Ch. 2: Growing in Grace and Knowledge

THE MAGNIFICENT JOURNEY by James Bryan Smith

Chapter 2—Growing in Grace and Knowledge

1.  Opening Prayer, from a position of full pardon, full acceptance

Grow in the grace and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
To Him be the glory both now 
and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18
2.  The hour I first believed
·      Do you remember the moment you first believed?
·      How was it different from your intellectual understanding of the gospel?
·      God waits for “the fullness of time” to reveal  Himself to our hearts, just like he waited for the moment in time to reveal the Son to the world.

3.  God hides until we seek
·      Mystical experiences—what are they?  The root word is “mystery”, something            we can’t fully explain.
·      We have a need, and we ask God to act.  He responds.
·      What result is real, but we can’t put it into words.  When have you had that happen?
·      Faith is not based on nothingness.  We’ve seen Him act in our lives.  It’s real.
·      “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er…”

4.  Grace leads to Knowledge leads to Faith
·      Relying on God’s Grace leads to Knowledge, Knowledge makes Faith possible.
·      Re-read the incorrect definitions at the top of p. 27.  How are they incorrect?
·      What are the correct definitions?
·      We lead with the body by doing spiritual disciplines that are “means of Grace” –fasting, prayer, worship, solitude… They made room for God to act.
·      They help us KNOW some spiritual truth in an experiential way.
·      Once we know these things to be true, Faith is easy—we’ve experienced it, and can trust God for that again.
·      Martyrs whose Knowledge of God was iron clad had iron clad faith in who Christ is to face their fate.

5.  Thy Kingdom came…
·      Eternal Life: knowing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit p. 31 John 17:3
·      In scripture, “knowing” goes beyond head knowledge—Godknows“in the Biblical way”—God knowsus.  Adam knewEve.  The Holy Spirit knewMary.  It’s a deep and intimate knowledge.  He knows our hearts—He experiences us in an intimate way.
·      We live in the Kingdom of God NOW by God’s act of Grace—revealing Himself to each one of us so that we can Know Him and respond with Faith.
·      John 19:31

6.  The Kingdom of God is Relational
·      There are many rational paths that lead us closer to knowing God—study, apologetics, hearing testimony, and yes, even science and archaeology.
·      Grace, Knowledge and Faith are the bridge from theory to reality, from rational to relational.
·      The Jews had the Law. Some, no doubt, followed it in their heads.  But some followed it in their hearts.
·      God will respond with Grace when we seek Him.

7.  Hymns to encourage us: 
·      What A Friend We Have in Jesus 
·      Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

8.  Soul Training Exercise, pp 36-37  In My Father’s House

9.  Closing Prayer



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