Grow: Mentor & Discipleship (Week 3)
Speaker: Dan Buschow
#RIPPLESTARTER
II Timothy 2:2 These thing you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who are qualified to teach others.
I Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
We must be willing to fight for each generation!
Are You Ready?
Growth and Discipleship
- Being Christ-Centered – Christ is in the middle of everything in your life – Spiritual Discipline
- Being Christ-like – Having and Displaying to your qualities of Christ – Kindness – Forgiveness – Sincerity – Caring – Accepting
Great Commandments
- Mark 12:30 –Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Are You?
- Mark 12:31 – The second and greatest is this, Love your neighbor as yourself. Do You?
Great Commission
- Mark 16:15 (TLB) Go into all the world and preach the good news to everyone, everywhere.
- 28:18-20 – Go and make disciples of every nation.
21 Day Challenge
- Learn to have a daily quality quiet time.
- Learn to share your story in world.
- Learn to live a life of joy.
- Learn to be accountable to someone so you can be accountable for some one.
Ignite Passion, Purpose, and Faith in someone in their world!
Heb. 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Four PRACTICAL WAYS TO BE A #RIPPLESTARTER
1. Desire to make a Connection
- Look Up
- Look Around
- Use Your Sling Shot
2. Discipline to have a Conversation
- Make the phone call, Send a text/private message, Email
- Set a time and place
3. Delight when you find Common Ground
- Ask questions
- Look for where you are connecting
REMEMBER – #Ripplestarters ignite passion, purpose, and faith!
4. Determination to be Consistent
- Cup of Coffee
- Season of Life
- Life-long Relationships
Think About This…
You cannot have a life-long relationship until you have a cup of coffee!
Let’s Start some RiPPLES
Wake Up
Stand Up
Speak Up
Rise Up
Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Listen to Dan’s Message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Mentor & Discipleship (Week 2)
Ephesians 5:1-2; I John 3: 23-24; 1 Peter 3:8
INTRODUCTION:
English cleric Charles Caleb Colton said: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. And behavioral science has proven that children learn through imitation. This is normally a song played on Father’s Day, but this should be one to serve as a reminder for all of us.
VIDEO CLIP: Phillips Craig & Dean – I Want To Be Just Like You
The word ‘imitate’ according to dictionary.com is a verb meaning:
“to follow or endeavor to follow as a model or example; to make a copy of; reproduce closely; to have or assume the appearance of; simulate; resemble.”
God does not want flattery from us. Rather, He wants us to truly be one of His children, reflecting all of His character, especially His love. It is important to realize that this is not just Paul’s message, but a cascading message from all the writers of the New Testament…from the disciples and their first-hand experiences with Jesus to James, the little brother of Jesus. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word as we hear from three of them:
The Apostle Paul: Ephesians 5:1-2
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God..”
John, the beloved: 1 John 3:23-24
“And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.”
Simon Peter: 1 Peter 3:8
“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude.”
Let’s break down what each of these writers were saying and look at the common theme.
I. Ephesians 5:1-2: Be Imitators of God
ILLUSTRATION: Blind Auditions on “The Voice” (Darius Rucker cover)
- Talk the Talk
- Walk the Walk
Acts 19:13-16:
“ A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.”
- No longer living a life filled with fear
-
- No more “What if….”
-
- The world calls it finding your center
-
- (Actually putting God on the throne of your heart!)
-
- Profound sense of connection
- Willing to make yourself available
- Willing to allow yourself to be transparent/vulnerable
II. 1 John 3:23-24: Prove that you know Him
- More than a head knowledge
- believing that His name contains power
- demonstrates trust in the One by which we are saved
- more than a moral or spiritual guide, but God’s Son
- A heart knowledge of relationship
- God delights to hear and answer His children’s requests
- The more we are in relationship w/ Him, our wants & desires align w/His desire for the very best for us.
Psalms 37:3-5
“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”
- The person who is obedient lives in God, and God in him.
- This is the expression of our spiritual life.
- The Spirit of God lives in us, helping us, guiding us
- Will we mess us? YES, but the Spirit is there to adjust or straighten us up.
- This is a conscious and spiritual decision
- Daily we decide if we will follow the flesh or the Spirit
- As you spend more time, you become more like Him
III. 1 Peter 3:8: Be of One Mind (Unity)
The word “finally” does not mean the last thing that you do. Rather it was his “in conclusion” statement, summarizing all that he had been telling them to do as a true follower of Christ.
Barclay Study Bible:
“The New Testament never treats this agreeing in Christ as an unnecessary though highly desirable spiritual luxury, but something essential to the true being of the Church…Such unity will only come when Christian are humble and bold enough to lay hold on the unity already given in Christ and to take it more seriously than their own self-importance and sin,… to make it an incentive for a more earnest seeking in fellowship together to hear and obey the voice of Christ.”
This Unity/Harmony can only be accomplished by these things:
- Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep
- Roman 12:15
- Not feel sorry for, but putting ourselves in their place
- 1 Corinthians 12:26 (one hurts/all hurt)
- It is only when we die to self that we can live to others.
- Having the empathy of God, knowing that God knows how they feel, even if we have never experienced what they are going through.
- Begins in the church and extends out to the world.
- Even family can be mean and hurt us, but we are to love them as God first loved us.
- But reflect on how many times we have hurt the heart of our Father in heaven, yet He still loves us.
- ’eusplagchnos’ (pronounced: use plock nos) gut feeling
- It is the kind of emotion that is from the very depths of our being.
- Cannot be cold, calloused or cynical
- ties into sympathy and compassion
- Humility is arguably the most essential, all-encompassing virtue of the Christian life
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”
Conclusion:
As we share our lives in discipleship, the invitation should be this: Follow me as I follow Christ and He will be the one that will transform us into His image. Living life together is what helps us see the reality of God’s love. Yes, it can be messy. Yes, sometimes we may get hurt or fall down. But when we are walking together, we know there is someone there to help pick us up. And Jesus is not asking us to do anything that He was not willing to do for us.
1 John 3:16:
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
He left heaven, to come to earth for us, humbling Himself in every way, even putting His own will aside. He spent three years, investing in those disciples. He mentored and trained them in the ways of God’s love, teaching them to look past what the world sees, and see them with the eyes of God.
He called them out, lovingly rebuking them to focus their attention to where their hearts were. He demonstrated His love when He washed their feet. He took on the sins of the world and paid a debt that was not His. He could have said, “Father, I just can’t do this!” But His love for us is what drove Him and held Him on the cross for you and me!
And when He rose again, He spent 40 days with His followers reminding them of all He had taught and urging them to take the gospel message into all the world so that they might experience God’s love, making sure to disciple them so they could carry the message on for generations to come.
And it doesn’t stop there. We are given the task to carry on with this process. We have a message of love, grace and hope that we are to share, no matter how old we are! I wish that the more mature Christians had the same zeal and excitement that many young Christians have. There is a fire in their hearts that is consuming them. But all to often, we let that fire burn down to where it is just keeping us warm and secure and not burning bright to draw others in. It’s time to stoke the fire, fan the flame and ask God to revive and use us for His glory.
Listen to Pastor Ken’s message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Mentor & Discipleship (Week 1)
Introduction:
‘Mentor’ is defined as: “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” It is a word that is become more and more prevalent in our society. Even what used to be called Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Henry County is now called “Believe and Achieve Mentoring”, encouraging adults in our community to invest in the lives of young people who need positive role models.
Businesses and churches are bringing in interns to help train or mentor them and let them see if this is the job or ministry they want to go into as a career.
The word ‘disciple’ when defined as a noun is: “any follower of Christ; a person who is a pupil or adherent of the doctrines of another; a follower.” And as a verb is: “to teach; train”.
The relationship between Paul and Titus is a great example of what it means to disciple someone. Much like Timothy, Paul called Titus “my true son in our common faith.” (Titus 1:4). He was a Gentile, saved under the ministry of Paul with the Gospel message of salvation by grace through faith alone. He traveled with Paul and was trained, mentored, discipled by him. Paul was investing in his life, so that he would be able to go and do the same thing with others.
In fact, in the scriptures we are reading today, we find Titus on special assignment to the churches in Crete. Some commentators refer to him as Paul’s secretary of state, being able to go in and carry Paul’s message of order and direction. And in chapter two, Paul is very specific to everyone about what they ALL are to do in order to make sure the Gospel message and the Word of God is not defiled. So let’s stand for the reading of God’s Word as we hear what those assignments are for us.
“As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self- control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.
In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.”
Titus 2:1-8
My Barclay’s Study Bible calls this section “The Christian Character”. It describes our Christian moral or ethical qualities that must be taught, because they do not come naturally to us. Let’s look at the area of responsibilities for each group.
I. Titus’s job
“As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.”
Titus 2:1
- He was sent to appoint the church leaders (Titus 1:5-15)
- Given specific instructions on who could and could not be called to serve the church.
“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.”
Titus 2:7-8
Just like Timothy, he was sent to live it out in front of people so that they will follow by his example and not just his words.
II. Older Men
“Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.”
Titus 2:2
- Not just referring to wine/alcohol/strong drink
- Level-headed, processing things from life experiences
- Willing to share past failures and successes
- Self-indulgence in any area costs far more than what they are worth.
- Not because of age, but because of character
- Not because of title, but because of integrity
- Not a gloomy killjoy, but lives life in light of eternity
- No inconsistencies in his life, but the guy you see in church is the guy you see in the community.
- Not claiming to be perfect or have all the answers, but is striving to be like Christ in all areas of his life
- Have sound Faith biblically grounded, consistent walk
- Filled with Love; always to be our first response
- With Patience/Steadfastness/Endurance/Fortitude; understanding that things take time and willing to serve to see it through
III. Older Women
“Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.”
Titus 2:4
Illustration: According to Barclay’s Study Bible, this was the most honored and responsible positions in the church, for they were natural advisors of the young of both sexes. Their years have brought serenity, sympathy and understanding. When we realize we are active in sacred things every moment of our lives, the embitterment, argumentativeness, touchiness, and intolerance will vanish overnight.
- Everything we do, brings glory to You, God!
- Same as older men…self-controlled by Holy Spirit
- A woman of integrity and good reputation
- The hiss of gossip should tell us it comes from the snake and not the Savior
- Human nature would rather repeat gossip than a story giving credit to someone or to God.
- Christian responsibility to use experiences to guide and encourage, not tear down and discourage.
- over-indulgence in any area can cause us to lose focus
- we want the world to see a difference in us.
IV. Younger Women
History behind this from Barclay’s Study Bible:
In the Greek world, the home was the only place for respectable women. No trade or profession was open to her; and if she tried to earn a living, she was driven to prostitution. If the women of the ancient Church had suddenly burst every barrier and limitation which the centuries had imposed upon them, the only result would have been to bring discredit on the church and to cause people to say that Christianity corrupted womanhood…in that sense, this passage is temporary.
BUT there is also a sense in which it is permanent. There is no greater task, responsibility and privilege in this world than to make a home…It has been said that consecration is that which makes drudgery divine; and there is no place where consecration can be more necessarily and beautifully shown that within the four walls of the place we call home.”
The Communicator’s Commentary goes on to say:
“I don’t believe the principles of the importance of being a good wife and mother ever change. BUT, the application, of necessity, must change from time to time and from place to place…Contemporary women are fortunate indeed to have more options than Paul or Titus could have imagined.””
- Self controlled by the Holy Spirit
- by being the hands and feet of Jesus to her family first
- Your reputation precedes you
- Katie made reference to this last week, packing for the trip, having a pen in her purse, etc.
- In word and in deed
- Works both ways.
- This principle must always be viewed in the context of mutual submission to each other, growing out of their mutual submission to Christ that Paul laid:
“And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.”
Ephesians 5:21-21
Why? So that evil could not be spoken about the Word of God.
V. Young Men
“In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely.”
Titus 2:6
You were recognized as a man in this culture when you reach age 30
Question: How many times have you heard that men have a one-track mind? Some might even say this…
Illustration: You had one job!
“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.”
Proverbs 16:32
- Time of youth is a time of DANGER! It tends to be more reckless
- Temptations are stronger, blood runs hotter and passions speak more commandingly
- False confidence from lack of experience
- More energy = more opportunities for going wrong
- Most were not married yet, so no home/family obligations
- While we can’t keep them from making the same mistakes
- we can share and hope they learn from them
Conclusion:
Christianity is always a liberation movement! The Power of Christ broke the power of slavery, the oppression of women, the oppression of people groups (Jews/Gentiles), and now the oppression of a “Me-First” society. We cannot be in unity unless we are putting Christ first in our lives and then putting others ahead of our wants and desires.
We should all know by now that we are commanded to “…go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19). This is a command to every one of us who call Jesus our Lord and Savior. But how can we go out to others when we haven’t finished doing that right here in our own home and church. One group is not more important than the other. They are all to be built up so they can train the next group. And how will they know unless we tell them?
“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26-28
Listen to Ken’s message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Discovering Love (Week 3)
“Our Response to His Rescue: Loving God With All Our Hearts”
2) Young Life [deficit, busiest time of year, emotional stress of caring for so many kids and leaders] = STRESS
Story: Jonah and his retainer!
How does it feel when you do something for someone you love and they overlook it? How does it feel when YOU know what you’ve done, how you’ve taken care of them, and they don’t realize of acknowledge it, or even worse, believe that someone else or they themselves did the thing you actually did?
wants us to love him in return. He wants our full attention, our passion, our appreciation, our deepest love. He wants us to love him with all our hearts, all our minds and all our strength- with everything we have.
does it mean? What does it look like to love God like that, to that extent?
a new place, a land that He promised would become their new home.
God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” The context for the commands he gives is that He is the one who rescued them, gave them the life they’re entering. It is the memory of what God has done for us that motivates us to obey and trust His commands.
[**how would MY life be different? what has God done for ME?]
thinking. I don’t think she had a pushy attitude, I don’t think she was thinking “I’ll show them, I can be here just as much as they can”. No, I don’t think she was considering who else was there at all. I think her sole focus was getting to Jesus. He was the only one she saw.
appearance. When this woman brought in the alabaster jar, and opened it up, the smell would have filled the room, drawing even more attention to what she was doing. Rabbis weren’t even supposed to talk to women in public, and they definitely weren’t supposed to touch a woman, let alone a prostitute. She slips in behind him, on the floor, low as she can get, and starts to pour the perfume out onto his feet. And as she does, she begins to weep.
Listen to Katie’s Message here:
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Grow: Discovering Love (Week 2)
“Growing a Culture of Compassion”
Scott Underwood
- Intro and the muppets
- Elders and trustee make up the officers, whose job it is to lead the church, in conjunction with all the ministry team leaders.
- We meet once a month as officers and then again as elders
- Despite our differences, Chris and I sit together most meetings and have earned a certain reputation.
- Picture of the Muppets
- The specific job of the Elders is lead the church in following Jesus, taking care of the flock and equipping them for acts of service
- We take a couple times of year to share our hearts so you know more about us
- Today we are going to talk about the second half of Ken’s sermon from last week and then share a little bit on where we think the church is today and is going
- The title of today is Discovering Love – Growing a Culture of Compassion
As a starting point, what is going on in the heart of the expert of the law? How does that relate to what sometimes goes on in our heart? How do we test God?
I would say that every time we know we are supposed to do something and we don’t do it, we are testing God. “I know that you have said that I am supposed to forgive this person, but I haven’t, and there don’t seem to be any consequences, so why should I obey?” It sounds a little like Satan in the Garden. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
If we truly believed him, we would obey his commands, not look to test Him.
After Jesus answered him the first time, the expert dove in again, this time to “justify himself.” Now, I thought I knew what the word “justify” meant, but I looked it up in the dictionary to make sure I did. Here’s what I found . . .
- Secular definition – show or prove to be right or reasonable
- Theological definition – declare or make righteous in the sight of God.
Whether Luke meant either of the two definitions, both are convicting. The first one implies an interaction with Jesus where the person administering the test wants to argue with the answer of Jesus. The second one suggests the attempt of the expert to “check the boxes” of his own righteousness, apart from grace of Jesus or the obedience in his heart to Jesus’ teachings.
Before we even get to the story of the Good Samaritan, Luke has taught us lessons about humility and self-justification.
So now Jesus tells the story of the GS. I have to believe when Jesus started into the story instead of giving a simple answer, the expert in the law started to get nervous.
After the sections about the Levite and the priest passing by the injured man, Jesus gets to the section about the Samaritan. I know that Jerry covered this story before he left, but it certainly bears repeating, especially in our current political and economic climate. As you may know, to make the hero of the story a Samaritan was offensive to all of the Jews that were listening. It would be like going to a Trump rally and making a Democrat the hero of the story, or going to a Democratic rally and making President Trump the hero. Not popular, and not a good start for Jesus. The fact that he contrasted the Samaritan against people of their own “parties” was further insult.
But on he went with the story. And as he told the story of the Samaritan’s encounter with the injured man, he said something that I think is the key to the whole story. The second half of verse 33 said, “and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” First, he saw him – really saw him. Not as an impediment to the completion of his daily tasks or an obstacle to be avoided, but saw him in his injured condition. The priest and the Levite saw the injured man too, but never really saw him in his true condition.
And then the Samaritan “took pity on him.” Pity is a weird word in 2019. It often has a negative connotation – “I don’t want your pity” or “Don’t pity me.” Even worse, to be considered “pitiful”.
But pity is simply another word for compassion. And we find Jesus being compassionate on numerous occasions –
- He had compassion on a large crowd and healed their sick (Matthew 14:14)
- He had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him (Matthew 20:34)
- He had compassion on the people at the feeding of the 5,000
- He had compassion on the crowds, because they were harassed and helpless (pitiful), like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36 and Mark 6:34)
As a side note, 2 Corinthians 1:3 praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Jesus is just simply doing the Father’s will by being compassionate.
Many of us are already compassionate, especially to those who close to us or like us. But here’s a harder question – How we doing with those people who not close to us or not like us or maybe even enemies to us? Dems vs Republicans, white vs black, liberals vs conservatives, illegal immigrants, LBGTBQ, pro life vs pro choice, criminals, etc. Do we have compassion on these people, or do our politics or preferences come before the words and deeds of Jesus?
If we get the compassion right, we have a much better chance of getting the love and service right, even if we don’t do it perfectly.
If we get the compassion right, we have a much better chance of getting the love and service right, even if we don’t do it perfectly. If we see thru the eyes of Jesus and our heart is with His heart, we have the Holy Spirit to help us get it right. When we look at this story, the man who was beaten had a variety of needs. Hope, transportation, medical care, food and lodging among others.
As a brief commercial for next week’s Gary Chapman The Five Love Languages workshop, it’s interesting to note that the injured man’s needs loosely line up with the 5 love languages. He needed
- Words of affirmation (hope)
- Physical touch – bandaged his wound, pouring on oil and wine
- Receiving Gifts – paid for the inn and care
- Quality time – he went with the man to the inn and took care of him
- Acts of service – the whole thing
If you know anything about the concept of the love languages, they are based on the idea that you need to understand and care about the other person’s preferred love language and then adjust yourself to meet them where they are. Buying and giving expensive gifts (because it’s easy for you to do) may do nothing to show your significant other love. You have to do what they want and value, even if it costs you everything.
In the story, The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry, we learn about a young couple, who like so many others, are struggling financially. As they have been saving for Christmas presents for each other, they find that they have not been able to scrape together much more than a few cents. They really only have two things of value – the husband’s inherited gold pocket watch and the wife’s beautiful long hair. As the couple struggles to buy each other a treasured present, the husband sells the watch to buy the wife an ornate comb for her beautiful hair, and the wife sells her hair to a wig maker to buy her husband a chain for his treasured pocket watch. Now, whether that was their love language or not, the thought behind giving up what you value to give someone else what they value is clearly evident. It’s about the heart.
But let’s go back to the Good Samaritan – It’s also interesting that the story doesn’t involve our present day go-to maneuver, the “I’ll pray for you and walk away” maneuver. I believe that many times we are put in that situation specifically to meet the presenting need. If we don’t want to help, our prayer then becomes, “God please send someone who isn’t me to help this person.”
A questions for all of us If we are able to meet the need – what or who are we praying for? Someone who has the gift of service or more time or something else?
James 2: 14-17 (NLT) says, 14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
In our emphasis on prayer, I fear that we have erred too far on the “I’ll pray for you” end of the spectrum and missed our opportunities to meet the needs right then and there.
There are many reasons for not meeting the need, but if often comes back to one foundational problem – putting our own needs/wants over the needs of others, and often over the call and example of Jesus. And now we are back to a question that would fit right in with our expert in the law from the Good Samaritan story.
If there are no immediate, visible consequences from our disobedience, why not serve ourselves first?
Well, if you believe Jesus, there are consequences and promises –
Mark 8:35 (NLT) – If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
Mark 10:28-31 (NLT) – 28Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.g”
As elders, we are encouraging us all to live a life that follows Jesus. Notice I didn’t say be a better Baptist or church member or even a Christian. Many people can be a Baptist, Christian or church member without following Jesus on a daily basis. Many can be those things with very few signs of the compassion of Jesus in their lives.
- I do what I want
- I am competitive
Our culture (in the body of Christ) should revolve around the Promises of God.
Listen to the Elders’ message here:
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Grow: Discovering Love (Week 1)
Discovering how Love is our ‘Miracle Grow’
As we delve into these words from Moses, it is vital that we realize he was taking to heart the importance of what he was about to teach them. There is a sense of urgency that can be seen even in the previous chapters. He was speaking to the group that had wandered around in the desert for 40 years, many of whom had never really had encounters with other nations or the enticements that those civilizations would have to tempt them to abandon all they had known and just join in to the culture.
He was telling them that THEY had to set the tone, following after God in all areas of their lives…heart, soul, mind and strength (Might). They had to determine in their hearts Who they would follow and what guidelines would lead their lives. They had to prepare their hearts (the soil) and keep focused (proper feeding of their hearts) in order for God to bless them and help them grow as His children.
The same is true today. We have to be reminded that we must keep God first in all that we do. If we truly love someone, we desire to listen and obey, to cherish and serve and to demonstrate our love in all that we do.
Illustration: Planting a garden.
- Prepare the soil (remove grass, weeds, rocks)
- Plant the seed
- Continue to feed and water (Miracle Grow)
- Continue to remove grass & weeds
- Then you will see the fruit (not overnight)
Just like the garden, we have to prepare our hearts…we have to choose to obey…we have to maintain the soil of our hearts in order to grow. All this happens when we open up our ears to hear the truths of God’s Word. And all of these truths are based on what is known as the GREATEST COMMANDMENT.
The Greatest Commandment: Deuteronomy 6:1-9
“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the decrees —that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Moses broke it down into these three areas:
- I have to teach them to you;
- You have to hear and apply to your life; and then
- You have to teach them to the next generation.
I. I have to teach them to you. (vs 1-3)
- This command sets the tone for all rules and statutes.
- God told me I had to teach you!
- Everything hinges on what I am about to tell you.
As defined by Easton’s Bible Dictionary:
“Fear of God – a designation of true piety*. It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather a filial** reverence.”
*piety: Reverence or dutiful respect
**filial: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
This is what God, your Father is commanding/asking you to do – You and generations to come
“…you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I commanded you,…” Deut. 6:2
Keeping ALL! This means not just knowing them, but doing them.
For how long?
“…all the days of your life,…” Deut. 6:2
B. God will bless and prosper you.
“and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.” Deut 6:2-3
…multiply you greatly
- This promise is not just for the people of Israel
- From the beginning of creation, it has been God’s desire for us to be fruitful and multiply. He loves to bless His children. But we have to follow Him and His commands.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Acts 2:46-47
“ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
Illustration: Mission & Vision Statements (Show slides)
…the land will be blessed and thrive.
Same promise for us today!
“ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
II. Hear what I teach you. (vs 4-6)
- He is Number 1!!!
- nothing comes before Him
Rhetorical question in Miriam’s Song:
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
Exodus 15:11
You are the one who places Him there, no one can do it for you.
B. Love with everything you have
- not the first time they heard this charge.
Deut. 4:29
- heart, soul, might (mind & strength) – with every fiber of our being.
- keep these words in your heart
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalms 119:11
- It has to become our native language.
VIDEO SONG: Native Tongue by Switchfoot
III. Now that you have heard, it is YOUR responsibility to teach
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:7-9
- Memorizing scripture
- Surround them with music, stories, & videos that have strong Christian values
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8
B. Carry them with you
“My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Proverbs 7:1-3
- Our values bracelets are a form of this
- Christian jewelry is another form
Show Slide: Deuteronomy 11:18
*Moses started his talk with this and shared it again because it was so important.
Illustration: Will & Christy Ragle’s Home.
- Intended to encourage family members
- Became a witness to Comcast guy
Conclusion:
As I told you two weeks ago, people are watching everything you do and say. This is especially true at home with our children. And like it or not, once you have heard the truth of God’s Word, you can no longer say, “I didn’t know.”
That is why Moses emphasized “HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING…” Maybe I should have started this message out the same way. So here is a reminder of the things I just told you…
- I just taught you the greatest commandment;
- You were told to hear what I was teaching you, to love God with all you got and the benefits of doing so; and
- It is your responsibility to teach your children.
We are here to help you, but you spend a lot more time with them than we can. You create the atmosphere in your home and car in which your child and those who are with you or visit you will either flourish or wither away.
We are here to help you with tools to help keep the soil healthy. And the first priority is follow the greatest commandment.
For loving God with all you have…
He will fill you with His love so that…
you can in turn love others as He first loved you!
Listen to the message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Spiritual Growth with Joe Bruce (Week 5)
Joe’s Garage
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Grow: Disciplines needed for healthy spiritual growth (Week 4)
Disciplines needed for healthy spiritual growth.
1 Timothy 4:14-16 & Psalms 116:17-19
“Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.”
1 Timothy 4:14-16
INTRODUCTION:
Over the last month, you have been reminded of the words given by a very wise man of God (Paul) to his young disciple (Timothy), reminding him of the importance of staying in God’s Word. It is through the Word that he will be able to grow in the ministry to which he was called.
Sermon #1: Need for daily nourishment, daily spiritual exercise and living a life of integrity.
Sermon #2: We are to command and teach the Word, set an example on both the outside and inside of our lives, and devote ourselves to the Scripture, to exhortation (encouraging others), and teaching how to live it out.Sermon #3: Proper food for growth, Knowing that our food source is God’s Word as milk, bread, meat & honey (dessert), and the Evidence will be good fruit.
This week, Paul continues to encourage spiritual growth in these five areas:
1) Focus
2) Mediate
3) Dedicate
4) Integrity
5) Stay true
I want to invite you to follow these same practical steps. It is something that I am still working on every day of my life. I am not asking you to follow me, but rather join me as I follow Christ. It is my desire to show you through God’s Word how we can each be successful in doing this. Not merely present you with a sermon full of platitudes that is someone else’s trite or stale remarks, for while God’s Word has been around for a long time, it is never stale or trite. Just as He provided fresh manna every morning for Israel in the desert, His Word provides fresh food for our lives every moment of every day! And here is a fresh serving for you today!
I. FOCUS
QUOTE: “The office of ministry is a gift, it is the gift of Christ.
…Do not neglect the ministry gift given to you.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Ministry gifts will wither if neglected.
- Spiritual ATROPHY (Not apathy, even though it can cause it)
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-13
II. MEDITATE
“Give your complete attention to these matters” (v.15a)
- average pastor spends 13-18 hours for one message
- In the book of Acts, the apostles called the 7 deacons to serve the needs of the church so they could spend time in prayer and the study of God’s Word. (Acts 6)
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Philippians 4:8
- Kevin said last week “G.I.G.O” when talking about food
- Same is true in our thought life.
- This is why we need to fast and pray (clear our head)
QUOTE: Brooke Obie, Guidepost Magazine, says the benefits of fasting are:1) Soul Cleansing,2) New Desire for God,
3) A Deeper Praise,
4) A Sensitivity to God’s Voice, and
5) A New Satisfaction. A small price to pay for what you have gained.
- Like love, meditation must be both an inward & outward journey
III. DEDICATE
“…Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.” (v.15b)
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
- Just like in a physical workout, you have to put the effort into your spiritual workout.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2
- The only problem with a living sacrifice is it keeps getting up off the altar!
- You have to be the one to place yourself there, which requires dedication and commitment!
IV. INTEGRITY
“Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching.” (v.16a)
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3
- We are all called to live this way, not just those in leadership.
- You are a living example of Jesus that those around you will see!
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.””
Lamentation 3:22-24
- Just like every day is a fresh new day with God, we have to be open to learning more from His Word as the Holy Spirit will reveal something new from the same scriptures we may have read before!
- We have to keep growing so we can offer fresh food to those God brings into our lives…and show them how they, too, can find this source of Life!
V. STAY TRUE
“Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.” (v.16b)
- Self care in our spiritual life is important, for if we are not healthy, how can we correctly lead others.
“ and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalms 1:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2
[ILLUS: Sabbatical season]
- While we can’t make the decision for them, it is natural for people to look for an example to follow.
- Kids imitate parents; young athletes imitate pros.
- Like it or not, people are watching our lives. We need to reflect Jesus in everything we do.
QUOTE: John Maxwell: “The more you walk, the less you have to talk. Live the Life in front of those you seek to influence. Our leadership is more caught than taught. People would rather see a sermon than hear one.”
CONCLUSION:
I have said it before and I will say it again and again. All of these simple truths are from God’s Word. They are here for us as believers to follow, not pick and choose what we want or don’t want to do. As a disciple of Christ, we are to follow His commands. I have challenged you every week with this proclamation:
“I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people…”
Ps. 116:17-19
You have to be the one to make the choice.
You are the one that chooses to listen and obey or ignore and turn away.
What will you do today?
Listen to Ken’s message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Disciplines needed for healthy spiritual growth (Week 3)
Disciplines Needed for Healthy Spiritual Growth
Good morning…
Who likes eating?
You can all tell I like eating. I like being fed a good meal.
Today I want to talk to you about the discipline of feeding & how incredibly important that is for our growth.
It may make you hungry… but I’m going to need you to focus & I promise to get you out of here no later than 12:30.
You may not have known that eating is a spiritual discipline but if you want to grow closer to Jesus… in every season of life… you can’t get there without being fed.
We’re going to look at Psalm 1 today & learn what we can about this discipline that is needed for healthy spiritual growth.
When you’ve found your place in Psalm chapter 1, please stand out of reverence for God’s word.
Psalm chapter 1
I’d like to read this Psalm again, this time in the NLT
Psalm 1 (NLT)
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
This is one of my favorite psalms & one of my favorite chapters in the whole Bible.
In this Psalm we get a great lesson on the spiritual discipline of being fed.
We get a great picture of how we can Grow Closer to Jesus in every season of life.
We get two images of two different types of people in Psalm 1.
The first picture is of a healthy, growing believer.
The second picture is of someone who is not a healthy, growing believer.
Both of these pictures in the Psalm teach us an important lesson, to be a healthy, growing believer you need to be fed, you need to be nourished by God.
As physical beings we need physical food, physical nourishment to grow, stay healthy, stay alive.
But we’re more than physical beings, we are spiritual beings too & we can’t just be fed physically, we need spiritual nourishment.
The scriptures call our relationship with Jesus a walk or a journey, if you don’t get refueled it’s extremely difficult to make the journey.
Verse 1 begins a contrast between the first person & the second.
Psalm 1:1-2 (CSB)
1 How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
What we can see from the contrast of these two verses is that both types of people are getting fed.
Everyone is getting fed with something…
The question is… are you getting fed with something that is good for you, that will help you grow?
The person who is NOT a healthy believer is being fed with wicked advice, sinful words & mocking directed at God.
Garbage in garbage out.
If we’re fed with garbage like this, we won’t grow closer to Christ, we won’t be nourished for our journey with Him.
Psalm 1:4-6 (CSB)
4 The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
If you’re not getting fed with the good stuff from God, it leads to a ruined life.
That is why we’re warned in
Colossians 2:8 (CSB)
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.
What are you getting fed with?…
The first person isn’t like the wicked person though, he’s a healthy believer.
The psalmist says the healthy believer is like a healthy tree planted by a flowing stream or river.
Psalm 1:3 (CSB)
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
The picture of a flourishing tree was a common symbol of a healthy believer.
It pops up in other places of scripture in
Jeremiah 17:8 (CSB)
8 He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.
It’s also in
12 The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they thrive in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green,
It’s interesting in these two verses that both mention growing fruit in old age or never stopping fruit production.
That is the goal to never stop growing, never stop bearing fruit for Jesus.
So this is what we are supposed to be like as believers, like a flourishing tree.
How do we get like that?
The success of the thriving trees in these passages is all dependent on how close the tree is to it’s source of nourishment
If you look at verses 2 & 3, Psalm 1 tells us how we can be like this tree,
- We have to be planted by flowing streams/delight in God’s word & meditate on it often
- Then we’ll never wither
- Then we’ll produce fruit
Kinds of Spiritual Food
That’s like an adult man hanging out in the kiddie end of the pool with water wings & a floatie. We laugh but, this is real, there are Christians like this. Why would you want to go back to formula when you could be having something good & tasty? I’m hear to tell you, I’ve smelled Kevin Michael’s formula, it smells disgusting. Anyone else smell the baby formula before you give it to your child? Disgusting! Can I get an amen? I’d have to be pretty darn starving to even consider drinking that nonsense. Kevin M loves it, he can’t get enough of it, it fills his tummy & that’s good he’s a baby. He doesn’t know how good food can taste yet, but the milk is getting him ready.
The third is meat:
Hebrews 5:14 (CSB)
The fourth type of food is honey:
Psalm 19:9-10 (NLT)
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
The Bible is comfort food:
Some of the things that will happen to you if you go without eating for three days:
- You’ll be ravenous then not so much
- Your breath may smell
“Research has shown that breath acetone is reliable indication that you have gone into fat burning mode. You release ketone bodies through your breath—and the smell is often unpleasant” 1
- You’ll lose weight
- Your body starts running on emergency power
“Researchers at Yale found that “During times of starvation, the body preserves two organs and then shrinks the rest,” 2 It runs on emergency power.
Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)
Listen to this message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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Grow: Disciplines needed for healthy spiritual growth. (Week 2)
Disciplines needed for healthy spiritual growth.
1 Timothy 4:11-13; Psalms 116:17-19
I. “Command and teach these things.” (v 11)
II. “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
III. “…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”
Listen to this message here:
You can watch the video HERE.
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