Renovation of the Heart
The “Beyond Within” and the Way of Jesus
Introducing Spiritual Formation (1|4)
Pages 5-8
• The Revolution of Jesus
TOGETHER read the devotional and the scripture.
INDIVIDUALLY take notes in your journal on what stands out.
Psalm 51:1-12 (NIV) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Genesis 8:20-21 (NIV) Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Romans 5:12-14 (NIV) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned — To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
TOGETHER pray for one another.
INDIVIDUALLY answer the questions in your journal - process your devotional notes and pray.
John 4:14 (NIV) ”Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” How do you understand Jesus’ promise about the “water” he gives and about our never thirsting again? What does it mean for you practically? For others, you know?
“The greatest need you and I have - the greatest need of collective humanity - is renovation of our hearts. That spiritual place within us from which outlook, choices, and actions come has been formed by a world away from God. Now it must be transformed.”
What is your response to this statement?
“Sending out his trainees, Jesus set afoot a perpetual world revolution: one that is still in process and will continue until God’s will is done ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. As this revolution culminates, all the forces of evil known to humankind will be defeated and the goodness of God will be known, accepted, and joyously conformed to in every aspect of human life. He has chosen to accomplish this with and, in part, through his students.”
As followers of Jesus, we are also his trainees - he is the rabbi (teacher) and we are his students - what are ways we continue to spread his world revolution? What does God’s will done ‘on earth as it is in heaven” mean or look like to you?
“This revolution of Jesus is in the first place and continuously a revolution of the human heart or spirit. It did not and does not proceed by means of the formation of social institutions and laws, the outer forms of our existence, intending that these would then impose a good order of life upon people who come under their power. Rather, his is a revolution of character, which proceeds by changing people from the inside through ongoing personal relationship to God in Christ and to one another.”
In what ways have you seen or experienced social institutions and laws use human powers to transform the world?
In what ways have you seen or experienced a personal relationship with Jesus transforming a heart - a “revolution of character?”
“Churches are not the kingdom of God, but are primary and inevitable expressions, outposts, and instrumentalities of the presence of the kingdom among us. They are ‘societies’ of Jesus, springing up in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the farthest points on earth, as the reality of Christ is brought to bear on ordinary human life.”
What is your response to this statement? The church is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 21:2) not the kingdom of God - what is the difference?
EXTRA READING:
“Scripture says, Love your neighbor as yourself. And yet, you ask, ‘How can I love my neighbor as myself when I have things hidden in my heart which I cannot see, or even know?’ Do not consider virtues excessively difficult or unattainable, but at least a little effort and have confidence in God. If our brother or sister needs something, give it freely. By this we go up the ladder of righteousness one rung at a time, until finally, with God’s help, we reach the top. For through this repeated coming to your neighbor’s rescue, you do what is advantageous for both your neighbor and yourself.”
- Dorotheos of Gaza (505 - 565)