fall 2013: Personal Study GuideEd Stetzer General EditorTrevin Wax Managing Editor

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Fall 2013

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BEaRiNG GOD’S imaGE

2 TGP Personal Study Guide

the gospel project for studentsPErSonal STudy GuidE, fall 2013

volumE 2, numbEr 1

ProdUCTion and minisTrY TeamvicE PrESidEnT, church rESourcES: Eric Geiger

GEnEral EdiTor: Ed StetzermanaGinG EdiTor: Trevin Wax

conTEnT EdiTor: andy mcleandirEcTor, STudEnT miniSTry PubliShinG: Jeff Pratt

dirEcTor, STudEnT miniSTry: ben Trueblood

Send questions/comments to: content Editor, The Gospel Project for Students Personal Study Guide, one lifeWay Plaza, nashville, Tn 37234-0174, or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com

send questions/comments to: Publishing Team leader,

The Gospel Project: Personal Study Guide, one lifeWay Plaza, nashville, Tn 37234-0102;

or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com.

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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.

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Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.Photos: iStockphoto and Getty Images

76 TGP Personal Study Guide

SESSion 9

jesus reigns

t he question–“Who’s in charge?”–is one that we’ve lived with ever since we chose our way over God’s, sin over holiness, and rebellion over submission. Sometimes, we think of ourselves as being “in charge” of our lives, only to discover that life plays out differently than we expected. often times,

the people we think are in charge end up disappointing us. Whether it out parents, teachers, coaches, or even politicians. too often people in power disappoint us, and they fail to live up to our high expectations. and when we are given the reins of power, we often disappoint ourselves.

deep in the human heart there is a longing to rule and a longing to be ruled. these longings appear to contradict each other, but the Bible shows how they go together. We were created to rule the earth under the good rule of God our king. now that we have sinned, our desire to rule is frustrated, and our need to be ruled by God is rejected. only in submitting to the messiah who endured humility and suffering in order to be exalted can these two longings be fulfilled.

Ready youR HeaRt

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isaiah 9:6-7 for to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor, mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of david and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORd of hosts will do this.

“you’rE noT ThE boSS of mE!”if you were to go to any elementary school playground in the country, before too

long you’d more than likely hear those words being screamed . deep down to our core, we tend to resist the thought of someone having authority over us .

if you think about it, this mindset makes some sense in everyday life . We have seen time after time leaders who fail . When those in authority fail, it hurts each person under their authority as well . Since we don’t like to be told what to do and we don’t like to be hurt, our typical response to authority is “no thanks!”

While this attitude may make sense in the world around us, it is devastating in our spiritual lives . When we don’t acknowledge, and then embrace, Jesus as King over us, we are setting ourselves up for much headache and heartache .

King Jesus never fails and always has our best interest at heart . all of the potential problems associated with earthly authority are thrown out of the window when considering spiritual authority . if you want to live the life God intends for you, you must be willing to fully embrace Jesus as King of your life, completely surrendering to him and his authority .

kInG over US

PauSE and rEflEcT ▷ Why do so many people have authority issues? ▷ how do authority issues have the potential to hinder

our spiritual growth? ▷ how can we completely surrender to the authority

of christ?

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Ready youR HeaRt

hebrews 2:8-13 Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. at present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. for it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. for he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” and again, “I will put my trust in him.” and again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

undErcovEr boSS is a reality show that allows company leaders to gain an inside look at multiple facets of their business . in each episode, the cEo of a company puts on a disguise and goes to work alongside various employees in his or her company . at the end of each episode, the boss reveals himself to those employees and tells about the incredible insights he learned by working alongside them .

This is a neat show and teaches the viewers many things, but one of the aspects i find most fascinating about the show is the need for the boss to be undercover . Why do you think the leader has to conceal his true identity? The answer is simple . most people act different when their boss is around! They feel like they must keep some things to themselves and usually don’t make harsh statements about the company or its leadership . but if it’s just a co-worker, then they feel much freer to communicate . The boss puts on the disguise in order to truly be among his people .

Think about this phenomenon in the context of our relationship with christ . We’ve already seen that he is King over us, but now we see that his relationship to us is much more than that . in hebrews 2:11 we see that Jesus calls us brothers . This is an incredible truth . We don’t have come to christ as a scared or nervous employee; we can come to him as a fellow brother! This means we shouldn’t simply see Jesus as a lofty King, waiting to exercise his authority over his people . rather, while certainly respecting his authority, we also realize that he dwells among us and desires an intimate relationship with us . What an amazing King we serve!

PauSE and rEflEcT ▷ What is significant about jesus calling us brothers? ▷ Why is it important to understand that jesus dwells

among us? ▷ how does understanding jesus’ dwelling among us

change our perception of the relationship we are to have with him?

kInG amonG US

Ready youR HeaRt

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2 timothy 2:8-13 Remember Jesus christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of david, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

bEforE rEadinG on, take a moment to reflect on this question: what do you think it would be like to be invited to spend time with a respected king for a week? Each person is probably going to respond somewhat differently . maybe you imagine the experience to be fun and entertaining . maybe you think about how much of a unique honor and opportunity it is . or maybe you just wonder why a king of royalty, the head of a country, would have the time, much less desire, to spend with you .

more than likely, everyone’s idea will be a bit different . but, if we were to really sit and ponder on this, i would imagine that at the very least we would all agree that the very thought of being known and recognized by someone in such high authority, and to be invited to have quality time together, would certainly be an overwhelming experience .

amazingly, Jesus promises to be this type of king to every believer . Scripture teaches us that Jesus reigns not just above us or among us, but he reigns with us . he is a King who, even more than our closest friend, stays beside us and never leaves . he is a King who knows each of us by name, along with the hurts and struggles that we all carry within . he isn’t a king who sends his troops to do his dirty work–instead, he is a King who fights on the behalf of his people . regardless of what happens in our lives, Jesus stands by our side ready to comfort us and ready to help us live on mission for him .

kInG WIth US

PauSE and rEflEcT ▷ how would you feel about a personal invitation from a

king? Would you feel honored? if not, why? ▷ What difference does it making knowing that King

jesus knows you personally and invites you to have a relationship with him?

▷ in what ways do you see evidence of jesus reigning in your life?

Over us.

Jesus reigns as king...Because of sin, human beings have abused or abandoned their rightful position of authority in the world. Through His death and resurrection, God has appointed Jesus Christ the king over all creation. He reigns as king over us, among us (as a human being), and will reign with us (we are co-heirs with Christ). The church provides a foretaste of what His future reign will be like.

sometimes, when people hear the word “king” or “lord,” they think of negative connotations–like lording over someone else. it’s as if authority is a bad thing, not a good thing. often, in our fallen world, authority is exercised wrongly. announcing someone as king is only good news if the king is good. this brings us to one of the most famous prophecies in the old testament, a prophecy pointing forward to Jesus as the ultimate good King.

Among us.We’ve seen that Jesus is the One who reigns as King over us. But this isn’t all the Bible teaches about Christ. He is also the King who reigns among us–as one of us. He can identify with us because He is fully divine and fully human.

▸ what does this passage communicate about God’s perspective on human worth and value? what does Christ’s work in becoming “one of us” communicate about God’s character?

jesus’ reign fulfills the deepest longings of our hearts because god created us to submit to his lordship. his reign also fulfills our deepest desires for freedom. When we submit to the reign of christ, we experience true freedom. We can only be truly free when we have surrendered to his reign over us.

▸ what do these titles for King Jesus mean to you personally? what do they mean for the church corporately? what do they mean for the world?

▸ in what ways does our longing for a king come out in our actions? how do people around you demonstrate their need and desire for a king?

Even though God has subjected all things to Christ, we do not yet see everything finally subjected to Him. This is because the reign of Christ has already been established but not yet finally culminated. His reign is established through His suffering, death, and resurrection. His reign will culminate in His eventual return to judge the world.

on earth Jesus experienced all the realities and temptations of full human existence without sinning (heb. 4:15). he endured suffering and death for us so that he might reign as one of us. our King is not a distant deity unacquainted with human suffering. he knows what it is like to be in our shoes.

With us.Christ reigns with us because He has endured our suffering for us. We will reign with Him because He accomplished salvation for us through His suffering and death on the cross. After His suffering, God raised Him from the dead with victory! The suffering He endured was vindicated by His resurrection. Now that He is risen, He reigns!

ConclusionChrist reigns! the day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue confess his lordship. our mission as Christ’s followers today is to carry this message to the ends of the earth. Christ reigns over us, among us, and he will reign with us. Christ’s reign was established by the Father from eternity and will be fulfilled into eternity. and we will reign with him forever.

▸ what are some events that trouble or discourage you? how do you respond to doubts about Christ’s reign in our world?

▸ in what ways can the church reflect the present reign of Christ and his future reign? how does Christ reign in our personal lives as Christians today?

▸ in what ways does the truth of Jesus as our “brother” affect our prayer life? are you more inclined to pray when you are tempted or when you need forgiveness? why?

▸ how does your life reflect the kingship of Christ in your life?

▸ how do you share the good news of Christ with others around you? when was the last time you told someone about what he has done in your life?

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EncorE

1. over us (isA. 9:6-7).

Sometimes, when people hear the word “king” or “lord,” they think of negative connotations–like lording over someone else. It’s as if authority is a bad thing, not a good thing. Often, in our fallen world, authority is exercised wrongly. Announcing someone as king is only good news if the king is good. This brings us to one of the most famous prophecies in the Old Testament, a prophecy pointing forward to Jesus as the ultimate good king.

The prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 9:1-7 should be understood in light of the political situation facing the land of Judah during the reign of King Ahaz (743-715 Bc). The late eighth century B.c. was a period of instability for Judah. The Assyrian Empire was expanding its control over the region surrounding Judah. Some nations in the region rebelled against the imperial aspirations of the Assyrian Empire.

Isaiah 9:1-5 offers the people words of hope amid the context of divine judgment. People who were humiliated and humbled by the yoke of oppression from foreign nations would eventually be freed by God’s powerful hand. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” Though Judah and the entire region had experienced darkness, God would cause light to dawn. He will turn their humiliation into honor (v. 1); their darkness into light (v. 2); their depression into joy (v. 3); their oppression into victory (v. 4); and conflict into comfort (v. 5).

Note the contrast. A child will be given. Even though the salvation of the world would come through a worldwide kingdom, the King Himself would come as a child. The exalted language for this King doesn’t take away from the humble way this good King would come.

The salvation of God’s people would not come through a warrior king who would deliver them from others only to turn around and oppress them in the same way as other nations. Their salvation would come through a child. The reins of leadership and kingship would be upon His shoulders.

2. AMong us (heb. 2:5-18).

We’ve seen that Jesus is the One who reigns as King over us. But this isn’t all the Bible teaches about christ. He is also the King who reigns among us–as one of us. He can identify with us because He is fully divine and fully human. On earth Jesus experienced all the realities and temptations of full human existence without sinning (Heb. 4:15). He endured suffering and death for us so that He might reign as one of us. Our King is not a distant deity unacquainted with human suffering. He knows what it is like to be in our shoes.

Do you see how the reign of christ is already taking place, and yet evil hasn’t fully been destroyed yet? Even though God has subjected all things to christ, we do not yet see everything finally subjected to Him. This is because the reign of christ has already been established but not yet finally culminated. His reign is established through His suffering, death, and resurrection. His reign will culminate in His eventual return to judge the world.

JeSUS reIGnSJesus reigns as King...

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enCore

If you’re a believer, then christ is not just your Savior; He’s also your Brother! Look at what the text says in verses 12-13. He is not ashamed of you. He prizes you more than the angels. He has conquered the enemy of death so that you might live, be free, and be in His family.

3. With us (2 tiM. 2:8-13).

We want to be in charge, and yet we find freedom when someone greater is in charge. Sin warps this longing in strange ways, so that we abuse authority and lord our power over others or we submit to abuse and then abandon our responsibilities.

In 2 Timothy 2:8-13, we are given the promise that not only will we live forever under Jesus’ lordship, but that we will reign alongside Him. He is King, and we will be kings and queens under Him–caring for the world in worshipful ways just as God always intended.

christ reigns with us because He has endured our suffering for us. We will reign with Him because He accomplished salvation for us through His suffering and death on the cross. Hebrews 12:3 says, “consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart!” He submitted Himself to the suffering of the cross in order that He would reign as the king who saved us from captivity to sin.

After His suffering, God raised Him from the dead with victory! The suffering He endured was vindicated by His resurrection. Now that He is risen, He reigns!

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that christ is reigning, or that one day we will reign. consider the persecuted believers in the Middle East or in china. Think of the people who are undergoing enormous suffering for their faith. It’s hard to say that christ is in charge when His people are so clearly not. Somehow, in the strange purposes of God, suffering is one of the signs of God’s work of redemption. Suffering is the sign of His rule. Paul the apostle testified of his own experience with suffering for the sake of the gospel when he said, “I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal …” (v. 9). Paul was willing to suffer for the sake of christ because he knows that his suffering was not in vain. Should we be surprised when we, who are becoming more like christ, will find ourselves suffering alongside Him?

conclusion

christ reigns! The day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue confess His lordship. Our mission as christ’s followers today is to carry this message to the ends of the earth. christ reigns over us, among us, and He will reign with us.

christ’s reign was established by the Father from eternity and will be fulfilled into eternity. And we will reign with Him forever. In Revelation 1:5-6, christ is referred to as “the ruler of the kings of the earth” and that He has “made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father–the glory and dominion are His forever and ever. Amen.”