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V.8 Session 1 THE GOSPEL PROJECT Personal Study Guide ESV CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMER 2017 SUMMER A.D. B.C. Volume 8 SUMMER 2017: Personal Study Guide ESV Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor God’s Word to You A Summary of the Bible In the beginning, the all-powerful, personal God created the universe. This God created human beings in His image to live joyfully in His presence, in humble submission to His gracious authority. But all of us have rebelled against God and, in consequence, must suffer the punishment of our rebellion: physical death and the wrath of God. Thankfully, God initiated a rescue plan, which began with His choosing the nation of Israel to display His glory in a fallen world. The Bible describes how God acted mightily on Israel’s behalf, rescuing His people from slavery and then giving them His holy law. But God’s people—like all of us—failed to rightly reflect the glory of God. Then, in the fullness of time, in the Person of Jesus Christ, God Himself came to renew the world and to restore His people. Jesus perfectly obeyed the law given to Israel. Though innocent, He suffered the consequences of human rebellion by His death on a cross. But three days later, God raised Him from the dead. Now the church of Jesus Christ has been commissioned by God to take the news of Christ’s work to the world. Empowered by God’s Spirit, the church calls all people everywhere to repent of sin and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. Repentance and faith restores our relationship with God and results in a life of ongoing transformation. The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will return to this earth as the conquering King. Only those who live in repentant faith in Christ will escape God’s judgment and live joyfully in God’s presence for all eternity. God’s message is the same to all of us: repent and believe, before it is too late. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved. A Word from the Editors Ed Stetzer General Editor—The Gospel Project Professor, Billy Graham Distinguished Chair, Wheaton College Who is Jesus? Ask that question, and depending on your context, you will get a plethora of responses, many of which will likely mirror the person giving the answer. It seems, in general, that we like the thought of Jesus being just like us and concerned about the same things that concern us. But the best and right answers will come from God’s Word, which reveals Jesus as He should be known—the Son of God, the promised Messiah-King, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. In the Gospels we read about Jesus’ many “Stories and Signs.” In the stories, Jesus teaches; in the signs, Jesus demonstrates. As a preacher, teacher, or even reader of these parts of the Gospels, we always come away with the thoughts I should be like that or I wish I could have seen that. We are inspired and challenged by these words and deeds that come from our Savior. Yet when Jesus is telling a parable about the kingdom or giving an example to follow, He’s doing more than coaching behavior; He’s teaching about who He is—the kingdom has come with Him, and He is the One we follow. When Jesus is performing a miracle, He’s doing more than putting on a show; He’s showing who He is—the very Son of God who comes in glory and power. This Jesus is worthy of worship in our lives, in our churches, and among all the peoples of the earth. Trevin Wa x Managing Editor—The Gospel Project Author of multiple books, including Gospel-Centered Teaching, Counterfeit Gospels, Clear Winter Nights, and This Is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel Stories and miracles. The Gospels give us plenty of both, with Jesus as the master storyteller and miracle-worker. Through His memorable parables and through His mighty works, Jesus painted a picture of the coming kingdom. It’s like a sower scattering seed, like a father rushing to embrace his prodigal son, like judgment coming upon unfaithful servants. The kingdom upends the evil and darkness of our world by healing people of illness, providing food for the hungry, casting out demons, and even raising people from the dead. The life of heaven is on display in both Jesus’ words and works. As you encounter the stories and miracles of Jesus in this volume, keep an open mind and heart to the Spirit’s leading. Let the words and works of our Savior astound you. Put yourself in the scene and experience afresh the power of what Christ has done. Then look to the lost world around you and recommit to passing on the message of our miracle-working Savior. EDITORS About the Writers Unit 1: The Gospel Project® Ed Stetzer (sessions 1-2) holds the Billy Graham Adult Personal Study Guide ESV Volume 5, Number 4 Summer 2017 Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism and is the Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources for Evangelism at Wheaton College. He serves as the general editor for The Gospel Project and is the author of numerous Ed Stetzer General Editor books, including Transformational Groups and Compelled. Trevin Wax Managing Editor Trevin Wax (sessions 3-6) is managing editor for Daniel Davis The Gospel Project and author of several books, including Content Editor Gospel-Centered Teaching and This Is Our Time: Everyday Josh Hayes Myths in Light of the Gospel. He has served in pastoral roles Content and Production Editor in churches in the United States and Romania. He and his Ken Braddy wife, Corina, have three children. Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Unit 2: Director, Groups Ministry Leslie Hudson (sessions 7-8) is living her life calling to Send questions/comments to: let others know the full riches of Jesus Christ (Col. 2:2-3) by Managing Editor, teaching, speaking, and writing about God’s Word and its The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; power. She and her husband, David, live with their children or make comments on the Web at in White Bluff, Tennessee, where she works with Youth and www.lifeway.com. Women’s ministries at First Baptist Church, Dickson. Printed in the United States of America D. A. Horton (sessions 9-10) currently serves as a The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide ESV (ISSN 2330-9393; Item 005573553) is published pastor at Reach Fellowship, a church plant in North Long quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Beach, California, and as the Chief Evangelist for UYWI. Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. He is also working toward his PhD in Applied Theology For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com, at Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife, Elicia, have or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, three children, Izabelle, Lola, and Damon Jr (aka Duce). One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk Vance Pitman (sessions 11-13) is senior pastor of shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5933, Hope Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also serves or write to the above address. with the North American Mission Board as a national We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mobilizer, engaging and mobilizing pastors to plant more mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To churches. He and his wife, Kristie, have four children review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit Jordan Smith www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. and one son-in-law. Fellow pastors and Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are Tom McCormick assisted in writing these sessions. taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. WRITERS Table of Contents Suggested for the week of Unit 1: Jesus the Storyteller June 4 10 Session 1 The Sower and the Soils June 11 19 Session 2 The Unmerciful Servant June 18 28 Session 3 The Good Samaritan June 25 37 Session 4 The Father of Two Lost Sons July 2 46 Session 5 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector July 9 55 Session 6 The Wicked Tenants Unit 2: Jesus the Miracle-Worker July 16 65 Session 7 Jesus Turns Water to Wine July 23 74 Session 8 Jesus Provides Bread from Heaven July 30 83 Session 9 Jesus Walks on Water August 6 92 Session 10 The Greater Miracle of Forgiveness August 13 101 Session 11 The Gadarene Demoniac August 20 110 Session 12 Jesus Heals a Woman and Raises a Girl August 27 119 Session 13 Jesus Raises Lazarus THE GOSPEL PROJECT CHRONOLOGICAL A Journey Through the Storyline of Scripture Fall 2015 The Story Begins God the Creator (Genesis 1–11) God the Covenant-Maker (Genesis 12–50) Winter 2015-16 God Delivers God the Redeemer (Exodus) God the Lawgiver (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) Spring 2016 The Promised Land God the Savior (Numbers, Joshua) God the Judge (Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel) Summer 2016 A Kingdom Established God the King (1–2 Samuel) God All Wise (1 Kings, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) Fall 2016 Prophets and Kings God the Revealer (1–2 Kings, Isaiah) God the Pursuer (Prophets, 2 Chronicles) 6 Winter 2016-17 Exile and Return God the Sustainer (Daniel, Ezra) God the Provider (Esther, Nehemiah, Malachi) Spring 2017 The Rescue Begins God the Son (Gospels) God Among Us (Gospels) Summer 2017 Stories and Signs Jesus the Storyteller (Synoptic Gospels) Jesus the Miracle-Worker (Gospels) Fall 2017 Jesus Saves Jesus the Savior (Gospels) Jesus the Risen King (Gospels, Acts) Winter 2017-18 The Church on Mission The Spirit Who Empowers (Acts) The God Who Sends (Acts) Spring 2018 Letters to God’s People The God Who Directs His People (Epistles) The God Who Changes Us (Epistles) Summer 2018 Come, Lord Jesus God’s Prisoner (Acts, Epistles) The God Who Makes All Things New (Epistles, Revelation) 7 How to Use The Gospel Project Session 5 Session Jesus taught this doctrine of justification by faith.
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