Thursday, May 21, 2009

BBQ on Sat. June 6th at 4:30pm

Jason and Jennifer have offered up their backyard for a BBQ on Sat. June 6th at 4:30pm. We're going to be grilling some yummy hamburgers and hotdogs. If you haven't been to their house before they have a huge backyard with a playground for the kids. So bring your lawn chairs and your kiddos and come on out.

We will be passing around a signup sheet for sides, drinks, condiments and dessert. There will be a cost per family for the meat, but it should be minimal. Also, if anyone has any ideas for kids games and would like to head that up, please email me back and let me know. If it happens to rain that day then we will postpone it until another Saturday. We will need to know a headcount by Thursday, June 4th to be able to buy enough meat for everyone.

Have a great week,
Krista

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Giving

(Brian) I should have the lesson online shortly.

Key verses: Ephesians 2:8-10.

"Freedom From Fear" David M. Kennedy- references to Kristallnacht, the Fortune Magazine poll, SS St. Louis failed attempt at bringing Jews to the US, etc.

"The Hole In Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision (Shelli Norvell has this book for May, let me know if you want to read it in June or beyond.) http://www.theholeinourgospel.com/

Various comparative information regarding Malawi and the US: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mi.html

Kurt Warner's new contract

Williamson County 'wealthiest' county in the US when factoring in cost of living: http://www.coli.org/COLIAdjustedMHI.asp

Redemption 'Finale'

(Brian) Since we didn't do a planned lesson, here are some notes and comments from people following class:

After our incredible discussion and time together yesterday, I received this devotion. I thought it was very relevant to the faith issues we discussed yesterday. I hope it impacts you.

Aaron

If you accept that there was a Resurrection that will not necessarily lead to any active or transformative faith. (Of course God could raise up Jesus if he wanted to. Mere belief in miracles does not transform us.) But if you can trust that God would do the same for you, then you also will be changed, and you can begin to change the world. The Resurrection was not a miracle to prove that Jesus was in union with God, although it does have that effect. It is the revelation of how God does things in all of time!

Just saying “Wow!” about Jesus being raised from the dead, does nothing for God, for the world, or for you. It is the same excitement as a magic show. But if you can say “Wow!” about what can and is happening now, then the Mystery of Resurrection has moved into our space and our time—and all time. Resurrection is God’s job description, not a one time magic show.

- From Richard Rohr

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Redemption and the Holy Spirit

Redemption Scriptures:

Psa. 111:9, Psa. 130:7, Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45, Luke 2:38, Acts 20:28, Rom. 3:24–26, 1Cor. 1:30, 1 Cor. 6:20, 1 Cor. 7:23, Gal. 1:4, Gal. 2:20, Gal. 4:4, 5, Eph. 1:7, Eph. 5:2,
Col. 1:14, 20–22, 1 Tim. 2:6, Tit. 2:14, Heb. 9:12, 15, 1 Pet. 1:18, 19, Rev. 5:9, 10


Redemption of Our Souls

Whether fleeing from oppression, stepping out of a prison, or breaking a bad habit or addiction, freedom means life. There is nothing more exhilarating as knowing that the past is forgotten and that new options await. People yearn to be free.

The book of Galatians is the charter of Christian freedom. In this profound letter, Paul proclaims the reality of our liberty in Christ—freedom from the law and the power of sin, and freedom to serve our living Lord. Faith in Christ means true freedom. This was written in the time of Judaizers—an extreme Jewish faction within the church who taught that Gentile Christians had to submit to Jewish laws and traditions in addition to believing in Christ. Galatians was written, therefore, to refute the Judaizers and to call believers back to the pure gospel.

Main Themes:

1. Freedom—We are not under the jurisdiction of Jewish laws and traditions nor under the authority of Jerusalem. Faith in Jesus brings true freedom from sin and from the futile attempt to be right with God by keeping the law.
a. What does freedom mean to you?

2. Holy Spirit—We become Christians through the work of the Holy Spirit. He brings new life; even our faith to believe is a gift from Him. The Holy Spirit instructs, guides, leads and gives us power. He ends our bondage to evil desires and he creates in us love, joy, peace and many other wonderful changes.
a. What examples to you have of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

Main Importance:

1. We are free in Christ and yet freedom is a privilege. We are not free to disobey Christ or practice immorality, but we are free to serve the risen Christ. Let us use our freedom to love and to serve, not for wrong.

2. The Holy Spirit is at the root of our freedom. When the Holy Spirit leads us, he produces his fruit in us. Just as we are saved by faith, not deeds, we also grow by faith. By believing we can have the Holy Spirit within us helping us live for Jesus. Obey Christ by following the Holy Spirit’s leading.


Please study the Holy Spirit because He:
a. Reveals the things of God. 1Co 2:10,13.
b. Reveals the things of Christ. Joh 16:14.
c. Reveals the future. Lu 2:26; Ac 21:11.
d. Brings the words of Christ to remembrance. Joh 14:26.
e. Directs in the way of godliness. Isa 30:21; Eze 36:27.
f. Teaches saints to answer persecutors. Mr 13:11; Lu 12:12.
g. Enables ministers to teach. 1Co 12:8.
h. Guides into all truth. Joh 14:26; 16:13.

Where do you want or need the Holy Spirit to work in your life? Will you share?

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

How Much Does It Cost

How Much Does it Cost

Focus Verse: Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus

Part 1: Definitions

What is the definition of Redeem?
-To clear by payment
-Offset
-To buy back

Redeem is derived from the Latin word redimere which means to purchase.

What is the opposite, or antonym, of redeem? Abandon

What does it mean to be redeemable? Capable of being redeemed

How Much is it Worth?
If I offer a car for sale, which I think is worth 7K, and offers are made ranging from 2K to 9K, how much is the car worth? The 7K that I think it's worth? The "low-ball" offer of 2K?
Think about this question, we'll get back to it later in the lesson.

Part 2: Biblical Text

Read John 4:1-9
Palestine was 120 miles in length and was comprised of 3 regions- North=Gallilee
Middle=Samaria, South=Judea
To get from Judea to Gallilee took 3 days, going around takes twice as long
Jacob’s well held many memories for the Jewish people. Interesting to read about in your free time.

This woman walked 1 ½ miles to get water when she could have gotten it in Ssychar. What does that tell you? How high a price do you think that this woman would put on herself?


What was the basis for the relational barrier between Jews and Samaritans? It centered around racial purity. Assyrians conquered the Samaritans and the assimilated into their culture and intermarried which was considered an unforgiveable sin to the jews. When Babylon conquered the Jews they held to their cultural identity. When Jesus and this woman had their conversation the feud was over 400 years old.

Not only was Jesus breaking custom by talking to this Samaritan, but rabbis were forbidden to talk to women in public, even their own wives and daughters.

Here was Jesus breaking all cultural barriers to meet this woman at her point of need.

Read John 4:10-15

What do we learn from this series of verses? Jesus knows that this womans problems run deep and Jesus knows that this will not be an easy fix. She needs his help.

Jews referred to the thirst of the soul for God and they often spoke of quenching that thirst with living water

Read Isaiah 49:10

What is Jesus telling this woman? That he is the Messiah

Does this woman understand what Jesus is telling her?

Read John 16-21

What does this woman come face to face with? her sin

William Barclay states, “ Christianity begins with the realization that life as we are living it will not do. We awake to ourselves and to our need of God.”

Read John 4:22-26

What does Jesus tell her?

Read John 4:27-30

How do the disciples react when they return? Very surprised but didn’t voice their objections at this time.


Small Group Questions

Do you think that Jesus was in this place, at this time by accident?

Did this woman need redemption?

Did she know that she needed redemption?

Do you think this woman was redeemed? She left her pot to return to lead others to Jesus

Why do you think that the disciples did not speak up when they returned and found Jesus talking to this woman?

How do you determine in your own life whether something needs to be redeemed? If the value is high enough. Is it worth it.

What in your life needs to be redeemed? Do you need redemption and if so how can that happen?

Is there a relationship that needs to be redeemed in your life? Your marriage, friendships, or another relationship that has fallen by the wayside because initially you did not find enough value in that relationship or you were not willing to pay the price? Did Christ worry about the price, social status, that it cost to redeem this woman.

Conclusion:
How much is the car we spoke of at the beginning of the lesson worth? The answer is that the car is worth the highest price that somebody is willing to pay.

How much are we worth?

Read focal verse.
Romans 3:23-24

We are so valuable to God that he paid the highest price possible. The price was his son.

We are so valuable to God that he paid the price of his son to redeem us and bring ourselves into a right relationship with him.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Breakfast Sign-Ups

April 19-Mok
April 26-Hudson
May 3-???
May 10-McCutchans
May 17-Hutchinson
May 24- Memorial Day
May 31-Norvell
June 7-Fielder
June 14-Lords
June 21-Chambers
June 28-Lamperts

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Grace

Grace

Whatever you're reading right now put it down. Get yourself a copy of TrueFaced and make it the very next book you read. Dallas Willard says, "TrueFaced is one of the best books on practical theology I have ever seen."

TrueFaced addresses basic motives faced by every follower of Jesus: the distinction between our determination to please God or to trust Him. The authors draw on the metaphor of two rooms in our pursuit of God—The Room of Good Intentions and The Room of Grace.


The First Room—Good Intentions (Effort)

Eph 2:1-3—Sin deadens us, sin controls us, do the devils will, pain, shame, brokenness.
Psalm 73—based on human instincts, slaves to flesh (not exactly body) more of a desire for self apart form God.

The first, at the end of a well-traveled road, is the Room of Good Intentions, entered by turning the knob of Effort. This room is filled to capacity with:
• Tired Christians
• Cynical Christians
• Well-intended Christians wearing various masks
• Christians determined to work on their sin to achieve an intimate relationship with God.

These folks are sincerely determined to be godly. No one in this room is interested in hearing about your struggles, trials or failures. To be welcome here, one must hold their cards pretty close to their chest and give the appearance of sufficiency and that everything is fine. I'm fine; you're fine, we're all fine, fine, fine all the time, time, time.


The Second Room—Grace (Humility)

Eph 2:4-6
-God loves us
-Rich in mercy
-By grace we are saved through faith

2 Cor 8:9—generous grace of our Lord

The second room lies at the end of life's path with the motive of Trusting God. In this room, inhabitants have embraced the concept of Living out of Who God Says I Am. To enter the Room of Grace, one only needs turn the doorknob of Humility. In this room, people have cried out:
• I'm not fine! I haven't been fine for a long time
• I feel guilty, lonely and depressed
• I'm sad most of the time and I can't make my life work.
• If any of you knew half of my daily thoughts, you'd want me out of your little club I'm not doing fine

Instead of working on one's own sin to achieve intimacy with God, in this room, people stand with God, with their sin in front of them, working on it together with Him. We must discover the freedom that lies in allowing ourselves to be real before God and others and we must trust the people around you




“We've all been part of a community, a church, or a small group where we've felt the pressure of presenting a strong, fine front. One where we don't have the freedom to share sin or failures; where we have to put on appearances and pretend we've got it all together. The effect is subtle, but grossly counterproductive to introducing people to the Kingdom of God. For reasons too numerous to count, Christians have fallen prey to the lie that we must appear fine, strong, good and often, productive. We don't want people to know we're flawed. My flaws and imperfections serve only to draw attention to the fact that I NEED a perfect father. Those that appear flawless, often draw perceptions that something's not entirely right, and make genuine, authentic connection near impossible.” -Pastor Williams

Do you have any of those books where you've worn a highlighter or underlined something on nearly every page? This is one for me.

This is the kind of book that I could read over and over again. I want to so thoroughly grasp the concept of a truly trusting, grace-filled relationship with the Father and this book can assist.


Here are a few thoughts from the book:
• “Many of us remain so wounded and preoccupied with our own stuff that we concoct our own tepid, cheap dreams and call them God’s.” (pg 15)
• “One of the really good gifts we could receive would be the ability to see where we are and how we got here. We need to see ourselves in our story, to see what causes and drives the responses that trip us up.” (pg 23)
• “Nothing in us can absorb sin. Nothing. Even when we are the one being sinned against, we still cannot handle sin, because sin done to us will always ignite the nature of the sin already in us.” (pg 25)
• “Worse yet, I never experience the love of others because when I wear a mask, only my mask receives love! I sense I’m still not loved and self-diagnose that maybe my mask wasn’t good or tight enough.” (pg 30)
• “So, if a relationship or community lacks grace, that relationship or community is low on trust. One simply cannot nurture a realm of grace without trust.” (pg 62)
• “The degree to which I let you love me is the degree to which you can love me, no matter how much love you have for me.” (pg 90)


Final Thoughts:

1. Grace is stronger than sin
2. We must be humble
3. Titus 3:4-7
4. In our most quite place—do we really know God is for us?
5. “The Great Disconnect—the gap between who we say we are and who we actually believe we are.”
6. “No matter how much we draw from it, the river of divine grace is always full of water.” Elwell
7. “If you ask me what is the first precept of Christian religion I will answer, first, second, an third, Humility” Augustine