New creation in Christ

20 June 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: New creation in Christ

Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17

So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— ⁷for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰For all of us must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. ¹⁴For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. ¹⁵And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. ¹⁶ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;^* even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,^* we know him no longer in that way. ¹⁷So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Introduction

The ministry of conversion to the Christian life is one of the most important tasks of the Holy Spirit. Christ came and paid the price for our sins and then set the stage for the promised Holy Spirit to make disciples of Him through the Church. Last week we discussed how the Holy Spirit guides and leads believers. Today, we will be examining how we are a new creation in Christ. To be ‘new’ implies that there was an ‘old’. The Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But God in His infinite mercy and amazing grace sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ, as an atonement for our sins. Christ shed His Blood to wash our sins away over 2000 years ago, inviting us into a new dispensation of God’s love. Now through the power in the Blood and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are a new creation; not living for ourselves any more but for Christ, who died to set us free.

Questions/Discussion

1. What does it mean to be a new creation in Christ?

Romans 6:1-7, 8:9-11

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For whoever has died is freed from sin. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit,^* since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit^* is life because of righteousness. ¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ^* from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through^* his Spirit that dwells in you.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17

For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. ¹⁵And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. ¹⁶ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;^* even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,^* we know him no longer in that way. ¹⁷So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

2. How do you know you have a new life in Christ?

Colossians 2:13-23

And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God^* made you^* alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, ¹⁴erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed^* the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. ¹⁷These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling^* on visions,^* puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,^{* 19}and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. ²⁰ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe,^* why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, ²¹‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’? ²²All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. ²³These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.^*

3. What expectations and responsibilities come with having a new life in Christ?

Galatians 5:13-26

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;^* only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,^* but through love become slaves to one another. ¹⁴For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ¹⁵If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. ¹⁶ Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, ²¹envy,^* drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

We have been called, chosen and forgiven by God, who has made us a new being in Christ. May we live as Christ’s own by allowing the Holy Spirit dwell in us all the days of our lives to the praise and glory of God.

Closing Prayer

Thank you Lord for saving us and making us a new creation in Christ. Continue Your work of renewal in our lives through Your Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Guidance of the Holy Spirit

13 June 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Hymn: Abide with Me

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Reading: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,⁵and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’⁶But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord,⁷and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.⁸Just as they have done to me,^* from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you.⁹Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’ ¹⁰ So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.¹¹He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots;¹⁶He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle^* and donkeys, and put them to his work.¹⁷He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.¹⁸And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’ ¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us,²⁰so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’

Introduction

The work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers are too many to enumerate. He is our Comforter, Advocate, Counselor, Helper, reminds us of all truth, gives us life, guarantees our eternal salvation, sanctifies, teaches and guides us. When we are too weak to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. In this study, we will learn more about how the Holy Spirit guides us and the implications of rejecting His leadership in our lives. The first step towards enjoying the guidance of the Holy Spirit is accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. Then, our sins are forgiven and we receive the Holy Spirit who will empower, guide and protect us till Christ returns. It is only the Holy Spirit that can safely guide us through life’s woes, troubles, pains and satanic attacks. It is only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we will, at the end of life’s journey, join the Saints Triumphant.

Questions/Discussion

1. How does the Holy Spirit guide believers of Christ?

Psalm 121

¹     I lift up my eyes to the hills—

      from where will my help come?
²     My help comes from the Lord,

      who made heaven and earth.

³     He will not let your foot be moved;

      he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴     He who keeps Israel

      will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵     The Lord is your keeper;

      the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶     The sun shall not strike you by day,
      nor the moon by night.

⁷     The Lord will keep you from all evil;

      he will keep your life.
⁸     The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.

Psalm 138:3, 6-8

³     On the day I called, you answered me,

      you increased my strength of soul.^*

⁶     For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;

      but the haughty he perceives from far away.

⁷     Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

      you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;

      you stretch out your hand,

      and your right hand delivers me.
⁸     The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;

      your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.

      Do not forsake the work of your hands.

John 16:5-7, 12-16

But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?”⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.⁷Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate^* will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ¹² ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.¹⁵All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.¹⁶ ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’

Acts 16:6-10

They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.⁷When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them;⁸so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.⁹During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’¹⁰When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

What are the benefits to the believer?

2. Why did the Israelites reject the leadership of God over them?

1 Samuel 8:4-9, 19-20

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,⁵and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’⁶But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord,⁷and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.⁸Just as they have done to me,^* from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you.⁹Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’ ¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us,²⁰so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’

3. In what ways do we reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit

     today and what are the implications?

1 Samuel 8:10-18

So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.¹¹He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots;¹²and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.¹³He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.¹⁴He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers.¹⁵He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers.¹⁶He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle^* and donkeys, and put them to his work.¹⁷He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.¹⁸And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

God loves us so much that He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts- guiding, teaching and comforting us at all times. Let us live each day knowing that we are not alone; God is with us, now and forever more.

Closing Prayer - Psalm 23 (BCP)

¹     THE LORD is my shepherd; / therefore can I lack nothing.

²     He shall feed me in a green pasture, / and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.

³     He shall restore my soul, / and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his Name’s sake.

⁴     Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; / for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

⁵     THOU shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of them that trouble me; / thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.

⁶     Surely thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; / and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

      GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

      As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Born of the Spirit

6 June 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Hymn: Spirit divine, attend our prayers

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Born of the Spirit

Reading: John 3:1-17

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.²He came to Jesus^* by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’³Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’^*4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’⁵Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.^*7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You^* must be born from above.”^*8The wind^* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’⁹Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’¹⁰Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you^* do not receive our testimony.¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.^*14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^{* 16} ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷ ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Introduction

One of the major highlights of Nicodemus’ visit to Christ at night is the popular statement of the Lord Jesus: you must be born again. Just like Nicodemus, most people, myself included, had at some point misunderstood what Jesus was saying. The misconception varies very widely, from Nicodemus who asked how an individual can re-enter the mother’s womb to be born a second time, to some who think being born again is about doing the ‘right things’. To be born of the Spirit is to be transformed from the love of self to the love of God and other people. It is spiritual transformation that becomes evident in the life of the believer. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. His mission was to experience our pains, sufferings and death with the ultimate goal of saving us from sin, sickness, satanic attacks and the fear of death. He came, died and rose again; paying the price for our sins and reconnecting us with God our Maker. To live a victorious Christian life, we all need Christ, and this is only possible through accepting Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Then the Holy Spirit will fill us, and transform us into being like Christ. We become born again, not because of what we have done but because of what God has done for us in Christ.

Questions/Discussion

1. What experience can you liken to being born of the Spirit?

John 3:3-15, 14:15-20

Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’^*4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’⁵Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.^*7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You^* must be born from above.”^*8The wind^* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’⁹Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’¹⁰Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you^* do not receive our testimony.¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.^*14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^*

14:15-20

‘If you love me, you will keep^* my commandments.¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^* to be with you for ever.¹⁷This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in^* you. ¹⁸ ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.¹⁹In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.²⁰On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

2. How many times can someone be born again?

Romans 8:5-17

⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit^* set their minds on the things of the Spirit.^*6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit^* is life and peace.⁷For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot,⁸and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit,^* since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.¹⁰But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit^* is life because of righteousness.¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ^* from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through^* his Spirit that dwells in you. ¹² So then, brothers and sisters,^* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—¹³for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!^* Father!’¹⁶it is that very Spirit bearing witness^* with our spirit that we are children of God,¹⁷and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been ‘Yes and No.’¹⁹For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not ‘Yes and No’; but in him it is always ‘Yes.’²⁰For in him every one of God’s promises is a ‘Yes.’ For this reason it is through him that we say the ‘Amen’, to the glory of God.²¹But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us,²²by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first instalment.

3. What are the practical implications of being born again?

1 Corinthians 2:9-16

⁹But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’—¹⁰these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.¹¹For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God.¹²Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.¹³And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.^{* 14} Those who are unspiritual^* do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually.¹⁵Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. ¹⁶ ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly³remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.⁴For we know, brothers and sisters^* beloved by God, that he has chosen you,⁵because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of people we proved to be among you for your sake.⁶And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.⁸For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.⁹For the people of those regions^* report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,¹⁰and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

The ‘born again’ experience comes from God through belief in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, let us live as God’s chosen; called out from darkness into the marvelous light of Christ.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the indwelling and cleansing power of Your Holy Spirit. Fill us everyday with Your Spirit for Your purpose here on earth. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.