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Failure and Restoration
Restoration and Refreshment
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19-20
Repentance is turning around and going the other way. It is not reserved as a remedy for big sins, but is the Christian's way of life. For the sake of our relationship with God we must keep short accounts with him. He is in the business of restoring saints from both big falls and small scrapes alike.
1) The gospel of Luke tells a story of the love a sinful woman had for her Lord. You can read this story in Luke 7:36-50. Describe what this woman did for Jesus.
2) What reason does Jesus gave for her actions in verse 47?
3) Jesus neither condemns nor excuses this woman's sins, rather, he forgives them. He also credits her great love to the fact she has received forgiveness. This same forgiveness is available to us today through faith. Record Jesus' final words to this woman (vs. 50):
4) We've looked at the necessity of confession, of repentance, and of faith. We can now receive Jesus' words as being spoken to us personally. From his hand we receive salvation and peace. How will the acceptance of this truth impact your devotion to the Lord?
5) We've failed and we've sinned. We've confessed, repented, and been forgiven. We're going in the opposite direction, but what is our destination? Let's revisit a passage we looked at in an earlier lesson. Please read Hebrews 12:10. What is the purpose given here for the Lord's discipline?
6) In what way does Hebrews 12:11 say the holiness of the Lord will be displayed in our lives?
7) The peaceful fruit of righteousness is described more fully in Galatians 5:22-23. What nine fruits of the Spirit are recorded here?
This fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit and is not the product of human effort. The fruit of the Spirit is the out working of the Character of Christ worked in us by the Lord. See Philippians 2:13.
8) What is our part in fruit bearing according to Galatians 5:24-25?
9) This is the walk of faith. We die daily to ourselves by walking in the Spirit and denying our old nature. Turn now to Ephesians 1:1 - 2:10. Including verse references, write phrases from this passage that reveal:
a) What we have in Christ
b) What God does for us
10a) Write out Ephesians 2:10:
b) What encouragement do you gain from knowing that you are God's workmanship?
Remember God's promise to Abram? God promised him many descendants and a fruitful land. And Abram believed God, and God counted it to him as righteousness. When God told Abram to go, Abram went in faith. When God's word shows us the way of righteousness, we obey in faith. By confidence in God's promise to work in us according to his purpose, we can receive his commands as promises. We can receive the command to be holy as his promise to make us like he is. Likewise, we can receive the command forbidding fits of anger as a promise that he will work patience and gentleness into us as we live by the Spirit. Cling to the word of God, obey in faith, and he will do great things.
11) To conclude this lesson, read the following passages. What do you learn from them about what God wants to do in you?
a) 1 Corinthians 13
b) Ephesians 4:17-32
c) Philippians 2:1-18
Give thanks to God that as we walk with him he will accomplish all that! Praise him that these things are a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and we do not have to make them come about in our own power. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God's own possession. By his grace we can live up to our calling.
Copyright © 2007, Carol Duffy. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Failure and Restoration
Restoration and Refreshment
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19-20
Repentance is turning around and going the other way. It is not reserved as a remedy for big sins, but is the Christian's way of life. For the sake of our relationship with God we must keep short accounts with him. He is in the business of restoring saints from both big falls and small scrapes alike.
1) The gospel of Luke tells a story of the love a sinful woman had for her Lord. You can read this story in Luke 7:36-50. Describe what this woman did for Jesus.
2) What reason does Jesus gave for her actions in verse 47?
3) Jesus neither condemns nor excuses this woman's sins, rather, he forgives them. He also credits her great love to the fact she has received forgiveness. This same forgiveness is available to us today through faith. Record Jesus' final words to this woman (vs. 50):
4) We've looked at the necessity of confession, of repentance, and of faith. We can now receive Jesus' words as being spoken to us personally. From his hand we receive salvation and peace. How will the acceptance of this truth impact your devotion to the Lord?
5) We've failed and we've sinned. We've confessed, repented, and been forgiven. We're going in the opposite direction, but what is our destination? Let's revisit a passage we looked at in an earlier lesson. Please read Hebrews 12:10. What is the purpose given here for the Lord's discipline?
6) In what way does Hebrews 12:11 say the holiness of the Lord will be displayed in our lives?
7) The peaceful fruit of righteousness is described more fully in Galatians 5:22-23. What nine fruits of the Spirit are recorded here?
This fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit and is not the product of human effort. The fruit of the Spirit is the out working of the Character of Christ worked in us by the Lord. See Philippians 2:13.
8) What is our part in fruit bearing according to Galatians 5:24-25?
9) This is the walk of faith. We die daily to ourselves by walking in the Spirit and denying our old nature. Turn now to Ephesians 1:1 - 2:10. Including verse references, write phrases from this passage that reveal:
a) What we have in Christ
b) What God does for us
10a) Write out Ephesians 2:10:
b) What encouragement do you gain from knowing that you are God's workmanship?
Remember God's promise to Abram? God promised him many descendants and a fruitful land. And Abram believed God, and God counted it to him as righteousness. When God told Abram to go, Abram went in faith. When God's word shows us the way of righteousness, we obey in faith. By confidence in God's promise to work in us according to his purpose, we can receive his commands as promises. We can receive the command to be holy as his promise to make us like he is. Likewise, we can receive the command forbidding fits of anger as a promise that he will work patience and gentleness into us as we live by the Spirit. Cling to the word of God, obey in faith, and he will do great things.
11) To conclude this lesson, read the following passages. What do you learn from them about what God wants to do in you?
a) 1 Corinthians 13
b) Ephesians 4:17-32
c) Philippians 2:1-18
Give thanks to God that as we walk with him he will accomplish all that! Praise him that these things are a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and we do not have to make them come about in our own power. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God's own possession. By his grace we can live up to our calling.
Copyright © 2007, Carol Duffy. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
