routine listed above. It may be even more hectic. Life is busy.
And it will always be filled with things that compete with Jesus for your
attention.
What things in your life are
competing with Jesus for centrality in your heart?
What are symptoms that something
besides Jesus is central in your living and decision making?
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.
PROVERBS 3:5-6
Read Proverbs
3:5-6 above. Since becoming a Christian, how have you specifically
started trusting God? How are you still not trusting Him?
What does it mean to “think about
Him in all your ways”?
Take a few moments and examine what it looks like to make Jesus
central in the following four areas of your own life. Don’t hold back. Answer
the questions for each area honestly.
RELATIONSHIPS:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?
FINANCES:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?
TIME / SCHEDULE:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to make
Jesus more central to this area of your life?
SEX:
What are you doing to make Jesus
more central to this area of your life?
In what ways are you failing to
make Jesus more central to this area of your life?