“What are your goals for 2019?”

Once Christmas is around the corner, this question starts coming once again. We often feel hopeful as we look to the new year. We want change. To develop deeper relationships, healthier habits, new skills. But what’s often at the center of our resolutions? Us.

We can lose sight of Christ as we decide what we want to do to bring our change.

Instead, we can think a little differently. We can look to where God has placed us and our responsibilities to lead in these areas. We can ask what God might desire for our 2019.

What about the God-given responsibility of your group? Here’s four Gospel-centered resolutions to keep your group centered on conforming to the character of Christ well into 2019 and beyond.

Repent of our sins

“The present, the gift, is for all the people. The Savior from sins is for all the people; the Messiah-King is for all the people. Repent of your sin and believe in Jesus, who died for sins and rose from the dead that you may have life. “See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!” (2 Cor. 6:2).” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 5).

Confession and repentance. They are core to Christianity, but are they always core to our churches and groups? It feels better to talk about how we “messed up” without going to the base level and calling the things that are sin sin. We can even simply focus on “discussing challenging topics” and “celebrating together,” both of which are good. Yet, in 2019, let’s add in a regular rhythm: confession and repentance. It might be seeking out a group member to hold each other more accountable one-on-one. It might mean gathering as a group and spend time in prayer, repenting before the Lord. No matter what it tangibly looks like in your group, let’s regularly repent.

Remember His promises

“All these promises and more are fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is not only the promised eternal King; Jesus is the evidence that God keeps every one of His promises, both now and forever.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 5). 

Sometimes, we can become frustrated when it seems like God isn’t answering our prayers — not in the way we want or in the timing we hoped. But what’s the bigger picture? Jesus is the fulfillment of so many of the promises of the Lord, and we can rest in that. In 2019, let’s refocus our groups on finding Christ in all of Scripture instead of finding our anger at the way we wish things were. Let’s not just know that the Lord is good and faithful to help us, but let’s find specific verses that remind us of specific promises. Let’s consider memorizing these veres as we keep our groups centered on the faithful promises of our Lord.

Remove our focus from success

“This is the radical reversal, the “upside-down-ness” of the kingdom that the church easily forgets. Every time she has pursued worldly power, forsaking worldly weakness, the church has parted company with Jesus. God is not magnified in that way. He is magnified by the pierced soul of His people, emulating the pierced hands and feet of their Savior. God is glorified when the church treasures Christ above all else and lives with meekness, even if that leads to suffering.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 5)

Often, we like to focus on the ways we can “succeed” each new year. But, where do we find success as the focus in the Gospel? Money, power, fame, pleasure. None of this is to be treasured above all else. Achieving this is not biblical success. Instead, obeying the Lord, being a faithful witness, seeking to bear each other’s burdens, being ambassadors of reconciliation — this is success. In 2019, let’s shift our focus in our groups from how we can be “a more successful group” in terms of what the world values. Instead, let’s try to focus on obedience, on prayer, on supporting each other, on treasuring Christ and magnifying Him above all else, even when that leads to the opposite of success and even suffering.

Recognize His fullness

“God presents His gift, the Son. And this Son answers the question, He solves the problem of their gloom—He will save His people from their sins. Their lack of justice and righteousness will be made up in His fullness.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 5)

We often feel empty. Why can’t I seem to be as productive as I want? Why do I get so angry at my kids? Why do I slide into that temptation, again and again? We are fallen humans who live in a sin-stained world, and we can be frustrated as, during our group discussion about our failures and the failures of the world around us, we just seem to see emptiness. In 2019, let’s flip this focus. Instead of being pain and incompleteness, let’s look to Christ in our groups. Let’s continually point out how He brings fullness even when we’re empty. We fail each other. Christ never fails. We see so much division. Christ is about reconciliation and redemption. We’re empty. He’s the fullness this world needs.

The Gospel? It’s the foundation to our Group. This week, we’ve been exploring for more Gospel insights to guide you in finishing out this year as we head towards 2019.

But your journey with the Gospel can go far beyond these posts. We have an entire Bible-study line that walks you through the storyline of Scripture to point you to the Gospel. It reveals how Jesus is the hero from beginning to end. Sound too good to be true? Try it. Find a free download of study PDF and video content here. 

Deborah Spooner is a Minnesota-born analytical creative serving as a Marketing Strategist for LifeWay’s Groups Ministry. As a pastor’s daughter with a background in Digital Communications and Media and Biblical & Theological Studies, you can find her at her local church, in deep conversation, or with a book or pen in hand as she seeks to know Christ more and make Him known.

In our Christmas narratives, where does our story end?

We start with the journey of a carpenter and his wife. We move into the no-room-in-the-inn, the stable, manger, and swaddling clothes. Then, to the angels, shepherds, and star guiding the wiseman. Finally, to the birth of our Lord and Savior.

This is an incredible story with power beyond comprehension. Our Christmas narrative often wrap up with praising Him: the Savior born, the baby come, and the Light of the World. This profound mystery should never leave us.

Yet, we can praise this incredible Savior even more when we see Him beyond just the Christmas story. What if Jesus was a thread throughout all of Scripture, shown as hero from beginning to end, not just the hero on the Bible’s pages only in the Christmas narrative and Jesus’ incredible ministry on Earth?

The Gospel touches all pages of the Word of God and deeply impacts every season.

“The Bible has its coda as well. But unlike the happily-ever-afters of fairy tales, this is one of expectation—not for the end to come but for the next chapter to be written. A promise summarized in three words: ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (Rev. 22:20). This is the promise the entire story of Scripture builds toward. It is the deepest longing of the heart of God’s people.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 6)

1. Promise

We find Christ throughout scripture in promise.

“And as this good news continued to spread, the promise spread with it—the promise that tells of the day when Jesus returns to make all things new. When every tear will be wiped from every eye. When suffering, sadness, and death will be no more. In their place will be joy, gladness, and life everlasting as God dwells with His people forevermore.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 6)

The baby in the Manger came to give us everlasting life. This redemption story is woven from beginning to end as we see that the Gospel doesn’t just affect our life after death, but the promise changes our life before death. For? We are living in light of death. The reality that our King died and was raised again. That we live, knowing one day we will give account before our Risen King but that He’s also given us everything we need to life for Him in the here and now.

2. Perspective

We find Christ throughout Scripture in perspective.

“But for now, we wait. And as we do, we join with our brothers and sisters across the centuries as we long for that day to come, echoing these words: ‘Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!’” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 6)

We waited a long time for the Christ’s first coming, the baby in the manger. But, through the Old Testament prophecies to the New Testament declarations, we gain a new perspective: he’s coming again. We eagerly long for that day. We find the Gospel empowering our waiting, changing our perspective to be one of hope: hope in the One who gives strength for today and is the reason for all days.

3.  Presence

We find Christ throughout Scripture in presence.

“When Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, He promised Himself too. He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20; Heb. 8:1; 12:2) and He is also with us always, ‘to the end of the age’ (Matt. 28:20). When the Holy Spirit is sent to us, God is present, and that, of course, means that Jesus Himself is present with us.” (Gospel Foundations, Volume 6)

Christ became present to us, in a new way, while He walked on earth for over thirty years. But God was with His people in other ways, both before and after. He has given us the helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). We know that Our God does not leave or forsake (Deuteronomy 31:6). We find everyday Gospel power in knowing that He is with us, and we can seek to bring His presence to others, being ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). His presence, so powerfully shown through the manger, has implications for us spanning not only into our preset but into our past and future.

The Gospel? It’s the foundation to our Group. This week, we’ve been exploring for more Gospel insights to guide you in finishing out this year as we head towards 2019.

But your journey with the Gospel can go far beyond these posts. We have an entire Bible-study line that walks you through the storyline of Scripture to point you to the Gospel. It reveals how Jesus is the hero from beginning to end. Sound too good to be true? Try it. Find a free download of study PDF and video content here.

Deborah Spooner is a Minnesota-born analytical creative serving as a Marketing Strategist for LifeWay’s Groups Ministry. As a pastor’s daughter with a background in Digital Communications and Media and Biblical & Theological Studies, you can find her at her local church, in deep conversation, or with a book or pen in hand as she seeks to know Christ more and make Him known.