"Together Matters!" Part 2

SERMON NOTES:  

TOGETHER?
Ephesians 2 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

TOGETHER Matters…

• Because BELONGING matters!   God is at war with aloneness!

• Because God knows we each need a lot of HELP living the meaningful life Christ intends!·      

Four Movements of the Meaningful Life
UP         OUT      TOGETHER         AGAINST

As we experience TOGETHER we get help:

·       Connecting with God and living in “union” with Him,

·       Receiving the love, healing and wholeness our hearts need and Jesus gives,

·       Interpreting life’s circumstances and decisions in a Jesus-saturated way,

·       Maturing in our actual living of the meaningful life,

Colossians 3 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:
Monday – John 15:1-12

Tuesday – Ephesians 4:11-17

Wednesday – Colossians 3:12-17

Thursday –  Philippians 3:1-21

Friday – Romans 12:9-21

Saturday – Psalm 27

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"Together Matters!"

SERMON NOTES:  

What is TOGETHER?

Ephesians 2 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  

Why does TOGETHER Matter?

              Because BELONGING matters! ……… to God and to us.

1 Peter 2 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession
(a people belonging to God) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Exodus 19 then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ 
Isaiah 43 “the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”
1 Corinthians 6 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;20 you were bought at a price. 

Who do I believe I belong to?

Who (or what) do I act like I belong to?

When we trust and believe we belong to God then we belong TOGETHER with one another!

We are not alone anymore!

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?
What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 
How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”
Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.
Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – Ephesians 2:19-22

Tuesday – Ephesians 4:1-7

Wednesday – Exodus 19:1-11

Thursday –  1 Corinthians 6:17-20

Friday – Isaiah 43:1-7

Saturday – Psalm 1

Got questions? Continue the discussion. Follow the link @ https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"Why Share?" Part 3

SERMON NOTES:  

Why Share?     ______________.

How Share?     ______________.

Next question …… What?        

John 4 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”……
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”  26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Notice:

·       Jesus knows she needs what she doesn’t know she needs even though she knows life without it.

·       Jesus makes himself radically available to a nobody.  He notices her!

·       Jesus is not put off by her protective layers but gently reveals the fruitlessness of her other attempts at “finding life.”

·       Jesus uncovers her heart until she sees Him and the life he offers.

What is His good news?

2 Corinthians 6 17  If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.

Matthew 1128 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – John 6:32-51

Tuesday – John 7:37-44

Wednesday – John 8:31-36

Thursday –  John 10:7-18

Friday – John 11:17-27

Saturday – Psalm 23

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"Why Share?" Part 2

SERMON NOTES:  

Why Share?     Answer: _________!

Next question …… How?

Without a practical “How?” to act on our “Why?” loses passion and dies!

John 1 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 

How do we help people encounter Jesus?       

We can invite them to Alpha!

Why Alpha?

Pray      -     (21 days of prayer at 11:02)

Invite    -

Bring     -

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – John 1:29-42

Tuesday – John 1:43-51

Wednesday – John 4:4-42

Thursday –  John 4:43-54

Friday – John 5:1-15

Saturday – John 8:1-11

Got questions? Continue the discussion. Follow the link @ https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"Why Share?" Part 1

SERMON NOTES:  

Why “Why?” is the best first question when it comes to sharing the good news of Jesus!

 Luke 15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

What is Jesus saying about the “Why?” in His heart …… and therefore in His church’s heart?

How does it feel watching Jesus have a “disproportionate” passion for reaching those unconnected from Him and His church?

Luke 5 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Take a close look at the of the friends?   What is their “Why?”

How is my “Why?”                            

When my “Why?” gets action it grows when it doesn’t it dies!

                            So what can I do?

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – Luke 5:17-26

Tuesday – Luke 15:1-10

Wednesday – Luke 18:15-27

Thursday –  Luke 19:1-10

Friday – Luke 5:27-32

Saturday – Psalm 62

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"CONTRAST - LIVING SET APART!" Part 7 - "RAISE YOUR GAZE!"

SERMON NOTES:  

Israel’s old history calls us today to lives of renewed faith-full-ness to Jesus, to lives of refreshing contrast.  It is a set apart life!    

2 Kings 615 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha….
20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

 Living a Contrast life with Jesus means we get to “Raise Our Gaze”!

We get to look at all of life through God’s-at-Work lenses.   

As we Raise Our Gaze:

·       we receive peace from God as we trust Him.  He has a lot of resources available to Him.

·       we don’t have to answer the call of fear, doubt, anxiety and the need to control.

·       the question, “Oh no, what shall we do?” is replaced with the prayer, “Open my eyes Lord,  I want to see Your MORE…”

·       we get to act differently – living in contrast with normal.  We get to act like God is real!

·       we get to receive God’s overwhelming grace and share it!

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – 2 Kings 6:8-17

Tuesday – 2 Kings 6:18-23

Wednesday – Ephesians 3:14-21

Thursday –  1 John 4:1-6

Friday – John 14:25-27, 16:32-33

Saturday – Psalm 66

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"CONTRAST - LIVING SET APART!" Part 6 - "DON'T MISS THE SURPRISES!"

SERMON NOTES:  

Israel’s old history calls us today to lives of renewed faith-full-ness to Jesus, to lives of refreshing contrast.  It is a set apart life!    

Elisha and Namaan

2 Kings 5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”… … …
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy……
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

God often works through Surprising Grace Gifts which can be received but are easily missed!

God’s Surprising Grace Gifts are received by faith;

-          which surrenders in humility and

-          trusts with obedience!

GSGG’s are missed when control, fear, anxiety and anger lead us to “take matters into our own hands!”

Who received GSGG’s and who missed them?      There is the contrast!

How can I shape my life to be a good “receiver” of God’s Surprising Grace Gifts?

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?
What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 
How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:

Monday – 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tuesday – 2 Kings 5:15-27

Wednesday – Philippians 4:4-9

Thursday –  Matthew 11:25-30

Friday – Luke 8:40-56

Saturday – Psalm 98

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7

"CONTRAST - LIVING SET APART!" Part 5 - "BURN THE PLOW, EAT THE COW AND LET'S GO!"

SERMON NOTES:  

Israel’s old history calls us today to lives of renewed faith-full-ness to Jesus, to lives of refreshing contrast.  It is a set apart life!    

Elijah and Elisha

1 Kings 19 19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

The calling of Elisha reveals a consistent reality of the contrast life of following Jesus:

“Embracing” God’s future means “letting go” of my past!

               I get to leave what is to receive was is to come!

               Holding on to today and yesterday prevents me from taking hold of tomorrow!

God is all about setting us free from our past so He can give us His future – that is the contrast life! 

The Jesus Difference

Philippians 3:7-14 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

An unexpected gift!

2 Kings 2:1-18 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

When you go with God…… go big!

Study Guide

Solitude, Scripture & Prayer 

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone.  Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God

The readings this week:
Monday – 1 Kings 19:19-21

Tuesday – Philippians 3:1-11

Wednesday – Philippians 3:12-14

Thursday –  Matthew 4:18-22

Friday – 2 Kings 2:1-18

Saturday – Psalm 51

Got questions?  Continue the discussion.  Follow the link @  https://goo.gl/Jd93J7