The Day I Died – Week 5
Josh’s point: Dying to my view of humanity to align with His view of humanity.
- Share a time either recently or in past when you were “judged” incorrectly by humanity. It can be funny (like the Amstutz Dentist story Sunday) or something more serious.
Read 2 Cor 5:15-16 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
- Imagine truly living out the verses above. What do you think your life would look like if you truly viewed no one from a worldly point of view?
Heavenly perspective vs Worldy perspective: God’s Longing For Them – this is His heart as He sees their redemptive potential.
***FYI for Leaders – Your perspective precedes your attitude. You will never have the wrong perspective and the right attitude.
Josh shared the story Jesus speaking to Simon Peter. The name Simon means broken reed, but Jesus chose to call him Peter which means rock. Let’s look at another person in Scripture who needed a “heavenly perspective”. Read the story of Gideon in Judges 6: 1-16
- (vv12-13) Comment on the “heavenly perspective” the angel of the Lord has toward Gideon and Gideon’s response to him.
***For Leaders – The first thing the angel does is speak to Gideon’s identity with a heavenly perspective, but Gideon doesn’t even hear it. Gideon just focuses on the terrible circumstances. He’s forgotten that he is a part of the chosen people of God.
- (vv14-15) When God reveals to Gideon his potential, Gideon’s reply essentially conveys, “God, your perspective of my life doesn’t align with my identity.” Reflecting on Gideon’s reaction, how can we exercise caution in our own lives when faced with a disparity between God’s heavenly perspective and our self-perceived identity?
***For Leaders – Gideon didn’t hear the angel in verse 12 because it did not resonate at all with his identity. Gideon reveals what he thinks is his identity in verse 15. The takeaway is our perspective precedes our attitude. You will never have the wrong perspective and the right attitude.
Gideon would go on to lead God’s people in a miraculous victory, but God made sure that he had established His heavenly perspective in Gideon’s heart before sending Gideon into battle.
The lens of compassion vs the lens of justice: God’s Love for Them – this is His heart as He sees their brokenness.
Read Luke 9:51-54 (The Apostle John’s lens of justice for the Samaritans) – When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.
Read 8:14-17 (The Apostle John’s lens of compassion for the Samaritans) – When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God’s word, they sent Peter and John to them. Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. (Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.
How do you imagine the Apostle John felt as he witnessed the Holy Spirit’s transformative presence among the Samaritan village? Consider the profound shift from his earlier inclination to call fire down upon them.