Last night I went to small group with the youth in my church (plus some). It was a great gathering, with worship and scripture, fellowship, food, and some very loud recreation that I could hear coming from the den, but was never brave enough to witness. :P
In the small group we are studying through the book of Romans. The first week we covered some background, as well as the verse that states "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."
This week we studied specifically these verses:
"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. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips." (Romans 3:10-12)
The focus of discussion was on salvation by grace alone, the idea that regardless of our "good deeds," out being "not as bad as" someone else, we are all equally sinners, because God places no hierarchy among sin.
Christ likened a malicious thought to the violent act of murdering. (Matthew 5:21-22) When God looks at us, he doesn't see "just a liar," or "a horrible murderer." He see you and me and the guy down the street selling drugs and the folks sitting on death row as THE SAME: sinners.
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
When we go out into the world, we can't be looking for Christian words, Christian hair cuts, Christian clothes, Christian jobs. All of these things are "as filthy rags"(Isaiah 64:6). We have to be looking at someone's heart. Do they show love and compassion? Are they overflowing with the Spirit? I their heart reflecting the heart of God, the way the moon reflects the sun?
On that note, I wanted to share a song we sang in worship last night that speak on the heart of God. How can we know what we are to reflect or what we are to look for if we do not know the heart of God. Awesome God (here sang by Rich Mullins) does just that. I didn't even know this song had verse until last night. So pay close attention to what he has to say about the hearts of God, which reaches out to us every day despite our sin.
In the small group we are studying through the book of Romans. The first week we covered some background, as well as the verse that states "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."
This week we studied specifically these verses:
"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. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips." (Romans 3:10-12)
The focus of discussion was on salvation by grace alone, the idea that regardless of our "good deeds," out being "not as bad as" someone else, we are all equally sinners, because God places no hierarchy among sin.
Christ likened a malicious thought to the violent act of murdering. (Matthew 5:21-22) When God looks at us, he doesn't see "just a liar," or "a horrible murderer." He see you and me and the guy down the street selling drugs and the folks sitting on death row as THE SAME: sinners.
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
When we go out into the world, we can't be looking for Christian words, Christian hair cuts, Christian clothes, Christian jobs. All of these things are "as filthy rags"(Isaiah 64:6). We have to be looking at someone's heart. Do they show love and compassion? Are they overflowing with the Spirit? I their heart reflecting the heart of God, the way the moon reflects the sun?
On that note, I wanted to share a song we sang in worship last night that speak on the heart of God. How can we know what we are to reflect or what we are to look for if we do not know the heart of God. Awesome God (here sang by Rich Mullins) does just that. I didn't even know this song had verse until last night. So pay close attention to what he has to say about the hearts of God, which reaches out to us every day despite our sin.
Lyrics:
When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just putting on the ritz
(Our God is an awesome God)
There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
(Our God is an awesome God)
And the Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
And so you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God(x2)
He ain't just putting on the ritz
(Our God is an awesome God)
There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
(Our God is an awesome God)
And the Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
And so you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God(x2)
And when the sky was starless
In the void of the night
(Our God is an awesome God)
He spoke into the darkness
And created the light
(Our God is an awesome God)
Judgement and wrath
He poured out on Sodom
Mercy and grace
He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not
Too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God (x5)
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
I didn't know this song had verses either! One of my favorites though!
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