For those meeting in Community Groups this week, here are the application questions for Study Three: The Choice we all Face.
God chooses to rescue his people not because they’re powerful, smart, talented, or good. But because he loves them.
1. Knowing that God already loves us despite our failures and successes, what sort of freedom does this give us? How does it change our expectations as Christians?
This kind of love that God has shamelessly lavished upon us is a non-returnable, undeserved, unearned love. It is blisteringly unconditional love.
2. How does this love make you feel? What does this kind of love make you want to do?
The problem with the Israelites is the same problem we ourselves have: hearts that don’t want to obey God. Which is why God tells them to ‘circumcise your hearts’. In other words, they, and we, are to opt for painful, permanent change. We are to do whatever it takes to make sure that we obey from this point on. And when we get to the New Testament, we see that this is in fact what Jesus does for us, because we cannot do it ourselves.
3. Read Colossians 2:9-12. Knowing we have everything we need in Christ, what do you think it would look like, for you personally, to live whole-heartedly for God? What’s one thing you could change in your lifestyle, routine, conduct, or speech that would be a step toward this goal?
