The glory of the old way of doing church is fading
Old covenant has fading glory - 2Cor 3:1-18
New covenant - Jer 31:31-34
Apostles carve out new territory in existing systems and structures. They articulate the needed changes whenever the old system conflicts with the new one.
The gift is for everyone - Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-32
Jesus makes it possible for us to enter the Father's presence
Old Covenant - Heb 9:1-10
New Covenant - Heb 9:11-28
Approach the throne - Heb 4:14-16; Heb 10:19-22; 1Pet 2:4-5
Knowing God
Boast about knowing the Lord - Jer 9:23-24; 1Cor 1:31; 2Cor 10:17
"They will all know me" - Heb 8:1-13
Spectators don't know or understand the Lord.
Walking with God - Gen 5:18-24; Heb 11:5-6
Faith (work the relationship) - Heb 11:1; Mark 11
Believe and act on what God says - Gen 12 - 15
Talk and act like a son/daughter
Sonship first - then brotherhood
Expectation - Mat 9:18-26
you are vulnerable to God disappointing you
Obedience / faithfulness - Luke 12:35-48
Become like little children - Mat 11:25; Mat 18:1-6; Mat 19:13-15
New Babies
breathe and cry right away.
hear from their parents right away.
Newborn Christians - 2Pet 2
should start praying right away.
should expect for God to talk to them right away.
should start reading God's Word right away
Are You a Christian?
Two Gaps:
Gap between sinful man and God - only Jesus' death fixes this
Gap between redeemed man and God - we must fully embrace the relationship
3 Stages
OT
Passover and Crossing Of Red Sea
Initial Wilderness - getting to know God
Canaan - living in the relationship
NT
John's Baptism of Repentance
3.5 Years - getting to know Jesus
The Cross, Resurrection, Pentecost - walking in the relationship
Do you really want a relationship with God?
Review Principles:
God exists
God loves you and wants a relationship with you
A relationship with God must be on his terms
God's terms are: "Follow Jesus" - John 6:29
The word "Christian"
In Scripture - Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1Pet 4:16.
Transliteration
Greek word cristianos (pronounced christianos) ---> Christ
Hebrew word "masshiach" ---> messiah
The Anointed One
"Christian" means follower of Christ
Jesus' Own Words
What does Jesus say about himself?
He is the Christ - Mat 16:13-20; John 10:22-39
What does Jesus want us to do?
Repent and believe the good news - Mark 1:14-15
Repent - turn, change your mind
Good News - Luke 2:1-20; Luke 4:14-21; Luke 7:17-23
Believe in him
He encouraged it - John 9:35-38
Believing in him is believing in the Father - John 12:44-50
Follow him
If you don't follow you're not worthy - Mat 10:32-42
Take up your cross - Mark 8:31-38
His sheep follow him - John 10:27
Those who want to serve him must follow him - John 12:20-36
Unite with him and with each other - John 17
Proclaim the Good News - Mark 16:14-16
Ordo Salutis - Rom 8:28-39
Foreknowledge
Implies relationship
Predestination
Calling
Phases (Repentance, Faith, Baptism, etc.) - Heb 6:1-2
Repentance - We change our minds and turn away from sin
Introduction - Mat 4:17; Mark 1:15
Human Perspective
Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10
God's Perspective
Parables of lost sheep and lost coin - Luke 15:1-10
Parable of lost son - Luke 15:11-32
Questions to Consider
Faith - We believe (i.e put our faith)) in Jesus Christ
Introduction - Mark 1:15; John 3:14-18; John 9:35-38
Human Perspective
The sick woman, the father of the dying child - Mat 9:18-26
God's Perspective - Heb 11:6; Mat 8:5-13; John 17:6-9; John 17:20-23
Questions to Consider
you are vulnerable to God disappointing you
Further Reading
Bronze snake - Num 21:4-9
Forgiveness - God forgives our sins
Introduction - Mat 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12; Acts 2:38
Our Perspective - Luke 7:36-50
God's Perspective - Mat 26:26-29; Luke 24:44-48
Questions to Consider
Further Reading - Mat 18:21-35
Eternal Life - We receive God's life within us
Introduction - John 3:14-18
Our Perspective - John 3:1-8; John 4:1-14; John 7:37-39
God's Perspective - John 10:22-30; John 17:3
Questions to Consider
Further Reading
Confession / Baptism - We publicly commit our lives to Jesus
Introduction - Mat 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-18; Rom 10:9-10
Our Perspective - 1Tim 6:12
God's Perspective - Mat 10:32-33; Mark 8:35-38
Questions to Consider
The Outcome
Discipleship - We submit to other believers for training
Follow him
If you don't follow you're not worthy - Mat 10:32-42
Take up your cross - Mark 8:31-38
His sheep follow him - John 10:27
Those who want to serve him must follow him - John 12:20-36
Introduction
Our Perspective
God's Perspective
Questions to Consider
Conversion process
Warning about treatment of unsaved family members
The "cross-fade" metaphor
old lifestyle loses credibility due to contradictions
internal contradictions
external contradictions
commitment to old lifestyle wanes due to lost credibility
Kingdom of God becomes more and more credible
Phase 1
No effective awareness of Kingdom of God
Complete commitment to independance from God
Attitude Examples
I lie because it works and anyone who has sense does too.
Phase 2
Awareness of Kingdom of God
Commitment to Kingdom growing
Commitment to old lifestyle exceeds commitment to Kingdom
Attitude Examples
I lie because it works for me, but I know there are some people who can get along without lying.
Phase 3
Commitment to Kingdom of God matches commitment to old lifestyle
Candidate may have one or more experiences that are labelled as conversion experiences
Candidate is "double-minded"
Attitude Examples
I lie, but I'm thinking about giving it up.
Phase 4
Commitment to Kingdom of God exceeds commitment to old lifestyle
Candidate settles into practical church membership
Attitude Examples
I usually tell the truth, but there are some situations where lying is acceptable.
Phase 5
All lingering commitment to old lifestyle is extinguished - this is full repentance
Candidate is fully committed to those aspects of the Kingdom that he/she knows about
There is a clear path for future spiritual growth
Attitude Examples
Lying is wrong and I rarely do it - if I lie, it's because I was in a sudden jam and fell back on an old habit.
Peter's Progression in Faith
John 5:39-42
Mat 4:18-22
Luke 5:1-11
Glorification
kabod / doxa
Parable of the Sower - Mat 13:1-23; Luke 8:4-15
Some neglect and ultimately abandon the relationship with God.
No one can snatch them out of my hand - John 10:27-30
It is impossible to be lost when you still genuinely want a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
If your hand offends you - Mat 5:27-30
Disqualified - 1Cor 9:24 - 1Cor 10:13 (ref. Luke 12:35-48)
Impossible for the enlightened to return - Heb 6:1-12
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?
Spiritual Maturity - Heb 6:1-12
Following Jesus Leads to Spiritual Maturity
Accountability
Stability
Taking Responsibility For Your Own Growth
Taking Responsibility for Ministry
Reproducing Yourself
Obstacles to Spiritual Maturity
Focusing on life's worries, riches, and pleasures - Luke 8:4-15
Failure to focus on the things of the Spirit - 1Cor 2:6-12; Col 3:1-10
Misunderstanding what spiritual maturity is
Spiritual maturity is not sinlessness
Spiritual maturity is a lifestyle of effective engagement (i.e. engagement that produces real results).
Spiritual Consumerism
Accountability / Holiness
To God - Blamelessness (not sinlessness) - Gen 6:9; Gen 17:1
To other believers
Walking in the light - 1John 1:5 - 2:6
Exposing your actions
Exposing your thoughts
Exposing your motives
Consistent availability - Heb 13:7, 17
Sunday service PLUS life group
Not - one church for Sunday and another for life group
You should develop intimate friendships and accountability with the same people you fellowship with on Sunday.
Stability - Eph 4:10-17; James 1:2-4
Taking Responsibility For Your Own Growth - Philip 3:1-15; Heb 5:11-14
Learning lifestyle vs. Entertainment lifestyle
Fight until the fight becomes automatic. Wounded people are not always able to fight, but once they experience healing they must learn to do the fighting that they’ve been avoiding and keep fighting until they automatically hold their ground.
Dramatize the “impossible switch” (ref Staples Easy Button)
Sabbath discipline - prioritizing the Lord
Taking responsibility for ministry - Mat 6:33; Luke 9:23-25; Rom 12:3-8
Pleasing God must be more important than pleasing ourselves
Luke 22:42; John 4:27-38; John 6:38;
Your actions and words should build up others - Eph 4:29; 1Pet 4:11
The New Testament writers weren't trying to write "scripture".
They were trying to serve other believers.
In doing so they produced scripture - 2Pet 3:15-16
Your life should produce "scripture"
Charles's recollection at the retreat
My own frequent sharing of things Bishop said to me
"I trust you with souls"
Taking Responsibility For Reproducing yourself
Fruitfulness - Mat 7:15-20; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-8
God has promised you spiritual offspring
Pray - Father I want to lead others to spiritual maturity.
Define evangelism, followup, discipleship
Work in the vineyard
Require maturity from individuals in the congregation.
Three Phases
Developing godly habits
Turning godly habits into skills
Combining godly habits and skills into your ministry
Have you made the “maturity decision” yet?
Godly Habits Of Highly Effective Believers
Relating to God - Prayer
Talking with God - Jer 29:11-14; 2Cor 3; 1Pet 1:17
Hearing from God boosts assurance of salvation
Get started
God wants to speak to you.
God is able to speak to you.
God is able to make you confident that you've heard from him.
Trust him to do this as you approach him.
Say "Speak Lord - your servant is listening" - 1Sam 3:1-18
Start with praise and thanksgiving (use Psalms as a guide).
Take time to listen.
Write down the thoughts that come to you.
God wants to meet your needs
Children use their parents' resources.
We get to use God's resources.
Keep borrowing God's car and he'll give you one of your own.
Life is God's training program for you.
God wants to share the universe with you.
Apostles make plans with God's resources in mind.
Sometimes God wants us to narrow down the possibilities before we come to him for guidance. Make a list of alternatives with pros and cons. Propose the best solutions to God while allowing him to completely override your selection. God requires that we avoid laziness and inertia in the process of hearing from him.
Warn about saying "I hope" during prayer.
Relating to God - Worship
Gratitude - Luke 7:36-50
Love for God - 1Pet 1:8-9;
Giving
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift - 1Cor 9:15
Discipline your though life according to God's Word - Rom 12:2
The Bible
Discuss origins, translation, etc.
Discuss inspiration - plenary, verbal, etc.
Discuss versions, translations, paraphrases, etc.
Don't use the Bible just to prove a point.
Relating to Believers - Fellowship
Love for others - Mat 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; 1John 3:18
Sunday service is like Thanksgiving - we should all be together.
Holiness
Relating to Believers - Discipleship
Relational Evangelism Quiz - grade yourself - inviting people to church - inviting people to your life group - winning people on your own - connecting believers you know to an unbeliever you know
Followup
CPR - seconds count - Followup
The Life Church way is one on one
Illustrate demonic opposition to followup / discipleship and how prayer counteracts this opposition.
Discipleship is not a curriculum - it’s a lifestyle.
How many people wish they had someone to disciple them? Provide a solution.
Have I been discipled? How do I know when the job is done? What does discipleship look like?
Relating to Believers - Service
Relating to Unbelievers - Caring
Relating to Unbelievers - Service
Relating to Unbelievers - Evangelism
4 P's
Purpose
Position
Plan
Partner
Relating to My Community - Service
Service
Increase your capacity to serve
Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
Group A:
1Tim 6:3-21
Note - In addressing this group of questions / topics it will be very tempting to discuss other people. Please resist this temptation and apply the questions / topics to yourself!
Do you view Christianity as a way to make money? Have you ever?
Are you content with what you have?
Do you love money? Would the people who know you the best agree with your answer? What about the people who see you frequently?
To what extent do you put your hope in wealth?
Paul told Timothy to guard what had been entrusted to his care. What has God entrusted to your care? How are you guarding it?
Group B:
Mat 3:1 - 4:17; Heb 5:7-9
Describe a time when you used scripture to resist temptation.
Describe a time when you were tempted to provide for your own needs in an inappropriate way.
Does Jesus' second temptation relate to your life? If so, how so?
Does Jesus' third temptation relate to your life? If so, how so?
Jesus was heard because of his reverent submission. How about you?
Jesus learned obedience from suffering. How about you?
How is Jesus' humanity relevant to your spiritual life?
Group C:
Rom 10:1-17 (from last week)
The Israelites didn't know the righteousness that came from God and sought to establish their own. How was this true of you in the past?
Do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead?
Describe your earliest memory of telling someone that Jesus is Lord.
Describe your earliest memory of believing as a result of hearing the good news about salvation through Jesus.
Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings
Make sure everyone in your life group has a prayer partner.
Make plans for praying with your prayer partners on a weekly basis.
Plan a social event for your group to which you can invite some of the unbelievers you've been praying for.
