Embracing New Beginnings: Hope and Redemption in Christ

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
- Colossians 2:13

**Observation Questions:**
1. What metaphor was used in the sermon to illustrate the concept of a fresh start, and how does it relate to the message of Christmas? [24:48]
2. How does Devin LaRue's story exemplify the transformative power of God's grace? [34:34]
3. According to Colossians 2:13, what happens to our sins through Christ's sacrifice? [43:37]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does the metaphor of the Etch-a-Sketch help us understand the concept of forgiveness and new beginnings in Christ? [24:48]
2. In what ways does Devin's testimony challenge common perceptions about who can be redeemed by God's grace? [34:34]
3. How does the idea of our presence being orchestrated by God (as mentioned in the sermon) influence our understanding of divine purpose in our lives? [20:15]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a time when you felt stuck in your past mistakes. How can the message of Colossians 2:13 encourage you to embrace a fresh start? [43:37]
2. Devin's story shows that no one is beyond the reach of God's love. Is there someone in your life who you feel is beyond redemption? How can you change your perspective and approach towards them? [34:34]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of responding to God's call for a fresh start. What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to begin anew? [47:16]
4. How can you incorporate the metaphor of the Etch-a-Sketch into your daily life as a reminder of God's grace and forgiveness? [24:48]
5. As we celebrate Christmas, how can you open your heart to the hope and joy that Christ brings, allowing His love to transform your life? [43:37]
6. Consider the divine purpose in your gathering with others this Christmas. How can you be more intentional in recognizing and responding to God's orchestration in your life? [20:15]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to surrender your heart to God and allow His love to bring you renewed hope and joy? [47:16]

Day 1: Divine Purpose in Gathering
In the midst of our busy lives, it is easy to overlook the significance of our gatherings, especially during the Christmas season. However, each gathering is orchestrated by God, who desires to speak into our lives and remind us of His divine purpose. This Christmas, we are invited to be open to the life-changing message of hope and redemption that Christ offers. Our presence in these moments is not accidental but a part of God's greater plan for us. As we come together, let us be attentive to His voice and the ways He is working in our lives. [20:15]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you be more intentional in recognizing God's purpose in your gatherings this Christmas season?


Day 2: The Etch-a-Sketch Metaphor
The Etch-a-Sketch metaphor beautifully illustrates the opportunity for a fresh start that Christ offers us. Just as an Etch-a-Sketch can be shaken to erase mistakes, our lives can be reset through Christ's forgiveness. No matter our past, we have the chance to begin anew in Him. This metaphor serves as a powerful reminder that God's grace is sufficient to cover all our mistakes, allowing us to embrace new beginnings with hope and joy. [24:48]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What past mistakes do you need to let go of today, trusting in Christ's ability to give you a fresh start?


Day 3: Transformative Power of Testimony
Devin LaRue's story is a testament to the transformative power of God's grace. From a troubled past, including time in prison, Devin found acceptance and purpose through faith. His journey exemplifies how God's love can reach even the most broken parts of our lives, turning them into testimonies of hope and redemption. Devin's story encourages us to believe in the power of God's love to change lives, no matter how far we may feel from Him. [34:34]

"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." (Revelation 12:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you share your own story of transformation to encourage others in their faith journey?


Day 4: Invitation to New Beginnings
The message of Christmas is an invitation to embrace the new beginnings that Christ offers. Regardless of our regrets or past mistakes, God's grace is sufficient to cover them and give us a fresh start. This season, we are called to reflect on our lives and consider the areas where we need a new beginning. By opening our hearts to the hope and joy that Christ brings, we allow His love to transform our lives and lead us into a future filled with promise. [43:37]

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life is God inviting you to embrace a new beginning, and how can you take a step towards it today?


Day 5: Responding to God's Call
As we reflect on our lives, we are encouraged to respond to God's call for a fresh start. This Christmas, let us surrender our hearts to Him, allowing His love to transform us and bring us renewed hope and joy. By responding to His call, we open ourselves to the abundant life that He promises, filled with purpose and fulfillment. Let us be attentive to His voice and ready to take the steps He is guiding us towards. [47:16]

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can respond to God's call in your life today, and how can you commit to following through with it?

So, Devin, let me ask you this. What would you say to people that are sitting here or watching online that have maybe never surrendered their life? Do it. Do it. And they feel like they do that. They wouldn't have any fun anymore. You know, they'd be, you know, just back there. So, what would you say to them? [00:40:10] (25 seconds)


And the Lord has healed your memories. He's healed the, I mean, we all have regrets, right? For sure. But he's healed that feeling that you can't hold your head up and that you're less than. We're proud of you. [00:42:42] (14 seconds)


And maybe you're thinking, you know, there's some regrets in my life. And, you know, I'd really like to make a life change. What a great opportunity to do it tonight as we celebrate the eve of Christ's birth who brought hope and redemption to us. [00:45:17] (20 seconds)


And right now, I mean, your palms are sweaty. Your heart's beating faster. You're wondering if you're going to have a heart attack. No, that's just the Holy Spirit hovering over where you are, saying, I love you. I died on the cross for all of your sins. You've been trying to change yourself. You can't change yourself. He changes it. [00:47:16] (24 seconds)


Thank you, God, for sending your son Jesus to die for my sins. I ask you to forgive me and to come into my life and to wipe the slate clean. Give me a fresh start, a do-over. Cover all of my mistakes in your name, Jesus. Amen. Church, would you celebrate with me with those who prayed that prayer? Amen. [00:48:54] (33 seconds)

Welcome. It's good to see you tonight. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Hey, I'm so thankful for you to be here. Wow, all these beautiful kids.

Yeah, as we get closer, maybe people will come in late. The ushers may ask you to scoot in, so please don't lose your Christmas joy over that. But we're so thankful.

Just turn around and smile at two or three people that are there with you and say, "Welcome. We're glad you're here tonight. Enjoy the time."

As it was said to them, "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

Well, welcome. It's so good to see you tonight. I'm really thankful and glad that you're here. Devin and I are going to share a couple of things with you this evening, and I believe it's going to make a difference in our life.

I know we pray a lot, but I never like to start a teaching, especially at a special season like this, without coming before the Lord and submitting myself to Him because I don't want to mess up, right? I want to do what's right because you took time to be here tonight. It's not an accident that you're here. God brought you here. You may have been invited; somebody may have bribed you for a dinner or a present, but you're here because God wanted you to hear what you're getting ready to hear. And it's life-changing, the story you're getting ready to hear.

Let's pray.

Father, we love you. We thank you. Thank you for all those sweet little kids. Thank you for everyone that's here tonight. And God, in these next few moments, as we just think about you and how our hope and our joy can be restored in this series that we've been doing in December, "Restoring Christmas Joy," I pray if anyone's here tonight and they've lost their joy, I pray you restore that because you are worthy and you're the one who brought joy, and we thank you for that.

So tonight, I pray you would help me to say what you want me to say. Don't let me say anything I shouldn't say, and at the end of the service, more than anything else, may you be glorified, may the saints be edified, and may the devil be terrified in the name of Jesus.

You guys got that down?

Hey, you know what this is? Etch-a-Sketch. How many of you ever had an Etch-a-Sketch? Well, I'm too old; they didn't have them out when I was a kid, but my brother and sister had them.

So, you know how many of you ever just worked those knobs, you know, the vertical and horizontal? You get all of that, and you get what you're going to be, and it's going to be right, and then you make a mistake, and it goes the other direction, right?

But the amazing thing about Etch-a-Sketch is, what could you do to make it right? You just shake it, right? Just shake it. You get a start over; you get a new beginning. No matter how many mistakes you make, you can shake it.

How many of you have had things go wrong? I think that's a really good thought for us at the Christmas season because there's a scripture verse that really ties into that, and I want to read it tonight.

It's from Colossians chapter 2, verse 13. It says, "When you were stuck in your old sin-dread way of life, how many of you remember the time that you were stuck in your old sin-dread life? You were incapable of responding to God, but God brought you alive right along with Christ. Think of it: all sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross."

Man, isn't that awesome? I was just thinking about that and how no matter what mistakes we made, what we go through in life, the regrets that we have, that with Jesus, we're able to say now in our past, they don't go away, but our past makes us who we are.

I want you to meet whom I consider to be a real hero of the faith, and this is Devin LaRue. Would you give him a warm hand?

Devin, I haven't known you for a long time. How long have we known each other?

How long have you been coming to church?

About a year now.

What brought you to the Father's House?

Um, your tattoos?

No, not my tattoos or anything, but...

So you were accepted?

Oh yeah, so nobody looked at you, nobody judged you when you walked in the door?

No.

Well, David, let's talk a little bit about because a lot of people don't know your story, so we may be going to some deep, dark places in some places you've tried to forget. Tell me a little bit about your childhood growing up.

Tell us a little bit about that.

You mean by indoctrinated by secular music?

Okay, that's great. I didn't know about that.

So then what happened? You were into the street and doing things and getting involved in stuff. So tell us about that.

And you feel like you could fit in to be accepted.

So how long were you into the gangs? How long did that go?

So then what happened after that?

Wow.

Yeah, and then I guess they sentenced you to prison?

Where'd they send you?

Okay, so what happened in prison then as you were there? What, did it increase? Did it go back? I mean, where were you in that?

How long were you in prison?

Right. So, tell me a little about the prison life. Is that where you began the tattoo journey?

So then, tell me a little bit about in prison. How were you treated, and how did you respond? I mean, how did that affect your life?

Now, how did you handle the truth of knowing that you had taken a mother's life?

What did her husband eventually say to you?

So how did that...

Well, let's talk about in prison. Then you became a tattoo artist, yes?

Right. How did that work for you? I mean, did that bring you some clout, acceptance? You know you're looking for acceptance, so...

But you have some interesting tattoos, especially on your head. I'm thinking about maybe going that way.

Nah, I keep losing hair, and it's harder, so I'm kind of looking maybe envious there.

Is that... but that would probably hurt, bad, as you think?

So what's the story of that?

Getting too personal?

No, you're really talented.

Yeah, let's go back. You're doing research; it all brings you back to Christianity.

So the important thing is, how did you allow Christ to come into your life and to give you hope?

Who led you in a prayer? You just made that relationship with the Lord?

And how did you do that? I mean, did you just sense the presence of the Lord? I mean, He had to be there with you, right?

Isn't that amazing how you can be so hard, and when the presence of the Lord comes near, it just changes it all?

Wow.

Now, how's that changed in your life?

Just a few weeks ago, I think you were baptized with your mother and your grandmother, is that right?

Yeah.

All right.

Wow, that's awesome.

So now what are you doing?

Awesome. Well done. Well done.

So, Devin, let me ask you this. What would you say to people that are sitting here or watching online that have maybe never surrendered their life?

Do it.

Do it.

And they feel like if they do that, they wouldn't have any fun anymore. You know, they'd be just back there. So, what would you say to them?

Do it right now.

That's awesome.

Yeah.

And one of the things I run into is people who say, "Well, you know, someday, you know, one day, Terry, you know, I'm thinking about it. And, yeah, it's good. But, you know, I'm just not ready right now because I'm not sure God will really accept me, all the things that I've done."

What would you say to them?

So when I talked about the Etch-a-Sketch and then the Scripture says a clean slate, does that make sense to you?

That makes perfect sense.

Yeah.

And your sound mind?

Sound mind.

As best as we can figure?

About all you've been through, Devin.

Think about how God orchestrated.

I mean, you don't know who all was praying for you or how God orchestrated.

Yeah, I'll just drop that Bible. And, you know, I'll let that attractive lady be on the magazine. You know, it's just all the intricate details.

But yet how He began speaking to you through the power of testimony. Since we're made overcomers in the Bible by the power of our testimony and by His blood.

Amen.

So that's what's happened to you.

Amen.

Dude, we just rejoice with you. That smile is worth a million dollars. Thank you.

And the Lord has healed your memories. He's healed the... I mean, we all have regrets, right?

For sure.

But He's healed that feeling that you can't hold your head up and that you're less than.

We're proud of you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So you don't want them anymore?

You know...

Let me read that verse again. That was a powerful verse, wasn't it?

Do you like that verse?

I love that verse.

"When you were stuck in your old sin-dread life."

And I wonder how many are here tonight that you're sort of stuck in your old sin-dread life.

And you've been talking about how you'd like to make a change, but you're incapable of even responding to God.

You think about it. You think about, you know, "I'm going to change my life. I'm going to do those things." But it's so hard because we're caught in that prison.

But it says, "But God brought you alive." That's what He did for you.

Amen.

He brought you alive.

Think of it: all sins forgiven.

How does that happen? I mean, how does He forgive you for taking the life of a mother of three kids?

But yet He says, "I'll take that sin," and the Scripture says, "as far as the east is from the west."

That's important, isn't it?

Because you know where the North Pole is and the South Pole is. So if you head towards those, you can find them.

But He said, "No, I'm taking them to the east and the west."

So you head east to think that you're going to make it, and you find that then you're going west. There's no way.

And that's what's so amazing. It's gone.

Is that wild?

It's gone.

It's unimaginable.

And then the Scripture goes on and says, "All sins forgiven. The slate wiped clean. The old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross."

Yay, yay.

Let me ask you. You're here tonight. You're watching online.

And maybe you're thinking, you know, there's some regrets in my life. And, you know, I'd really like to make a life change.

What a great opportunity to do it tonight as we celebrate the eve of Christ's birth, who brought hope and redemption to us.

And I wouldn't think of a better way of ending our time together tonight than leading you in a prayer.

Somewhat what happened to you, Devin, right?

Yes, sir.

Yeah.

And the Lord so changed your life, son.

So changed. Changed your life.

And I think He can do that for you.

So would you mind bowing your heads and let me pray for us tonight?

Father, I thank you for all the people that you brought tonight.

And I ask you to search our hearts.

Lord, there may be people here that have been thinking about, "Well, someday I'm going to make a choice. I'm going to make a decision."

But, Lord, I know we're not assured of another day.

And we're not assured of what could happen to our lives.

And we're not assured of a life that will put us in a worse situation.

So I pray, Lord, as we've been praying all week long, that no one would leave here tonight without experiencing your hope and your joy.

Holy Spirit, I pray that you would touch hearts and you would do what you do best: miracles.

If you're here tonight, as every head is still bowed and every eye is closed, no one's looking around, looking at you.

If you're here tonight, as every head is still bowed and every eye is closed, no one's looking around, looking at you.

Would you just raise your hand and make eye contact with me and say to me tonight, "Terry, I really need what Devin had tonight. I need to surrender my heart to Jesus. I need to rededicate my life."

Maybe for the very first time.

Maybe years ago, you were close to Him, and you just wandered away.

And right now, I mean, your palms are sweaty. Your heart's beating faster. You're wondering if you're going to have a heart attack.

No, that's just the Holy Spirit hovering over where you are, saying, "I love you. I died on the cross for all of your sins. You've been trying to change yourself. You can't change yourself. He changes it."

So, He went to the cross, took your sins. On the third day, He rose so that you and I could have a fresh hope, a new beginning, a fresh start.

So, if that's you, would you give us a greater hope? I would just honor tonight of leading you in prayer.

Would you just raise your hand where you are and say, "Yep, that's me. That's me. I need this prayer."

Thank you. There in the back.

Others, thank you here in the front.

Others, thank you. Thank you.

Just raise your hand in the back.

Thank you. Three or four hands.

Yes.

Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

Others tonight would say, "Yep, this is it. I'm going to make that decision tonight of rededicating my life to the Lord."

Let me lead you in a prayer.

We've all prayed a prayer as believers somewhat like this tonight.

And then I'm going to ask my friend Devin to pray a special sealing prayer over you that would just seal up what God is going to do in your life in the next 30 seconds.

Would you pray this prayer with me from the bottom of your heart in sincerity?

"Thank you, God, for sending your son Jesus to die for my sins. I ask you to forgive me and to come into my life and to wipe the slate clean. Give me a fresh start, a do-over. Cover all of my mistakes in your name, Jesus."

Amen.

Church, would you celebrate with me with those who prayed that prayer?

Amen.

Listen, those of you who lifted your hand, over here we have a table that says "First Step."

We have a table over here, "First Step."

Before you leave in just a few minutes, would you just drop by? You don't have to say anything, fill out anything, just drop by.

Anita and I have got a book and some materials for you.

But before you do that, we're going to stand, and we're going to worship some more in song.

Devin, dude, I feel like I'm going to die.

You've got the prayer. Would you pray for those who raised their hands or for those who are searching tonight?

Use the mic.

Devin, what a great honor.

Hey, would you mind standing?