PATIENCE Week 1: Sermon Prep Guide

Read Romans 8:18-25

Re-read verse 23: what might the “first fruits of the Spirit” be?

Note: verse 25 includes the word “hypomone” for how we wait for that which we hope for. Hypomone is defined as: “patient, enduring, sustaining, perseverance, and steadfast”

What do we learn about the New Testament’s value for patience through this passage?

Read Romans 13:11-14 and Matthew 24:36-44.

What does patience look like in these passages? What should we be doing as we patiently wait for the realization of our Hope?

This coming Sunday’s service will be more liturgical than is normal for North Harbor. It will include a call-and-response reading [this includes a “Celebrant” (leader) reading passages that the “People” all respond to together]. This reading in particular is designed to prepare our hearts for Advent through confessing our sins and both looking and asking eagerly for Christ to enter.

READ this call-and-response (pasted below).

Flesh out some of the words we’ll speak collectively with your own more personal details – what specific things do you need to confess? Where do you long to see more of Jesus?  

How do the verses you read before speak into or support the words we’ll say together through this reading?  

Call-and-Response Reading: OPENING OURSELVES TO ADVENT

Celebrant:

The Lamb of God comes with pardon, giving hope to all creation. In hope and confidence, then, as Your children, God, we arrive at Advent season to wait with honest longings in our hearts. It is with true hope that we pray:

God of all creation, we wait for the fullness of You, for the intimacy of You. Forgive us, God, for the times we have lived against You, for acting or not acting, in ignorance, and spoiling the abundance You give.

People:

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, pervading all creation, to balance all things with strength and gentleness, come now and teach us the way to salvation. Come, Lord Jesus.

Celebrant:

God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. Forgive us for missing You everywhere, for not setting aside time to rest in You, for treating Your name like any other.

People:

O Adonai, ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared as an eternal flame to Moses and gave him the law on Sinai, extend Your hand to us. Come, Lord Jesus.

Celebrant:

God, we are at one another’s throats. If we can divide, we will, time and again. Forgive our part in injustice. Who are we to judge who is in the right? What’s good and bad? Who are we to judge sin and righteousness? Who are we to place ourselves in Your seat of judgment? Forgive us for rejecting Your prophets and messengers of peace, forgive us for not seeing that Your way is for us, for fighting against ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and against You and Your creation. 

People:

O Root of Jesse, sprouting as a sign for one and all, Your presence humbles the rulers of earth, everyone will honor You. Bring us to You. Come soon Lord Jesus.

O Key of David and scepter of the House of Israel, You open what no person can close. You close what no man can open. You have become the gateway, calling through our abandoned souls. Come and lead us through You, Jesus. 

Celebrant:

God, there are days we survive only by diving deep inside ourselves. We wince at Your glory and survive by our vices. Forgive us for worshipping passing pleasures. For lying, wasting, using and wanting more and more.

People:

O Radiant Dawn of the East, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Give light to those who sit in darkness, bring life to those who have found comfort in the shadow of death. Come, Lord Jesus.

Celebrant:

God, we are bound to make mistakes, but thankfully because of Your grace we not bound to our mistakes forever. We agree we need You to liberate us time and time again. For all the times we’ve missed You being in front of us or behind us, forgive us.

People:

O King of the Gentiles, the One in whom we desire, the cornerstone that brings all together, come and deliver us, the ones whom you formed from dust and breath.

O Immanuel, our sovereign mediator, heart of Your people, savior of all, come and save us, O Lord our God. Come, Lord Jesus.

Time of Reflection.

Celebrant:

Graceful God, ever faithful to Your promises, the earth actively hopes to know Your presence here, now, and always. Bless our minds to recognize You. Bless our hearts to accept You. Bless our arms to receive You. 

People:

Amen.

PEACE Week 3 Sermon Prep

Before you begin, consider one thing you have gratitude for right now. Treasure it: Spend at least 15 seconds meditating on this one thing.

READ: 1 Timothy 2:1-6a

What strikes you? What challenges you? What encourages you?

What does this passage show you about God’s desires for you? Your family? Your group? Your community? Your enemies?

How might God be speaking to you through this passage into your present moment?

Note that “peaceful” and “quiet” [your translation may vary] are listed together, but separate. We often can associate these two words as synonyms. What does their distinction and the rest of the content of this passage teach you about what peace means? 

Who do you find it hard to pray for right now? What would it look like to offer petitions [requests], prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for and on behalf of even that/those person/people? How might this work to bring about peace? 

READ: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

What strikes you? What challenges you? What encourages you?

What does this passage show you about God’s desires for you? Your family? Your group? Your community? Your enemies?

How might God be speaking to you through this passage into your present moment?

Re-READ verse 4. Fill in the blank: “The LORD our God, the LORD is ______.”

What does this statement mean?

In a divided and fractured society, filled with divided and fractured families, filled with divided and fractured people, what does it mean for us to have a LORD who is ONE? What might His ONE-ness mean for our hopes for peace, or what our hopes for peace could/should look like?

Re-Read verse 5. How does His ONE-ness make possible the healing of our own fractured hearts, souls, and strength?

What would it do to you home if you obeyed this command and wrote the words of this command down on the “doorpost of your house and on your gates”? What would it do to your family? What would it do to your neighborhood? 

Peace Week 2 Sermon Prep

Before you settle into study, try to write out how you define PEACE.

READ Leviticus 3:6-8, and verse 11

1. Why is this Peace Offering Happening?
2. What is this Peace Offering accomplishing?  
3. Is a negative thing being removed?  Is a positive thing being restored? Both?

READ Romans 4:24- 5:2.

Can  you confidently proclaim for their own lives what Paul says in these verses?

1. If so, why do you feel as confident as Paul?  
2. If not, what is it that prevents you from confidently declaring that you have peace with God?

Re-READ Romans 5:1-2

1. Does Jesus remove anything negative between our relationship with God?  If so, what?
2. Does Jesus add anything positive between our relationship with God?  If so, what?

Revisit Galatians 5:22-23

The Fruit of the Spirit is an outpouring in your life and relationships when the Spirit of God is at work within you. The above passage speak good truths on the peace Jesus makes possible between us and God. What does it look like for this peace to overflow from your life? Where do you see this fruit in others in your community? What is it like to benefit from this fruit? 

Peace: Week 1. Sermon Prep Mark 4:35-41

He is our PEACE

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. ~Galatians 5:22-23

READ Mark 4:35-41

What sent the disciples into the storm that scared them?

In what were the disciples putting their trust? 

What made them secure? At what point in the story did that security begin? 

What do these verses teach you about what peace is and what it looks like? 

In what do you put your trust?

READ Ephesians 2:12-14

What does peace look like in these verses? 

In these verses, what provides security? How does this source provide security?

Consider a person or people group that you identify LEAST with. What wall stands between "us" and them? What would it look like for Christ to break down that dividing wall? 

--

Is these presence of God ever apparent to you? What is that experience like? Does it bring you peace?

Brother Lawrence is famous for "Practicing the Presence of God." How would your daily life look different if you were seeking out and attending to God's presence in and around you?  

How do these passages inform you understanding of the fruit of the spirit? Do you feel like your life if bearing the fruit of peace [this is not an invitation to be critical, but to be attentive - to see the life of Christ growing in and through you]? 

Joy: Week 5 Sermon Prep Zephaniah 3:14-17

This week, Dan intends to take a more devotional approach to the passage on Joy. To prepare for hearing this sermon, perhaps we should do the same.

Take time to read the passage each day. Journal about what sticks out to you. What troubles you? What encourages you? Do you see elements of these words coming alive in your own life or hopes? Note the mutual joy: instructed for the hearers and also promised from God. What does that say to you about Joy, God, and the nature of our relationship with Him? 

Zephaniah 3:14-17 (NASB)

Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!
            Shout in triumph, O Israel!
            Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
            O daughter of Jerusalem!

      15The LORD has taken away His judgments against you,
            He has cleared away your enemies.
            The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
            You will fear disaster no more.

      16In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
            “Do not be afraid, O Zion;
            Do not let your hands fall limp.

      17“The LORD your God is in your midst,
            A victorious warrior.
            He will exult over you with joy,
            He will be quiet in His love,
            He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

Joy: Week 4. Sermon Prep for October 23, 2016

Have you ever felt a surge of joy bubbling up inside you and then you catch it in your throat to keep from exploding with a shout or a song or exclamation? Maybe you tame it down to a slight smile. When it comes to Rejoicing in God, our passage this week says to let it all hang out!  

READ Philippians 4:4-9

What strikes you in these verses? What challenges you? What raises questions? What offers encouragement?

ReRead Verse 4:

Because at North Harbor, we’re about practicing elements of our spiritual life so that we can really see life transformation, try practicing what verse 4 talks about as many times as you can manage [shoot for at least 3 this week]: Rejoice in the Lord! When you get together with your group, share when and where and how you rejoiced. Say it outloud, sing it, write it down, do something to remove whatever inhibitions might typically hold you back, and when you feel love for God, joy in Him, let it out!

Note: this verse says “Rejoice in the Lord always.” What does this command say about God’s expectations around joy and how much He expects it to be dependent on our circumstances? Have you ever had joy in the Lord in an unlikely time?

ReRead Verses 6-7

I love how this verse is essentially acknowledging that things come up for us all the time that cause us concern AND it offers us something to do with this daily reality: talk to God about these things.

            Traditionally, Christians conclude prayers by saying, “Amen.”  This comes from the Hebrew word “aman” (ah-MAHN) and shows up in the bible for the first time in Genesis 15:6, where it is translated as “believed.” Feel free to check out the context and story around the word there to see if it offers additional insight on these Philippians passages. But the point is, as Peter Enns puts it, “Amen” isn’t just how we signal that prayers are concluded, it is a declaration of trust. We’re telling the Lord, “We’ve said our peace, gotten this stuff off our chests, and now we release this matter into your hands. Now we TRUST you with it.”  (See Peter Enns book: The Sin of Certainty, page 95)

What does it mean to you for the peace of God to be able to surpass every thought? Have you known that protection? What was or what would that be like?

ReRead Verses 8-9

These verses hit home with strong conviction for me right now. I’ve been having trouble pulling myself away from the news lately, and that lack of self-control works directly against the intent of these verses, and I am fully aware of the negative consequences. Many thoughts pass through our minds throughout the day (and night?), but what does your mind tend to dwell on? What is one thing that fits this prescription that your mind would delight to dwell on for the coming week?

Peace comes up a second time in this short passage here. What do you learn about who God is, and how His peace is related to our joy in these verses?

Read Psalm 23

If you hadn’t found something lovely for your mind to dwell on, this passage is never a bad idea! Do you see any connections between this chapter and the verses in Philippians? What do you come to know about God looking at them together? What are God’s desires for you as far as where and how you dwell? Where do you see joy in Psalm 23? 

Joy: Week 3. Sermon Prep for Oct. 16

READ Matthew 13:44-46

Note: translations vary, but in some, verse 44 says “in his joy, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.”

What strikes you about this passage? What questions does it raise for you? Does anything resonate with you personally? Does anything make you uncomfortable or confused?

Consider the relationship between desire and delight. How does the Kingdom of God provide satisfaction of desire in this parable?

REVIEW Galatians 5:22-25 [the sermon theme for this year]

READ all of Matthew 13.

Note that in multiple illustrations to explain the Kingdom of God, this chapter uses imagery of good fruit. What does that ad to your understanding of the Kingdom of God, the Fruit of the Spirit, and in particular, what JOY has to do with these things?

There is a challenging complexity to the ownership involved in the work that brings about the Fruit of the Spirit. As much as might consider ourselves to have a responsibility to garden in such a way as to bring about fruit, passages like Dan has been preaching on [John 15] indicate God as the gardener doing the pruning. Joy too, is such an emotional thing, that it is hard to forcibly manufacture. Has true spiritual joy ever sprung up in your life? What do you think did contribute to that experience? Between your experiences and these passages, what does it look like to participate in God’s purposes and see fruit born in your own life?

READ Philippians 3:7-11

Describe how you see joy being illustrated in these verses. How do these verses illuminate a qualitative difference between that which holds joy and that, which does not?

For more study into this passage and theme, check out John Piper’s series: “Jesus and the Journey to Joy” [part 4 touches on these particular verses]

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/do-we-have-to-enjoy-god-to-believe

Apply Yourself to This Message:

Where have you discovered the Kingdom of God? How have you sacrificed to take hold of that treasure? How might you make this discovery or sacrifice?

How deep are your desires? For what do you settle that God wants to more deeply satisfy in another way? 

Missional Opportunity

Our North Harbor Partner, Jenn Hallowell is an outpatient therapist at Gardiner Regional Middle School. With only $300 each year to spend on supplies, she uses her personal funds to make available things like markers, glitter, candy, art supplies, batteries for the air hockey table, games, materials to make therapeutic tools, etc. 

We can help her out in her Kingdom Work of bringing healing to these youth by providing donations of: glitter, glue, glitter glue, washi tape, old magazines for collages [even partially used is welcome!], metal or wooden brain teasers, thinking putty, snacks [or funds for purchasing snacks - as many of her clients have no other access to food throughout the day]. 

You can bring your donations in on Sunday mornings, label it for "Missionary Jenn," and personally deliver to Jenn - ask her about her work while you're at it - it's challenges and joys and where she sees God showing up in her labor!  Or deliver to Zoe Reyes. [you can contact me: zoefaithreyes@gmail.com with any questions]

JOY week 1

Sermon Prep for October 2, 2016. Week 1 of Joy [Fruit of the Spirit]

note: feel free to take just one question grouping over ~5 days, one/day to allow yourself to be steeped in the scripture over a longer period of time, allowing it to sink deeply into your heart

READ John 15: Jesus as the True Vine

What strikes you? What encourages you? What challenges you? What questions does this passage raise for you?

Continuing in our series on the Fruit of the Spirit, this passage launches us into the topic of Joy. This may be somewhat surprising as the chapter begins with the challenging topic of pruning. What do you learn about Joy in this chapter? What does that teach you about pruning?

REVIEW Galatians 5:22-25

What do you learn by holding these two passages together?

Apply yourself to this message:

What would it look like for your joy to overflow?

Apply your group to this message:

Think back to last month’s topic: Love, which is so bound up in these verses with joy. What would your group look like if you followed Christ [were discipled!] in the way He calls you to in these verses? What would it look like for joy to overflow in your group context?

Love Week 4, PS: Feed my sheep

Slight change of plans, folks. Dan ended up preaching on John 21 this morning. So in addition to spending some time in 1 Corinthians 13, you can check out this story about Jesus and Peter.

Give it a read and contemplate this question that Jesus is asking Peter, and also you:

"Do you love me more than ____? If you do, feed my sheep!"

How do you fill in this blank, and how do you answer this question?

Community groups starting back up!

The mission of North Harbor’s Community Development Ministries is to provide opportunities for people to grow in relationship with the people of Jesus’ Body, the Church. We hope that through growing in relationship with people of the Church, you might have a stronger sense of belonging to Christ, His Body, and our community in particular. 

We have 3 kinds of groups:

Communities Under Development: Co-ed, 6-15 ppl

>     Learning together to be LIKE Christ

Discipleship Groups: Gender specific, 4 ppl

>     Practicing together being WITH Christ

Commission Teams: Co-ed, size varies

>     Supporting each other in living FOR Christ

SIX Fresh Openings:

· CUD: small co-ed groups using guides to prepare for Sunday’s sermons through quiet time with God and His word.

• • Brunswick on Tuesdays
  • Bath on Thursdays

· Our men's group meets on Wednesday mornings (5am)

· Commission Teams: following God’s leading to love our neighbors

• • Forney’s Care Team [Czech Republic]
  • Local Missions

· Discipleship Groups 

• • Always open to gather new groups
  •  Solitude and Silence group taking new members

Do you see God leading the way in a particular work? Would you like others to partner with you in this work? Contact Zoe to discuss starting a new team!

Check out these cards with my contact info, and also your cheat sheet on the types of groups we offer – for your own reference and in case other folks ask!

LOVE Week 4: C.U.D. Sermon Prep Guide: September 24

Welcome to or Welcome back to Communities Under Development with North Harbor!

Background: The mission of North Harbor’s Community Development Ministries is to provide opportunities for people to grow in relationship with the people of Jesus’ Body, the Church. We hope that through growing in relationship with people of the Church, you might have a stronger sense of belonging to Christ, His Body, and our community in particular. 

Communities Under Development (a.k.a. “CUD,” formerly "small groups") consist of 6-12 women and men that do life together and weekly meet in the MidCoast area for seasons of ~10 weeks at a time. Together they pray and talk, with a focus on sermon content, in order to learn how to be more like Christ (disciples). 

Each week by Tuesday night, I’ll post a Sermon Prep guide to allow you to dig into the Biblical passage that the next Sunday’s sermon will be based in. Our CUD groups discuss the content you explore through these guides and the sermons. Our hope in this approach is to streamline the process of choosing group discussion content, unify your experience of learning to be more like Christ by coordinating group discussions with sermons, and unify our groups’ experiences by having them digging into the same material – thereby enabling more cross group dialogue and affinity.

Our mission at North Harbor is to lead people toward a growing relationship with Jesus. So it is our hope that through the tool of sermon prep, you would be invited into meeting directly with God, with the aid of His word, in order to de-emphasize and aid the preacher’s teaching, empowering your ownership on your spiritual journey, and dignifying the power of your personal time with God to have a significant impact in transforming your life and relationship with Christ.

Sermons at North Harbor this school year are going to work through the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22]. Each month will focus on a different aspect of the Spirit’s fruit, September kicks things off with a focus on LOVE. To catch up on previous sermons visit: http://www.northharbor.org, choose the menu “What to expect” and select “Recent Sermons.” But let’s get into this week’s text!!

STUDY GUIDE:

READ 1 Corinthians 13

[note: this is a familiar passage to many people. To keep yourself from glossing over the richness of this message, try reading it at least once in a translation that’s less familiar to you. Try https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13 to test out some new translations]

What strikes you? How might God need to speak to you with this passage today?

Read verses 4-7. Highlight the descriptions of love that stick out to you. If you highlighted more than one, underline the one that is most curious to you in this moment. Try to think of a story [personal or fictional or whatever] that illustrates love acting this way (the love-describer you were most curious about). How does this story contrast the lack of love described in verses 1-3? What do you learn about love through these contrasts?

Consider a relationship you’ve been in where you experienced love at work. Consider life before this love began. Read verse 12. How does your loving relationship shed light on the infinitude of God’s love? How does the infinitude of God’s love shed light on how you pursue knowing God more fully?

Apply yourself to this message:

As often as 1 Corinthians 13 is read as part of wedding ceremonies, and we may associate it as being a romantic passage of scripture, read in the greater context of the letter, it is a massage about how Christians should live together in community, how we should do Church, or religion. Try not to point fingers at some general group outside yourself, but rather look within and consider how verses 1-3 might have a refining effect on how you approach your own Christian practice. It can be easy in religious settings to strive after great spiritual accomplishments, and it can often feel fruitless, discouraging. If you consider where you’re spending your “spiritual efforts” lately, do they fall into any of the categories discussed in verses 1-3?

Apply your group to this message:

Community groups are just getting restarted, so there’s a decent chance you’re studying this passage with some new folks and figuring out how to form yourself as a group. Groups can have many focuses: speaking truth to one another, seeking knowledge together, gaining understanding of mysteries, having faith to bring about miracles in our lives, giving of ourselves through service or donations. While these can all be very good endeavors, how does this passage guide the focus of how we should do group life together? Don’t just give the obvious one word answer, but try to flesh out what this would really look like for your group in practice. 

Communities Under Development: Sermon Prep

Sermon Prep for September 18, 2016. Week 3 of Love [Fruits of the Spirit]

Welcome to or Welcome back to Communities Under Development with North Harbor!

The mission of North Harbor’s Community Development Ministries is to provide opportunities for people to grow in relationship with the people of Jesus’ Body, the Church. We hope that through growing in relationship with people of the Church, you might have a stronger sense of belonging to Christ, His Body, and our community in particular. 

Communities Under Development (a.k.a. “CUD,” formerly "small groups") consist of 6-12 women and men that do life together and weekly meet in the MidCoast area for seasons of ~10 weeks at a time. Together they pray and talk, with a focus on sermon content, in order to learn how to be more like Christ (disciples). 

Each week by Tuesday night, I’ll post a Sermon Prep guide to allow you to dig into the Biblical passage that the next Sunday’s sermon will be based in. Our CUD groups discuss the content you explore through these guides and the sermons. Our hope in this approach is to streamline the process of choosing group discussion content, unify your experience of learning to be more like Christ by coordinating group discussions with sermons, and unify our groups’ experiences by having them digging into the same material – thereby enabling more cross group dialogue and affinity.

Our mission at North Harbor is to lead people toward a growing relationship with Jesus. So it is our hope that through the tool of sermon prep, you would be invited into meeting directly with God, with the aid of His word, in order to de-emphasize and aid the preacher’s teaching, empowering your ownership on your spiritual journey, and dignifying the power of your personal time with God to have a significant impact in transforming your life and relationship with Christ.

Sermons at North Harbor this school year are going to work through the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22]. Each month will focus on a different aspect of the Spirit’s fruit, September kicks things off with a focus on LOVE.  This coming Sunday [9/18/16] will continue to look at the story of David and Jonathan. To catch up on previous sermons visit: http://www.northharbor.org, choose the menu “What to expect” and select “Recent Sermons.” But let’s get into this week’s text!!

READ: 1 Samuel 20.

What is the covenant made between David and Jonathan? How does this covenant demonstrate love on both their parts?

This last Sunday [9/11], Dan’s key statement was, “Love is rooted in God and not subject to circumstances.” How do you see this being illustrated in this story?

Read Galatians 5:13-26. Does this friendship between David and Jonathan look like men bearing fruit of the flesh or fruit of the spirit? How so (especially consider verse 26)?

Applying myself to this message:

Jonathan and David offer a beautiful example of resisting competition, envy, and the desires of the flesh. What in your heart needs crucifying so that you might move deeper into belonging to Christ?  

Fireside Missionary Chats

The Funderburks are hosting 2 more opportunities to chat with missionaries, hear their stories and learn how we can better support our own missionaries.  

On Friday, August 5th we have a current missionary in Thailand, Amanda Wongnirattisai who has been in Thailand for 10 years now and is married to a local pastor there.  

On Wednesday, August 10th,our very own Logan Perry will share his stories of short term missions that he participated in before he met Ruth.  This is a rain or shine event from7-9PM. 

Both events are hosted at 18 High Street in Brunswick.

Attending these evenings will be a great way to learn more about mission work and explore whether you might want to join our Forney Family Support Commission Team that serves as a home-base and support group to the missionaries our church sponsors. You can contact Kathleen Funderburk at any time if you are interested in joining this important team and aid in their valuable long term work.

Top Ten (Sermon Prep for November 22)

Getting to Know You: What are you top ten favorite ways to relax?

Getting to Know The Bible:

It's easy to confuse familiarity with true knowledge. Everyone has heard of the ten commandments, but do you really know them? Try to write out the ten commandments without cheating by looking them up.

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________
7. ___________________________________
8. ___________________________________
9. ___________________________________
10. ___________________________________

Which commandment do you feel like is the most important? Which feels like the second most important?

Ok, now you can look and see how well you did. Read Exodus 20:1-17. List out the ten commandments:

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________
7. ___________________________________
8. ___________________________________
9. ___________________________________
10. ___________________________________

Who issued the ten commandments? What do you learn about this individual in verses 1-2? What do you learn about who this person is in verses 3-7?

Take a look at the balance of word count as its spread out over the commandments. Which commandment is given the most weight in word use? Does this surprise you? Does this make sense to you? What does this say to you?

Where is grace in all of this?

Applying Myself to this Message:

What are the top ten priorities in your life?

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________
7. ___________________________________
8. ___________________________________
9. ___________________________________
10. ___________________________________

Does the way you live your life mirror the priorities illustrated in the way the ten commandments are written?  What do you need to confess to God? What is one way you can make a change this week to shift your own priorities to honor God more fully?

How does grace empower you to live a life more fully honoring to God?

Read Exodus 20:18-20. How do the Israelites respond to the ten commandments? Through songs we sing at church we often say things like, "Speak to us LORD! Be with us in this place!" Have you ever considered what it was that we were asking for when we sing things like that? Why is the reaction from the Israelites so different? How does their reaction inform how mindful we need to be about what we ask for? How does this impact your own desire?

"Let's Get to Work, Partner!" (Sermon Prep. for November 15)

Getting to Know You: Think of a person you've enjoyed partnering with to do a task [work, personal, community project, whatever kind of task] .  What made that person a good partner? What types of qualities would make you want to avoid partnering with a person?

Getting to Know the Bible [consider taking one day to read and enjoy each passage below]:

Read Matthew 11:28-30

How would you describe God as someone to partner with in doing work?

Describe the kind of trust required to be able to enjoy God's rest.

Read Exodus 5:1-6:12

A yoke was a farming tool used to hitch two animals together to carry a load. It can provide a picture for two beings partnering in a task together. How would you compare Pharaoh's [Exodus 6:6] and God's [Matthew 11:30] "yokes" (how do they compare as partners for doing work)?

Describe Pharaoh's greed with respect to the resource of the Israelite people. How does his greed affect the kind of partner he is to work with?

Read Exodus 16

Often, when a person is overpowered or abused, given the opportunity, they will themselves overpower or abuse someone weaker than themselves. This happens both on individual and historical levels. Consider the greed with which Pharaoh treated the Israelites. Is something of that greed showing up in the Israelites in this passage? How does God use discipline to work healing from the trauma of their slavery?

What does this passage have to do with trust? What does this passage have to do with rest/Sabbath?

Applying Myself to this Message:

What is something you are greedy for that you could instead trust God with? How might you experience God's rest if you chose trust in this area?

How would God describe you as someone to partner with in work? How do you experience God's grace when you consider that as your work partner, God desires to give you rest?

What Sort of Man: Foresaken

Getting to Know You: Have you ever felt ditched, abandoned, or like someone has turn their back on you? Have you turned your back on someone before? What would you be willing to give up to avoid reliving [or living for the first time] that experience?

Getting to Know the Bible:

Read Matthew 27:45-54

1) What strikes you? What challenges you? What encourages you? What questions does the passage raise for you?

2) What do you think it means for a father to abandon his son? What do you think it meant for God to abandon Jesus?

3) What sort of man is this Jesus portrayed in this passage? Who do people say that He is after this experience? [see vs. 54]

4) What do you make of verses 51-53? What do you think those incidents have to do with God the Father abandoning Jesus? What do they say to you about the new world we live in after Jesus conquered death and rose again?

Applying Yourself to this Message:

5) How does verse 46 make you feel about God the Father?

6) Have you ever turned your back on Jesus in anyway? How does this story speak to you about your behavior and God's response to it?

What Sort of Man: Connected

Getting to Know You:

Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Turn off music and other noise around you. Set a timer for 5 minutes and sit in solitude and silence until the timer goes off. Write some bullet points or notes about what this silence was like for you. How did it feel? How did you body react? What did you think about?

Getting to Know the Bible:

Read Luke 6:12-13. What strikes you? What encourages you? What questions does it raise?

Read Mark 1:35-39. What strikes you? What encourages you? What questions does it raise?

Read Matthew 14:13-14, 22-24. What strikes you? What encourages you? What questions does it raise?

What do you observe about Jesus' pattern of behavior?

What follows Jesus' time of solitude in each episode? What does this teach you about solitude and silence?

What sort of man is this Jesus?

Applying yourself to this message:

Set a timer for 5 minutes again. Use this time to pray and meditate on Jesus. Who is He? How does who He is bless your life? How might your own solitude be a potential gift to Him?

What Sort of Man: Single-Minded

Getting to know you: 
What's the craziest accident you've ever gotten in (car or otherwise)? 

Getting to know the bible:
1) Read Luke 9:46-62. What strikes you? What challenges you? What encourages you? What questions does it raise for you?

2) Based on reading this passage, what sort of man is this Jesus? 

3) Pick one of the many examples in this passage where Jesus behaves differently than the people in the story expected him too. What does his surprising behavior teach you about what He values? 

Applying myself to this message:
1) Towards what are some of this story's characters "faces set?" Toward what is Jesus' face set (literally and figuratively)? Toward what is your face set? 

2) What is one change you could make in your life to make yourself better fit for the kingdom of God? (See verse 62) imagine yourself putting that into practice before next Sunday rolls around. What does that scene look like? 

What Sort of Man: Feeding of the 5000

Use as much of this guide as is helpful for you in engaging with the passage that will be preached on this next Sunday. Join our Community Under Development to discuss these guides with others. The group is in its 2nd week right now - meeting Wednesdays, 7pm, at the Church office with the one and only John Schanck!

Getting to know you:
Recall a time when you were depleted in some way (sick, exhausted, worn out, sad, etc) and THEN someone stepped in and asked something of you. Share: how did that feel? What kind of mood did that put you in? 

Getting to know the Bible:
1) Read Matthew 14: 13-21
What strikes you? What challenges you? What encourages you? What questions does it raise?

2) Pull back. Read Matthew 14:1-21. 
What state do you think Jesus was in at verse 13? As he withdraws, the crowd follows Him. With what emotion does He respond to them? (Vs 14). What sort of man is this Jesus?

3) What is the disciples' plan for the evening? Who does Jesus say should take care of the problem at hand? How is the problem solved? (Esp consider vs. 18) what do you learn about how Jesus takes care of problems that concern Him? What sort of man is this Jesus?  
 

Applying yourself to this message: 
Do you have observations/concerns for this world and/or the people in it? How/where do you think your concerns align with the heart of God? What do you learn from this story about how your concern might be addressed to Jesus' liking? 

What does Jesus' display of compassion in this story mean to you personally? How do you experience and know His compassion for YOU?