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Notes
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Review
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Give God The Real Thing! (Part 1)
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Preparation - John 4:21-24
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Select the Passage - John 4:21-24
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Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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Hebrew Study Bible
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KJV
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The Message
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NASB
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RSV
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Discover the Exegetical Idea
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Worship God in spirit and truth!
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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God is spirit and not physical or material.
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Exodus 20:1-6
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And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
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Deuteronomy 4:10-19
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God must be worshipped in spirit.
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It's not about a building.
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It's not about a ritual.
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It's about your personal connection with God.
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God must be worshipped according to the truth.
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We must worship God based on how he has revealed himself.
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"I gave them the words you gave me . . ." - John 17:6-12
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"Your word is truth" - John 17:13-19
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Our lives should be consistent with the God we worship
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Yes - Jeremiah predicted this - Jeremiah 31:31-34
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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If you don't worship God in spirit and truth:
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You're not a true worshipper!
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You're not the kind of worshipper God is looking for!
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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Give God the real thing!
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Understand the meaning of true worship.
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Know the God they're worshipping.
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Worship the God they know!
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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Outline the Sermon
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Standing Issues
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From a word Bishop gave me:
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Make sure people do something with God's message.
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Make it plain:
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Use accessible language.
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Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
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Sitting at a stop light
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Driving through a green light
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Approaching a yellow light
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Being cut off in traffic
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Going shopping
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Going to a mall
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Going to school; sitting in class
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Going to work; sitting in your office;
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Keep it simple.
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Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
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Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
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Introduction
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Welcome Cards -
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“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
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These cards do two things for us:
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They help us get to know our new visitors better.
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They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
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By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
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We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
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Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
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Transition - ?
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Read the Passage - John 4:21-24
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Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
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Exegetical Idea: Worship Got in spirit and truth!
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Homiletical Idea: Give God the real thing!
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Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Understand the meaning of true worship.
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Know the God they're worshipping.
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Worship the God they know!
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Understand the meaning of true worship.
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True worship comes from a desire to know God and connect with him.
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Not everyone actually wants to know God.
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Not everyone who "goest to the altar" really wants to know God.
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Some people do outrageous things and claim to be Christians.
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Real Christians know God. - Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 17:1-5
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Real Christians want to know God better. - Ephesians 1:15-21
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Real Christians want to connect with other believers. - Acts 2:42-47
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True worship acknowledges that God is spirit.
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Exodus 20:1-6
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And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
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Deuteronomy 4:10-19
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True worship is spiritual.
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It's not about a building.
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It's not about a ritual.
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It's about your personal connection with God.
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Individually
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Corporately
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True worship aligns with the truth: God's revelation of himself.
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We must worship God based on how he has revealed himself.
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"I gave them the words you gave me . . ." - John 17:6-12
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"Your word is truth" - John 17:13-19
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Our lives should be consistent with the God we worship
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Justice - Amos 5:20-24
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If you don't worship God in spirit and truth:
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You're not a true worshipper!
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You're not the kind of worshipper God is looking for!
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Know the God you're worshipping. (for next week)
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Worship the God you know! (for next week)
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Conclusion
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Give God The Real Thing! (Part 2)
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Preparation - John 17:1-8
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Select the Passage - John 17:1-8
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After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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Hebrew Study Bible
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KJV
|
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The Message
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NASB
|
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RSV
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Discover the Exegetical Idea
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Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ.
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ.
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Jesus completed the work God gave him.
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Part of this completed work was revealing God to his disciples.
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This revelation involved giving them God's words.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Yes - Jesus reveals the Father to us all - John 17:25-26
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“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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If you don't receive Jesus' revelation, you don't know God.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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Get to know the real God!
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
|
|
|
|
Understand the meaning of true worship.
|
|
|
|
Know the God they're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
Worship the God they know! (later in series)
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Standing Issues
|
|
|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
|
|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain:
|
|
|
|
Use accessible language.
|
|
|
|
Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
|
|
|
|
Sitting at a stop light
|
|
|
|
Driving through a green light
|
|
|
|
Approaching a yellow light
|
|
|
|
Being cut off in traffic
|
|
|
|
Going shopping
|
|
|
|
Going to a mall
|
|
|
|
Going to school; sitting in class
|
|
|
|
Going to work; sitting in your office;
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
Welcome Cards -
|
|
|
|
“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
|
|
|
|
These cards do two things for us:
|
|
|
|
They help us get to know our new visitors better.
|
|
|
|
They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
|
|
|
|
By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
|
|
|
|
We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
|
|
|
|
Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
|
|
|
|
Transition
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|
|
Worship God in spirit and truth. - John 4:21-24
|
|
|
|
Read the Passage - John 17:1-8
|
|
|
|
|
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
|
|
|
|
Exegetical Idea: Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ.
|
|
|
|
Homiletical Idea: Get to know the real God!
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|
What does this mean?
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Tangent - What's God doing anyway?
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God's not trying to create a traditional earthly empire focused on external obedience.
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God is after character development.
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Two sons:
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Michael Jackson - obeyed, but feared his father
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Michael Jordan - admired and looked up to his father
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Story of little boy:
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"I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"
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Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ.
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|
|
|
Jesus completed the work God gave him.
|
|
|
|
Part of this completed work was revealing God to his disciples.
|
|
|
|
This revelation involved giving them God's words.
|
|
|
|
Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
Yes - Jesus reveals the Father to us all - John 17:25-26
|
|
|
|
|
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
|
|
|
|
What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
If you don't receive Jesus' revelation, you don't know God.
|
|
|
|
Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
|
|
|
|
Understand the meaning of true worship.
|
|
|
|
Know the God they're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
Worship the God they know! (later in series)
|
|
|
|
Know the God you're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
True worship comes from a desire to know God and connect with him.
|
|
|
|
Receive God's revelation of himself.
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Through his Word:
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"Your word is truth" - John 17:13-19
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The Lord proclaimed his name to Moses: Exodus 33:7 - 34:7
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Compassionate
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Gracious
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Slow to anger
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Abounding in love and faithfulness
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Maintaining love to thousands
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Forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin
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Punishing the guilty
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Punishing the children for the sins of the fathers . . .
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Rely on what God has said about himself
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Discuss with God what he has said about himself
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Pick a Bible passage and talk to God about it.
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Through Jesus
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Jesus reveals the Father: John 17:1-8; John 17:25-26
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Jesus is the exact representation of the Father: Hebrews 1:1-4
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Ask God questions
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Ask for the resources you need - Moses did!
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Mara: bitter water turned sweet - Exodus 15:22-25
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Manna and quail - Exodus 16
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Massah and Maribah: water to drink - Exodus 17:1-7
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Victory over the Amalekites: Exodus 17:8-13
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Ask for the revelation you need - Moses did!
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Ask for a deeper relationship - Moses did!
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Connecting with God will transform you! - Exodus 34:27-35
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Worship the God you know! (for next week)
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Conclusion
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What will you do today to know God better?
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What Bible passage will you study to understand God better?
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What Bible passage will you talk to God about?
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How much time will you spend in God's presence today?
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How much time will you spend in God's presence tomorrow?
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How much time will you spend in God's presence this week?
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Give God The Real Thing! (Part 3)
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Raw Material
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Give saints a list of helpful passages to meditate on. (This should not be on “autopilot”, but rather so that they can successfully continue their connection with the Father).
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Prayer Obstacles - what do I do about these?
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Anxiety - restless thoughts
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Meditate on suitable passages: 1John 4:4; Phil 4:6-7; 1Pet 5:7
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PRAY EARLY!!!
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Write a blog entry on James Ryles’ definition of grace.
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The empowering presence of God that enables you to be who he has called you to be and to do what he has called you to do
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Preparation - 2Corinthians 3
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Select the Passage - 2Corinthians 3
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Study the Passage
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|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
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|
We are under a new covenant that gives life and whose glory doesn't fade.
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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God has made us servants of this new Covenant.
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The old covenant:
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is of the "letter"
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brings death
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has a glory that fades
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The new covenant:
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is of "the Spirit"
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brings life
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has a glory that doesn't fade
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The Spirit brings freedom.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
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|
Hebrews 8
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Moses exposed his face to God but hid it from the people.
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We expose our faces to God and to one another.
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Unbelievers can't see that the glory of the old covenant is fading.
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Believers go from glory to glory, so they don't have to hide.
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You have to spend time with God to get the glow.
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Some of us need help connecting with God, but we wear a mask so no one will know.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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|
|
Give God The Real Thing - Take The Mask Off!
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
|
|
|
|
Understand the meaning of true worship.
|
|
|
|
Know the God they're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
Worship the God they know! (later in series)
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Standing Issues
|
|
|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
|
|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain:
|
|
|
|
Use accessible language.
|
|
|
|
Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
|
|
|
|
Sitting at a stop light
|
|
|
|
Driving through a green light
|
|
|
|
Approaching a yellow light
|
|
|
|
Being cut off in traffic
|
|
|
|
Going shopping
|
|
|
|
Going to a mall
|
|
|
|
Going to school; sitting in class
|
|
|
|
Going to work; sitting in your office;
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
Welcome Cards -
|
|
|
|
“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
|
|
|
|
These cards do two things for us:
|
|
|
|
They help us get to know our new visitors better.
|
|
|
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They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
|
|
|
|
By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
|
|
|
|
We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
|
|
|
|
Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
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Transition
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Read the Passage - 2Corinthians 3
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Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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Exegetical Idea:
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We are under a new covenant that gives life and whose glory doesn't fade.
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Homiletical Idea: Give God The Real Thing - Take The Mask Off!
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What does this mean?
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God has made us servants of this new Covenant.
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The old covenant:
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is of the "letter"
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brings death
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has a glory that fades
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The new covenant:
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is of "the Spirit"
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brings life
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has a glory that doesn't fade
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The Spirit brings freedom.
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Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Hebrews 8
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Moses exposed his face to God but hid it from the people.
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We expose our faces to God and to one another.
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Unbelievers can't see that the glory of the old covenant is fading.
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Believers go from glory to glory, so they don't have to hide.
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You have to spend time with God to get the glow.
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Some of us need help connecting with God, but we wear a mask so no one will know.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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Give God The Real Thing - Take The Mask Off!
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Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Understand the meaning of true worship.
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Know the God they're worshipping.
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Worship the God they know! (later in series)
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Know the God you're worshipping.
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Let go of the old covenant:
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Trying to earn God's favor by obeying rules.
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Avoiding God because you're life isn't together yet.
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Embrace the new covenant:
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Coming to God just as you are.
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Trusting God to transform your life.
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Exercise your new covenant rights - spend quality time with God!
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Worship the God you know! (later in series)
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Conclusion
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Are you a letter from Christ?
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How much time does God get to write on your heart?
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New Material
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Preparation
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Expository Preaching
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Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.
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Select the Passage
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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Hebrew Study Bible
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KJV
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The Message
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NASB
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RSV
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Discover the Exegetical Idea
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Subject
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Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why
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Complement
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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Make it plain
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Use accessible language and modern parables.
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Make sure people do something with God's message.
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Keep it simple.
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Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
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Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
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Outline the Sermon
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Misc
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General
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Use examples that appeal to men.
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Make the Life Church Basic Training project-oriented - give everyone a ministry project.
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http://home.regent.edu/ruthven/2Worlds.htm
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You learn a lot about a person's spiritual maturity by how they respond to a rebuke.
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Always impart faith along with with the purpose of the sermon - Heb 4:2
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Develop a confession of faith regarding talking to God
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I can talk to God and he talks to me.
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I don't have to know how God is guiding me. I just need to trust his Word that he is guiding me.
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Not many fathers - 1Cor 4:6-17
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Fathers must influence.
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In search of a father.
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Don’t waste discipleship opportunities.
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Give people a way to demonstrate their hunger (as a qualification for discipleship).
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Faith comes by hearing - Romans 10:17
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What we must do at Life Church:
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Make it easy for people to connect to us.
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Make it easy for people to stay with us.
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Make it easy for people to grow with us.
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Make it easy for people to serve with us.
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Vision
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Key words: revolutionary, movement, life, vitality, love, power, transformation, river, families, networks, communities, world
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Our vision is based on the vision of the River of Life found in Ezekiel 47:1-12 and Revelation 22:1-2. It is a vision of a revolutionary movement:
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whose people relate to God on his own terms by following his Son, Jesus christ,
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whose people are known far and wide for living fruitful lives that nourish and heal their families, networks, and communities,
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that seeks and welcomes unchurched people who have been transformed by God's life and power into new followers of Jesus.
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Mission
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Our mission is to develop mature followers of Jesus Christ who love God with everything they've got, genuinely love their neighbors, and take the lead in expanding God's Kingdom in the world around them.
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Prep congregation for unchurched
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This Day In Black History: . . .
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Music
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Everything Is On The One - Parliament/Funkadelic
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Keep Their Heads Ringing - Dr. Dre
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Today Was A Good Day - Ice Cube
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My Mind Playin' Tricks On Me - Getto Boys
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Cosmic Slop - Funkadelic
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Let Me Clear My Throat - DJ Kool Feat. Biz Markie & Doug E. Fresh
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Specific
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Teach men what to do with their strength. Pimp or Papa?
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Structure the service to fight consumerism. Make sure that everyone has a way to contribute to the service (i.e. setting up, cleaning up, etc.)
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Prayer Teaching:
I’ve got so much to do today - I need to pray (Martin Luther?)
We need God’s help in our day to day lives:
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“Luck” management
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Character management
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I need God’s Word to live.
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Start every day with a Word from God. - Matthew 4:4
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Give God The Real Thing! (Part 4)
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Raw Material
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Give saints a list of helpful passages to meditate on. (This should not be on “autopilot”, but rather so that they can successfully continue their connection with the Father).
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Prayer Obstacles - what do I do about these?
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Anxiety - restless thoughts
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Meditate on suitable passages: 1John 4:4; Phil 4:6-7; 1Pet 5:7
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PRAY EARLY!!!
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Write a blog entry on James Ryles’ definition of grace.
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The empowering presence of God that enables you to be who he has called you to be and to do what he has called you to do
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Preparation - Hebrews 13:7-16
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Select the Passage - Hebrews 13:7-16
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Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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|
Hebrew Study Bible
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|
KJV
|
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|
The Message
|
|
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|
NASB
|
|
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|
RSV
|
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|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
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|
Imitate the leaders who taught you and whose lives have been accessible to you in the following ways:
- Prioritize track record over novelty
- Accept Jesus' disgrace
- Continuous Sacrificial praise
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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All that glitters isn't gold. Beware of "itching ears" syndrome. (2Timothy 2:2-4)
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There is a price to be paid for following Jesus - hostility from the world.
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We should continually praise God
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Praise is the sacrifice we offer in place of bulls, rams, etc.
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Our sacrifice is offered through Jesus.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Discipleship is about track record - not novelty.
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We are called to bear Jesus' disgrace - Mark 8:38
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"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
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The Bible is full of exhortations to praise God!
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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|
The Lord rebuked two churches for:
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|
Forsaking their first love - Revelation 2:1-7
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|
Being lukewarm - Revelation 3:14-22
|
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|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
|
|
|
|
Give God the real thing - get your praise on!
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
|
|
|
|
Understand the meaning of true worship.
|
|
|
|
Know the God they're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
Worship the God they know!
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Standing Issues
|
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|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
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|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain:
|
|
|
|
Use accessible language.
|
|
|
|
Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
|
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|
Sitting at a stop light
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|
Driving through a green light
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|
Approaching a yellow light
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|
Being cut off in traffic
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|
Going shopping
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|
Going to a mall
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|
Going to school; sitting in class
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|
Going to work; sitting in your office;
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
Welcome Cards -
|
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|
“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
|
|
|
|
These cards do two things for us:
|
|
|
|
They help us get to know our new visitors better.
|
|
|
|
They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
|
|
|
|
By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
|
|
|
|
We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
|
|
|
|
Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
|
|
|
|
Transition
|
|
|
|
Read the Passage - Hebrews 13:7-16
|
|
|
|
|
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
|
|
|
|
Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
Imitate the leaders who taught you and whose lives have been accessible to you in the following ways:
|
|
|
|
Prioritize track record over novelty - beware "itching ear" syndrome.
|
|
|
|
|
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. - 2Timothy 4:2-4
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|
Accept Jesus' disgrace - don't be ashamed of him.
|
|
|
|
|
"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” - Mark 8:38
|
|
|
|
Continuous Sacrificial praise
|
|
|
|
The Book of Hebrews contrasts the old covenant (with its animal sacrifices) with the new covenant. Praise is the sacrifice we offer in place of bulls, rams, etc.
|
|
|
|
Our sacrifice is offered through Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Homiletical Idea: Give God the real thing - Get your praise on!
|
|
|
|
Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
|
|
|
|
Understand the meaning of true worship.
|
|
|
|
Know the God they're worshipping.
|
|
|
|
Worship the God they know!
|
|
|
|
Worship the God you know!
|
|
|
|
Keep getting to know God through prayer and the Word.
|
|
|
|
Stay passionate (remember your first love).
|
|
|
|
Don't forsake your first love - Revelation 2:1-7
|
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|
Be hot - not lukewarm - Revelation 3:14-22
|
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|
God deserves our praise!
|
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|
|
One Like A Son Of Man: Read from Daniel 7:9-28
|
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|
Jesus is worthy - Revelation 4 - 5
|
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|
Imitate your leaders in worship!
|
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|
Pastors and other leaders.
|
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|
Worship team.
|
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|
Use your body
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|
Psalm 150
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|
Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
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|
Clap your hands
|
|
|
|
|
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! - Psalm 47:0-2
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|
Lift your hands
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|
|
A psalm of David.
O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. - Psalm 141:0-2
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Dance
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|
Psalm 150
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|
2Samuel 6:12-23 (David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem)
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Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel — I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
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Use your money
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|
Exodus 23:19a
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|
“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
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|
Proverbs 3:9-10
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|
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
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|
Conclusion
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|
|
|
Altar Call / Welcome Cards / Communion ?
|
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|
|
Welcome Cards - refer to script
|
|
|
|
We're almost ready to close this portion of our service, but first we want to give you a chance to respond to what you've heard.
|
|
|
|
Earlier in the service we mentioned the welcome cards and we encouraged you to begin filling them out.
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|
|
Right now we want you to complete your welcome card. We especially want you to use this card if:
|
|
|
|
if you’re a first time visitor
|
|
|
|
if you’ve never filled one out before,
|
|
|
|
if you want to tell us about a decision you made today,
|
|
|
|
if you want to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
|
|
|
|
Please be sure to include your up to date contact information unless we already have it.
|
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|
MC & Worship Team continue with tithes, offerings, and worship
|
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|
Benediction - Numbers 6:24-26
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“‘“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’
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Men's Prayer
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Life Group Material
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Life Group Word Material
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These are sample discussion questions / topics. Your life group leaders may choose to adjust these questions, substitute new ones, or spend the Word section of the meeting in a different way altogether.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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Hebrews 13:7-16
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Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Who are the leaders (plural) who have spoken the Word of God to you. Are their lives accessible to you? In what ways?
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Are you imitating your leaders? In what ways?
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In what ways do you offer God a sacrifice of praise? How frequently do you do this?
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Revelation 2:1-7
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“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Have you forsaken your first love? Discuss.
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Are there things you did early in your life as a Christian that you need to return to now? Discuss.
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Revelation 3:14-22
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“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Are you "hot", "cold", or "lukewarm"? Discuss.
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Is God showing you any ways that you need to be "hotter"? Discuss.
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Life Group Witnessing Activities
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Key Passage - John 4:21-24
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Activities
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Spend some time worshipping God together.
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Scriptures For 08/01/2010 Life Church Sermon
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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John 4:24 (read John 4:1-42 for context)
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God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
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Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
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“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
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“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
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After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
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