This week, Nate Williams talks about the cost of the gospel and how guidence and rebuke is needed in your life.
Acts 27:21-26 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."
2 Timothy 3:1-2 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy…â€
Proverbs 13:1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke
Proverbs 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool
Proverbs 24:25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them
Proverbs 27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love
Proverbs 28:23 Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue
Proverbs 30:6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray
Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid
Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored
Proverbs 15:5 A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent
Proverbs 15:10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;whoever hates reproof will die
Proverbs 15:31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise
Proverbs 15:32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness
2 Timothy 4:2 …reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:1-2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Cheap grace has arisen out of man’s desire to be saved, but not wanting the costs of being put to the fire of refinement.
Matthew 16:25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
C.H. Spurgeon said: They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,_and chastises every son whom he receives.
*Reflection Questions:
Rebuke is hard. Allowing it in your life can be exceedingly difficult. Allow God to show you the other side of rebuke. It is the side of rebuke that brings deeper character, deeper joy, because sin is being dealt with in your life. Ask God to give you the courage to invite life-giving rebuke into your life.
The storms in life are hard. Some of us have been weathering the storm for a long time, some of us not so long. Either way, storms have a way of breaking us, robbing us of life and stealing our hope. Consider that Jesus is allowing you to go through the storm so you can lift your eyes and see that he is in control. Trust that Jesus wants to use that storm to build character in you and trust in him. Trust in his promise to bring you out of the storm.
God loves you. In fact he loves you so much he did the extreme. His deep love for you made him willing to put his own son to death. He knew it would be the only way to bring you life. Consider death in your life. Is it there? Look at all the circumstances in your life and ask God to show the death there. Then allow God to use his son Jesus to bring you life.