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INSTITUTE Study – The Spoils of His Victory Keeping Our Eyes on JESUS
Introduction
I have been compelled to follow the Tour de France this week as Lance Armstrong goes for an unprecedented 7th Yellow Jersey. Lance has had to endure a great deal of pain and sacrifice this year to put himself into position for victory, and there is still no guarantee that he will win with one week left to go. The spoils of victory in the Tour include a substantial cash prize, but much more important is the acclaim of the cycling world and the billions of people who follow the race.
But what Lance has to endure is nothing compared to what Jesus endured in pain and suffering as he paid the penalty as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humankind. His victory over sin and Satan earned him the ultimate spoils or as Hebrews 12:2 puts it, “the joy set before Him.” This joy–these spoils—are the millions of souls who are now able to come into the presence of God for eternity as a result of Jesus’ victory. That means that you and I as followers of Jesus are part of the spoils of His victory. We have been redeemed!
But what does it really mean to have been redeemed? That’s what we’ll discover during this 4-week study in thequest INSTITUTE beginning on Sunday, July 31. This study is important so that we can truly understand all that happens when someone is “saved” and then to be able to share it with others. Join us at 10:30am on Sundays at the 2nd Avenue Elementary School.
-Larry Totzke
July 31 – Grace that is greater than all our sin – Redemption happens because of God’s grace. We’ll learn the difference between common grace and special/saving grace.
August 7 – What it means to be born again – The theological term is “regeneration.” What causes it and where do faith and repentance fit in?
August 14 – It’s a legal thing – Again, the theological terms are “justification” and “adoption,” but what they mean to us will blow your mind!
August 21 – Growing in holiness – Salvation marks the beginning of a process that allows us to become more like Christ. We’ll look both at God’s role and our role in that process.
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