New ID

Feedback:
How did you get on with last week’s action point?
How is your personal ministry of evangelism & discipleship going? Encouragements? Struggles?

Intro:
How do you think God sees you right now? Why do you think that?

Read: 2 Corinthians 5v16-21
What changed in the way Paul viewed other people (16)? What do you think this means?
Have you thought about people with a “worldly point of view”?
Before you met Jesus, what did you think of him?
What does Paul declare about all Christians? What does this mean?
Can you identify with this? What are some of the “old” & “new” things in your life?

Note: “In Christ” is a common way that Paul refers to Christians he writes to. When we trust Christ, we become united with him and experience his presence (Holy Spirit) working in and through us.

How would you describe our identity in light of this? What makes this change possible?
What does verse 21 say about our new identity? How does it relate to the work of Christ?

The Great Exchange: Jesus was the only righteous person who ever lived. He had no sin of his own, but on the cross he took our sins (became sin for us). As a result, our sins have been taken away, we have been given Jesus’ own righteousness and we have become new people.

What is the “ministry of reconciliation” that Paul talks about in this passage?
How do you serve as “Christ’s ambassador” on your campus?

True or False:
God not only loves me, but he actually likes me.

Pray:
Thank God for your new I.D. in Christ. Ask him for grace to live out this new life. Pray that you hear his voice over the loud & persistent noise of our culture that would drown God out.

Action Point:
Memorise 2 Corinthians 5v17.

Digging Deeper:
Read & meditate on Zephaniah 3v7; Rom 8v12-17; John 15v15.

Agape Essentials 2.1