Click here to download the Chapter 28 Personal Study Guide
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Chapter 27 - Personal Study Guide
Click here to download the Chapter 27 Personal Study Guide
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Rest Of The Message
If you were with us yesterday (3/15) you heard me share that in the middle of the night God had changed the message a bit from where I thought we were going. If you missed it, I'd encourage you to listen to the Podcast to hear what the Lord was speaking to our RCC family (I know it's a bit long; uncharacteristic for me, isn't it? Ha!).
To those of you who have been so encouraging in your comments, thank you for sharing your stories with us. It's exciting to hear what the Lord was doing in all of us - personally and corporately.
During the message I promised that I would blog about the portions that I was cutting out so those of you who were interested in "filling in the blanks" could do so. Below are some of the thoughts that I had planned to share.
The big question that we were dealing with was, "What does it mean to live the life of a son or a daughter in the family of God?" In chapter 23 of "The Story" we see how Jesus answered that question by the way He lived and led. Here are the rest of the lessons I had intended to convey:
2. We seize the chance to honor our parents. (John 2:1-11)
One of the most intriguing interactions that Jesus ever had was with His mother Mary at the wedding in Cana. This was the first time that Jesus performs a miracle and I’m not going to debate the whole wine issue (sorry to disappoint). What I do glean from this encounter is that Jesus honored Mary’s request. He esteemed her role and we would do well to follow His example.
So how is this going for you? Kids (of all ages) ... how well are you honoring your parents? Parents, are we worthy of their honor?
3. We choose our inner circle wisely. (Mark 3:13-19)
In Mark 3 Jesus heads to the mountains to formally appoint His apostles. They were rough, ordinary, dense & prone to failure. It’s there that He chooses the men who will become His inner circle. And as He was making this decision, I believe it was based on their potential, character and the courage that Christ knew they would exhibit once they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. They had been His traveling companions but now they were being called to something deeper. They would become the future leaders of His church! What an important decision for Christ. And it’s still critical for us today. (He did intentionally choose a thief/traitor in Judas, but that was the sovereign plan. He knows whose good for us too.)
Who is in your inner circle? Do they add value to your life? Do they help you follow God in deeper ways? Do they encourage you to obey His Word when you start to drift?
4. We value everyone – regardless of gender, age, race, occupation or economic status.
Wow, this one is amazing. As I read through this chapter I noticed how Jesus interacted with His mother and His cousin John. He showed them respect. Sometimes it’s tough to get along with our families, isn’t it?
Then there was the Samaritan Woman. In that encounter Jesus totally blew away the cultural norms by not only speaking to a woman … but she was a Samaritan woman. And he freed Mary Magdalene from demonic possession. He shattered the acceptable behaviors of His day!
For Jesus it didn’t matter if a person was demon-possessed, plagued by leprosy or blindness or if they were labeled a sinner. Jesus placed a high value on individuals. He took time for the unloveables, the untouchables and the unnoticed.
He offered them hope and healing in all kinds of places … Jordan River, Cana in Galilee, Sychar in Samaria, Capernaum, Syria, Decapolis, Jerusalem and Judea. It didn't matter where they were or where they came from!
This isn’t easy, is it? Who in your world needs to know they have worth? Where are the outcasts we need to show God’s love to today? Do people matter to you … really?
Well ... that's what I was going to say. Thanks for taking time to read the rest of the story.
To those of you who have been so encouraging in your comments, thank you for sharing your stories with us. It's exciting to hear what the Lord was doing in all of us - personally and corporately.
During the message I promised that I would blog about the portions that I was cutting out so those of you who were interested in "filling in the blanks" could do so. Below are some of the thoughts that I had planned to share.
The big question that we were dealing with was, "What does it mean to live the life of a son or a daughter in the family of God?" In chapter 23 of "The Story" we see how Jesus answered that question by the way He lived and led. Here are the rest of the lessons I had intended to convey:
2. We seize the chance to honor our parents. (John 2:1-11)
One of the most intriguing interactions that Jesus ever had was with His mother Mary at the wedding in Cana. This was the first time that Jesus performs a miracle and I’m not going to debate the whole wine issue (sorry to disappoint). What I do glean from this encounter is that Jesus honored Mary’s request. He esteemed her role and we would do well to follow His example.
So how is this going for you? Kids (of all ages) ... how well are you honoring your parents? Parents, are we worthy of their honor?
3. We choose our inner circle wisely. (Mark 3:13-19)
In Mark 3 Jesus heads to the mountains to formally appoint His apostles. They were rough, ordinary, dense & prone to failure. It’s there that He chooses the men who will become His inner circle. And as He was making this decision, I believe it was based on their potential, character and the courage that Christ knew they would exhibit once they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. They had been His traveling companions but now they were being called to something deeper. They would become the future leaders of His church! What an important decision for Christ. And it’s still critical for us today. (He did intentionally choose a thief/traitor in Judas, but that was the sovereign plan. He knows whose good for us too.)
Who is in your inner circle? Do they add value to your life? Do they help you follow God in deeper ways? Do they encourage you to obey His Word when you start to drift?
4. We value everyone – regardless of gender, age, race, occupation or economic status.
Wow, this one is amazing. As I read through this chapter I noticed how Jesus interacted with His mother and His cousin John. He showed them respect. Sometimes it’s tough to get along with our families, isn’t it?
Then there was the Samaritan Woman. In that encounter Jesus totally blew away the cultural norms by not only speaking to a woman … but she was a Samaritan woman. And he freed Mary Magdalene from demonic possession. He shattered the acceptable behaviors of His day!
For Jesus it didn’t matter if a person was demon-possessed, plagued by leprosy or blindness or if they were labeled a sinner. Jesus placed a high value on individuals. He took time for the unloveables, the untouchables and the unnoticed.
He offered them hope and healing in all kinds of places … Jordan River, Cana in Galilee, Sychar in Samaria, Capernaum, Syria, Decapolis, Jerusalem and Judea. It didn't matter where they were or where they came from!
This isn’t easy, is it? Who in your world needs to know they have worth? Where are the outcasts we need to show God’s love to today? Do people matter to you … really?
Well ... that's what I was going to say. Thanks for taking time to read the rest of the story.
UNSTOPPABLE: Being Led & Empowered By The Holy Spirit
Please join us from 9:00 AM – Noon on Saturday, April 18 at the RCC Mills site for this seminar where we will study who the Holy Spirit is and what role the Spirit plays in our lives today. God longs to fill you with His Spirit and in our time together we’ll explore how He empowers us for everyday living. We’ll also discover what the supernatural gifts are for and how they operate in our context today. In previous generations followers of Christ called the Holy Spirit the “Wild Goose.” Sounds sacrilegious at first earshot, but can you think of a better description of being led by the Spirit? The cost is $10 to cover food and materials. Please contact the church office at office@riversideconnect.org to register.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Chapter 26 - Personal Study Guide
Click here to download the Chapter 26 Personal Study Guide
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Chapter 25 - Personal Study Guide
Click here to download the Chapter 25 Personal Study Guide
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Chapter 24 - Personal Study Guide
Click here to download the Chapter 24 Personal Study Guide
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
As with all pdf files such as this, be sure to click on the save document icon in the toolbar within your browser to save this pdf file to your computer. You can also print directly from that toolbar.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
