GOD WHO SPEAKS

THE

FALL 2012: Personal Study Guide Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor

THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE, FALL 2012 VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM EDITORIAL PROJECT LEADER: Chad Jordan CONTENT EDITOR: Chad Jordan SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST: Edward A . Crawford GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Charles Long CONTRACT GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Susan Maywald PRODUCTION EDITOR: Scott Latta STUDENT MINISTRY SPECIALIST: Paul Turner Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, The Gospel Project for Students, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 372340174; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jeff Pratt DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY: Ben Trueblood DIRECTOR, SUNDAY SCHOOL: David Francis

Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project for Students (ISSN 1939-0742; Item 005508013) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWays doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

These Christian leaders were part of a team who consulted on the creation of The Gospel Project.
James MacDonald Eric Mason Joe Thorn

Senior Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago, IL

Daniel Akin

Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA

Kimberly Thornbury

Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship, St. Charles, IL

Juan Sanchez

President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

J.D. Greear

Dean of Students at Union University, Jackson, TN

Jay Noh

Pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, TX

Collin Hansen

Pastor at The Summit Church, Raleigh, NC

Director of Missional Leadership and Mobilization, Chicago Baptist Association

Editorial director, The Gospel Coalition / editor-at-large, Christianity Today

SESSION 8

JESUS: THE FAITHFUL TEACHER

AVE YOU EVER TRIED to put something together, but the instructions were in a different language and the picture on the front of the box didnt even show the product? It isnt enough to have a set of instructions. You have to be able to read and understand them. It also not enough for someone to simply tell you how to do something. They need to actually be able to do it themselves. This week we will see that Jesus was the Faithful Teacher. Not only did He correctly teach us all we need to know concerning Gods Word, He also modeled the life that He was teaching about. He both set the standard and met the standard God is asking us to meet.

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READY YOUR HEART

THE GREAT INTERPRETER

Matt. 5:17 Dont assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. I RECENTLY WENT on a mission trip to Haiti . In Haiti, Creole and French are the dominant languages . English, my dominant and secondary language, is not spoken by many of the native Haitians . Right away, I knew this was going to be a difficulty we would have to deal with . On this trip I was with several pastors and we were working with multiple indigenous Haitian churches . We taught a pastors conference, a youth conference, and worshiped in their churches on Sunday morning . It was amazing being able to worship alongside these believers, but the language barrier kept presenting problems . One of our main issues became the lack of interpreters . We had plenty of English Bible teachers and plenty of Haitian churches to teach in, but we did not have enough translators . Having someone to interpret, and interpret correctly, is very important in communication . With matters as weighty as salvation and the things of God, you do not want something you say to be interpreted incorrectly and since I didnt know any Creole and very little French, having a trusted interpreter was essential . When you begin to think about how important this is, take into consideration the importance of Jesus coming to us to teach us what the Old Testament is really about . Think about how incapable we are of knowing the way of the kingdom of God without Jesus . He perfectly interpreted to us things known only in the wisdom of God and made them available to us . He showed things to us only discernible by the Spirit of God, and then gave us His Spirit to keep guiding us into these truths (John 16:13) . He was not only the perfect teacher but also the perfect interpreter . What a perfect and matchless Savior we have in Christ, our Great Interpreter of the truths of God!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

What qualities does an interpreter need to possess? How was Christ the perfect interpreter? How does the right understanding change everything? Have you ever been in a situation where you thought something was true only to find out you didnt understand it correctly?

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READY YOUR HEART

THE HEART BEHIND THE ACTIONS

Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28 You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Fool! will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, You moron! will be subject to hellfire. You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. HAVE YOU EVER WITNESSED someone doing the right thing with the wrong motives? It happens all the timepeople serving and helping others, not because of their sincere desire to help, but out of their sincere desire to be praised for helping . There are people who attempt to do the right things morally, not because they seek to honor God, but because they seek relief from guilt or public shame . In these cases, it is evident that someone may be doing the right things, but with the wrong motives . Is it possible to do the right things, but still have a corrupt heart? God does not seek people who look only to do the right things, He searches the heart of man when judging our actions . While teaching during his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains this reality to the onlookers and listeners . Jesus teaches about the laws they had grown accustomed to hearing, but He immediatelysurprises everyone by raising the bar on those laws . He reminds them that it is not enough to avoid murder, but our hearts should be such that we avoid hatred . It is not enough that we resist adultery, but our hearts should be such that we resist lust . The issue is not about the external sin being avoided, but about the internal workings of the heart behind the sin . It is not enough to do good or right things: Jesus teaches us to interpret the law by showing the heart behind it .

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Describe a time when you did the right thing but for the wrong reasons? What was the result of those actions? Which rules do you easily obey by focusing on the rule and not the intent?

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READY YOUR HEART

EXPECTATIONS SET AND MET

Matt. 5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Dont even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Dont even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. I REMEMBER GROWING UP playing sports, and even in the Army as a soldier, times when a coach or superior officer would command me to do something that they themselves could not do . Have you ever experienced this? A coach tells you to run five laps around the field, but you know he could not manage one lap without needing oxygen . A parent requires you to clean your bedroom when theirs would qualify to be featured on an episode of Hoarders . These situations bother us so much because there is a part of us that expects the people giving the commands and making the rules to be doing the things they are dictating . This just makes sense right? Thankfully, Jesus does not fall into this category . He taught us the loftiest of truths . He raised the bar to highest levels . He revealed to us the mysteries of the kingdom of God hidden from eternitys past (Matt . 13:11) . These are the biggest, most gigantic truths in all the world . However, He never commanded or laid out one expectation of God that He Himself did not meet and fulfill . This is the amazing thing about Jesus . He not only came to teach us what the Kingdom of God was like and what citizens of this kingdom were supposed to live like, but He came to model it and fulfill those requirements at the same time . When He met Gods expectations, He did so for us . In our place . He did this not only because he was the perfect Savior, but because he was the Master Teacher . As our great teacher, he modeled with his life the very things he taught us with His words .

PAUSE AND REFLECT

How do you respond when someone commands something they either dont do or cant do? Would you hire a badly out-of-shape person to be your personal trainer? Why or why not? How does knowing Christ has both set and met Gods standards in your place impact your life?

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Jesus fulfills the law by...

Jesus teaching did not contradict the Old Testament. Instead, Jesus was and is the fulfillment of all that the Old Testament pointed to. Jesus upheld the Old Testament in its entirety by correctly interpreting it in light of Himself, by explaining Gods original intention in giving the law, and by fulfilling the righteousness that Gods law requires.

Rightly Interpreting It.

What negative images of the God of the Old Testament do you or the people around you have? How might negative views of God affect a persons desire to read and study the Old Testament?

Contrary to the assumption that Jesus came to destroy the Old Testament, Jesus declared that His teaching was in complete harmony with itall of it .

With unique authority, Jesus taught that we cannot understand the Old Testament apart from Him; He is the interpretive lens through which we must understand the Hebrew Scriptures.
What are some other Old Testament commands or institutions Jesus set aside? Think of some stories when Jesus acted in a way that challenged the prevailing understanding of the law in His day (see Matt. 9:1-8,14-15; 12:1-13). The Gospel is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Without it, the Gospel hangs suspended in the air. Herman Bavinck (1854-1921)

Understanding the True Intent.

As the One to whom the Law and the Prophets pointed, Jesus was the faithful interpreter of Gods Word.

There are all sorts

of ways to obey the letter of the law and miss its intention.

Examine your heart.

Are you harboring bitter thoughts toward people right now? Have you been angry with someone and not taken steps to reconcile? What sins do you struggle with? How are you fighting against sin and temptation? How do these struggles with sin affect your understanding of whether or not you will enter the kingdom of heaven?

Do you know of any strange laws still on the books, laws that have outlived their usefulness because their purpose is no longer relevant? Why is it important that we understand Gods intentions when we seek to apply the Scriptures?

Meeting Gods Expectations.

The standard of righteousness that God requires is perfection. None of us can meet that standard. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to fulfill the law.

Since the scribes and the Pharisees were famous for keeping the law, how could anyones righteousness surpass theirs? Just what kind of righteousness does Gods law require, or in todays terms, How good is good enough?

Conclusion When we recognize that Jesus fulfilled the

How does understanding the Great Commission in

demands of the law perfectly on our behalf, we are transformed. By faith in Jesus, the righteousness of Christ is accounted to us, and the penalty for our breaking the law is accounted to Christ. light of Jesus teaching help you to fulfill the churchs mission to the world? How does it help you find your place in Gods mission?

ENCORE

JESUS: THE FAITHFUL TEACHER Jesus fulfills the law by...

1. RIGHTLY INTERPRETING IT (MATT. 5:17). Contrary to the assumption that Jesus came to destroy the Old Testament, Jesus declared that His teaching was in complete harmony with itall of it. In fact, Jesus said that not even the smallest, seemingly inconsequential parts of the words of the law would pass away until all things are accomplished (Matt. 5:18). The Law and the Prophets pointed to a future time when all of its commands, promises, and institutions would be fulfilled. With Jesus coming, the time of fulfillment had arrived. That is why Jesus explained His mission in relation to the Old TestamentI [came] to fulfill (v. 17). Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets because they pointed to Him. The right way to interpret the Old Testament is by following Jesus lead in seeing how it is all about Him. Jesus is the true and faithful Israel whom God called out of Egypt (2:15) and who did not put the Lord to the test during His wilderness wandering (4:1-11). Jesus is the new temple who fulfills the old one that was destroyed (John 2:18-22), the real bread from heaven (manna) that gives life to the world (6:30-35), the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (1:29). With unique authority, Jesus taught that we cannot understand the Old Testament apart from Him; He is the interpretive lens through which we must understand the Hebrew Scriptures. This means that Jesus was faithful to teach Gods Word precisely because He explained Gods Word in light of Himself. Only Jesus could provide the faithful and true interpretation of Gods Word. 2. UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE INTENT (MATT. 5:21-22,27-28). As the One to whom the Law and the Prophets pointed, Jesus was the faithful interpreter of Gods Word. The scribes and Pharisees followed an oral tradition that represented a moralistic interpretation of the law. They were all about the letter of the law, but they had missed the heart. Jesus, on the other hand, explained the true meaning of the law as God intended. Contrary to what the people had heard, Jesus declared that the intention of the law was not about checking off a list of moral requirements but total obedience that flowed from a pure heart. Anything less excludes one from the kingdom of heaven. Consider just two examples of Jesus teaching in relation to Gods law. The phrase You have heard that it was saidBut I tell you distinguished Jesus teaching from that of the scribes and Pharisees and established Jesus as the authoritative interpreter of Gods Word. Jesus wasnt just revealing the true interpretation of Gods law. He was also revealing His authority to say so. In His teaching, Jesus exposes the corruption of the human heart, the seriousness of sin, and the certainty of punishment for lawbreakers. Clearly, when we understand the law as God intended it, we are all shown to be lawbreakers. Jesus taught that we must deal with sin seriously because those who continue in unrepentant sin will be excluded from the kingdom of heaven and experience the fires of hell (Matt. 5:29-30; 7:21-23). Thankfully, this word of judgment leads to the offer of salvation.
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3. MEETING GODS EXPECTATIONS (MATT. 5:43-48). The standard of righteousness that God requires is perfection. None of us can meet that standard. Gods law reveals the perfect character of God, and perfection is precisely what God expects of us. The problem is that we have all broken Gods law. This is the great human dilemma. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to fulfill the law. It was Jesus who loved His enemies fully, even praying for those who tormented Him on the cross. It was Jesus who welcomed tax collectors and sinners to His table. It was Jesus was showed us the perfection of the Father. The law has two basic demands. First, the law demands perfect obedience that flows from a pure heart. Because our hearts are corrupt, we cannot fulfill this demand. Jesus, however, could and did by obeying the law at every point; He did not leave out even the smallest, seemingly insignificant parts of the words of the law. Second, the law also demands the death penalty for lawbreakers. The good news is that Jesus fulfilled this demand by taking upon Himself the curse of the law on our behalf. The death penalty for lawbreaking was administered to Jesus on the cross. Those who gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven, then, are not those who try to work at it but those who trust in Jesus fulfilling of the law in their place. And those who truly believe will obey Jesus teaching. Through faith we are enabled to begin living in accordance with Jesus teaching! As the apostle Paul declares, the righteous will live by faith (Gal. 3:11). This is the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. CONCLUSION The Sermon on the Mount pushes us to the end of ourselves by exposing the corruption of our sinful hearts. When we recognize that Jesus fulfilled the demands of the law perfectly on our behalf, we are transformed. By faith in Jesus, the righteousness of Christ is accounted to us, and the penalty for our breaking the law is accounted to Christ. This is the great exchange! Even better, by faith in Christ, we receive new hearts that allow us to obey all that Jesus taught to love the Lord our God with every fiber of our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This too is a fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:24-27). Now our mission is defined in relation to Jesus teaching. Since Jesus faithfully fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, the Father has granted Him authority over heaven and earth. As the sovereign King, Jesus commands us to go out under His authority into the world with this good news. Our commission is not simply to baptize but to make disciples by also teaching them to observe everything that Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:18-20). Let us therefore embrace Jesus teaching and tell others what He has taught us.

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