The Resurrection Life is A Gospel Formed Life
September 30, 2015
The gospel works in us to change how we see everything!
1. The Gospel Forms How We See Ourselves (1-6)
The gospel did such a work in Paul that he refused to let his adversity define him. Why? Because prison walls cannot contain the power of the gospel. Adversity has no power over the freedom and joy found in Jesus. Adversity has no power over you when you know the one who raised Jesus from the dead. Adversity has no power over you when Jesus captures your heart, your mind and your soul. Because when grace does it work in you, it changes you.
Paul refused to let adversity define him, he let Jesus define him. And that changed how he lived. He saw his confinement as an opportunity and he took advantage of it.
When we allow the gospel to define our identity, adversity will lose its power to dictate our lives.
2. The Gospel Forms How We See Ministry (7-9)
We often have the mindset that we minister “for” God. But once the gospel changes us, God’s grace to us changes our attitude about serving. Now, instead of thinking of ourselves as God’s gift to humanity, we are grateful that God would choose to give us any kind of ministry. And when we see begin seeing ministry this way, serving becomes a joy and delight, never a chore.
3. The Gospel Forms How We See Life (10-13)
We know the end of the story. It has already been accomplished in Christ. Therefore, like Paul, we can live with a freedom and confidence that is out of this world… Why? Because our freedom and confidence is in Christ, and not in this world.
With Christ we can have a confidence in the outcome of history.
With Christ we can enjoy a confidence in our relationship with God.
With Christ we can have confidence in our freedom from the worries and concerns of this present evil age. And like Paul, we can even have confidence in our suffering!
That’s how God’s grace worked to change Paul, and how God wants to change us: To see life, not in light of our momentary sufferings… as painful and sometimes confusing and debilitating as they sometimes are… but to see life in light of our place in the story, in light of our union with Jesus, in light of God’s plan for eternity!