Discipleship training Steve Green Session 5 – Grace trumps legalism and pride!

1. Discipleship trainingSteve GreenSession 5 – Grace trumps legalism and pride!

2. Ice Breaker • Who is the most humble person that you have ever met? • Who is the most proud / dogmatic person that you have ever met? • Which of the two people had the most positive impact on you? • The Story of Gladstone, Disraeli and a rich lady • Was Jesus a humble person?

4. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Read John 8:3-11, (Page 1073) • What did the law say should happen to the woman caught in adultery (Leviticus 20:10, Page 123) ? • If you are a law ‘enforcer’ surely you should carry out your role to punish the culprit and deter others from the same crime. However what does Jesus say about this? • Who was the only one in that situation who could genuinely claim to be ‘without sin’?

5. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into ….

6. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships

7. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love ….

8. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love the supreme goal

9. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love the supreme goal • Religious people are concerned about being right • God is most concerned that we are …

10. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love the supreme goal • Religious people are concerned about being right • God is most concerned that we are real

11. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love the supreme goal • Religious people are concerned about being right • God is most concerned that we are real • Religious people focus on the Word of God • God wants us to focus on the …

12. How much of a Pharisee am I? • Religious people are into rules • God is into relationships • Religious people put laws above love • God makes love the supreme goal • Religious people are concerned about being right • God is most concerned that we are real • Religious people focus on the Word of God • God wants us to focus on the God of the Word

13. Therefore is ‘the Law’ bad? Certainly not! The ‘law of Moses’ was necessary and, to understand why, we need to look at the origins of Jewish (and British) law.

14. The ‘Law’ is a gift • The law was regarded as a ‘love gift’ from God • It was treasured by God’s people • This love gift was housed in the Temple in Jerusalem

15. Sin was not identified • Nobody knew what sin was • There was uncertainty about disputes • Chaos ruled • Sin could not be addressed SIN Was Un-checked

16. The Law provided a framework • It provided a legal framework for Israel • It provided a moral framework (Exodus) • It provided a system of worship (Leviticus) SIN LAW Dealt with sin

17. What went wrong? • The Law, in itself, was NOT ENOUGH

18. The law created other sins, predominantly the sin of pride • Despite the law, sin still existed and the law could not get rid of it • The law could not restore, rebuild or reconcile the sinner SIN LAW

19. The Law cannot restore • Many in prison are desperate to repay society for what they have done wrong • Sometimes a criminal record prevents this happening

20. What is the answer? • Grace • The law was never meant to provide a way to become acceptable to God through our own efforts. It was there to make us so aware of the awfulness of sin and its control over us, that we would understand our need of grace, our need of Christ. The law itself was actually a means of grace! • Does this make sense?

21. SIN GRACE LAW

22. A Diner in Hawaii • Christian writer and Pastor Tony Campolo in Hawaii • In a Diner at 3.00am comes across Agnes • He throws a party for Agnes

23. What about truth? • Where is the law now written? (Jeremiah 31:33, Page 793 and also Hebrews 10:16, Page 1208) • How does Matthew 15:10-20, (Page 982) support the notion that the law is now ‘inside us’ and not outside • When Pilate asked Jesus what is truth, what did Jesus reply? (John 18:38, Page 1087) • The Pharisees were obsessed with their understanding of truth. Jesus brought in the perfect balance of grace and truth (John 1:14 and 1:17, Page 1063) How did Jesus uphold ‘truth’ whilst still showing grace with the woman caught in the act of adultery?

24. How did Jesus uphold truth as well as demonstrate grace?

25. What about Christian unity? • What do we discern from John 17:20-23, (Page 1085) about the Lord’s heart for his church? • What does Philippians 2:1-4 (Page 1179) teach us about unity? • African proverb and story from the bush • Do we show sufficient grace to Christians with different views from our own, or, are we legalistic and dogmatic like the Pharisees • Are we overly focused on our interpretation of ‘truth’ to the detriment of grace Time for self reflection

26. Summary – Time to reflect? • Write down areas of our life where we have been proud towards: family; church leaders; other Christians and work colleagues • Have we been proud with regard to: our understanding Christian doctrine; our worldly achievements and the things we ‘have done for God’ • Pray the prayer: I renounce all forms of pride and I declare the truth that I am no better than anyone else. Re-read Philippians 2:5-9 (Page 1179)

27. Discipleship trainingSteve GreenSession 5 – Grace trumps legalism and pride!The End