Bible Reading 3/11 - 3/17: Num 15:17 - 26:51; Mark 15 - Luke 2; Psalm 54 - 60; Prov 11:5-15
Review
Don't Refuse God
Do Not Refuse
God wants to permeate Life Church in a new way.
There are things that God can’t reveal to us until we put him first.
Concept - Transformed In God’s Presence
The recipients of this letter were swimming against a Jewish tide.
How shall we escape . . .? - Heb 2:2-3
See that you don't refuse . . . - Heb 12:1-29
Don't Risk God's Rejection
Mat 21:23-27 - Make a decision
Was John's baptism from heaven or from men?
Are you in church to do God's will or to look good to others?
If I say "to do God's will" then he'll say then why aren't you bearing Kingdom fruit?
If I say "to look good to others the rest of the congregation will think I'm not spiritual.
If you're here to do God's will then act like God's really in charge.
Mat 21:28-32 - Don't be left behind
There are people you look down your nose at who are progressing in the Kingdom faster than you are because they have embraced the work.
Prepare and Produce
Mat 24:29-51 - No one knows the hour
Mat 25:1-13 - The Parable Of The Virgins
My Dress Shirt @ Courtney's and Janeen's 25th Anniversary
At that time . . .
Olive oil comes from squeezing olives
The foolish virgins tried to do at the end what they should have done at the beginning.
All the virgins fell asleep
While asleep they were unaware of the lamps' oil consumption
When they awoke there was a crisis - replenishment was needed
It is possible to be unaware of how low your reserves are getting when you are in the company of God's people.
Oil costs you something - pay now or pay later
A sacrifice to the Lord costs you something - 2Sam 24; 1Chron 21
Mat 25:14-30 The Parable Of The Talents
Distinct from the parable of the minas - Luke 19:11-27
Mina - 3 months wages
Talent - 60 minas = 15 years wages or 1 years wages for 15 people
Putting It Into Practice - How do I take my oil and multiply my talents?
It's not rocket science
Don't be overly mystical
Oil and lamps are very well understood technology.
Investing money is also very well understood - (e.g. the bankers).
Be practical
Get a fresh vision of God
How do you view God?
"Jazz is my religion"
H&R Block Commercial - "The Box"
imaginary friend
boss
The Mayor
We have a Lord to serve
God wants us to discover him.
Landscape can be obscured by fog and mist until the sun comes up to disperse it. This is the way it sometimes is as we seek to understand what’s going on in some ministry situations.
People who have faith go exploring.
People who have faith can take a sabbath.
Christianity is obedience, not mere self-help
God knows everything - he only experiences discovery through us.
Pray
The Prayer Reflex - when things aren’t the way they should be I pray
Prayer is not wishing - it's must be based in God's Word.
Pray - Father I want to lead others to spiritual maturity.
Reach out to others who will receive what you have
See this as something you can do
without a seminary degree
without a powerpoint presentation
without a 100 page syllabus
See this as something non-negotiable
These good behaviors are not substitutes for outreach:
prayer
Bible study
faithful church attendance
You have to do the difficult thing God tells you to do. - Heb 12:7-13
See this as a grace task:
Remember Doug Hall’s “Chaos Code”
Like a baby learning to walk you will fall down sometimes.
God is proud of your baby steps - keep walking
Sooner or later you have to walk up and down the stairs.
Sooner or later you have to cross the street by yourself.
This is another opportunity to discover God.
To really know him you have to get out of the "safe spaces".
This strengthens you through:
Prayer - the time you have to spend in God’s presence
Practice - exercising God’s Word
Relationships - forgetting about yourself and giving your life away
Overcome resistance to getting involved in other people’s lives.
Paratroopers have to overcome their fear of heights/falling
Swimmers have to overcome their fear of sinking/drowning.
Navy SEALS have to overcome fear of tied hands and feet.
Keep your eyes on the Kingdom harvest prize.
Keep a notepad and pen so that you can reach out and reconnect with the people you meet.
What does it mean to be "saved?"
Key parables:
Jesus, Matthew, Jairus' daughter, bleeding woman - Mat 9:9-26
The Wedding Banquet - Mat 22:1-14
The Sheep and the Goats - Mat 25:31-46
The Two Debtors - Luke 7:36-50
The Rich Fool - Luke 12:16-21
The Watchful Servants - Luke 12:35-48
The Barren Fig Tree - Luke 13:6-9
The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32
Jesus' high priestly prayer - John 17
Are only a few people going to be saved? - Luke 13:22-30
Equivalent Terms
Christian
Saved
Born Again
Believer
Saint
Redeemed
Key Concepts
God exists!
He is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere.
He has revealed himself through his Word!
He has revealed himself supremely through Jesus!
God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you!
Relationship means relationship!
Your relationship with God must be on his terms!
God establishes the requirements
God establishes the benefits
God's terms are: follow Jesus!
Follow means follow!
Salvation Means
Accepting God's existence
Accepting who he is as revealed in his Word.
Accepting The Father's invitation to a relationship with him.
God is not a mean judge trying to catch you doing something wrong!
God wants a family relationship with you.
God wants the relationship to grow.
God wants you in the family business.
You must be born again.
New Material
Answer some of last week's discussion questions
Preparation
Main Passage
NIV
Hebrew Study Bible
KJV
The Message
NASB
RSV
Exegetical Idea
Subject
Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why
Complement
Developmental Questions
Explain It: What does this mean?
Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
Homiletical Idea
Purpose of the Sermon
Make it plain
Use accessible language and modern parables
Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.
This Great Salvation
God exists!
He is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere.
He has revealed himself through his Word!
He has revealed himself supremely through Jesus!
God is awesome - Ex 19; Isa 6:1-4; Ezek 1; Dan 7:9-10; Rev 4:1-11
God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you!
This has always been God's plan - Acts 15:12-21; Acts 17:16-31
Relationship means relationship!
God doesn't want his awesomeness to be a barrier to relationship - Ex 20:18-20; Deut 18:15-19; Heb 12:18-29
Your relationship with God must be on his terms!
God establishes the requirements
God establishes the benefits
Accept God's existence
Accept the God who is revealed through the Bible
Accept The Father's invitation to a relationship with him. - Mat 22:1-14
God is not a mean judge trying to catch you doing something wrong!
God wants a family relationship with you.
God wants the relationship to grow.
God wants you in the family business.
You must be born again.
Accept God's complete authority over our relationship with him.
Repenting - Luke 15:11-32
Letting go of our self-love (narcissism)
The Rich Fool - Luke 12:16-21
Common television sitcom fare
"The Office", "Friends", "Frasier", "I Love Lucy", "Home Improvement"
In God's eyes, we look like some of these sitcom characters
God considers this to be tragedy rather than comedy
The wedding planner who is focused on her own preferences
The gift-giver who really has himself/herself in mind
The man who buys his wife a set of power tools
Pleasing God becomes more important than pleasing ourselves
Luke 22:42; John 4:27-38; John 6:38;
It's possible for him to say "I never knew you"!
God's terms are: follow Jesus!
Follow means follow!
Understand God by following Jesus
Relate to God by following Jesus
Follow Jesus as our only link to God - Acts 4:12
This is the meaning of "Christian"
He is the ultimate revelation of God - John 14:1-14; Col 1:15-20 ;Heb 1:1-3
Following him implies relationship
Looking to Jesus - John 6:35-40;
Like a school teacher who leaves no child behind.
The children must have a relationship with the teacher
Listening to his voice - John 10:14; John 10:27-29
Continuing in your faith - Col 1:9-23; Heb 12:3
Walking in the light - 1John 1:5 - 2:6
Exposing your actions
Exposing your thoughts
Exposing your motives
Submitting to authority
Whose party is it anyway? - Mat 28:18-20
Learning God's will - Eph 5:8-31
Getting to know God better. - John 17
Having specific expectations of God - Mat 9:18-26
Following Jesus means committing your resources - Mat 25:1-13
Following Jesus means learning the family business. - Mat 28:18-20
It's all about the relationship - Mat 7:7-28
Some embrace it - Mat 5:6; Mat 11:12;
"How can I be down?"
It's not about the cool/uncool Christians you meet.
It's not about the slick/wack worship service.
It's not about prosperity/poverty.
It's all about Jesus!
Others reject it.
Some refuse it.
Some use obedience to rules as a way of avoiding it. - John 5:39
Some use good works as a way of avoiding it.
Some abandon it.
If your hand offends you - Luke 9:43-48
Disqualified - 1Cor 9 (ref. Luke 12:48)
Impossible for the enlightened to return - Heb 6:1-20
Can you lose your salvation?
Can you divorce your husband/wife?
Can you abandon your children?
Can you turn your back on your parents?
Can you reject your friends?
Characteristics of those who embrace the relationship
gratitude - Luke 7:36-50
walking with God - Gen 5:18-24; Heb 11:5-6
love - Mat 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; 1John 3:18
obedience / faithfulness - Luke 12:35-48
expectation - Mat 9:18-26
you are vulnerable to disappointment if God doesn't come through
fruitfulness - Mat 7:15-20; Luke 13:6-9
What does it mean to be "saved?"
Key parables:
Jesus, Matthew, Jairus' daughter, bleeding woman - Mat 9:9-26
The Wedding Banquet - Mat 22:1-14
The Sheep and the Goats - Mat 25:31-46
The Two Debtors - Luke 7:36-50
The Watchful Servants - Luke 12:35-48
The Barren Fig Tree - Luke 13:6-9
The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32
Jesus' high priestly prayer - John 17
Are only a few people going to be saved? - Luke 13:22-30
Putting It Into Practice - How do I live out my relationship with God?
Read God's Word with the intention of understanding it and practicing it.
Pray with the intention of baring your heart to God and understanding his.
Prayer is not wishing - it's must be based in God's Word.
Pray - Father I want to lead others to spiritual maturity.
Experience God through fellowship with his children
Join the "family business" - expand the Kingdom
Reach out to others who will receive what you have
Don't try to use other good behaviors as substitutes for outreach.
Keep taking baby steps until you can take bigger steps.
Forget about yourself and give your life away
Overcome resistance to getting involved in other people’s lives.
Paratroopers have to overcome their fear of heights/falling
Swimmers have to overcome their fear of sinking/drowning.
Navy SEALS have to overcome fear of tied hands and feet.
Keep a notepad and pen so that you can stay in touch with the people you meet.
Let your relationship with God grow as you actively commune with him in new situations.
Spiritual growth is not about how "spiritually pretty" you can become.
Spiritual growth is about increasing your capacity to do God's will.
Keep your eyes on the Kingdom harvest prize.
Distinguish among (reference Doug's chaos code)
ministry prep
ministry - relationship building
ministry - no explicit evangelism
ministry - explicit evangelism
ministry - conversion
ministry - follow up
ministry - discipleship
Discussion Questions / Topics
Reflect on Ex 19 - 20; Deut 18:15-19; Heb 12:18-29; Rev 4:1-11
How does the idea of God speaking to you make you feel?
How close are you willing to get to God?
Reflect on Mat 22:1-14
Where do you see yourself in this parable?
Have you ever thought of salvation as an invitation to a wedding?
Have you ever explained salvation as an invitation to a wedding?
Reflect on Luke 12:16-21
Does the rich man in this parable remind you of anyone?
Are you more focused on God's agenda or your own? In what ways?
Reflect on John 3:19-21; 1John 1:5 - 2:6 (continued from last week)
Do you have fellowship with God?
Are you walking in the light or in the darkness?
Who in the church and in your life group knows "the real you"?
If you're not opening your life up to anyone, why aren't you?
Are there areas of your life that contradict God's Word? Are you going to let God help you with these areas? Will you let him help you through some of your fellow believers? Why or why not?
When was the last time someone shared a helpful scripture with you?
When you disobey God do you confess your sin right away, or do you wait?
Works Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings (repeated from last week)
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.
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.
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?
