"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." - Colossians 3:16
Alive in Jesus is a six-week Bible Study produced by Brookfield Lutheran Church to help Christians grow in faith as disciples of Christ.
Connecting people to life in Jesus is our mission. Alive in Jesus looks into the mission a little more deeply and asks the question - What is Life in Jesus? We will make it more personal and ask - Am I connected to Life in Jesus?
Life in Jesus has four components. In this series we will unpack each one separately in a study. Each study was written by a master teacher in our Life in Jesus student ministry. Here are the six sessions of Alive in Jesus:
Life in Jesus teaches us that we are totally dependent on God. there is no real life apart from the grace and mercy of God expressed in the love of Jesus.
Life in the Word teaches that we depend on the Word for our Spiritual existence. We need each other to grow in understanding and obeying God's word.
Life in Service reflects on what Christians see and know about a life in service as directed and demonstrated by Jesus himself. Jesus lived a life of service. Following the example of Jesus, we are called to a life in service to God and others.
Life in the Cross teaches the sacrificial nature of life in Jesus. Understanding how life in the cross transforms our lives to follow Jesus is the heart of this study.
Life in Mission focuses on what it means to be a faithful witness to the love and hope found in a relationship with Jesus. This study teaches us to be more intentional about life in mission at home, work, and school as well as in distant places.
Life in Jesus Pathway is all about a growing relationship with God and others. As a disciple grows and matures there is a movement from a me-centered to a God/others-centered life.
Alive in Jesus song
Discipleship. That is what this study is all about. Today's devotional reflects on the Holy Spirit enabling us to be in mission - sharing the love of Christ with others.
We find comfort in knowing that God has a plan for our lives. What is His plan? Simply said, to seek and save the lost. He's really good at it, too. The interesting part is that He sent His Spirit to accomplish this great task through us.
God speaks to us through His Word. In His Word there is life and salvation - a vast supply of love and mercy. The start of a strong relationship begins in the scriptures.
This study is meant to help you grow as a disciple of Jesus. Start the journey by identifying your favorite scripture verse - the one verse that best personifies where you are at in your walk today. If you don't have a special verse today, look to see how God works in your life, and perhaps it will become clear.
It is usually pretty easy to tell if someone is a Christian, right? They do good deeds and are in church all the time? Unfortunately we are typically doing the opposite of what we ought to be doing. It might be time to set some priorities.
A daily habit of time in the Word, meditating on it, and moving on to memorizing it will lead us to God’s will and promises. It works to prevent sin and grow faith.
As Christians we believe in the Bible. But, the Bible is so long. There is much to know. It’s all a bit overwhelming. How can we tell others what we believe simply and clearly?
God promises to grant those requests that are prayed according to His will. How can we pray so it doesn’t sound like a grocery list of needs, wants, and desires?
God loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for our sins. A simple concept that becomes more complicated when we start trying to figure out how to live as a follower of Christ and dig deeper into God's Word.
We have all broken every last commandment. Deliberately or not, we've sinned in every way imaginable - in thought, word, and deed. But thanks be to God, who forgives us through Jesus Christ, His Son, Our Lord.
Life is complicated, complex and overwhelming. With all the rigor of daily life we often forget that the simplest things that we do can make a difference and serve the Lord.
The impact of a Christian community serving others is manifested in big and small ways. While we often neglect the opportunities to serve in simple ways, we also tend to downplay the ways that God is calling us to serve the whole world.
Imagine if God only had so much time to invest in each of us. We do it all the time. "Time is money" after all, right?
For many of us the process of spiritual growth has a long way to go. We've begun to focus more time in the Word and now reaching out to serve others. So is there a way to know when we've reached the goal?
We serve a great God, but too often we like to draw attention to ourselves rather than to God. We want God and people to notice us for our good works.
Life in the Cross is meant to focus our attention on Jesus as we live our lives. With respect to how we make decisions in life, we are encouraged to make choices that have an eternal impact.
Are you aware of the spiritual battle taking place in your life right now? Do you happen to be a very kind, loving person, yet at the same time motivated by selfish ambitions? It is a predicatable pattern in the lives of all Christians.
Saying, "I am a sinner" is easy enough... but can you identify the sin honestly and specifically? Having a friend to point it out to you may be painful initially, but will be helpful in facing your Old Adam.
A great way to practice self-denial is to focus on serving others. We naturally have our own self-interest in mind, but God's mission is to seek and save His creation.
As forgiven people of God, we continue to live in a way that defies God's will. It is pretty shameful actually. So each day we confess, remember our Baptism, and die to ourselves so we can be free of the guilt and shame that often haunts us.
It is God’s heart that none should perish. Do we need a change of heart so that our passion aligns with God's?
The most significant impact that you will have with people in life are generally with those you know best. These relationships are a gift from God, and one of the ways He provides us with Life in Mission.
Look at every day as an opportunity to share Jesus and remember you do most of your sharing without talking.
We are to be faithful to “go and make disciples”, but it is God’s job to convict the heart. The best tools he's given you is the Scripture (to share the story of Jesus) and the story that is your personal testimony.
Do you think you will be able to bless the Lord's Name when you face the tragedies and trials of life? Either way, your reaction will be a powerful witness to the unbelieving world.
Getting on the right path is step one. Staying on the path will mean facing situations where you don't have the answers. You can ask for help or try going on your own.
Keeping on the pathway of growth toward spiritual maturity comes from hearing the truth and having people that are willing to hold you accountable in Christ.
Continuing on the pathway of healthy Christian discipleship includes a steady diet of God's Word, the Sacraments, worship and prayer (among other things). The Holy spirit is moving us to grow deep spiritual roots.
The journey on the pathway of Christian discipleship doesn't stop. Jesus is our whole life. Maturing in Christ means every aspect of our everyday lives becomes Christ-centered and the Holy Spirit is working in you to accomplish this.
Sinful behaviors can quickly block the pathway of growth as disciples of Jesus. Remember that the sinful nature has been crucified with Christ. You are a new creation and it is time to change the way you think and act.