BIBLE READING PLAN: 40 DAYS ON GRACE
24 1 Day 39 〉 Grace of our resurrection
Read 〉 1 Corinthians 15 Contemplate 〉 The substance of the Christian hope is the end-times physical resurrection of the dead and a new heavens and new earth. How is Jesus’ own resurrection a promise of our own bodily resurrection? How is Jesus’ resurrection “firstfruits” of the general resurrection to come?
Is there anything you think we can do to earn our resurrection and defeat of death? What difference does it make to know that whatever happens to you in this life you cannot be defeated because of God’s promise to raise you from the dead? What difference does it make to know that all prayers for healing are ultimately and fully answered in the resurrection?
How does this grace of resurrection enable us to live life differently? In this context of the resurrection and the new creation, how does the promise that “your labour in the Lord is not in vain” empower you to live now?
Day 40 〉 Grace for the consummation of the kingdom
Read 〉 Revelation 21-22 Contemplate 〉 In this passage the holy city comes down from heaven indicating that it was built by God and not by human hands. How does this point to the grace of God?
How amazing is the image of God dwelling among his people and wiping every tear from our eyes? What does this picture of God’s gentleness and grace show us about Him?
In chapter 22, it says there will no longer be any curse, overturning everything that happened as a result of the fall. Do you see here the grace of God’s ultimate plan for redemption? WRITTEN BY REBECCA WALKER LAYOUT BY SYE ROBERTSON What does this passage tell us about who God is? How does this vision of PRODUCED (2011) BY THE SALVATION ARMY God’s goodness and kindness compare with the thunder-bolt throwing image AUSTRALIA SOUTHERN TERRITORY CORPS PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT of God that people often have? SALVATIONARMY.ORG.AU/CORPSRESOURCES
2 23 Day 37 〉 Grace in resurrection
Read 〉 John 11 Contemplate 〉 Death was one of the consequences of the fall and is one of the parts of life that is so difficult to deal with. How does Jesus’ role as “the resurrection and the life” deal with the problem of death?
How did Jesus feel about Lazarus’ death and the grief of his family? What does this reveal about how God feels about death?
Is there any point at which there is any indication that resurrection is something that we can earn by our good works? Did Lazarus do anything to get Jesus to raise him from the dead?
How does this passage show us God’s grace?
BIBLE READING PLAN: 40 DAYS ON GRACE
God is an amazing God. He eclipses our human understanding. We usually do not have any trouble believing that God is angry about sin. Which is defi nitely true. But we need to hold that truth in tension with other truths about God. One of those other great truths is that God is also a God of mercy and grace. God’s mercy means that He does not give us what our sins deserve; His grace means that He gives us blessings that we do not deserve. Mercy brings our spiritual ‘bank balance’ back to zero, Grace makes us spiritual millionaires. Let’s Day 38 〉 Grace of the new creation spend forty days together, learning to understand better what it means to live Read 〉 Romans 8 life under the Grace of God. The journey will take us through the Old and New Testaments to buld up a biblical pricture of the doctrine of grace. Contemplate 〉 What does this passage tell us about the relationship between sin and grace? How does the gracious gift of the Spirit enable us to live holy lives? How does the gracious gift of the Spirit bring us into a new relationship with the Father?
What is creation groaning for? What does this passage indicate is the hope for the whole creation? What does God want to do for not only us but the whole creation? How big is God’s gracious plan for redemption?
What do you think Paul means when he says that “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things”? Is there anything that you or I can face, that God’s grace will not enable us to have victory over?
22 3 TIPS FOR BIBLE READING Day 35 〉 Grace is not our way Read 〉 Isaiah 55 1. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand, and to show you what He wants Contemplate 〉 In verses 1-2, what point about grace being made by the apparent you to see. When a passage is particularly diffi cult, pray and ask the Lord to illogic of “buying without money”? reveal to you what it means. Sometimes the answer will come immediately; sometimes the answer will arrive sometime later. Why do you think God makes a point in verse 3 about this covenant he is going to make being like the everlasting covenant (i.e. it was not conditional on 2. The bible is one big story of God’s plan to redeem the world. Whenever you obedience) with David? What does this mean in regards to the way God will deal are reading a passage, consider how it fi ts into God’s overarching plan, into with those under grace? the big story. God promises in verses 6-7 that free forgiveness is available for those who repent. Why do you think God then says “For my thoughts are not your 3. Look for the big idea behind each passage. Read in paragraphs. A paragraph thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”? In what way is this kind of grace not represents one idea, each verse within that builds up a picture of that idea. “our way”? The collection of ideas in a passage should lead to one big idea. Sometimes the verse and chapter breaks and headings disrupt the natural fl ow of the God then promises joy, peace and abundance to his people, and it is in this text, sometimes ignoring them helps to better understand the point the context that he says, “my word that goes out from my mouth… will not return to writer was trying to make. me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”. How then is the word of God itself a manifestation of God’s grace? 4. The style of writing in a passage gives hints about how to interpret it. For example, Psalms are poetry and so are full of metaphors and picture language. In comparison, books like Kings and Chronicles are historical
accounts; Ephesians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Timothy are letters. Interpret a passage based on its style of writing, for example you would not interpret Shakespeare in the same way you would a news story on a natural disaster. The same applies for the diff erent books in the bible. Day 36 〉 Grace in providing basic needs
5. The more you read of the bible, even the trickier or more boring bits, will Read 〉 John 6 help with understanding other parts of the bible. For example, the book of Contemplate 〉 Compare this passage back to Exodus 15:22-17:7 that we Hebrews makes a lot more sense after reading Leviticus. If you can manage studied in Day 3. What point is Jesus making about Himself through the to read the whole bible cover to cover at least a few times things will begin feeding of the five thousand? How is that in continuity with how God provided to click into place a lot more easily. Read in big chunks as much as possible, for His people in the Old Testament? with shorter books it’s great to read them in one sitting. Reading large portions helps you see much more easily the main points that the writer was How does Jesus’ claim that He is the bread of life come down from heaven trying to make throughout the whole text. introduce a discontinuity with the Jewish understanding of how God provided for His people in the Old Testament?
Why do you think the people found this to be hard teaching and deserted Jesus? How easy is it to accept Jesus’ provision both of our physical and spiritual needs as something so freely given? And something so not of our own doing?
How can we stay in that place of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood and not falling back into trying to save ourselves?
4 21 GRACE IN ABUNDANCE WHAT IS GRACE?
All of our life is bound up in God’s grace. In creation, in redemption and in the The whole of our life is bound up in the Grace of God. Each breath we take is fi nal glorifi cation there is grace, grace and more grace! In this section we will only through the undeserved love and favour of God. That He even created us look at some other examples of how God’s grace overfl ows like a never-ending is purely His gift, He did not need to make us, and we had not done anything fountain of blessing in all of life. We will also look at how His grace is the thing to deserve to be created. In this section we will look at how God exercised his that will bring about the fi nal redemption of the entire creation, and will usher in grace in creation, fall, in the desert and in redemption. The aim is to get a good the day when we see Him face to face, and He wipes every tear from our eyes. foundation for later understanding of specifi c ways in which Grace is talked about in the Bible.
Day 34 〉 Grace in restoration Day 1 〉 Grace of Creation
Read 〉 Psalm 85 Read 〉 Genesis 1-2 Contemplate 〉 Sometimes God disciplines us for our own good. What does Contemplate 〉 Have you ever thought about why God created us? Is there this Psalm teach us about God’s desire and ability to restore his people? anything that we did before we were created that meant that we deserved to be created? If not, what does this tell us about the grace of God in creation? What is God’s promise to his people? What does Genesis 1, verses 22 and 28 tell us about the way God relates to his What specific blessings does this Psalm indicate God is willing to give? If creations? What theme comes up in both verses? righteousness is defined as believing God (Romans 4:3), then what is the basis on which these blessings and promises of God are received? How well did God provide for Adam and Eve’s needs? Is there anything that they needed that He did not provide? What does God’s provision of Eve for Adam, even though Adam had not identified his own need of a partner tell us about God’s grace? What is an appropriate response to God’s kindness and
grace?
What do you think being created in the image of God means? Why do you think God picked humans out especially for this role? Had we done anything to deserve this honour above everything else that God created? What does this tell us about the grace of God?
20 1 Day 2 〉 Grace after the Fall Day 32 〉 Grace towards a Samaritan woman
Read 〉 Genesis 3 Read 〉 John 4:1-42 Contemplate 〉 In verses 4-6, what is the basis of the serpent’s temptation? Contemplate 〉 How does Jesus cross socio-cultural-religious boundaries What does he prompt Eve to question? Do you ever find yourself questioning to talk to the Samaritan woman? What does Jesus’ refusal to go along with the basic goodness of God, or His love towards you? customs that prohibited Jews from associating with Samaritans and men from associating with women in order to bring the word of God to this woman show In verse 21, how does God show grace to Adam and Eve, in the midst of them about God’s grace? having to deal with the consequences of their sin? Given that God would have had to kill an animal to make the animal skins, what do you think this verse The Samaritan woman is the first person that Jesus directly tells that He is the might be pointing forward to? How does this show us the grace of God? How Messiah. Given the cultural issues mentioned above, what does this tell us about does this point to Jesus’ sacrifice? the grace of God?
What is the result of Jesus’ grace towards the Samaritan woman? How does Jesus’ grace to this woman impact her entire community?
Day 3 〉 Grace in the desert I Day 33 〉 Grace towards Saul
Read 〉 Exodus 15:22-17:7 Read 〉 Acts 9:1-31 Contemplate 〉 What two things does this passage identify as things that God Contemplate 〉 Was Saul’s repentance before or after the Lord had shown him provides? How important are they to human living? Is a desert the place where grace? What was the catalyst for Saul to change his ways? Did Jesus expect you would normally find abundant food and water? How is God’s provision for anything of him before He had shown Saul the truth? Where do you see grace Israel in the desert like God’s provision for Adam and Eve in the garden? in that?
Does the behaviour of Israel make them deserving recipients of God’s care and In our society people often talk about locking murderers and other serious provision? Does their complaining and worry indicate that they trust God? criminals up and throwing away the keys. How is Jesus’ approach to Saul different? Is there any suggestion that Saul will have to pay for his crime Why do you think that God tests the Israelites (Exodus 15:25)? Given that the against Jesus and the church before God will accept him? Or before God will rest of this passage is about God’s provision of food and water, why do you use him to spread the gospel? think God promises good health in verse 26? What does God want them to learn about Him through this process of testing? What does God want from What can we learn about the relationship between God’s grace, our failings them in response to his promises? and His call on our lives from this passage?
Why do you think God commanded that an omer of manna was kept with the commandments? What are some ways that God has shown you grace? What kind of reminders could you use to help you remember the Lord’s kindnesses to you?
2 19 Day 30 〉 Grace in loving your enemies Day 4 〉 Grace in the desert II
Read 〉 Luke 6:27-36 Read 〉 Exodus 33:7-23 Contemplate 〉 What ways does this passage identify for showing grace to Contemplate 〉 How normal do you think it is that God dwelt in the midst of enemies? What specific examples can you find? the Israelites? Given that many people see God as distant because He is so different from us, and because He is holy; what does this tell us about God’s This passage shows a lifestyle of continual giving, a lifestyle of grace. From grace? where does it indicate that we will get our filling-up? To whom are we to look to get rather than give? In verse 11, it says that God spoke to Moses, “as one speaks to a friend”. Do you think it is remarkable that God would give people the distinction of being His When you read this passage, who comes to mind as an enemy that you need to friend? What term do you find more comfortable, friend or servant? love? What are some practical steps you can take to show them grace? Why do you think Moses makes a big deal out of God’s presence going with Can you identify any obstacles that hold you back from loving your enemies? the Israelites? What do you think about God saying that He knows Moses “by How do you think God’s grace might be available to you to help you to love name”? Do you feel like God knows you by name? What difference does it your enemies? What can you do to overcome your obstacles? How do you make that God knows us by name? think praying blessing on your enemies might help in this process? Why is God so pleased with Moses’ request? What does Moses really want? What does this passage as a whole tell us about the relational nature of God? How gracious is it that He wants to be in relationship with us, and call us His
friends?
Day 31 〉 Grace from an enemy Day 5 〉 Grace of a New Covenant
Read 〉 Luke 10:25-37 Read 〉 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Contemplate 〉 The term “Good Samaritan” has come to mean someone who Contemplate 〉 God’s covenant with Israel through Moses was based on the helps out because they are good people. For the Jews of Jesus’ day, “Good observance of the Law. How difficult do you think it is to live up to God’s standards Samaritan” would have been similar to saying “Good Satanist”, an oxymoron! of belief and behaviour? Have you ever met anyone who was entirely without sin?
Why do you think Jesus uses someone who personifies everything that Jewish What does this passage reveal about how God feels when His people break people disliked and scorned as an example of someone who practised mercy covenant with Him? What does the picture of God as husband say about the and grace? intimacy of relationship between God and His people? What do you think of the bible using adultery as a metaphor of the faithlessness of God’s people? What does the failure of the religious people to show grace show us about what is important to God in the way we live our lives? What does the Good How amazing is it that in the face of Israel’s unfaithfulness God would make a new Samaritan crossing socio-cultural-religious boundaries, to help someone in covenant with them? Had Israel done anything to deserve God’s favour? need, teach us about grace? How amazing is it, in the face of Israel’s unfaithfulness, that the promises of the Who are some people that you could cross socio-cultural-religious boundaries New Covenant are better than the Old Covenant (the law is written on hearts, to show grace? How do you think an understanding of grace could change the not on stone; everyone will know God; and sin will be forgiven)? If someone sins way Australia deals with asylum seekers, people smugglers and Muslims? How against you, are you inclined to make a bigger and better commitment to them? could an understanding of grace change the way the church deals with the GLBT community? What can we learn about God’s grace from the promise of the New Covenant?
18 3
Day 6 〉 Grace as the person of Jesus Christ Day 28 〉 Grace after Jacob’s death
Read 〉 John 1:1-18 Read 〉 Genesis 49:29-50:26 Contemplate 〉 How do you think this passage reveals the grace of God? What Contemplate 〉 Why do you think that Joseph’s brothers became frightened that does it tell us about God that even though His people were not being faithful Joseph might harm them after Jacob died? to Him, that He chose to send His Son to us? Do you have difficulty accepting the forgiveness of others? How about the What does it tell us about the value of humanity in God’s eyes that He chose forgiveness of God? What is the underlying reason that we sometimes struggle to take on human flesh? What does it tell us about God’s willingness to walk to accept forgiveness and grace? with us, that He ‘took a walk in our shoes’, experiencing life as we experience it? Why do you think He puts that kind of value on us, when we fail in so many What would life be like to not live under that fear that God is just holding back ways to live up to His standards of holiness? our punishment for now, but is going to “get us” later? If Jesus’s death has paid our penalty once and for all, is there any rational basis for fearing God’s In the Old Testament the fundamental idea about God was that He was one, punishment? “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut 4:6). How amazing is it that God chose to reveal more of who He is, His trinitarian nature as Father- Why do you think Joseph’s brothers said “we are your slaves” to him? What Son-Spirit, to people who had not met the mark as His people? were they basing their relationship with him on? Had Joseph given them any reason to fear? When we approach God, do we approach him as slaves, on the What do you think the relationship between grace and truth is? Is it possible basis of our actions, or as friends and family on the basis of God’s actions? to accept grace if you haven’t first accepted the truth of your sinfulness and weakness? How does this approach differ to managing sin by the law?
Day 7 〉 Grace to bring us to the Father and in the gift of the Spirit Day 29 〉 Grace towards Nineveh
Read 〉 John 14-15 Read 〉 Jonah 1-4 Contemplate 〉 What does this passage tell us about each of the persons of the Contemplate 〉 Nineveh was a city of Assyria that would a few generations Trinity, and their relationships to one another? What does this passage tell us after Jonah ransack the Northern kingdom of Israel. Why do you think Jonah about our relationship to God, to each member of the Trinity? did not want to take God’s message to his people’s enemies? If Nineveh had not repented and God had judged them, would they necessarily have had the How does this passage show how grace brings us into relationship with the opportunity to later invade Israel? Father? How would you feel if God sent you to preach repentance to those who What is the general mood that Jesus wants His followers to have? In showing are enemies of your people? How would you feel if God sent you to preach us this picture of what the Trinity is like, is Jesus trying to provoke fear? With repentance to Al Qaeda members who supported the 9/11 attacks? Or to what specific feeling and action does He ask us to respond? people smugglers? Or to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran? How would you feel if they repented, God then did not judge them, and then they had the What does Jesus’ promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit indicate about Jesus’ opportunity to later go on and attack people you love? heart towards us? What the things, that Jesus says the Spirit will do for us, indicate about God’s grace towards us in our weakness? What do God’s actions towards Nineveh teach us about his grace? What does Jonah’s reaction to God’s grace teach us about how scandalous we can find God’s grace?
4 17 GRACE TOWARDS ENEMIES Day 8 〉 Grace in the pouring out of the Spirit Read 〉 Acts 2:1-47 One of the most earth-shattering sentences ever spoken on this planet was Contemplate 〉 If the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel was a Jesus’ last words before he died, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know judgement against sin, what does the use of the different peoples’ native what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). With this prayer, Jesus modeled what it tongues by Galileans by the power of the Spirit in this passage suggest? What means to love our enemies. When Jesus had taught his disciples earlier in his is God doing that is different to under the Old Covenant? ministry to love their enemies, he told them that loving their enemies would make them like the Father, who “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, What significance does Peter put on the pouring out of the Spirit? How is the and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). So God’s ministry of the Spirit through believers an act of God’s grace towards a world grace is extended not only to outsiders, but also to those who are counted as his in sin? enemies. This would have been a massive surprise for people in Jesus’ day, since much of the Old Testament talks about enemies being crushed. God’s heart for all, however, is grace and the opportunity for redemption and restoration.
Day 27 〉 Grace towards Joseph’s Brothers Day 9 〉 Grace from Jesus as High Priest
Read 〉 Genesis 45-47 Read 〉 Hebrews 8-10 Contemplate 〉 What specific things does Joseph do for his family that flow Contemplate 〉 What is the major point that is made in this passage about the out of grace? Old Covenant? Who were the mediators in the Old Covenant? Were they able to purify people sufficiently to allow them access to God? Do you think it is remarkable that when Joseph has the power to take revenge on his brothers, he not only does not punish them, but pours out blessing over What does this passage tell us about the high priesthood of Jesus? Given the them and their families? frailty and sinfulness of the human priests under the Old Covenant, what does God’s provision of Jesus as our High Priest tell us about God’s grace towards us in What perspective does Joseph have that makes him able to see beyond the our weakness? sinful actions of his brothers? How can taking a heavenly perspective help us to be gracious towards others? How complete is Jesus’ priesthood and offering of Himself as sacrifice? Is there anything left for us to do to make ourselves worthy of entering into the Most Holy Place?
Does grace give us permission to sin? In what way is continuing to sin ‘trampling the Son of God underfoot’ and ‘insulting the Spirit of grace’?
16 5 GRACE AND LAW Day 25 〉 Grace towards the shepherds Read 〉 Luke 2:1-20 The Old Covenant was a covenant of Law. The New Covenant is a covenant of Contemplate 〉 In Jesus’ time, working as a shepherd was seen as a lowly job Grace. Sometimes we can get mixed up, and try to bring elements of the Old that prevented people from observing all of the ceremonial law. In this context, Covenant over into our relationship with God under the covenant in Jesus’ blood. what does it say about God that the first people to see the baby Jesus were It is important, then, to understand the relationship between law and grace, and shepherds not Pharisees, scribes or priests? to understand how the New Covenant is setup to deal with our sin. Otherwise it can be easy for us to unconsciously slip into thinking about our sin under the Old Who are the “shepherds” that we might not want in our churches? Who are Covenant categories of Law and retribution. the “shepherds” that hang around the outside edges of our various social groups? What do you think God’s attitude to them is?
How does this vision of God’s love and grace being for outsiders transform the way we should do life?
Day 10 〉 Grace leads to repentance Day 26 〉 Grace towards an adulteress
Read 〉 Romans 1-3 Read 〉 John 8:1-11 Contemplate 〉 Why do you think Paul starts by talking about how sinful Contemplate 〉 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought the woman humanity is? Why does he also make a point in Romans 2:1-4 of saying that his to Jesus in order to trap Him. How does Jesus show grace and kindness to readers do the same things that they judge to be sinful in others? the woman by not allowing her to be a pawn in the conflict with the religious people? What does Romans 2:4 indicate is the purpose of God’s grace, “the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience”? Does this mean that sin is not How does Jesus exercise grace and truth in regards to the woman? What does important to God under the New Covenant? he say to bring about grace and truth for everyone present?
What does Paul say the purpose of the Law was? Does he hold much hope Did Jesus use condemnation to bring the woman to repentance? What that those who were under the Law kept the Law? What about the Gentiles? response to his grace did Jesus ask the woman for? If the Jews believed that they were more righteous than the Gentiles, why do you think Paul flattens the playing field to reveal that “all have sinned and fall What can we learn from this story about how we handle the sin of others? short of the kingdom of God” (Romans 3:23)? What can we learn from this story about how we take responsibility for our own sin? To what does Paul attribute salvation if not to righteousness under the Law? How does the atonement demonstrate both God’s justice and His grace (Romans 3:25-26)?
6 15 Day 23 〉 Grace towards Hannah Day 11 〉 Grace empowered living
Read 〉 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 Read 〉 Romans 4-6 Contemplate 〉 Given that the primary role of women in the Ancient Near-East Contemplate 〉 Does Paul allow room in his argument in Romans 4:1-5 that was to produce children, what does God’s response to Hannah’s prayer indicate faith could be seen as a righteous work? If faith is not a righteous work, then about how he cares about those things that are important to us? on what basis does God credit faith to us as righteousness?
Without children if anything happened to Elkanah, Hannah would have been Why does Paul make a big deal about the order in which Abraham was destitute. What does God’s response to Hannah’s prayer indicate about his care circumcised and received the promise of God? What is the connection for her provision? between grace and the promises of God to Abraham?
What does Hannah’s prayer of praise in chapter 2 tell us about how God looks In Romans 5:17, how comfortable do you feel about the connection between after the poor and needy? What can we learn from this story about God’s grace? the ideas of ‘God’s abundant provision of grace’ and ‘reigning in life through Jesus’? Does this fit with your experience? In what ways do you think you could function from the place of God’s abundant provision of grace more?
What does Paul think our response to sin should be under grace? Did you know that the grace of God is available to you to enable you not to sin (Romans 6:14)?
Day 24 〉 Grace towards Gentiles Day 12 〉 Grace towards Israel
Read 〉 1 Kings 17, 2 Kings 5, Luke 4:14-30 Read 〉 Romans 9-11 Contemplate 〉 How does Jesus interpret the miracles God performed for the Contemplate 〉 Given Paul’s extended discussion earlier in Romans about the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian who were both Gentiles? relationship between the Jews, the Law, the Gentiles and grace, why do you think he now talks about the salvation of the Jews? Why does Jesus emphasise how God has worked and will work amongst people that the Jews traditionally despised? Why is it surprising that the Gentiles have found salvation and the Jews have missed it? Why do you think this emphasis on God’s grace towards the Gentiles made the Jews in Nazareth so angry that they wanted to kill Jesus? Does the Jews failure to attain righteousness through faith mean that they will not be saved? How has the failure of the Jews meant grace for the Gentiles? What does this tell us about God’s grace towards those who are excluded or Does Paul think that the failure of the Jews puts them beyond the saving thought to be unfit for his attention? grace of God?
What is the relationship between the sternness and the kindness of God? Does God’s grace make him weak against sin?
How difficult is it for you to hold together in your mind that God is serious about dealing with unbelief and sin, but also that his grace is such that his ‘gifts and calling are irrevocable’ at the same time?
14 7 Day 13 〉 Grace is for transformation Day 21 〉 Grace towards Hagar
Read 〉 2 Corinthians 3:1-6:2 Read 〉 Genesis 16 Contemplate 〉 What does Paul say is the end product of the Law (letter)? How Contemplate 〉 How badly was Hagar treated by Sarai? How would she have felt did the Old Covenant bring condemnation and death? What is different about given her complete lack of control over her entire life situation? the New Covenant? What is its end result? God does not appear directly to Sarai until Genesis 18. How does God meeting Paul calls the Old Covenant, “transitory” and “passing away”. How does with Hagar in the desert after she has run away from Sarai show God’s grace he compare that to the New Covenant? Does the New Covenant provide towards outsiders? something lasting? If God is going to bless the entire world through Abraham (as per his promise in How does the New Covenant provide the resources for transformation of the Genesis 12), how is God’s instruction for Hagar to return to Sarai a form of grace human person? Both of the inner person and the body? How was this different even though it sounds like a bad idea? from the intentions of the Old Covenant? Where do you see God’s grace in this? What does the name Hagar gives God tell us about his nature towards those who feel ignored and trampled on?
Day 14 〉 Grace is for daily living Day 22 〉 Grace towards Ruth and Naomi
Read 〉 Galatians 1-6 Read 〉 Ruth 1-4 Contemplate 〉 Why does Paul get so upset by the Galatians ‘turning to a Contemplate 〉 Elimelech and his family leaving Israel was a form of covenant different gospel’? How are the Galatians turning away from the gospel? Why unfaithfulness, as was his sons taking Moabite wives. did Paul get so upset with the Apostle Peter (Cephas)? How does observing the law undermine the gospel of grace? How does God show grace towards Naomi despite not having a husband or sons to provide for her? What is unusual about the role Ruth plays in terms of Why does Paul describe observance of the Law as “a yoke of slavery” traditional gender roles in God’s faithfulness to Naomi? (Galatians 5:1)? What then is the freedom that he is talking about? How does God show grace towards Ruth as a foreigner? How does Ruth’s Bearing in mind that grace is given to us to deal with sin, and that sin does association with Naomi and decision that Naomi’s people would be her people, not negate grace, what then is a “fall from grace”? How is this phrase used and Naomi’s God would be her God, put her in a position that means the grace incorrectly in day-to-day speech? of the kinsman redeemer laws would come into play? How does Ruth show grace to Boaz? How does Paul say Christians should live instead of by the law? How do we keep from sin? What is the relationship between grace and the fruit of the What does this story tell us about God’s grace towards vulnerable women and Spirit? foreigners? What does it tell us about the unusual measures God will use to bless outsiders?
What does it tell us about God’s ability to use unusual people for his purposes given that Ruth became the ancestor of Jesus?
8 13 Day 20 〉 Grace towards the lost Day 15 〉 Grace in Jesus’ supremacy
Read 〉 Luke 15:1-32 Read 〉 Colossians 1:15-3:17 Contemplate 〉 What do these three parables tell us about the value God Contemplate 〉 How amazing is it that the fullness of the deity dwells in Christ, places on those that are lost? What is God’s heart towards the lost? and that Christ is in us? How much power has God put at our disposal in order to live a life pleasing to Him, and to achieve His purposes? How is this a different How do you feel about the way the Father treated the younger son in this approach to the Old Covenant which regulated behaviour by law? parable? Do you identify more with the younger son or the older son? How can philosophy, human traditions and elemental forces trap us? Why does Both sons were outside of the Father’s house, one is separated from his father Paul give examples of religious practises in Colossians 2:16-23 as things that can by wild living, the other by self-righteousness. How does the Father respond to trap us? Are there any religious practises that you engage in because you think each son? How does the Father show grace to both sons? they will make you more acceptable to God?
What does Paul instead say is the Christian way of living? Why is setting your heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the foundation for Christian living? What behaviours will flow out of that revelation?
GRACE TOWARDS OUTSIDERS Day 16 〉 Grace is better than the Law Read 〉 Hebrews 3:1-5:10 Sometimes it can be easy to think that God’s grace is only for certain people. Contemplate 〉 Why do you think the writer to the Hebrews compares Moses Sometimes it seems like some people get more blessings or are specially chosen, as servant of God with Jesus as the Son of God? What are they trying to say and that we only get the crumbs from the table. However the bible consistently about the two covenants? shows that God’s grace and love is for everyone, even those people that we think are outsiders. In the bible people who were on the outer included women— What point about grace is the writer making by talking about Sabbath rest? particularly those who could not conceive, foreigners and shepherds. Menahoth How does grace open the way to a Sabbath rest? How does it allow God’s 43b-44a in the Talmud obliges Jewish men “to say the following prayer every people to stop working? What do we need to do to enter into God’s rest? day: Thank you God for not making me a Gentile, a woman or a slave”. Who are the people we normally think of as outside God’s grace? How does Jesus’ humanity make him a fit priest? How does Jesus’ priesthood open the way for us to the throne of grace? Does it make a difference for how we pray to know that Jesus understands what it is like to be one of us, and has gone through the trials we go through?
12 9 GRACE FOR FORGIVENESS Day 18 〉 Grace in forgiveness for adultery and murder Read 〉 Psalm 51 One of the key issues that grace addresses is our need for forgiveness. We Contemplate 〉 What does David base his appeal to God for forgiveness have all done things we are not proud of, all done things that we hope no one on? Does David recite his previous good deeds or rely on God’s nature for ever finds out about, things that we hesitate to even tell our spouses. God his request for forgiveness? How does this show God’s grace at work in knows every single thing that we have done and every single thing that we will forgiveness? do. Our normal human reaction to knowledge of our sin is feelings of shame and running away and hiding from God. If we are going to live comfortably On whom does David rely for his cleansing? Is there anything in this passage before Him, knowing that He knows who and what we really are, then we need that suggests that David is able to cleanse himself from his sins? What does His grace, we need His forgiveness. David’s reliance on God for cleansing teach us about grace?
Day 17 〉 Grace in the blessings of forgiveness Day 19 〉 Grace has many benefi ts
Read 〉 Psalm 32 Read 〉 Psalm 103 Contemplate 〉 What does David identify as the state of being unforgiven? What Contemplate 〉 What seven things are promised as benefits of knowing God kind of life can you enjoy while living in sin? in the first 6 verses? Given that forgiveness of sins is the first of these items does that suggest that any of these benefits may be obtained through our own Where can you see “grace and truth” in this Psalm? While David pretended good behaviour? What then does this teach us about the blessings of knowing nothing was wrong how did events proceed? What was the tipping point that God? moved him from affliction to blessing? What characteristics of God does the Psalmist say were revealed to Moses? What does this Psalm say about God’s concern about how we live? What notes of the tenderness of a parent can you find in God’s response to David’s sin and In what ways does the Psalmist compare God to a compassionate father? repentance? What does the Psalmist say about humans? Do we amount to much? How then do we attain blessing?
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