1.         It is Well with My Soul

“It Is Well with My Soul” is a very influential hymn penned by hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss.

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford’s daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

2.         Another day of infamous storms – 5.3.99 – now 5.20.13

a.   What things went through your mind?

b.   “Why?” would be the big question of the hour;

c.   Also – WHO?; What Now?

1)         Donations

2)         Deliveries

3.         Some Lessons to take away

I.       The Power of the Storm

A.     Some Storms in the Bible:

1.      Yeshua (Jesus) in the Boat – ASLEEP in the storm Mark 4.35-41

2.      Yeshua (Jesus) Walking on Water in a storm – Matthew 14.22-27

3.      Job’s Losses – Job 1.13-19

 4.      Elijah’s storm with the still small voice and then his whirlwind 1 Kings 19.11-13; 2 Kings 2.11-12

 5.      Babylonian “Storm” –  Habakkuk 1.5-6

B.     Significant Reminders to Our Place before God

1.      Storms are greater than we

2.      God is greater than the storms

II.    The Peace Through the Storm

Sleeping in the Storm: A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.”

This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him.

A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly.

The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements.

The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well.

The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man’s words, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm.

A.     Peace Comes by Trusting God – Habakkuk 2.20

But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.

1.      Job lost nearly all

2.      Wife – Curse God and die.

3.      Job’s response – Worship – Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped. Job 1.20

4.      Look to God

 B.     Peace Comes by Prayer  Philippians 4.6

Praying is a key in tragedy, just as it was to two men did on September 11, 2001. Two men were on the 81st floor of tower #2 of the World Trade Center, desperately trying to avoid the fate that was claiming so many that day.

Stanley Praimnath, an assistant vice president for Fuji Bank Limited, found himself trapped after the United Airlines plane crashed into his building. He was buried up to his neck in debris, isolated behind collapsed walls, while a wing of the airliner burned nearby.

Knowing the desperation of his situation, he began to pray to the Lord, asking him to please send someone to help. While praying, he saw a beam from a flashlight and heard someone on the other side of the debris. Praimnath yelled to draw his attention, but the other person could not get through to him.

Parimnath then cried out to the person on the other side and asked him if he knew Jesus, and if the could pray together for God to help. The two men joined in prayer still separated from each other amid the wreckage.

After they prayed, Praimnath was gripped with the knowledge that he could kick through the wall separating them. As he began to break a small hole through the wall, Brain Clark reached through and pulled Stanley to freedom, and together they began the long descent to the street, escaping the building just minutes before it collapsed.

1.      Praters for Divine Assistance

a.       Needs

b.      Comfort [FB Friends – Praying for OK

2.      Prayer for Divine Message – tragedies soften us for God’s message

C.     Peace Comes by Putting Faith into Practice

1.      Call to Action – Matthew 25.34-46

2.      Faith MUST ACT –  James 1.22; 2.22-24

1.      Blame is not the issue – God is an easy target

2.      We do not always understand WHY; some things are a mystery and belong only to God

3.      There are worse things than tornadoes – not knowing God is the worst tragedy

4.      The presence of God gets us through the tragedies –Habakkuk 3.17-19

a.       New feet

b.      Not a new path

A famous motivational speaker was once asked about his most difficult speech. He answered, “Well, it was when I was asked to speak at a national convention of undertakers. My topic was to explain to them how to look sad during a $20,000 funeral.” You see, when there is joy inside, it’s awfully hard to keep it from showing.

2.      God gave his people special days like Shabbat and 7 special feasts – most of these represent JOY in the lives and hearts of the people.

3.      “Pentecost” (50 Days in Greek); “Shavuot” (Weeks in Hebrew) is one such Feast

4.      Acts 2.1-4

5.      Question – How much do you know about “Pentecost”? –

a.        My early bible study time – I had no idea

b.      “Jewish Holiday”

c.       “Birthday of the church”

d.      NOT a Christian Holiday

I.       A Feast of Thanksgiving

In a recent experiment, psychologists asked undergraduates to complete a survey that included a happiness scale and measures of gratitude and thankfulness. Then over the next six weeks, the participants wrote down, once a week, five things for which they were grateful. It had a dramatic effect on their happiness score, and all rated themselves higher in happiness after the six weeks than before. God’s system has built into it reminders of gratitude – it is good for us.

A.     Gratitude for the Harvest (Thanksgiving Feast)

1.       First Fruits – Barley Harvest; Poor man’s bread
2.       Shavuot – Wheat – a better bread; bread of abundance

B.     Use of Wheat

1.      First Fruits was an illustration of the Resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus)

a.       Yeshua (Jesus) – Poor man – Philippians 2.4-8

b.      Yeshua is “First Fruits of those who slept” (1 Corinthians 15.20)

1. c.       Approximately 50 days befor

2.      Shavuot/Pentecost was a GREAT Harvest Time (Book of Ruth)

A city boy visited his cousin who lived on a farm in the country for the first time. The city boy had never seen wheat growing in a field. It was an impressive sight for him, the wheat golden brown and ready for harvesting.             He noticed that some of the wheat stood tall in the field, whereas some of it was bent low, touching the ground. The city boy said to his cousin, “I bet the ones standing tall are the best ones, aren’t they?”  His cousin smiled knowingly and reached over and plucked the head of one of the tall-standing wheat stalks and one that was bent to the ground. He rubbed each of them and the city boy saw that the tall one was almost empty of seeds. But the one bent to the ground was full of the promise of a rich harvest.

a.      Wheat is Central –  John 12.23-24

b.      Wheat – beaten and refined as flour – Isaiah 52.14;  Isaiah 53.1-6

 c.       Presentation of two leavened loaves of wheat in the temple

1)      Waved together before God

2)      Different yet the same

3)      Jews and Gentiles – together in a Great harvest

II.    A Feast of Traditions

[Remember, not all traditions are bad – Washing hands vs. Traditions of Apostles; etc.

It is said that during a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting.

The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up.

The rabbi, learned as he was in the Torah and Talmud, didn’t know what to do. His congregation suggested that he consult a housebound 98-year-old man, who was one of the original founders of their congregation.  The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual tradition was, so he went to the nursing home with a representative of each faction of the congregation.

The one whose followers stood during Shema said to the old man, “Is it our tradition to stand during this prayer?”  The old man answered, “No that is not our tradition.”

The one whose followers sat asked, “Is it our tradition to sit during Shema?”  The old man answered, “No that is not our tradition.”

Then the rabbi said to the old man, “The congregants fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether they should sit or stand…”

The old man interrupted, exclaiming, “THAT is our tradition!”

A.     Tradition of David’s Death at Shavuot

1.      Reason for mentioning him in Peter’s Sermon (?)  Acts 2.29

2.      A Comparison to the empty tomb of Yeshua (Jesus)

B.     Tradition of the Giving of the Torah at Sinai

1.      Sinai was approximately 50 days after Pesach (Passover)

2.      Purpose of the Hebrews’ Salvation Exodus 19.3-6

3.      Peoples Response before hearing the Torah (which begins in Exodus 20) Exodus 19.7-9

4.      Attitudes toward Torah – Drudgery or Delight?

a.       It is a Loving Father’s Instructions (“Torah”)

b.      It is Spiritual – Romans 7.14

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

c.       It is a Treasure – Psalm 119.97

Oh, how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

d.      It is a Gift of the HS – Exodus 31.18 (Finger of God)

e.       It is Guidance for a Redeemed People – 1 Corinthians 10.11

III. A Feast of Triumph – God’s Accomplishment/Our Applications (Acts 2.1-4)

During WWII, soldiers were often given Bibles to take into battle. One veteran displayed his with a German bullet that had punctured it and traveled halfway through until it stopped in Psalm 91. What does Psalm 91:11 say? “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” He believed it was no coincidence that he carried that bible that day.

A.     Timing was no Coincidence

1.      50 Days after DBR of Yeshua (Jesus)

2.      Presence of HS (as Joel 2 mentions)

B.     Torah/Instruction was no Coincidence

1.      New Covenant –  Jeremiah 31.31-34

2.      Blood of Yeshua (Jesus) – Matthew 26.28

C.     Testimony was no Coincidence

1.      Original Shavuot – “We will do and we will hear”

2.      A Question for Obedience Acts 2.37

3.      3000 obey vs. 3000 who died in the original (Exodus 32.28)

D.     Trappings were no Coincidence

1.      Sinai – Trumpet; Thunder (voices); Languages; Wind; Fire

2.      Jerusalem – Trumpet started the Feast; Wind; Fire; Languages (Voices/Thunder)

3.      God in Smoke; Fire; Thunder (Voices; Languages)

a.       Ezekiel’s Vision – Ezekiel 18-20 (read at Shavuot) – Rushing Wind (Spirit); Fire; Water

b.      Habakkuk in the Temple – Fire (presence); Thunder (Voice) Wind (HS)

1.      Celebration of this feast was a key to Jewish people – finished Pesach – it is not enough to be saved; we are saved to do something – serve God.

2.      Becomes a key for us in the same way

a.       Our salvation is only the beginning – it is not an end in itself

b.      We need instruction (Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” Exodus 24.7)

c.       We enjoy the presence of God (Emanuel)

3.      We become living temples for the living God

a.       On our own we are unworthy

b.      The blood of Yeshua (Jesus) makes us worthy to receive the gifts from God

• You have been in school now for 2160 days. • You have spent 12,960 hours in classes. • That translates into 777,600 minutes. • So far you’ve lived approximately 18 years. • You’ve been around 216 months. • You have been breathing 936 weeks. • You’ve slept 52,500 hours. • You’ve watched T.V. 12,173 hours. • You’ve spent 7,488 hours eating. (Mostly pizza!)

• SLEEP ………………..24 YEARS

• WORK ……………….14 YEARS

• PLAY …………………..8 YEARS

• EAT …………………….6 YEARS

• DRIVE …………………5 YEARS

• TALK ……………………4 YEARS

• GO TO SCHOOL…….3 YEARS

• SICK ……………………..3 YEARS

• STUDY & READ…….3 YEARS

• YOU WERE BORN WRINKLED, BALD, TOOTHLESS, COULDN’T HARDLY SEE, CRYING, COMPLAINING, AND HAD NO CLOTHES ON.

Well, you’ve come a long way! You’ve reached a milestone. But this is not the end…it’s really just the beginning! You’ve come to the end of a big episode, but just before the credits roll, across the screen flashes the words: “To be continued!”

2.      Your life journey will be an adventure if you walk with God.

3.      2 Timothy 3:14-17

I.       A God

In his book on Albert Einstein, author Walter Isaacson told of a dinner party in Berlin where everybody assumed Einstein was an atheist and he said, “No, I have a deep feeling of faith, a deep religiosity that comes from my appreciation of the way the Lord made the universe;” and everybody was stunned.

He said he was like a child walking into a library, and you see the books and you know somebody must have written them, and you see them ordered and you know somebody must have ordered them, and there’s a sense of awe that’s manifest in that, where you kind of understand that there’s an order underlying everything and the more you appreciate it, the more humble you become in the fact of it…

Isaacson continued: “In some ways, (Einstein’s) belief in God, that God had created an orderly universe, informed his science. He believed that underlying everything, there are laws.” Psalm 19:1

Christ’s relationship to the Universe – As God  Colossians 1:16-17

Think about what it means to be Creator of the Universe. John McArthur writes: The moon is a mere 211,463 miles away. You could actually walk there in 27 years if you covered 24 miles every day. Now, a ray of light travels at 186,000 miles per second (a little faster than walking) It could reach the moon in just 1.5 seconds. At the speed of light, we could reach Mercury in 4 ½ minutes. At light speed it would take 35 minutes and 11 seconds to travel the 367 million miles to Jupiter. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto would be around 3 billion miles more. And at that point we haven’t even left the front porch of our corner of the universe.

On the screen you can see a picture of the constellation Orion. A gigantic star called Betelgeuse is in the upper left corner. This star is 880 quadrillion miles away. Betelgeuse is classed as a super-giant. That one star has a diameter that is many times greater than the earth’s ORBIT around the sun. You can see on the screen, it is even greater than Jupiter’s orbit around the sun. That is one BIG star. And who made all this? JESUS!

II.    THE God

Value of History – In Readers Digest, Alexander Saul writes: “I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of the Russian Revolution. In the process I’ve collected hundreds of personal testimonies, read hundreds of books, and contributed eight volumes of my own. But if I were asked today to formulate as precisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some sixty million Russians, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat the phrase, `Men have forgotten God.’ What is more if I were called upon to identify the principle trait of the entire Twentieth Century I would be unable to reflect anything more precise than this statement, `Men have forgotten God.’”

Things written aforetime were for our learning

• ·        The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. – Exodus 3; 4; 1 Kings 18.36; Acts 3.13;
•          The God of Israel – 1 Kings 8:22-26

III.  MY God

A.     Christ’s relationship to You  Colossians 1:21-23

God came to earth in order to reconcile all of us to himself by means of the cross.

Jesus paid the full price. He offers you a gift of salvation.

B. Ruth (1:16)

C.     David – 2 Samuel 22:1-3

D.     Thomas – John 20:27-29

E.     Yeshua (Jesus) – Psalm 22

Bill Irwin, who is the only blind person to hike the Appalachian Trail, has a talking computer he uses to study the Bible. He’s had a few chuckles over some of the pronunciations. “For a long time,” Bill says, “the computer pronounced Holy Bible as ’holly bibble’ until I figured out how to modify it.” But there was one thing Bill couldn’t change. The computer uses the Spanish pronunciation for Jesus Christ–HEYsus Krist. “The programmer is Hispanic,” Bill told me with a smile, “and he made sure that HEYsus Krist cannot be altered.”

I like that. It reminds me that among the things in life that can be changed to suit my taste, one remains tamper-resistant–I can’t change Jesus.

When life is unsettled, I gain great comfort from the Bible’s affirmation that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). But the statement is also a stern rebuke to my tendency to try to modify the words and character of Christ when I don’t like what He says. How easy it is to forget that I came to Christ longing for Him to transform me, not the other way around! Praise God that His Word and His love are perfect and unchanging. And praise Him too that in His love He is working to change me

IV.  OUR God

This story was related by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak.

They had met one another in school when the armless Mr. Kaspryzak had guided the blind Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books which the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the individual deficiency of each was compensated for by the other. After their graduation, they planned to practice law together.

No believer is complete by himself, we are to minister to one another, as a family. (Source unknown).

A.     There are no loners as disciples of Yeshua (Jesus)

B.     We are a community of believers – Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:42-47

C.     We don’t go it alone – F-S-HS + community of faith

John Adams said, “There are two types of education: One should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live.”

Are you a 1 mile worker or a 2 mile worker? Do you do only the bare minimum or do you go the 2nd mile and leave the mark of excellence on your work? People always remember second-mile-worker.

Around 1920 a pharmacist bought a drug store in south Chicago. Soon he became bored with his job and began to dream of ways to make it more exciting. It was during a time when people were just beginning to call in their orders by phone, so the man decided to challenge himself by seeing how quickly he could deliver orders. When someone called, he repeated the order aloud, including the name and address. As he spoke with the caller, his assistant filled the order and a driver left to deliver it. The druggist kept the customer on the phone chatting until the order arrived. Most of the customers lived nearby, but this kind of prompt service was revolutionary. As word spread, it became the busiest pharmacy in Chicago and within a few years, Charles Walgreen revolutionized the pharmacy industry because he decided to go the second mile.

Our God is the God of the Second Mile!

I read of a man who had committed a crime for which he was deeply ashamed. When he’d served his prison sentence and was about to be released he wondered if his family would reject him because of the scandal he’d caused and the shame brought on the family. He wrote his parents saying that he would be coming back by bus but didn’t want to embarrass them with his presence if they didn’t want him back. He asked them to tie a yellow ribbon on the old oak tree at the beginning of their street if it was all right for him to return home. If there was no ribbon on the tree when the bus passed he wouldn’t get off the bus.

He was in quite a state on the bus journey and as it got nearer his street he couldn’t bear to look at the tree. He was so emotional that he asked the driver to look at for him. He needn’t have worried. The tree was covered with yellow ribbons! The whole community joined his parents in welcoming him back.

There’s a famous American song written about this story: ’Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree’.

a.       We do many things to find acceptance among people – we may buckle to peer pressure

b.      We may seek official stamps of approval – Education – degrees; military rank; certain professions;

c.       Yet, God continually shows acceptance of us as we are; and gives his stamp of approval based on our faithfulness to him

2.      Ruth is a surprising story of acceptance and approval by God

a.       From an antagonistic nation – Moab; incestuous relations of Lot and daughter; opposed Israel in their journey to Canaan (Balaam); cursed by God  Deuteronomy 23:3

b.      A proselyte to Judaism

c.       Ancestor to David and Yeshua (Jesus) – one of three women named

d.      One of only two women with a Bible book named for them

3.      Story of Ruth – married into a Hebrew family who had come to Moab because of the famine; death of father-in-law and the two sons; goes back to Israel with mother-in-law, Naomi – becomes part of the Hebrew people and a great example of faithfulness

I.        Trying Times

A.     Trials are Common to People 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

1.      Even Yeshua (Jesus) Hebrews 4:15

2.      A Purpose – James 1:2-3 (perseverance/faithfulness)

B.     Trials are Central to the Story

1.      Famine led the Hebrew family to Moab

2.      Others who emigrated due to famine – Abraham; Jacob

3.      Fatalities lead back to Bethlehem

a.       No men for protection, provision, or status

b.      On their own

4.      Temptation to blame God –  Ruth 1:20

JW McGarvey was a leader in the American Restoration Movement. He had an encounter with a woman whose son was killed in an accident. When he arrived at her house, she was understandably upset. She said to McGarvey, “Where was God when my son was killed?” He replied, “The same place he was when HIS Son died.”

II.     Changing Times

 The men of Charlie Company had been in the field for two weeks when the Sarge announced, “I’ve got good news and bad news. First the good news, Today we’re going to change our underwear.” The troops started cheering at the news. “Now the bad news, Smith, you change with Jones. Andrews, you change with Murphy…”

Change is frightening to some. We get comfortable doing things a certain way and don’t like to do them differently. And some changes (as the story above illustrates) are completely undesirable. But some change is necessary if we are to grow.

Favor of God enters the scene

A.     People God Favored

1.      Mary – Luke 1:30

2.      Daniel – prestigious position – Daniel 2:48

3.      Joseph in Slavery/Prison/Pharaoh’s Court – Genesis 39:3-4

4.      Noah – Genesis 6:8

5.      God’s people today – Titus 2:11.

B.     God Favored Naomi and Ruth

1.      Naomi was not alone – accompanied by Ruth – Note: Ruth 1:15-17

2.      Ruth

a.       Was able to get food by labor and grace – Leviticus 19:9-10

1)      Key to Shavuot – harvest feast (as well as anniversary of Torah)

2)      Acts 2 – care for one another was a carry-over

b.      In Boaz’ field

1)      Kinsman Redeemer – a Type of Messiah

2)      No Coincidence –  Ruth 2:11-13

Neil Johnson was a man who lived in the 1880’s in Newark Ohio, he had a wife and a little child . He was a good man who had a bad temper. One day he and a neighbor got into a hot and heavy argument over a property line dispute. Things got real bad and Neil eventually killed his neighbor.  Neil Johnson went to trial was found guilty and was given a life sentence. Now a life sentence back then meant just that, he was in for life and he would never get out and see his family  again, he would never be a free man.

Every month his wife and child would make the long trip just to visit him. Neil was doing well in prison and had won the respect of the guards and the inmates. The governor at that time had a practice that every Christmas he would walk through the jail and he would pardon one man, a man who was recommended by the warden. Someone who was in for life was rarely considered as a candidate.

 It had been 12 years since Neil had entered those dark prison walls and it was Christmas day. All the prisoners were assembled and the governor walked through. And stopped in front of them and made his announcement, “this year the pardon goes to Neil Johnson” and there was dead silence, no one stepped up to claim the pardon, so the governor said it again, and again dead silence. Then he walked through the ranks and in the back row with his head down and crying was Neil Johnson, and he was saying over and over again to himself there must be some mistake…there must be some mistake. And the governor put his hand on his shoulder and said, “No son it’s no mistake the pardon is real.”

I want us to look back at the cross and see Jesus hanging there, wrists nailed feet nailed. There were drops of blood rolling his wrists down his fingers and dripping on to the dry Palestinian sand.  With every drop of blood Jesus was redeeming you and me.

When Boaz redeemed Ruth it cost him money. When Jesus redeemed us it cost him his life. And when we looked at the cross and when we look at Jesus we shake our heads and say there must be some mistake, there must be some mistake…. And Jesus our redeemer places his nailed scared hand on our shoulder and says, no my child it’s no mistake the pardon is real I died for you.” you are free to go!!!!!

c.       Ruth and Boaz – David’s and Yeshua’s (Jesus’) ancestors

d.      A lesson learned – Romans 8.28

C.     God’s Favor is Reflected by Our Attitudes – But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4.6

1.      Humility of Ruth (God-Centered) – 2:7, 10

a.       Request

b.      Not entitlement – No “It’s the Law, you owe me”

c.       Not “Naomi’s fault I am poor”

d.      Key attribute – 1 Peter 5:6

1)      Pride is not so much boasting as being self-absorbed

2)      Humility is being God-absorbed

 2.      Compassion of Ruth (Other-Centered) 2:11

a.       Ruth was not obligated to Naomi

b.      Acted out of love

c.       Naomi must have taught her about God and his Torah

[Survey of people who left church – asked one key question: “What would it take for you to go back to church?”

*60% — The invitation of a friend

*Caring enough to ask

1.      Destiny

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, “I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself.” He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.

After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, “No one can change destiny.” “Quite right,” the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

2.      The story of Ruth (and her descendants) is not mere chance – the hand of God is clearly seen during this period of Judges when people were doing what was right in their own eyes

3.      It is not chance that you are here today to hear the message of God at work in the lives of people

(Use the first 2:17 minutes of this online video. It’s a series of highlights of Jeremy Lin’s powerful game-winning performance against the New Jersey Nets February 4th, 2012)

What you just observed is called Lin-sanity.

Jeremy Lin is newest the sensation of the 2012 NBA season. In the few short weeks since the game you just saw highlights from, the sales of his jerseys have skyrocketed to the most top selling item on the NBA market. In addition, his name is being placed on basketballs, shoes, hats, toys, etc. He has become one of the most popular basketball players of this season.

Lin is a Harvard Graduate. And while at Harvard, he led that college’s basketball team to a record 21 wins. Because of his stellar performance, he was able to enter the NBA and begin to fulfill his dreams to be a professional basketball player.

The only problem was – the NBA if filled with some of the best basketball players in the nation. And he was only one of many. And most teams weren’t all that impressed with him.  The Dallas Mavericks had him for a time As did the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. But he was eventually passed on to the NY Knicks (where he now plays).

But even Knicks’ Coach said: “I didn’t know he could play defense, I didn’t think he could shoot well enough and I didn’t think he could go up and finish. I’m going, ‘He can’t finish, can’t shoot, can’t play defense. I like his speed, but I don’t know.”

Because of those doubts, Knicks were planning to trade Lin for another player on Feb. 10th.

But then – just 6 days before that deadline – came February 4th. The Knicks faced the New Jersey Nets… and two of their best players were on the injured list. But even with those players, the Knicks were a terrible team – they’d lost far more games than they won that season.

When their point guard became injured, the Coach reluctantly put in Lin… and the world turned upside down. Lin led the Knicks to a 99-92 victory AND outplayed All-Star guard Deron Williams, scoring 25 points, and having five rebounds, and seven assists.

From that point on, Jeremy Lin led the Knicks to win the next 6 games, becoming an overnight sensation… and the press eagerly awaited interviews with him.

APPLY: But up until February 4, 2012 – nobody believed in Jeremy Lin.

3 teams had passed on him and the Knicks were just a week away from trading him

NOBODY wanted Lin. Nobody saw his true potential.

That is – until he got a chance to play in the game… and the rest is history.

2.      1 Corinthians 15.8-11

3.      Yeshua (Jesus) had made appearances to many people during the 40 days he taught after his resurrection (Acts 1.13)

a.       Peter-12-500-James

b.      Impact of the appearances was to change the lives of those to whom he appeared

c.       Many of them had not understood the potential of Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah

d.      Most had doubted him, yet look at the impact of these people on the world

4.      He also appeared to a Pharisee named, Saul – that event changed his life

 I.       Saul Did Not See the Potential in Yeshua (Jesus) 1 Corinthians 15:8-9

I read of an older lady who was expecting a gentleman friend to call on her later in the day. She was nervous because her eyesight was failing and was afraid her friend might reject her because she was less than perfect. So, she came up with a plan to prove to him that she could see perfectly.

She put a straight pin in a tree that was about 200 feet from her front porch.

When her friend arrived, they sat in the porch swing and were talking when she suddenly stopped the conversation and asked, “Is that a pin sticking in that tree?”

Her friend squinted his eyes and said, “I don’t see a thing.”

“Well, I’m going to go see,” she said as she jumped up, ran toward the tree, and collided with a cow. 

A.     Saul Saw Himself as a Defender of the Jewish Faith  Acts 22.3-5

1.      Opposed anything/anyone who differed

a.   Deuteronomy 13 and false teachers

b.   Stoning of Stephen

2.      Yeshua claimed to be greater than Moses (Mount of Transfiguration, etc.)

3.      Saul differed from his Rabbi, Gamliel (Acts 5.38-39)

B.     God Interrupted His Plans Acts 22.6-9

1.      Blinded

2.      Into the city, praying and fasting

3.      Ananias sent to him

II.    People Did Not See the Potential in Saul

A.     People Saw the Problems Instead of the Potential

1.      Ananias Argued with God About Him (Acts 9.13-16)

2.      Disciples Feared Him — Acts 9.26

B.     People Who Took the Risk

Three friends met together at Christmas time and were all moaning about how out of shape they had become. They decided then and there to do a Triathlon that Summer. They started to meet to run together on Saturday mornings. The Saturday runs were a great motivation to find time to work out during the rest of the week, and they usually talked about our successes and failures in getting workouts in as they ran. There were good weeks and bad weeks together, but that summer, all three signed up and swam, biked and ran the Guelph Lake Triathlon, and all finished it! Each agreed that they would never have finished if it had not been for the fellowship and encouragement of the friends.

1.      Healed by Ananias

2.      Taken in by Barnabas (9.27)

III. God Saw His Potential and Set Him Apart to a Great Work – Among Gentiles

A.     Had been God’s intent – Isaiah 2.2-4; Mark 11.17 (cleansing temple); Isaiah 56.7c; (Jeremiah 7.11 – den of robbers)

B.     Had been done –  Matthew 23.15

 C.     Paul’s Zeal Turned to the Gospel

Back in 1912, Ford Motor Co. had a production manager named William Knudsen – considered one of the best in his field. Knudsen became convinced that the Model T (which had been in production for 4 years now) had to be updated. But, the only problem was – Henry Ford loved his creation so much it was well known that he opposed changing anything about the car.

According to Robert Lacy (in his bestselling biography, Ford: The Man and the Machine) Knudsen thought to convince Ford by building an updated and impressive model to show what could be done with a few changes in color and design.

Ford had just returned from a European vacation, and he went to a Highland Park, Michigan garage and saw the new design created by Knudsen.

On-the-scene mechanics later revealed how Ford responded.

They say that the car was it was a four door job, and the top was down, painted gleaming red and built on a new, low slung version of the Model T.

One eyewitness tells how “Ford had his hands in his pockets, and he walked around that car 3 or 4 times…. Finally, he got to the left hand side of the car, and he takes his hands out, gets hold of the door, and bang! He ripped the door right off!… How the man done it, I don’t know! He jumped in there, and bang goes the other door. Bang goes the windshield. He jumps over the back seat and starts pounding on the top. He rips the top with the heel of his shoe. He wrecked the car as much as he could.”

Knudsen left for General Motors. Henry Ford nursed along the Model T, but design changes in competitors models made it more old-fashioned than he would admit. Competitive necessity finally backed him into making the Model A, but his heart was never in it.

APPLY: Henry Ford was one of the most creative men of his age. And yet… Henry Ford – one of the great minds of his day – resisted the obvious need for change. When Saul saw the need to change, he did not resist but embraced the change he found in Yeshua (Jesus).

 Note Philippians 3:8-11

1.    YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT TILL IT’S GONE

Our power is shut off, and suddenly we become thankful for electricity. Our garbage is not picked up, and suddenly we become thankful for the garbage collector’s weekly stop. A good friend dies, and suddenly we discover how much he meant to us. Our water becomes too polluted to drink and suddenly we appreciate having good water.

Why is it, Lord, that we take for granted the uncounted blessings of life until they are removed from us?

Apply to silence of God – Saul of Tarsus endured a period of silence and then God broke through in a powerful way.

2.    Paul went through spiritual and physical blindness but came to see Yeshua (Jesus) for who he was.

3.    His encounter with him forever changed his life – and many who have believed because of him

Please share your response to one of the following:

• Tell about a time you were jealous of a sibling (or good friend).
• How do you think people describe you?
• What is one thing you would change about the way you were raised?

Study

Please read the following passages and discuss your responses to the questions.

John 7.3-5; Mark 3.19-20; 31-35

• Why may it have been difficult for James and his brothers to believe in Jesus?
• Why do you think Jesus’ mother and brothers came for him in Mark 3? How might family pride have been involved?
• In your opinion, what would make Jesus’ brothers try to get him to go to Jerusalem at this Feast of Tabernacles?

Acts 1.14

• What reasons can you think of as to why James (and brothers) would have been present with the disciples in the upper room?
• What significance is there to the “upper room”?

Acts 12.17

• Why do you think Peter specifically wanted James to know of his miraculous escape from prison?
• In this chapter, how does the death of John’s brother, James along with the escape of Peter imitate Jesus?

Acts 15.12-21

• In the controversy over the Gentiles’ entrance into the church, why do you think James becomes the spokesman?
• How do you see James as being inclusive of the Gentiles? How does he make it easy on them instead of difficult?
• What significance do you see in the reading of Moses each Sabbath? How will this help the new Gentile converts?

Apply

• In what ways have you been in unbelief about Jesus? Are there specific things in which you have trouble believing him?
• What was your turning point in going from unbelief to belief in Jesus?
• James’ story gives us many lessons. Which of the following are you most like James? Least like James?
  • Passionate about Prayer
  • Passionate about Holiness
  • Passionate about Unity of Believers
  • Passionate about the Grace of God

1.      James’ Ossuary

A little over 10 years ago, a French scientist made the discovery of an ossuary with the inscription, “James, the son of Joseph, brother of Jesus” on it. An ossuary was a small limestone box used to hold the bones of a dead person after the body decayed (approximately one year after initial burial). The box was about 2’ long x 1’ high x 1’ wide. The box had been in someone’s private collection in Jerusalem until someone recognized the importance of the inscription. Was it actually James’ ossuary? We cannot be certain, but why not?

2.      We have been looking at witnesses to the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 because the appearances of Yeshua (Jesus) made a life-changing impact on the eyewitnesses. WE are his disciples because the resurrection changed their lives.

a.       Peter – impetuous; defensive; denials; died for Yeshua (Jesus)

b.      The 12 – defectors at the cross who became defenders of the cross

c.       500 – became a fearless community of believers

d.      ALL were impacted by the resurrection and the appearances of Yeshua (Jesus) to them

e.       So many witnesses gives validity to the event

3.      Today – James, the Lord’s Brother – Galatians 1:18-19

a.       There was a significant change in James (Yacov) which lead him to become a great leader of the people of God

b.      Not James, the brother of John or James, the son of Alphaeus – Lord’s brother

I.       Jacob (James) Entered a Period of Unbelief

A.     “James” Is Actually “Jacob”

1.      “Supplanter” – Difficulties between Jacob and Esau

2.      Jacob (James) also gave Yeshua (Jesus) problems

a.       Jealousy?

b.      A High standard to live up to?

B.     The Neglect of Jacob (James) – Critical of Yeshua (Jesus)

Critics/T. Roosevelt

 “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” – Jacob (James) would learn to get into the fray and he would succeed mightily!

Theodore Roosevelt, speech before the Hamilton Club, Chicago (April 10, 1899), in Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick, p. 79.

1.      The real family of Yeshua (Jesus) – Mark 3:19b-20; 31-35 

2.      Taunting of Brothers (including Jacob) – John 7:3-5

a.       Between Yom Kippur and Feast of Tabernacles

b.      Tabernacles – Depiction of World to Come and Entrance of Nations

II.    Jacob (James) Exhibited a Passionate Faith

A.     Faith is Steadiness (Emunah) – Exodus 17:12; Habakkuk 2:4 (quoted 3 times in NT)

1.      Steadiness

2.      Faithfulness in demonstrating devotion

[A Missionary went to serve in a small fishing village in India. The Hindus there opposed him and even tried to kill him. When a fire destroyed most of the village, the Missionary showed up to help them rebuild. When they asked him why, he told them it was because he cared about them and more importantly that Yeshua (Jesus) did.

B.     Jacob’s (James’) Faith was Displayed:

1.      Upper Room – Acts 1:14

a.       Something caused Jacob (James) to go from unbelief to belief

b.      Something caused him to wait for the HS with the disciples

c.        It was the EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTER with his brother

2.      Upper-Level Responsibility within the Church

In “Fiddler on the Roof,” Tevia joins a conversation with a man who says, “We need to keep out of everyone else’s business.” Tevia says, “You are right.” Another man says, “If we don’t know what is going on in the world, we can’t pray about it or do anything to prepare for what is coming.” Tevia says, “You’re right!” The Rabbi’s son says to Tevia, “He says this and you say, ‘You are right,’ and he says the opposite, and you say, ‘You are right.’ They can’t both be right. Tevia says, “You are right.”

James did not have the option of uninvolvement as the key leader in Jerusalem.

a.       Jacob (James) becomes an important leader – Acts 12 (Peter is released from prison and goes to tell Jacob – James-)

b.      Leader/Spokesman in the Gentile Controversy in Acts 15:13

1)      No barriers between Jew and Gentile – make it easy for Gentiles to come into the church – don’t have to become Jews

2)      Pro-Unity

3)      Pro-Maturity – Acts 15:21

c.       Arbitrator for the Paul Controversy (that he was telling Jews not to keep Torah) – Acts 21:17-26

1)      Paul dealt with Judaizers

2)      False Rumors about his teaching – proved to be untrue

1.      Traditions about Jacob (James)

a.       Pious Man – kept Torah

b.      Nazarite vow (after coming of HS) – shaved head; no wine, etc.

c.       Prayed often in the temple – Camel’s Knees

d.      Respected – referred to as Jacob (James) the Just

2.      What Practical Lessons do we receive from Jacob’s (James’) life?

a.       Be Passionate about Holiness

1)      Set apart for God’s service

2)      Practical definition of Pure Religion – James 1:27

b.      Be Passionate in Prayer (Camel’s Knees) – James 4:1-3

c.       Be Passionate about the Grace of God

d.      Be Passionate for Unity (John 17)

3.      The Eyewitness Encounter with Yeshua (Jesus) changed Jacob (James) forever!

4.      We are never the same when we encounter Yeshua (Jesus).

Please share with your Group your response to one of the following:

1. Tell about a vivid dream you had that seemed more than a dream.
2. What things make your life satisfying?  Complicated?
3. What person has been influential in shaping your personality, mannerisms and values?

Study

Please read 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 and discuss the following:

1. In your opinion, why did Jesus make as many appearances as he did between his resurrection and ascension? (see Acts 1.3 also)
2. This is the only mention of the appearance of Jesus to the 500. Why do you think Paul includes this in this section regarding the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection?
3. In what ways do you think this group of 500 was a supportive community?
4. How do you see in the church as a Worship Assembly?
5. How do you see the church as a “witness” to the world, aside from worship?
6. Why do you think Christians can be fearless in the face of death?
7. How do you feel about the second coming of Jesus?
8. How has Jesus supported you in your walk with him?

Apply

1. What gives you hope for this world as well as the world to come?
2. In what ways can this group build up the believing aspect of our congregation?
3. How can this group increase the congregation’s demonstrations of faith to our community?
4. How can we share the impact of the empty tomb and risen Jesus with others? Why does this have to begin with us?

I had struggled for years in regard to the Holy Spirit. In my church culture, we have a limited view of the Holy Spirit. He is either not present in our lives, influencing us only by his word, or, He is present but does not empower us to do anything of a mystical nature. In the midst of my turmoil came the teachings on the spiritual gifts.

One of the things that struck me was that God had given ME gifts. In my thinking about the gifts – I – became the center of the focus. Each individual (including yours truly) received gifts. Some were given the gift of evangelism, others apostleship (missionaries), giving, mercy, teaching, etc. (read the above texts).

I certainly understood that God intends for us to use whatever He gives us. Whether it is finances or a job or whatever, He intends for us to use these in his service. This is true of His spiritual gifts to us.

Recently I had a new thought on the gifts. The gifts are not about ME atall. If I have the gift of mercy, it came from God. It is given so that I can show mercy as a gift to others. This makes me merely a conduit/pipeline for God.

Imagine a recent birthday party. As the center of attention, you receive gifts from the people that love you. One by one, people hand you a gift and say, “Here is my gift.” As you take each present you say, “Thank you for my gift.” On the one hand it the gift belongs to someone on the other hand, it is for someone.

This is similar in receiving and using gifts from God. All of the gifts we receive are HIS originally. He gives the gifts to us – not for storage or selfish use, but to “give” to someone else who is in need of “our” gifts. On the one hand we would say, “This is my gift” because God gave it to me. On the other hand we would say, “This is my gift” as we give it for another’s well-being. It becomes all about the God who gives instead of the receiver.

So, how do we know or gifts of the Spirit? Practice, practice, practice is the answer! There are Spiritual Gift surveys that we can take, but the real way to find our gifts is to involve ourselves in general ministry. Try a variety of activities that require different gifts. Which ones are you good at? Which ones give you joy? Which ones would you rather have a root canal than do? Soon you will discover what God has given you. Turn yourself loose on those gifts and serve so that God, who gave you the gift, will be honored as you pass the gift on to others through your ministry.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ, put it like this…

“If we were holding a trial to determine the facts concerning the resurrection, and if we were to call to the witness stand every witness who personally encountered the resurrected Jesus and we cross-examined them for only 15 minutes, and if we went around the clock without a break…we would be listening to first-hand testimony for more than 128 hours…that’s over 5 days’ worth of testimony…who could possibly walk away unconvinced?”

The stories are too close. The written history is too strong to deny what they saw and what they experienced.

One psychologist even said “over 500 people having the same hallucination would be more of a miracle than resurrection itself!”

2.      1 Corinthians 15.3-6 [500 – about the same as our congregation]

3.      God knew we needed more than an empty tomb

[In 1876, Wild Bill Hickock was killed in Deadwood, SD by Jack McCall while playing poker at the Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon. You may recall that he was holding what has been referred to as the “Dead Man’s Hand” (2 8’s and 2 Aces – all black with an unknown 5^th card). He was buried in the White Gulch Cemetery. His body was moved to the Mt. Moriah Cemetery in 1883. One might have gone to the original site of Hickock’s grave and have found it empty. What does that mean? Was Wild Bill resurrected? No, his remains were merely moved. So, It was necessary for Jesus to show himself to witnesses following the resurrection, not just to have an empty tomb.

4.      Witnesses to the resurrection proved to be powerful influences to the gospel

I.       A Faithful Community of Action

The huge redwood trees in California are amazing. They are the largest living things on earth and the tallest trees in the world. Some of them are 300 feet high and more than 2,500 years old. You would think that trees that large would have a tremendous root system, reaching down hundreds of feet into the earth. But that is not the case. Redwoods have a very shallow root system. The roots of these trees are, however, intertwined. They are tied in with each other; interlocked. Thus, when the storms come and the winds blow the redwoods still stand.

A.     A Called Out Assembly – 2 Thessalonians 2.13-14

1.      Informational assemblies

2.      Worship assemblies

B.     A Witnessing Congregation – Exodus 12.3

1.      God’s intention for Israel was to declare/affirm/witness to the reality of God – Seen in the Passover event and feast each year

2.      God has the same intention for us – Acts 2.42; 46-47

a.       An Assembly and More, a Community

b.      Church is the Army of God to advance the kingdom of God in the world

1)      Every time we obey a command of God the kingdom (rule of God) advances

2)      Every time a sinner is turned to God the kingdom advances

c.       As an Army we need – discipline, passion, and vision – that belong to Yeshua (Jesus)

II.    A Fearless Community of Anticipation (Hope)

A.     As Holy (Set apart) People in an Unholy World

1.      Lives that reflect Calm in the Midst of Stress

a.       Peter walked on water UNTIL he took his eyes off of Yeshua (Jesus) [Matthew 14.28-33]

b.      To walk on the water – remain calm in the storm – we have to fix our eyes on Yeshua (Jesus) and get out of the boat

2.      Lives that are Reorganized in Priorities

a.       Nothing too small to get our best effort

1)      Little children and Yeshua (Jesus) [Matthew 19.14]

2)      Faithfulness in the small leads to greater things (Luke 16.10)

b.      Nothing too great to take away our peace from God – Philippians 4.6-7.

3.      Lives that are Persistent in God’s Service

a.       Distasteful is no longer distasteful – [Priests racing to remove ashes from altar

b.      Unimportant tasks become important

Persian Legend – Pour Water Into Basket

A certain king needed a faithful servant and had to choose between two candidates for the office. He took both at fixed wages and told them to fill a basket with water from a nearby well, saying that he would come in the evening to inspect their work.

After dumping one or two buckets of water into the basket, one of the men said, “What is the good of doing this useless work? As soon as we pour the water in, it runs out the sides.”

The other answered, “But we have our wages, haven’t we? The use is the master’s business, not ours. He is a wise King, and must have his own purpose that we do not understand.”

“I’m not going to do such fool’s work,” replied the complainer. Throwing down his bucket, he went away.

The other man continued until he had drained the well. Looking down into it, he saw something shining at the bottom – it was a diamond ring.

“Now I see the use of pouring water into the basket!” he exclaimed. “If the bucket had brought up the ring before the well was dry, it would have been filtered out in the basket. The King was looking for his diamond. Our work was not useless.”

The King found his most faithful servant!

B.     As a People at Rest in a Restless World

1.      A Calmness in Expectation – John 21.21-22

2.      A willingness for “sleep”

a.      Lazarus — “Our friend Laz′arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” John 11.11

b.      Stephen – And when he had said this, he fell asleep.  Acts 7.60b

3.      Anxious for the awakening to be with God

a.       Death is a parenthesis of life – Born-Live-(Die)-Live Again

b.      Resurrection becomes a powerful message of hope – even over death

1.      42 – Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson was the first black person to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Players would stomp on his feet and kick him.

While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

We are sometimes like Jackie Robinson, full of shame. Sometimes, like Jackie, our shame is from nothing we’ve done. Sometimes our shame is from our own sin and guilt. And like Pee Wee Reese, Jesus comes and slips his arm around us, and bears our shame for us and gives us life.

2.      The Risen Yeshua (Jesus) is our basis for hope – reason for his appearances

3.      The open grave and his appearances prove immortality

4.      Encountering the risen One enables us to be:

a.       A Believing Community

b.      A Fearless Community

c.       As a Witness for the Resurrected Yeshua (Jesus)

Good and amusing stories often work on the proposition of an odd mix of unlikely characters:

·         The Odd Couple –.a neat freak and a world-class slob have to learn how to live together.

·         Gilligan ’s Island — seven people, all of whom are weird in some way, stranded together on a deserted island.

·         The Dirty Dozen — twelve hardened criminals and a colonel on the outs with his commanders on a mission to eliminate the Nazi leadership.

2.      The same idea is found in the lives of the apostles whom Yeshua (Jesus) called

3.      These men were witnesses to his ministry; his death; his burial; and his resurrection – 1 Corinthians 15.3-5

4.      As in the case of Peter the resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) made all the difference in their lives

I.       The Apostles Were Called Men

“Jesus was never interested in having fans. When he defines what kind of relationship he wants, “Enthusiastic Admirer” isn’t an option. My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. And every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following him. The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.” Kyle Idleman “Not a Fan” p. 25 [Jesus has called DISCIPLES, not fans.

A.     Yeshua (Jesus) Knew Them

1.      Peter– John 1.41-42

2.      Nathanael – John 1.46-47

3.      Judas – John 6.70-71

B.     They Knew Yeshua (Jesus) – John 1.29

C.     Yeshua (Jesus) Selected Them by Prayer – Luke 6.12-13

II.    The Apostles Were Complex Men

Peter Marshall, in a sermon entitled, “Disciples in Clay,” pictured the apostles before an examining board which was appointed to choose Jesus’ close associates. Peter stood there smelling of fish – uncouth, uncultured, impetuous, uncultured, and impulsive. Andrew, James, and John also reeked of fish and lacked refinement. Philip appeared to be indecisive. Thomas seemed cynical. Matthew was considered a traitor. Simon the Zealot was a dangerous patriot. Judas was a thief. The NT tells it like it was. This was a group not likely to succeed. It is most likely they would not have been chosen by a board for Jesus, but they were chosen by Jesus.

A.     Consider Their Differences:

1.      Nathanael’s Prejudice — John 1.45-46

2.      Thomas – “Doubted” – Wanted Proof

3.      Andrew – No Notoriety – brings Peter and Greeks to Yeshua (Jesus)

4.      Peter – Impulsive; Denials

5.      Simon – Zealot – Galilee

6.      Matthew – Roman Tax Collector

7.      Judas – Betrayal – Pushing for the Kingdom to come?

B.     Consider Their Common, Ordinary Background – Acts 4.13

1.      Not “Ivy League” Education

2.      Recognized they had been with Yeshua (Jesus) because they acted/sounded like him

C.     This Was a Complex Group Yeshua (Jesus) Called and Led

III. The Apostles Were Convicted Men

Abraham Lincoln said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.”

A.     They Witnessed Firsthand:

1.      The Ministry of Yeshua (Jesus)

2.      The DBR of Yeshua (Jesus)

3.      The Resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus)

B.     They Experienced His 40 Days of Teaching – . Acts 1.3

IV.  The Apostles Were Converted Men

In 1922 Max Flack of the Chicago Cubs and Cliff Heathcote of the St. Louis Cardinals were traded for each other. This is not unusual, except that they were traded after the first game of a double-header between the two teams. During the second game, both men played in different uniforms. The eleven remaining apostles made sure whose team they were on.

A.     Each Was a Determined Disciple

1.      Better understanding

2.      Deeper conviction

B.     Each Part of God’s Family – they were “A Band of Brothers”

1.      Some were literal brothers – James and John; Peter and Andrew

2.      All were brother Israelites and descendants of Abraham

3.      Now they were brothers in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Family Mark 3.31-35

a.       In spite of ideological differences – Matthew and Simon

b.      New purpose together – from deserters at the cross to defenders of the cross

V.     The Apostles Were Commissioned Men (Matthew 28.18-20)

1.      People come to matter more than self

Norman Schwarzkopf tells an interesting story in his autobiography. His father was an ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He once traveled with his father to visit some Bedouins.

They were welcomed into a large tent where their hosts had spread a traditional Bedouin feast. The centerpiece of the feast was a camel, fully cooked, but still mostly intact. The chief of the Bedouin tribe immediately took a liking to young Norman and offered him the choicest morsel on the table; the camel’s eye ball. Schwarzkopf writes that his father didn’t even have to look at him. He knew what he had to do. He popped that eyeball in his mouth and swallowed; and kept it down. Any other response would have been an unforgivable insult. He squelched the gag reflex.

Helping people feel welcome and accepted is more important than suiting your own tastes.

2.      It was true with Yeshua (Jesus) – it will be true of his disciples

3.      We are Called; Complex; Convicted; Converted; Commissioned

Please share your response to one of the following

•          Tell about a time you did not fit in with a particular Group.
•          Tell about the best team you have ever belonged to.

Study

Please read 1 Corinthians 15.3-5 and Luke 6.12-16 and discuss the following with your Group:

•          Why do you think Jesus chose this particular group of disciples?
•          How do you see prayer as playing a role in his selection?
•          What was it about Jesus that caused the disciples to follow?
•          What were some of the big differences you see among the Twelve?
•          What things did they witness to cause them to boldly go into the world with the gospel?
•          In what ways were they a “Band of Brothers”?

Apply

•          What characteristics of the apostles do you see in yourself (good and bad)?
•          How can we be more sensitive to others than to ourselves?
•          How does Jesus demonstrate this? How can we?
•          What missing ingredient do you see that could help us be bolder (not offensive) with the gospel in our world?
•          How can we better get along with people who are different than we are?

Please share with your Group your response to one of the following:

1. Tell about a time you (or anyone in your family) was an eyewitness to a significant event.
2. What instruction did your parents repeatedly give to you when you were growing up?

Study

Please read 1 Corinthians 15.1-11 and discuss the following:

1. For what reason do you think Paul reminds them of the gospel?
2. What is the value of repetition for the Corinthians?
3. What things do you feel are of “first importance” to Paul? Why?
4. In your opinion, what are reasons for Paul to emphasize the appearances of Jesus?
5. What power is there in eyewitness accounts? Does this “prove” the resurrection of Jesus?
6. Why do you think Paul specifically mentions Peter (Cephas) in regard to the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection?
7. Where did Peter put his confidence before the resurrection? After? What significance do you see in his changed behavior?
8. In what ways do you see the grace of God in action in verses 9-11?

Apply

1. If an interested friend asked you about the gospel, what facts would you tell him?
2. How would you deal with people who want to “explain away” the resurrection?
3. How has the risen Jesus impacted you? How are you different after having encountered him?
4. Where would you be now if not for the grace of God?

Years ago, Laurence J. Peter visited several corporations and studied some of their management characteristics. As a result, he came up with a maxim he called “The Peter Principle.” The Peter Principle roughly said this: A person is hired by a company and does a good job and he is promoted to a higher level of responsibility. He does a good job there as well and is elevated another notch in the corporation. This happens again and again. Eventually the individual is promoted to a position that they can’t handle. They are promoted to a point where they are incompetent. And once they reach that level of incompetence, they are no longer useful to the company. They no longer have value.

God has a different standard. ALL of us are valuable to him regardless of ability, looks, intelligence; or the “what can you do for me?” mentality.

2.      God’s perspective: The world looks on the outside, God on the inside – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16.7

3.      Application to Peter – 1 Corinthians 15.3-5

a.       Yeshua (Jesus) spent 40 days affirming his resurrection

b.      Yeshua (Jesus) spent 40 days explaining his kingdom (Acts 1.3)

c.       Yeshua (Jesus) spent 40 days collecting witnesses of his resurrection

[Nazis were convicted by witnesses – including the witness of photographs (Josef Bloesche)

4.      One of the great proofs of the resurrection is the change in the disciples (witnesses to the resurrection) – also the change in YOU as a disciple (These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, Acts 17.6 -- Thessalonica)

5.      Consider changes in Peter:

I.       Peter Put Faith in His Ability (Before the Resurrection) John 1.40-42

A.     Peter Was Skilled

1.       As a Fisherman – Boats; Nets; Sea; Fish; Business (Would become a ‘fisher of men’)
2.      As a Leader – Confidence; Impetuous; Likable; Action-Oriented; A Man’s Man (not a coward – Malchus

B.     Peter Was Self-Assured

1.      Bold in his confession of Yeshua (Jesus) – Matthew 16.18 (You are ‘Rock’)

a.       Location – Caesarea Philippi; Gates of Hell

b.      Dangerous – pagans and fertility cult

2.      Boldness in his Imitation of His Master/Rabbi – Matthew 14.28-29

3.      Boldness in Declaring His Loyalty – Matthew 26.34-35

C.     Peter Was Significant

1.      The Name Change – Simon to Peter (Cephas/Kefa) – ROCK – Matthew 16.18; Isaiah 51.1

2.      Followers and New Names (God’s significance on us)

a.       Abram to Abraham

b.      Jacob to Israel

c.       Shaul to Paul

d.      James and John (Sons of Thunder [OKC and Sons of Thunder Section?]

D.     Peter’s Slide from Self-Confidence

1.      Not any different than the rest of us – Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.  1 Corinthians 10.12

Former heavyweight boxer James (Quick) Tillis recalled his 1st day in the Chicago after his arrival from Tulsa. “I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under my arms and stopped in front of the Sears Tower. I put my suitcases down and I looked up at the Tower and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to conquer Chicago.’  And when he looked down, the suitcases were gone.

He was a heavyweight boxer. He was a big, bad, scary kind of man. AND he was going to conquer Chicago. But, in the blink of an eye, somebody took all that he owned from him.

2.      Confusion in the Arrest of Yeshua (Jesus)

3.      Which Led to his denials (Luke 22.54-62 cf. Psalm 1)

4.      Which led him back to fishing (John 21.3)

II.    Peter Came to Put Faith in His God’s Ability

A.     Peter Was a Changed Man

1.      Bold Proclamation (Acts 2) in front of:

a.       Roman Oppressors who crucified Yeshua (Jesus)

b.      Sadducees (High Priests and Perverted Priesthood)

c.       Pharisees (some favored him, some did not)

d.      The Crowd who demanded his death  Acts 2.36

2.      Boldness to keep teaching in spite of Court Rulings – Acts 4.18-20

3.      Boldness in Outreach

•         Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, Acts 8.14
•         Cornelius in Acts 9.32-11.18
•         ¹² What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apol′los,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1.12

B.     Peter Changed with the Resurrected Messiah

1.       He saw the empty tomb and the resurrected Messiah
2.       He heard him for forty days – ³Acts 1.

1.      Henry David Thoreau, in his classic book, Walden, told of a powerful custom of the Mucclasse Indians.  Once each year, they had a village clean up called a “busk.”  First they would make new clothes for themselves as well as furniture and cooking utensils.  They would keep all of these new things in a building outside of the village.  When everything was ready, they would begin their annual spring cleaning.

Every corner of every house was scrubbed.  Every stick of furniture was thrown out.  Every child’s toy went to the garbage heap.  The dirt paths were swept, and the weeds were plucked up.  Even the food left over from winter was thrown out.  All of the refuse in the village was gathered together into a pile in the center of the village.  Then the chief set it on fire.  As they watched it burn, they took off their clothes and tossed them into the fire as well.  They tended the fire carefully and made sure that every last piece of garbage was burned.

On the fourth morning, they washed and bathed, and dressed in their new clothes.  They then gathered again at the heart of the village.  The chief started a new fire and from the flames each family took burning sticks home to start their own fires.  The old was gone, life was beginning again!

We have a place of renewal – in Christ.  It is here that we let go of the old and embrace the new.  Indeed, we rise to walk in newness of life (Roman 6.1-4).

2.      Kefa (Peter) moved from trusting HIS Ability to trusting His GOD’S Ability

3.      His encounter with the resurrected Messiah was key – as with the other disciples

4.      The Old Peter was gone, the New Peter was in place

5.      How about YOU? Have you encountered the living Messiah? He makes all the difference – He takes away the old and creates the new. Romans 6.1-7

Juan comes up to the Mexican border on his bicycle. He’s got two large bags over his shoulders. The guard stops him and says “What’s in the bags?” “Sand,” answers Juan.

The guard says, “We’ll just see about that; get off the bike.” The guard takes the bags and rips them apart. He empties them out and finds nothing in them but sand. He detains Juan overnight and has the sand analyzed, only to discover that there is nothing in the bags but sand.

The guard releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags, heaves them onto the man’s shoulders, and lets him cross the border.

A week later, the same thing happens. The guard asks, “What have you got?” “Sand,” says Juan.

The guard does his thorough examination and discovers that the bags contain nothing but sand. He gives the sand back to Juan, who crosses the border on his bicycle.

This sequence of events is repeated every week for three years. Finally, Juan doesn’t show up one day and the guard meets him in a cantina in Mexico.

“Hey, Buddy,” says the guard, “I know you are smuggling something. It’s driving me crazy. It’s all I think about. I can’t sleep. Just between you and me, what are you smuggling?”

Juan sips his beer and says, “Bicycles.” Mystery solved. In time, all mysteries will be revealed and nothing is hidden to our great God!

2.      Most people like a good mystery – Columbo; Monk; Sherlock Holmes; “Unsolved Mysteries”

3.      Mystery in scripture is more about secret/hidden things of God than a riddle to be solved

a.       God is in charge of the Secrets  Deuteronomy 29:29

b.      He will reveal in his time Isaiah 48:6-7

4.      1 Timothy 3.14-16 (possibly taken from early hymn)

5.      Some Mysteries to Consider (some with explanation; some without)

I.       Mysteries About the Body of Yeshua (Jesus)

A.     Mystery at the Incarnation – 100% God/Man

1.       Physical Body Like Ours – John 1.1; 14
2.       Tempted like we are – Hebrews 4.13

        When the over-70 Ronald Reagan was campaigning for the presidency, an 80-year-old woman said to him, “Everything you said sounds fine. But what about us old folks? Haven’t you forgotten us?” Mr. Reagan smiled and said, “Forgotten you? Heavens, how could I ever forget you? I am one of you.” 

        That makes a difference. To affirm that God was in Christ is to affirm that God has become one of us. He has walked where we walked. 

B.     Mystery at the Ascension – a Resurrected Body

1.      Returning to the Father

2.      “Sat Down” at Right Hand – No Chair in MHP – work always to be done – no more

3.      God came down to us – On Mt. Sinai; in Yeshua (Jesus); New Jerusalem/Heaven and Earth

4.      We go up to him – Moses on Sinai; Yeshua (Jesus) returning to Father

C.     Mystery of His Body of Believers – Church/Community

1.      The Ideal – Powered by HS; Another type of Incarnation – ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12.27

2.      The reality — Someone has noted:

The world does not fear the church, it barely tolerates it. It considers the church no longer a player in the world affairs and only an observer.

The church is a quaint old relic of the past that lends a certain charm to a neighborhood, a holdover from bygone days, big but harmless, like a beached whale.

II.    Mysteries About the Spiritual Realm of Yeshua (Jesus)

A.     There is an Unseen World

1.      Daniel’s “unanswered prayer”

2.      Spiritual warfare – Ephesians 6.12

B.     HS (of that World) Justified Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      Conception (Matthew 1.20)

2.      Baptism – Dove and Father’s voice – two witnesses

3.      In his people at Pentecost – Acts 2

                              a.      Affirmation of who Yeshua (Jesus) IS

                              b.      Focus on Yeshua (Jesus) is a key purpose of HS John 16.13-14

C.     Angels (of that World) Interacted with Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      Birth (Luke 2.8ff)

2.      After Temptations – Matthew 4.10-11

3.      Waiting in Gethsemane – Matthew 26.53

4.      Role of Ministering Spirits – Hebrews 1.14

a.       To Apostles (Acts 5.18-20)

b.      To us? Why Not?

“Angel” at Fredericksburg, VA

No longer able to withstand the wrenching moans of the suffering wounded and dying Union soldiers, 19 year old Confederate Sergeant Richard Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina approached Brigadier General Joseph Kershaw, CSA, to seek permission to go to their aid. Initially hesitant, the General acquiesced, refusing however to allow the white flag that would ensure his safety. Despite the danger, Kirkland sprang forward over the stone wall with canteens full and ventured out between the hostile lines.

At first, Federals fired upon the young man but ceased as they soon discovered his merciful intent. Then cheers rang out from both sides as the man to become known as the “Angel of Marye’s Heights” offered water to one adversary after another. After helping those that he could, he crossed back to safety, and resumed his duties as a Confederate soldier defending his lines.

III. Mysteries About the Message of Yeshua (Jesus)

A.     Mystery of International Exposition of Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      First to the Jews – Romans 1.16-17

2.      Then to the world – Acts 1.6-7

3.      Near and Far – Acts 2/Joel 2

B.     Mystery of the International Explosion Regarding Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      Mystery of Jew AND Gentile Under One King – Ephesians 1.9

2.      Equality in Messiah ;Ephesians 3.1-9

3.      Exponential Growth – 3000 Jewish believers; 5000; priests; Samaritans; Gentiles

4.      Example of God’s Concern – 2 Peter 3.9 (longsuffering; unwilling for any to perish)

1.      What Has Jesus given?

Celsus was the first great skeptic. He once asked, “What has Jesus given to the world that that no one else has given?” Someone answered, “Himself!” Yes, that’s Jesus’ magnificent, stunning gift to the world. He gave himself! He gave himself not only in submission upon the cross but also in power in the resurrection.

2.      He gave himself at the cross; in the tomb; and alive on the first day of the week

3.      We remember this event – each week, not just once per year — LS

a.       Remember – Memory

b.      Promise to uphold to the Covenant

Please share your response to one of the following:

• Tell your group about a special pet you had as a child.
• What team, group, or organization do you admire? Why? In what ways do you support them?

Study

Please read Matthew 21.1-9 and discuss the following with your Group:

(Note: your Group might compare Mark 11.1-10; Luke 19.28-44; and John 12.12-15 with this reading)

• The events of this account involve the Passover feast of the Jews. What things are significant to you about the feast (see Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23 for more information)?
• According to Exodus 12.3, 6, the Hebrews were to select and care for a lamb several days before they sacrificed and ate it. What emotions do you think the family had in the death of the lamb?
• What might God’s emotions have been as he selected and sacrificed his “lamb” in Jesus?
• What significance do you see in Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem?
• What things had the crowds misunderstood about him?
• In what ways do you see this episode as a fulfillment of Zechariah 9.9?
• What significance do you see in the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits falling on consecutive days the year Jesus died

Apply

• What costs do you see that God was willing to pay for the sake of our salvation?
• Jesus came as a sacrificial lamb but will return as a conquering King. What implications are there for us?
• What are the things that can distract you from your walk with God? How can you correct this?
• How does the picture of a helpless lamb being sacrificed for you affect you?

One day in 1943 thousands of soldiers were preparing to leave for Europe. The Army, the Navy, and the Marines were preparing to load on the ships. The General decided to have a huge parade through New York City to seek prayer and honor for the men. Many of these brave men would never return home.

A little old lady was sweeping off her sidewalk, and she heard the commotion of the crowd. She looked up to hear the cadence of the soldiers.

She stood at attention and watched as the men marched by her.

She cried and put her shoulders back as she saw the red, white, and blue flag go by.

After a few minutes the old lady put her broom stick on her shoulder and started marching alongside of the troops.

Someone yelled out of the crowd: OLD LADY! OLD LADY GET OUT OF THE WAY! WHAT CAN YOU DO OLD LADY?

The old lady yelled back with pride: I CAN SHOW ON WHOSE SIDE I AM! She kept on marching!

2.      As Jesus shows his allegiance, he finds himself in the midst of a parade of sorts. He was among the 3 MILLION in Jerusalem that day. (Josephus)

3.      Matthew 21.1-9

a.       Passover occurs on the 14^th Day of the Jews’ First Month (Exodus 12; Leviticus 23)

b.      On the 10^th Day of the First Month, Jews were to select their lambs for Passover Exodus 12:3, 6

c.       The family selected the lamb and took care of it for the 5 days leading up to its sacrifice – imagine how hard it would be for children (and adults) to care for this animal, treat it like a pet and then watch it die and then eat it. Sin is serious; and Costly

4.      On the Christian Calendar, we refer to today as “Palm Sunday and remember what we call, “Jesus’ Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem.  This was actually “Lamb Selection Day” and God was presenting his lamb to the people and they misunderstood.

I.       The Passover Feast of the Jews

A.    Symbolized their deliverance from Egypt – blood of the lamb saved the firstborn

B.     Involved a Special Lamb:

1.       One Year Old Male
2.       No Blemishes
3.       In Jesus’ day the custom developed of taking the lambs from the flocks of Bethlehem

a.       To honor King David

b.      To financially support the Sadducees who owned the flocks

4.      There was to be no leftovers – share with neighbors/burn whatever is left the next day

II.    Jesus’ Entrance into Jerusalem [Ppt. Jesus on Donkey

A.    He comes the right way

1.       From Bethany – The Messiah was to come from the wilderness – Isaiah 40
2.       Riding a Donkey – .Zechariah 9:9

a.       Like owning a Lexus – “Owners” – Those who were sent went off and found it just as he had told them. Luke 19.32

b.      He and the disciples had walked from Galilee to Bethany (110 miles) to make his entrance on the donkey.

3.      The People understood the symbolism and were excited – “Hosanna” – Lord, save us – Psalm 118

B.     The People Misunderstood Jesus

1.      Brought Palm branches –

a.       Happened at the Feast of Tabernacles – Reminder of wilderness wanderings – 7^th month of their year/Part of their prayer for rain – shook Palm branches to make sound of rain – Had not had rain for 6 months and would die without it – “Save us.”

b.      A symbol of patriotism like the Eagle for us Ppt. of Eagle – Maccabean Revolt in Second Century BC

1)      Syrian domination – Antiochus IV wanted to destroy Judaism and defiled the temple by sacrificing pigs on the altar

2)      Judas Maccabeus and family (priests) overthrew the Syrians; cleansed the Temple; removed and stored the altar stones for the Messiah to clean

3)      Their symbol was the Palm Branch

4)      The year they overthrew the Syrians, the missed the Feast of Tabernacles and held it late. From this they developed Hanukkah to commemorate the victory over the Greeks – waved Palm Branches.

5)      In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee Zealots (from Galilee)were “Freedom Fighters” who tried to rebel against Rome – Their symbol – Palm Branch – thousands died by the Romans and they commemorated their victory with a coin of a grieving woman and palm branch – “In your face.”

2.      People Expected a Maccabean Messiah

a.       “Save us” – Psalm 118:25

b.      He wept over Jerusalem because he saw that their misunderstanding would bring destruction in AD 70.

3.      He was a NON-Political Messiah

a.       He rode the donkey

b.      He cleansed the temple as the Maccabees – through sheep gate (death)? OR Eastern Gate – the Messiah Gate (?)

4.      Jesus served an audience of ONE – tempting to be the political Messiah but he chose to be the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

5.      He set the priority – John 4.34 (My food is to do the will of him who sent me)

William H. Hinson tells us why animal trainers carry a stool when they go into a cage of lions. They have their whips, of course, and their pistols are at their sides. But invariably they also carry a stool. Hinson says it is the most important tool of the trainer. He holds the stool by the back and thrusts the legs toward the face of the wild animal. Those who know maintain that the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. In the attempt to focus on all four, a kind of paralysis overwhelms the animal, and it becomes tame, weak, and disabled because its attention is fragmented.

1.      Three Feasts occur at the end of Jesus’ life (Exodus 12; Leviticus 23):

a.       Passover – 14^th day of the first month

b.      Unleavened Bread – 15^th day of the first month

c.       First Fruits – the following first day of the week

Jesus died on Passover/was in the tomb on unleavened bread/rose on first fruits

2.      This day – Lamb selection day – God chose his lamb – tells us to choose his lamb and live!

3.      He came in as a Lamb and will return in triumph!

The late president Calvin Coolidge returned home from church one Sunday afternoon and found his wife sitting in the chair. Unable to go that day, she was interested in what the preacher had to say. She asked her husband what the preacher spoke about and he said, “Sin.”

Like most women, a one word answer was just not satisfactory, so she pressed him for more details. Finally he responded to her by saying, “Well, I think he was against it.”

2.      God IS against sin

a.       Reason for the DBR

b.      Reason he disciplines his people

c.       Reason for the destruction of some nations Deuteronomy 9:4-5

3.      God sometimes disciplines us by giving us what we want (Quail) Numbers 11:18-20

4.      Consider Romans 1.18-32

5.      Occasions when God gives in to us:

I.       Idolatry in Worship (1.22-25)

A.     God Prohibits Idolatry (Exodus 20.3-6)

1.       We become like what we worship
2.       Reason God is zealous/jealous about us

B.     Yet We Practice It

1.       Ignoring God
2.       Empowering demons – Deuteronomy 32:15-17
3.       Babylon – all the gods you could ever want  Jeremiah 17:1-5
4.       American Idols? $$ — inflation/printing – soon much money and unable to buy

II.    Immorality in Lifestyle (1.26-27)

A.     God Knows the Best Lifestyle for Us – Matthew 19.4ff

1.      Pagans – no morals – Rome was a cesspool of immorality
2.      God gave instructions

B.     We Want to Change God’s Standards

1.       Way past divorce on demand and remarriage
2.       Now – “Alternative Lifestyle”

a.       Tolerance and acceptance

b.      Examples of Curricula in schools – “Normal Relationship”; Preachers arrested for hate speech crimes – Europe/Canada/soon to be USA; San Diego Preacher arrested for leading a bible study in his home; some churches are adding “Bail” to budgets

3.      Aggressive Gays and Lesbians [Nazi Leadership – Gay Lifestyle//trying to ban Bible

4.      Christians have been silent – “PC”; getting what we appeared to want

III. Imagination in High Gear (1.28-32)

A.     Do Your Own Thing

1.       Selfishness
2.       Ingratitude

As an Occupy Wall Street couple strolled down the street, he fellow said to his traveling companion: “I am going over to pick up my unemployment check. Then I’ll drop in at the university to see what’s holding up my check for my federal education grant. After that I’ll pick up our food stamps. Meanwhile, you go over to the free clinic and check your tests, pick up my new glasses at the health center, then go to the Welfare Department and apply for an increase in our eligibility limit. Then I’ll meet you at 5 o’clock at the Federal Building for the mass demonstration against the rotten Establishment.”

B.     Reality – Can’t Make it on our own

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

1.      Overindulgence

Richard Wumbrand, in Voice of the Martyrs wrote: “The great hindrance to spreading the gospel in communist lands was not the Iron Curtain. We have easily broken through that. The hindrance is the Silk Curtain of easy living.

I saw in Miami an ocean show in which a barefooted man fought with an alligator. He hit him with a stick on his head and drew him by his tail. The alligator snapped occasionally at him but never did him any harm.

I asked the man: ‘You seem healthy. You can make your living in some other manner. One day the alligator will bite you, and you will be gone.’ He answered, ‘Out of the question.’ Marveling about his assurance, I asked him if he had an agreement with the alligator. He said: ‘No, but before every show the alligator is over-fed. An over-fed alligator does not bite.’ This is the situation of many Christians in the free world.”

2.      God can discipline us with the negative in giving us what we want

3.      He can bless in the positive by giving us what we want – if it is the right want Psalm 37:3-4

4.      We have one major decision – God or me?

Please share your response to one of the following with your group:

• If money was no object, what would you most likely do with the rest of your life?
• What kind of discipline did your parents use?
• What is the best excuse you ever gave to your parents when you were caught in mischief?

Study

Please read Romans 1.18-32 and discuss the following with your group:

• What is the key problem that you see in verses 18-21? In the whole reading?
• What do you know about God from these verses?
• What things have you seen that indicate people are worshiping the creation more than the Creator?
• How do you think God responds to evil attitudes?
• What does his “Giving them up (or over)” mean to you?
• When do you think freedom becomes a punishment for us?
• How do you see our culture in relationship to the sins listed in this passage?

Apply

• If you were God, how long would it take you to bring on your wrath to the world?
• Why is he delaying? What should we do in the interim?
• What idols recur in your life? How do you deal with them?
• How has resisting God been painful for you?
• In what ways are you “free” to serve God?

Please share your answer to one of the following:

• What is the earliest memory you have as a child?
• What is the nicest present you have ever received?
• What is the nicest present you have ever given?

Study

Please read 1 Samuel 1 and discuss the following with your Group:

• What reasons can you think of that would have caused Hannah to be upset for not having a child?
• How might this be related to her vow to God?
• Why do you think Eli misunderstood that Hannah was praying?
• The name, “Samuel” relates to “Hearing.” How do you think God had heard Hannah? How would Hannah “hear” God?
• What might have happened if Hannah had not fulfilled her vow in giving Samuel back to God?
• Note 1 Samuel 2.21. What do you think the significance is to this passage?
• How do you see the relationship of giving and receiving gifts? (i.e., what is generally our response to receiving a gift? How do giving and receiving interplay?)

Apply

• What is the most significant thing God has given to you?
• How does this gift make you feel towards God?
• Are you able to return it to Him? Why or Why Not?
• What do you think God wants from you? Why?
• What blessings have you received by being generous to God or others?

a.       A Frustrated dad says, “I didn’t know that was possible. I thought He had a no return policy.”

b.      Bill Cosby’s routine in which he told his kids – “I brought you into the world and I can take you out.”

c.       I told our daughter that I saved the receipt from the hospital – just in case we needed to make a return.

d.      One man said that when he and his wife married, they had 3 theories about raising children; today they have three children and no theories

e.       One of those children asked his mother what she wanted for her birthday; she replied, “Three well-behaved children.” To which the child replied, “But that would make 6 of us!”

2.      The Real Point – Children are a gift from God and to be received as such but they belong first and ultimately to him – Psalm 127:3

a.       He designed children with purpose –  Jeremiah 1:5

b.      It is up to Parents to show them the way to go – Proverbs 22:6

c.       Parents receive children from God but are to return them to him after a few days

3.      Examples:

a.       Abraham and Isaac (the Akedah) – Genesis 22

1)      Because Abraham gave Isaac back to God HE blessed both of them

2)      Isaac became wealthy/powerful/in the ancestry of Messiah

b.      Joseph and Mary dedicating Yeshua (Jesus) in the temple – Luke 2.22

c.       Hannah and Samuel – 1 Samuel 1.27-28

4.      What does it mean to dedicate/give our children to God?

I.       We Affirm Our Trust in God (1.11)

A.     The Challenge

1.      It is one thing to receive the gift of the child (or any gift) from God

2.      It is another to return that gift to God

B.     The Choice – to Believe (FAITH)

The Bay of Fundy is at the head of the St. John River where the river empties into the bay. It is a spectacle to see the currents of the mighty St. John rushing to meet the tides of the Atlantic Ocean. You would think there could never be anything that could stop the raging flow of the St. John. But every evening at the changing of the tide the flow of the St. John can be seen slowing. The Atlantic tide comes in little by little at 29, 30 and 40 feet until it reaches a height of 70 feet. The tide pushes and pushes until suddenly it reverses the river and flows towards its source. It is at this time that huge ships can enter the St. John River to gain access to the interior of Canada and Maine.

I submit to you that it is time for the spiritual tides of God’s blessings to come in. If you have had faith, whatever Satan does that seems so indomitable, remember God’s power is greater and His tides always come in.

³² And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— ³³ who through faith [OR TRUSTING] conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection. Hebrews 11:32-35

1.      Parents can control very little

2.      Trust God

II.    We Affirm Our Love for God

A.     We recognize God’s love for us by his gifts – John 3.16

B.     We Express Love to Him by OUR Gifts!

I heard recently about a 90-year-old lady who one Christmas found buying presents a bit much, so she wrote out checks for all of her family and friends, and decided she would put them in with her Christmas cards. She wrote out her Christmas cards and put “Buy your own present” after her name, then sent them off.

But after the Christmas festivities were over, she found the checks in her desk!  Everyone had got a Christmas card from her with “Buy your own present” written inside but without the checks!

We all like gifts. We like to receive them from those that we love. And we also enjoy giving them. What Jesus said is certainly true: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  (Acts 20:35). I used to think that the greatest joy of giving gifts belonged to children because they get to experience the excitement of opening their presents. But I’ve learned that the real excitement comes in being able to give to those who mean so much to you.

1.      We can give God: Money; Time; Selves; and The most precious gifts he has given to us

2.      God Blesses what we give – And the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord. 1 Samuel 2.21

3.      Hannah “Loaned” Samuel to God (Lend is from a root that means to request/ask for)

a.       She asked for a son with a promise to return him (1 Samuel 1.11)

b.      God asked for Samuel back – by granting her request

C.     What Is Most Important to You? Can you return it to God?

III. We Affirm Our Stewardship for God

A.     Parents are Stewards (caretakers) of Children – Psalm 127.3

1.      Short-term Oversight

2.      Raise them according to the standards of the real owner

B.     Stewardship Involves a Commitment

1.      To Godly Parenting in Example –

The father says, “You better get ready. The bus will be here in a minute to pick you up and take you to Sunday School.”

The Boy asked, “Did you go to Sunday School when you were a boy?” The father replied, “Yes I did.”

The boy said as he was getting dressed, “It probably won’t do me any good either!”

¹⁸ “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ¹⁹ And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ²⁰ And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, ²¹ that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11.18-21

²⁶ “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: ²⁷ the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, ²⁸ and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which you have not known.  11.26-28

2.      To Teaching and Training – Ephesians 6.4 (nurture and admonition of the LORD)

ACU researchers, Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Carley Dodd have recently concluded a cross-generational study (six different tests) to measure fathers’ positive and negative influences upon teens’ spirituality.

They found that “every time” dad’s role “as teacher came out be the most important predictor.” Among other top predictors of adolescent spiritual maturity, as related to dad, were his: commitment to Christ, spiritual well-being, prayer life, boldness in discussing issues of faith, genuineness and emotional closeness.

Of those teens whose fathers expressed their love well, 84% had a high spiritual maturity, but among teens whose fathers had difficulty doing so, only 39% had a high spiritual maturity.

Lewis said, “If a father will take his child on his lap and look her in the eye and say ’I love you,’ he will double her chances of being spiritually mature.”

3.      Love and Affirmation

4.      Prayer

5.      Home as a Holy Place (Jews call it their “Little Temple”)

1.      Hannah was blessed with the gift of Samuel – cared for him briefly – 1 Samuel 1:22-28

2.      She and Elkanah made offerings to God – on behalf of the child and of the child

3.      Samuel became a GREAT prophet in Israel4.      What can happen if we dedicate our children to God? More Samuels? More Hannahs? More Jeremiahs? More Marys?

a.       Anointed Kings

b.      Confronted Saul

c.       Taught young prophets

d.      Judged the people

5.      What can happen if we dedicate OURSELVES to God? This is the beginning place –

•          There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
•          I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
•          I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, Ephesians 4:1

Please share your response to one of the following:

• What is the strangest outfit you have seen someone wear?
• Are you a morning person or night owl? How does this affect your family?

Study

Please read Romans 13.11-14 and discuss the following with your Group:

• What “sleep” could Paul be thinking of here?
• In what ways do you see salvation as a “process”? (i.e., we were saved; are saved; will be saved)
• In what ways do clothes “make the man”? How do you think this applies to spiritual things?
• How do we take off the darkness and put on light?
• What do you think are the major impacts of light? How is it that light always wins?
• What DAY do you think is “at hand” for us? Why does this matter?

Apply

• What helps you to be spiritually alert in the times we are living?
• How do you manage your time? What takes priority? Why? How?
• How can you use your occupation to minister to people in your workplace?
• In what ways can we “dress up” in spiritual things?
• How do you deal with “pet sins”?
• How do you show concern for people around you?

•          A young wife said to her husband, “Don’t forget to bring home another mousetrap.” Her husband said, “What’s the matter with the one I bought yesterday?” She said, “IT’S FULL.”
•          A woman walked into her bathroom at home. As she did, she saw her husband weighing himself on the bathroom scales, sucking in his stomach. The woman thought to herself, “He thinks that he will weigh less by sucking in his stomach.” So, the woman rather sarcastically said to her husband, “That’s not going to help.” Her husband said, “Sure it will. It’s the only way I can see the numbers.”

2.      Periodically we want to improve ourselves – Health, Home, etc.

3.      To improve we must – Think (about what we need to improve) – Plan (how to improve) – ACT

4.      There is a similar activity involving our relationship with God – Romans 13.11-14

I.       Wake Up! (11-12a)

Have you ever sleepwalked? It could be a problem. One day 77-year-old James Currens of Palm Harbor, FL sleepwalked out of his house, stumbled down an embankment and didn’t wake up until he was stuck in an alligator-infested pond. A neighbor heard him calling for help and called the police around 5 a.m.

Mr. Currens was found fighting off those alligators with his cane in his hand. There were 8 to 10 gators. AND IF HE HADN’T WOKE UP HE’D BEEN GATOR BREAKFAST!

Sleepwalking and sleep-living will get us into trouble!

A.     Spiritual Alertness

1.      Begins with knowing Yeshua (Jesus)

When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2.1-2

2.      Continues with focused effort – Acts 2.42

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5.8

3.      Easy to be lulled to sleep – [Boiling a Frog]

B.     Salvation Awareness

1.      There is a DAY coming – Judgment?

2.      A Day of Salvation for those of Yeshua (Jesus)

a.       Tenses of salvation – Were/Are Being/Will Be

b.      A process

3.      Time Management is Essential

[Young woman went for counseling; the counselor asked: “Do you feel that the roles of wife and mother are beneath you?” – “No, BEYOND me!”

a.       Constantly juggling our time – what matters most in the long run? Make necessary adjustments

b.      Begin ASAP – Ecclesiastes 12.1; Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6.2

II.    Dress Up! (12b-14)

A.     Cast Off Darkness

1.       No Coddling the “little sins”
2.       Let the HS influence our Live

B.     Put On Light

1.      Seen in Yeshua (Jesus) – I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61.10 [Salvation =  form of Yeshua]

a.      Put Christ on (v. 14)

b.      He is the Light of the world (John 8.12)

2.      Seen in the Armor of Light (12b)

a.       Warfare – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6.11

He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in fury as a mantle. Isaiah 59.17

b.      Victory – For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,  1 Thessalonians 5.9

3.      Seen in the Activities of Light (Matthew 5.16)

[A woman would wait in long lines at the Post Office to purchase stamps. One of the clerks told her that she could buy the stamps in the machine in the lobby quicker. She said, “I know, but the machine dose not ask me about my arthritis.”

[Alexander MacLaren – “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” – Maybe the reason we are to love one another (John 13.35)

Conclusion

1.      The Chandelier

During a business meeting in a small mountain church, one of the deacon said, “Pastor, I think we need a chandelier for our church.”

“No way,” replied another deacon. “I’m against it.”

“Why don’t you think we need a chandelier, brother deacon?” asked the pastor.

He replied, “Well, in the first place, nobody in the church can spell it. Secondly, nobody in the church can play it. And thirdly, WHAT THIS CHURCH NEEDS ABOVE ALL ELSE IS MORE LIGHT!”

2.      Let us Wake Up to the Light of God

3.      Let us Dress Up with the Light of God

4.      Both involve our relationship to Yeshua (Jesus)

I’m afraid that we tend to be like the fellow in the old story who showed up for a court hearing concerning an accident in which he had been involved. His arm was in a cast, there were bandages all over him, & the exposed parts of his body were clearly bruised, scratched & cut. He was a real mess.

Looking rather surprised, the judge asked about his injuries. He replied, “Judge, I’m in a terrible condition. I have cuts & stitches all over me, & I’m feeling awful.”

The judge said, “I don’t understand this. The accident report filed by the Officer says that at the time of the accident you told him you were just fine.”

“Well Judge,” the man replied, “let me explain. I was driving my pickup & pulling a trailer. In the back of the pickup was my old dog Shep, & my mule was in the trailer. All of a sudden an 18 wheeler sideswiped me, knocking me off the road.”

“My pickup & trailer rolled over & over, & we ended up at the bottom of a big embankment. The next thing I remember, a police officer was picking his way through the wreckage. I saw him stop & examine my mule, then he pulled out his pistol & shot the mule between the eyes.”

“Next, he got to where Shep was lying, & after examining him, he shot old Shep, too. Then he walked over to me & asked, “How are you?” And I said, “I’m doing fine.”

2.      So, how are you doing? – Our tendency is to say, “Fine,” even though the world is falling apart.

3.      [If your phone rang at 3 AM and you found out there was an emergency with your family three states away; and you had to get there immediately; then you find out your car needs repair – who would you call?

a.       Some have a group of friends they could lean on in a situation like this

b.      Many of us do not have a Group in times of need

c.       Part of the issue is the time factor – come home from work; close the draw bridge; cocoon;

d.      Then when there is an issue we have a struggle because we don’t know where to turn

4.      The Solution – John 13.31-38

5.      Concern for others

I.       Jesus Displayed Concern for Others

A.     His Concern for the Father

1.       Glory to Father – DBR
2.       Do his will – John 4.3

B.     His Concern for the Disciples

1.       He called; led; and taught them
2.       Washing feet – even of Peter and Judas
3.       Love is an action word, not an emotion – can practice love for someone without “liking” them

A comic strip showed a young man was declaring his undying love for his girlfriend: “I love you with all my heart,” he said, “I love you more than life itself; my love would move mountains and change the course of mighty rivers for you,” he says fervently.

To all this, in the second frame, his girlfriend replies, “Can you come over Saturday and help me clean the junk out of my garage?”

In the final frame the guy looks up and says, “I hate people who take advantage.”

4.      Lay down life — ¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. John 15.12-14II.    Jesus Desires Our Concern for Others (John 13.34-35)

a.       Peter said he would – but didn’t (at first) – John 13.36-38

b.      Yeshua (Jesus) said he would – and he did

There was once a Christian celebration on the west coast of Africa, when converted natives brought of their meager possessions to show their devotion to Christ, a young girl only recently saved from paganism brought a silver coin worth about eighty-five cents, and handed this to the missionary as her gift to the Savior. The good man was astounded at the size of the offering, and hesitated to accept it, supposing it must have been obtained dishonestly; but when he delicately asked for an explanation of this lavish gift, the convert told him that she had gone to a neighboring planter and bound herself out to him as a slave for the rest of her life for this coin.

Thus, she brought the whole monetary equivalent of her life and placed it as a single gift at the feet of her Lord. In essence, by serving another, she served God.

A.     The Exhibition of Discipleship – “One Anothering”

1.       First and Second Commands
2.       One Another Commands:

⁹ Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; ¹⁰ love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Romans 12.9-11

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. Romans 12.15-17

¹³ Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 12.13

⁷ Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15.7

¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13.11

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5.13-14

³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, ³² and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4.31-32

¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3.16-17

¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4.18

B.     The Excellence of Discipleship – as Yeshua (Jesus)

1.       In Hebrew – New can be translated as RENEW – a Renewed Commandment with a twist
2.       Standard Yeshua (Jesus) set – as I have loved you
3.       The Standard is not the individual – it is God

We see the need for one another. So What?

A wife remarked to her husband after the church service: “Did you see the hat Mrs. Jones was wearing?” “No,” said her husband, “I didn’t.” “Did you see the new dress Mrs. Smith had on?” she asked. “I’m afraid I didn’t,” said her husband. To this his wife replied: “Well a lot of good it does YOU to go to church!”

1.      Too often we are content on “showing up” to church to do the minimum

a.       What is the least I have to do to get the most gain?

b.      5 steps and 5 acts

c.       Question – Is that what the bible teaches?

d.      Is there more to our walk with God?

2.      Too often we find ourselves in need and nowhere to turn

[Rick Warren notes 5 Questions that Potential Church Members ask:

•          Will I be accepted at this church?
•          Will I find friends at this church?
•          Will I make a difference at this church?
•          Will I benefit from joining this church?
•          Will there be expectations of me at this church?

(http://pastors.com/5-questions-every-perspective-member-wants-answered/)

3.      A solution – make church more than a meeting place for worship – make it a community

a.       Yeshua’s (Jesus’) declaration to Peter – “I will build my church” – two possible meanings:

1)      Ekklesia – the called out assembly

2)      Edah – witnessing community – all of the one another passages are a witness to the community we live in of who Yeshua (Jesus) is

b.      Synagogue (origin of the church) – a community – worship center; study center; school; activities of the community

c.       Get involved in Groups within the congregation – HOME Groups; Ministry Groups; interest groups; friendship groups

d.      Remember our few Shepherds and Staff cannot care for the entire congregation adequately – it has to happen in smaller settings – help them shepherd by finding a Group to belong to

e.       Can’t find a Group? Start one – we’ll help

4.      Let’s grow past making everything about “ME”

a.       None of us is in charge of the church – it belongs to Yeshua (Jesus)

b.      The church exists for the benefit of others

c.       Real joy is found when we serve more than are served

5.      Let’s Love as God Loves – Any Way

Open

Please share with your Group your response to ONE of the following:

• What is something that emotionally “wears you out” (makes you tired)?
• What is the best thing for you to do when you feel yourself getting angry?

Study

Please read Ephesians 4.11-16 and discuss the following with your Group:

• In what ways do you see Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor-Teachers as gifts to the church from God? What could be some implications for our church?
• What do you see as the primary purpose of these individuals in the life of the church?
• How do you see these leaders as vital in helping our maturity in Christ? What would you say are some characteristics of this maturity?
• Why do you think Paul couples speaking the truth with “in love”?
• In the case of modern church leadership, what do you think is the primary purpose for church leaders?
• In what ways do you see that church leaders should be proven BEFORE given leadership responsibilities?

Apply

• In your opinion, what is the biggest need the church has in regard to leadership?
• Why do you think there is difficulty in filling leadership vacancies?
• What can we – AS A CHURCH – do to remedy this issue?
• In your estimation, what is the PRIMARY purpose of the church? How can leaders help us fulfill our purpose?

Back in the 90’s there was a President of Harvard University named Neil Rudenstine. Now, one of the major roles of college president is to raise money for the institution so they can pay the salaries and other financial responsibilities of the organization. And Neil Rudenstine was very good at meeting that need. For three years – since he became the school’s president – he methodically raised a $1 million a day for Harvard..

The reason he was so successful was that he was passionate about every facet of his job. He focused on both the big and small things in the college. Besides spending twelve hours a day on a demanding job, he fretted banquet menus, argued about his $10-15 medical co-pay and, wrote notes to the football coach, the editors school newspaper, the various staff as well as the dorm house masters.

But one morning in November, he overslept and just couldn’t manage to make himself go to work. When he went to the doctor, he was diagnosed with “severe fatigue and exhaustion.” The directors insisted he took an indefinite leave of absence to recover.

So he did.

And he didn’t return for the next seven days.

In fact, he didn’t return for the next seven weeks.

In fact, he spent the next seven months recovering from his fatigue. (Courtesy of Victor Yap Sermoncentral.com based on stories from Newsweek 3/6/95, U.S. News & World Report 12/12/94)

 2.      Leadership is a difficult task – especially in church circles

a.       Best size of a group to lead – 12

b.      Our elders each try to work with more than 125 people

3.      In signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin quipped, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” Maybe we should adapt this to: “We must all pull together, or we shall assuredly pull apart.”

4.      Ephesians 4.11-13

I.       Leadership Roles Within the Church

A.     Core Leadership

1.       Apostles – Missionaries
2.       Prophets – Preachers
3.       Evangelists – Outreach
4.       Pastor-Teachers – Elders/Shepherds

B.     Special Leadership – Deacons – Acts 6

Justin Martyr (early 2C) – early community of God’s actions when they came together:

On day called “Sun Day” believers gathered in one place [day of Helios – Greek Sun god]; writings of apostles or prophets are read; then when reader has ceased, the President instructs to imitation of these good things; prays; bread and wine and water brought; President in like manner gives prayers and thanksgiving; people say amen and distribution to each; to those absent a portion is sent by deacons; give according to what they see fit; President gives to those in need – widows, orphans, sick, in bonds, strangers, etc.; but Sun Day is when we hold common assembly because it is the day when God changed darkness to create world; Yeshua rose from dead Yeshua crucified before day of Saturn and appeared to disciples on day of Sun (Justin Martyr); [3 days and nights – any part of day = whole day]

C.     Synagogue Basis

•          Nasi – President of the Assembly — Administrator
•          Shlechim – from word which means to send – sent out from congregation as public announcers – “apostles”
•          TSkanim – from world which means “old” and we translate it into English as Elders; not necessarily the older men but the more experienced in spiritual maturity;
• ·        Gabahai Tzedekah – in Hebrew; in Greek = diakonos; English = deacon/Minister; Gabah = Tax Collector – people of synagogue are/were taxed according to income = donation, payment to be part of congregation; funds collected and distributed to those in need
•          Bat Lanim – 10 in each synagogue to be a functioning synagogue; literally a man of leisure who had financial means to dedicate 100% of his time to the study of God’s word;
•           Magid – from Hebrew word for Tell/Relate – Evangelists – gave message/sermon; gifted orator
•          CHazzan – Superintendent/Cantor – Chants; had been the one to mete out stripes by court of Jews;
•          Shamash – “Caretaker” or “Custodian” of physical structure
•          Rabbi – functions as the wandering prophet of OT; 1-2 C, BC and CE did not have position in synagogue as today

II.    Leadership Purpose Within the Church

A.     The Purpose Is NOT:

1.       Dictatorial Demands; Aloof Directors
2.       Our Doormats

B.     The Purpose IS – To Bring the church to Maturity – Ephesians 4.13; Acts 2.42-47

1.       Leaders make decisions that lead us to green pastures and still waters
2.       Leaders are involved in teaching

a.       Classroom and more – OJT as the Rabbis

[Field Trips – Sermon on the Mount (behold the lilies of the field); Caesarea Philippi; Parables (Sower); Missionary Journeys

b.      Bible Knowledge is Essential – we are not just to be busy doing “stuff” we are to be doing Spirit things

1)      The Bible is the Instruction Manual

2)      We Need help in practical application

III. Leadership Selection Within the Church

A.     Leadership Selection is Not Clear

1.       Lots to replace Judas
2.       Congregation selected Deacons – Acts 6
3.       Preacher selection of elders – Titus 1.

B.     Principles to Remember:

1.      Experience – Elder = Older with experience in:

a.       Family

b.      World/work issues

c.       Community involvement

d.      Dealing successfully with temptation

e.       Ability to maintain Integrity and Character – Blameless

2.      Proven

And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons. 1 Timothy 3.10

a.       Not about choosing friends; giving favors; Taking turns [Robert Dole was the GOP candidate a few years ago because it was “his turn”

b.      Is about observation – true for all leaders

3.      Influential

a.       Definition of Leadership is Influence

b.      Selected Hellenistic men to serve Hellenistic widows – more influence than Hebraic men (Acts 6)

c.       Influential because they were influenced (filled) with the Holy Spirit (Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. Acts 6.3)

Conclusion

1.      Pulling together:

I once read the story is told of a horse pulling contest in Canada.  The winning horse in the contest pulled 9000 pounds The runner up pulled 8000. Together you’d expect them to pull 17,000 lbs. but not so! When teamed together, they pulled 30,000 lbs. – nearly twice as much.

2.      When Leaders Pull Together, a Congregation Pulls Together; We accomplish what God sets before us

3.      Select gifted men for the work of Shepherds and Special Servants

4.      Goal-Focused –

•          ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Matthew 28.18-20;
•          ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1.27;
•          until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; Ephesians 4.13

•          “You guys line up alphabetically by height.” said by Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach.
•          When Shaquille O’Neal was asked whether he had visited the Parthenon during his visit to Greece, he replied, “I can’t really remember the names of the clubs that we went to.”
•          “I’m going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes,” was said by a senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh.
•          “Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” This was said by ESPN football commentator and former player Joe Theismann.
•         And finally, another statement by Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach, “You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle.”

2.       We may not always SAY what we mean but we can SHOW what we mean

3.       There is an excitement in this congregation that has come from the recent visit by Patrick Mead that is resulting in a deep desire to serve the people of our community and demonstrate the love of God

a.       The first commandment is to love God – often associated with worship

b.       The second is to love our neighbors – often associated with service

c.       Both are actually related – Matthew 28.16-20

4.       [Chris Leck’s presentation

I.       Connecting with Yeshua (Jesus) produces Outflow

A.     Things we know by connecting to Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      God Wants All Persons Saved -1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9

2.      All Persons Are Lost and Need Saving -Isaiah 64: 6; Romans 3:23; 6:23

3.      God Is Able To Save -Isaiah 59:1; 2 Corinthians 9:8

4.      Salvation Is Good News To All People -Luke 2:10,11; Titus 2:11

5.      He Is The Savior Of All -1 Timothy 4:10; Acts 4:12

6.      Jesus Came To Seek and Save The Lost -Luke 19:10

B.     Knowing these things compels us to participate in Ministry to others

1.       As Paul — ¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5.14-15

2.       Examples of the Sea of Galilee vs. Dead Sea

II.                Approaches to Outreach:

•          Proclamation Approach – Paul/Peter
• ·        Testimonial Approach – What has God done for you? – Blind man in John 9; be my witnesses – Luke 24.44
•          Invitational Approach – Invite others to classes/Groups/Services – Andrew invited Peter; Samaritan woman invited Sychar—John 4
• ·        Service Approach – DorcasNow there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. Acts 9.36
• ·        Relational Approach – Bringing friends and family to Yeshua (Jesus) – Matthew’s party: ²⁹ And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. ³⁰ And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5.29-32

III. The Goal is to Make Disciples (Balance)

A.     More than convincing arguments for Baptism

1.       Fully Devoted followers

2.       As a rabbi with his disciples

3.       More than “student” (as one auditing a class)

B.     Involves

1.        Time for preparation – study
2.        Time for participating – mentoring
3.        Time for processing – maturity

So put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander. ² Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; ³ for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 2 Peter 2.1-3

1.      [Shackleton

Years ago the following ad appeared in a London Newspaper: “Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.”

Would you believe there were thousands of men who responded to this? The reason for such a turnout was the noted Artic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, placed the ad.

It causes me to wonder what kind of ad Jesus would give to us today. “Men and women wanted for the task of building my kingdom. Those working with you will often misunderstand you. You will face constant attack from an invisible enemy. You may not see the results of your labor, and your full reward will not come until all your work is completed. It may cost you your home, your family, your friends, even your life.”

2.       Church is not always easy and convenient but is rewarding

3.       Questions:

a.       Who are our Samaritans?

b.       Where do people of our community gather?

c.       How can we serve them with the love of Yeshua (Jesus)?

Share your response to one of the following:

• When have you felt like you have had more tasks than hands? What did you do?
• If you were to take a 10 day car trip with family or friends, what is the one thing they would most likely hear you complain about?

Study

Please read Matthew 28.16-20 and discuss the following with your Group:

• What might have caused the disciples to “doubt” when they saw Jesus?
• Why do you think today’s Christian has difficulty in reaching out to others with the gospel?
• What do you think is the importance of making “disciples”? How do you see this process occurring?
• What is significant to you about: making disciples – baptizing them – then teaching them to observe the teachings of Jesus?
• How do you see Jesus being with you in this process?
• In what ways do you see the disciple-making and disciple-maturing process like a “balancing act”?
• Why is each part important?

Apply

• What is your primary motivation for serving God? How do you demonstrate this in your day to day life?
• Do you feel more effective in initial outreach to strangers or in on-going discipleship? Why?
• Which form of Outreach best suits you?
  • Proclamation Approach (as Peter or Paul)
  • Testimonial Approach (sharing God’s impact in your life)
  • Invitational Approach (inviting people to activities where they can learn more about God)
  • Service Approach (serving others to lead them closer to Jesus)
  • Relational Approach (bringing family and friends to Jesus)
  • Other Approaches_________________________________

Please share your response to one of the following:

• What is the hardest change you have ever had to accept?
• Do you have any superstitions (a rabbit’s foot; walking under a ladder; etc.)?
• If someone promised you that a bungee jump of 300’ was perfectly safe, would you jump? Would you jump for $1 million?

Study

Please read Isaiah 43.14-19 and discuss the following:

• In what ways do you see the gospel as “old”? How do you see it as “new”? What dangers are there to seeing it as “old”? As “new”? What advantages are there?
• The Adversary of God and Man (Satan) has attacked the people of God throughout the ages. What are some of the harshest ways he attacks us today?
• What role do you think the Holy Spirit plays in giving us freedom to serve God?
• What do you think was the reaction of the Hebrews when they crossed the Red Sea? Why? What is your impression of their reactions (see Exodus 15.1-21)?
• What implications do you see in the fact that we serve SOMETHING or SOMEONE (Romans 6.16-18)?

Apply

• What three things would you like to see our congregation accomplish this year? How can you help achieve these?
• When do we look back? When do we not look back? What is the advantage of these?
• What dreams do you have for serving God? What can you do to achieve these dreams?

2.      Changes Come, Ready or Not

•          90%t of all the items in the supermarket today did not exist just ten years ago.
•          It is estimated that 73% of college graduates are going into jobs which did not exist when they were born – 22 short years ago.
•          George Washington traveled from Virginia to Washington D.C. by horseback. It could take him ten days traveling at a speed of twenty-five miles per day.
• When astronauts come back to earth, they travel at over 25,000 miles per hour. At that speed you could fly from New York to San Francisco in just a couple of minutes.
•  “My great-grandfather rode a horse, but was afraid of the train. My grandfather rode on a train, but was afraid of a car. My father rode in a car, but was afraid of an airplane. I ride in an airplane, but I’m afraid of a horse.”

3.      Change is the cure for complacency

Wheaties began making cereal back in the late 1940’s. It was good, but it wasn’t particularly popular. So, in the early 1950’s they took a big financial risk and did something nobody else had ever done. They paid big bucks to have a popular athlete grace the front of the box, and their new slogan was, “Breakfast of Champions.” The athlete was an Olympic gold medalist in the pole-vaulting competition. His was a preacher, and his name was Bob Richards.

It worked. Wheaties became an overnight success and has been near the top selling cereals ever since. But they had to do something else, too. They had to keep finding new athletes that people knew. See, as the years go by, people forget names and accomplishments. A few years after  Richards appeared on the box, people forgot who he was.

So, throughout the years, to be able to introduce the cereal to new people, they changed the outside of the box to be more relevant to the society of that day. But you have to notice something very important. Not once during all this time, did they ever change the cereal inside the box! It has remained unchanged in all these years.

• We have an Unchanging Gospel – to be seen AS IS – a GREAT RESTORATION Principle

• Baptism has been a great emphasis [Naaman]
• Repentance is tougher

4.      The church today needs some serious repentance – we are failing to carry out the mission Jesus has given to us and we don’t really care.

5.      Needed today is a strong reliance on God

6.      Isaiah 43.14-19

I.       The Impressed Oppressed

A.     Israel’s Context – Oppression by Egypt; Assyria; Babylon

1.       They knew their history
2.       They believed God’s promises – good and bad
3.       God made impressions on his chosen peopl

B.     Our Adversary’s Oppressions

1.      Remember that Satan HATES you

a.       You bear the image of God

b.      You follow Yeshua (Jesus)

2.      He Oppresses Us with:

a.       Sin – Isaiah 59.1-2

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; ² but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear.

[Addictions – Drugs, alcohol, food, pornography – Jesus is the answer

b.      Idolatry – Exodus 20.3-4

[People; Entertainment; Sports 

c.       Superstitions – So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areop′agus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. Acts 17.22

[#13 and Bungee jumper that died because the 13^th floor was not included in the building directory – the floors went from 12 to 14 – his cord was too long by one floor

d.      Traditions [Victories – HOME Groups; Children’s Bible Hour; Gene’s Little Friends; Home Before Dark; PPT; Video (our language); Eastern European Missions]

1)      Nothing wrong with Tradition, per se – if there is meaning – “vain repetitions”

Jews were taught to build a fence around the Torah (Pirkei Avot 1.1)

2)      Problem – exchanging ritual for relationship with God

a.       Jews did it with circumcision; Sabbath; Kosher foods

b.      We can become captives to: worship times (11 AM); Order of worship; Invitation and song; WED PM (Thursday in Auburn, AL) – at all?

C.     Our God’s Opportunity

1.      To be greater than the Adversary and his oppressions – Sin (DBR); Idols (Living God); Superstition; Tradition

2.      With his Supernatural element – Holy Spirit – But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14.26

a.       HS inspired scripture – 2 Timothy 3.16-17

b.      HS instructs us in his word

II.    The Delight of the Delivered

A.     There is a Universal response to Deliverance by God – JOY (Acts 8, etc.)

B.     Israel’s Deliverance

1.      Egypt –

a.       Blood of the Lamb

b.      Baptism in Red Sea – I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, ² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ and all ate the same supernatural [spiritual] food 1 Corinthians 10.1-3

1)      Baptism unto Moshe (Moses)

2)      Involves uniting with his leadership; vision; and goals

c.       Moses and Miriam danced and sang after the crossing of the Sea

d.      Receiving Instruction at Sinai – Exodus 19.8 (we will do and we will hear)

1)      We worship/serve Someone/Something – ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. Romans 6.16-18

2)      Some wanted to go back to Egypt – looking back to the “good old days”

C.     Our Deliverance

1.      From Sin and Idolatry – Romans 6.23; Ephesians 2.8-10

a.       Blood of the Lamb of God

b.      Baptism – into Yeshua (Jesus) – Romans 6.1-4; unite with him in his character; goals; vision; leadership

c.       To follow his teachings – John 14.15

2.      From Superstition and Tradition

a.       Look past the outward to the heart

b.      God’s intention has always been to include the internal as well as the external – Deuteronomy 6.4ff

1)      Love is action

2)      Involves heart/mind; Life; resources – all we have

1.      You Will Forget

An elderly couple was having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrived at the doctor’s, they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory.

After examining the couple, the doctor tells them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanked the doctor and left.

Later that night while watching TV, the old man got up from his chair and his wife asks, “Where are you going?”

He replies, “To the kitchen.”

She asks, “Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?”

He replies, “Sure.”

She then asks him, “Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?”

He says, “No, I can remember that.”

She then says, “Well, I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you’ll forget that.”

He says, “I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.”

She replies, “Well, I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down.”

With irritation in his voice, he says, “I don’t need to write that down, I can remember that.” He then fumes into the kitchen.

After about 20 minutes he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs.

She stares at the plate for a moment and says, “I knew you should write it down, you forgot my toast.”

2.      Sometimes we look back –

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Jeremiah 6.16

3.      Sometimes we do not –

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Isaiah 43.18

4.      We learn from the past and develop faith for the future – or we are destined to repeat the past

5.      Do not dwell in the past

a.       Discouraging things

b.      Prideful things

c.       “When we have more memories than dreams, our life is over.”

Maybe the value of Joel 2.28:

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

2.      2012 Average Plastic Surgery Costs For a new you:

3.      What is the one thing you would change about yourself?

4.      Philippians 3.14-16

I.       Remove the Misplaced Priority (4-7)

Jeff Ferrera of Waukegan, Illinois, was reconciling his checkbook and called First National Bank of Chicago to get his current balance. The electronic voice droned, “Your primary checking account currently has a balance of $924,844,204.32.” Ferrera was one of 826 customers who were almost billionaires for a day because of the biggest error in the history of US banking. The mistake amounted to almost $764 billion, more than six times the assets of First National Bank. “It had a lot of people saying in jest to transfer it to the Cayman Islands and run for it,” Ferrera said. But, like most others, he simply reported the error to bank Officials, who could only say that it was a computer programming error.

How ridiculous it would have been for Ferrera to place any confidence in his new found wealth. He recognized the temporary nature of his millionaire checking account. It would have been utter stupidity for him to make plans and arrange his life around something so uncertain and fleeting.

Yet, that’s exactly the way that most of us operate. We’re given these brief life-spans and rather than focus on the things that really matter, we squander our time, thoughts and talents on the trivial. God tells us to reach for the eternal but we settle for the temporary.

A.     The Temporary

1.      Nothing wrong with the Physical – “Good and Very Good”

2.      Problem of Near-sightedness

3.      Externals do not last [Movie Stars and Aging

B.     Categories within the Temporary

1.      Heritage – Genealogies today

2.      Ability

a.       Hebrew of Hebrews = Language

b.      Pharisee of Pharisees – study and knowledge of scripture; Gamliel and Hillel connection

3.      Actions

a.       Misplaced Zeal – persecution of the church

b.      Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. ² I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Romans 10.1-3

4.      Personal Righteousness

II.    Resolve to Focus on Yeshua (Jesus) (7-11)

A.     Emphasis on Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      Note the number of times he mentions “Jesus”

2.      Note how he wants to know him – intimately

3.      Problem – treating him as a silent Pal rather than an outspoken LORD!

B.     The Emphasis of Yeshua (Jesus) – Matthew 6.33

1.      God gives physical needs NOW, not just things in the World to Come

2.      We tend to turn the priority upside down – we want to seek our necessities first (including entertainment) – THEN if there is time we expect spirituals to be added to us

3.      What would happen if we committed to making Yeshua (Jesus) the LORD?

a.       If we make the LORD’S Day HIS Day?

b.      We make God the centerpiece of our discussion

c.       We give him first fruits of our labors?

[Remember first love? Could not get enough of the person; thought of them all day; couldn’t wait to be with the person; but then time passes

⁴ But I have this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. ⁵ Therefore, remember where you were before you fell, turn from this sin, and do what you used to do before. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your menorah from its place — if you don’t turn from your sin! Revelation 2.4-5 (CJB)

A.W. Tozer said, “We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.”

4.      It is a LOVE Issue

5.      What happens when other things take precedence? – “No other gods” (Exodus 20.3)

III. Renew the Right Plan (12-14)

A.     Be Responsive of Our Present

1.      We have not “arrived”

2.      The closer you get to God the further away you may feel

3.      Remember that God does not grade on a curve

a.       If I got a 66% on a test I would feel bad unless I found out that most of the class made less

Bonhoeffer writes, “If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all.”

b.      Then I would look for the curve – This is actually a lowering of standards

c.       One of my grad school teachers said, “I don’t give grace, I give grades.”

d.      God does not lower his standards, he wants us to stretch

B.     Be Reasonable About Our Past

1.      Forget the behind – past sins; past successes

2.      Lifestyle – not a works salvation

C.     Be Reconciled to Our Future

1.      ONE thing

2.      Get energy from a goal – take down bowling pins or the basketball basket – stop playing

3.      No energy for God? No goal!

1.      Paul wrote this book while in prison

2.      Every chapter speaks of Joy

3.      This year will be a good year – not because of external conditions but because of spiritual ones

4.      The difference is a NEW YOU – any year will do

5.      Have you heard about the man who moved into a retirement community to spend the rest of his life there? It wasn’t long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents.

There was one lady he was especially attracted to, & she was attracted to him, also. So they spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him.

The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but he couldn’t remember her answer. So he went to her & said, “I’m really embarrassed. I proposed to you last night but I can’t remember if you said `Yes’ or `No.”’

“Oh, thank goodness!” she replied. “I remembered saying `Yes’ but I couldn’t remember who asked me.”

Sometimes I feel that way about New Year’s resolutions. I tell myself, “This year I’m going to turn over a new leaf. I’m going to exercise regularly & lose weight. I’m going to do all kinds of things to improve myself physically & spiritually.” But then somehow I forget. Maybe you have that problem, too.

Please share your response to one of the following:

• If you could change on thing in your life, what would it be?
• As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Study

Please read Philippians 3 and discuss the following with your Group

• In what things do you see people placing their confidence? What are the results of that confidence?
• What things do you notice about Paul’s former life?
• How did Paul wind up treating these things? What is the result of his actions? How do you think he was able to do this?
• What do you see (especially in 3.1-11) as Paul’s great concern?
• In what ways do you think Paul did not think he had arrived? Why might this have been hard for him? How was it easy?
• What things do you think Paul put behind? What was he reaching forward to?
• What picture do you see from 12-14?
• How can maturity be explained here?
• Paul wrote this letter from prison yet speaks of “joy”? How do you think this is possible? What does this say about internals and externals of our lives?

Apply

• What is the biggest thing in your life that you need to “forget”?
• How can you gauge your spiritual maturity as a disciple of Jesus?
• What key changes will you make to focus more on Jesus and less on yourself?
• What helps you get a proper perspective of your relationship to God? How valuable is this relationship to you?

•          Virginia Dare 1587 1st child born in the American colonies, on August 18th, on what is now Roanoke Island, NC
•          André-Jacques Garnerin 1797 — 1st parachute jump. Dropped from about 6,500 ft. over Monceau Park in Paris in a 23-ft.-diameter parachute made of white canvas with a basket attached (Oct. 22).
•          Charles Blondin (Jean Francois Gravelet)  1859 — 1st person to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope
•       Jesse James 1873 — Committed the world’s first train robbery on July 21. (Adair, Iowa)
•          Herbert Hoover 1874 — 1st US President born west of the Mississippi (West Branch, IA)
•          Annie Moore — 1892 1st immigrant to pass through Ellis Island. She was 15 years old and from County Cork, Ireland
•          Alexander Winton 1903 Set the 1st land speed record in car racing. Set at Daytona Beach, his speed was 68.18 mph.
•          Arthur R. Eldred 1912 — 1st boy to reach the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America program. He was of Oceanside, NY.
•          Dolly, the lamb — 1996 1st cloned mammal.
• And Mary the mother of Jesus was the First to carry the Gospel

2.      A Special First – Virgin to bear the Son of God

a.      Fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14

b.      Many Unusual Births  Isaac – Samson – Samuel – John

c.       Yeshua (Jesus – born to a virgin

1)      Seems Impossible

2)      Bumper Sticker – The Difficult we will do Today; the Impossible will Take a Little Longer

3)      C.S. Lewis has said with penetrating insight, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

3.      God’s perfect timing –Galatians 4:4-6

4.      Imagine the surprise and confusion of Mary as the angel appeared to her with striking news – Luke 1:26-38

I.          God Makes the Ordinary – Extraordinary

A.     Common Names

1.      Many boys named Joseph

2.      Many girls named Miriam (Mary)

a.       Relates to the sister of Moshe (Moses)

b.      Some families had an Elder Mary and a Younger Mary

B.     Common Status

1.      Joseph was a Builder (had he been a rabbi???)

2.      Mary was to be a homemaker

3.      Both were Torah Observant Psalm 119:1-3

C.     Common Process of Marriage

1.      I read that Marriage Contracts were often made up on Wednesday

2.      And that the marriage would take place by the end of the year in which the Ketubah had been signed

3.      The wedding in Cana (John 2.1) occurred on the “third day” – custom because on the third day of creation God said, “It is good” twice – the only day with a double blessing

II.       God Makes the Impossible – Possible

“If God is going to do something wonderful, he starts with a problem;

If God is going to do something spectacular, he starts with impossibility!”

A.     Things of God Go Beyond Explanation

Back in 1961, Redbook Magazine hired a top pollster to survey a cross section of students from seminaries across the nation. Questions ranged from their attitude toward Scripture, to whether or not they believed in life after death. Of those seminary students who were surveyed, 56 percent rejected the idea of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

1.      “Greeks study to understand; Hebrews study to revere.”

2.      WE want to understand and explain

3.      Sometimes we want to explain AWAY the things of God

•          10 plagues were natural coincidences
•          Red Sea – actually Reed Sea – was not all that deep and a wind separated the waters for the Hebrews at just the right time – miracle that Egyptians died in ankle deep water
•          From NEMJ a few years ago: David killed Goliath because the giant had a rare growth disorder that causes tumors to grow in the endocrine glands which help regulate the body’s growth and functions; a cyst on the giant’s forehead may have made him vulnerable to David’s slingshot; such a cyst would be a softer spot and allow the rock to enter the brain of Goliath, killing him instantly