2018 Session 2a: Reconciliation to God by D.A. Horton

In the first part of the second session D. A. Horton explained how sin separates us from God, but he hasn’t planned it to stay that way. David, a man after God’s own heart, sinned against God. D. A. uses Psalm 51:1-6 to show how King David confessed his sin, repented of it, and received grace and mercy from God.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Because God confronted David’s sin with the Gospel, he can receive grace and mercy. Likewise, when our sin is confronted with the Gospel, our sin is not just covered. It is REMOVED. Once we’re covered by Jesus’ blood, our slate is wiped clean. After receiving compassion and mercy, we are called to show compassion and mercy to others. It’s easy to point out the sin in other people’s lives, but we miss the sin in our own lives. D. A. tells us the call of being changed by the Gospel to show compassion and mercy to others as God shows it to us.

2018 Session 1: View of God by D.A. Horton

D. A. Horton kicked off the first session explaining the Gospel. He approached the story of the Bible like a Netflix series: there’s a few different seasons, but it’s all part of the same plot, and there’s one main character. We would like to think that the main character is us, but it’s God. He has connected His story to our story through Jesus and Jesus alone. His blood sacrifice was the only sufficient payment for the infinite debt we owe to God. “It is impossible for a finite creature to obtain something that is infinite.” D. A. explained it like trying to obtain the whole Atlantic Ocean by standing in it and putting it all into a 32-ounce cup. It can’t be done. You’re not going to be holding the ocean, it’s going to be holding you. God’s power has purpose for our life. God lacks nothing; he doesn’t need our praise. He deserves it. He demands it. He desires to show his power to pay the debt we racked up--our sin. Romans 1:16-17:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

He wrapped up the session saying when we declare spiritual bankruptcy to God, He comes in and pays our debt. However, he doesn’t just pay our debt to give us an even $0. He fills our account with the perfect record of Jesus. He sees us as holy and blameless because he is holy.