Embracing the Divine Advocate: Trusting in Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus as Our Divine Advocate

The concept of having the Son of God is akin to having a divine advocate who stands in for us, offering His services freely out of love and a desire to glorify His power and skill. Jesus Christ is portrayed as a divine lawyer, much like the lawyer in "A Passage to India," who stands for the oppressed and marginalized. This advocacy is not based on our worthiness but is a free offer motivated by His grace. Jesus delights in helping those who are powerless, and His intervention is a testament to His love and desire to glorify Himself through our redemption. [05:17]

Isaiah 42:6-7 (ESV): "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel powerless or marginalized? How can you invite Jesus to be your advocate in these areas today?

Day 2: Grace Over Worthiness

Jesus offers His advocacy not because of our worthiness, but because of His grace. Our salvation magnifies His glory, as He delights in helping those who are powerless and marginalized. The story of the Indian doctor illustrates this beautifully, as the doctor receives help not because of his status but because of the lawyer's desire to help. Similarly, Jesus offers His grace freely, and it is through our acceptance of this grace that His glory is magnified. This is a reminder that our worthiness is not the basis of His offer; rather, it is His grace and desire to glorify Himself through our redemption. [08:19]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of help or grace. How can you embrace the truth that Jesus offers His grace freely, regardless of your perceived worthiness?

Day 3: Trust and Surrender

Trusting in Jesus means acknowledging our inability to handle life on our own and accepting His guidance and intervention. It is a full surrender to His will and wisdom. This trust requires us to let go of the belief that we can manage on our own and to embrace the guidance that Jesus offers. By surrendering to His will, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His love and wisdom, allowing Him to lead us on the path of righteousness and eternal life. [09:30]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 4: Ways to Reject the Offer

Rejecting Jesus' offer can happen in three ways: believing we can manage on our own, thinking we are too insignificant for His attention, or accepting His help but refusing His guidance. These rejections stem from a lack of trust and an unwillingness to fully embrace the transformative power of Jesus' love and guidance. By recognizing these tendencies, we can work towards a deeper relationship with Jesus, one that is built on trust, acceptance, and a willingness to follow His lead. [06:15]

Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

Reflection: Reflect on which of the three ways you might be rejecting Jesus' offer. How can you take a step today to open your heart more fully to His guidance and love?

Day 5: The Free Offer of Eternal Life

The Gospel message is that Jesus, our divine advocate, offers us liberation from sin and death, and eternal life, if we trust in Him. This is a free offer, motivated by His love and desire to glorify Himself through our redemption. The essence of the Gospel is that Jesus stands ready to liberate us from the bondage of sin and death, offering us life eternal if we would only trust in Him. This offer is a testament to His love and grace, and it is through our acceptance of this offer that we can experience the fullness of His glory and the promise of eternal life. [10:05]

John 5:24 (ESV): "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

Reflection: How does the promise of eternal life through Jesus impact your daily life and decisions? What steps can you take to live more fully in the light of this promise today?

Sermon Summary

In exploring the profound question of what it means to have the Son of God, we delve into the heart of the Gospel message. The essence of having the Son is akin to having an advocate, a divine lawyer who stands in for us, much like the lawyer in the film "A Passage to India" who stands for the oppressed doctor. This advocate, Jesus Christ, offers His services freely, motivated by two primary desires: the liberation of His people from sin and death, and the glorification of His power and skill on behalf of those who are marginalized and powerless.

The story of the Indian doctor illustrates how one can come to possess such an advocate. Despite being destitute and without hope, the doctor receives the help of a renowned lawyer who offers his services without charge. This mirrors the way Jesus offers Himself to us—not because of our worthiness, but because of His grace and desire to magnify His glory through our salvation. The offer of Jesus is free, but it requires trust and acceptance. We must not reject this offer by believing we can handle life on our own, by thinking we are too insignificant for His attention, or by accepting His help but refusing His guidance.

To truly have the Son of God is to trust Him fully, acknowledging our inability to save ourselves and our need for His intervention. It is to recognize that our worthiness is not the basis of His offer; rather, it is His grace and desire to glorify Himself through our redemption. This is the heart of the Gospel: that Jesus, our divine advocate, stands ready to liberate us from the bondage of sin and death, offering us life eternal if we would only trust in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. The concept of having the Son of God is akin to having a divine advocate who stands in for us, offering His services freely out of love and a desire to glorify His power and skill. [05:17]
2. Jesus offers His advocacy not because of our worthiness, but because of His grace. Our salvation magnifies His glory, as He delights in helping those who are powerless and marginalized. [08:19]
3. Trusting in Jesus means acknowledging our inability to handle life on our own and accepting His guidance and intervention. It is a full surrender to His will and wisdom. [09:30]
4. Rejecting Jesus' offer can happen in three ways: believing we can manage on our own, thinking we are too insignificant for His attention, or accepting His help but refusing His guidance. [06:15]
5. The Gospel message is that Jesus, our divine advocate, offers us liberation from sin and death, and eternal life, if we trust in Him. This is a free offer, motivated by His love and desire to glorify Himself through our redemption. [10:05]
** [10:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - The Importance of Having the Son
[00:32] - Introduction to "A Passage to India"
[01:09] - The Plight of the Indian Doctor
[01:34] - The Lawyer's Intervention
[02:16] - The Transformative News
[03:07] - The Lawyer's Motive
[03:55] - The Courtroom Scene
[04:58] - The Divine Advocate
[05:57] - Accepting the Free Offer
[06:15] - Ways to Reject the Offer
[07:05] - The Inability to Handle Life Alone
[08:05] - Understanding Grace
[09:10] - Trust and Obedience
[10:05] - The Free Offer of Eternal Life
[10:25] - Conclusion and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 1 John 5:12: "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

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Observation Questions:

In the sermon, how is Jesus compared to the lawyer in "A Passage to India"? What are the similarities in their roles? [01:55]
What are the two primary desires of Jesus, our divine advocate, as mentioned in the sermon? [05:17]
How does the sermon describe the ways in which people might reject Jesus' offer of advocacy? [06:15]
According to the sermon, what is the significance of Jesus offering His services freely? [05:34]

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Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean to "have the Son" according to 1 John 5:12, and how does this relate to the concept of having a divine advocate? [05:17]
How does the story of the Indian doctor illustrate the concept of grace as described in the sermon? [03:32]
Why might someone feel unworthy of Jesus' attention, and how does the sermon address this feeling? [08:05]
What does full trust in Jesus look like, and why is it important not to reject His guidance? [09:30]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you tried to handle a difficult situation on your own. How might trusting in Jesus as your advocate have changed your approach? [07:05]
The sermon mentions that Jesus delights in helping those who are powerless and marginalized. How can you extend this same grace to someone in your community this week? [08:19]
Consider the three ways people might reject Jesus' offer. Which of these do you struggle with the most, and how can you work towards overcoming it? [06:15]
How can you remind yourself daily of your need for Jesus' intervention in your life, especially in areas where you feel self-sufficient? [09:30]
Identify a specific area in your life where you need to surrender control to Jesus. What steps can you take this week to trust His guidance more fully? [09:46]
How can you actively glorify Jesus in your life, acknowledging His role as your advocate and the source of your salvation? [05:34]
Think of someone who might feel insignificant or unworthy of Jesus' attention. How can you share the message of grace and advocacy with them? [08:19]

Sermon Clips

whoever has the son has life and whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life as first John 5:12 but what exactly does it mean to have the Son of God how do we come into possession of Jesus and if we don't possess him we remain dead in our trespasses and sins so this is one of the most important questions in the universe [00:00:03]

the lawyers thing will now be done for this doctor all his eloquence all his skill all his reputation will be funneled in one channel liberate this doctor how did the doctor come to have a lawyer he was broke he was miles away from this lawyer they didn't even know each other and all of a sudden he can declare to all of his British enemies I have a lawyer [00:03:11]

this lawyer is interested in two things the liberation of India from the British and the magnification of his skill on behalf of underdogs now I don't know if you remember I don't know how many of you saw this picture but another scene that I loved was in the courtroom where there was utter pandemonium it was chaos and this lawyer was sitting there laid back in his chair utterly composed as though to communicate sovereign [00:03:51]

I magnify my skill by not accepting pay or my services because that might compromise my allegiance I'm for the liberation of India and I'm for the exaltation of my own skill on behalf of underdog Patriots I don't give a rip about your money so it is with the Son of God how does it come about that you can say I have the son of God [00:04:34]

he has two things that he's after in this world one the liberation of his people from sin and death and the other is the glorification of his power and his skill on behalf of underdog people that's the origin of salvation that's the source of eternal life he loves to show that he loves the liberation of his people and the magnification of his skill and therefore his services are not for sale [00:05:14]

you accept the offer and trusting the doctor trusted the lawyer and the lawyer was willing to stand in for the doctor of course there are at least three ways you can reject the offer of the lawyer he could have done it in the movie we could do it to Jesus this morning you could say I can in this case by myself I don't need a lawyer [00:05:57]

don't say I can handle this case by myself I can handle my life by myself I was talking to a man the other day who was dealing with a man who had cancer and trying to witness to it in the hospital the man said I can hear this by myself John Moline 8 o'clock yesterday morning couldn't handle it and when you get there you won't either if you don't have an advocate [00:07:00]

you see that poor guy was innocent and he was about done for we're guilty we are done for our advocate better be a lot better off than the one in the movie because he's got to pull off a miracle because we are guilty and the judges just second don't say to yourself I'm a nobody you'll never come why do you bother with me [00:07:39]

Jesus Christ speaks like this he says do you I don't come to you because you're somebody I come to you because I'm somebody and I like to glorify my somebody this by helping nobodies like you so quit thinking you got to measure up the only people I have for nobodies if you think you're somebody you don't qualify [00:08:16]

the good news people is the lower you have gone the better candidate Jesus thinks you are because he can congratulate himself or magnify himself in the world by pulling off the most amazing trial upset imaginable you're not very guilty any lawyer can handle that so let's put that one aside sure you're a nobody that's the pilot and he's ready [00:08:43]

don't evade the summons to trust by just going halfway and saying sure I'll take the bail but not the advice you're not trusting if you say that so I close this morning by simply holding out to you the free offer that comes from this world-class son of God who can stand in for you and will stand in for anybody who trusts he who has the son has life [00:09:39]

you can have the son if you trust the son hard to find a better illustration of Christ magnifying himself in the salvation of sinners and all for their shared joy together great stuff this excerpt is taken from John Piper is sermon from June 9 1985 it's titled he who has the son has life and you could find the entire thing online at desiring God org [00:10:09]

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Embracing the Divine Advocate: Trusting in Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus as Our Divine Advocate

Day 2: Grace Over Worthiness

Day 3: Trust and Surrender

Day 4: Ways to Reject the Offer

Day 5: The Free Offer of Eternal Life

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing the Divine Advocate: Trusting in Jesus

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