Lift Up Your Eyes (Part 2)

Pastor Rocklyn E. Clarke - Sunday October 29, 2006

© 2006 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

 
V Introduction
* Bible Reading 10/22 - 10/28: Jer 39-52; 2Tim 1 - Tit 3; Psalm 90-100; Prov 26:1-19
> Review
V New Material
* Answer some of last week's discussion questions
> Preparation
V Lift Up Your Eyes (Part 2)
V Lift up your eyes - John 4
V A prelude to action
* Mat 17:8 - the disciples lift up their eyes and see only Jesus
* Luke 6:20 - Jesus lifts up his eyes and teaches his disciples
* Luke 16:23 - in hell the rich man lifts up his eyes and sees Abraham
* John 6:5 - Jesus lifts up his eyes, sees the multitude, and feeds them
* John 17:1 - Jesus lifts up his eyes to heaven and prays
V What happens when you lift up your eyes?
* Take your eyes off of yourself
* Look at what's immediately around you
* Recognize the opportunities (e.g. ripe harvest)
V How can I learn to recognize the opportunities?
* You have to want to please God. - John 4:31-34
* Ask God to show you.
* Check with other believers
V How should you respond to the opportunities that you recognize?
V Build God's house!
V Paneled Houses - Hag 1:1-12
* Build God's House
* God's house is built with people - 1Cor 3:16; 1Pet 2:4-5
* Start gathering the harvest
V How can I be more effective in gathering the harvest?
V Exercise Faith / Be Faithful
* Level 1 - showing up
* Level 2 - obeying what you've been told
* Level 3 - obeying even what you haven't been told
V Take The Way Of The Cross - Mat 16:13-28; Mark 8:27 - 9:1; Luke 9:23-25
V Kingdom Paradoxes:
* The way to receive is to give - Luke 6:38
* The way to lead is to serve - Mat 20:25-28
* The way to be first is to be last - Mat 19:30
* The way up is down - Mat 23:12
* You fool - this night your life will be demanded of you - Luke 12:13-34
V Rely On God's Power
V Kingdom of God come with power - Mat 16:28
* Power - Pentecost Sunday
* power to make disciples
* You already have what you need - like the scarecrow, lion, and tin man
* God's power is available for getting his work done - not for building our private empires.
* God's power is made perfect in our weakness - 2Cor 12:9
V Discussion Questions / Topics
V Reflect on John 4
* Describe the last conversation you had with an unbeliever.
* What opportunities do you have to spend more meaningful time with unbelievers?
* Who are the people in your life who don't know Jesus? Name names.
* Describe the last conversation you had in which someone asked you a question about Christianity.
* Is there something simple you could do to include someone from your life group in your relationship with one of the unbelievers in your life?
* When will you do it?
* In what ways have you ever taken a risk to connect to an unbeliever?
V Reflect on Hag 1:1-12; 1Cor 3:16; 1Pet 2:4-5
* When did you first realize that God's house was built with people? How has this understanding affected your ministry?
* What has your priority been lately - building your own house, or God's?
* Who have you connected to God's house lately? Who are you trying to connect?
V Reflect on Mat 16:13-28; Mark 8:27 - 9:1; Luke 9:23-25
* What are some of the ways in which you've tried to "save your own life"?
* What are some of the ways in which you've "lost your life"?
* Describe a time recently when you "denied yourself" to follow Jesus.
* Describe a time recently when you "took up the cross" by suffering public disapproval for Jesus.
V Works Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings (repeated from last week)
V Review the current prayer partnerships in your life group.
* Make sure that everyone has someone to pray with on a weekly basis.
* These can be long-term assignments or your can rotate them.
* If you rotate them, the assignments should last at least one month.
V Review the list of people you are praying for in your life group.
* Make sure that everyone knows who to pray for and how to pray for them.
* Make sure that the people who need salvation are getting prayed for every day by the members of the group.
V Review each person on the list of people you are reaching out to.
* Has anyone invited him/her to lunch/dinner or some other informal activity along with at least one other life group member?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a life group fun event?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a life group meeting?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a Sunday service?