Here’s the second week for our “Curious about Christ” outreach, that our church in Naperville Cross of Christ Fellowship is hosting.
In this study we considered the question “How Does Christ Bring us Back to God?”
Curious about Christ Week 2: How Does Christ Bring us Back to God?
This week we consider the question ‘How does Christ bring us back to God?’ Of course, such a question assumes that God exists, that God is knowable and relational, that we were made to know Him, that our relationship with Him is broken, and that Jesus is the one who can reconcile us to God. And these are all Christian convictions.
QUESTIONS TO SET THE STAGE:
-What is God like? (He is holy; He is light; He is love; He is 3 persons united in love; All-powerful; Righteous; Just)
-What does He think of us? (He loves us, but because of sin we are alienated and estranged from Him) The biblical understanding of reality is that our relationship with God has been broken and is not right.
-What is some evidence that our relationship with God is broken? (Biblical testimony; reality of coldness in our hearts toward God; our tendency to worship false gods)
-What are some human attempts to reconcile us to God?
The Bible’s Answer to Our Problem: Jesus Christ, the MEDIATOR, between God and Humanity
- Christ is our mediator.
1 Tim 2:5-6: “5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
2. Christ saves us from our sin and estrangement from God.
Col 1:19-22: “19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”
3. Christ brings forgiveness of sin.
Col 1:13-14:“13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - Through faith in Christ we enter into this redemption and salvation.
Eph 2:8-10: “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
5. All who have in Christ are brought into the FAMILY of God
John 1:12-13: “12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” - All who become Christians live a life of knowing and enjoying God
Col 2:6-7 “6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”
John 17:3 “3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Psalm 16:11 “11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
