The Essential Jesus Week 1

My Notes

WEEKLY CHALLENGE

1. Go all in. Sermon notes in app, bible readings and reflections. Write the essential teaching each week and put it on a sticky note where you see it every day. Shape your thoughts, heart, life around it.

2. Prayerfully reject the culture of Fear, Division, Selfishness, & Blame. Notice where it’s creeping and say “no more.” you, Find small ways to create the culture of Jesus now.

3. Engage the message on our social channels. Follow, Like, Share, Comment. Each week we will have daily devotions, sermon clips & quotes, video messages. Spread the message. Spread the love.
GSLC FACEBOOK
GSLC INSTAGRAM

Essential Jesus: Actions - Creating a New Culture

Jesus did not simply teach intellectual theology, he lived embodied theology. Everything he taught was lived out with every interaction, every step, every breath of his own life. His teaching, his lived theology was not just about religion, it encompasses every aspect of the human experience. In other words, Jesus did not come just to change religion, but to create a completely new reality for the human experience. A new way of life, a new culture that transcends our sinful nature and creates the life, the world God intends for us.

It starts with the everyday actions that break us and break others. Changing our temptations to break others into intention to build up others. Changing our tendency to fear others into resolve to love others. Eradicating our desire for retribution and replacing it with a heart for reconciliation.

Reflections on Loving Enemies

The civil rights movement could not have happened without the unwavering commitment to non-violence and loving one's enemies. Not only was loving enemies an effective & necessary posture for protest, but it is what strengthened the hearts of those being oppressed. It gave them strength to carry on even during the most difficult times.

Reflect on these powerful quotes from the sermons of MKL (taken from the book, “Strength to Love”)

Jesus also admonished his followers to love their enemies and to pray for them that despitefully used them. This teaching fell upon the ears of many of his hearers like a strange music from a foreign land. Their ears were not attuned to the tonal qualities of such amazing love. Jesus taught them that only through a creative love for their enemies could they be children of their Father in heave and also that love and forgiveness were absolute necessities for spiritual maturity. (from Love in Action p. 41)

What does “creative love” look like? How might this help you view others differently? Are there people you need to forgive today?

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive our hate; only love can do that. (from On Loving Enemies p. 53)

Where is hate threatening to take root in your heart? How can you actively cultivate love to innoculate yourself against hate?

Hate is just as injurious to the person who hates. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity…. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. (from On Loving Enemiesp. 53)

As we develop the spiritual maturity to love our enemies, it is helpful to reflect on what the hate or harm they do is doing to their souls. This prayerful reflection helps grow compassion inside.

Love is the only force in the world capable of transforming an enemy into a friend (from On Loving Enemiesp. 54)