Hebrews 2:14-15 – This passage reinforces that God in his mercy freed us from any rational fear of death.  We know there is a resurrection and because of this death has indeed lost its sting.

Using S.P.E.C.S. write how you intend to apply this passage to your life:\

Sins to confess:

1.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
2.  Consider others better than yourself

Promises to trust:

If we humble ourselves he will lift us up!

Examples to follow:

Jesus – He was God down to his very nature.  But didn’t grasp at being God instead He set that aside and became a man.  He sat aside so much so that He could be with us.  He humbled himself and so must we.

Commands to obey:

1.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
2.  Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.

Stumbling blocks to avoid:

Selfish ambition and vain conceit.

How will you make yourself accountable:

As I have considered how, that is, in what particular way to apply this passage I have seen that a thought repeated, not necessarily within the passage but this thought is emerging as important with in my notes and likely with in my own life.  This is what has emerged for me as most important:

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Selfish ambition and vain conceit are stumbling blocks to avoid.  We are at least admonished if not commanded to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  And finally I must confess I have lived much of my life out of selfish ambition and vain conceit.  It is time for it all to stop.  This week I will focus on this in prayer and in life.  I must not be doing life for myself but for Jesus and for others.

Write God’s response to your prayer:

Andy,

I died to be with you.  I love you and I want you to be excellent at all you do.  I love you and I want what is best for you I am so proud of you and of all that you are becoming,  all that we are becoming together.   I am so madly in love with you and so completely interested in every detail of your life.  I am interested in you not because I need to know you but because I already do know you and I enjoy you so much.  This unity, this fellowship, this love these are your encouragement and your comfort.  Be filled with my tenderness and compassion – You are my treasure and I am yours.

It has been my privilege to become all that was necessary to redeem you back to myself.  I love you.  Go, my son and make the difference I created you to make, the difference I died for you to make.

Keep persisting in prayer.  And in your pursuit of Me and My kingdom.

Oh yeah,  Did I tell you that I love you? Because I do.

Your Father and your God.

Hey All,

I hope you are doing great this week.  I am sure things are getting tough.  This is a lot of study each week.  Great job for sticking with it.  It is worth it.  This weeks reading is over 2 Corinthians 5: 14-21.  I hope you have already begun to see some powerful things emerging.  You should be beginning the Meditation today.  I pray God opens your eyes and heart to see and hear him as you meditate on his word.

Becoming New,

Andy Peterson

Reading: Days 1&2

Who:

There are four persons or people groups mentioned.  God the Father, God the Son, us (those who have chosen to foll Christ), and them (those who have chosen the world over Christ).

What:

There are a few big ideas here they are as follows:

1. The love of Christ controls us
2. We who are in Christ are New Creation
3. God has Reconciled us to himself through Christ
4. God has made us ambassadors of his message
5. Jesus became sin that we might become righteousness, again “new creation”.

Where:

There is no true geographical context.  But Christ is communicated as a place where God dwells.  Where is God? In Christ.  At the same time, God is everywhere so to take this too seriously could create a misunderstanding.

When:

I am sure you were wanting to know when this letter was written but I don’t know and my bible doesn’t say in this passage.  But what I can say is that the question of when is relevant to the application of this passage.

What I can say is that this passage is applied from now on.  Once we were dead but from now on we live.  Once we did consider each other according to the flesh but from now on we don’t.  From now on we are the righteousness of God in Christ.  From now on we are new creation.  This is true of each one of who is born again into the kingdom of God.

How:

The simple answer. The cross.  Jesus took our place.  He died and we live as new creation.  He reconciled us through his sacrifice.

Literary Vehicles Used:

Comparisons/Contrasts:

None

Anthropomorphism:

None

Similes/analogies:

None

Hyperbole:

None

Repetitions:

For all it’s lacking in literary flash it is chalk full of repetition.  The author keeps dancing around the idea of a big switch up.  We used to consider each other according to the flesh bot not now.  we used to be one way but now we are new creation we used.  Then he drives home how this all came to be and that is thorough reconciliation.  Christ’s work on the cross paved the way for us to trade places with Jesus.  Our punishment became his while his righteousness became ours.

Allusions to other points or pieces in scripture:

Cross References:

2 Corinthians 5:16 – John 8:15; 2 Cor 11:18; Phil 3:4  - Newness of life is the whole point of these cross references.  Jesus died so that we could enter his kingdom by being born again into a new life.  A New life of righteousness in him.  Wow!  Like the old hymn says:

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought,

My sin, not in part but in whole,

was nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Oh My soul.

Trust that your sin is nailed to the cross.  Leave it there and walk with him in newness of life! ]]> http://www.desmoinesfirstblogs.org/pathways/?feed=rss2&p=375 0