TWELVE CONVERSATIONS

Christos was a Greek word meaning “an anointed royal figure”. It comes from Psalm 2 where the king of Israel is “anointed” with oil by the high priest.

• “JESUS IS THE KING ON THE CROSS” by Todd Nighswonger of Cornerstone church on Christ’s power and authority
• “GOT MY BACK” by Mike Breaux on abiding in the peace of God’s sovereignty

• KING’S CROSS a.k.a. Jesus the King by Tim Keller
• HOW GOD BECAME KING by N. T. Wright
• PORTRAITS OF GOD by Allen Coppedge

“WORK AND PRAYER” by C. S. Lewis from God and the Dock
The reality behind prayer is that we are speaking to the King of the entire universe. Everything is at his disposal. Nothing is beyond his power or rule. But, still some prayers are not answered. This excerpt helps us to understand how it is that God is fully in control of all things and yet not all prayers are “answered”.

“JESUS’ OTHER ROLE” by Nick Price from Relevant Magazine
The article talks importance of Christ as Lord and Christ as Savior, and how the two should add up to our realization of Christ as King.

• PSALM 2 – The coronation Psalm for a King
• PSALM 110 – The King is enthroned

• “JESUS SAYS” by Andy Stanley, North Point Community Church

• “FRESHMAN: THE COLLEGE STUDENT’S GUIDE TO DEVELOPING WISDOM” by Mark Matlock
• “HOW TO READ PROVERBS” by Tremper Longman III
• “DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE” by John Piper

• “HOW DO WE HEAR THE VOICE OF JESUS?” by John Piper
• “STOP FOLLOWING YOUR HEART” by Chris Nye

“HOCKEY STICK, SOME WHITEOUT, AND A BRITA FILTER”
Jon Weece of Southland Christian Church on reconciling our understanding of God as a loving Father and the reality of a hell that exists and waits to overtake those that don’t submit to God’s grace.

“GOD VS. YOUTUBE”
Dan Hamel responding with a really nice analogy to claims that because there are so many religious beliefs it is arrogant of Christianity to claim its beliefs to be “the truth.”

Often our culture asserts that no religion can be claim absolute truth, that all are equally valid or that each religion sees just a part of some greater spiritual truth. Here is Tim Keller’s insight into why this claim doesn’t hold up from THE REASON FOR GOD:

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST by Peter Kreeft
This article by apologist Peter Kreeft not only succinctly argues for the divinity of Christ–for his claim as “the way”– but also examines the common responses to these apologetic arguments.

• “THE LORD OF THE RINGS” by J. R. R. Tolkien
• “THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA” by C. S. Lewis
• “EAST OF EDEN” by John Steinbeck
• “THE RESURRECTION OF THE SON OF GOD” by N. T. Wright

• “GOOD SADNESS AND BAD SADNESS” by Jonathan Rogers

• “AFTER THE LAST TEAR FALLS” by Andrew Peterson
• “DON’T YOU WANT TO THANK SOMEONE” by Andrew Peterson

“BASIS OF PRAYER, OUR FATHER” by Tim Keller
Tim Keller talks about how the way we understand our relationship to God is reflected in the way we approach Him in prayer. We can approach God as if he is a business partner, as the other end of some kind of exchange, or as a Father. And the key to approaching God the way Christ models for us is to understand ourselves as adopted children of God.

“JOYFUL PRIVILEGE” by Jon Weece
In this message we hear Jon rap Eminem and Run DMC and talk about how it’s a privilege to be a child of God and we’ve done nothing to earn it or deserve it. We are reminded that it only makes sense, and that it’s pleasing to God, for us to respond to with joy to His outstretched hand.

“THE ACID TEST OF BEING A CHRISTIAN” by Tim Keller
Tim Keller doesn’t explicitly spell it out, but in this article he is breaking down the key components of our identity in God that we’re studying this week: 1) We are adopted. Keller focuses on the reality that we do nothing to gain or deserve God’s attention or affection but that he only reaches out to us. 2) We are His children. Keller talks about the way we ought to respond to our Father–with childlike wonder at the miracle of His gracious love.

“STUMBLING ALONG” by Andy Stanley, North Point Community Church
Here, Andy Stanley focuses on the importance of community. While there will always be rough spots in our lives, placing ourselves in close community with other believers ensures that we will have others to support, encourage, and remind us of our identity in Christ when life gets bumpy.

“USE YOUR YOU-NIQUENESS” by Jon Weece, Southland Christian Church
In this message, Jon expands upon the idea of the Church as the body of Christ, urging each of us to realize that: 1) we have a place in the body that it is significant and adds to the Church’s reflection of Christ, and 2) while we are important to the body, we are dependent on the rest of the body to live in the fullness that Christ has planned for us.

“COMMUNITY” by Ben Stuart, Breakaway Ministries
“The idea of a ‘Lone Christian’ is ridiculous!” Today, in a time where it is popular to say things like “I love God, but the Church is just a bunch of hypocrites” or “I have a personal relationship with God, I don’t need anyone else to help me know Him,” this message reminds us of the importance of a community of believers.

“BEING PART OF THE BODY” by Relevant Magazine
This article reminds us of our value as members of the body of Christ and of the damage we can do if we do not fully take on our role in the body.

“WE, THOUGH MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST” by John Piper
Piper writes in this article of the importance of both unity in the body and individuality in its members, reminding us that coming together into small groups is the best way to facilitate and appreciate both of these necessary qualities. (We can hopefully skim over the outrageously obvious “application” of the importance of “racial and ethnic diversity”–I hope none of us are in such a deplorable state that we need this reminder.)

Watch this spoken word, “WHY I HATE RELIGION BUT LOVE JESUS”

In what ways is this perspective right? In what ways is it incomplete, or wrong? How can we follow Jesus within the larger community without becoming Pharisaical?

“FORGIVENESS” by Jon Weece, Southland Christian Church
A message on the power of forgiveness–the power and magnitude of God’s forgiveness and its power to change your life and your relationships when you extend it freely in response.

“NOTHING BUT…” by Andy Stanley, Northpoint Community Church
We all have things in our pasts that haunt us. We have sin. It only takes a word, a picture, or a name to bring it all back. We know we can do better from this point forward, but how are we supposed to fix the past? We can say we’re sorry. We can ask for forgiveness. But some of the things we’ve done hang over our lives like a cloud. What can wash away our sins? Andy answers that question in this message, reminding us that it is nothing but our Savior.

“ON FORGIVENESS” by C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
An excellent article on the necessity of our forgiving others if we are to be forgiven. As if this wasn’t challenging enough, Lewis brings to light the difference in attitude between asking our Father to forgive us and asking Him to excuse us and reminds us that we need not go through the work of justifying ourselves (through works or in our own minds) if we just truly and simply believe in the forgiveness of sins. A must read.

“SERVING EACH OTHER THROUGH FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION” by Tim Keller
This is a longer article about forgiveness, how it can overcome the pain and brokenness that plague our relationships, and how forgiving one another is the ultimate way to serve each other.

“JESUS IS LOVING BARABAS” by Judah Smith
This spoken-word-type piece from Judah Smith (author of Jesus Is…) focuses on how Christ bears the burden of our sin for us: the necessity of the sacrifice of Christ for our forgiveness.

Before doing anything else, check out this Lecture mentioned in the first thoughts of section 8.

“EVANGELISM” by Jon Weece, Southland Christian Church
Sharing Christ with your roommates, your parents, or anyone at all can seem like a very intimidating conversation to have. Jon suggests here, though, that we’ve overcomplicated this conversation. “Evangelism” is just telling our friends about our friendship with Jesus. It’s just telling the people we meet about how meeting Christ has changed us.

“JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD” by N. T. Wright
In order to bring the Kingdom the Christ has promised and has established for us, we must understand what the Kingdom is and how it is deeply rooted in the compassion of Christ.

“KINGDOM CENTERED PRAYER” by Tim Keller
In the Lord’s prayer, Christ set us an example when he prayed “Thy Kingdom Come.” In this article, Keller breaks down what he calls kingdom centered prayer: how prayer that is communal and is focused on wanting to see God more clearly–to see His glory and to see the edification of the church–will set our hearts in a place where we can bring the kingdom.

“REIMAGINING HEAVEN” by Jeff Cook, Relevant Magazine
This article reminds us that our common conceptions about Heaven pale in comparison to the reality of God’s plan for His Kingdom.

• “KNOWING GOD” by J. I. Packer
• “THE GOSPEL & PERSONAL EVANGELISM” by Mark Dever
• “EVANGELISM AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD” by J. I. Packer
• “LET THE NATIONS BE GLAD!” by John Piper

“AWAKEN ME” by Jesus Culture

“THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP” by Tim Keller
In this essay, Keller walks through what it means to be a disciple: set Christ as your priority; find a new identity in Him; live in mercy; extend that mercy to everyone.

“MAKING DISCIPLES JESUS’ WAY: A FEW AT A TIME” by Greg Ogden
Disciples are supposed to multiply, yet we often do not. In this short essay, Ogden suggests that the key to multiplication is that disciples are made in small groups. He discusses how this not only produces more disciples but also makes the process of discipling more realistic and less burdensome.

“WHY WE MUST BE DISCIPLES FIRST” by David Platt
In this brief, five-minute video, Platt talks about how to make disciples we must first take our responsibility to be a disciple seriously, and if take our responsibility to be a disciple seriously we will naturally be compelled to make disciples.

“DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE FRUIT OF DISCIPLESHIP” by Rodrick Gilbert
Super short, two-minute video about the fruit of discipleship and how we don’t have to have “arrived” before we can make disciples–all centered around a nice mango metaphor.

• MULTIPLY by Francis Chan
• THE MASTER PLAN OF EVANGELISM by Robert Coleman
• THE TRELLIS AND THE VINE by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DISCIPLESHIP by Bill Hull
• SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE by Don Whitney
• TRANSCEND: BEYOND THE LIMITS OF DISCIPLESHIP by Matt Smay (free e-book!)

“WHAT IS BIBLICAL JUSTICE” by Tim Keller
In this article Keller explains how the biblical idea of “justice” does not stop at punishing those who do wrong–it centers around extending hope to those whom are denied it, to those who are marginalized by society but, scripturally, embraced and loved by Christ.

“GENEROUSLY EXTEND HOPE TO THE POOR” by Jon Weece
One of Southland’s four “core expressions” is that the church will “generously extend hope to the poor.” In this message, Jon unpacks how the poor vary from the homeless to the hopeless and how our response is to always be the same: to extend hope and embrace them in love.

“HOPE FOR THE POOR” by Tim Keller
Tim Keller reminds us that the Church is not about either spreading the truth or extending compassion and service. The Church is only fully realized if these two are linked–if we are actively serving the “least of these” in order to extend the hope and establish the order of the Kingdom that Christ has proclaimed.

• THE IRRESISTIBLE REVOLUTION by Shane Claiborne
• WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH? by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert