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
Acts 17:28 some of your own poets. There are two quotations here:
(1) “In him we live and move and have our being,” from the Cretan poet Epimenides (c. 600 B.C.) in his Cretica, and
(2) “We are his offspring,” from the Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315-240) in his Phaenomena, as well as from Cleanthes (331-233) in his Hymn to Zeus. Paul quotes Greek poets elsewhere as well (see 1Co 15:33; Tit 1:12 and notes)
Paul made use of extra-biblical sources to evangelize non-Jews
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
Lost Sheep; Lost Coin - Luke 15:1-10
What kind of relationship are we talking about?
People often see reality inaccurately
LIttle Joe escaping from Franklin Park Zoo
Catch the emotion being expressed:
The Heartbeats - "A Thousand Miles Away"
Shep & The Limelights - "Daddy's Home"
Jermaine Jackson - "Daddy's Home"
Clarence Carter - "Patches"
Daddy cares passionately about you!
Any lack you experience is due to circumstances beyond his control.
Who's Your Daddy!
People have various "daddy" experiences
We need to recognize what the Bible is describing
God is not a mean judge trying to catch you doing something wrong!
Dabney Coleman in "Cloak and Dagger"
Scene from "The Wire"
God is the real father
Earthly parents are given as pointers to our real Father!
Their strengths point to him by example
Their weaknesses point to him by contrast
Any deficits in your family background/experience were pre-approved by God.
The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32
Guess what I just found out about daddy!
He's alive!
He's back home!
He's rich!
There are no circumstances beyond his control!
He's giving me a house, a car, and a brand new job!
God wants the relationship to grow.
God wants you in the family business.
New Material
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.
Palm Sunday
Solomon on King David's Mule - 1Kings 1:28-40
Messianic Prophecy - Zech 9:9
Jesus' Triumphal Entry - Mat 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40
This Great Salvation (continued)
God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you! (continued)
Hindrances to a relationship with God
Not taking the concept of a relationship with God seriously.
How do I know you have a relationship with someone?
You spend time with them.
You talk about them.
You prioritize them.
You defend them.
Religion
Confusing God with his Church
How do I know you have a relationship with God?
You spend time with him.
You talk about him.
You prioritize him.
You defend him.
How do I know you have a relationship with the Church?
You spend time at church.
You talk about church.
You prioritize church.
You defend church.
You act religious.
Relating to the Church is not the same as relating to God
Scheduling events with a husband vs. with a wife
Some people embrace church for acceptance yet avoid God.
Not understanding God's loving nature - Mat 7:7-11
Allowing your view of your parents to limit your view of God.
If you think God is going to disapprove of you, you'll have a hard time developing a relationship with him.
Luke 19:11-27 (parable of the Minas)
Were there people who didn't want to spend time with you?
Faith is essential for relating to God - Heb 11:6
Welcome to the party - why are you here?
to enjoy relating to the host?
to watch the host and gossip about him later?
to hang out with the guests?
Some embrace this relationship
"How can I be down?"
They're not phased by the cool/uncool Christians you meet.
They're not phased by the slick/wack worship service.
They're not phased by prosperity/poverty.
They're all about Jesus!
Others reject this relationship.
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.
"I never knew you"! - Mat 7:21-23; Mat 25:1-13; Luke 13:22-30
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?
Especially For Men
Especially For Women
Your relationship with God must be on his terms!
God establishes the requirements and the benefits
Accept God's complete authority over our relationship with him.
Reconciliation With God - 2Cor 5:1 - 6:2
2Cor 5:1-4 - If our earthly tent is destroyed
God has prepared a heavenly body for us
We long to have that body
2Cor 5:5 - God made us for this purpose
For our mortality to be swallowed up by life
The Holy Spirit is our deposit
2Co 5:6-10 - Confidence, absence, and presence
The deposit gives us confidence that death brings us to God
Here on earth we walk by faith
Faith must be understood in its original biblical context
Definition
Faith is not necessarily mystical
Faith is persuasion
Mustard seed faith - Mat 17:14-20; Luke 17:1-6
It develops through experience.
Use what you've got to get more!
Faith is an ocean cruise - not a supersonic jet ride.
The parent/child relationship provides a context for the experience
Children expect their parents to feed, clothe, and house them.
You have to walk with God as your Father to develop your faith.
Faith Recipe
Talk to God.
Find out what he wants you to do next.
Anything God wants you to do will stretch you.
You will need resources that you don't seem to have.
Just Do it.
Use the confidence you gain for the next task God gives you.
We want to please God
We know that we will eventually be judged by God
2Cor 5:11-13 - We try to persuade men
We'll make it through the judgement but what about you?
We want you to understand us and so accept the good news.
2Cor 5:14-17
Don't live for yourself!
Let go of our self-love (narcissism)
The Rich Fool - Luke 12:16-21
Common television sitcom fare
"The Office", "Seinfeld", "Friends", "Frasier", "I Love Lucy", "Home Improvement"
In God's eyes, we look like some of these narcissists.
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
Life is a complex system pervaded by unintended consequences. Only God can guide us through them properly.
Our sinful independence encourages more independence.
This is true even when we're at our best
Doing your own thing is death.
Live for Jesus!
Pleasing God becomes more important than pleasing ourselves
Luke 22:42; John 4:27-38; John 6:38;
Jesus changes everything; you must be born again - John 3
2Cor 5:18 - 6:2 - The ministry of reconciliation
God has reconciled us and sent us to "spread it around"
God is not counting men's sins against them
You were an enemy but God is offering you sonship!
Repent - Luke 15:11-32
Be reconciled to God - accept the Father's invitation - Mat 22:1-14
Don't receive his grace in vain by living for yourself!
The time is now.
God's terms are: follow Jesus! - John 6:24-29
Jesus is the real deal!
Who's The Bride Groom? - John 2
Who's The King? - John 4:46-54
Who's The Real Healer? - John 5:1-14
Who's The Real Bread From Heaven? - John 6:1-15
Who Is The Living Water? - John 7:37-39
Who Gives Sight? - John 9
Who Gives Life? - John 11
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"
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
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
Following Jesus means committing your resources - Mat 25:1-13
Following Jesus means learning the family business. - Mat 28:18-20
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
Welcome to the family.
You're late, but we're glad you're hear.
God's family is like your family in some ways.
God's family is different from your family in some ways.
God's family is best described in his own words.
Sonship first - then brotherhood
Sunday service is like Thanksgiving - we all should be together.
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 Mat 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40
How do you celebrate Jesus? Do you celebrate him as "the King"?
Has anyone ever objected to your celebration of Jesus? If so, how did you handle it?
Reflect on Mat 7:7-11; 2Cor 5:1-9
What are you doing to build your relationship with God?
How did your upbringing affect the way you see and understand God?
Have you ever used church as a substitute for getting to know God better?
Reflect on Luke 15:11-32 (continued from last week)
Describe the best human relationship you currently have. What do you enjoy about this relationship. Are there any problems in this relationship?
What kind of relationship did you have with your father as you were growing up?
Does your father care about you? If so, how does he show it?
In what ways might God do even better than your best other relationships?
This Great Salvation (continued)
God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you! (continued)
Hindrances to a relationship with God
Religion
Confusing God with his Church
How do I know you have a relationship with God?
You spend time with him.
You talk about him.
You prioritize him.
You defend him.
How do I know you have a relationship with the Church?
You spend time at church.
You talk about church.
You prioritize church.
You defend church.
You act religious.
Relating to the Church is not the same as relating to God
Scheduling events with a husband vs. with a wife
Some people embrace church for acceptance yet avoid God.
Not understanding God's loving nature - Mat 7:7-11
Allowing your view of your parents to limit your view of God.
If you think God is going to disapprove of you, you'll have a hard time developing a relationship with him.
Luke 19:11-27 (parable of the Minas)
Were there people who didn't want to spend time with you?
Faith is essential for relating to God - Heb 11:6
Welcome to the party - why are you here?
to enjoy relating to the host?
to watch the host and gossip about him later?
to hang out with the guests?
Some embrace this relationship
"How can I be down?"
They're not phased by the cool/uncool Christians you meet.
They're not phased by the slick/wack worship service.
They're not phased by prosperity/poverty.
They're all about Jesus!
Others reject this relationship.
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.
"I never knew you"! - Mat 7:21-23; Mat 25:1-13; Luke 13:22-30
Your relationship with God must be on his terms!
God establishes the requirements and the benefits
Accept God's complete authority over our relationship with him.
Reconciliation With God - 2Cor 5:1 - 6:2
2Cor 5:1-4 - If our earthly tent is destroyed
God has prepared a heavenly body for us
We long to have that body
2Cor 5:5 - God made us for this purpose
For our mortality to be swallowed up by life
The Holy Spirit is our deposit
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?
