Pursing
Notes
Transcript
Point 1: God came down.
It’s like if one of the guys running for president came to your house to ask for your vote.
Or like if Gordon Ramsey came and made you a dinner tomorrow night.
Or if LeBron James (Or Michael Jordon. Not going to get into that debate) and wanted to shoot some hoops with you.
But this is God. God of the Universe. We just went through His attributes. Came down.
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Point 2: God came down, while we were sinners.
In the previous point, I was painting a picture of someone who is amazing coming to someone how is nothing. But it’s deeper than that. It would be like if Franklin D Roosevelt came to save a random German solider. It would be like if Gordon Ramsey came to humbly serve food to a YouTube critic with ten followers. It would be like if LeBron came and help coach a bully to LeBron’s son.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We were enemies. Activity against God.
We don’t deserve it, but God did it anyway. He gives us worth.
Point 3: God came down, while we were sinners, and pursues us today.
If Jesus came and died for us, paid the price for our sins. That would be enough. But it doesn’t stop there. If you are a Christian, God still pursues you today.
That would be like if FDR added the German solider to his cabinet team, or Gordon training the critic and making him a head chef at one of his restaurants. Or LeBron giving the bully a spot on the Lakers.
He still pursues you. When you fail and sin, He is there to forgive you again and again. He will walk with you through this life, changing and growing you.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Questions
Icebreaker: What is one of your favorite gifts or Christmas experiences?
God left heaven to come to earth and die. God pursued us while we were enemies. God will be with us, when we succeed and fail. Which of these is either hard to believe or is the most encouraging?
How does God pursing us help us change how we view ourselves?
How does God pursing us help change how we view others?
