[lead dropcap="yes"]With Super Bowl Sunday underway, anticipation beginning to build, and Falcons fans outnumbering Patriots fans 98 to 2, there was something special about this Sunday. We departed from our normal schedule to encourage everyone at VOUS to be the church, and cheer on their favorite team with friends and family. [/lead]Wrapping up our five-week discussion on the Book of Jonah, we’re reminded that, like the Gospel as a whole, the Book of Jonah really isn’t about Jonah at all. It’s about Jesus. Understanding that we often miss the things we aren’t looking for, it’s vital that as we look into the truths of the Word - text by text and verse by verse - we’re intentional in finding Jesus. As we move into the week, let’s be encouraged by Romans 8:11.[rev_slider 0206SOAP]
Scripture
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.Romans 8:11
Observation
When we receive the grace and spirit of Christ, we allow Jesus to restore us and give to us eternal life. Our mortal bodies are prone to sin. The allure of sin is that it simply feels good in the moment. And sometimes disobedience is just easier. But what we don't realize is that the temporary satisfaction of sin always takes us further than we want to go and costs us more than we want to pay. When we receive Jesus, his spirit allows us to overcome temptation, giving us life.
Application
How comforting it is to know that Jesus, through his resurrection, conquered not only our past and present sins, but even our future sins? This is the good news of the Gospel. We don’t have to live in guilt, shame, or fear.Consider, each time we say ‘yes’ to something, we’re also saying ‘no’ to something else. In understanding God’s gift of free will, we have the option to sin. If we agree to sin, at that moment we are saying no to God’s plan for our lives. Let’s be encouraged by this as we begin a new week, and challenge one another to say ‘yes’ to God. May we invest in obedience knowing that these choices will bring us closer to Jesus and the abundant life He has always had waiting for us.
Prayer
Father God, Please help me be the best versions of myself this week. Let my weaknesses be strengthened and let me feel the freeing momentum of a life led by the Holy Spirit. Allow me to be vulnerable with my brothers and sisters, and go to them for support and accountability. Lord, expose any areas that I need to say "no" to in order for me to say "yes" to your plan for my life. Amen!
Questions to Reflect On
- What are some areas in your life that you need to say "no" to in order to say "yes" to God's plan for your life?
- Can you identify any people in your life, maybe in your crew, that you can count on to keep you covered in prayer and accountability?
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