SUM 11: Day 18

Romans 5:1-11

Respect for God: He is worthy! Reconciliation is a big word, with an even bigger meaning and impact. According to the World English Dictionary, to reconcile is “to become friendly with.” Debtors “become friendly” with those they owe once they pay back the money they borrowed. We “become friendly” with God only through paying the price for our offense toward Him! The amazing news is that Christ pays the price for us. He offers to clear our debt once and for all through His sacrificial death. All we have to do is trust in Him.

He paid for you.

His great love for us is what changes us and causes us to worship Him. His Spirit within us propels us to desire Him, to pursue Him, to honor Him. True respect doesn’t come from duty or obligation, nor does it come based on something that someone has done; true respect comes from a reverence and honor for who a person is. And that comes through “being friendly” with God, which He makes possible.

Read: Romans 5:1-11. Read it again, this time looking for characteristics that describe who God is.

Pray: “God, You have come to give me new life. I don’t have to try and gain my way to You through things I do; but because of Christ’s death on the cross, now He lives within me. I have been chosen! Help me to live out who You have made me to be
– an ambassador for Christ. Show me how to live out a life of reconciliation just as You reconciled me to You.”

Do: Write or draw ways Christ has saved you from who you were to who you are today.

Challenge: Study the way Jesus walked on earth. He did some pretty crazy and challenging stuff, but, most of all, He just spent time with people. How can you spend time with those who you know are not reconciled with Christ?

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SUM 11: Day 17

Romans 5:1-11

Respect for Self: Who am I? Have you seen the Bourne trilogy? The series centers around the main character’s quest to find his identity after his memory is erased due to covert operations he navigated. The question of “Who am I?” drives us all at some level. Thankfully, unlike Jason Bourne, we don’t have to run for our lives as we discover our identity and worth.

God tells us plainly in Scripture who we are in Him. We are loved, desired, valued, fought for, paid for; the list continues. Because of who we are in Christ, we can value and respect ourselves. It’s not prideful or arrogant; it’s understanding your identity and living it as reality. Respecting yourself means living out who God says you are.

How do you show respect for others? Do you show the same respect for yourself?

Discover what Jesus says about you. Uncover the many reasons why you are valued and worth respecting yourself. Then, live it out. Start today.

Read: Romans 5:1-11. For a deeper look, check out Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 and Ephesians 1:3-14. As you read, make a list of the characteristics that God says belong to you, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice.

Pray: Pray that the Lord would use the repeat of these verses to let you know that you indeed are a treasure and dearly loved.

Do: Make a list of the things that are hard for you to believe about God, His love, your identity in Him or anything else on your heart.

Examples from people who are dear to my heart
: Believing God could really love me after all I have done.
: Trusting God is good when things are good and when things are really hard.
: Believing that I am chosen, not because of what I have done or the things I continue to do, but because of His great love.

SUM 11: Day 16

Ephesians 5:1-2; Romans 5:6-11; John 13:34

Respect for Others. Does anyone sing about it better than Aretha Franklin? Seriously. But does anyone actually know the words beyond,“R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take care ... watermelon, watermelon ... .” Talk about bad karaoke. Do you ever hear a song, try to decipher the words to no avail and then resolve to recreate the song, using your own words? This has happened to me more than once. Sometimes it’s embarrassing to discover the correct words and realize how off I was.

So many times, we tend to hear words like “respect” and react to them as we react to unknown song lyrics: I’ll make it up as I go. When it comes to respecting others, we don’t have to guess. Jesus shows us exactly what it means to love someone and to treat people with respect.

Read: John 13:1-35. Notice how Jesus shows His respect and love for His disciples. Read the passage again, this time keeping in mind how you treat those you love. How does your love and respect for others mimic Jesus?

Pray: God, You lived a life of love, but sometimes some of those around me just seem so hard to love. Show me how to love those who are hard to love. Help me to remember that You love the unlovely.

Do: Think of a person(s) in your life that could really use some extra love right now. Take some time to think of ways they could be loved this week. Maybe it’s inviting them over to your house for dinner, sitting next to them at lunch, sticking up for them when someone is bullying them or giving them a much needed hug.

SUM 11: Service and Notes: Day 15

Romans 12:9-13:3; Romans 5:6-10

What does it mean to show respect?

What are symbols or signs of respect?

Discussion Thoughts:
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4.

What is Paul getting at in Romans 12 and 13?

Where does my respect for authority come from?

My prayer about respect: