MVMNT 3/18

Our third MVMNT of the semester was special! Our guest speaker for the night was another one our student athletes and Faith on Fire leaders, Marlee Irvin (xc & track). Marlee is a joyful and humble leader. She is kind and relational in a way that reaches so many people on our campus. Her strength and vulnerability was on full display as she shared the powerful way the gospel collided with her life and invited us in to experience that same transformation in our own lives. Our last MVMNT is coming soon which some special guests to finish off our semester with a bang! We will meet this Tuesday in BVE 228 @ 7pm, hope to see you there! Below is a recap of Marlee's notes from the evening:

Gospel - What does it truly mean that Christ died for us/me? 

Hook : Imagine you are walking across the road, you look left, you look right and you begin to cross but as you cross someone comes speeding around the corner and you just have to accept your fate because it seems there is not a fast enough way out, but out of nowhere someone steps in between you in the car and somehow stops the car from hitting you,  they did this not because they had to, but because they wanted to save you. What would you feel? Gratitude? Awe? A deep sense of unworthiness? This is exactly what Jesus did for us. Now, consider this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, didn’t just step into the path of danger—He became the danger,  he suffered the very death that should have been ours and he did this in order to offer us the gift of eternal life. What does it truly mean that Christ died for us? Tonight, we’re going to explore the depth of that sacrifice, and how it changes everything for us. 

Main Points: 

• First let’s talk about the foundation and meaning of the gospel. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is one of many scriptures that represent the Gospel and what it means to us. But something I love about this specific scripture is the emphasis on God’s love for us and that being the main motive behind God sending Christ to die for us. 

• We weren’t created to be separated from God, we were created to be in community with him but when sin entered the world we became separated from him. God longed to be with his creation but simply couldn't because of our sin. As humans we are sinners, we sin everyday whether we realize it or not and because of this sin we were completely separated from God for good. We deserved death, punishment and judgement for our sin but then there came a solution . 

• God was full of mercy and grace which resulted in him sending his one and only son to live a perfect life, die on the cross and be resurrected. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us, he stood in the way of the moving car of death, punishment and judgment that was about to hit us at full speed. 

• Because of this we now have an opportunity to be in communion with God again. When we accept Jesus into our lives it opens our hearts to be completely changed by his transformation power and no longer a slave to sins we commit/committed. 

• We are free from guilt, shame, doubt, fear, anxiety, depression. We no longer have to pay the debt of eternal life in hell yet we are rewarded eternal life in heaven with God. We are no longer judged for our sins but yet rewarded for our service to God.  

• We are made new in Christ, completely transformed forever. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"

• This is what it truly means that Christ died for you and me. 

• We all have a personal testimony though. For me what Christ has freed me from might look different than what he’s freed or freeing you from. 

• Testimony

• For me Christ dying means  I’m freed from the fear and anxiety that was so built up in me it resulted in a porn addiction, I’m freed from the guilt and shame I experienced from having a porn addiction, I have a place of security to put my identity in instead of a relationship, I have someone who tells me I’m worthy and loved beyond my condition. I no longer have to hunger for the things of the world because when I met Jesus that void was filled forever. 

• I’m not gonna lie and say that I don’t still struggle with doubt, fear an anxious thoughts but instead of running to a worldly pleasure for peace, I can now run to the father and his presence for peace that could never be filled by anything in the world 

• So what does it mean to you (personally) that Christ died for you? 

• What are the things that he has completely transformed in you?

• What are the things he has saved you from? 

• Have you even accepted Jesus in your life to allow him to do these things? 

• These are just a few questions I encourage yall to think about over the next week and take that spiritual dive into what it means that Christ died for you.