Day 12 of 50

READING GUIDE:

• Read today's devotion below.
• During days 8-14 (at your own pace) read chapters 3 thru 6 from Joining Jesus on His Mission.
• After days 8-14, meet with your small group and follow the back-of-the-book discussion guide for SESSION 2.

Have you ever read John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16 consecutively? Here’s your chance.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV) “This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16 NCV)

When it comes down to it, how do we live as neighborhood missionaries?

Loving others.

Getting over our me-centeredness.

In response to Jesus giving His life for us, we give our lives for our brothers and sisters.

A favorite acronym of my mom’s is K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple, silly.

In chapter five, Finke unpacks the simplicity in how we give of our lives:

“Jesus knows he must keep our participation simple. And so he does. He keeps it as simple as this:

In order to join Jesus on his redemptive mission all we really have to do is:

• enjoy people;
• and seek recognize and respond to what Jesus is already doing in the lives of the people we are enjoying.

Could it really be this simple? The answer is ‘Yes.’”

At the very end of chapter five, Greg writes, “We make it hard when we try to do the work of Jesus rather than what he gave us to do.”

How does all of this make things simpler for you as you join Jesus on His mission?