Bible Reading 1/20 - 1/26: Gen 41:17 - Ex 3:33; Mat 13:24 - 17:27; Psalm 18:1 - 22:18; Prov 4:1 - 5:14
Review
Obedience Through Suffering
We have a great high priest - Jesus - Heb 4:12-16
God uses his Word to evaluate us. - Heb 4:12-13
Our high priest outranks everyone else. - Heb 4:14
Our high priest understands us. - Heb 4:15; Heb 2:5-18
We can come to him confidently. - Heb 4:16
Jesus learned obedience through suffering - Heb 5:1-14
Jesus confronted difficulties with prayer - Heb 5:7
His prayers were heard because of his reverent submission - Heb 5:7
Jesus learned obedience - Heb 5:8-10
innocence vs. virtue
Temptation - the source of Jesus' suffering - Heb 2:18
Learned obedience perfected Jesus' high priestly ministry.
Temptation and the believer - James 1:2-4; James 1:12-18
Suffering as a result of temptation.
Temptation makes us feel unclean.
Uncleanness keeps us out of "the temple".
Perseverance results in crown of life.
Process of temptation: desire --> sin --> death
Don't let desire drag you away.
Christmas
Jesus' Birth - Luke 2:1-20
Jesus growing - Luke 2:39-52
Let little baby Jesus grow up in your life.
Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God - Heb 1:1-4
Let's Go All The Way - Heb 12:1-13
Drop the baggage
Jesus is our example.
Have the right attitude about it - Prov 3:11-12; James 1:12-18
Satan misrepresents God as wanting to keep good things from us.
He did this in the garden of Eden
He does this today largely through the media.
1Cor 10:13 - God provides a way out.
Endure hardship as discipline - Heb 12:7
Endure - Mark 13:13; Luke 8:4-15; Rom 5:1-4; 1Pet 2:20;
Luke 21:19; Rom 2:7; Rom 8:25; 2Thes 1:4; 2Tim 2:11-13
Suffering -> Perseverance -> Character -> Hope - Rom 5:1-5
Our present sufferings - Rom 8:18-39
Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees!
Keep obeying.
Make level paths for your feet!
Get rid of the things that trip you up.
Get rid of the things that make others trip.
Walk In The Light - 1John 1:5 - 2:6
God reveals himself - 1John 1:1-4
This revelation is the foundation for everything else.
Complete joy is a major goal.
God is light - 1John 1:5
Walk in the light and live by the truth - 1John 1:6-7
Let God's light (i.e. his Word and his Spirit) illuminate your life.
Live in such a way that the saints can see what's going on in your life.
God's light exposes sin - acknowledge it. - 1John 1:8-10
Judge yourself - 1Cor 11:28-32; Rev 3:19
Confess without demanding forgiveness.
God can deal with our sin - 1John 2:1-2
Knowing God means obeying him - 1John 2:3-6
Obedience implies repentance.
Strength in Weakness
Don't mistake kindness for weakness - 2Cor 10
Don't measure strength by carnal standards - 2Cor 11
Don't boast about your strengths - 2Cor 12:1-6
When you're weak you are strong - 2Cor 12:7-10
"Thorns in your sides" - Num 33:50-56
Don't use your authority for selfish purposes - 2Cor 12:11-21
We too must learn obedience through suffering temptation
Get the right perspective - God's!
It's not about you - the Kingdom doesn't revolve around your desires.
Suffering can help you perfect obedience.
Anchor yourself to the principles of God's Word.
Let God schedule your good times - Luke 9:23-25; Rom 13:14
Fasting - not manipulating God but breaking our self-addiction!
The Standard - Mat 5 - 7
New Rules - Mat 5:1-12
Context - addressed (and applicable) to disciples only
The Poor In Spirit - Dependent on God
Those Who Mourn - sorrowful over the state of things
The Meek - not self-promoting
New Roles - Mat 5:13-16
New Responsibilities - Mat 5:17-20
Surpass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees - break out of your comfort zone
Your Anger - Mat 5:21-26
Spoken to disciples
Price inflation = currency deflation
Words can deflate (e.g. "believer")
The Bible evaluates belief by actions - James 2:14-26
Anger is dangerous - Mat 5:21-22; James 1:19-21
Anger is the source of murder
Angry speech is a warning sign
Raca (emptyhead)
Fool
Speech - Eph 4:25-32; James 3:1-12
Get rid of anger - Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; 1Tim 2:8; Tit 1:7
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.
The Standard - Mat 5 - 7
Surpass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees - break out of your comfort zone
Your Anger - Mat 5:21-26 (continued)
Prioritize reconciliation over religious activity - Mat 5:23-24
A brother/sister who sins against you - Mat 18:15-20
Stage 1 - Confront one on one - Luke 17:3
Stage 2 - Add two or three witnesses
Stage 3 - Tell the church
For our purposes: life group, or life group leaders
Invite him/her to meet with a representative body.
Elders who sin are rebuked publicly - 1Tim 5:19-20
Stage 4 - Excommunication
Withdrawing fellowship
Hand over to Satan- 1Cor 5; 1Tim 1:18-20
Don't associate with immoral "believers". - 1Cor 5:9-13
Wheat and Weeds - Mat 13:24-43
When someone tells you something confidential:
about themselves - confidentiality unless a life is in danger
about someone else
Beware gossip - Prov 18:8; Prov 26:22; 2Cor 12:20
Follow Eph 4:22-32
Shut it down - tell the victim
Repentance
The wrong way - Nick Leeson: "I'm sorry".
From 1992, Leeson made unauthorized speculative trades that at first made large profits for his employer, £10 million which accounted for 10% of Barings' annual income. He earned a bonus of £130,000 on his salary of £50,000.
Luck went sour, used a Barings error account to hide his losses.
Barings Management also allowed Leeson to remain Chief Trader while being responsible for settling his trades, jobs that are usually done by two different people. This made it much simpler for him to hide his losses from his superiors.
By the end of 1992, the account's losses exceeded £2 million.
By the end of 1994 the losses had ballooned to £208 million.
On January 16, 1995 Leeson placed a short straddle (an options trading strategy) in the Singapore and Tokyo stock exchanges, essentially betting that the Japanese stock market would not move significantly overnight.
January 17, 1995 - the Kobe earthquake hit early in the morning on January 17, sending Asian markets, and Leeson's investments, into a tailspin.
Leeson attempted to recoup his losses by making a series of increasingly risky new investments, this time betting that the Nikkei Stock Average would make a rapid recovery - it didn't.
February 23, 1995 - Realizing the gravity of the situation, Leeson left a note reading "I'm Sorry" and fled. Losses eventually reached £827 million (US$1.4 billion), twice the bank's available trading capital.
February 26, 1995 - After a failed bailout attempt, Barings was declared insolvent.
March 2, 1995 - Leeson was arrested and extradited back to Singapore after fleeing to Malaysia, Thailand and finally Germany,
Sentenced to six and a half years in Changi Prison in Singapore.
1996 - published autobiography, "Rogue Trader" while in prison.
1999 - released from prison, having been diagnosed with colon cancer, which he has survived despite grim forecasts at the time.
1999 - the book was made into a film of the same name starring Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel.
Encourage one another to follow Jesus' reconciliation process.
Don't gossip!
Forgive
Restore!
Your Desires - Mat 5:27-30
Sexual purity
No more booty calls.
No more dating on the DL.
No more hanging out in someone else's apartment.
Your Spouse - Mat 5:31-32
Your Word - Mat 5:33-37
Your Rights - Mat 5:38-42
Your Enemies - Mat 5:43-48
Your Reputation
Alms (Giving) - Mat 6:1-4
Prayer - Mat 6:5-15
Fasting - Mat 6:16-18
Your Property
Accumulating - Mat 6:19-21
Stinginess - Mat 6:22-23
Lifestyle - Mat 6:24-25
Kingdom First - Mat 6:26-34
Your Observations - Mat 7:1-6
Final Points
Look to the Father for whatever you need - Mat 7:7-11
Treat others the way you want to be treated - Mat 7:12
Embrace the restriction of the Kingdom life - Mat 7:13-14
Be careful whom you follow - Mat 7:15-23
Practice what Jesus preaches - Mat 7:24-27
Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
Group A: Mat 5:21-24 (from last week)
Are you angry with someone? If so, whom?
Have you used harsh language with anyone this week?
How are you dealing with your anger?
Do any of your brothers and sisters have anything against you?
What was the last thing you did to reconcile with a brother or sister?
Group B: Mat 18:15-20; 1Cor 5; 1Tim 1:18-20 (from last week)
Discuss your track record in obeying Mat 18:15.
Discuss your track record in obeying Mat 18:16.
Have you ever seen Mat 18:17 practiced? How did you feel about it?
Do you know anyone who calls himself or herself a believer, but is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolator, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler? If so, what kind of relationship do you have with this person?
Group C: Prov 18:8 / Prov 26:22; Eph 4:22-32
Have you gossiped this past week?
Have you heard any gossip this past week? How did you respond?
Have you ever informed someone of something that someone else said about him/her? Did you tell them who said it?
Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings
Make sure everyone in your life group has a prayer partner.
Pick a base of operations as a focus for your group's outreach ministry.
Plan a social event for your group to which you can invite some of the unbelievers you've been praying for.
