CG Coaching for Week #6 - 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2
Sunday, July 12th - Pastor Kyle Van Tine - "Compelled by Christ's Love"
Many times, we are blind to the motivations of our own heart - fame, money, power, acceptance, love, shame, guilt… the list could go on for a while. God knows. God sees our heart, piercing its depths and seeing the very attitudes and motives that drive our outward actions. Paul knows what motivates him. He is motivated by fearful awe and love for God because he has been stripped of being motivated by the things this world offers. Paul understands that he is deeply known by an infinite God. Paul knows that his sin separates him from his Creator and that his sin destines him for God’s just wrath. God is not impressed by the things people are impressed with - gifts, accomplishments, knowledge, eloquence. We cannot reconcile and make peace with God ourselves through anything we do, no matter how impressive we think they are. Instead, God did it all Himself. God fixed it. He created a way for us, sinners destined for justice from a just God, to be reconciled to Him. By our repentance and faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we are made free from shame and guilt. Free from alienation from God. Free from eternal condemnation. We are people who are motivated by the good news that Christ paid the cost for us so we can live in peace with God. We are freed from bondage to the worldly idols that used to motivate us and can, instead, live a deeply revolutionary life, a reconciled life, fueled by a missionary heart. We are a new creation filled with wondrous new desires. The controlling force in our lives is now Christ, who compels us to see beyond the shallow self-filled life, and who gives us rest in the joy of a God-centered life. Out of the desires of our new life, we can use our spiritual eyes to look past the external image people around us strive to maintain, to look deeply at them as souls known by God and in need of a Savior.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Romans 5:10-11 and Romans 12:1-2.
The gospel is transforming; our thoughts and deeds are changing. We have been given Christ’s perfect righteousness, counted by God as belonging to us.
What kinds of motivations have you seen that cause people to get involved in church?
How does the knowing that we will be accountable to Jesus as our Judge motivate us to live sincere and holy lives?
Because Jesus loved us and died for us, He has given us the Holy Spirit and the ability to begin to die to our sinful self. How have you died to yourself so that you can live for Jesus? What areas of your sinful life need to die this week and what will it look like to live for Jesus in those areas?
How does knowing you don’t need to impress God or earn His approval and affection liberate you to live for Him?
How does recognizing others as souls change how you see people in your life, both the easy and difficult?
How will you live as an Ambassador of Jesus and His Kingdom this week? (Practically – Who will you serve? Who will you pray for? Who will you meet with?)
Recommended Reading: Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller
