Soma One Day | The Power of the Gospel to Save People

Soma One Day Training with Jeff Vanderstelt in Montreal, QC on Monday, February 10, 2014 

These posts for the Soma One Day I participated in back in February have been a bit of a long time coming. Oh well. Just going to have to trust God with the timing that someone needs to see these in April.

For a fun intro story about my trip, read about my stop by a border patrol officer. Otherwise, let's dig in together as I reflect and as you read.

Soma One Day with Jeff Vanderstelt Part 1 of 3 | The Power of the Gospel to Save People

A disciple (i.e. follower or learner of Jesus) is one who increasingly brings all of life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and leads others to do the same.

"Where followers of Jesus still need the gospel is in our brokenness. And we're still broken in many areas. And we need others to see how the gospel meets us in our brokenness so that Jesus receives the glory."

There are three aspects of the power of the gospel to save people that are key to understanding our purpose as followers of Jesus:


1) PAST: We have been saved from the penalty of sin.

God is Father: Jesus is the beloved who lived a perfectly submitted life to the Father and died in our place to make us acceptable and loved by the Father.

We were children of wrath but have been saved by grace through faith and now are the beloved children of God.

"'This is My Son in whom I am well pleased.' Just like Jesus, people need to know the Father's love or they will work to get His affection. It's not wrong to get affirmation from others, but you should not depend on it."

We are the FAMILY of God: We love one another as brothers and sisters.

"Good news spreads. Are we declaring and displaying good news that people share with others?"

2)  PRESENT: We are being saved from the power of sin.

God is Spirit: The Holy Spirit anointed, filled, led and empowered Jesus for His mission.

 "Grace is not only divine unmerited favor, it is divine unmerited power."

We were powerless under sin but we have been given the Holy Spirit to live a new life on mission.

"Don't give the tools (i.e. spiritual disciplines) without Jesus. That's like tools without power. No one can change without Jesus and His Spirit."

  
We are sent and empowered MISSIONARIES: We are sent to show and tell about Jesus wherever we are.


3)  FUTURE: We will be saved from the presence of sin.

God is Son: The Son is the supreme King over all creation who served us first to bring about the rule and reign of God.

"If we don't get better at providing Jesus as the hero, solution, and answer, than we won't know how to share Him with the world."

We were slaves to sin and servants of the god of this world and Jesus set us free to serve Him and enjoy His reign forever.

"God is not looking for you to be more sorry about yourself; God is looking for you to turn (i.e. repent) to Jesus to love Him and love others."

We are SERVANTS who serve others as we were served to bring glimpses of His kingdom into the present.
 

"Do we believe that the gospel is the power to change the world or do we believe the gospel removes us from the world? Jesus prayed in John 17:15-18, 'I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.' We are sent into the world as Jesus was sent to serve and to sacrifice for others to know the Father's love."

Next post: Soma One Day | Church is Formed & Transformed by Gospel

– Sully
 
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