Embracing Grace: The New Community in Christ
Summary
In our gathering today, we explored the profound truth that no one can keep the law of God perfectly. Since the fall of humanity, every person has consistently broken God's law in thought, word, and deed. Romans 3 reminds us that none is righteous, and all have turned aside. This reality leaves us utterly dependent on God's grace, which is beautifully manifested in Jesus Christ. Jesus alone has perfectly fulfilled the law, and through Him, we find salvation and the promise of eternal life. Our inability to keep the law highlights our desperate need for Jesus, who saves us and transforms us into a new community, the church.
As we delve into Mark 3, we see Jesus forming a new community amid growing opposition. He calls His disciples, not just as followers, but as a family united in purpose and mission. This new community is not a mere crowd but a church, an "ekklesia," gathered around Christ and His gospel. Jesus redefines family, emphasizing that those who do the will of God are His true family. This challenges us to prioritize our spiritual connection with Christ over biological ties, urging us to align our lives with God's purpose.
The narrative also warns us about the danger of rejecting the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders of Jesus' time, despite their knowledge, failed to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and attributed His works to the devil. This blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a persistent refusal to acknowledge God's work, leading to a hardened heart and eternal separation from God. We are called to examine our hearts, ensuring we are not resisting the Spirit's conviction but are open to repentance and faith in the gospel.
As a church, we are reminded that discipleship is not a spectator sport. We are called to be active participants in God's mission, making and growing mature disciples. Our identity as Christians is rooted in our corporate identity in Christ, and we are to live as a family, loving and supporting one another. This requires intentional investment in relationships, creating a community where everyone feels welcome and valued. Let us strive to be a church centered around the gospel, reflecting Christ's love to the world.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Inability to Keep the Law: Since the fall, no human can keep God's law perfectly, highlighting our need for Jesus, who alone fulfills the law and offers us salvation through His grace. [15:34]
2. The New Community in Christ: Jesus forms a new community, the church, not just as a gathering of people but as a family united in purpose and mission, centered around Him and His gospel. [32:39]
3. The Danger of Rejecting the Spirit: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a persistent refusal to acknowledge God's work, leading to a hardened heart and eternal separation from God. We must remain open to the Spirit's conviction and repent. [48:29]
4. Discipleship as Active Participation: Discipleship is not a spectator sport but a journey of learning, transformation, and mission. We are called to be active participants in God's mission, making and growing mature disciples. [52:12]
5. The Redefinition of Family: Jesus redefines family as those who do the will of God, urging us to prioritize our spiritual connection with Christ over biological ties and align our lives with God's purpose. [56:26]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Opening Prayer and Confession
- [02:15] - The Inability to Keep God's Law
- [05:45] - Our Need for Jesus
- [08:20] - Prayer for Gene and Jeremy's Mission
- [10:50] - Introduction to Mark 3
- [12:30] - Jesus Forms a New Community
- [15:34] - The Call of the Disciples
- [18:45] - The Crowd vs. The Church
- [22:10] - The Confused Family
- [25:30] - The Condemning Scribes
- [28:50] - Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
- [32:39] - Redefining Family
- [35:20] - Discipleship as Active Participation
- [40:22] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 3:10-12
- Mark 3:7-35
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Observation Questions:
1. In Romans 3, what does Paul say about the righteousness of humanity? How does this relate to our need for Jesus? [15:34]
2. In Mark 3, how does Jesus respond to the growing crowd and what does He do to form a new community? [32:39]
3. What accusation do the scribes make against Jesus, and how does He refute their claim? [48:29]
4. How does Jesus redefine the concept of family in Mark 3, and what criteria does He use to identify His true family? [56:26]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the inability to keep God's law highlight the necessity of grace and salvation through Jesus? [15:34]
2. What does Jesus' formation of a new community in Mark 3 suggest about the nature and purpose of the church? [32:39]
3. Why is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit considered an unforgivable sin, and what does this reveal about the nature of persistent unbelief? [48:29]
4. How does Jesus' redefinition of family challenge traditional views, and what implications does this have for our spiritual priorities? [56:26]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you find yourself unable to keep God's law? How does this realization affect your reliance on Jesus for grace and salvation? [15:34]
2. In what ways can you actively participate in your church community to ensure it reflects the new community Jesus intended? Consider specific actions you can take to foster unity and purpose. [32:39]
3. Have you ever found yourself resisting the Holy Spirit's conviction in your life? What steps can you take to remain open to repentance and faith in the gospel? [48:29]
4. How do you prioritize your spiritual family over biological ties in your daily life? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with Jesus' definition of family? [56:26]
5. Consider your role in discipleship: Are you more of a spectator or an active participant in God's mission? Identify one way you can engage more deeply in making and growing mature disciples. [52:12]
6. Think about your interactions with your family and friends. How can you share the gospel with them, especially if they misunderstand your faith? What approach might be most effective in your context? [44:45]
7. Reflect on your church experience: Are you part of a crowd or a family? What steps can you take to cultivate genuine, Christ-centered relationships within your church community? [01:02:40]
Devotional
Day 1: Our Inability Highlights Our Need for Jesus
Since the fall of humanity, no one has been able to keep God's law perfectly. This universal inability underscores our profound need for Jesus Christ, who alone has fulfilled the law in its entirety. Romans 3 reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, leaving us utterly dependent on God's grace. Jesus, through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, offers us salvation and the promise of eternal life. Our shortcomings and failures are not the end of the story; they point us to the Savior who redeems and transforms us. [15:34]
"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself striving to earn God's favor? How can you rest in the grace that Jesus provides today?
Day 2: Jesus Forms a New Community
In Mark 3, Jesus calls His disciples to form a new community, the church, which is not just a gathering of people but a family united in purpose and mission. This community, centered around Christ and His gospel, is distinct from the crowd that merely follows Him for miracles. Jesus redefines family, emphasizing that those who do the will of God are His true family. This challenges us to prioritize our spiritual connection with Christ over biological ties, urging us to align our lives with God's purpose. [32:39]
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively contribute to building a Christ-centered community in your church or neighborhood this week?
Day 3: The Danger of Rejecting the Spirit
The narrative warns us about the danger of rejecting the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders of Jesus' time, despite their knowledge, failed to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and attributed His works to the devil. This blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a persistent refusal to acknowledge God's work, leading to a hardened heart and eternal separation from God. We are called to examine our hearts, ensuring we are not resisting the Spirit's conviction but are open to repentance and faith in the gospel. [48:29]
"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." (Matthew 12:31, ESV)
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to change? How can you respond to His leading today?
Day 4: Discipleship as Active Participation
Discipleship is not a spectator sport but a journey of learning, transformation, and mission. We are called to be active participants in God's mission, making and growing mature disciples. Our identity as Christians is rooted in our corporate identity in Christ, and we are to live as a family, loving and supporting one another. This requires intentional investment in relationships, creating a community where everyone feels welcome and valued. Let us strive to be a church centered around the gospel, reflecting Christ's love to the world. [52:12]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to actively engage in discipleship, either by mentoring someone or seeking mentorship yourself?
Day 5: Redefining Family in Christ
Jesus redefines family as those who do the will of God, urging us to prioritize our spiritual connection with Christ over biological ties. This redefinition challenges us to align our lives with God's purpose and to see our fellow believers as our true family. In doing so, we are called to love, support, and invest in one another, creating a community that reflects the love of Christ to the world. [56:26]
"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:50, ESV)
Reflection: How can you strengthen your spiritual family ties this week? Is there someone in your church community you can reach out to and support?
Quotes
"Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought and word and deed. Romans chapter 3 tells us, none is righteous, no, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together, they have become worthless. No one does good, not even one. Later, everyone sins. Everyone falls short of the glory of God." [00:12:52] (32 seconds)
"We confess that we are worthless apart from your grace, that we desperately need Jesus to save us. We thank you for revealing our need to us, for calling us to faith, for giving us faith, giving us hearts, new hearts, to seek you, to know you, to love you, to trust you, to obey you. We thank you that Jesus Christ has saved us." [00:14:52] (20 seconds)
"And we're in verses 7 through the end of the chapter And what we see is the opposition to Jesus increasing That amid growing opposition Jesus forms a new community The church He forms a new community Defining His true family As those who do the will of God And revealing the danger of rejecting the Spirit In so doing, Jesus calls us together Not as a crowd But as a church family." [00:28:23] (44 seconds)
"Christ will die willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and to bring us back to God and his work on the cross. It achieves a salvation that we could not achieve for ourselves, which now converts and transforms you and me as individuals, but also forms us into a new humanity, the church. And eventually, this gospel power will renew the whole world and all creation." [00:41:40] (27 seconds)
"God is reconciling and gathering a people for himself, to himself, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, recreating us in his image through the Spirit, uniting us into a family of God, and building us into a building in which God dwells. And this means that church is not an optional extra for the Christian life. To be a disciple first means to be active in the church." [01:05:40] (33 seconds)
"Our identities as individual Christians emerge from our corporate identity we share in Christ and his body, not the other way around. And it is the saving work of God that makes us disciples, family, witnesses. It's the saving work of God that brings us together and transforms us from a crowd into a church, from a church into a family." [01:06:23] (26 seconds)
"To be a member of God's church. It all starts with repenting and believing the gospel. And the next step is to belong to this family, a community of love, support, accountability. This means you and I must invest in relationships to listen to, to love, to care for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ over time." [01:08:31] (33 seconds)
"Lord Jesus, you have redefined the family, calling us to be your brothers and your sisters. We ask that you would help us understand that our church is a multi-generational family with God as our Father, united by the gospel, one in faith, one in fellowship. Keep the gospel central to all that we do. Help us to love and to care for one another as you have loved us." [01:08:54] (27 seconds)
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