2014 GCM Collective One Day Training Part 1 of 2 – The Power and Purpose of the Gospel + Gospel in All of Life
This is the 1st post in a 2-part series reflecting on sessions taught at the GCM Collective One Day Training in Haverhill, Massachusetts on Saturday, March 22, 2014.
If you want to hear more details about what I thought, feel free to drop me a line.
Session 1: The Power and the Purpose of the Gospel (aka Good News about Jesus)
1) The Power of the Gospel is what sets us free. God created. Sin destroyed. Jesus redeems and restores. We can be redeemed and restored through Faith in Jesus. This is a Thematic presentation of the Gospel.
"The Gospel is putting your faith in what Jesus has done on your behalf. So ask yourself, 'Has Jesus and does Jesus continue to carry my sin and life to His cross so I can be raised to new life with Him each day?'"
We can tell if we not only believe this Gospel, but also live by this Gospel if our yoke in following Jesus is light. How is this true? In the Gospel, we are given:
- Justification by God the Son: We've been saved from the penalty of sin
- Sanctification by God the Spirit: We're being saved from the power of sin
- Glorification by God the Father: We will be saved from the presence of sin
2) The Purpose of the Gospel is to restore people, places and all creation. Creation is where we find our identity. The Fall is where we created our problems. Redemption is where we find our hope. And Restoration is when all things are made new. This is a Story presentation of the Gospel.
"The Gospel is that God has come to renew and restore creation in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf." – Tim Keller
3) The Plan of the Gospel is the mission of God to make disciples of Jesus. Being discipled by Jesus for the glory of Jesus is seeing the increase of God's rule and reign carrying into our hearts, souls, minds, and strength so that our entire lives are shaped by following Jesus.
"Discipleship is the big "E" on the eye chart of obeying God's mission. Filling the earth with God's glory – with Jesus and people like Jesus – is the point until He returns."
" ... May the whole earth be filled with His glory." – Psalm 72:19
With the Gospel, we've been given a message (power) and a ministry (purpose) that will fulfill God's mission (plan) to make disciples of Jesus until He returns with His kingdom to restore creation.
Session 2: The Gospel in All of Life
The Gospel story is your story telling God's story (i.e. Creation + Fall + Redemption + Restoration)
Creation: Who do you think yourself to be?
Fall: How is your relationship with others messed up?
Redemption: How has your life been changed by Jesus?
Restoration: Changing your life back to who God originally intended for you to be.
We need to learn how to listen and learn from others' stories as well as our own.
- What defines us/others (i.e. where do we find our identity)?
- What are we/others upset about (i.e. where do we place blame for the world being screwed up)?
- What are we/others excited about (i.e where do we place our hope for things to change)?
Sin is more the "thing" behind the "thing." It's not only what we are doing to rule and reign in our lives. It's why we're doing it so that we can become the savior of our story instead of letting our story point to the only One who can ultimately save us.
"If whoever you put your hope in is not Jesus, than the story is veering away from the Gospel – the story that can provide us with identity, hope, and change."
– Sully
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