DISCIPLE

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ONE TO ONE
MULTIPLYING CHANGE

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 GETTING STARTED
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 XCHANGE OVERVIEW

XCHANGE OVERVIEW
the purpose of discipleship
An investment intended for others
You are about to experience a journey of discipleship that will not only make an
impact on your life, but also on others. When Paul invested into his young disciple, 2 timothy 2:2
Timothy, the expectation was clear: “And the things you have heard me say in the
presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

The true goal of discipleship

Discipleship is more than getting more information from or about the Bible. Rather,
your journey as a disciple is about taking the truth you learn and personalizing it
to your life to bring about constant life change and growth. The reason for growing 2 Corinthians 3:18
spiritually is that we are “being transformed into Christ’s likeness.”

That means that the more we grow, the more we become like Christ. The more we become like Christ, the more
effective we will be at accomplishing God’s intention for us on earth.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —
his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:12

For each session of Xchange, you’ll have assignments. An important measurable in the life of a disciple is
faithfulness. This means that you are challenged to be consistent with the work required to be a disciple. The more
you spend time prepping, the more you’ll get out of the experience. To give you an idea of how to navigate through
Xchange, you’ll find some helpful information on the following page.

Dig deep as a disciple. Ask God to lead you every step of the way. The journey is never finished. Take what is
invested in you and pour into someone else. And as a result, God’s work in us will impact countless others.

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NAVIGATING
Each chapter of Xchange has a number of components (Extras, Film/Intro, Worksheet, etc.). At first, these layers might
seem a bit overwhelming, but after experiencing a couple of chapters, you’ll see the pattern and easily find the rhythm.
As you’re getting started, the Sequence is designed to help navigate through the moving parts of each chapter.

Go to the Xchange website (smallcircle.com), navigate to the FILM(S) for your current chapter OR read the INTRO
of the chapter. (With some chapters, there are additional artistic films online.)

Complete the WORKSHEET (this can be done all at once or a little each day).

Memorize the SCRIPTURE verse in the DISCIPLE GUIDE. Try writing or typing out the verse and keep it in a location
where you’ll consistently see it.

There are extra Bible verses and sometimes additional resources suggested in the OPTIONAL READING section in
the DISCIPLE GUIDE.

Journaling has become a lost art, but it is a powerful discipline. A space (STORY) to write is found on the final page
of the WORKSHEET. The STORY STARTERS section in the DISCIPLE GUIDE will give you some ideas of how to start,
if needed.

During the weeks leading up to your meeting, use the THINGS TO PRAY FOR section in the DISCIPLE GUIDE to pray
specifically. Do not underestimate the power of prayer.

Be ATTENTIVE to God’s steering in your life - this comes in prayer, in study, through the Holy Spirit.

PERSONALIZE what you’re learning. Be prepared to have a conversation with your disciplemaker about what is
happening in your personal life with God, others, etc.

begin with intro or film worksheet memory verse

prayer

optional journal pay personalize

reading story attention

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ZERO ORIGIN
DISCIPLE GUIDE
story starters
Suggested story starters:
Here are some of the ways that I see God’s image in me …
One of my greatest obstacles in my relationship with God is …

memory verse
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

OPTIONAL READING
John 17:24, 1 Corinthians 8:3, 1 John 4:16, Psalm 139:13-18, Psalm 136:26, Acts 17:24-29, Romans 8:29, 1 John
4:8, Job 10:9-12, Psalm 71:6, Psalm 104:24, Psalm 100:3, Isaiah 64:8

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Pray that God will open your reasoning and passion (mind and heart) to receive what he intends for you as
you start this discipleship experience.
• Ask God for a new understanding of your purpose in life.
• Thank God for the miracle of creating you and for the intimate knowledge he has of your personal life.
• Pray that God will expand your appreciation of other people – that they have also been created in his image
and are deeply valued.

BEFORE MOVING ON
Do you have a sense of the purpose of why you have been created?

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ZERO ORIGIN
INTRODUCTION
everything has a beginning.
Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

Understanding a beginning is critical because it provides the answer to the question Why. Examining a beginning
often reveals the mind of the inventor.

Like all things, the human race had a beginning. Understanding the heart of the Creator and his reason for making
us will allow us to answer the question Why. Returning to that moment in history where the first human being was
created is essential for us to be able to unearth the reason we are on the planet.

When you look at the left edge of a ruler, the numbers begin with zero, not the number one. The beginning of the human
race is found on the very first page of the Bible. In Genesis chapter 1, we see God creating the first human being, Adam.

let’s call this zero origin.

At Zero Origin, God, the Creator, expresses the purpose for creating humans. God speaks these words, “Let us make
man in our image.” Although this is a profound statement, let’s keep things as simple as possible as we launch this
discipleship journey. At the very essence of God’s statement, we find that at the core of his image, God is relational.

Genesis 1:26
we are created in this relational image of god.
As you start to read the Bible, beginning with God and Adam, you’ll see a pattern repeated from start to finish: God
expressing a deep desire to have relationships between us and him, and for us to have relationships with each
other. And not just any relationships, but spiritual and close relationships.

The ultimate evidence of this reality is found in the life of Jesus Christ. As an example of the relational image of God
in which we are created, the gospel writer, John, paints a picture of the relationship between Jesus and the Father.
John begins his story like this: In the beginning (just as the Bible begins) was the Word (the name for Jesus) … and
the Word was with God.
John 1:1

The picture unfolds as we discover the depth of the relationship that Jesus and the Father had before Adam was
given his first breath. And as you travel further in an understanding of the Bible, you’ll see that God is one, and yet
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

as profound as this truth is, the simple thought is that at his very core,
god is relational.
Jesus made the ultimate relational move. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” We do not have a
God who distanced himself from the human race that he created. Without a doubt, the consistent picture of God’s
image throughout history is a God who puts forth every effort to be closely relational with us.

John 1:14

So how does that answer our question: Why were we created? When we are told that we are created in God’s image,
our purpose is defined.

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we are created to be relAtional just like god.

this is why we have been made. this is why we are on the planet.
John records a prayer of Jesus as he nears the end of his life. Christ includes us at this critical intersection as he
prays for those who will believe in the future. In this prayer, our purpose on earth is once again underscored. He
could have prayed for many things for us, but the fact is, he only prayed for one thing: for us to be relational.

Father, I pray that they will be one … just as you and

I, Father, are one. And I pray that they will be in us.
john 17:21

His prayer for us is all about close, spiritual relationships. Jesus is praying that we will live out the reason for
our existence.

this reason that christ desires this for our lives is that he fully knows that if we are
not living in close, spiritual relationships, then life becomes meaningless.
Life becomes without purpose, it becomes stale.

When we are living the way God created us to live, that’s when the jazz happens. That’s when we come alive. That’s
when all of life begins to make sense. That’s why Christ prayed it! He is saying to the Father: “I want them to understand
the jazz, the life, the adventure.” And when we’re in close relationship, that is exactly what we will experience.

and it all began in one place ... at THE very beginNing ... zero origin.

notes

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ZERO ORIGIN
WORKSHEET
Trying to imagine what was happening with God before the creation of the world would be like trying to count all the
grains of sand on every shore around the globe. Some things are simply beyond our human capacity.

BUT WE DO GET GLIMPSES.

We’re told that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Problem: we don’t know the content any of
those conversations with the Father. But there is one prayer that we actually do get to overhear. This prayer is near
the end of Jesus’ life and it is an incredible gift that the writer, John, gives to us.

In this prayer, Jesus gives us a glance of ‘pre-creation’ – that is, what happened before God spoke the world into
existence. What’s the big deal about knowing what happened before the world began? It’s actually a very big deal.

MAINLY, JESUS GIVES US INSIGHT INTO

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIM AND THE FATHER.
John 17:5 John 17:24
Describe the relationship between Jesus and the Father before creation:

Luke 3:21-22
Now let’s think about the space of time when Jesus was on the planet. How does the Father describe his relationship
with Christ?

john 16:28
Now we get to see a picture of a full circle. Describe what you see.

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Are you getting a clear sense of the image of this relationship that is fused with the Father and Jesus? This is the
spiritual, genetic code that is within you. You were created in the likeness of God – that is, to be like God.

“Then God said, let us make man

in our image, in our likeness.”
genesis 1:26

YOU WERE CREATED TO BE A RELATIONAL BEING.

It is not uncommon for adopted children to search out their biological parents. The reason is simple – they are
connecting with their origin to further explain who they are.

Country singer, Faith Hill, was an adopted child and later made the decision to locate her biological parents. In an
interview, Faith said that one of the reasons for the search was to discover where her passion for music came from.
She also said that at their meeting, as her birth mother was walking towards her, she recognized her own walk.

THE PURSUIT OF OUR PAST SHEDS LIGHT ON OUR PRESENT.

Jesus was asked to identify the most important part of Scriptures. He obviously had a lot of places he could
have chosen.

Matthew 22:34-40

In terms of who you were created to be, why does Jesus’ answer make so much sense?

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near the end of Jesus’ life, he prayed for us

“my prayer is not for them alone (his disciples). i pray

also for those who will believe in me through
their message (us), that all of them may be one,
father, just as you are in me and i am in you.
may they also be in us so that the world may
believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21
What 2 relationships does Jesus pray for?

Why do you think the one thing Jesus prays for is for us to be in relationships?

in the likeness of god. you were created to be relational.

the greatest commandments have to do with relationshIps.
the only thing jesus prays for us to have is relationships.
How does this change your view of yourself?

How does that affect the way you look at the world around you?

The relationship between Jesus and the Father wasn’t casual – it was long-term and close. We’re all created to
have this kind of relationship. But consider this statement: Nobody can have this with everybody, but everybody
can have it with somebody. What are your thoughts on this?

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story

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second zero
DISCIPLe GUIDE
Story starters
Suggested story starters:
• Create a list where you noticed God – places, people, events, private times with God, etc. Try to be specific.
• Try writing out simple prayers in your own words.
• God, the struggles that make it difficult to get away with you are ...

memory verse
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with
loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

OPTIONAL READING
Ezekiel 34:16, Titus 3:3-6, 1 Peter 1:3, John 1:12-13, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 19:1-4, Luke 15:3-7, Isaiah 40:11, Luke
19:10, Habakkuk 2:20, Psalm 83:18, Luke 5:16

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Ask God for discipline in consistency – in prayer, time in the Bible, worship, etc.
• Ask God to help you take inventory of your schedule. Are you overloaded? Do you even have time for God in
the everyday rhythm of your life? Are there things that God might want to eliminate?
• Choose a Scripture verse and use the words as a basis for your prayer.
• Pray that you will have sensitivity to see God’s involvement in your everyday life.

BEFORE MOVING ON
Are you enjoying time with God? Are you spending time with him consistently? Do you sense that God is still
pursuing you? What are the ways that you are consistently tuning in to God speaking into your life?

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second zero
INTRODUCTION Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

the most life changing intersection that a human being can experience
is spiritual birth.
Jesus spoke clearly of the indispensable need of experiencing a second birth, a spiritual birth. Those who heard
this teaching were perplexed.
John 3:4

In the previous session (0.1), the focus was on the start of the human race beginning with the creation of the first
human being, Adam (Zero Origin). Now, we turn to your own personal timeline. Your personal, earthly timeline
begins at the moment you were conceived and ends when you take your last breath. The Bible clearly explains that
our days are on earth are limited and numbered.
Job 14:5

jesus revealed that our existence has a duality: physical life and
spiritual life.
At some point on the physical timeline of our lives, there is an opportunity to experience a second birth, a spiritual
birth. Let’s refer to this as the Second Zero (a second origin).

During the prenatal (pre-birth) period, our bodies are being formed at every level – our organs, our frame, and so on.
That preparation time is critical for physical health. The preparation for spiritual birth is similar to the preparation
for physical birth. God prepares us before we experience spiritual birth.

Solomon penned these words: “God has set eternity in the hearts of men.” This profound reality means that we
have this chromosome, a spiritual chromosome, that God brilliantly put in us to whet our appetite for the spiritual
world. We have been given an inner sense that God implants in each of us. It is the instinct that he exists and that
there is more to life than the physical world.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

This is why we search for something beyond the physical life. And at the same time we follow our instincts toward
spiritual life, God pursues us. He is constantly drawing us to himself. The preparation for spiritual birth (The Second
Zero) is the combination of the instinct of eternity within us and God drawing us to himself.

A challenge that we face is the noise of life. Busyness and clutter have a way of eclipsing spiritual life and our
relationship with God. Connecting with God requires that we tune out the chaos of life in order to tune in to the
spiritual dimension. And that is often a challenge.
Have you ever heard an orchestra warming up? It sounds like absolute chaos. And then, one single, solitary note
(typically from the oboe) begins to penetrate the jumble. This is a sound that orchestra players are accustomed to
listen for. It’s called the tuning note. All the chaos subsides and the players tune to that one distinct note.

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the voice of god is like that tuning note, consistently penetrating the
chaos of life around us in order to lead us to experience the second birth.
Here’s a sobering reality: unless we experience this second zero, Jesus said that we cannot see the kingdom of
God. Remember, life is not all about our physical existence. Life has everything to do with our spiritual existence.

Physical life ends. But spiritual life goes on forever. For that reason, the second zero – spiritual birth - is the most
critical intersection of your life.

Jesus revealed this truth: “No one can come to me unless

they are drawn by the Father.”
are you listening? are you tuned in?
god’s tuning note is playing. he is drawing us to experience the second zero.

notes

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second zero
WORKSHEET
you did not choose me
but i chose you.
john 15:16
So much emphasis is placed on us making a decision to follow God – and rightly so – it is the single most important
decision that we can ever make in this lifetime. But here is a reality that cannot be overlooked – before we ‘chose’
God, he chose us. As we pursue God, the truth of the matter is that God pursues us way before we pursue him.

The point of this chapter, Second Zero, is to consider how it is that we, as physical human beings, can connect with
a spiritual being like God.

Let’s take a look at this pursuit in the lives of 3 people in the Bible who ultimately followed God with great passion.

MOSES Exodus 3:1-10

GIDEON Judges 6:1-14
PETER Luke 5:1-11

Make some observations about these encounters with God in the following areas:
• Were they taken by surprise or had they expected God to show up?

• Did they feel that they deserved God’s invitation or did they feel unworthy?

• Were they surrounded by life-as-usual, or was God tapping them because of a dire need?

• Were they pursuing God when God showed up?

• Were they doing something noble when God called them ... or doing their everyday work?

Pull together the similiarities from each of the encounters these men had with God. Write about them and how they align
with your own encounter with God.

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For you created

my inmost being
you knit me together in my mother’s womb
I praise you because
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
your works are wonderful
I know that full well
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth
your eyes saw my unformed body
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be
psalm 139:13-16

God knows us before our birth

As mind-blowing as this might seem, God not only knows us before we are born – but he has a purpose already designed.

Jeremiah 1:4-5, Isaiah 49:1

How do these words give you a sense that you are part of a bigger story?

One search ignites another

As we become aware of God’s pursuit of us, something ignites within us-
an appetite to search for God and find him.

if you seek the Lord your God, you will find him
if you look for him with all your heart
and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29

My soul doesn’t crave something from God. My soul craves God.

and by the way, so does yours.
Erwin McManus, Soul Cravings

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Take some time:

Describe your experience in realizing God’s pursuit of you and explain how that kindled your search for him.

the second zero

Jesus introduces the need for us to experience a Second Zero – a second birth. Our first birth was
John 3:5-8 physical – our second birth is spiritual.
God pursues us and our response is trusting in his finished work on the cross, confessing that we are sinners,
repenting of our sins (turning from our old lives towards God), and committing ourselves to follow him with
allegiance. When we have a faithful faith, God ignites in us a second birth.

John 1:12-13
Rewrite these words in a personalized way, as if God is writing it to you.

eternal life
John 17:3
When most people think of ‘eternal life’, they envision heaven and the after-life. Jesus redefines eternal life for us in
John 17:3. Reflect back to Zero Origin (0.1) and think about who God is at his very core (hint: we’ve been created in
this image). How does Jesus’ definition align with that image?

order
Let’s return to where we started: Before we pursued God, he pursued us.
We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19
Why does this make so much sense, considering what you know about God?

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story

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no exceptions
DISCIPLE GUIDE
Story starters
Suggested story starters:
• God, I’m sorry for …
• I need God’s forgiveness because …
• When I think of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the thing I’m most thankful for is…
• God, my appreciation is deepening for ...

memory verse
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity
of us all. Isaiah 53:6

OPTIONAL READING
Romans 3:21-27, Romans 3:9-18, 1 John 1:8, Psalm 51:1-17, Romans 8:1-4, John 3:18, Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians
5:21, Philippians 3:7-9. In addition to the optional Scripture verses, Andy Stanley has written an excellent book that
is quite short entitled How Good Is Good Enough?

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and allow God to search your heart for any hidden sin.
• Read 1 Corinthians 10:13 and ask God for strength to fight the temptations that you face.
• Thank God daily for the cross and the amazing plan of salvation that has been given.
• Make a daily habit of confessing sin - big or small - and develop a regular pattern of keeping open
communication between you and God.

BEFORE MOVING ON
Do you feel that there are any attempts in your life to win God’s favor? Is there an open communication between
you and God in the area of confession of sin? Are you completely dependent on Christ for forgiveness and for your
relationship with God?

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no exceptions
INTRODUCTION Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

GRAVITY IS A force that is beyond our control.

In regards to gravity, here is a short list of glaringly indisputable realities:

• No one can flip a switch and turn gravity off.

• Gravity was not a human invention.
• We cannot see gravity, we can only see its effects.
• We refer to the law of gravity, there’s no choice whether to comply or not, we are bound to it.
• No one is unaffected by gravity. There are no exceptions.

In our spiritual lives, there is also a force of gravity that shares the components of physical gravity, and like physical
gravity, there are no exceptions. No one is unaffected. What are we talking about? Sin. It’s a word that many people
neither want to talk about nor hear about.

But the fact is that the force of spiritual gravity, sin, is very real. The gravitational force of sin also impacts the world
collectively. All of us together, bottled up on this planet, feel the gravitational pull en masse.

Have you ever noticed that we are defined by what we do? A person who swims is called a swimmer. A person who
acts is called an actor. But when it comes to sin, it’s the opposite.

WE ARE NOT SINNERS BECAUSE WE SIN. WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS.

THIS IS A CRITICAL DISTINCTION.
psalm 51:5
No one has ever had to teach us how to sin. David delivers this truth, “Surely I
was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Job asked this
profound question: “What is man that he could be pure, or born of a woman that he
could be righteous?” job 15:14
We’re stuck with spiritual gravity just like we’re stuck with physical gravity. Here’s why: When Adam and Eve
disobeyed God, something happened so mysterious that no one can completely comprehend it.

SIN WENT VIRAL. THE FALLOUT WAS SPIRITUALLY NUCLEAR.

It’s mind-boggling that every individual born on the planet after that dreadful moment in the garden became
sinners. We were all infected with sinful nature. In fact, the Bible delivers this straight
forward reality: “Through the disobedience of one man (Adam), the many, (the entire ROMANS 5:19
human race), were made sinners.”

Every single human is aware of the effects of the gravity of our sinful condition. The Apostle Paul was honest
enough to struggle out loud. He confessed that what he knows he ought to do, he doesn’t do. He confessed that
what he shouldn’t do, he actually does.

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We can all understand that struggle. Paul came to this conclusion, “It is no longer I, but
ROMANS 7:17 sin living within me,” Paul’s confession is an accurate assessment of the fallout of sin.

Every single person on this planet – past, present, future – was plunged into the depths
ROMANS 7:24 of spiritual gravity. And because of this, Paul articulated one of the most pertinent
questions: “Oh, wretched man that I am, who will rescue me?”

A world that is drowning in sin needs more than to be

refurbished or renovated. we need to be rescued!

The truth of the matter is that we cannot rescue ourselves, just as drowning people cannot rescue themselves.
They need someone else to rescue them.

Because we are sinners, we need to rescued. every single one of us. everyone.
there are no exceptions.

notes

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no exceptions
WORKSHEET
It is no good asking for a simple religion.
After all, real things are not simple. They look simple, but they are not.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
hebrews 11:1

Life is not simple. We live in a touchable, seeable, physical world, but that’s only one dimension of this life. There is
a world that we cannot see – the spiritual world.

2 Corinthians 4:18
What sense do you have of the invisible world?
What makes the invisible world a reality to you?

As Adam and Eve experienced, in the spiritual world, there is good and evil. At the helm of the adversaries
of God is the devil. Throughout the events recorded in the Scriptures, he reveals himself occasionally, but is
working constantly.

1 Peter 5:8, John 8:44

How have you personally encountered the conflict of this spiritual warfare?

Our struggle is not against flesh and

blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this
dark world, and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
ephesians 6:12

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On one hand, we can ignore the spiritual world and act as the world we see is all that exists. On the other hand, we
can invest a lot of time and effort focusing on the spiritual battle to the point that it becomes an obsession and
monopolizes every waking thought.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our
race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in
their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an
excessive and unhealthy interest in them.
C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters

For the Lord your God is the one who goes with Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
you to fight for you against your enemies to give Put on the full armor of God so that you can take
you victory. your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Deuteronomy 20:4 Ephesians 6:10-11

What is the healthy balance in our fight in the spiritual battle?

Think of the ways you’ve attempted to combat the gravitational pull of sin in your own strength.

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GRAVITY REALITY
We didn’t invent gravity … we all entered a world where it already existed.
We can’t actually see gravity … we can only see the effects of gravity.
We refer to the “Law of Gravity” … we are bound to it.
We all live with the effects of gravity … there are no exceptions.

Draw comparisons between the realities of physical gravity and spiritual gravity (sin).

We all like sheep have gone astray

each of us has turned to his own way.
ISAIAH 53:6

John 8:1-11
How do you think understanding that there are no exceptions should alter our outlook towards other people?

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story

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zero gravity
DISCIPLE GUIDE
story starters
Write out your story of how you came to Christ. Try to write your story as concisely as possible so it will be
more easily shareable. Then consider sharing this with someone (perhaps someone at church, someone in your
family, a friend, someone at work, etc.). You can explain to the person that you have been asked to do this as a
part of your spiritual journey.

memory verse
Now Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:26

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Use Psalm 103:11-14 as a prayer of thanks for God’s forgiveness.
• Begin to ask God who he would lead you to share your story with.
• Get in the habit of keeping short accounts with God – that is, confess regularly and specifically (1 John 1:9).
• Begin praying for one other person you know who doesn’t know Christ.

OPTIONAL READING
Psalm 103:2-3, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, Colossians 1:20-22, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 5:25-27, Jude
1:24, Hebrews 9:13-14, Colossians 2:8, 1 John 1:7, Isaiah 43:25, Isaiah 44:22, Hebrews 8:12, 1 John 1:7-10, Isaiah
1:18, Isaiah 53:5, John 1:29, Galatians 3:13, 1 John 4:9

BEFORE MOVING ON
In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we are told to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do
you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?”
What evidence have you experienced that indicates that you are born again? Are you willing to share your story
with another person who hasn’t yet come to faith in Christ?

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zero gravity
INTRODUCTION Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

the spiritual gravity of sin was not the intention of a perfect creator.
God clearly warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because they would
die. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they didn’t physically die that day, they died spiritually.

Death is ultimately separation. The imperfection of their sin had separated Adam and Eve from a perfect God.
Perfection. That was the problem. God is perfect, he can be nothing else. “God’s works are perfect, and all his
ways are just.”
Deuteronomy 32:4

Because God is just, an unfamiliar tension was unearthed in the garden of Eden that day. When Adam and Eve
sinned, they realized it instantly. They immediately knew they were exposed. God could have let the penalty of sin
go, but that would not have been perfectly just. His perfection as a judge would allow nothing less than carrying
out a penalty for the act of disobedience.

At the same time, God was madly in love with Adam and Eve, or better said, he was perfectly in love with them. Perfect
love, perfect judgment, can you feel the tension? So guess what God came up with? The perfect plan, of course!

at that excruciating intersection, god set his rescue plan in motion.

This plan would travel through time and culminate with the cross of Jesus Christ. After Adam and Eve had sinned,
“God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and he clothed them.”
From the beginning of the first relationship, we see a picture of God’s plan; a plan, by Genesis 3:21
the way, that impacts you eternally. This plan allowed God to exercise perfect justice
with perfect love. God compassionately covered Adam and Eve’s exposure, and in the process of covering them, a
life was taken: the life of an animal.

The judgment that Adam and Eve deserved (death) was transferred to the animal. The penalty was delivered and
the perfection of judgment was satisfied. The animal became the object of the punishment.

in a word, the animal became a substitute.

This plan of God’s can seem both strange and beautiful to us at the same time. It is beautiful because it satisfies
the perfection of both judgment and mercy. It is strange because God uses blood to complete the plan. When most
people think of blood, the image that comes to mind is not always a positive one. But think about it, blood is life-
giving. Whether we understand it or not, God was clear about blood being the central component of his rescue plan.

The Bible clearly lays out the power of blood in God’s solution of justice and mercy: “The life of a creature is in the blood,
and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves. It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

Leviticus 17:11

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Throughout the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were offered to God, satisfying God’s justice as well as exercising
his mercy. Take note, this plan was being offered by God. No one earned a right standing with God. It was a gift.

we see this so clearly in the garden of eden.

As soon as Adam and Eve became painstakingly aware of their need for covering, they tried to clothe themselves
with fig leaves, but that was obviously inadequate. Likewise, any attempt to cover our sin or compensate for it by
trying to be “good enough” is absolutely futile. The more we try, the more we fail.
This is why the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was paramount in the plan of God. Years before Jesus walked the earth,
God began to provide details about a substitute, who would come and serve as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. This
would be a sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Hundreds of years before Christ came, the prophet Isaiah wrote these
words about him, “He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that
brought us peace was upon him and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
When Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood, this was simply a beautiful finale Isaiah 53:5-6
to a plan God had been providing for us since that fatal day in Eden. The plan that was
initiated for Adam and Eve traveled throughout history to the cross, underscoring the
reality “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” HebRews 9:22
no other sacrifice was needed after the cross.
“Jesus has appeared once for all to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Through the cross of Jesus Christ,
God destroyed the gap between us and him. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present
you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

HebRews 9:26 Colossians 1:21-22

remember our purpose on earth:

we were created to have a close relationship with god.
Sin separated us from God and our relationship with him became distant. Christ’s sacrifice enables us to have a
relationship … imperfect humans in a relationship with perfect God. Brilliant.

notes

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zero gravity
WORKSHEET
THE FUTILE ATTEMPT
Here’s an exercise for you. Try jumping up and down for about 15 minutes. No matter how many times you jump,
you’ll just end up in the same place – the ground. It’s tiring to try to overcome gravity. Now try it for 15 years. Or
30. It’s not just tiring – it’s draining.

Trying to rise above the gravitational pull of sin and guilt drains us after a while. Humans can only endure the
Attempt for just so long, and without seeing much progress, we become drained. Feeling powerless? So what
do we do?

Romans 5:6-8
How is God’s covering of Adam related to what Christ did for us? (Hint: compare Galatians 3:26-27)

And as illogical to the human mind as it may have seemed, through the blend of perfect mercy and judgment, God
the Father was willing for Jesus to take our sin and absorb the consequences. The cross of Jesus is more than an
icon – it is the Answer to the Attempt. In a word?

grace
Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us MORE,
no amount of spiritual calisthenics.
Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace

Grace means that God came to us and not the other way around.

The Attempt to earn his favor has always been powerless.

It still is.

That is why we need grace.

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Ephesians 2:4-9
Why is powerlessness a positive thing?

Luke 23:32-43
When Jesus was crucified with two other criminals, he promised one of them that they would see paradise (v. 43).
Why is this encounter a perfect picture of grace?`

FROM THE DAY GOD CLOTHED ADAM, HE HAS NEVER EXPECTED US TO EARN HIS FAVOR
Bad news, good news. The bad news is that you will never, ever be good enough to free yourself from the stain,
from the guilt, from the gravity of sin. Every single ounce of Attempt on your part is worthless. But actually, that’s
the best news you’ll ever hear because you can bury the Attempt and put it to rest. This prescription seems so
simple that it often goes against our thinking and it becomes hard to believe. Our human instincts tell us to work
and therefore, earn. But God’s offer is unrivaled - it is a gift.

Relational Rescue
Just think about who God is for a minute. Remember – God is relational. His entire being is summed up in the
“us-image” that we saw at the overture of creation – Father, Son, and Spirit. Then it should come as absolutely no
surprise to us that God’s answer to the nuclear fallout of sin would be relational. God can’t be anything but relational.
That’s who he is! That is the very essence of God. So, any solution outside of this trait would be impossible.

God wasn’t about to resolve the dilemma of sin from the Home Office. He didn’t send a memo to trickle down
through 10,000 angels, continuing through an assortment of other channels. Think about our own country – when
one person needs rescue, the president doesn’t go take care of the problem personally. We have layers of agencies
– local police, state police, federal bureaus, international secretaries – layers and layers of channels.

But God is much different. On that fatal day, Adam hid, but God couldn’t. It was God that came near that day in the
garden, pursuing his children. And nothing has changed over the years. In an unsurpassed relational move, God
came to us.

1 John 4:9-10
If you were going to respond to God after reading these words, what would you say?

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HeIbrews 10:22, 1 John 1:9

How is Zero Gravity experienced in every day life?

as far as the east is from the west

so far has he taken our sins from us.
PSALM 103:12

OUR ONLY RESPONSE

It is entirely possible that a gift can remain unopened unless the recipient receives it and unwraps it.
God extends grace as a gift.

For if, by the trespass of the one man,

death reigned through that one man,
how much more will THOSE WHO RECEIVE
God’s abundant provision of grace
and of the gift of righteousness reign in life
through the one man, Jesus Christ.
romans 5:17

What does it mean practically to ‘receive’ God’s grace?

Write out your own experience of Zero Gravity.

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story

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no fear
DISCIPLE GUIDE
story starters
If you have any fears about dying, write them out. Once you’ve done this, write out some Scripture verses beside
these thoughts that would refute your fears.
If you don’t have any fear of death, journal how the reality of the afterlife will cause you to live differently in your
everyday life.
Start writing some thoughts by starting with this phrase: “God, I’m looking forward to seeing you because …”

memory verse
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

OPTIONAL READING
Ecclesiastes 7:2, Psalm 39:4-5, 1 Corinthians 15:36, Ecclesiastes 3:11, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8,
1 Corinthians 15:17, Hebrews 9:23-26, Romans 4:25, Romans 8:34, Romans 5:12-13,17, 1 Corinthians 15:54-56,
Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 21:4, 1 Peter 1:3-5, John 17:24, 1 Corinthians 13:12, Philippians 1:21-24

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Pray for the reality of the resurrection to sink in.
• Pray for any fear about death to be dissolved in light of the resurrection.
• Make Psalm 90:12 your prayer and ask God to help you assess how short life is in order to live differently in
your everday life.
• Ask God to increase an unsettling sense within you for those who are heading into the afterlife without Christ

BEFORE MOVING ON
Are you able to have a conversation and make a strong case for the proof of the resurrection?
What difference does the reality of an afterlife with Christ make in your everyday life?
Why was the resurrection important to your salvation?

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no fear
INTRODUCTION Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

Human beings are afraid of an assortment of things – bugs, bridges, heights, snakes, and on and on. One of the
greatest fears we have is the fear of death.

when we are afraid of something, we want to avoid it at all costs. but

avoiding death is impossible. no one escapes it.
God consistently reminds us that life on earth is short. He uses a generous collection of pictures to underscore the
brevity of life – withering grass, shadows, breath, etc. In other words, every single person on the planet is sailing
towards an eternal horizon. Life as we know it ends. Enter: fear.

Why fear death? For some, it’s the pain of dying. For others, it’s the process of going through the transition from life
to death. But for most, it is the afterlife that brings on this looming sense of unease. Children are afraid of the dark
because they can’t see what’s coming around the next corner. It’s the same for adults when it comes to death. As
we sail through life, we can’t see past the horizon of this life into the next.

Job asked a question that many people ask: “A man dies and fades away; he breathes his last, where is he?”
Without knowing what happens after death, a person should have a certain level of fear, don’t you think?

job 14:10

however, there are some people whose fear of death seems to be much less.
For the most part, these individuals have a belief in life after death. But a strong case must be presented by people
who make such an extraordinary claim of an afterlife. Without solid evidence of life beyond the grave, fear and
doubt will remain.

Remember, God has set eternity in our hearts. He wants us to be eager and enthusiastic for the next life, not
anxious. So God enters the greatest piece of evidence into the courtroom of human experience to prove that there
is life beyond the grave: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Throughout history, there have been many people who claim they have come back from the dead.

there is one thing that distinguishes christ’s resurrection: evidence.

What evidence? The strongest evidence is the significant number of witnesses to Christ’s physical resurrection.
Not just a few witnesses, but hundreds.

We find the record of this evidence in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. This was a public letter, by the way.

Paul published these words: “Christ appeared to Peter,… and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more
than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living. Then, he appeared to James, then
to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also.”
1 Corinthians 15:5-8

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this document, open for all to read or refute, stands as rock-solid

evidence for several reasons.
If Jesus would have just appeared to a person here or there, then this statement could compare to people who
claim to have seen Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster, just one isolated person at a time. But Paul made the point
of saying that Christ appeared to more than 500 men at the same time. That is a major piece of evidence. Paul
makes another intentional point that most of those 500 men were still alive at the writing of that public document.
They had every opportunity to come forward and refute Paul’s claim. No one did.

We’re also told in the first chapter of Acts that “After his death, Jesus presented himself to his disciples and gave
many convincing proofs that he was still alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days.” That’s about a
month and a half of interacting with people after he came back from the dead!
Acts 1:3

Remember, the purpose of our existence is to be in relationship with God. Christ’s resurrection demonstrates that
our relationship with him can continue after death. There is no escaping the reality that the winds of this lifetime
are propelling us into the afterlife. But the resurrection of Jesus shatters any anxiety about dying. Even though
death is one of the greatest fears for most people, Paul tells us that he is looking forward to breaking past the
horizon into the next life because of his relationship with Christ.

this wasn’t a theory. it wasn’t religion. it wasn’t even a mere hope.

it was a reality.
So, it’s no wonder that Paul would make this bold claim: He said that, “For to me … to die is gain.” Look for fear in
Paul’s voice and you just won’t find it. To die is gain.
Philippians 1:21

notes

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no fear
WORKSHEET
When Jesus came back from the dead, he gave us confidence that death was not the final word. But is this the only
reason for the resurrection? No, the purpose of the resurrection of Jesus is much broader than simply giving us
evidence that life after death exists.

Just take a glimpse at some of these:

REVERSE OF THE CURSE

Through Adam, the gravity of sin and death came to all of us. This death was both spiritual and physical. The
resurrection reverses the curse.
1 Corinthians 15:22
THE POWER OF GOD
God continually has shown that he has power over the elements of creation – wind, fire, water, land, space. The
resurrection of Jesus was a demonstration that God has power over life and death.
Ephesians 1:19-20
VERIFICATION
Many religious leaders have made spectacular claims and promises. Jesus made the claim that he would come
back from the dead and the resurrection authenticated his teachings.
Mark 8:31
FULFILLMENT OF ANCIENT PROPHESIES
The resurrection was predicted centuries before Jesus walked the planet and when Jesus came back from the
dead, he fulfilled the Scriptures.
Psalm 16:10
OUR OWN RESURRECTION
The Scriptures tell us that we will be raised to have life without end. Our own resurrection depends on someone
having led the way.
Acts 26:22-23, Revelation 1:4-5, Colossians 1:18
CHRIST LIVING IN US
Jesus made the promise that, following his death and resurrection, the Spirit of God would reside in us as we
believe in him. This would be impossible if Jesus were still a corpse lying in a grave.
John 14:19-20
SPIRITUAL POWER FOR US
God gives us the power to live a spiritual life of power – power to live and walk with God in this lifetime.
Ephesians 1:19-20

Subtract the resurrection and all of these things go away.

Starting to get a picture of how incredibly important it was for Christ to come back from the dead? But in addition
to these very important purposes, there is another reason why the resurrection of Christ is profoundly critical for
us to understand.

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Let’s begin by asking a set of thought provoking questions ...

• We have forgiveness of our sin because Jesus was the substitute for us on the cross, right?

• And through his blood, we have been given the opportunity to have all of our guilt and shame removed - zero
gravity, remember?

• But did the cross COMPLETE the TOTAL transaction?

• If our redemption only came through the crucifixion, would it be possible to have this redemption if Jesus had died
and simply remained buried?

• If the cross was the final chapter of the pardon, couldn’t Jesus have died, stayed in the grave, and voila, mission
accomplished - we were pardoned?

1 corinthians 15:1-5
List the 3 parts of the gospel. (vv. 3-4)

God’s plan was expanded past the cross and included in the resurrection. Again, as magnificent and powerful as
the cross is, the plan and the message of the gospel INCLUDES THE RESURRECTION.
Heads up … you’re about to read one of the most riveting verses in the New Testament.

... if Christ has not been raised, your faith

is futile; you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:17
Is there anything that surprises you about this passage? If so, what?

In the Old Testament Law, God established what was called the Day of Atonement where the High Priest would offer
a sacrifice for the complete forgiveness of the sins of the people and for himself.

This is heavy reading that describes the details of the Day of Atonement, but it is
LEVITICUS 16:1-17 critical to understanding the power of Christ’s resurrection.

What is the sacred place called where Aaron (the High Priest) could go only at a designated time? (v. 2)

How did the High Priest prepare himself before going into the sacred place? (v. 4)

KEY QUESTION: is it enough that the animal is sacrificed? What happened after the sacrifice? (v. 15)

How many people went into the Most Holy Place to present the blood? (v. 17)

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This act of granting a pardon is called justification - a word that is connected with a courtroom.
Legal definition of justification: To prove by showing a satisfactory reason.

It’s like this: a lawyer brings evidence into the courtroom and through that proof satisfying the judge, the judge
hands down the verdict: not guilty. In that pardon from the judge, the act is completed: this is justification.

But what would happen if the lawyer had possession of the perfect evidence in his office – the proof that would
allow the defendant to be declared innocent – but didn’t even show up to court? No evidence. No lawyer. No
requirements of the law met. The defendant would be in big trouble.

Here’s the key: it is the lawyer, the advocate for the defendant, who is required to bring the evidence to the judge
that satisfies the court and wins the case. The defendant is absolutely dependent on the lawyer to deliver the
evidence in order to complete the act of justification.

Jesus: High Priest

hebrews 9:22-24
Let’s remind ourselves: In God’s plan, how is forgiveness reached? (v. 22)

In verses 23-24, we learn that the man-made things that played a role in the Old Testament sacrifices were merely
a copy of the real ones. What is the real version of the ‘copy’ of the man-made sanctuary?

For certain, Jesus died for us. But in v. 24, we unearth something profound. What else did Jesus do for us?

Where was it that he appeared for us?

hebrews 9:25-26
What’s the difference between Christ and all the priests who offered sacrifices for years and years? (v. 25)

When Christ appeared once for all in heaven and presented himself as the evidence for our ransom, what did that
do for us? (v. 26)

ROMANS 4:25
What are the 2 actions of Christ that bring us salvation?

Can we have one without the other?

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In light of this study, write in your own words why the resurrection is imperative in God’s plan of salvation?
Consider these words one more time:

... if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile;

you are still in your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:17

story

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no way
DISCIPLE GUIDE
story starters
Suggested story starters:

• God, without you, I am finding it impossible to...

• God, I’ve noticed you making a difference in my life by …

• One of the ways I try on my own without God is ...

memory verse
God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5

OPTIONAL READING
John 14:16-18, John 15:5, John 3:8, Romans 8:14, John 7:38-39, John 16:7-8, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:33, 2
Corinthians 3:3, John 3:6, Titus 3:4-6, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27, Ephesians 4:4-6, Zechariah
4:6, Mark 13:10-11, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 1 John 4:4, Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 1 Corinthians 2:13

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

• Pray that your dependence on the Holy Spirit increases: in your time in God’s word, in prayer, in fighting in
spiritual warfare, in sharing your faith, in obedience.
• Be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to point out things in your life where God wants more control.
• Ask God to increase your appetite for him.
• Surrender in prayer the things that you are discovering that God wants.

BEFORE MOVING ON
Do you have a sense that you are flowing with the Spirit, or fighting the Spirit’s direction?
Is God pointing out areas in your life that need more surrender?
Do you find yourself leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit for prayer, understanding the Bible, telling others about
Christ, and obeying God?

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no way
INTRODUCTION Want to see the optional video for this lesson?
Log in at smallcircle.com.

in the human existence, we have encounters and experiences to transcend

our natural capacity.
Let’s refer to them as No Way experiences. For example, who can fully comprehend the speed of light or the span
of the universe? There is no way to wrap our minds around these things.

Or think of physical impossibilities. We can’t flap our arms and fly … there’s just no way. We can’t run 100 mph,
swim around the world, or throw a rock the distance of a mile. These things are simply impossible. In other words,
human beings have a “no way” capacity that cannot be breached.

this is also true in the spiritual world.

From Zero Origin, we discovered God’s motive for creating us was to be in intimate relationship with him. But in the
Old Testament, this seemed impossible to many because God was appearing in ways that seemed non-relational,
like his appearance in clouds and fire. Even in the designated worship area of the Temple, only the High Priest could
go into the most sacred space. For the average person, an intimate relationship seemed to be out of reach.

Christ came to earth to change that by making what seemed to be impossible, possible. Jesus invested in making
close, spiritually-focused relationships while on earth, but how could these intimate relationships continue after
his time on earth was done?

Before Jesus left the planet, he made a promise to his disciples. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

John 14:16-18

jesus was promising that, after his physical absence on earth, the holy
spirit would enable us to have an intimate relationship with god.
This makes perfect sense. God, who strongly desires to have a relationship with us, made a way for this to happen.
At the moment of Second Zero (our spiritual birth), the Holy Spirit enters us and allows us to experience the reason
we were created. Once the Holy Spirit takes up residency in us, God begins to transform us from the inside out.
God gives us clarity on this process. “We have put on the new self, (at our spiritual
birth), which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Now, think Colossians 3:10
about how incredibly critical it is for God to infuse his Spirit into our lives.

Because God does what we cannot do, from the inside out, only he can bring about deep and lasting change. Only
God can transform our lives so we can become more like him.

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there is no way that we can make this kind of change without the holy
spirit living in us.
With the Holy Spirit as a foundation, as we move forward with discipleship, we will begin to look at the ways God
can change us.

but don’t miss this foundational reality: without being in rhythm with the
holy spirit, there is absolutely no way that change can take place.

notes

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no way
WORKSHEET
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16
In the Old Testament, God would come and fill the structures that had been built by humans – tents, buildings,
temples. But now, for the past 2,000 years, God has been filling the structures that he built – human beings.

It would be natural for us to think of the Holy Spirit as some kind of tour de force – something like Luke Skywalker
and “the force be with you.” Or some sort of spiritual energy might come to mind. Or we might think that the Spirit
is a surge of potency sent by God. And it might be easy to conceptualize the Holy Spirit as being some mystical
movement that emanates from God on special occasions (and usually for special people).

But the remarkable truth is that the Holy Spirit is a person. Not a force, not energy, not a stream of power – but the
person of God. Easy to comprehend? No way.

In a few words, list the qualities that help clarify that the Holy Spirit is a person.

Revelation 2:7

Romans 8:27

John 14:26

Hebrews 10:29

Acts 5:3-4

Matthew 12:31-32

Ephesians 4:30

The Holy Spirit is not just a person, but a divine person.

THE ETERNAL Hebrews 9:14

HOLY ALMIGHTY AND POWERFUL: omnipotent

Luke 1:35

SPIRIT SIMULTANEOUSLY EVERYWHERE: omnipresent

Psalm 139:7

IS ALL-KNOWING: omniscient
1 Corinthians 2:10-11

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So, why is it important to recognize that the Holy Spirit is a person?

1. RELATIONSHIP
God’s greatest desire is to have an intimate relationship with us and you can’t have intimacy with a “force.”

2. PERSON, NOT POWER

God wants us to pursue him – not be on a quest for scintillation, emotions, or power.

Acts 8:9-24
What was Simon’s misconception?

Psalm 42:1-2
How does David’s attitude compare to Simon’s?

3. COMPANION
When we come to grips that the person of God is in us, we realize that we are literally taking him with us everywhere
we go and having him experience what we experience. That should effect what we do.

What is your reaction to the thought that God is totally present with you all the time? Is it comforting or disturbing?
Why?

For nothing is
impossible with God.
Luke 1:37

NO WAY
This same truth can also be seen from a reverse angle – nothing is possible without God. All of life would be one big “no
way” if God weren’t part of the picture. Without the Holy Spirit, we end up with a long list of “no ways.” When it comes to
operating in God’s realm, we are faced with one impossibility after the next if the Holy Spirit is not living in us.

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No matter how smart, or talented, or influential we are, there is no way to accomplish what God wants for us in this
lifetime without his Spirit. God wants us to unmistakably grasp this truth:

“Not by might nor by power, but by my

Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.
Zechariah 4:6
Consider some of these “no ways” – and in the process, think about how incredibly critical it was for God to infuse
his Spirit into our lives. The list could be endless – but here’s a Top Five List to drive home this point: nothing is
possible without God. You fill in the blanks …

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way

John 3:5
I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way

Romans 8:7-9
The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful
nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God
lives in you.

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way

Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way

ACTS 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way

Ephesians 6:10,18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

What are the “no way” impossibilities that you face in your own life without the Holy Spirit?
How have you attempted to accomplish these things on your own?

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0.6 NO WAY

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