Pea Ridge Audio Podcast

In his letters to believers in Gallatia and Rome, Paul taught that our "old self" was crucified with Christ. And yet, he also acknowledged that we all still struggle against our selfish human nature. If we are set free from this, how do we then live in this freedom?

The kingdom of God is "upside down" in that it operates very differently from traditional earthly kingdoms. As Paul began his first letter to the church in Corinth, he explained that this new kingdom does not rely on human power or wisdom; the only foundation is Christ, who is the power and wisdom of God.

We have examined the example of Jesus and the early church. This week we focus on the example of Paul, whose life and ministry is documented in the book of Acts. What can we learn from the way Paul lived? Much like Jesus, he was committed to sharing the Good News, loving God and loving other people.

In Acts 1, Jesus' disciples revealed that they desired the earthly kingdom of Israel to experience a glorious restoration. Jesus gave them a realignment of vision and values and the rest of Acts records what happened as they followed his teaching. We must be mindful of our own priorities and make sure we are focused on the new spiritual kingdom of the Gospel rather than any earthly kingdom.

Jesus calls all of his disciples to follow him, which means to obey his teachings and emulate his way of life. We can assess where we are on this journey by looking at what he confronts and what he values.

In the first message of the Immersed series, we see how Jesus is different than the traditional human way of life. His way is a new way of life for those who choose to follow him.