Resilient Recovery: A Law and Gospel Approach to Finding Grace in the Midst of Recovery

By Jason Jonker

This is a guide to running a Resilient Recovery group. This ebook contains 18 small group lessons along with background information needed to make your group a success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jason Jonker
• Release date: Dec 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370184552

Book preview

Resilient Recovery

A law and gospel approach to experiencing the grace of God in the midst of recovery

Jason C. Jonker

Published by Jason C. Jonker at Smashwords

Copyright 2016 Jason C. Jonker

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Rest in Jesus and His Care

1. Small Group Guide: Rest

2. Small Group Guide: Rest

Chapter 2: Express My Need for Jesus

1. Small Group Guide: Express

2. Small Group Guide: Express

Chapter 3: Seek God’s Presence and Power

1. Small Group Guide: Seek

2. Small Group Guide: Seek

Chapter 4: Imagine Freedom in Christ

1. Small Group Guide: Imagine

2. Small Group Guide: Imagine

Chapter 5: Live Transparently by Owning My Sin

1. Small Group Guide: Live

2. Small Group Guide: Live

Chapter 6: Invite Jesus to Change My Habits

1. Small Group Guide: Invite

2. Small Group Guide: Invite

Chapter 7: Exalt Jesus above All Things

1. Small Group Guide: Exalt

2. Small Group Guide: Exalt

Chapter 8: Neutralize Temptation through Meditation on God’s Word

1. Small Group Guide: Neutralize

2. Small Group Guide: Neutralize

Chapter 9: Tell Others What God Has Done for You

1. Small Group Guide: Tell

2. Small Group Guide: Tell

Chapter 10: How to Pronounce the Gospel

Conclusion and Acknowledgement

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Introduction

We all have a sin that grips us and refuses to let go. It’s that sin that we continue to commit, even after we resolve to cast it off a hundred times. Our frustration with our continued sin can threaten to wear us down and leave us feeling demoralized. In such situations, support groups can be a great help to a believer, but support groups are often not Christ-centered. In some groups, Christians can even be discouraged from openly confessing their faith in Jesus. Groups that do profess to be Christian often weaken the gospel message by combining it with pop psychology or works-righteousness. Where can we go for biblically sound support and encouragement?

Resilient groups put Christ at the center of our recovery. They are strong in truth and strong in love. Group members describe a resilient group this way:

"It is a place where I can find encouragement."

"When I go there, I can talk and people will listen."

"It is a place of confession and a place where you can be real."

"It is a place for people like me--where I won’t be judged."

My favorite description of Resilient is this one. It is a place where God uses both law and gospel to conform me to the image of his son.

Our faith has been strengthened, and we have received God’s help with issues including alcoholism, homelessness, depression, drug addiction, grief, pornography and marital strife. We pray that God blesses you through Resilient Ministry, as well.

To help you better use this book, it will be helpful to understand the format. There are nine biblical phrases, the first letters of which spell the word RESILIENT. [See the next page for the whole list]. The first nine chapters of this book begin with one of the nine biblical phrases. Each chapter contains the following:

1. An introduction to one of the nine biblical phrases. The introduction is meant to help set the stage for the lessons that follow. The introduction contains a scripture verse, case example, and a few paragraphs that elaborate on the meaning of the phrase. The introduction may be read in the large or small group in order to orient the members to the night’s biblical phrase.

2. Each chapter also contains two guides for a small group. Reflections and suggestion to help you prepare for the small group are included along with each small group guide.

The tenth chapter contains information about the use of God’s word as law and gospel, which will help to further explain the purpose of a Resilient group and clarify how they are run. You can use the table of contents to navigate there.

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R - Rest in Jesus and his Care

E - Express my need for Jesus

S - Seek God’s Presence and Power

I - Imagine Freedom in Christ

L - Live Transparently by Owning My Sin

I - Invite Jesus to Change Me

E - Exalt Jesus above All Things

N - Neutralize Temptation through Meditation on God’s Word

T - Tell Others What God Has Done for You

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Chapter 1 R

R-esilient--Rest in Jesus and His Care

Scripture:

²⁸Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light [Matthew 11:28-30].

Case Study: Joseph is exhausted from nights of worry regarding his son’s drug use. He has racked his brain trying to discover what he did wrong as a parent. He has held this burden silently out of fear that others wouldn’t understand. He has also done everything imaginable to get between his child and drugs. Yet nothing seems to help. Some things even seem to have made it worse. Joseph has run himself ragged trying to fix his son. Exhausted, he wonders what it means to put his trust in Jesus.

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Jesus’ rest is a simple gift, no strings attached. Yet we stiffen up and resist his rest. In fact, when faced with a difficult situation, we often resist the rest Jesus offers because of pride or self-reliance.

We may even resist Jesus because we have an impulse to demand immediate answers and solutions. We want an instant resolution to our conflicts and challenges. We are not willing to allow God to be sovereign and wait on his healing. Thus, we lack faith in God’s providential care. Our lack of faith is unfounded. We can rest in Jesus and his care.

Paul Tripp in his book Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands suggests that we can rest in Jesus and his care for three reasons.

A. God is sovereign. He is in control of