Unit 1 Session 2 - Man-Centered vs God-Centered Living - Personal Study Guide (ESV)

8/13/2019 Unit 1 Session 2 - Man-Centered vs God-Centered Living - Personal Study Guide (ESV)

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2 TGP Personal Study Guide

THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE, WINTER 2013-14VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2

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SESSION 2

MAN-CENTERED VS.GOD-CENTERED LIVING

Have you ever wondered what is at the center of theuniverse? Whenever we consider our livesour universewe usually nd a center point around which everythingrevolves. It could be a relationship, a sport, a hobby, adream, or an idea. The center of our universe can be

something of grave importance or utter silliness.It probably goes without saying that most people place self at the

center of their personal universes. We do so by default. It is, after all, ournature to be selsh. But the big question is this: does the center of yourlife line up with what is at the center of the universe? In other words,does your center line up with the center?

This week we will contrast a man-centered view of the world with aGod-centered view of the world by taking a close look at the glory ofGod. We will see that the glory of God refers to Gods manifest work,His excellent reputation, and His inherent beauty. Then we will look athow the glory of God impacts our lives today and fuels our mission asChrists ambassadors.


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READY YOUR HEART

1WINTER 2013-14

Exodus 33:19-23 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name The LORD. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But, he said, you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in acleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.

I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU, but I wasnt a fan of learning vocabulary words while inschool. This was especially the case when it came to learning words that were difficultto dene and describe. For example, one day I was in a Physical Science class andone of the vocabulary words was air. At rst, I thought this is going to be easy, buton second thought, the task seemed a bit harder. Every time I started to write down adenition, I realized I wasnt explaining what air was; I was just explaining ways that Iexperienced it. I breathed it. I could feel it. I could smell it. But I really couldnt come upwith a denition of what it is. Simply saying that air is the gaseous matter that surroundsthe earth and is comprised of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide didnt seem like thecomplete denition. There is a lot more to air than just its substance.

Just like air, the glory of God can be a difficult thing to dene in just a few words. Its areal thing just like the air that we breathe. In fact, in Exodus 33:19-23, Moses experiencesthe glory of God. Part of what we learn from this is that Gods glory isnt just somethingthat we state in a sentence but something to be experienced by seeing His work, knowing

His character, and taking in His beauty. Just like air, there is much more to the glory of Godthan just a simple denition. As the Bible testies, its way far more than that!

DIFFICULT DEFINITIONS

PAUSE AND REFLECT Why is it important to know about the glory of God? How do you know about Gods glory? What are someexamples of where you see Gods glory?

How would you describe the glory of God to someone whodoesnt know about it?


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READY YOUR HEART

Exodus 34:5-9 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, TheLORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfastlove and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity andtransgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of thefathers on the children and the childrens children, to the third and the fourth generation. And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff- necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.

WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I liked to sit in the front of the classroom (yeah, I am thatguy). The reason being is that I can see the notes on the board, I can hear what theprofessor is saying, and it never hurts to show the professor that you care about whatis happening in the class. The only downside is that you cant get away with napping. Ihave never had a problem nding a seat in the front of a class, probably because mostlyeveryone likes sitting in the back of the room.

On one particular day I remember running late. Class had already begun and Ididnt want to be a distraction so I just grabbed a seat in the back of the room. I gotmy notebook out and started to take notes, but I noticed something strange. I couldntmake out the writing on the board. In all my time of sitting in the front of the class, I nevernoticed that my eyesight was getting worse because I was always sitting at the front.That afternoon, I got an appointment for an eye exam and ended up getting glasses.

I had no idea that my vision was off until I moved. Sometimes, the glory of Godcan be that way as well. There are times when we have a clear picture of it, but thensomething happens. And for whatever reason, we become distracted and lose focus onthe goodness and glory of God. What are we to do? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4 thatour corrective lenses come by focusing on the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.This means that the clearest picture of Gods glory is found by looking at Jesus. So if youare having difficulty seeing Gods glory, look to where it is clearestin the face of Jesus.

PAUSE AND REFLECT Have you experienced some vision loss of Gods glory? Ifso, explain why?In what ways does Jesus display Gods glory?

Take a moment and think about what Jesus did on thecross for you. Pray that God would open your eyes to seethe glory of His Son, Jesus.

VISION CORRECTION


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READY YOUR HEART

2WINTER 2013-14

2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, whowould put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of whatwas being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is ittaken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But whenone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spiritof the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of theLord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Forthis comes from the Lord who is the Spirit..

DONT RUN WITH SCISSORS! is what I should have yelled out to my friend severalyears ago. It all started out when a group of us was goong around with water balloonswhile we were decorating for Vacation Bible School. He was about to get nailed with aballoon, so all of a sudden he took off down the hallway holding a pair of fabric scissors.He missed the fact that the tile oor was soaked from the water balloon battle. As aresult, he slipped and ran smack into a door frame. In the process, his thumb slid downthe blade and was cut pretty deep. While it was pretty gross, thankfully it wasnta serious injury. After a trip to the Emergency Room, he left with a few stitches in histhumb. And after everything healed up, my friend had a really neat and interestingthumbprintit now had a line with dots down the side.

If my friend was going to be identied by his thumbprint, his thumbprint was nowdifferent in some respect. If this is the case, his identity changed, even if only a little. An

event in my friends life changed his identity by leaving a scar on his thumbprint. Likewise,Paul describes what happened to Moses in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. Moses was changedby the glory of God. And yet, its not just for Moses. Its for you and me as well! Paulwrites, ...looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed intothe same image from glory to glory... The impact of experiencing Gods glory results ina change of identity. We are being changed when we experience the glory of God. Andthe more we experience the glory of God the more transformed we will be.

CHANGING FINGERPRINTS

PAUSE AND REFLECT How do you think seeing more of Gods glory haschanged you?

Do you think others around you are able to tell if you aregrowing in personal transformation as you grow in yourwalk with Christ? Explain why or why not.


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Conclusion The glory of God isnt just an idea in a book onthe shelf. It matters on Tuesday morning when you are listening to yourteacher or taking a test. It matters when you are playing video games orwatching a movie with friends. In other words, it matters every day of theweek because Gods glory is to be pursued in everything we do. The gloryof God gives us a God-centered perspective and God-centered priorities.Living by and for Gods glory causes us to see lifes circumstances and thepeople around us through the lens of eternity. How can you mirror and reect Gods glory at this stage of

your life?

What are some signs thatyour life is becoming moreGod-centered rather thanman-centered?

His Inherent Beauty.In Exodus 33:20 God said to Moses, You cannotsee My face, for man shall not see me and live. Itwas the intention of God to show up in front of themountain. In His kindness, God wanted Moses toexperience glory without it overtaking his life. Andwhile the full force of Gods beauty is apparentlytoo much for a person to survive, what we do see inthis account is the fact that Gods inherent beautyis the radiant manifestation of His attributesand actions.

What aresome placespeople lookfor beauty andwonder? Howdo the traces ofbeauty in ourworld point usto the Creator?

What surprises youabout Gods responseto Moses request?How is Gods love angoodness on display His response?

His Transforming Grace.Gods glory mattersnot only for God, but alsofor who we are in Christ. The apostle Paul oftenused the phrase in Christ to describe who weare and how we are to live. Our salvation has itsorigination and completion in Jesus the Christ.Thats why its not enough to think about Godsglory in general. Weve got to look at Gods gloryin Christ in order to gain a proper understandingof our identity.

What is therelationshipbetween reectingGods glory andengaging in Hismission? Whatare some signs ofself-centeredness inyour life that keepyou from reectingGods glory?

Think about thename we bearChristian. Whatdoes this namecommunicate?What should itcommunicate? Inwhat ways oughtour life be differentbecause of thisname?


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ENCORE

1. HIS MANIFEST WORK (EX. 33:19-23; 34:5-9).

When Moses asked to be a witness to Gods glory, the Lord gave an odd answer: He said, I willmake all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name Te LORD. And I

will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Ex.33:19).Moses asked to see Gods glory, but God described something different than what we might haveexpected. First, God reveals to Moses that a description of His glory is found in His character, in

who He is. In other words, Gods glory is the physical representation of Gods perfect character. When Moses asked to see Gods glory, the Lords response was this: I will make all my goodnesspass before you (Ex. 33:19). But goodness as a character trait cannot be seen unless it is expressed.Gods glory is dened in His manifest work. It is the representation of His character through Hisactivity.

When we want to know about Gods glory, we often try to picture something intangible. ButGods goodness is not an ethereal light. It is rooted in reality. Gods glory and goodness is workedout in the life of eternity and in the dirt of earth. Glory is made known in the manifest work ofGod. Te glory of God is most easily distinguished for us through His work. It is tangible. In 34:6-7, the Lord indicated that His glory is expressed through His love and justice. Te work of God isthe expression of Gods character through His perfect execution of love and truth. We experienceGods glory in every activity of His work.

2. HIS EXCELLENT REPUTATION (EX. 33:19; 34:5).

Te second description of Gods glory is in the proclamation of His name. In the ancient world, amans name held great meaning. Even today, in Eastern cultures, people are often given a name thatsignies something of their family lineage or their parents hope for the person they will become. Ina word or two, a persons name represents ones public reputation.

At the request by Moses to reveal His glory, God passed by the place where Moses was hidden anddeclared something specic: His name. In both 33:19 and 34:5, God spoke the name Yahweh asHe passed by. It was the description of His own self to Moses.

Names are normally just that... a name, a moniker, the word you call something. But with God,

His name expressed something of His glory. Te name Yahweh is a derivative of the Hebrew verbto be. At its essence, by attributing this name to Himself, God was expressing the idea that Heis self-existent. In other words, no one and nothing else created Him or caused Him to come intobeing. Yahweh is eternal by His own power.

Te name communicated that Gods glory is eternal, His power is self-sustaining, and He iseverlasting. Te name Yahweh sets Him apart from all of the false gods of our own imaginationsand the weaknesses of this world.

MAN-CENTERED VS. GOD-CENTERED LIVINGGods glory is revealed in...

by Philip Nation


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2WINTER 2013-14

ENCORE

3. HIS INHERENT BEAUTY (EX. 33:20; EZEK. 1:28).

Bright light is what most people think about when they consider the phrase the glory of God. It isthe idea that God is clothed in unbearable brightness in heavens throne room. o some extent, thatview of Gods glory has some merit to it.

In Exodus 33:20 God said to Moses, You cannot see My face, for man shall not see me and live.It was the intention of God to show up in front of the mountain. In His kindness, God wantedMoses to experience glory without it overtaking his life. Te full force of Gods beauty is apparentlytoo much for a person to survive.

Te glory of God cannot be witnessed unless God is actually present. His inherent beauty is theradiant manifestation of Gods attributes and actions. Terefore, He shows up. Glory is not just anideal. It is found in Gods arrival, His presence.

4. HIS TRANSFORMING GRACE (2 COR. 3:12-18).

Gods glory mattersnot only for God, but also for who we are in Christ. Te apostle Paul oftenused the phrase in Christ to describe who we are and how we are to live. Our salvation has itsorigination and completion in Jesus the Christ. Tats why its not enough to think about Godsglory in general. Weve got to look at Gods glory in Christ in order to gain a proper understandingof our identity.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul taught that when a person moves from the Law tothe grace of Christ, the veil is removed. Trough faith, they can fully see and experience the effectsof Gods reputation in action, His work on their behalf, and His beauty in their lives. Even more,they become a mirror for others to see Gods glory as well. Te glory of God at work in the life of aChristian brings freedom (v. 17).

Our identity is now different. Before, we were spiritually blind. Now, we are mirrors for theradiance of God. Before, we were dead in sin. Now, we are being transformed into the image ofChrist (v. 18). Believers need to understand the glory of God so that we can understand our identityin Christ. He shares His being with the Father and now shares their glory with us.

CONCLUSION

Te glory of God isnt just an idea in a book on the shelf. It matters on uesday morning whenyou are listening to your teacher or taking a test. It matters when you are playing video games or

watching a movie with friends. In other words, it matters every day of the week because Gods gloryis to be pursued in everything we do. Because God has graciously moved us from being a slave to theLaw to a child in His family, we are reectors of His glory. You can search the entire Bible and ndthat there are no exception clauses as to when the reecting is done. If you are in Christ, you are amirror, an ambassador, a carrier of Gods glory.

So what is your response to this incredible news? Te glory of God should instead give us a God-centered perspective and God-centered priorities. Living by and for Gods glory causes us to see lifescircumstances and the people around us through the lens of eternity. Difficult circumstances arenot temporary interruptions to our lives but potential platforms and scenery for Gods glory to shinethrough us.

Unit 1 Session 2 - Man-Centered vs God-Centered Living - Personal Study Guide (ESV)

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