Shutupppp...

Have you ever been a part of big news...news that was HUGE...unbelievable news?!?!? I love watching the show Price Is Right on CBS at 11am each morning. Each Monday Lucas and I spend part of Daddy Day watching the huge prizes that people win...cars...trips...boats...cash! What I love most is watching how different people respond to the news...Some people's eyes get all big, some jump up and down, some kiss the host...whether he is up for it or not... But the one I love most is the shocked person...the one who can't find the words to say...they simply stand stunned by the news of their winnings... And when you think they won't ever speak again, they utter the words "Shutupppp....!" Why do I love this? A couple of reasons...First, it is usually the little old ladies that use this phrase which is just awesome. Second, it just sounds cooler than saying "Come On" or "Are You Kidding Me?"
On Sunday night, we traveled back to the basics...the idea that we can't earn God's love or acceptance...that we can't be saved by doing a bunch of good stuff. It is the idea that we are saved by what Jesus did on the cross, apart from anything we have done or can do...its grace....its amazingly simple, yet amazingly complex...
Just like the Galatians, we saw that we get this idea of grace and God's amazing love for us...but do we really GET it...? Have we come to our shutupppp moment?
For so many of us, we are still going through life trying to earn the acceptance and approval of God...wht is this concept of "Jesus + nothing" (Tullian Tchividjian) so hard for us to get? Part of the reason is that everything in life works in direct contradiction this this amazing truth...every relationship, activity, and event in life is marked by the idea of "do this or that and gain approval from this person or that person"...everything...accept one...the love of God...
Here is the deal...we were created for God...we sinned...(and still do)...we need a Savior...Jesus came...lived a perfect life...died for our sins....rose again three days later showing his defeat of sin and death....and we are called to believe this amazing truth and are promised it will change us forever.......that 's amazing....that's worth a "Shutupppp..."

Use these questions and scripture passages to help you go deeeper into this idea of God's love...

1. Take 20 minutes and read through the entire letter of Galatians...
- What are your thoughts?
- Do you see yourself in the struggles of the Galatians?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:21...simply stop and think about what is going on in this verse...think about the Great Exchange going on...does this excite you?

3. Read Galatians 2:16b...how do we become justifed (made right) with God? Why are we so prone to rule-keeping and trying to earn God's love through good living?

4. Read Galatians 2:21...What does our trying to earn God's love say about what Jesus did on the cross? Do you see now how it is offensive to think this way about earning God's love?

5. What are some ways that you make the equation "Jesus + ___________" in order to try and gain God's love and acceptance?

6. Why is it hard to accept the fact that we can't do anything to earn God's forgiveness...that we have to rely on Jesus?

7. Has this messed up your idea of the Christian faith at all? How? For the first time are you GETTING it?

Plan to come out this Thursday night to Matt & Amanda's at 7pm to discuss these things further in depth with one another...we hope to see you then!