SPRING 2015: Personal Study Guide ESVEd Stetzer General EditorTrevin Wax Managing Editor

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God’s Word to You A Summary of the Bible

In the beginning, the all-powerful, personal God created the universe. This God created human beings in His image to live joyfully in His presence, in humble submission to His gracious authority. But all of us have rebelled against God and, in consequence, must suffer the punishment of our rebellion: physical death and the wrath of God.

Thankfully, God initiated a rescue plan, which began with His choosing the nation of Israel to display His glory in a fallen world. The Bible describes how God acted mightily on Israel’s behalf, rescuing His people from slavery and then giving them His holy law. But God’s people—like all of us—failed to rightly reflect the glory of God.

Then, in the fullness of time, in the Person of Jesus Christ, God Himself came to renew the world and to restore His people. Jesus perfectly obeyed the law given to Israel. Though innocent, He suffered the consequences of human rebellion by His death on a cross. But three days later, God raised Him from the dead.

Now the church of Jesus Christ has been commissioned by God to take the news of Christ’s work to the world. Empowered by God’s Spirit, the church calls all people everywhere to repent of sin and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. Repentance and faith restores our relationship with God and results in a life of ongoing transformation.

The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will return to this earth as the conquering King. Only those who live in repentant faith in Christ will escape God’s judgment and live joyfully in God’s presence for all eternity. God’s message is the same to all of us: repent and believe, before it is too late. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

EDITORS

A Word from the Editors

Ed StetzerGeneral Editor—The Gospel Project President, LifeWay Research

“The God Who Sends”—This is the God we love, the God we serve, the God we worship, the God we obey. But why? Why should we give our lives to a sending God? Why should sending matter? Because God the Father sent His Son to save people from their sins. Apart from the Savior sent on our behalf to die in our place for our sins and to rise again for our eternal life, we would have no hope in this world and certainly none beyond it.

But the sending doesn’t end there. God the Father and God the Son sent God the Holy Spirit to give guidance and strength to His people, to confirm in their hearts that they belong to Him. The Spirit gathers those who believe in Jesus into churches as the body of Christ that they may be one as God is one. The

unifying work of the Spirit helps the members of the body become more like their Head—Jesus Christ.If the Father sent the Son, and they sent the Spirit, then the one God is by nature a sending God. And

if the church is to reflect her Head, then the body also will be sent, and indeed she is. Jesus said to His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). The church has been sent on a mission to “preach the good news!” (Rom. 10:15). This is what we do because it reflects who we are, and who we are reflects the One who made us—“The God Who Sends.”

Trevin WaxManaging Editor—The Gospel Project Author of multiple books, including Gospel-Centered Teaching, Counterfeit Gospels, and Clear Winter Nights: A Young Man’s Journey into Truth, Doubt, and What Comes After

One of the things I like to say often is this: The Spirit of God uses the gospel of God to motivate the people of God to be on mission with God. If I could sum up this volume of The Gospel Project, it would be with those words. We’re about to begin a study of “the people of God,” but there’s no way to talk about the people of God unless we also talk about the gospel, since it’s God’s grace to us in Christ that creates and constitutes this people to begin with. And there’s no way to talk about the gospel of God and the people of God without talking about the mission of God, since the gospel is good news about a missionary God who sent His Son to be the Savior of the world and who now empowers His people to spread the fame of His name to the ends of the earth. And, of course, the way He empowers us is through His Spirit.

So, get ready to be challenged. In the first half of this study, we’ll look at who we are—what the church is according to the New Testament and the various metaphors and descriptions the apostles used when speaking of God’s people. The second half of this study shows us what we do—how we live in accordance with our newfound identity as a grace-shaped people who reach out to the world just like our Savior did to us.

WRITERS

The Gospel Project®Adult Personal Study Guide ESVVolume 3, Number 3 Spring 2015

Eric GeigerVice President, Church Resources

Ed StetzerGeneral Editor

Trevin WaxManaging Editor

Daniel DavisContent Editor

Josh HayesContent and Production Editor

Philip NationDirector, Adult Ministry Publishing

Faith WhatleyDirector, Adult Ministry

Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com.

Printed in the United States of America

The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide ESV (ISSN pending; Item 005573553) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2014 LifeWay Christian Resources.

For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address.

We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All Scripture quotations marked (HCSB) are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Unit 1: Geoff Ashley is the Groups Pastor for The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He received a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2009 and has been on staff at The Village since 2006, overseeing development of theological resources. He is married to Kaci.

Unit 2: Walter Strickland (sessions 7-9) serves as Special Advisor to the President for Diversity and Instructor of Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is pursuing a PhD from the University of Aberdeen. He is married to Stephanie and has two daughters, Hope and Kendra.

Jason C Dukes (sessions 10-12) is married to Jen, and they have six children. He helped start Westpoint Church and ReproducingChurches.com and now pastors First Baptist Church, Booneville, Mississippi. He’s the author of Live Sent and Beyond My Church, and he periodically blogs at SENTkids.com.

Alvin Reid (session 13) is Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministry at Southeastern Seminary. He also leads the Young Professionals Ministry at Richland Creek Community Church. He earned his MDiv and PhD at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Michelle, have two married children.

Philip Nation (session 14) is the Teaching Pastor for The Fellowship, a multi-site church in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Director of Adult Ministry Publishing for LifeWay Christian Resources. He received a DMin from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

About the Writers

Table of Contents

Suggested for the week of

Unit 1: Who Are We?

March 1 8 Session 1 The Body of Christ

March 8 17 Session 2 The Temple of God

March 15 26 Session 3 The Presence of the Future

March 22 35 Session 4 One Holy, Apostolic Church

March 29 44 Session 5 A Crucified People

April 5 53 Session 6 A Resurrected People

Unit 2: What Do We Do?

April 12 63 Session 7 Serve: God’s People Serve All People, Especially the Family of God

April 19 72 Session 8 Fellowship: Joining Together with the Family of God

April 26 81 Session 9 The Ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

May 3 89 Session 10 Go Make Disciples: The Great Commission of the Followers of Christ

May 10 97 Session 11 Witness: The Bible Witnesses of Christ, and We Witness to the World

May 17 105 Session 12 Sent: We Are Sent Out in the Image of Our Sending God

May 24 113 Session 13 Practical Evangelism: A Guide to Knowing and Sharing the Gospel

May 31 121 Session 14 Practical Discipleship: A Guide to Teaching and Training the Believer

9Session 18 Date of My Bible Study: ______________

Session 1

Session 1 In this session, we will consider who we are in light of the biblical depiction of the people of God as the body of Christ. As we do so, we will see that the body of Christ is joined together and united in one Spirit, in a common experience of suffering and rejoicing, and in a shared opportunity and responsibility to serve each other.

1. The body of Christ is united in the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-20).

12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body.

On a recent trip to Europe for our honeymoon, my wife and I purchased an authentic Black Forest cuckoo clock. Sometimes I find myself staring at it in awe, mesmerized by the craftsmanship, both in function and form. Without the benefit of battery or electricity, it keeps accurate time through an intricate and delicate process. Its pendulum, weights, and gears all work together to accomplish a shared goal of timekeeping.

But for all of its sophisticated complexity, a clock is nowhere near as intricate as a living body. Imagine the degree of care and concern that must go into the creation of a person! This truth also speaks to our identity as the body of Christ. If a clockmaker invests so much time in creating this complex mechanism, how much more should we be amazed at the creation of the living organism that is the body of Christ!

Voices from the Church“The picture of the church as Christ’s body points to its unity, its variety, and its mutuality. The idea of the body of Christ living under its head also points to Christ’s lordship.” 1

–David Dockery

The Body of Christ

The Word of God is filled with vivid words that depict and describe the people of God: the temple in which God’s Spirit dwells, the vine planted and nourished for the glory of God, the flock that Christ shepherds, the bride of Christ, the family of God, etc. Each image provides insight into our individual and corporate identity as the ransomed, rescued, and redeemed. Each of these pictures is amazing when taken by themselves, but the cumulative effect of them together is astounding. It is as if our perception of the church changes

from two dimensions to three, from black and white to color. Together they paint a robust and multifaceted picture of not only who we are but also how we are to function in fulfilling the calling of the gospel.

In the next few sessions, we will examine different images in the Bible that describe the people of God, but first, we begin with perhaps the most dominant image of the church—the body. As the body of Christ, we are unified in our common salvation and mission. Though our relationship with God is personal, it is never private.

Why do you think “body” language is helpful to our understanding of the church?

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

13Session 112 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

List as many parts of the body as you can in one minute.

Which would you consider expendable?

What functions would be hindered if these parts were absent?

As God Himself is a holy community of three distinct Persons, so we were created to dwell in sacred unity in the church. For this reason, we need to embrace the biblical truth that a member cannot survive without a body. Cut off an ear and see how well it survives, much less hears. Though the body might survive the loss of a hand or foot, the appendage itself won’t last long once amputated.

This is true of the body of Christ as well. Take a member of the church and disconnect him or her from the body, and it won’t be long before disease and disorder begin to set in. Isolation is an enemy in our pursuit of sanctification. Those who honestly think that they don’t need the body of Christ are delirious and in great danger: “One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1). We need each other to survive and thrive as God intended.

In this passage, Paul wrote that the entire body suffers when any individual member suffers, and the whole body rejoices when a member rejoices. In doing so, he pointed to the interconnected togetherness that marks the body of Jesus Christ.

It is amazing how an injury to one part of the body will cause pain to another. A misaligned back can cause shoulder or leg pain. Compensating for a blister on one foot can cause difficulty in the other. Pretty soon, walking itself becomes a struggle.

But the same interconnectedness is required for healing as well. A laceration will not heal without coagulants in the blood, and an infection will not clear up without white blood cells. When the body is functioning properly, it experiences both the pain of injury and the joy of healing.

If we are members of the same body, then surely we shall suffer together. There is no way around it unless we isolate ourselves, but the isolation strategy for avoiding pain only leads to the disease and disorder we have already discussed. There is a profound interconnectedness in the body of Christ such that both pain and pleasure extend beyond individual members to be felt by the collective church. When one member suffers, all suffer. When one is honored, all rejoice. Individual rights and privileges and pride are laid down in the light of the gospel.

What does our suffering and rejoicing together as the body of Christ communicate to those outside the church?

Voices from Church History“Far be it from us to refuse to hear what is bitter and sad to those whom we love. It is not possible for one member to suffer without the other members suffering with it.” 3

–Augustine (354-430)

Voices from Church History“That which we would do for Christ if he were here among us we should do for [each] other who are members of the body of Christ.” 4

–Peter Walpot (1521-1578)

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1716 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015 Date of My Bible Study: ______________

Session 2

Session 2

Live on Mission

1. What are some characteristics that should mark our local church as the body of Christ united in the Spirit?

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_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. How can we practically suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice in our church body?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are some ways our group can unite together in service of our church? Our community?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION

“As the body of Christ, the church is the extension of his ministry.” 6

–Millard J. Erickson

Your insights: ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The world is filled with glorious temples. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a few. Walking within the ancient complex of Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia, the largest religious monument in the world, is overwhelming. Standing in the shadow of the “Great Buddha” in Japan makes one feel small and insignificant, if only for a second. You can literally climb into the statue. Most temples are breathtaking and beautiful, a recognition of the significance they hold within their respective religions.

What comes to mind when you hear the word temple?

What do temples represent? What is their purpose?

The disciples experienced awe and wonder in Jerusalem. Staring at the beauty of King Herod’s temple, these men were amazed at the profound size and scope of the temple complex (Matt. 24:1-2). Even the solitary stones that encircled the grounds were incredible (Mark 13:1-2). Seeking to win influence with the Jews, Herod had spared no expense in decorating the center of Jewish life and worship.

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The Temple of God

Erich Lessing / Art R

esource, NY

6 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

How to Use The Gospel Project

1Read the lesson in preparation for group discussion. Record any insights or questions you may want to discuss during the group experience.

2Gather with your group to discuss and learn together what God has to say. Contribute to the conversation and activities.

3Apply the truths of the session by working through “His Mission, Your Mission” with your group or by yourself.

Visit GospelProject.com/Blog for additional content related to the study. Visit GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources for links to podcasts, articles, blog posts, and parental resources for joining your family together in discipleship.

7

1Memory VersesDo you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.–1 Corinthians 3:16-17

WriterGeoff Ashley is the Groups Pastor for The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He received a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2009 and has been on staff at The Village since 2006, overseeing development of theological resources. He is married to Kaci.

Who Are We?

UNIT

8 Date of My Bible Study: ______________

Session 1

Session 1The Body of Christ

The Word of God is filled with vivid words that depict and describe the people of God: the temple in which God’s Spirit dwells, the vine planted and nourished for the glory of God, the flock that Christ shepherds, the bride of Christ, the family of God, etc. Each image provides insight into our individual and corporate identity as the ransomed, rescued, and redeemed. Each of these pictures is amazing when taken by themselves, but the cumulative effect of them together is astounding. It is as if our perception of the church changes

from two dimensions to three, from black and white to color. Together they paint a robust and multifaceted picture of not only who we are but also how we are to function in fulfilling the calling of the gospel.

In the next few sessions, we will examine different images in the Bible that describe the people of God, but first, we begin with perhaps the most dominant image of the church—the body. As the body of Christ, we are unified in our common salvation and mission. Though our relationship with God is personal, it is never private.

Why do you think “body” language is helpful to our understanding of the church?

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

© 2014 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.

9Session 1

In this session, we will consider who we are in light of the biblical depiction of the people of God as the body of Christ. As we do so, we will see that the body of Christ is joined together and united in one Spirit, in a common experience of suffering and rejoicing, and in a shared opportunity and responsibility to serve each other.

1. The body of Christ is united in the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-20).

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

On a recent trip to Europe for our honeymoon, my wife and I purchased an authentic Black Forest cuckoo clock. Sometimes I find myself staring at it in awe, mesmerized by the craftsmanship, both in function and form. Without the benefit of battery or electricity, it keeps accurate time through an intricate and delicate process. Its pendulum, weights, and gears all work together to accomplish a shared goal of timekeeping.

But for all of its sophisticated complexity, a clock is nowhere near as intricate as a living body. Imagine the degree of care and concern that must go into the creation of a person! This truth also speaks to our identity as the body of Christ. If a clockmaker invests so much time in creating this complex mechanism, how much more should we be amazed at the creation of the living organism that is the body of Christ!

Voices from the Church“The picture of the church as Christ’s body points to its unity, its variety, and its mutuality. The idea of the body of Christ living under its head also points to Christ’s lordship.” 1

–David Dockery

10 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

Think about all of the necessary movements that take place for a clock to operate. What would happen if one of the weights were missing or just one of the gears were broken? How might this perspective help us understand the importance of individual members contributing to the mission Christ has given us as a body?

As the individual parts of the body are called “members,” so the individual persons of the church are called members. Membership is an interesting thing. Many, if not most of us, have been members before in various organizations and entities. We were once members of a high school sports team or the band, boy scouts or girl scouts, honor society or key club, FCA, PTA, YMCA, or Delta Delta Delta.

What organizations have you participated in? Choosing one of these, what are some ways it was similar to or different from membership in the body of Christ?

Those who are called the body of Christ share the same breath—the Holy Spirit—who enables and empowers His people for the mission of God. His personal presence is like the blood that pulses through the body and supplies oxygen to live and move. If the Spirit has united us through one faith into one body, then we can assume it is for a purpose. His intentions and plans do not drift aimlessly but are eternal and steadfast. And what purpose can we find in our participation in the body of Christ?

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Voices from Church History“The unity of the body consists in the fact that its many members supply the things which the other parts lack.” 2

–Ambrosiaster (circa 315-397)

11Session 1

While the Bible provides various insights into God’s intention for His people, one of the most accessible is that we were created to adorn the person and work of Jesus Christ. As people formed by the gospel, we are united to show forth the beauties of the gospel in the way that we love each other (John 17:20-23). Accordingly, the Spirit has composed the body of Christ in order to facilitate our working together to accomplish the mission of the kingdom of God. The more we understand and appreciate the glory of the body of Christ, the more we will be enthralled with the opportunity to contribute to its common good.

What are some ways you and your group can practically pursue more faithful and diligent participation in the body?

What are some potential areas of division in a local church body? How can we guard against unnecessary division?

2. The body of Christ is united in suffering and rejoicing (1 Cor. 12:21-26).

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

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12 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

List as many parts of the body as you can in one minute.

Which would you consider expendable?

What functions would be hindered if these parts were absent?

As God Himself is a holy community of three distinct Persons, so we were created to dwell in sacred unity in the church. For this reason, we need to embrace the biblical truth that a member cannot survive without a body. Cut off an ear and see how well it survives, much less hears. Though the body might survive the loss of a hand or foot, the appendage itself won’t last long once amputated.

This is true of the body of Christ as well. Take a member of the church and disconnect him or her from the body, and it won’t be long before disease and disorder begin to set in. Isolation is an enemy in our pursuit of sanctification. Those who honestly think that they don’t need the body of Christ are delirious and in great danger: “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1). We need each other to survive and thrive as God intended.

13Session 1

In this passage, Paul wrote that the entire body suffers when any individual member suffers, and the whole body rejoices when a member rejoices. In doing so, he pointed to the interconnected togetherness that marks the body of Jesus Christ.

It is amazing how an injury to one part of the body will cause pain to another. A misaligned back can cause shoulder or leg pain. Compensating for a blister on one foot can cause difficulty in the other. Pretty soon, walking itself becomes a struggle.

But the same interconnectedness is required for healing as well. A laceration will not heal without coagulants in the blood, and an infection will not clear up without white blood cells. When the body is functioning properly, it experiences both the pain of injury and the joy of healing.

If we are members of the same body, then surely we shall suffer together. There is no way around it unless we isolate ourselves, but the isolation strategy for avoiding pain only leads to the disease and disorder we have already discussed. There is a profound interconnectedness in the body of Christ such that both pain and pleasure extend beyond individual members to be felt by the collective church. When one member suffers, all suffer. When one is honored, all rejoice. Individual rights and privileges and pride are laid down in the light of the gospel.

What does our suffering and rejoicing together as the body of Christ communicate to those outside the church?

Voices from Church History“Far be it from us to refuse to hear what is bitter and sad to those whom we love. It is not possible for one member to suffer without the other members suffering with it.” 3

–Augustine (354-430)

Voices from Church History“That which we would do for Christ if he were here among us we should do for [each] other who are members of the body of Christ.” 4

–Peter Walpot (1521-1578)

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

14 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

3. The body of Christ is united in service (1 Cor. 12:27-30).

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

The original 1992 Dream Team of Olympic basketball was probably the greatest basketball team of all time. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley not only wowed the world with their art but absolutely dominated the competition, winning by an average of nearly 44 points a game. In fact, the closest game was decided by 32 points!

The individual talent on the Dream Team was astounding. But what was even more impressive was the way they were able to come together as a solitary unit. Good teams are composed of individuals with complementary skills. What if the 1992 USA team had been composed of five traditional centers or five power forwards? Who would have taken the ball up the court? Or who would have protected the lane and contested shots with a team of point guards?

The body of Christ is similarly constituted, with various persons having varying gifts, skills, and abilities. These were given not to pad individual stats in some fabled heavenly league but to contribute to the overall success of the team—the body of Christ. The Spirit has so composed the church that it is intended to function as a cohesive unit.

How can you better steward the various gifts and talents you have been given for the sake of your local congregation?

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15Session 1

The concept of complementary gifts distributed by the Spirit for the common good of the body and the glory of Christ saturates the biblical text. Consider a few of the places where Paul expounded upon this reality (Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:4-7,15-16), or examine Peter’s words in his first letter: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Pet. 4:10).

Service is an essential implication of the gospel. After all, Christ Himself spoke of His mission as summarized by the idea of service: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

As those who are being conformed to His image, we have a responsibility to mirror and imitate Christ in our serving and preferring others. We have a responsibility to humble ourselves, seek the good of others, and lay down our lives to adorn the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. This is true in our parenting, marriages, workplaces, social circles, and especially in our churches.

What are some practical ways you might live the life of a servant in your family, among your friends, and in your community?

Conclusion

Often admonitions to pursue unity are really just subtle admonishments to uniformity. The history of Christian missions is littered with stories of missionaries, many well-intentioned, who equated cultural conformity with conversion. But the clear biblical charge to pursue unity is not a call toward uniformity. God doesn’t desire a homogenous church of clones but a gloriously diverse body that highlights the creativity of God Himself.

Family: _______________________________________________________________________________

Friends: ______________________________________________________________________________

Community: _________________________________________________________________________

Voices from Church History“Even if the body had only its most important member, it would still be useless without the others.” 5

–Theodoret of Cyr (circa 390-457)

16 Personal Study Guide | Spring 2015

Live on Mission

1. What are some characteristics that should mark our local church as the body of Christ united in the Spirit?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. How can we practically suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice in our church body?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are some ways our group can unite together in service of our church? Our community?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION

“As the body of Christ, the church is the extension of his ministry.” 6

–Millard J. Erickson

Your insights: ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

129

Notes

SESSION 1

1. David Dockery, “The Church in the Pauline Epistles,” in The Community of Jesus, eds. Kendell Easley and Christopher Morgan (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 117-18.

2. Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Paul’s Epistle, quoted in 1–2 Corinthians, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 1999), 125.

3. Augustine, Letters 99, quoted in 1–2 Corinthians, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament, 128.

4. Peter Walpot, “The True Yieldedness and the Christian Community of Goods,” in Early Anabaptist Spirituality, ed. Daniel Liechty (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1994), 179.

5. Theodoret of Cyr, Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 247, quoted in 1–2 Corinthians, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament, 123.

6. Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 961.

SESSION 2

1. John Hammett, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2005), 44.

2. Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 8.7, quoted in 1–2 Corinthians, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament, 32.

3. N. T. Wright, Simply Christian (New York: Harper-Collins, 2006), 129.

4. Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2006), 63.

5. C. H. Spurgeon, “The Tabernacle of the Most High,” The Spurgeon Archive [online], 14 August 1859 [cited 17 June 2014]. Available from the Internet: www.spurgeon.com.

6. A. W. Tozer, Tozer on Worship and Entertainment, comp. James L. Snyder (Camp Hill, PA: Wingspread Publishers, 1997) [eBook].

SESSION 3

1. G. K. Beale, We Become What We Worship (Downers Grove: IVP, 2008), 22.

2. Vance Havner, quoted in The Westminster Collection of Christian Quotations, comp. Martin H. Manser (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 165.

3. Herschel Hobbs, Baptist Faith and Message (Nashville: LifeWay, 1971), 68.

4. Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon, Resident Aliens (Nashville: Abingdon, 2014), 49.

5. George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 586-87.

SESSION 4

1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (New York: HarperOne, 1954), 30.

2. Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 99.

3. Thabiti Anyabwile, What Is a Healthy Church Member? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 39.

4. Oswald Chambers, in The Quotable Oswald Chambers, comp. and ed. David McCasland (Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 2008), 119.

5. Christopher W. Morgan, “The Church and God’s Glory,” in The Community of Jesus, eds. Kendell H. Easley and Christopher W. Morgan, 232.

SESSION 5

1. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Touchstone, 1996), 169.

2. David Nasser, A Call to Die (Redemptive Art, 2000), 125.

3. Jim Elliot, quoted in Good to Great in God’s Eyes, by Chip Ingram (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), 22.

4. Hilary of Arles, Introductory Commentary on 1 Peter, quoted in James, 1–2  Peter, 1–3  John, Jude, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. XI in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2000), 119.

SESSION 6

1. Cyril of Alexandria, Explanation of the Letter to the Romans, quoted in Romans, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VI in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 1998), 156.

2. Richard B. Gaffin Jr., By Faith, Not By Sight (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2013), 77.

3. William Tyndale, A Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans, trans. Michael Marlowe, Bible Research [online], 1534 [cited 26 June 2014]. Available from the Internet: www.bible-researcher.com. 4. Steve Mathewson, in “The Resurrection Changes Everything: A Conversation with Steve Mathewson,” by Trevin Wax, Kingdom People [online], 24 January 2013 [cited 26 June 2014]. Available from the Internet: thegospelcoalition.org.

SESSION 7

1. Adapted from Kingdom Man, by Tony Evans (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2012), 8-9.

2. Billy Graham, in Billy Graham in Quotes, eds. Franklin Graham with Donna Lee Toney (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 307.

3. Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville, North Carolina, “Becoming a Member of Faith” (May 2014), 8.

4. Martin Luther, First Lectures on Galatians, quoted in Galatians, Ephesians, ed. Gerald L. Bray, vol. X in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2011), 217.

5. Timothy Keller with Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor (New York: Dutton, 2012), 57, 61.

6. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, XV.26, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, vol. 7, eds. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1894; reprinted 2004), 112.

7. Andy Chambers, Exemplary Life (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 75.

8. Matt Chandler, Josh Patterson, and Eric Geiger, Creature of the Word (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 81.

9. Gene Edward Veith Jr., God at Work (Wheaton: Crossway, 2002), 17.

SESSION 8

1. Harry Truman, “Executive Order 9981,” Harry S. Truman Library and Museum [online], 26 July 1948 [cited 15 July 2014]. Available on the Internet: www.trumanlibrary.org.

2. Trillia J. Newbell, United (Chicago: Moody, 2014), 17.

3. Skye Jethani, With (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 23-116.

4. Ibid., 101.

5. A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Radford, VA: Wilder, 2008), 63.

6. Joseph H. Hellerman, When the Church Was a Family (Nashville: B&H, 2009), 132.

7. Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 2.1.5, quoted in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, ed. Mark J. Edwards, vol. VIII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 1999), 219.

SESSION 9

1. Edmund P. Clowney, The Church, in Contours of Christian Theology, ed. Gerald Bray (Downers Grove: IVP, 1995), 269.

2. Mark E. Dever, “The Church,” in A Theology for the Church, rev. ed., ed. Daniel L. Akin (Nashville: B&H, 2014), 618.

3. Charles Spurgeon, “Consecration to God Illustrated by Abraham’s Circumcision,” in The Essential Works of Charles Spurgeon, ed. Daniel Partner (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour, 2009), 768-69.

4. John S. Hammett, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches, 294.

5. B. H. Carroll, An Interpretation of the English Bible: James, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, ed. J. B. Cranfill (Lake Charles, LA: Cor Meum Tibi), 187-88.

6. David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, in Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), 554.

SESSION 10

1. Calvin Miller, The Vanishing Evangelical (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 72.

2. David Platt, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 373.

3. John Stott, The Contemporary Christian (Downers Grove: IVP, 1992), 325.

SESSION 11

1. Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God (Downers Grove: IVP, 2006), 66-67.

2. Adrian Rogers, in Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 2 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding, 2007), 33.

3. Michael Frost, The Five Habits of Highly Missional People (Centreville, VA: Exponential Resources, 2014), 17.

SESSION 12

1. Ed Stetzer, Finish the Mission (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 114.

2. Francis Dubose, “The Pilgrimage of New Life,” in The Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 1115.

3. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies, 26, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2007), 360.

4. Robert Speer, quoted in The Contemporary Christian, by John R. W. Stott, 328.

SESSION 13

1. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Soul-Winner (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, reprint 1994), 223.

2. Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 164.

SESSION 14

1. Michael Bird, Evangelical Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 705.

2. Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (New York: HarperOne, 1998), 271, quoted in Faithmapping, by Daniel Montgomery and Mike Cosper (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), 159.

3. Daniel Montgomery and Mike Cosper, Faithmapping, 161.

4. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.136.5, quoted in 1–2 Corinthians, ed. Gerald Bray, vol. VII in Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament, 103.

130

GOALTo provide biblical theology within a systematic framework over the course of three years through frequent retellings of the overarching story line of Scripture (in two formats: God-Man-Christ-Response / Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration).

PLAN OVERVIEW

Year 1

Fall 2012 The God Who Speaks (Doctrine of Revelation)

Winter 2012-13 God’s Story (Part 1): The Old Testament (Christ-Centered Bible Overview)

Spring 2013 God’s Story (Part 2): The New Testament (Christ-Centered Bible Overview)

Summer 2013 The God Who Is (Doctrine of God Viewed Through His Triune Work for Us)

Year 2

Fall 2013 Bearing God’s Image (Doctrine of Humanity)

Winter 2013-14 A God-Centered Worldview (Worldview and Apologetics)

Spring 2014 Atonement Thread (Tracing the Bible’s Story Through the Lens of Atonement)

Summer 2014 God’s Way (A Journey Through the Ten Commandments)

Year 3

Fall 2014 The Story of God’s Kingdom (Bible Overview Through the Lens of Kingdom)

Winter 2014-15 The God Who Saves (Doctrines of Sin and Salvation)

Spring 2015 The God Who Sends (Doctrine of Church)

Coming Next Quarter

Summer 2015 Gospel-Centered Life (Spiritual Disciplines for Your Walk with God)

Then What?

This three-year cycle of The Gospel Project has grounded us in the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). But we’re not done yet! Join us as we begin a new journey—tracing the overarching, grand story of God in His Word from Genesis to Revelation. See the gospel of Jesus Christ in all of Scripture as The Gospel Project goes back to the beginning…

Scope and Sequence

This fall, The Gospel Project will begin a new chronological, Christ-centered study cycle in which all ages—Adults, Students, and Kids—will discover the overarching

thread of redemption that runs from Genesis to Revelation. Every session, participants will be immersed in the gospel and challenged to live on mission for the kingdom.

STARTING

FALL 2015.

VIEW THE NEW STUDY PLAN TODAY AT GOSPELPROJECT.COM/2015.

The Gospel ProjectThe God Who Sends

Who are we? What is the church? In the New Testament, we see that we are not simply individuals, but we are the body of Christ, God’s temple, united in truth and given the mission of making disciples. We are God’s kingdom people, saved by Jesus and empowered by the Spirit—a crucified people dead to sin and a resurrected people alive for righteousness.

As the church of Jesus, we are a people on a mission. We are a people who serve others, enjoy fellowship with one another, and seek to obey the commands of our Savior as we go into all the world and make disciples. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent by the Father on His mission to seek and save the lost; the Son now sends us in the power of the Spirit to proclaim Jesus that the lost may be found.

What’s Next? SUMMER 2015Gospel-Centered LifeSpiritual Disciplines for Your Walk with God

FALL 2015—NEW!Volume 1: The Story BeginsGod the Creator (Genesis 1–11) God the Covenant-Maker (Genesis 12–50)

SOME OF OUR UPCOMING WRITERSGeorge GuthrieKen FentressMike Cosper

Web: GospelProject.com Twitter: @Gospel_Project Facebook: TheGospelProject

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