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The twelve specific beliefs, practices, and actions that are essential to living the life of a disciple. springdale nazarene church Table of Contents Page Introduction Twelve Beliefs, Practices, Actions Group Covenant Week 1 – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Group Session Week 2 – Death and Eternity Group Session Week 3 – Salvation: Works vs. Grace Group Session Week 4 – Prayer, Worship, and Study Group Session Week 5 – Biblical Community Group Session Week 6 – Single Mindedness / Sanctification Group Session Week 7 – Self-Sacrifice / Stewardship Group Session Week 8 – Evangelism / Missions / Spiritual Gifts Group Session Appendix Articles of Faith Evaluation 1 4 6 8 17 20 25 28 35 38 53 56 64 67 76 81 89 93 107 109 110 117 INTRODUCTION 1 Ø Fellowship time Ø Prayer—Giving time to God. Ø Review and sign class participation covenant—help people commit to Passages, involvement, study and issues of confidentiality. Discipleship and Passages Passages at SNC is born out of five common expectations we have of ourselves and one another as Christians. We need to note an important distinction between an expectation and an assumption. An assumption is based on the belief that something has already taken place. An expectation is the hope and belief that something WILL happen. At SNC we expect that: 1. Everyone is journeying with someone. 2. Everyone is reading The Bible. 3. Everyone is involved in the life of the church. 4. Everyone is serving someone. 5. Everyone is making disciples of Jesus Christ. Passages is designed to introduce you to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to engage you in conversations involving how we live out these expectations. The 10-week study is designed to help participants define a basic understanding of the key components of living the Christian life as an apprentice to Christ. In the coming weeks, we will look at twelve basic beliefs, practices, and actions that one who is a disciple holds dear. In between our weekly time together, there will be three homework assignments. These are designed to help you dig into the next week’s topic. They are not meant to overwhelm you with “one more thing to do this week,” but to help you go deeper in your journey with Jesus. The group sessions are to be completed with your fellow travelers; it will be helpful to preview this work so that participation is more meaningful. We will spend most of our time in the Word of God - The Bible. All Scripture references will be from the New Living Translation (NLT). If you do not have a Bible, ask your facilitator for information on how and where to find one. If you do not have the resources for a Bible, we will make sure you have one. In addition, there will be one memory verse that relates to the next week’s topic. Memorizing Scripture is essential to our spiritual health and growth. There are no tests on how well you have memorized Scripture—that is between you and God. Here is what Howard Hendricks says on the importance of study and memorization: “The greatest changes God has brought about in my life have come through the process of meditation— just allowing the Word of God to filter and percolate through my mind and into my life. What have you got cooking on the back burner of your mind? You say you have a hard time thinking, especially thoughts that are God’s, not yours or Satan’s. No, the problem is you are starving your brain, leaving it open to grab ‘junk food.’ Through Bible memory and meditation, you can constantly be simmering His word in your mind, for healthy and godly living.” 1 1 Howard & William Hendricks Living By The Book. Moody Press 2 INTRODUCTION What is a disciple? One thing is for certain—you are somebody’s disciple. You learned how to live from somebody else. We prefer to think of ourselves as independent and self-made people. The truth is, we are very much influenced by the actions of people around us. c Who might some of the people be who taught you how to live? Author, Dallas Willard says—“It is a major transition in life to recognize who has taught us, mastered us, and then to evaluate the results in us of their teaching. This is a harrowing task and sometimes we just can’t face it. But it can also open the door to choose other masters, possibly better masters, and the one Master above all.”2 Jesus is the “One Master above all.” He longs for us to become His disciples. A disciple is literally, an apprentice—one who has decided to be with another person, under appropriate conditions, in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is. If I am Jesus’ disciple, that means I am with Him to learn from Him how to be like Him. With this definition in mind, use your own words to describe a disciple of Jesus. Share your definition with the rest of the group. In Your Bible Turn to Matthew 7:13-27.* Read the passage aloud. Jesus tells four stories about what it means to be his disciple—The Narrow Gate, The Good Tree, The True Disciple, and The House on the Rock. The Narrow Gate: Where does the narrow gate lead? What are some characteristics of the “Highway to Hell”? What could you infer about the characteristics of “Gateway to Life”? The Good Tree: What are the differences between the bad tree and the healthy tree? What might the “fruits” of a good tree be? 2 From The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard. HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. pg. 272 * Matthew is the first of the four Gospels. The word Gospel comes from the Greek word Euangelion meaning, “Good News.” The Gospels are the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We’ll dig into that more in the coming weeks. INTRODUCTION 3 The True Disciple: What is the decisive issue in entering the Kingdom of God? Where does that leave doing “religious” things? Is it the actions or the motivations behind the actions? What’s the difference? The House on the Rock— What are the characteristics of a wise person who builds their house on a solid foundation? 4 INTRODUCTION 12 Essential Beliefs, Practices, and Actions of a disciple of Jesus Christ 1. God - I believe the God of the Bible is the only true God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 13:13. 2. Death & Eternity - I believe in sin and that sin leads to death, but that God offers me a place in eternity with Him. I believe there is a heaven and a hell and that Jesus Christ is returning to judge the earth and to establish his eternal kingdom. Romans 6:23; John 14:1-4. 3. Salvation - Works v. Grace—I believe a person comes into a right relationship with God by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9. 4. Prayer - I connect with God and seek God’s will for my life by talking with and listening to God daily. Individually and with others, I pray with words, silence, and actions. Psalm 66:16-20; Luke 22:41-42 5. Worship - Both corporately and individually, I praise God by remembering how God has rescued, redeemed, and restored me. I respond to Him through singing, praying, giving, hearing God’s Word, and living out God’s call in my life. Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 95:1-7 6. Bible Study - I believe I am significant because of my position as a child of God. I read the Bible to know God, His Truth, and to find His direction for my daily life. 2 Timothy 3:1617; Hebrews 4:12 7. Biblical Community - I celebrate my life in Christ by living in intentional community with other Christ-followers and by inviting others to join us. Acts 2:44-47 8. Single-Mindedness/Sanctification - I focus on God and God’s priorities for my life. Matthew 6:33 9. Self-Sacrifice - Stewardship - I believe that everything I am or own belongs to God. I give away my life, my faith, my time, my talents, and my treasures to fulfill God’s purposes. 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Romans 12:1; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 8:7 10. Evangelism - I believe all people are loved by God and need Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus calls us to share that Good News with the world through our words and our actions. John 3:16; Acts 8:26-31 11. Missions - God has called me to share God’s love with the world by meeting people’s needs in my community and in the world. I seek to serve Jesus by sharing my resources and myself with God’s people around the globe. Matthew 28:18-2 12. Spiritual Gifts - I know and use my spiritual gifts to accomplish God’s purposes. Romans 12:4-5 INTRODUCTION 5 Why Passages? Pas-sage [pas-ij] 1. Part of a path or journey. 2. An act or instance of passing from one place, condition to another; transit. 3. A portion or section of a written work; a paragraph, verse. Passages is all these things. It is a journey from one spiritual place to another and from one state of relationship to another. With the passages of Scripture as our map, we’ll journey further up and further into our relationship with God, ourselves, and our traveling companions. We hope Passages will be more than a “class” that you are taking, but a life-changing experience. It is our sincerest hope and prayer that your experience in Passages will inspire and give you the tools necessary to go deeper in your life-long journey with Jesus! Passages and the 16 Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene Springdale Nazarene Church belongs to the Church of the Nazarene denomination. Our rich heritage has its roots in Wesleyan Theology (we’ll talk more about John Wesley in the coming weeks) and the Holiness movement of the 19th Century. The Church of the Nazarene is built on the Sixteen Articles of Faith3 which are the theological foundation for our denomination. These Sixteen Articles succinctly state what we believe and how we function as a Christian Church. The 12 Basic Understandings of a Christ-Follower are not meant to replace the 16 Articles but are instead meant to be what we at SNC believe are the practical beliefs, actions, and practices of one who follows Jesus Christ. The 12 Basic Understandings are not meant to be a theological foundation for a denomination, but a hands-on “On-The-Job” training of a Disciple of Jesus Christ. Passages and the 12 Basic Understandings were written from a Wesleyan Holiness perspective. 3 Manual/2009-2013 Church of the Nazarene—History, Constitution, Government, Ritual Nazarene Publishing House Kansas City, MO. Pg. 28-40. 6 INTRODUCTION Passages Group Covenant Covenant (Ko-ve-nent) 1. n. an agreement, bargain; a sealed contract or clause of such contract; the agreement between God and God’s chosen people, the Israelites 2. v.t. to agree to by covenant; to enter into formal agreement; to agree4 A covenant is more than a contract. It is more of a commitment or bond between people who care for each other. God has a covenant relationship with His people—it is not a relationship based on equality, but built on blessings in exchange for fidelity. There are also covenant relationships between equals—people committing to protect and bless each other through the context of relationship and mutual respect. In Passages, we will be committing to both these relationships. This covenant is vital to the course experience. The more we put into preparation and interaction, the more we will learn and grow. Your facilitator will hand out and keep the signed covenant on behalf of all participants. To each other and to God #1 - Believing that communication, trust, and confidentiality are the foundation for healthy relationships, we covenant to speak openly and listen with sensitivity, maintaining confidentiality so as to remain worthy of one’s trust. #2 - Believing that each person is of value to God and thus to the group, we covenant to treat one another with respect, courtesy, honesty and patience. #3 - Believing that each person has unique insight, personal experience, and something valuable to share, we covenant to participate in discussions and to allow others time to participate as well. #4 - Believing that our time belongs to God, we covenant to be prepared for each time this small group meets. #5 - Believing that we are called to hold one another up before God in prayer, we covenant to pray regularly for one another and the concerns we have shared. #6 - Believing that it is through the Word that we come to know Christ better, we covenant to be diligent in our study of the Bible. #7 - Believing that each person is uniquely gifted and called by God for a specific purpose and ministry, we covenant to support one another in our specific ministry endeavors through the sharing of help, ideas and information, time, and prayer. #8 - Believing that God has called us to be examples of Jesus Christ, we covenant to hold one another accountable to our individual walk with Christ and to uphold His ways. #9 - Believing that God wants us to have fun in what we do, we covenant to help maintain one another’s joy in the adventure of serving Christ. By signing the covenant, we are agreeing to these principles in our relationship to God and to each other. Signature _______________________________________________________ 4 New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus of the English Language, Lexicon Publications, 1995. INTRODUCTION 7 Key Things to Remember— If I am Jesus’ disciple, that means I am with Him to learn from Him how to be like Him. People and Things to Pray About This Week Use the following space to write down personal prayer requests, as well as things to pray about for your fellow group members. Make sure to include praises and requests. Spend a few minutes each day praying for these things. Then, when you come back next week, ask those people for an update! Ø Close in prayer for each other 8 WeekOneSelfStudy 1 Father, Son, Holy Spirit God I believe the God of the Bible is the only true God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Verse of the Week: 2 Corinthians 13:13* ** May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. How do you explain God? You can’t, especially in a few pages of homework and one day’s lesson. At the same time, how can we not? J.I. Packer says, As it would be cruel to an Amazonian tribesman to fly him to London (or Cincinnati, OH), put him down without explanation in Trafalgar Square (or King’s Island) and leave him, as one who knew nothing of English or England (or Buckeye football), to fend for himself. So we are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfold, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.5 Really, Passages is all about God and how God longs for us to be in relationship with God. This first week’s homework, though, will specifically look at some important aspects, attributes and understandings of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 5 J.I. Packer, Knowing God, Intervarsity Press, 1973, p. 15. Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace, Penguin, 1998, p. 214. * Verses in Passages are quoted from the New Living Translation. In the New International Version, the reference for this verse is found in 2 Corinthians 13:14 ** st 1 and 2nd Corinthians were written by the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. The Christ-followers were struggling with living out their faith journey in the midst of a very idolatrous and immoral society. 5a WeekOneSelfStudy 9 Read this week knowing that there is so much more to God. It is impossible to put God in a box, and our hope and prayer is that we don’t come across as doing so. This is merely the appetizer, the tasting, a basic sampling of who God is. Read on and let your appetite grow for more… One so often hears people say, “I just can’t handle it,” when they reject a biblical image of God as Father, as mother, as Lord or judge, God as lover, as angry or jealous, God on a cross. I find this choice of words revealing, however real the pain they reflect: if we seek a God we can “handle” that will be exactly what we get. A God we can manipulate, suspiciously like ourselves, the wideness of whose mercy we’ve cut down to size. — Kathleen Norris.5a Day One: Father God always was. There was never a time when God wasn’t. Max Lucado says, “No one breathed life into God. No one sired Him. No one caused Him. No acts brought Him forth…. Though He created, God was never created. Though He makes, He was never made. Though He causes, He was never caused.”6 God is and may be known—these two affirmations are basic for all religions that believe in a god. It is both a statement of faith and a statement of experience— FAITH - There are no scientific formulas or experiments that conclusively prove God’s existence. It is by faith that people believe in God. c How would you define faith? EXPERIENCE - Since God transcends all God’s creation, God can only be known through what God reveals to humanity. c How do you know there is a God? What is distinctive about Christianity is that it claims that God wants to be known personally by humanity. God accomplishes this relationship through the infilling of the Holy Spirit in the life of the disciple and by revealing Himself through His creation and in the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is not written to prove that He exists, but to reveal God to humanity. 6 Max Lucado, Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms: Hope and Encouragement from Psalm 23, J Countryman Press, 2002, p. 15. 10 WeekOneSelfStudy God’s Being God is completely independent from Creation. Theologian Clark Pinnock says, “The world exists by grace. It was not strictly necessary. It did not have to exist…. God is bound together with us by [God’s] choice.”7 Genesis 1:1 tells us: “In the _______________ God ____________ the heavens and the earth.” Read Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14)* How did God create everything? Reflect on what Clark Pinnock said: What does that say about the worth of humanity? Write down your thoughts. God’s Nature Read Genesis 1:2 What was hovering over the water? God is pure spirit. Jesus tells us in John 4:24* that “God is Spirit.” That means that God is not bound by any physical limitations of time and space as we are, but God is essentially unlimited and every element of God’s nature is unlimited. Read the following verses that describe God’s infinite qualities. God Is Infinite in Time - Eternal Read Psalm 41:13** What words does the Psalmist use to describe God’s infinite presence? Read 1 Timothy 1:17*** What does God deserve forever and ever? What words does Paul use to describe God? How many gods are there? 7 Clark Pinnock, The Flame of Love, Intervarsity Press, 1996, p. 45. Genesis is the first book of the Bible. It tells the story of creation, the fall, the flood, and the Hebrew people in covenant with God. It is a history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and shares God’s deep love for God’s people. * John is the last of the four Gospels. Throughout the book, John weaves the important theme that Jesus is the Son of God. He was one of Jesus’ three closest friends. He is referred to as the one that Jesus loved—the beloved disciple. ** Philip Yancey says of the Psalms—“Located in the exact center of the Bible, the Psalms give us a comprehensive record of life with God through individually fashioned accounts of how the spiritual life works…. more than any other book in the Bible, Psalms reveals what a heartfelt, soul-starved, single-minded relationship with God looks like.” (From The Bible Jesus Read, Zondervan Publishing, 1999, p. 114.) *** Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Timothy to his young fellow Christ-follower, Timothy. Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while Timothy was teaching and leading the church at Ephesus. * WeekOneSelfStudy 11 God Is Infinite in Space - Omnipresent Read Psalm 139:7-12 Where can one go to hide from God? What does this passage say about your worth to God and the lengths God will go to be with you? God Is Infinite in Knowledge - Omniscient Read Proverbs 3:19**** By what did God found and establish the earth and the heavens? Using your own words, give a definition of these things— Read Romans 11:33* What does Paul say about God’s wisdom? What does Paul say about our ability to understand God’s wisdom? God is infinite in power—Omnipotent Read 1 Chronicles 29:11** From what you have read, describe the attributes of God’s power— How do you respond to this description of God’s power and what we should do in light of that greatness? Read Isaiah 14:26*** Describe God’s involvement in the world— Read Jude 1:25**** What belongs to God and for how long? **** Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings and good advice for daily living. Many of the proverbs come from King Solomon and are reflections on the importance of God-given wisdom. * Paul wrote Romans to the church in Rome. Paul had never been to visit the Christ-followers in Rome, but felt a special affinity with them in their budding faith. In his letter, Paul outlines what it means to be a Christ-follower and how to live like one who is Christ’s disciple. ** st 1 Chronicles was written after the period of Israel’s exile. After being invaded by greater forces, the people were moved from their homes and land and made to settle in other parts of the empire. 1st Chronicles recaps the history of Israel as God’s chosen people so that those exiled would regain and remember their history. *** Isaiah was a prophet during the lives of five different kings of Israel. Prophets stood as God’s special representatives. The role of the prophet was to speak for God, confronting and calling people back to God’s commands and promises. **** Jude was one of Jesus’ brothers (along with James). He wrote his letter to warn Christ-followers about false teachers and those who would mislead and corrupt in the name of Christ. 12 WeekOneSelfStudy Reflect on what you have just read. What does it mean to you that God who is infinite in time, space, knowledge and power created you? How does that reflect on your worth and purpose? Day Two: Son “Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me. Between Him and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by Himself…. I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the Gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”—Napoleon Two thousand years ago, in what amounted to a little more than a cave full of animals, Jesus was born. No fanfare for the man Christians believe to be both fully God and fully human. Jesus made remarkable claims on who He was. c Who does the world say Jesus is? Read John 10:30, John 17:5, and John 14:6 Who does Jesus says He is? How does He describe Himself? Who does He relate Himself to? Reflect on Jesus’ claims. Explain your answers. What is He saying about Himself? How are His words different from what the world says about who Jesus was? In which camp do you put yourself? c If you place yourself with the world’s idea of who Jesus was, what would it take to change your position? WeekOneSelfStudy 13 In the first homework assignment, we learned about God the Father. We learned that God was eternal, ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. Read Hebrews 4:13-16* Verse 13 describes God. Write down God’s attributes. What will we have to do before God on judgment day? What title does the author give Jesus? God the Son, Jesus Christ, provides the link with God the Father that we as finite and sinful human beings needed to be able to approach God. Since God is sinless and perfect, our sinfulness keeps us away from God. We needed someone who could experience our humanness and at the same time, be sinless so as to approach the Father. The prophet Isaiah told of Jesus’ coming thousands of years before His birth. He said that Jesus would bear, “the sin of many, and made [make] intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus lived out this prophecy at His death on the cross when He called out to God, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)**. We’ll talk more about the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection in the coming weeks. For now, let’s keep looking at Hebrews 4. c What makes Jesus accessible to us? c What do you think about Jesus being fully human and fully God? That He knew what it was like to be tempted, but never gave in to it? c How does this help us when it comes time to meet a God who knows everything about us? Read and ponder this quote from C.S. Lewis I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must * Hebrews is a book in the New Testament. We’re not sure who wrote it, but it is written to Jewish Christians struggling with the issue of staying with their newfound faith in Christ, or returning to Judaism. ** Luke is the third of the four Gospels. It was written by Luke - a physician and historian who sought to chronicle the complete story of Jesus Christ and the early church. 14 WeekOneSelfStudy make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”8 Ø Conclude by journaling your thoughts on today’s lesson. Day Three: Holy Spirit Carolyn Slaughter says, “Most of us understand who God the Father is, who Jesus is, and the relationship between the two. However, when we add the Holy Spirit to the conversation, we sometimes become confused.”9 The Spirit is God at work in our lives. When God is said to do something, God does it through the Spirit. The Spirit is the member of the trinity that is closest to our personal experience. c What images or thoughts come to mind when you think of the Holy Spirit? Read John 3:8 How does this passage describe the Holy Spirit? Read John 14:16,17,26 What titles does Jesus use to describe the Holy Spirit? Who sent the Holy Spirit? Why can’t the world accept the Spirit? The word “counselor” has been translated from the Greek word Parakletos (par-ak'-lay-tos) or Paraclete. Paraclete has two meanings—someone called to one’s side in order to aid, and one who pleads another’s cause before a judge as counsel for defense. Let’s look at these two separately. Called Alongside This is an active presence where the Spirit comes and works with us in our daily walk with God. Read Titus 3:5* 8 9 The Holy Spirit Saves Us C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Barbour and Company, 1943, p. 45. Carolyn Slaughter and Sherry Douglas, A Follower’s Life: 12 Group Studies on What it Means to Follow Jesus, Group Publishing, 2002, p. 42. WeekOneSelfStudy 15 How and why did the Holy Spirit save us? The Holy Spirit Convicts Us Read John 16:8 What does the Holy Spirit convict us of? The Holy Spirit Teaches Us Read John 14:26 How will the Holy Spirit teach? What will the Holy Spirit teach us? Counsel for Defense The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us before God. The Holy Spirit acts as our spokesperson before God and the world. The Holy Spirit Testifies Before God and the World that We Are God’s Children Read Romans 8:15-16 What is the difference between a slave and a son or daughter of royalty? Why do you think we need reminded by the Spirit that we are God’s children? The Holy Spirit Seals Us as God’s Possession Read Ephesians 1:13-14* What must we do to gain the Spirit to seal us as God’s? What might be God’s inheritance? Clark Pinnock says this about the Holy Spirit, The “Spirit is known by prayer as well as by study...to know the Spirit we must become persons of prayer who are willing to yield in complete openness to God. Waiting in silence and patient receptivity will cultivate a heartknowledge of our Life-giver.”10 Reflect on what Pinnock said In order to hear the Holy Spirit and be in tune with the Spirit’s leading, what two things must we do? * Titus was a Greek Christ-follower who was taught and nurtured by Paul. He stood in the church as a living example of what Christ was doing among the Gentiles. Paul nurtured and discipled Titus in his faith. He walked beside Titus as he grew into a leader in the church. * The city of Ephesus was a powerful center of trade in the Roman world. It was also home to an effective and prominent church in the early stages of Christianity. Ephesians is a letter of encouragement written by Paul from a Roman prison cell awaiting execution. 10 Clark Pinnock, The Flame of Love, InterVarsity Press, 1996, pp. 12-13. 16 WeekOneSelfStudy How might these two areas allow the Spirit to come alongside you in your everyday life? Have you ever had someone come alongside you in a crisis or difficult situation? How did their presence make a difference in that situation? How might the Holy Spirit act as that presence in your life? How would you know the Spirit was coming alongside you? What experience do you have with the intervening of the Holy Spirit? How has the Spirit encouraged you or corrected you in your walk with God? WeekOneGroupSession 17 1 Group Session Ø Beginning - Fellowship Time Ø Prayer - Giving time to God Ø Group Building Activity v Question and Answer Time - jot down your answers to the following questions. We will share our answers with each other. o My idea of a great vacation__________________________________ o The greatest challenge I have ever faced is ____________________________ Review What You’ve Learned Think back to last week’s discussion on what a disciple is. The definition of a disciple that we gave was— A disciple is an apprentice—one who has decided to be with another person, under appropriate conditions, in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is. If I am Jesus’ disciple, that means I am with Him to learn from Him how to be like Him. The Triune God We have spent the past week learning about the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not three separate gods, but one God who eternally exists in three persons. There is no explanation of the Trinity that does not fall short of properly explaining the Trinity. It is best understood and appreciated as a mystery. The more we dig deeper into the mystery, the more that is revealed to us and the more questions it raises for us also. c From your homework this week, how have you learned that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are the same God? c What distinctive traits about each have you learned as well? 18 WeekOneGroupSession In the winter Olympics, one of the most watched events is the couples ice skating competition. What are some characteristics of those athletes as they dance on the ice? c How can you relate that to what you have learned about the Triune God? What Now? “So God is one God but with three distinct parts. What does that have to do with me?” It has everything to do with you. God desires nothing more than to be in relationship with us. God wants us to share in the dance with God! Read Psalm 139:1-18 aloud What are some words that describe God’s knowledge of us? What are some words that describe God’s proximity to us? Where does God stand in relationship to us? What do these two things mean for us? What separates Christianity from other religions, is that we believe in a God who wants nothing more than to be with us. God is all about relationships, and God wants us to be all about relationships with God. God is in a constant state of wooing us. When we talk about people coming into relationship with God, we often describe it as, “receiving God,” “trusting in Christ,” “being born again,” and being “saved.” The truth is, that when we are introduced to God, God has already been working behind the scenes to make that introduction a reality. Turn to John 15:16. Read that passage aloud together as a class. Because of God’s love for us and desire to be in relationship with us, God has sought and continues to seek us out. The theological term for this is God’s Prevenient Grace - God working in our hearts to bring us to God. Ultimately, it is our choice whether we accept God or not, but God is constantly working within us to bring us to that point. Talk for a minute about Prevenient Grace - God wooing us to God. What imagery comes to your mind? How does that make you feel that God - the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal God - wants to be with you? Not only does God draw us to God, but God also promises not to leave us hanging there. When God commits to a relationship, God doesn’t break God’s promises! Read Hebrews 13:5 aloud How do you respond to the promise that God will never leave you? Key Things to Remember— God the Father - Creates us in His own image. God the Son - Relates to us by becoming a man and living with His creation. God the Holy Spirit - Aids us and continues to help us grow closer to God. WeekOneGroupSession 19 Ø People and Things to Pray About This Week Last week, you may have written down prayer requests and praises from your fellow Journey members. Make sure to ask for follow-ups on how things went, or on how you might pray differently. Use the following space to write down personal prayer requests, as well as things to pray about for your fellow group members. Spend a few minutes each day praying for these things. 20 WeekTwoSelfStudy 2 Death and Eternity Death and Eternity I believe in sin and that sin leads to death, but that God offers me a place in eternity with Him. I believe there is a heaven and a hell and that Jesus Christ is returning to judge the earth and to establish His eternal Kingdom Verse of the Week: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 Dr. Jerry Walls, professor of philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary, writes extensively on heaven and hell. Walls states that vague and fuzzy notions of heaven and hell have contributed to the lax moral climate in western society. Walls shares: “Here is how heaven and hell change the picture. They bring God in! And at once everything looks different. No compromise is necessary. If we are eternal persons whose lives have an eternal context, then self-interest dictates that we follow the laws of heaven. Heaven is the true fulfillment of all human desire. And so without seeing ourselves as heaven's citizens, we cannot order our desires the right way. We will desire lesser goods (the goodness of sexual acts) over higher ones (the goodness of fidelity). In other words, we cannot redefine our wants without challenging the secular definition of who we are.”11 What are death and eternity? Why is this belief important? Understanding who God is and how God wants us to be with God, not just for a little while but forever, gives our lives purpose and direction. This week, your journey will focus on the biblical understanding of death and life. Spend time in your study with the idea that you are learning about your eternal destination and how that may influence the way you live in the here and now. 11 Dr. Jerry Walls, “Can We Be Good Without Hell?”, Christianity Today, June 16, 1997, Vol. 41, No. 7, p. 22. WeekTwoSelfStudy 21 “A record of God’s faithfulness in the past combines with hope in a better future for one end – to equip us for the present.”12 Day One: Eternity In week one, we learned that God is eternal—God always was, always is and always will be. No one made God and no one can unmake God. Read Revelation 22:13* There are three sets of characteristics that Christ uses to describe Himself to the reader. List those three sets below 1. 2. 3. What do these three things tell you about the nature of God? What does all this mean for us? Read Genesis 1:26 What two things set us apart as God’s special creation? What does it mean for you to be made in God’s image and likeness? Created for Eternity Colossians 1:16 says “everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.” (The Message) We humans had a finite beginning—a definite time and place where we were created. We were born into this world. But while we have a beginning, when God created humanity in God’s image and likeness, God created us for eternity. While we may go through the process of dying, it is only a stage we go through. There is an eternal existence after death. 12 Philip Yancey, Reaching For The Invisible God, Harper Collins, p. 80. The Apostle John while in exile on the island of Patmos wrote Revelation. Revelation is a book of hope and warning. It proclaims the victorious return of Jesus Christ to reclaim His followers, and it tells of how we should live in preparation for that return. * 22 WeekTwoSelfStudy Read Ecclesiastes 3:11 What does it mean that God planted eternity in our hearts? Read Matthew 25:31-46 What will Christ do upon His return (v.32)? What things make a person a sheep or a goat? Where will the sheep and the goats go? While these are two different places, they both have a similar quality. What is it? According to Matthew, there is an eternal destination for all people. With that in mind, reflect on what it means that you are an eternal being. WeekTwoSelfStudy 23 Day Two: Hell In 1992, England’s Secretary of Education and Science, John Patten, suggested that the reason crime was rising in the UK was because the fear of hell was declining. Patten stated that the loss of belief in heaven and hell has had a “profound effect on personal morality - especially on criminality.”13 Philosopher Jerry Walls says, “We need God, heaven and yes, even hell, to make sense of morality. Indeed we need to define our very selves in light of these eternal realities. If there is no God, no heaven, no hell, there simply is no persuasive reason to be moral.”14 c How do you react to the above quotes by Patten and Walls? The Bible and Hell What we learn about hell in the New Testament mostly comes from Jesus Himself. Read Mark 9:43* What is hell like according to this passage? Read Matthew 25:30 What is hell like according to this passage? Read Matthew 7:21-23 What is Jesus’ response to those who did not do the will of the Father? All three descriptions of hell have one common characteristic. Read Matthew 25:46. How long are people to experience hell? Hell is described as a place of fire and darkness. Whatever the physical characteristics of hell are, it is definitely a place where God’s presence is absent. Jesus describes hell as an eternal destination; it is not a sentence that one serves, then is released. The choices one makes today have eternal consequences. A commitment to Jesus requires us to admit the existence of a final place of judgment. The price we pay for rejecting the Bible’s teaching about hell is the price of Jesus Christ being wrong, and if Jesus is wrong about hell, what makes us so sure we can trust Him to be right about anything? c How do you feel about a hell as a real and eternal place? 13 Daily Telegraph (London), April 17, 1992. Jerry L. Walls, “Can We Be Good Without Hell?”, Christianity Today, June 16, 1997,Vol. 41, No. 7, p. 22. * Mark is the second of the four Gospels that tells the Good news of Jesus Christ. It is the first written and shortest of the accounts of Jesus. In quick succession, Mark omits the birth of Jesus and moves directly into His public ministry. The other three Gospels all use Mark as a reference. 14 24 WeekTwoSelfStudy Day Three: Heaven c What do you think of when you think of heaven? We learned on day one that we were created for eternity. Humanity has a deep longing for something other than what this world offers. C.S. Lewis put it this way—“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”15 The other world that we desire is what Lewis calls, “my true country”16 - heaven. What is Heaven? When we think of heaven today, many people think of “Precious Moments” heaven—harps, clouds, halos, wings and white robes. The truth is, we don’t know what heaven looks like at all. The Bible uses metaphors and symbolism to describe paradise because its beauty is too much for ordinary words. The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthian church, said, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).* If, as we learned earlier this week, hell is the absence of God’s presence, then heaven is where we are completely engulfed in the presence of God. Read the following verses. Write down what you learn about heaven: Philippians 3:20**— John 14:2-3 2nd Corinthians 5:1-4 1st John 3:2* Revelations 21:27 Revelation 21:3-4 15 C.S.Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 115. * Paul was a Jewish leader who had a real encounter with Jesus while he was at the task of persecuting Christians. After his experience, Paul set about taking the Good News of Jesus to the world. Corinth is one of the cities where Paul mentored a fledgling Christian community in their walk with Christ. ** Philippians is Paul’s joy letter. This church in Macedonia had been a source of great encouragement to Paul in his ministry. Paul’s main themes throughout this letter are of rejoicing and joy. * 1st John was written by the Apostle John, the author of the fourth Gospel and the book of Revelation. It was written to warn Christ-followers about dangerous false teachers and those who would mislead them. WeekTwoGroupSession 25 2 Group Session Ø Beginning - Fellowship Time Ø Prayer - Giving time to God Ø Group Building Activity - helps people make connections with each other. Helps with names, important life moments, current life status, and dreams for the future. v The divided circle - break up into groups of two (with someone you don’t know). Draw a circle on a piece of paper and divide into three parts. Each partner will describe the other person’s pictures to the rest of the group – so listen carefully to your partner. o Part #1 - draw a picture of a childhood memory from when you were ten years old o Part #2 - draw a picture of yourself today o Part #3 - draw a picture of what you would like to be in ten years Review What You’ve Learned What is a disciple? What are the roles of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? God the Father_____ God the Son_____ God the Holy Spirit_____ Eternal Beings This week we have focused on what it means to be eternal beings, eternal punishment (hell) and eternal life (heaven). It is kind of difficult to talk about eternity, since we are creatures bound, for a time anyway, to the clock. c From your homework this week, what have you learned about eternity, hell and heaven? c What ideas about heaven and hell (if any) have you had to modify or abandon after this week’s study? 26 WeekTwoGroupSession The Key to Eternal Life So if we are eternal creatures striving for an eternal existence, how do we get there? The answer is Jesus Christ - God the Son. Sin - the Disease Read Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; and John 3:19 Based on these passages, come up with a definition of sin - Read Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23; and Romans 14:12 Based on these passages, what are the results of sin Jesus—the Antidote Read Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:8-9; and Titus 3:5 Based on these passages, what did Jesus do to save us? Based on these passages, what was our condition before and after Jesus’ death and resurrection? Repentance and Forgiveness—What the Antidote Does Read Isaiah 55:7; 1 John 1:9; John 1:12; and Acts 16:31* Based on these passages, what must we do to receive salvation in Jesus and enter into a personal relationship with Him? Read Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1; and 2 Corinthians 5:17 What does salvation in Jesus mean to us * Acts was written by Luke the physician who also wrote the third Gospel. It was written as a continuation of his previous book. It recounts the beginning of the church that Jesus inspired. It focuses on the works of the apostles Peter and Paul after Jesus’ death and resurrection. WeekTwoGroupSession 27 Bringing it all together—Draw a picture, a diagram or a word picture that describes how these four things are related to each other. C.S. Lewis says this about the after-life: "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened."17 What do you think about Lewis’ description of heaven and hell? Key Things to Remember— We were created for eternal life with God. God has given us the choice to live forever with God as our Lord and Master, or to live our lives for ourselves. 17 C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, McMillan Publishing, 1946, pp. 72-73. 28 WeekThreeSelfStudy 3 Works vs. Grace Salvation: Works v. Grace I believe a person comes into a right relationship with God by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse of the Week: Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it— Brennan Manning is a prolific Christian author who writes often and passionately about grace. In his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Manning writes: “Justification by grace through faith is the theologian’s learned phrase for what Chesterton once called “the furious love of God.” He is not moody or capricious; he knows no seasons of change. He has a single relentless stance toward us: he loves us. He is the only God humanity has ever heard of who loves sinners. False gods - the gods of human manufacturing - despise sinners, but the Father of Jesus loves all, no matter what they do. But of course this is almost too incredible for us to accept. Nevertheless, the central affirmation of the Reformation stands: through no merit of ours, but by his mercy, we have been restored to a right relationship with God through the life, death and resurrection of his beloved Son. This is the Good News, the gospel of grace.”18 This might be a hard week for some. We as Americans take pride in the fact that we are individuals who go our own way and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Grace throws a huge wrench into that way of thinking. Grace says - there is nothing, nothing, nothing you can do to earn your way onto God’s good side. You can’t pay enough, be good enough or succeed enough. Neither can you be bad enough or go far enough away from God that God doesn’t offer you the same thing. Eternal life is a gift that you just don’t deserve. 18 Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Multmonah Books, p. 18. WeekThreeSelfStudy 29 This week, Passages will ask questions such as, what is grace? What does it mean to receive salvation through grace? What part, if any, do our actions (our works) play in our salvation? 13 even though I used to scoff at the name of Christ. I hunted down his people, harming them in every way I could. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14Oh, how kind and gracious the Lord was! He filled me completely with faith and the love of Christ Jesus. - 1 Timothy 1:13-14 Day One: Works God is eternal and perfect (week one). We were created for eternity and God wants us to be with God forever (week two). But how do we get to eternity? What can we do to achieve this eternal existence with God? If God is perfect, then can God be with imperfect people? God, who is holy, or pure, cannot be in the presence of unholy people. Sin is a barrier to being with God in God’s presence. So if there are sinless people, then they could be in God’s presence, right? Read Romans 3:23 According to Paul, who qualifies as a person good enough to be in God’s presence? How about if we try being better people - then would we qualify? If we tried harder to follow God’s commandments? The Bible refers to things that we do which are good, as works—our actions that are intended to help other people or are good and noble activities. Maybe if we tried harder to do good works, we could qualify for eternity? Read Romans 3:10-20 What do you learn about humanity through this passage? What can you do to become holy enough to enter God’s presence? Read Matthew 19:16-22 What does this passage tell you about following all the rules? Read Matthew 7:21-23 What does Jesus say about “religious” people who did good things in the church? 30 WeekThreeSelfStudy Reflect on what you have read - what does that say about good people? Mother Teresa. Gandhi. Martin Luther King Jr. These were good people trying to do good things. If they were trying to earn their holiness by being or doing good, the passages we read say they still wouldn’t cut it. How does that confirm or contradict what you believe about people? About yourself? WeekThreeSelfStudy 31 Day Two: Grace So if we do not deserve eternity because of our sin, and if we cannot work our way into eternity by being a good person, what hope do we have? Read Ephesians 2:8-10 What does Paul say is the only way to be saved? The New Living Translation says, “God saved you by His special favor.” Other translations refer to God’s saving grace. Just what is grace? To be a gracious person is a high compliment, isn’t it? Cynthia Heald says grace, “is a lovely word and a prized attribute, manifesting itself in steadfast kindness and benevolence.”19 Grace means, “pure unrecompensed kindness and favor.”20 To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Read Psalm 103:1-14 Summarize David’s characterizations of God’s graciousness to himself and others. Read Isaiah 30:8-19 Describe God’s response to Judah’s rebellion. God longs to give us eternal life. There is nothing we can do to earn it—it is an undeserved gift that can never be repaid. But, God is still a perfect and holy God who cannot be with the imperfect and unholy. If God wants us to be with God, but we cannot be with God without losing the stain of our sin, what needs to happen? 19 20 Cynthia Heald, Becoming a Woman of Grace, Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1998, p. vii. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Grace, Zondervan Publishing, p. 4. 32 WeekThreeSelfStudy Jesus - The Sacrifice for Our Sins In the Old Testament, God promised God’s love and presence to God’s chosen people, the people of Israel. In order for them to be clean enough to be in God’s presence, God gave them a set of laws to follow. If they could not follow the laws, if they became “unclean” because of their sin, then they needed to offer a sacrifice to God in their place. The sacrifice was a young lamb without any blemishes or flaws. In order to wipe away our sins permanently, God the Father, sent God the Son to earth in order to be a perfect human sacrifice in our place. We believe that Jesus was completely human and completely God at the same time. That meant that He lived a perfect, sinless life. Because the world feared Jesus’ power, they killed Him by hanging Him on a cross. At that moment, all the sins of the world were on His shoulders. The perfect Lamb took our place on the sacrificial altar, so that we could have eternal life with God. Read John 3:16 What is the free gift offered to us? Read Hebrews 9:11-22 What has the death of Jesus accomplished? How are we made holy so that we can be in the presence of God? Jesus was killed on a Friday afternoon. On Sunday morning, He arose from the dead! God demonstrated God’s power over death by raising Jesus back to life! Now we have opportunity to live with God forever because of the sacrifice Jesus made and His victory over death. Read the following by Chuck Swindoll “In order for anyone to stand securely and be at peace before a holy and just God, that person must be righteous. Hence, our need for justification: the sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous the believing sinner while still in his sinning state…. To be justified does not mean “just as if I’d never sinned.”…. That weakens the full impact. Justification really means this—even though I still sin periodically and have found myself unable to stop sinning on a permanent basis, God declared me righteous when I believed. And because I will continue to sin from time to time, I find all the more reason to be grateful for grace. As a sinner I deserve vengeance. As a sinner I’m afraid of justice. And so, as a sinner, my only hope for survival is grace. In its purest form, it makes no earthly sense!”21 Reflect on Swindoll’s words What do you think about Jesus’ sacrifice for you? 21 Chuck Swindoll, The Grace Awakening, Word Publishing, 1990, p. 42. WeekThreeSelfStudy 33 Why does grace make no earthly sense? Day Three: Grace Author Philip Yancey says this about grace “Grace makes its appearance in so many forms that I have trouble defining it. I am ready, though, to attempt something like a definition of grace in relation to God. Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more - no amount of spiritual calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries and divinity schools, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less - no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love.”22 We’ve talked about trying to be good enough to earn God’s favor, but what about the opposite? Is there anything so bad that God wouldn’t want us? Reflect on Yancey’s definition of grace How does that fit with your understanding of justice? In the first week of homework, we read from Psalm 139. David talked about not being able to hide from God - by going so high or so low, in light places or in extreme darkness. Since all have sinned and all have transgressed God’s perfect holiness, then no sinner is worse or better than another. God’s grace is sufficient to cover it all. Read Luke 7:36-50 Compare the woman and the Pharisee. What assumptions did the Pharisee make about the woman? What does Jesus tell the woman who was a sinner? Read Luke 23:33-43 What does Jesus tell the criminal on the cross next to Him? 22 Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, Harper Collins, 1997, p. 62. 34 WeekThreeSelfStudy Reflect on what you have read. What does one have to do to receive God’s forgiveness and free gift of life? If you have not yet accepted God’s forgiveness and free gift of life, what is stopping you? God wants nothing more than to be with you. God longs for you to accept God’s gift of love and forgiveness; all you have to do is ask for it. If you have not yet accepted this gift, and you would like to, spend some time talking with God. You might say something like this— “God, I know that I cannot be good enough to earn your love, and I cannot be so bad that you would love me less. I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness and love to heal me. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and cleanse me. Make me a new creation and bring me into a right relationship with You. Thank you, Lord, that you loved me so much that you paid the price for my sin. Forgive me. Bring me into Your presence. Amen.” Read 2nd Corinthians 5:17 What does Paul say about those who have become Christians? What has happened? Whether you have accepted Jesus into your life for the first time, you have recommitted yourself to Him, or you are a life-long Christ-follower, you are a new creation. The old sinful self has passed away. You have been made new! c What does it mean for you to be a new creation? c What does it mean for you that the old is gone? “God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been solved, not because all human pain and suffering have come to an end, nor because thousands of people have been converted and are now praising him for his goodness. No, God rejoices because one of his children who was lost has been found.”23 “We have all of us been told that grace is to be found in the universe. But in our human foolishness and shortsightedness we imagine divine grace to be finite….But the moment comes when our eyes are opened, and we see and realize that grace is infinite. Grace, my friends, demands nothing from us but that we shall await it with confidence and acknowledge it in gratitude.”24 23 24 Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Doubleday Publishing, 1994, p. 14. Isak Dinesen, Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard, Random House, 1993. WeekThreeGroupSession 35 3 Group Session Ø Beginning - Fellowship Time Ø Prayer - Giving time to God Ø Group Building Activity - helps people make connections with each other. Helps with names, important life moments, current life status, and dreams for the future. v My favorite childhood memory is________________________________ Review What You’ve Learned What is a disciple? (pg. 6) What were we created for? (pg. 24) Grace This week we have focused on grace. Grace means, “unmerited favor.” It is something we do not deserve and can never earn, but God gives it freely to us. c From your homework this week, what have you learned about grace? What preconceived notions about grace and works came into question due to what you learned this week? What changes have you had to make in your understanding? So if we are eternal creatures striving for an eternal existence, how do we get there? The answer is Jesus Christ—God the Son. Grace and Works What role do our works play then? Why, if grace is all we need, do we have to do anything good? It is all about the attitude and motivation behind what we do. Read the following vignette— A man in his mid-forties suddenly collapses with chest pains. His heart feels like it will explode in his chest. He is rushed to the hospital where the surgeons decide that immediate surgery is needed to save his heart and his life. He is prepped for surgery and as he drifts into unconsciousness, he is placed on a respirator. 36 WeekThreeGroupSession The respirator is designed to breathe for him while he rests. It is a machine that allows his body to recover while he sleeps. When he awakes from the coma, he has two options. He can fight against the respirator and try to breathe on his own, which will cause him trouble and extreme pain, or he can change his way of thinking and continue to rest until the doctors think he has recovered enough to breathe on his own. Read Matthew 11:28-30 What does Jesus tell us to do with our burdens? How is the load Jesus gives us compared to the load we carry ourselves? With this verse in mind, compare Jesus to the respirator in the above vignette. Jesus is like a Holy Respirator - He wants to live through us, if we are willing to change our thinking and allow Him to do the work. Read Ephesians 2:1-10 What words does Paul use to describe the human condition? Beginning at verse 4, what happens that is so incredible? According to this passage, what role have we played in our own salvation, and what claims do we have on achieving that salvation? What has God done to take away our ability to claim responsibility for our own salvation? What role do works play in the life of the person who has been saved? How do these passages speak to your worth and importance to God? It is through God’s undeserved and unmerited favor that we are saved. It has nothing to do with what we can do. When Jesus saved us, we were given a new life—a life that was created by Jesus Christ to serve Jesus Christ. Read Romans 8:9-11 and Matthew 25:35-40 How do you know if you belong to Christ? What happens when we serve? Who are we taking care of? When we are believers in Jesus because of the free gift of Grace, something incredible happens— v Jesus lives in us. We cease to live and it is Christ living in us that makes us who we are. v When we allow Jesus to live in us, when we serve others, we are really serving Him! Our motivation for serving others, for doing good works, is not to earn points with God, but it is to allow Jesus to live in us and work through us. Then we are given the unique opportunity to actually serve Him by serving others! WeekThreeGroupSession 37 Key Things to Remember— Grace is a free, unmerited and undeserved gift from God. Serving others comes out of a desire to allow God total control of our lives and the privilege of serving God by serving others. Ø People and Things to Pray About This Week 38 WeekFourSelfStudy 4 Prayer, Worship, Study Pray specifically for God to bring a renewed understanding of grace in your life. Pray that God would change your way of thinking about serving others from one of earning God’s favor, to one of allowing God to work through you. Prayer I connect with God and seek God’s will for my life by talking with and listening to God daily. Individually and with others, I pray with words, silence, and actions. Verse 1 of the Week: Psalm 66:19-20 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer and did not withdraw his unfailing love from me. Worship Both corporately and individually, I praise God by remembering how God has rescued, redeemed, and restored me. I respond to Him through singing, praying, giving, hearing God’s Word, and living out God’s call in my life. Verse 2 of the Week: Psalm 95:1-3 Come let us sing to the LORD! Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation! Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing Him psalms of praise. For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods. Bible Study I believe I am significant because of my position as a child of God. I read the Bible to know God, the Truth, and to find His direction for my daily life. Verses 3 & 4 of the Week: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Hebrews 4:12 WeekFourSelfStudy 39 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. This week signals a shift in Passages from our basic beliefs to basic practices. You may find that this portion of the study is more practical and experiential. Try to give yourself room to experiment and experience in ways you might not have considered in the past. This week, strive to become naïve. Lose every preconceived notion of prayer, worship, and study. Allow God to write on your heart what God wants you to know. It won’t be a how-to list, but an intimate conversation on prayer, worship, and study and why these practices are important to your relationship with God. True, whole prayer is nothing but love.25 To worship is to experience Reality, to touch Life. It is to know, to feel, to experience the resurrected Christ in the midst of the gathered community. It is a breaking into the shekinah of God, or better yet, being invaded by the shekinah* of God.26 Such reading of the Bible applied with an honest heart transforms the nature, enables the prostitute to love holiness and become an angel of mercy, and raises the beggar and the drunkard to set them among the princes of the earth.27 25 St. Augustine. Shekinah means the glory or the radiance of God dwelling in the midst of God’s people. It denotes the immediate presence of God as opposed to a God who is abstract or aloof. 26 Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Revised Edition, Harper Collins Publishing, 1988, p. 158. 27 Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly quoted in E. Stanley Jones, Conversion, Abingdon Press, 1959. * 40 WeekFourSelfStudy Day One: Prayer We have been talking about what it means to be a Christian. We are loved and pursued by a God Who wants nothing more than to be in relationship with us, God’s creation. God doesn’t want it to be just any relationship, but a deep and intimate relationship. That intimacy and depth come through prayer. “Prayer,” says Richard Foster, “catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life. Of all the spiritual disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.”28 Greg Ogden says prayer is, “Transparent dialogue. It is a conversation with God in which we address Him and in quiet, are addressed by Him.”29 c What are your greatest difficulties in praying? c Have you ever sensed an inner yes for a particular concern or request? Maybe a presence of some kind? If so, what effect did it have on your prayer and praying? c How have you experienced any disappointment with God that causes tension in the way you pray or hinders you from trusting God to answer your prayers? Read Jeremiah 29:12-13* What does God promise to do when we pray? What will happen if we search for God? Read Matthew 6:1-13 The Lord’s Prayer is set in Matthew 6, where Jesus contrasts true and false ways of showing devotion to God. How is the Lord’s Prayer an expression of true love for God? Why does Jesus start with honoring the name of the Father? 28 Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, Harper Collins Publishing, 1992, p. 33. Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ, Intervarsity Press, 1998, p. 46. * Jeremiah was a prophet of God sent to warn God’s people about their wickedness. It was written twenty years prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. 29 WeekFourSelfStudy 41 In verse 9, Jesus says, “pray like this” implying that this is a model of prayer. If you were to outline the different stages of the Lord’s Prayer, in your own words, what would it look like? Prayer is about developing your relationship with God. It is intimate communication. Prayer is transparent dialogue with God. It is how we cultivate and grow our relationship with God. We pray not only to share our hearts with God, but also to know God’s heart. So what should we talk about with God? How do we begin talking with the Creator of the Universe? In any conversation, there are topics of discussion. There are four types of prayer that are summarized in the acronym A.C.T.S. - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Adoration “Adoration is the spontaneous yearning of the heart to worship, honor, magnify and bless God…. in adoration we enter the rarefied air of selfless devotion. We ask for nothing but to cherish Him. We seek nothing but His exaltation. We focus on nothing but His goodness. In the prayer of adoration we love God for Himself, for His very being, for His radiant joy.”30 Adoration is praise - giving glory to God for who God is in Himself. This is different from thanksgiving where we give glory to God for what God has done for us. Read Hebrews 13:15 and Revelation 5:11 How can we continually offer a sacrifice of praise? What does it mean to proclaim the glory of God’s name? Adoration must be learned. Richard Foster suggests that we begin with the simple, small things—listening to the wind through the trees or the laughter of children playing at the park. Observe the flowers in an arrangement or the movement of the river’s current. Be an observer instead of an analyzer—use all your senses. Foster says that through this experience, we move from awe and inspiration from the thing observed to awe and inspiration for the One who created. c What sights, sounds and smells can bring you into an experience of adoration for God? Confession Greg Ogden writes, “When we fill our hearts with the glory of God and pray as Jesus taught us, ‘Hallowed be your name,’ the natural movement of our hearts is to see the darkness of our lives in light of His radiance.”31 In Greek, the word confess (homologein) means to “acknowledge sin and guilt in the light of God’s revelation.”32 To confess our sins is to see ourselves as God sees us. “By making 30 Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, Harper Collins, 1992, p. 81. Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ, Intervarsity Press, 1998, p. 50. 32 The New Bible Dictionary, Intervarsity Press, 1996, p. 225. 31 42 WeekFourSelfStudy confession a regular part of our conversation with the Lord, we are giving Him permission to show us our lives through His eyes.”33 c What comes to mind when you think of confession? Read Psalm 51:1-4 What is the progression of David’s confession before the Lord? Using David’s prayer as an example, write your own prayer of confession to the Lord. You may want to write it on a separate sheet of paper or in a journal to keep it private. Then read Psalm 103:12 and receive God’s forgiveness! Thanksgiving Thanksgiving naturally follows confession. It is where we give thanks and praise to God for what God has done in our lives. Read Jeremiah 20:13 What is Jeremiah giving thanks to God for? Think back on your week. What are five things that you can give thanks to God for? Write them in the space below. Supplication Supplication means to, “ask with intensity, earnestness and perseverance, to ask and keep on asking.”34 Why does God answer prayers? Because, like any good parent, God delights in giving to God’s children. God has always wanted to provide for us out of God’s love for us. There are two parts to supplication—petition and intercession. Prayers of petition are prayers on behalf of ourselves. Prayers of intercession are prayers we ask on behalf of others. In relationship with God, we invite God to act, out of a dependence on God. Read Matthew 7:7-11. The Greek words for asking, seeking and knocking imply a continuous process. It is not just a one-time thing, but an ongoing action. It also implies that if we ask, seek and knock, then God will act. God wants and longs for us to ask God so that God can act. “The encouragement to bring human needs to God in prayer is not to inform or to persuade, but is an expression of the disciples’ relation to God as dependent children who ultimately are not in control of their own lives.”35 With this in mind, rewrite Matthew 7:7-8 in your own words. 33 Ogden, p. 50. Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials, Intervarsity Press, 1998, p. 51. 35 The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary Volume VIII: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Abingdon Press, 1995, p. 213. 34 WeekFourSelfStudy 43 In Palestine, the traditional wafer of bread looks very much like small round stones, and the eellike fish that was common for food, looked very much like a snake. Jesus is saying that if we who are sinful would not play such a cruel joke on our own children, then how much more will our heavenly Father take care of our needs? Reread Matthew 7:7-11 How do you feel about your worth to God after reading these verses? What have you learned about how much God wants us to ask, seek and knock so that God can meet our needs? Read Exodus 17:8-13* What did Moses have to do in order for the people of Israel to defeat the Amalekites? What does this passage imply about the importance of intercession? About the importance of corporate (more than one person) intercession? About the ability of humanity to engage in activity without intercession? Prayer Exercises—Choose one of the following ideas to enhance your prayer life. 1. Begin your time of intercession by writing down the name of the person you are praying for. As you enter into intercessory prayer for that person, use your imagination to picture how that person or situation should be. Write down what you see and keep that picture in your mind’s eye as you pray continuously for them today. 2. Brother Lawrence was a French Carmelite monk in the 1600’s. During his years as the cook and cobbler of the monastery, Brother Lawrence tried to live every moment in the presence of God. In his everyday menial tasks, Brother Lawrence entered into the presence of God by keeping certain thoughts at the forefront of his mind. “Sometimes I think of myself as a stone before a carver about to make a statue…. My God, here I am, totally devoted to You. Lord, shape me after the pattern of Yourself.”36 Begin your day by imagining yourself as the stone before the carver. Write Brother Lawrence’s prayer on a 3x5 card and carry it with you all day. Remember to pray this prayer before you begin any task no matter how large or small. * Exodus takes its name from one of the greatest miracles God performed out of love and devotion to God’s people—when He led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. It contains the story of Moses and how he heard and responded to the call of God. 36 Ibid. pp. 55, 65 44 WeekFourSelfStudy WeekFourSelfStudy 45 Day Two: Worship For our discussion on worship, two things are important to note from our previous studies - God is a Holy God and God saved us through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus so that we could also be holy as we come before God. As a people saved from death to eternal life, all we have to offer is our worship. What is worship? The word worship comes from the Old English roots weorth, meaning, “honor” and “worthiness,” and scipe, signifying “to create.”37 We don’t create God’s worthiness - He is already worthy because of who He is. What we do in worship is find ways that honor God and speak of His worthiness. William Temple writes that worship “is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”38 c Pick two of the statements in Temple’s definition of worship. Using your own words, describe what they mean to you. c Based on these two definitions of worship, come up with your own definition and write it in the space below. Worship is— God took the initiative through Jesus to make us holy. It is through God’s actions that we can even begin to enter into true worship. “Until God touches and frees our spirit we cannot enter this realm.”39 What has been your experience of worship in the past? How have you thought of worship and the role you play? Knowing that worship comes from God “touching and freeing” us, and that it is all about what He has done for us, how have your ideas of worship been challenged? Read 2 Samuel 6:12-23*. The Ark of the Covenant was the sacred, moveable throne of God, built by Moses as the people of Israel made their Exodus from slavery in Egypt to their new life as the People of God. It contained very sacred objects such as the stone tablets that carried the 37 Marva J. Dawn, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for the Turn-of-the-Century Culture, Eerdmans, 1995, p. 76. 38 Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 158. 39 Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 158. * 1 and 2 Samuel were written by the last of the Judges, Samuel. The Judges were Israel’s heroes, good and bad, who ruled during the period between Joshua and the kings of Israel. In his second book, Samuel recounts the fortyyear reign of David. 46 WeekFourSelfStudy words of the Ten Commandments.** It had been captured by enemies and, for the first time, was being brought back to Jerusalem. What does David do to worship as the Ark is brought into the city? Describe the scene as they brought the Ark into the city. What was visually and audibly going on? David was overwhelmed with worship. He was completely “lost” in worship. Worship leader and songwriter, Matt Redmon says about David, “He wasn’t just one of the crowd at this event, he was the king. Here was a man of great stature, with a public image to protect, a man trusted with more power, authority and wealth than we could ever imagine. Yet he led the way, ‘losing’ himself so publicly in his worship of God and so on fire with praise that it burned right through any inhibitions or pride. True worship always forgets itself.”40 How should we worship? Is there a right way or a wrong way to worship? This is the subject that has caused strife and disruption within the church since the beginning. The mode of worship is not as important as the attitude and intention behind the worship. What is important in worship is what and how we give to God as well as receive from Him. Jack Hayford outlines four things that worship must do.41 1. True worship treasures God’s Presence. Read Exodus 33:7-15. When we come to God with a willing and open heart, God welcomes us into His presence. How would you describe the relationship between Moses and God? What is the promise God makes to Moses and the People of Israel? God wants us to yearn for Him. In our study, Group Session One: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (pg. 17), we talked of prevenient grace—God wooing Himself to us. When we enter worship with a hunger and thirst for the Living God, He honors our longings with His presence. 2. True worship humbles the heart. In our study of prayer, we talked about how adoration leads to confession. The same is true of worship: worship leads to confession. Read Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah’s confession, “was not an achievement of intellectual analysis, but of self** Moses was the author of the first five books of the Old Testament (The Pentateuch). These books contain the story of the Hebrew people as they moved from slavery to freedom. The Ark of the Covenant is explained in Exodus 25:10-22 and 37:1-9. 40 Matt Redmon, The Unquenchable Worship: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, Regal Books, 2001, p. 42. 41 Jack Hayford, “How God Evaluates Worship—Putting Good Theology into Congregational Practice Involves More than Just the Mind”, Leadership Journal, Spring 1999, Volume 20, Number 2, p. 29. WeekFourSelfStudy 47 discovery made upon entering God’s presence…. It was a breakthrough of grace that produced a break up of pride.”42 True worship involves a loss of self - there is no room for pride. Read Psalm 51:17 What is it that God wants? What specifically do you need to give to God before you can truly worship Him? 3. True worship sacrifices and then expects something from God. Read Hebrews 11:6 What must we sincerely do for God to reward us? Hayford says, “worship always brings a sacrifice to God, that ‘he that comes,’ whether with praise, an offering, or by ‘laying down’ something instructed by the Holy Spirit, is presenting something of himself to God. Simultaneously, we are told that the worshiper is to believe something will be given in return by God Himself—something rewarding, benevolent and good.”43 Read Malachi 3:10 What must we do for God to reward us? How much does God want to bless us in return? Knowing that God wants to bless us more than we can imagine, what gets in the way of you giving your all to Him? 4. True worship extends God’s love. Read Matthew 22:37-39. What is the greatest commandment? What is the second commandment? At the same time we are instructed to reach up with our worship to God, we are also instructed to reach out to others as a natural outpouring of our love for God. True worship spurs us to love others as well. In extending God’s love to others, we are sharing Him with the rest of humanity. 42 43 Hayford, p. 29. Hayford, p. 29. 48 WeekFourSelfStudy Practicing Worship As with prayer, worship is not something that is just for “Sunday morning” or for “church” but it is an on-going attitude that we cultivate on a daily basis. Find a quiet place to sit and reflect on the four things that worship does. True worship treasures God’s Presence. What are some ways you can cultivate a desire to be in God’s presence? True worship humbles the heart. What are things you need to give to God or confess in your own life so that you can have a humble heart before God? True worship sacrifices and then expects something from God. What can you give to God as an act of worship? True worship extends God’s love. To whom can you show God’s love, as a result of your worship of Him? Day Three: Study What kind of images or experiences does the word “study” conjure up for you? “Cramming” for a test. “All-nighters” before finals. “Burning the midnight oil” trying to finish that big paper. These may be your memories of studying. Maybe high school, college or graduate school left a bad taste in your mouth for studying. But study is so much more than getting a good grade on a paper or test. Study takes us below the surface. It drives us deeper so that we can transcend the narrow and superficial and see more deeply into reality. It is what we pursue to improve our lives in our relationships and our work. How has study helped you go deeper and see more clearly in a specific area of your life? Study also helps transform old habits. Studying helps change patterns of thinking and living—it makes us aware of what is not working and opens our eyes to how we should live better. Read Romans 12:2 What does Paul tell us not to do? How are we to be “transformed?” WeekFourSelfStudy 49 You’ve heard the expression, “garbage in, garbage out”—what we focus on and digest mentally will influence what comes out in what we say and do. Paul warns us that by focusing on what the world has to offer, we will become disciples of it instead of disciples of Jesus. Read Philippians 4:8 What are we to fix our thoughts upon? What are we to think about? Read Psalm 119:1-16 Who is characterized as a “blessed” or “happy” person? How can a young person stay pure? How do you respond to this passage from the Psalms? The Psalmist makes it clear—studying, meditating and remembering the Word of God is the only way to stay pure and be happy. By being in the Word, our behavior is influenced and our actions reflect what we’ve been thinking. “But it is so old. How is any of this relevant for me today?” While the Bible is definitely set in a different place, point in time, and culture, it is still relevant for where we are today. The Truth transcends the time—the biblical characters of the Old and New Testament resonate with us because the underlying stories of their lives—sin, suffering, disappointment, fear, joy, hope, goodness, love—are the underlying stories of our lives as well. While the settings and ways of life have changes, how God acts in the world and relates to His people has not. How do you study the Bible? Here is an overview of study -- Background, Reading, Observation, Application and Memorization (BROAM). You might use these pages as a resource to turn to when you are ready to study a portion of scripture. Before You Begin It is important to prepare yourself with prayer and silence before beginning to study the Word of God so that you are receptive to the Truth that is interwoven throughout the words of the Bible. Choose a passage of Scripture to study. Choose one that is meaningful to you personally or one that you want to learn more about. If you aren’t sure where to start, perhaps choose one of the teachings of Jesus from the book of John. Background Who wrote the passage, book or letter you are reading? To whom was it written? What were the circumstances surrounding its writing? Was it written for a specific purpose? A good place to begin asking these questions is by reading the introduction page in a study Bible. 50 WeekFourSelfStudy Read It is important to come to the Scripture with an open mind—try to leave all your preconceived ideas of what the text says. Try and come to the Scripture with a clean slate and allow the Word to inscribe itself on your brain. Begin with an overview . Skim over the material several times. Try and find the main themes of the passage. Observation In observation, we are asking the question, “What does the text say? Look for divisions in the passage. Try to establish an overall picture of what the scripture passage is saying or addressing. Ask Six Investigative Questions. Any good reporter asks six specific questions in preparing a story –Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Ø Who are the main characters in the passage and how are they described? Note any supernatural, human or non-human characters mentioned. Ø What is happening? Note verbs, commands, promises, conditions stated or implied, local customs, flow of conversation. Ø Where do the events occur? Note geographical locations, distances, sacred places, same location in other passages of Scripture. Ø When do the events occur? How long does each event take? Note rulers, ages of characters, lapse of time, genealogies, culture differences, and seasons. Ø Why do the events occur? Are there any reasons given for why things happen? Are there other passages in Scripture where the same thing happens? Special holidays or events? Seasonal activities? Ø How do the events occur? Is a ritual explained? A pattern of behavior? An order to things? Summarize What You Have Learned. Write down the main thrust of the passage. Note any unanswered questions or unsolved problems. Make a note of questions that require different resources such as a commentary or Bible dictionary. This helps you bring together the breadth of what you have learned and help focus your discoveries from the passage. Application Once careful observations have been made, the next step is to meditate prayerfully on the text and make specific, personal applications. These applications can relate to any part of your life— home, family, work, church, friends, money and so on. WeekFourSelfStudy 51 Begin by digging deep into your observations. Ø Definitions—What do key words, phrases and sentences mean? What might their modern equivalents be? List any surprising terms used, as well as figures of speech—similes, metaphors, puns, plays on words, hyperbole. Ø Relationships—look at phrases, words, ideas and characters—are there similar connections between these things? Do these things begin or close a part of the passage? Why do you think they might be in the passage? Ø Implications—what is the full significance of a particular phrase, idea or word? Make sure not to spiritualize or allegorize phrases, but try and look at them on their face value. Ø Ask application questions—Is there a promise to claim? Is there a command to obey? Is there a sin to confess? Is there an example to follow? Is there a behavior to change? Is there an encouragement to receive? Is there an insight to gain? Is there an issue to pray about? Is there a reason to worship God? Memorization Memorization produces the most far-reaching and long-lasting effects of Bible study. It is through memorization that we have available at our disposal, the promises, stories, and Truth that we gleaned from the application process. As our minds are filled with these positive and enriching thoughts, these verses become helpful when facing difficult situations, temptation, fear or choices that you need to make. c How might memorizing a portion of your study help you in times of need? 52 WeekFourSelfStudy Another Way There is another way to study Scripture. The ancients called it “Lectio Divina” or “Divine Reading”. It is - according to Dr. Douglas Hardy of Nazarene Theological Seminary - a way of reading the Bible that moves the reader of Scripture, “to a deep level of engagement with the text and with the spirit that enlivens the text.”44 Lectio Divini is, “a time-honored tradition of listening for God through His Word.”45 Take the same passage of Scripture that you studied above and experience it through the following lens Ø Silence - Dr. Douglas Hardy says that silence, “affirms that the primary posture of the believer when approaching the Bible and/or prayer is one of open, receptive listening.”46 Before you open your Bible, take a moment to quiet your mind and your heart. Invite God to speak to you through God’s Word. Ø Read the passage - Read without any preconceived notions of what you may have read or heard about the passage in the past. Read with a fresh set of eyes. You might consider reading the text out loud. Ø Meditate - Imagine yourself in the scene. Smell the smells, see the sights, and hear the people. You might connect with a word or a person in the narrative. Think about the meaning of that word or that person to you. Where do you connect with it? What does it mean to you in you? Ø Pray - Ask God to open your heart to what God has to teach you in this passage. Invite God to address your will and—instead of you dissecting the Scripture—give God permission to dissect whatever God needs to in your heart and soul. Ø Contemplate - Allow God’s Word to convict, lead you to repentance, and heal. Dr. Timothy Green says contemplation is a time of “yielding oneself to God’s will.”47 Ø Compassion - This is where we act on what God has shown us through God’s Word. “This is the ultimate test of our engagement with the Bible as God’s Word: do we live it in ways that are visible to those around us, especially those with whom we live and work. Whatever insight, feeling, or commitment emerges from our time with Scripture is to be shared as grace for others.48 Reading Scripture devotionally leads us to action. Where has the Spirit shown you where to take what you have learned and live it in your life? Take a moment and compare the two study experiences. What did you learn? Where did you hear from God? Where can you make room in your life for both these types of study? 44 Dr. Douglas S. Hardy, Lectio Divina: A Practice for Reconnecting to God’s Word, Preacher’s Magazine: A Preaching Resource in the Wesleyan Tradition, 83:1 (Lent/Easter 2009). Pg. 38-41 45 Dr. Timothy M. Green, Listening for God Through Philippians: Lectio Divina Bible Studies, Wesleyan Publishing House, 2005. Pg. 3 46 Hardy, Lectio Divina. Pg. 38 47 Green, Listening for God Through Philippians. Pg. 4 48 Harvey, Lectio Divina. Pg.40 WeekFourGroupSession 53 4 Group Session Ø Beginning - Fellowship Time Ø Prayer - Giving time to God Ø Group Activity v While growing up I saw God as________ v One thing I have learned about myself in the past year is________ Review What You’ve Learned What is our role in our salvation? Prayer, Worship and Study From your homework, what have you learned about prayer, worship and study? Richard Foster says, “We need not be overly concerned with the question of a correct form for worship. The issue of high liturgy or low liturgy, this form or that form is peripheral rather than central. We are encouraged in this perception when we realize that nowhere does the New Testament prescribe a particular form for worship…. We are free in Christ to use whatever forms will enhance our worship, and if any form hinders us from experiencing the living Christ---too bad for the form.”49 Reflect on what Foster says Does that shed light on the importance of one worship style over another worship style? Explain your thinking. What about these practices were reaffirmed, you had to relearn, or needed thrown out completely? 49 Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, Harper Collins, 1988, p. 159. 54 WeekFourGroupSession c Which prayer or worship exercises did you do? Did you apply any study techniques (BROAM) to a particular passage of scripture? Explain your experience with any of these three exercises. Finding Time to Pray, Worship and Study the Word “I am so busy; I don’t have time to breathe!” We are so stretched with commitments to family, work, school, and even things at church that our spiritual lives suffer. Gordon MacDonald, author of Ordering Your Private World, says that we can sustain life without having a structured and ordered inner world, but someday it will all come crashing down on us. “[Our inner world] never screams out immediately when ignored. I could neglect my spiritual disciplines, and God did not seem to shout loudly about it. I could make it just fine for a while…. These things could be ignored for a while without adverse consequences. And that is why they were so often crowded out when I did not budget for them in advance. Other less important issues had a way of wedging them aside week after week. Tragically, if they are neglected too long, when family, rest, and spiritual disciplines are finally noticed it is often too late for adverse consequences to be avoided.”50 Read Psalm 1:1-6 What are characteristics of a well-planted tree? Why is location so important? What do we have to do to be like the well-planted tree? “A key ingredient in authentic Christianity (a healthy inner-world; a well-planted life) is time. Not leftover time, not throwaway time, but quality time; unhurried, uninterrupted time.”51 Bill Hybels compares our lives to motor engines—they are designed to run at a certain RPM (Rotations Per Minute). If we rev the engine consistently at higher RPM than it was designed for, we will eventually blow up. What we have to do is learn to reduce the RPM to a manageable level. c How does Hybels’ analogy compare to your life? Reducing RPM Journal writing—a journal is a place to write down your experiences, observations, and reflections. It is, “looking behind the events of the day for their hidden meanings; recording ideas as they come to you.”52 Gordon MacDonald suggests writing in a spiral bound notebook every day. Begin by limiting yourself to one page a day. Write whatever you want in your journal—thoughts, reflections, appointments, people you encountered, etc. The purpose of journal writing is to give us opportunity to examine our lives—where we have come from and where we are going. Also, “the very act of journaling—sitting down, reaching for the notebook, focusing our thoughts on our life, writing for five or ten minutes—will reduce our RPMs.”53 50 Gordon MacDonald, Ordering Your Private World, Thomas Nelson Publisher, 1986, p. 84. Bill Hybels, Too Busy Not to Pray, p. 100. 52 Ibid. p. 102. 53 Ibid. p. 103. 51 WeekFourGroupSession 55 Set Goals—A key way to reduce the RPM is to set concise attainable goals in your quiet time. Commit to ten minutes a day in study—complete the first steps in your study exercise—prayer, background and read. In a journal, commit to writing down half a page worth of overview or observations. Continue your journaling throughout the week until you complete all the steps of study. Do not bite off more than you can chew, but set a goal of two weeks at ten minutes; then up your time by five. Key Things to Remember— Prayer is a cultivation of a relationship through conversation with God. It involves talking and listening. It can involve adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Worship is offering ourselves as a holy and pleasing sacrifice to God. Study of the Word of God conforms our inner-world to God’s will and transforms our outer-world to reflect God’s Image. 56 WeekFiveSelfStudy 5 Biblical Community Biblical Community I celebrate my life in Christ by living in intentional community with other Christ-followers and by inviting others to join us. Verse of the Week: Acts 2:44-47 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved. The Church Jesus inspired was a group of people who lived life together. Through good and bad, they shared their lives with each other - their financial resources, their food, their joys and their sorrows. They lived as the Body of Christ - together living in unity waiting expectantly for the return of Jesus. What does community mean? Maybe you have images of cults like Jonestown or Waco. Or maybe cloistered communities, like nuns or monks. Maybe community has more of a civic sound to it—like belonging to the Rotary, Kiwanis or Neighborhood Watch. Or maybe community is just your house on your street in your town. Is that all there is to community, or is there more? This week we will look at what Biblical community is and how we are to live as that community in our 21st century world. We will talk about bearing one another’s burdens, hospitality, sharing meals and working together in service. We will learn how we can live in Biblical community within our local church body and the larger global church. WeekFiveSelfStudy 57 Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. He will only do harm to himself and to the community. Alone you stood before God when He called you; alone you had to answer that call; alone you had to struggle and pray; and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot escape from yourself; for God has singled you out. If you refuse to be alone you are rejecting Christ’s call to you and you can have no part in the community of those who are called…. But the reverse is also true: let him who is not in community beware of being alone. Into the community you were called, the call was not meant for you alone; in the community of the called you bear your cross, you struggle, you pray. You are not alone, even in death, and on the Last Day you will be only one member of the great congregation of Jesus Christ. If you scorn the fellowship of the brethren, you reject the call of Jesus Christ, and thus your solitude can only be hurtful to you….54 54 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, Harper & Row, 1954, pp. 77-78. 58 WeekFiveSelfStudy Day One: Community In our first week of Passages, we talked about the relationality of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They interact with each other in perfect harmony, like dancers on the ice (pg.16). God also wants to share that relationship with us—that is why God has gone through so much to woo us to Himself. Read Romans 8:14-19 What is our position if we are in relationship with Christ? What is the difference between children and slaves? If we are in relationship with God, we are children of God. That makes us brothers and sisters! What are some characteristics of a healthy family? What do they do for each other? A healthy family knows their individual roles, they take care of each other, they teach each other, and they encourage each other. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to be the same for each other. What is a time in your life when you experienced life in a healthy family setting? It may or may not have been with your biological family. How did your “family” support and care for you, or how did you support and care for your “family?” Read Acts 2:41-47 To what did these new Christians devote themselves? What did their actions reveal about these new believers? Why did the believers have everything in common? Why did these Christians sell their possessions for the sake of those in need? What conclusion can we draw from their practice of meeting together? WeekFiveSelfStudy 59 How did the Lord bless their efforts? The early church was a community dedicated to living out their relationship with God. They studied together, they worshipped together, they ate together and they took care of each other’s basic needs. They serve as a model for how we are to live with each other. Our whole faith is based on relationship—God with humanity, humanity with God, and humanity with humanity. We reflect our relationship with God in the way we relate to others. c How are ways your relationship with a close friend resembles your relationship with God? 60 WeekFiveSelfStudy Day Two: The Body Read Romans 12:3-5 As Christian believers, what is our proper attitude toward ourselves? What does Paul use to illustrate Christian unity? Why is that a good comparison? When have you been most grateful for the fellowship of other Christians? At what point(s) of your life do you feel you have contributed most to the Christian community? Read Romans 12:5 again. There is a sense of mutual dependence—no one part is above any other and there is no one part that is separate from the others. Each part is needed and each part belongs to the other. What do you think about belonging? What are the “perks” of belonging? What are the responsibilities of belonging? The implication of verse five is that we belong to each other. Is there a difference between belonging to each other and belonging with each other? How do you feel about belonging to the Body of Christ? What do you think about being an indispensable part of the Body of Christ? What does that say about your importance and worth to God and others? “For Paul,” writes Greg Ogden, “‘the body of Christ’ is not just a metaphor or a helpful word picture, but it also points to the reality that Jesus dwells among His people and gives His life to them.” In other words the church is not a human organization that has contracted by common consent to keep alive the memory of a great historical figure. On the contrary, the church is a divine organism mystically fused to the living and reigning Christ, who continues to reveal Himself in His people.55 The theological word for Christ’s presence on earth as both God and human is “incarnation”— God with skin on. If we are followers of Christ, if we have accepted His free gift of grace and He has restored us to relationship with Him, then we are members of the Body of Christ—we are called to live incarnationally—to be Jesus with skin on to each other and to the world. 55 Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials, Intervarsity Press, 1998, p. 178. WeekFiveSelfStudy 61 Theologian Thomas Oden said, “Christianity is distinctive as a religious faith in that it understands itself to be living as a continuing community through the living Christ…. Its uniqueness lies in its particular relationship with its founder…it is the resurrected presence of the living Lord that continues to be the sole basis of the present reality of the church. Jesus is not merely the one who founded the community and left it, but rather the one who is present to the community now and in each historical period as the vital essence of the church.”56 c What does it mean for you to be “incarnational”—Jesus with skin on? c How are ways you can be incarnational with your Christian brothers and sisters? c How are ways you can be incarnational with the people in your family? Your workplace? The rest of the world? 56 Thomas Oden, Agenda for Theology, Harper & Row, 1979, pp. 117-118. 62 WeekFiveSelfStudy Day Three: Connect Groups God likes working through a small group of people. Read Judges 7:1-7* How many men did Gideon originally have in his army? How many men did he have before they attacked the Midianites? Why do you think God wanted smaller numbers? Read 2 Samuel 23:8-19 Describe the qualities these three men had that made them such a powerful group. How did they function as a group? Read Mathew 10:1, Mark 3:14, Mark 4:11, Luke 8:1 and Luke 9:12 According to the Scripture passages, what did Jesus do with the twelve disciples? How would you characterize their relationship with Jesus? With each other? Through small groups, God does two things—God demonstrates God’s power in the face of insurmountable odds and God pours Himself into the lives of the small group. 1. Demonstrates God’s Power—God wants to make sure that we know God is the one doing the work through us and it is not our own strength. An army of 32,000 could take credit for victory, but an army of 300 would take a supernatural intervention for success. A group of three men would demonstrate God’s approval of David more than a huge army of followers. And a band of twelve disciples with extreme differences among themselves and no formal training would be the perfect group of people for God to use in building God’s church. 2. God pours Himself into the lives of a small group of people. The Gospel passages demonstrate Jesus’ care in choosing, teaching, empowering and preparing His small group for life and ministry together. Small groups today provide a way for God to continue demonstrating God’s power and pouring God into the lives of God’s people. * Judges recounts the history of the heroes of the twelve tribes of Israel who rule in the time between the Exodus from Egypt and the kings of Israel. It begins after the death of Joshua, Moses’ second in command, and ends with Samuel, the last Judge before Saul is made king of Israel. WeekFiveSelfStudy 63 Read Hebrews 10:23-25 Each verse contains a directive from Paul, what are they? How can spurring each other on to love and good deeds and meeting together for encouragement, demonstrate God’s power and outpouring? John Wesley was an 18th century preacher who began a revolution in England. It was not a political revolution like in America, or a bloody and chaotic revolution like in France. Instead England’s revolution was a quiet and spiritual revolution. Wesley believed that people who came to saving relationship with Christ would grow in their faith if they met regularly with other Christians in small groups which he called “classes.” These small groups provided a place for faith to be hashed out in the lives of the individual members. Through accountability, study, prayer and service, Wesley’s small groups transformed lives and became a formidable movement in England and in the United States. The classes were composed of 10-12 people who met weekly. When they were together, they asked each other hard questions about how they were living their lives as Christians. “What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?” “What temptations have you met and how were you delivered?” “How can we support you in your Christian walk this week?” “What are you doing to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus Christ and what are you doing to share that relationship with others?” The small groups would spur each other on to love and good deeds and would encourage each other as they tried to live lives that were completely devoted to God. c What is your experience with small groups? How have they helped encourage you on your journey? c Was there ever a time when your small group kept you accountable in your relationship with God? How was that helpful or how might it be helpful to you in the future? c How could small groups help you grow in your relationship with God? c What would be your reservations about being in a small group that functioned like Wesley’s class meetings? Connect Groups at Springdale Connect groups are an important part of the life of our Springdale Church family. It is how we connect with God and with each other. It is how we encourage each other, grow in relationship with each other, help each other in times of need, and minister with each other to the rest of the world. We feel so strongly about the importance of Connect Groups, that we are committed to helping you find your place in a group. If you are interested in finding a Connect Group to call your own, let your Journey Guide know that you are interested. He or she will make sure that you are helped in finding the group that best fits your needs. Be aware though—involvement in Connect Groups at Springdale will challenge you to grow deeper in your relationship with God and others! It will not be a “social club” but rather a group of people who will love you and help you in your journey as a Christ-follower. 64 WeekFiveGroupSession 5 Group Session Ø Beginning—Fellowship Time Ø Prayer—Giving time to God Ø Group Activity—Share an experience when you felt a true belonging in community. Review What You’ve Learned What is worship? (pg. 48) Biblical Community This week we have learned about what it means be children of God, what it means to be the Body of Christ, and how God uses small groups to pour God into and demonstrate God’s power to the world. c From your homework, what have you learned about community that was meaningful and important? c What about community was reaffirmed, you had to relearn, or needed thrown out completely? Community and Forgiveness In our first week together, we talked about the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three in One. We learned that each role of God is different and distinct, but that the three roles are in perfect relationship with each other. We also learned that God wants nothing more than to share that relationship with us—that is why God created us! Not only does God want that kind of relationship with us, God wants us to have that kind of relationship with each other. c What are things that keep us from having that type of relationship with each other? Read Luke 15:11-24 WeekFiveGroupSession 65 In asking for his inheritance, the younger son was saying, “I wish you would die now so that I can have what belongs to you!” How could the father have responded to that request? How could the father have responded to his young son when he did come back? How did the father respond to his younger son? This is the picture Jesus gives us of our heavenly Father. Though we have willfully left God in rebellion, God longs to run to us, wrap God’s arms around us and call us God’s sons and daughters once again. Through His death and resurrection on the cross, Jesus made the restoration of our relationship with Him possible. We celebrate Baptism to symbolize our own death and resurrection. Through Baptism, we receive His forgiveness and are accepted into a forgiven and forgiving community.* c Reflect on the Luke passage and the definition of baptism. What does baptism mean for you? What does forgiveness mean? What is forgiveness anyway? Dr. Toddy Holeman of Asbury Theological seminary defines forgiveness as “the process of laying aside my entitlement to rage and vengeance for an injustice committed against me. I choose to view the wrongdoer through the eyes of mercy and grace. I extend “agape”** love to him/her—unmerited and undeserved good favor. I am motivated to do this because I have received a greater forgiveness through Jesus Christ.”57 c With this definition in mind, write your own definition for forgiveness. David Augsburger wrote, “Forgiveness is a moral action in response to memory of an injury. It is not forgetting, not condoning, not pardoning. All three of these fall short of authentic forgiving. Forgetting drops the act down the memory hole; condoning accepts it within the memory collection, while denying its significance. Pardoning recognizes its significance but cancels the consequences.”58 c Why might a sufferer choose one of these three ways of dealing with the injurious event and call that forgiveness? c How do these three ways of dealing with hurt fall short of true forgiveness? * If you have not yet been baptized or would like to reaffirm your baptism, please talk with your Passages Guide. They will make sure that one of our pastors at Springdale Nazarene Church contacts you. ** “Agape” is one of three Greek words for love. It implies a strong God-sized love that is given to us by our Creator. It is a sacrificial love, a love only revealed to us through Jesus Christ. 57 Virginia Todd Holeman, “Forgiveness in the Counseling Process” Course, Spring 2000, Asbury Theological Seminary. 58 David Augsburger, Helping People Forgive, Westminster John Knox Press, 1996, p. 32. 66 WeekFiveGroupSession c How does today’s discussion relate back to what you have learned about Biblical community this week? Key Things to Remember— Christ-followers are sons and daughters of God. We are a part of the Body of Christ. We learn how to live like Jesus would live. People and things to pray about this week: WeekSixSelfStudy 67 6 Single-Mindedness Single-Mindedness / Sanctification I focus on God and God’s priorities for my life. Verse of the Week: Matthew 6:33 And He [your heavenly Father] will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. For the last several weeks, we have been learning about God’s relentless pursuit of us. Through His death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection from the dead, Christ has cleared the way for us to have a one-on-one personal relationship with God. The Spirit longs to dwell in our hearts and touch the world through us. God wants us to claim our birthright as sons and daughters of God. What an awesome God! We are on this Journey of discipleship for one reason—to be with Jesus, so we can learn from Jesus, how to be like Jesus. Passages is not just a Sunday morning event—it is a life-long process of growing into the men and women God wants us to become. This week, we will look at having the mind of Christ. How do we make our relationship with God a regular part of our day? Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to, “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” How exactly do we do that? We will look at the Wesleyan concept of sanctification and we will learn how to have the mind of Christ. Come to this week expecting to learn how to apply what we have been learning in this segment of Passages—prayer, worship, study and community. This week, we make it real to our everyday lives. 68 WeekSixSelfStudy Year of grace, 1654 Monday 23 November, Feast of St. Clement…. From about half past ten at night to about half an hour after midnight, FIRE! God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob— not the philosophers and scholars…. Certitude, heartfelt joy, peace. God of Jesus Christ…. My God and Your God Your God shall be my God The world forgotten, everything except God…. O righteous Father, the world has not known You, But I have known You. Joy, joy, joy, tears of Joy…. May I never be separated from Him.59 59 Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, scientist and author of Pensees. From a piece of paper found after his death in August of 1662. It was stitched into the lining of his coat, over his heart. Story taken from Dennis Kinlaw, The Mind of Christ, Francis Asbury Press, 1998, p. 31. WeekSixSelfStudy 69 Day One: The Mind of Christ On an airplane there are many gauges and dials that help the pilot fly the plane properly. One vital piece of equipment is the “artificial horizon” gauge, which allows the pilot to know where the plane is in relation to the ground. Once the pilot loses sight of the ground, it is easy to become disoriented and actually turn upside down. By using the artificial horizon, the pilot can properly adjust the positioning of the plane so that he or she is flying safely. The pilot has no internal sensors that tell him or her if he or she is right side up or upside down, but must rely on the artificial horizon to correct his or her perception. Similarly, we have no internal gauge that tells us which way we are flying. “Our bodies bear witness to the fact that we need guidance from outside ourselves,”60 writes Dennis Kinlaw. Read Jeremiah 10:21-24 What has happened to the “shepherds” of the people? In turn, what has happened to the “flock”? Rephrase verse 23-24 and make it personal. What does it mean when Jeremiah says that no one is able to plan his/her own course? What is the plea in verse 24? Compare this passage with what the world says about being responsible for our own destiny and being self-made men and women. If we are people who need direction from outside of ourselves, then we need to find the compass that keeps us on the right path. As Christ-followers, we have asked Him to be the gentle courseadjuster that Jeremiah talked about. He is the internal gauge that steers us in the direction in which He wants us to follow. c How is Christ the eternal course adjuster? What are scriptures that you have read in your life or during Passages, which point to His desire and ability to put you on the right path? What are examples in your own life in which you have experienced God’s gentle correction? 60 Dennis Kinlaw, The Mind of Christ, Francis Asbury Press, 1998, p. 12. 70 WeekSixSelfStudy Read Philippians 2:1-11 If verse one were a question, how would you answer it? Be as specific as you can, using examples from your own life. If your answer to verse one was yes, then how should we live (v. 2-4)? Verse five tells us to have the same attitude or mind that Christ has. How would you define the mind or attitude of Christ? Read Philippians 4:4-9 Paul gives us a glimpse into what it means to have the mind or attitude of Christ. What are words or phrases he uses to describe what our attitude should be? What are words or phrases Paul uses to describe how and what we should focus on? Take the space below to compare Paul’s instructions on having Christ’s attitude with your own attitude. This is your personal time for reflection—you will not be asked to share what you have written with anyone else in your group. If you journal in a separate book, this might be a good entry for today. After you are finished, do not go any further today. We will revisit what you have written later in the week. Prayer of Examen * Pray that God would open your eyes to your own attitude and behavior. Examen * How does my attitude measure up to Christ’s attitude? How am I full of joy? Am I considerate in all I do? Do I worry? What do I think I need and what do I really need? Am I focusing on what is honorable and right, pure and lovely? If not, what am I filling my mind with? Try to be as honest and open as you can. Often a tendency is to focus on the negative; try also to examen how you are already exhibiting Christ’s attitude. ______________________________ * “Some small explanation should be given for the use of the rather unfamiliar word examen. It is, of course, immediately identifiable with the commonly used word examination, and it carries much the same meaning minus the academic context. Examen comes from the Latin and refers to the tongue, or weight indicator on a balance scale, hence conveying the idea of an accurate assessment of the true situation.” Richard Foster, Prayer, Harper Collins, 1992, p. 27. WeekSixSelfStudy 71 Day Two: Surrender “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight on the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.”61 c When you hear the word surrender, what images or thoughts come to mind? Surrender is not considered a noble thing. It is a defeat by a greater force of insurmountable odds. Our modern day examples of surrender are from World War II when the Japanese surrendered unconditionally in the wake of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Surrender carries connotations of disgrace and humiliation. The Oxford English Dictionary says surrender means to hand over, relinquish, submit and to give up rights to something. Surrender is different from defeat—defeat implies a lack of choice, while surrendering is a willful choice that one makes. Surrender is, according to Brennan Manning, “a moment when the unconscious forces of resistance cease effectively to function. The Christian now no longer evades the call of the Spirit but accepts it.”62 Surrender is an important part of our relationship with God. Surrendering all that we are to God is a key component of being a Christ-follower. c What passages of Scripture that you have read in Passages so far tell us to give up or surrender to God? What specifically do we have to give up? Write the references in the space provided. Read 2nd Kings 5:1-14* What did Naaman have to surrender in order to be cleansed of his leprosy? Remember back to what you learned in school about Greek mythology—in order to receive something great, the Roman and Greek characters had to perform seemingly insurmountable tasks to acquire the prize. Naaman would have preferred an insurmountable task to merely taking a bath. He had to surrender his rank, his ethnicity, and most importantly, his pride, in order to be healed. Not only did God take away Naaman’s leprosy, but God also restored his skin to a youthful quality. Imagine, a war-hardened general with the scars of his battles - the cuts and bruises, the calluses and blisters all gone because he surrendered his all to God! 61 Sir Winston Churchill on a speech to the House of Commons concerning the evacuation of Dunkirk and the possibility of an invasion by Hitler’s Germany. Given on June 4, 1940. 62 Brennan Manning, The Gentle Revolutionaries: Breaking Through to Christian Maturity, Dimension Books, 1970. * nd 2 Kings continues the story of the great prophets Elijah and Elisha. It also tells the history of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah until they were both conquered. 72 WeekSixSelfStudy Read Mark 10:17-22 What was the man doing right? Was he a bad person? Was he trying his best to live a certain way? What did the man have to surrender? Read verse 21 again. Using your creative imagination, think about how the man’s life could have been different if he had been willing to surrender to Jesus. In the Gospels, when someone besides a disciple asked Jesus a question, it was usually for the purpose of trapping or discrediting what he was saying. The “religious leaders” did not care for what Jesus was teaching about Himself and about God, so they tried to trick Him into saying something that would cause the people to turn from Him. When Jesus finished turning their questions around and discrediting the religious leaders, the Gospels say they went away angry or plotting other ways to finish Jesus’ ministry. But the man in Mark 10 is different. He comes as one who is trying to find some real answers. In contrast to the religious leaders, as he leaves Jesus, he is sad because he is unable to surrender everything. Yesterday you spent some time examining your life as it relates to Philippians 4:4-9. c How was that process for you? experience? What made it difficult? What made it an affirming c Take the space provided below or write in your journal. Ask yourself, “From this exercise, what things do I need to surrender to God? What is getting in the way of my relationship with God? What do I need to surrender control of, or what do I need to ask for the strength to surrender control of? c After you have reflected on what you have written, take time to pray. Offer what you can to God—either the specific thing that you have to surrender, or the strength and desire to surrender to God all that you need to surrender to God. WeekSixSelfStudy 73 What do I have to Surrender to God? My Prayer of Surrender 74 WeekSixSelfStudy Day Three: Spiritual Disciplines This week, we have discussed what it means to have the Mind of Christ—surrendering our whole self to God. It is more than accepting Him as our Savior; it is giving Him complete reign over all that we are and all that we do. How do we get there? What do we have to do to surrender? When will it “stick”? The last few weeks we have been studying about prayer, worship, study and biblical community. These are the central practices of our faith. A more traditional term would be spiritual disciplines. c What images come to mind when you hear the word discipline? According to Dallas Willard, a discipline is, “any activity within our power that we engage in to enable us to do what we cannot do by direct effort.”63 Practice is discipline—learning to do something well through repetition. Practice allows us to break old habits and form new ones in their place. Spiritual disciplines are cultivated to provide rich soil in which the Holy Spirit can bear the fruit of transformation in our lives as we repeatedly submit to the Will of God. “Help us be active and effective in the spiritual realm of our own heart, now spiritually alive by grace, in relation to God and His kingdom. They are designed to help us withdraw from total dependence on the merely human or natural (and in that precise sense to mortify the ‘flesh’, kill it off, let it die) and to depend also on the ultimate reality, which is God and his Kingdom.”64 c In your own words, write a definition of spiritual discipline. As we go deeper in our practice of prayer, worship, study and biblical community, we grow closer to having the mind of Christ. This happens through the working of the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts and minds to a deeper understanding of God. Read Matthew 14:22-33, Matthew 16:5-12 and Matthew 16:21-26 What are words and phrases that Jesus uses to describe His disciples, especially Peter? Peter was the type of guy who spoke before he thought about what he was going to say. He was a rough and tumble fisherman who was ready to live and die for what he believed. He was headstrong and outspoken. He also had a fragile faith and misplaced priorities. He and the other disciples were an unlikely group of men who were to take the Good News of who Jesus was to the world. They had three years of day-to-day living with Jesus, but they were still ruled by their fears, anxieties, and sin. 63 64 Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 353. Ibid. p. 353. WeekSixSelfStudy 75 Read Acts 1:1-8 What happens when the Spirit comes? As you continue to read the book of Acts, you see an amazing transformation in the lives of the disciples. No longer are they timid, afraid, or ruled by their own way. But they are bold, courageous, and preach the Gospel of Christ to everyone they encountered. The change came through the Holy Spirit. Even with three years of being with Jesus, it took the Holy Spirit to infiltrate and change their lives. c In your own mind, connect our discussion about spiritual disciplines with the movement of the Holy Spirit. Can you have the disciplines without the Spirit? What is the difference? In week one, we talked about prevenient grace (pg. 17) - the hole in our hearts that yearns for God to fill. Just as we need God wooing us to Himself, we need God the Holy Spirit working in our lives to take us deeper in that relationship. Through prayer, worship, study, and biblical community, the Holy Spirit takes us closer to the heart of God and brings us more and more in line with the Mind of Christ. The hard part of the spiritual disciplines is that you never arrive at a point of “having it all together.” We are constantly learning, growing, and maturing in our relationship with God. Thomas Merton once said, “We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!”65 The goal is that our thoughts become thoughts of God and what God wants for our lives. We lose the desire to ask the question, “How does this benefit/affect me?” And instead we ask the question, “How does God want to use me? How does this draw me closer to God?” Reflect on these questions. How hard is it for you to make that switch in focus from selfcentered living to God-centered living? Is it possible to do it on our own? Could it be one of those things that requires a God-sized presence in our lives? How can you ask God to bring you to that place of God-centered living? How do prayer, worship, study, and biblical community all work to bring you to that point? v Prayer v Worship v Study v Biblical community 65 Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer, Doubleday, 1969, p. 37. 76 WeekSixGroupSession 6 Group Session Ø Beginning—Fellowship Time Ø Prayer—Giving time to God Ø Group Activity—How have you seen God work through a crisis in your life (personal, traumatic, medical, relational)? How did you know God was working in the situation? Review What You’ve Learned What is one thing you remember about forgiveness? (pg. 57) Single-mindedness This week we have studied how our beliefs and our practices join to bring us to the point of single-mindedness—having the mind of Christ. c Using your own words, define single-mindedness? c Growing up, what was one area in which you were single-minded? WeekSixGroupSession 77 Sanctification Look at the diagrams on page 75. First, consider the circle in the upper left corner. Take a few minutes and label the “slices” as they represent your life. Feel free to add more divisions or combine spaces as necessary. The black circle in the center of the diagram mentioned above represents our carnal nature. How do you define the “carnal nature?” (Romans 8:5-9) The middle diagram represents the salvation experience. Do you feel this diagram accurately depicts the Christian life? How do you relate to this experience? Why is this diagram incomplete? How does the bottom diagram depict the Christian life? How is this circle different from the middle diagram? How does this transformation happen? How do you relate with this experience? When we studied grace, we learned about prevenient grace (pg 17) - the grace that God gives us that woos us to Himself. God also gives us sanctifying grace - the work of the Holy Spirit perfecting in us our response to the relationship God offers us. 1 2 3 78 WeekSixGroupSession The circle represents my life. Each segment in the circle represents an area in my life to which I dedicate time, resources, and/or relational energy. How would I label the segments in my circle? 8v5-9 Carnal Nature Romans 3v23 Carnal Nature Romans 8v5-9 Romans 3v23 ME Salvation Romans 5v8 John 3v16, 17 Romans 10v8-10 Jesus Sanctification JESUS 1 Thessalonians 5v23 John 17v17 Romans 12v2 2 Corinthians 3v17-18 WeekSixGroupSession 79 Sanctification and the Holy Spirit Read Romans 8:12-17 What role does the Holy Spirit play as we become sons and daughters of God? Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and begins to “clean out” the sin that has built up in our hearts. When we go to the dentist, we hear about “plaque build-up” and “calculus” or “tartar.” Plaque is a filmy substance that develops on the teeth. Regular brushing and flossing helps control the plaque, but it takes a skilled hygienist and dentist to remove the plaque with the proper tools. Calculus or tartar is plaque that has hardened to the tooth. The more plaque we have, the more calculus deposits form and the more likely cavities or gum disease will cause you pain, anxiety and expense. The Holy Spirit comes in to remove the plaque, calculus, and cavities that sin leaves in our lives. It can be a painful process, but it is a necessary one if we are to develop fully into the men and women God desires us to be. Read Romans 8:6 The exercise of Examen this week was a time for you to become very personal with the issues that separate you from God. You were asked to write down those areas that blocked your intimacy with God, and then surrender those areas to the Lord. Without sharing what it was you wrote down or surrendered to God, what was it like going through that process of Examen? How does the removal of those barriers by the Holy Spirit bring you to a place of life and peace? The Greek words for life means “supernatural life.” Peace means “freedom from anxiety; inner rest; reconciliation with God.”66 With these definitions in mind, how would you define life and peace in your own life? Is that something you want? Sanctification and Righteousness The process of sanctifying grace returns us to the way God intended us to be in the beginning. Read Genesis 1:26-31; 2:18-23; 2:25; 3:8 How were we originally intended to be? What was our relationship with each other and with God originally designed to look like? 66 Friberg’s Greek Lexicon, BibleWorks software version 4.0, 1996. 80 WeekSixGroupSession Read 1st Corinthians 15:20-23 Through whom did sin enter the world? Through whom did the world receive redemption? Through Adam and Eve we were created in the image of God. Adam and Eve spoiled that image by falling into sin. 67 Through the redemptive power of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the grave, God has made it possible for our image to be restored! Like Naaman receiving his childlike skin, we have the opportunity to return to the image that God originally intended His creation to resemble: His own! c How would you describe the original image of God that we were created to resemble? Sanctifying Grace Empowers Us for Living Read John 15:1-17 Explain the role of the vine, the branches, and the fruit produced. How is this analogous to the way our relationship with God ought to be? Howard Hendricks writes, “Jesus Christ wants to renew every area of your life [personal, family, friends, work, play….]. That’s why Christian growth is a process—a dynamic process. Every day I wake up and realize that there are still areas of my life over which the Lord does not have control….So I’ve got to come to the Word of God throughout my lifetime. Spiritual growth is a long-term process. And unless I heed the Word of God, I’ll never arrive at the goal of Christlikeness.”68 It is hard to be a work in process. Sometimes it would be easier to think and act like we have arrived at some level of faith and stay there. But we never arrive, but are always journeying deeper and deeper…. c What is one way you can go deeper this week? Closing Prayer—“Father, to have my voice, but have You speaking; my steps, but Your Spirit leading; my heart, but Your love beating—in me, through me, with me. Oh, to be more You, and less me; to tap Your strength when mine expires, and feel the force of heaven’s fires, raging and purging wrong desires. O Lord, could Christ become my self-entire? So much Him, so little me, that in my eyes, it’s Him they see. What’s it like to a servant be? No longer I, but Christ in me….Amen Key Things to Remember…. Single-Mindedness is the work of the Holy Spirit transforming our minds to reflect the Mind of Christ. It is the continual process of handing over ourselves to God’s control through prayer, study, worship and biblical community. 67 68 See Genesis chapter 3 Howard and William Hendricks, Living By The Book, Moody Press, 1991, p. 297. WeekSevenSelfStudy 81 7 Self – Sacrifice / Stewardship Self-Sacrifice / Stewardship I believe that everything I am or own belongs to God. I give away my life, my faith, my time and my money to fulfill God’s purposes. Verses of the week: Romans 12:1 and 1 Timothy 6:17 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life. We are moving into the final section of Passages. In the first section, we studied our beliefs as Christfollowers—the theology that drives our faith in God. In the second section, we discovered our practices—the disciplines we practice so that our relationship with God deepens. In the third and final section we talk about our actions—our ministry to each other and to the world. Money is not an easy topic to discuss. Coping with finances is a leading cause of divorce in America—if a husband and wife have problems dealing with and talking about money, how much more difficulty do we have talking about money with each other! This week, we will unpack stewardship - what it is and what we are stewards of. Come with an open mind and heart to what God may be prompting you to give over to God. Leave the baggage about discussing stewardship locked away and come with a willingness to give yourself completely over to God. There are two seas in Palestine. The Sea of Galilee receives, but does not keep, the Jordan River. The giving and receiving go on in equal measure. The other sea is shrewder, hoarding its income jealously. It will not be tempted by a generous impulse. Every drop it receives it greedily keeps. The Sea of Galilee gives and lives. The other sea 69 gives nothing; it is called the Dead Sea. 69 Bruce Barton, (Attributed). 82 WeekSevenSelfStudy Day One: Stewardship What is stewardship? It is the work of a steward. A steward is one who is responsible for managing another’s property. A steward does not own, but takes care of, manages, and oversees for the person who does own. c What are some examples of stewards that you can think of? Read Psalm 50 Pagan religions around Israel thought that their sacrifices were for the purpose of “feeding” a hungry god. God is addressing people who have the wrong attitude toward giving—they think that God needs their sacrifice, when in fact, God needs nothing from them. According to the Psalmist, why doesn’t God need our sacrifices? If everything in the world belongs to God, what do we have to offer God? What can we claim as ours? Read Matthew 6:26 and James 1:17 Who gives us everything we need? With the above definition in mind and knowing that everything belongs to God and that God gives to us what we need, what is our role with the resources God has entrusted to us? Write out your job description as a steward of all that God has entrusted you with. God is pretty clear about God’s independence from us and our complete dependence on God. God doesn’t need anything we can give God because all that we have belongs to God. Our job is to manage - take care of and be responsible for all that God has given to us. The Deed To help recognize God’s ownership of all that we have, we will “transfer ownership” of property that we have to God. A deed is a document where ownership of property is transferred from one person to another. This deed is not legally binding nor will you be asked to give it to anyone. It will be used to establish a time when we acknowledge God’s ownership of all we have. WeekSevenSelfStudy 83 Spend time in prayer. Ask God to reveal to you areas you need to relinquish ownership to Him. Ask God for the strength to turn over the keys to your possessions to God. In the deed, reflect on your property—your home, car, job, savings, retirement, television, stocks, jewelry, collectables, etc. Reflect on those things that you own that you consider yours. Reflect on the areas for which you have responsibility. Give them over to God in the deed. Recognize God’s role as owner and your role as steward. At the bottom of the page, sign and date the deed. If you wish, there is space for your spouse, family, close friends, or fellow journey members to sign as witnesses to your transaction. If you are married, consider filling out the deed with your spouse. The deed is located on the last page of today’s homework. Please complete the deed before continuing with Day Two. c Reflect on the work you did with the deed. What was it like returning ownership of your property to God? How did the process feel emotionally, spiritually, and physically to you? Other reflections? 84 WeekSevenSelfStudy The Deed to My Possessions70 This deed, made on the _____ of __________, in the year _____________ From: _________________________________________________________ To: The Lord________________________________________________ I hereby transfer to the Lord the ownership of the following possessions: Witnesses who will hold me accountable in the recognition of the Lord’s ownership: Stewards of the above possessions: ___________________________ ____________________________ ___________________________ ____________________________ ___________________________ 70 This document is not a binding legal document and cannot be used to transfer property. Concept taken from Crown Ministries Small Group Financial Study Practical Application Workbook, Crown Ministries Inc., 1995, p. 18. WeekSevenSelfStudy 85 Day Two: Stewardship Your attitude toward money is an indicator of your heart toward God. Do you have a constant search for more, or a peace about what you have? Do you confuse needs with wants, or are you satisfied with where you are? Do you feel anxious or content? The Oxford English Dictionary defines contentment as a “satisfied state; tranquil happiness.”71 c Is there contentment in your life toward money and possessions or are you constantly searching for more? c Would you like to feel contentment toward your money and possessions? What would that contentment look like? Read 1st Timothy 6:6-11 What is great wealth according to Paul? Who are trapped and fall into temptation? What is the root of much evil? Where have some who crave great wealth wandered? Notice Paul’s language in verses 9 and 10. It is not a forgone conclusion that the pursuit of wealth will plunge you into ruin. But the chances are greater than among those who are content. Why do you think this is the case? What is it about the pursuit of wealth that brings such temptation and fallenness? Read Hebrews 13:5 What reason does the author of Hebrews give for choosing contentment over the love of money? Read 2nd Corinthians 12:9 Who and what is sufficient for all our needs? 71 The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English, Oxford University Press, 1996. 86 WeekSevenSelfStudy Wealth inspires a sense of self-sufficiency. God wants us to be completely dependent on God. God is sufficient for all our needs. God wants us to trust God for everything we need and not trust in our income and accumulated wealth. Is Wealth wrong? Read Matthew 25:14-29 What did the master do with his three servants before his journey began? Compare the first two servants with the last servant. What did they each do with what they were given? How was the third servant wrong in what he did? The master entrusted his property to the servants. The New Living Translation says he “gave them money to invest for him while he was gone.” Slaves in ancient Rome had opportunities to earn money and buy property. House servants held managerial roles and were often given the task of running the estate whenever the patron left for a journey. They were expected to work the estate and manage the financial responsibilities on behalf of the master as if the master himself were doing the work. God expects us to work hard and multiply what God has given us—that is the job of a steward— to manage and be responsible for what God has entrusted to us. The first two servants understood that they needed to act in the best interest of the master who owned the resources assigned to them. When we are being good stewards, we are acting on behalf of God as if God were doing the work. We ask the question, “How would my God want me to be responsible for the resources God has entrusted to me?” Keeping that question at the forefront of our minds helps us navigate the treacherous terrain of temptation that accompanies money. c What are your earning and spending habits that you need to change in order to reflect a steward of God’s resources? In what areas do you need to ask, “How would my God want me to be responsible for the resources God has entrusted to me?” WeekSevenSelfStudy 87 Day Three: Stewardship The story is told of a man who was down and out, desperate, and with only two dollars left to his name. As he sat in church one day, praying, he decided to place his last two dollars in the offering plate, believing that God would honor his faith and bless him in return. As it turned out, the man walked out of the church and immediately stumbled onto a business opportunity that required no initial investment and earned him a fortune within a matter of months. This same, now very wealthy gentleman, returned to the church where he had made his faith pledge. Before the sermon, he began to tell the man next to him about how he had sat in that very spot just months previously, in rags crying out to God, and then how he deposited his last two dollars in the offering plate. “As a result,” he related, “God made me a millionaire.” After a moment of reflection the young man sitting next to him responded, “You gave all you had to your name?” The gentleman proudly replied, “That’s right!” The other man paused again for a moment and then said in a low voice, “I dare you to do it again!”72 c How do you relate to this story? Is it easier to give to God when you have more or when you have less? c What keeps us from giving our wealth to God? In day one of this week, we learned that all that we have belongs to God and we had opportunity to turn over “our” wealth and property to God. In day two, we learned the true meaning of a steward—one who works and manages God’s resources as God would manage God’s resources. c Talking about wealth and resources can be a very stressful thing. How have you felt about dealing with this notion of God’s ownership and our stewardship? Tithing What is a tithe? A tithe is resources that are set apart for God. Read Leviticus 27:30, 32-33* According to Leviticus, what is a tithe? 72 Willow Creek Church, Walking With God Series Leader’s Guide Two, Zondervan Publishing House, 1992, p. 170. * Leviticus means, “about the Levites,” or God’s priests. It contains commands for following God. These commands were given to help the Israelites worship and live as God’s holy people. 88 WeekSevenSelfStudy What are acceptable tithes to give to God? God does not leave anything out when God talks about our tithe—for the culture of Bible times, food and cattle were the main ways one earned a living. You either grew crops or tended animals in the field. Nothing was exempt from the tithe. It is a willful and deliberate part of our financial lives that we set aside on a regular basis for God. Offerings are separate from tithes. Offerings are gifts given in specific response to what God is calling us to do. In the Old Testament, offerings were given for different occasions—burnt offerings, drink offerings, meat offerings, etc. These were given to God in response to specific events—forgiveness of sin, thanksgiving, celebration, remembrance, etc. The tithe serves as a constant reminder to us that we are stewards. God owns all that we have and want us to be dependent on God for everything that we do. When we give our tithe to God, we are saying to God, “You are in control of our finances and property. We give back to You so that we remain dependent on You.” Tithing is more than giving our financial resources—it is also an attitude. Tithing is not about us, but all about God. Read 2nd Corinthians 8:1-5 What do you learn about the financial state of the Macedonian churches? What were they able to give to God? What was the attitude behind their giving? What important principles about giving can we learn from the Macedonian churches? The church in Macedonian was poor by worldly standards. They had suffered much financial hardship—maybe the economy or natural disasters—and the results were deep poverty. But despite their own financial difficulties, they gave, and not just a little, but more than they could afford to give. Their complete dependence on God brought them great joy. They counted their giving as a privilege. The church in Macedonia is our model of stewardship. We give through our tithes and offerings, our time and talent, because we are completely dependent on God for everything. Because God loves us so much, we trust that God will continue to meet our needs. John Wesley once said, “Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.” c Name one area in which you can decrease your spending and increase your giving. Pray and ask God to help you as you turn this area over to God. Ask God for strength and joy as you learn to give back to God. WeekSevenGroupSession 89 7 Group Session Ø Beginning—Fellowship Time Ø Prayer—Giving time to God Ø Group Activity—Think of a time you were blessed unexpectedly and share your experience with the group? Review What You’ve Learned What is the definition of a disciple? Stewardship This week we have learned about stewardship. We talked about giving control of our resources and possessions to God, tithing, offerings and attitude. c From your homework, what is your job description as a steward (p. 70)? c If you worked on the Deed, what was that process like for you? Advantages to Stewardship When we are practicing stewardship, we are giving to God. When we give to God, we also give to others. c How does good stewardship of our time, talent, and tithe help others? Be specific—what are some examples from your own life where you have had the opportunity to see your stewardship or giving help others? In his book Your Money Counts, Howard Dayton says, “According to God’s economy, if a gift is given with the proper attitude, the giver benefits more than the receiver.”73 73 Howard Dayton, Your Money Counts: The Biblical Guide to Earning, Spending, Saving, Investing, Giving and Getting Out of Debt, Crown Ministries Inc., 1996, p. 74. 90 WeekSevenGroupSession c Why do you think the giver benefits more than the receiver? c How have you benefited from giving to others? In what specific ways have you come away richer from giving of your time, talent, and tithe? Stewardship Increases Intimacy with God— Read Matthew 6:19-21 What is the difference between storing up treasures on earth and treasures in heaven? How could storing up treasures in heaven draw us closer to God? What does Matthew mean when he says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”? Investments for Eternity When we die, there is nothing we get to take with us - not time, not money, not things. Instead, we are given the opportunity to store up treasures in heaven through our stewardship and giving to others. What do you think our stored-up treasures are good for in heaven? Stewardship Develops Character Because of sin, human character is by nature, selfish. Our first actions are toward selfpreservation and self-advancement. This is contrary to the nature of God, which is selflessness. God gave everything so that we could be in relationship with God. “One of the key ways our character becomes conformed to Christ is by habitual giving.”74 Read 1st Timothy 6:17-19 For what are we to use our resources? In what things should we be “rich”? If we do this, what kind of life will we “take hold of”? What is the difference between life and life that is “truly life” or “real life”? 74 Howard Dayton, p. 75. WeekSevenGroupSession 91 Read 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. Premeditated. How to Give Paul outlines three “P’s” of giving—Personal, Periodic and Giving Should Be Personal Giving financially for some is easier than for others. Likewise, giving of one’s time is less of a sacrifice for some than others. When we give sacrificially, to the point that it is a real giving of ourselves, then we are giving personally. From the passage, which part suggests personal giving? In what areas do you need to give personally? Financially? With your time? Giving Should Be Periodic Giving regularly of our time, talents, and tithe, consistently brings us to God. From the passage, what does Paul suggest as a good time to give? How can we adapt the idea of set times for stewardship into our week? Month? Year? Giving Should Be Premeditated Stewardship is not a task to be taken lightly—it should involve thought, planning, and prayer. Read Hebrews 12:2 and 2nd Corinthians 9:7 How did Jesus go to the cross? How are we to enter stewardship and giving? To Whom Do We Give? The Family—Read 1 Timothy 5:1-8 Why is it important to give to our families? The Local Church, Christian Workers, and Ministries—Read Numbers 18:21* What is the purpose of the tithes of the people of Israel? * Numbers was written by Moses and tells the number and organization of the Israelites around the tabernacle. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years in disobedience before the new generation stood at the door of the promised land of Canaan. 92 WeekSevenGroupSession Throughout the Old and New Testament, there is an emphasis on supporting God’s ministry with tithes and offerings. The Levites were the chosen priests of Israel—they prepared the sacrifices and went before God on behalf of the people. In the New Testament, the Body of Christ was expected to take care of the different ministries of the Church with their resources and time. Through serving and supporting, the church took care of the needs of the church and the missionary efforts to the ends of the earth. Giving regularly of our time, talent and tithe to Springdale Nazarene Church not only supports the ministry of the church locally, but also reaches out from us to touch millions of people around the world. The Poor— Read Deuteronomy 15:11**; 1 Samuel 2:8; Proverbs 14:31 Describe God’s relationship with the poor, the needy, and the voiceless people of the world. World Vision is a Christian ministry that seeks to feed, clothe and educate the world’s poor. Their website*** has reports from Africa, Latin America and Asia—millions of people around the world are dying from starvation due to war, famine, sickness, and drought. Here in the Springdale area, 23% of the population, roughly 2,576 people, live under the poverty level of $10,980.00 a year.75 From what you have learned in Passages, what should our relationship to the poor, the needy, and the voiceless be? Key Things to Remember— Stewardship is giving of our Time—our Life’s Breadth, Talent—our Life’s Bent, and Tithe— our Life’s Blessing. It is an attitude and a lifestyle that involve handing over all that we are and all that we have to God. ** Deuteronomy was written by Moses to remind the next generation of the Israelites of their history and all that God had done for them. It recounts the laws and commands that they should follow in order to obey God. This book was Moses’ last words before he died. Moses never entered the Promised Land. *** World Vision’s website on the internet is www.wvi.org 75 Information from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/3974104.html WeekEightSelfStudy 93 8 Evangelism, Missions, Spiritual Gifts Evangelism I believe all people are loved by God and need Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus calls us to share that Good News with the world through our words and our actions. Verse 1 of the Week: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Missions I believe God has called me to share God’s love with the world by meeting people’s needs in my community and in the world. I seek to serve Jesus by sharing my resources and myself with God’s people around the globe. Verse 2 of the Week: Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Spiritual Gifts I know and use my spiritual gifts to accomplish God’s purposes. Verse 3 of the Week: Romans 12:4-5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of His one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. “Evangelism and missions? Isn’t that for pastors and missionaries?” A common misconception, but the truth is evangelism and missions are for you! 94 WeekEightSelfStudy During our time together, we have learned how God wants to be in a loving relationship with us. God has cleared the road of all the things that block us from God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died as a holy and perfect sacrifice for our sins. If we are Christ-followers, we have come into that relationship with God by accepting Christ as our Lord and King. We have given our lives totally over to Him. Our relationship with God grows and goes deeper when we pray, worship, study God’s Word, and spend time with fellow believers. When we have a relationship with God, we need to share it with as many people as we can. But how do we do that? Tracts? Knock on doors? Carry our Bibles around with us all the time? Drag people to church? This week, we will look at what evangelism is, our role in it, and different ways to share our faith with friends, neighbors and strangers. Before we can begin our ministry, we need to know what it is we are called to! This week we will look at what each of us are called to be—ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the practical, hands-on part of our journey together—this is where the “rubber meets the road.” Here is where we learn how God uniquely works through each of us to share Himself with a hurting and needy world. You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those that want you, but to those that want you most….[it is your business] to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance, and with all your power to build them up in that holiness without which they cannot see the Lord.76 No Christian has his/her gift for private use, benefit and enjoyment. All gifts are to be used for the common good and edification of the Body. When spiritual gifts are exercised outside of God’s love in Jesus Christ, then they become like a noisy gong, or a clanging cymbal. Agape love is the essential quality for the Christian life and the basis for using spiritual gifts.77 76 77 John Wesley (1703-1791) speaking to new Methodist preachers. R. Wayne Jones, Using Your Spiritual Gifts, p. 29. WeekEightSelfStudy 95 Day One: Evangelism c What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word evangelism? Televangelists. Tracts. Pushy preachers waving their finger and pounding on the pulpit. “Hell fire and brimstone” sermons. These are words that may come to mind when you hear the word evangelism. But what is evangelism? The word evangelism comes from the Greek word, “Euangelion” which means, “good news.” Evangelism is sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the rest of the world. c Do negative images come to mind when you hear the word evangelism? What effects do these stereotypes have on your efforts to share your faith? We live in a world today where the individual defines truth. “What is true for you may not be true for me” is a common saying. Truth is relative instead of absolute—it can be compared and dependent on the context instead of being definite and unconditional. c What effects might relative truth have on discussions of one’s Christian faith? Read John 14:6 How many ways are there to the Father? What does this have to do with relative truth versus absolute truth? The problem with relative truth is that, as Christ-followers, we believe in an absolute Truth, THE Absolute Truth. The New Testament is emphatic—there is only one way to the Father through Jesus Christ the Son. c How does that understanding change the way we view other ideas of truth? Knowing that we have the absolute truth makes our mission to take the message of Jesus to a hurting world all the more urgent. The question becomes how do we evangelize without turning people off and alienating family and friends? How Do We Evangelize? Read Acts 3:1-26 How was healing the beggar a way for Peter and John to evangelize? 96 WeekEightSelfStudy How did the miracle prepare the crowd for Peter’s message? Would you say that Peter’s message was effective evangelism? What elements of his speech give you that impression? Peter and John saw a way to evangelize, not just the man begging on the street, but the crowds around them. They saw a need that God could meet (the crippled man), they allowed themselves to be agents of God’s power, and Peter presented hope to a hopeless people through the story of Jesus Christ. Read Acts 4:1-22 How did Peter and John respond to the hostility of those who opposed the message they were sharing? How would you react if you had to defend your faith before a hostile audience? Why were the disciples unwilling to stop preaching in the name of Jesus? When we are Christ-followers and are in relationship with God, we cannot help but share that with the rest of the world. God models what a healthy and loving relationship should look like. God wants to develop that kind of relationship with us. God wants us to develop that kind of relationship with each other. God wants others who are not in relationship with God to experience God’s unconditional love and grace. Read Matthew 5:14-16 and Romans 10:17 Matthew and Paul illustrate two distinct but necessary components to evangelism. How would you describe them? Why is it not enough to only witness through our actions or our words? Why do we need both? Read 1st Peter 3:15-16 How does Peter bring together the two different types of evangelism? WeekEightSelfStudy 97 Your Relational Map Write your name in the center circle with God. Each additional circle represents a group of people with whom you have frequent interaction and opportunity for relationships. (ex. family, co-workers, sports team, neighbors, etc.) Think of the names of the people you know who are in each group. Write each name around the circle he/she is associated with. Prayerfully consider three names you believe God is calling you to invest in for His Kingdom. These should be people you believe need to begin a relationship with Jesus or need to take a “next step” with Him. What areas of common ground do you share with these three people? Write these similarities in the space above. (Examples - children the same age, both enjoy professional sports, working in the yard, in same line of work, like the same kind of music, etc.). What are some steps you can take to begin to open doors of communication with them? (Examples—do something together with all the kids, watch a football game together, share tools and work together on a project, have lunch to discuss mutual business interests, go to a concert, invite them to a special event at church, etc.). How can you avoid giving the person on your list the impression that he or she is your “evangelistic project?” Spend time in prayer over these three names. Ask God to make their hearts receptive to the Good News. 98 WeekEightSelfStudy Day Two: Evangelism & Missions Yesterday, we looked at the why of evangelism. We looked at the framework of evangelism and we made an Relational Map of people and how we might begin building bridges to them. Today, we will look at six different evangelistic styles and how you can use them to share your faith to different people. Six Evangelistic Styles There are different ways to share our faith with others—some situations may be more delicate, some may require more reason, some may require us “calling a spade a spade.” The following styles will help you find a way in which you can share your faith that suits the situation and fits your personality. The styles are Confrontational, Intellectual, Testimonial, Relational, Invitational, and Service-oriented.78 Confrontational/Intervention Read Acts 2:37-40. Confrontation is not necessarily a bad thing. Confrontation means coming face to face with a problem or situation; hitting it head-on; calling a spade a spade. There are times for confrontation—where you have to stand up for what you believe. Peter found himself in such a position. What evidence can you find that Peter’s bold style of evangelism had measurable results? What are pros and cons to confrontational evangelism? Intellectual Read Acts 17:16-34. Sometimes people need a reasoned and well-thought-out presentation before they can make their decision. They need some facts or arguments so that they can be clear in their mind of the impact their decision will make. C.S. Lewis is an example of a person who looked at the facts before deciding on giving his life to Christ.* A modern-day example would be Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ (Zondervan, 1998). Why did Paul present a reasoned defense of the faith to the Athenians? Testimonial Read John 9:13-34. Stories help us connect with others. They normalize our situations and make them applicable. By sharing our stories of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ, we connect with people on a deeper level—it is a more experiential way of sharing our faith. Sharing our stories makes us vulnerable and real with other people. What made the testimony of the blind man before the Pharisees so effective? 78 Walking With God Series—Leader’s Guide 2, pp. 239-241. Lewis became a Christian in September of 1929. He had stayed up half the night debating with friends, one of which was J.R.R. Tolkein, author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. * WeekEightSelfStudy 99 Relational Read Mark 5:18-20. Relational evangelism is similar to testimonial evangelism but it is centered on family and close friends. It is much more intimate and, for that reason, more difficult. Sharing ourselves with people who know us because they have lived with us can be a harrowing task. They have seen us at our best and our worst. They are connected to our story in very real and tangible ways. Why did Jesus send the man who had been released from demons home to his family? Invitational Read John 4:1-30, 39-42. Any of the styles of evangelism have some sort of invitational component—giving people room to make a decision. But specifically in invitational evangelism, that invitation is very intentional in its presentation. How would you characterize the style of evangelism Jesus demonstrated to the woman at the well? Service-Oriented Read Acts 9:36-42. This type of evangelism brings the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words” to life. It is consistently other-centered. It evangelizes by taking up the towel that Jesus used to wash His disciples’ feet and serves others in practical and much needed ways. Mother Teresa working with the forgotten people of Calcutta, India is a great example, as is Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity. How did Tabitha demonstrate effective evangelism for the poor of Joppa? What reasons for caution or potential problems do you see with any of these styles of evangelism? Which of the above styles would work best for the people on your Relational Map? Why? Four Essentials to the Gospel Message There are four different areas that are essential for people to understand as they consider making a decision for Christ—God, Humanity, Christ, You. 1. God—Read 1 John 4:16; 1 Peter 1:15-16; and 2 Thessalonians 1:6 How would you describe God’s character to a non-believer? 2. Humanity—Read Romans 3:23 How does God regard the human condition? 100 WeekEightSelfStudy 3. Christ—Read John 1:14; 1 Peter 3:18 How did Christ end this separation between God and people? 4. You—Read 2 Corinthians 5:7; and 1 John 1:9 What happens when a person responds to the Gospel message? How can you use these four words with the people on your Relational Map? Spend some time in prayer for the three names on your Relational Map. Ask God for courage and insight on how best to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. Pray that God would be working in the lives of your three people to bring them to the point of recognizing who God is and how much God wants to be in relationship with them. Missions Missions and evangelism are closely linked. Missions is the call to live out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Evangelism is a way in which we live out that call. Missions involve reaching out beyond ourselves to evangelize the larger world. It involves meeting peoples’ needs locally and globally, spiritually and socially, and for us and for them. Locally and Globally Read Acts 1:8; 11:19-29 What is the progression of places in which Jesus tells His disciples to witness? Jerusalem was their local community and Judea their country. Samaria was the country adjacent to Judea and also a people who were looked down upon by the Jews. Finally, the end of the world was everywhere else—places further than any of the Christ-followers had traveled or imagined. What is your— v Jerusalem— v Judea— v Samaria— v Ends of the World— WeekEightSelfStudy 101 Spiritual and Social Read Acts 4:32-37; 6:1-5 What did the believers do with their possessions? How did the believers take care of the needy? Not only did the first Christ-followers take care of the spiritual needs of people; they also took care of their pressing social needs. They provided the necessities of life to people—health, food and clothing. Missions and evangelism are concerned with the physical needs of people as well as spiritual needs. Meeting physical needs gives us the opportunity to minister on a level that gives us permission and access to the spiritual needs of an individual. c What are social concerns that weigh heavily on your heart? How can meeting peoples’ social needs allow you to go deeper with them spiritually? For Us As Much As For Them Read Psalm 67 Identify the blessings the Lord wants to bring the nations. What would those blessings look like if they came to your “Jerusalem”—to your culture? Consider how these blessings would affect other nations in the world. What is the relationship between the blessings God wants to give Israel (the “us” in verse one) and the other nations? Sharing the Good News of Jesus with others benefits us as much as it benefits them. We are reminded of our own salvation and our own place as “sons and daughters” of God. We also are given a glimpse into how God works in others’ lives. A doctor or surgeon, while healing and giving obvious benefits to his/her patients, also receives benefits through being a part of the healing process. 102 WeekEightSelfStudy Day Three: Missions & Spiritual Gifts Our Involvement in Missions Having a mission-minded perspective has several positive benefits to the Christ-follower as an individual, to Springdale Nazarene Church, to the community of churches, and to the global body of Christ. Mission-minded individuals are growing in Christ - they are using their SHAPE (their Spiritual gifts, Heart’s passions, Abilities, Personality and Experiences) for a purpose: sharing the love of God with others. It is hard work, but rewarding work. It draws us close to the heart of God. Mission-minded individuals are not only sharing their faith; they are growing in their faith through prayer, worship, study and community. How do you see mission-mindedness as growing in prayer, worship, study, and community? A mission-minded church, Springdale Nazarene Church, is a vibrant and growing church We are using our gifts together to reach a hurting world. That means that we are building each other up, praying for each other, as well as worshipping and fellowshipping with each other. We are constantly looking to “grow our family” because we want to share the incredible love and life that we experience with each other, with more and more people. How can we be a mission-minded church? A mission-minded community of churches - The Body of Christ is not isolated to Springdale Nazarene Church! We are working with our brothers and sisters in different congregations and in different denominations to bring the Gospel of Jesus to more and more people. If our church is growing, our hope and prayer is that other area churches are growing as well. How might this statement be true? A mission-minded global Body of Christ - As the global body of Christ grows, then we come closer and closer to fulfilling God’s mission for us - going, making, baptizing, and teaching a world of disciples. Where Do I Start? Take another look at those three names on your Relational Map. They are your immediate mission field. They are the three men and/or women that you are praying over and coming up with a plan of action with whom to share your faith. But it doesn’t stop there. Your involvement in missions outside your “Jerusalem” is required also. c How might you get involved in the mission to your Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world? WeekEightSelfStudy 103 There are many opportunities for your involvement in missions: discovering your spiritual gifts, getting involved in the ministry of the church, reaching out to your three people, praying for the church’s mission, supporting others as they evangelize in different parts of the world, stepping out of your comfort zone and going out to minister locally, regionally, and globally. Springdale Nazarene offers many different opportunities for local and global missions. For more information, please contact your Journey Guide or talk to one of our pastors. End your time in studying Evangelism and Missions by again lifting up the three names on your Relational Map. In addition, ask God what other names God wants you to add to your Relational Map—names of other people, names of cities, regions and countries. Consider how you might become involved in missions. Ask God for direction and guidance as to where you might serve when it comes to fulfilling the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, and Acts 1:8. Spiritual Gifts Spiritual gifts are the special abilities that God has given each of us so that we can fulfill God’s work in this world. Read Romans 12:4-8 Summarize in a sentence or two, what Paul is trying to convey in this passage. What is the source of the different functions in the body of Christ? The Greek word normally translated spiritual gifts is charismata, the singular of the word charisma. The root word, charis is the Greek word for grace. A spiritual gift is a grace-gift— “a supernatural ability or capacity given by God to enable the Christian to minister and to serve.”79 Dr. Kenneth Kinghorn outlines five basic principles regarding spiritual gifts: 1. God imparts spiritual gifts according to God’s divine grace; they cannot be earned through human merit. 2. God gives spiritual gifts according to God’s own discretion; God is not bound by human wishes. 3. God wills that every Christian exercise spiritual gifts; these grace-gifts are not limited to a few believers. 4. God provides gifts for the purpose of ministry and service; they are not given in order to draw attention to us. 5. God intends that the ministry of the church be accomplished through spiritual gifts; human talents are not adequate for ministry.80 79 80 Kenneth Kinghorn, Gifts of the Spirit, Abingdon Press, 1976, p. 22. Kinghorn, pp. 22-30. 104 WeekEightSelfStudy c With our definition of spiritual gifts in mind and the five principles outlined above, write your own definition of spiritual gifts. Make the five principles personal to you—insert your name wherever you can. What Are the Spiritual Gifts? Spiritual gifts can generally be grouped into four different categories—gifts that communicate God’s word, gifts that educate God’s people, gifts that demonstrate God’s love, and gifts that celebrate God’s presence. Under each category, there are several specific gifts that Scripture touches on. Stop for a moment and pray. You are about to read about the different spiritual gifts. Ask God to open your eyes, ears and heart. Ask God to point out where your giftedness may be. As you read through the following list of gifts and as you read the related Scripture passages, circle ones that stick out to you—“Yes! This described me perfectly!” or, “This could be something that I sense about God’s gift for me.” Gifts That Communicate God’s Word Preaching—Read 1 Corinthians 14:3. The ability to publicly communicate God’s Word in an inspired way that convinces unbelievers and both challenges and comforts Christ-followers. The ability to persuasively declare God’s will. Evangelism—Read Acts 8:26-40. The ability to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to unbelievers in a positive, non-threatening way. The ability to sense opportunities to share Christ and lead people to respond with faith. Missions/Apostle—Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 and Romans 15:20. The ability to adapt to a different culture in order to reach unbelievers and help believers from that culture. Leadership—Read Hebrews 13:7-17. The ability to clarify and communicate the purpose and direction (vision) of a ministry in a way that attracts others to get involved. The ability to motivate others by example to work together in accomplishing a ministry goal. Gifts That Educate God’s People Teaching—Read Ephesians 4:12-13. The ability to educate God’s people by clearly explaining and applying the Bible in a way that causes them to learn. The ability to equip and train other Christ-followers for ministry. Encouragement (exhortation)—Read Acts 14:22. The ability to motivate God’s people to apply and act on biblical principles, especially when they are discouraged or wavering in their faith. The ability to bring out the best in others and challenge them to develop their potential. Wisdom—Read 1 Corinthians 2:1, 6-16. The ability to understand God’s perspective on life situations and share those insights in a simple, understandable way. The ability to explain what to do and how to do it. Discernment—Read 1 Corinthians 2:14. The ability to distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. WeekEightSelfStudy 105 Gifts That Demonstrate God’s Love Service— Read Acts 6:1-7. The ability to recognize unmet needs in the church family, and take the initiative to provide practical assistance quickly, cheerfully, and without a need for recognition. Mercy—Read Romans 12:8. The ability to manifest practical, compassionate, cheerful love toward suffering members of the Body of Christ. Hospitality—Read 1 Peter 4:9-10*. The ability to make others, especially strangers, feel warmly welcomed, accepted, and comfortable in the church family. The ability to coordinate factors that promote fellowship. Pastoring (Shepherding)—Read 1 Peter 5:2-4. The ability to care for the spiritual needs of a group of Christ-followers and equip them for ministry. The ability to nurture a small group in spiritual growth and assume responsibility for their welfare. Giving—Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. The ability to generously contribute material resources and or money beyond the 10% tithe so that the Body may grow and be strengthened. Music—Read Psalms 150. The ability to celebrate God’s presence through music, either vocal or instrumental, and to lead the church family in worship. Arts and Environment—Read Exodus 31:3-11. The ability to build, maintain, or beautify the place of worship for God’s glory. Intercession—Read Colossians 1:9-12*. The ability to pray for the needs of others in the church family over extended periods of time on a regular basis. The ability to persist in prayer and not be discouraged until the answer arrives. Faith—Read Romans 4:18-21. The ability to trust God for what cannot be seen and to act on God’s promise, regardless of what the circumstances indicate. The willingness to risk failure in pursuit of a God-given vision, expecting God to handle the obstacles. Administration (Organization)—Read 1 Corinthians 14:40. The ability to recognize the gifts of others and recruit them to a ministry. The ability to organize and manage people, resources, and time for effective ministry. The ability to coordinate many details and execute the plans of leadership. * 1st Peter was written by the apostle Peter to the Christ-followers in Asia Minor. They were being persecuted for their faith and Peter wrote to encourage them in their faith. * Colossians is the third letter written by Paul from prison in Rome. It was written to strengthen the Christians of Colosse in dealing with false teachers claiming to speak for Christ. 106 WeekEightSelfStudy Gifts That Celebrate God’s Presence Healing—Read James 5:14-16. The ability to pray in faith specifically for people who need physical, emotional, or spiritual healing and see God answer. The ability to sense when God is prompting you to pray this kind of prayer. Miracles—Read Mark 11:23-24. The ability to pray in faith specifically for God’s supernatural intervention into an impossible situation and see God answer. The ability to sense when God is prompting you to pray this kind of prayer. Praying with my spirit (tongues/interpretation)—Read 1 Corinthians 14:13-15. The ability to pray in a language understood only by God or one who is given the gift of interpretation at that time. c Write down the top three gifts that describe you exactly or that you feel might be a gift God has given you. We will share our gifts together when we gather as a group. c How do you believe these gifts are evidenced in your life? In the space provided below, write down any questions you may have concerning any of the mentioned spiritual gifts, as well as any others you feel may have been left off this list. WeekEightGroupSession 107 8 Group Session Ø Beginning—Fellowship Time Ø Prayer—Giving our time to God Ø Group Activity—Who has invested in you for the Kingdom? Share an example with the group. Review What You’ve Learned What is something you possess that God could use to leverage into the life of someone else for His Kingdom? Missions & Evangelism In the first week’s self study (pg 10) we learned that God is omniscient (all knowing). So, if God knows everything already (i.e. who will and will not follow Him) are missions and evangelism really necessary? What are some ways (good or bad) you have experienced evangelism in the past? What are the critical elements of effective evangelism? Read John 14:6 and Matthew 28:16-20 together. How do these Scriptures inform our understanding of missions and evangelism? In the day one section of this week’s self study material (pg 84) you were asked to fill in your relational map. Talk with group about this experience. Who is God calling you to invest in for His Kingdom? What does/will this investment look like? 108 WeekEightGroupSession Spiritual Gifts According to 1 Corinthians 12:7 who has received a spiritual gift and for what purpose was it given? How has God used some else and his/her spiritual gift(s) to help you in your discipleship process? Tell the group about a spiritual gift you believe God has given you? How have you come to discover this gift? In what ways are you using it? If you are not sure about your spiritual giftedness, how do you plan to explore this part of your spiritual development? Concluding Thoughts You have completed an intense study in discipleship, but it has only been a taste—a sampling of a great feast that we are invited to as Christ-followers! Our hope and prayer is that you have experienced the love of God by growing closer to God—through your study and sharing, through the prayers and gifts of those who are supporting you through the study, and through the sharing of yourself with your new small group of brothers and sisters. In the Old Testament, at the conclusion of a particular journey, Godly leaders would often build an altar of remembrance in order to recall the Lord’s provision and protection. To mark God’s work in this study, spend some time before our group session answering these questions as a sign of remembrance. 1. The insights that I have learned about myself during this journey are… 2. The surrenders that I’ve had to let go of during this study are… 3. List some new understandings that you have about your faith and then next to them, share how they inform how you live or how you view yourself? 4. Looking back through the seemingly monstrous 9-weeks, what has God begun to kindle in you or renew in you? 5. How has your idea of what it means to be a follower of Jesus changed or been reaffirmed? 6. I still don’t understand these things: 7. I feel that my next steps on my journey need to include the following: Key Things to Remember – Evangelism is sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the rest of the world. Missions is the call to live out the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20) Spiritual gifts are the special things that God has given each of us so that we can fulfill God’s work in this world. Appendix 109 NEXT STEPS? Connect Groups - Connect Groups are made up of 6-12 people who meet weekly for an evening of planned sharing, study, prayer, and in some groups, worship. Some of these groups discuss the sermon from the week before and covenant to live life together. SHAPE Course – Do you feel like Passages Bible Study just whets your taste buds for how God may have gifted you to serve? If you want to explore your Spiritual Gifts, Hearts passions, Abilities, Personality and Experiences in this context, then sign up!! Bible Studies – The men’s and women’s ministries offer Bible studies during the week that take you deep into God’s Word with other travelers. Emmaus – Emmaus is a 3-day spiritual retreat where you draw close to God’s heart for you through community, teaching, experiences, and song. Small Group Facilitation (SGF) – SGF is our first course in our Leadership Academy. This course acquaints you with necessary skills for leading discussions, preparing lessons, shepherding members and more. It is also a requirement for most leadership positions here at Springdale Nazarene! Personal Coaching – Are you unsure of your next steps, but you know that God is leading you somewhere? Call the church office to speak with Pastor Kevin Johnson to talk through these options and more. 110 Appendix ARTICLES OF FAITH81 I. The Triune God 1. We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe; that He only is God, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose. The God who is holy love and light is Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1; Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 5:16; 6:1-7; 40:18- 31; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; John 14:6-27; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corin- thians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; 1 John 1:5; 4:8) II. Jesus Christ 2. We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Tri- une Godhead; that He was eternally one with the Father; that He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one Person very God and very man, the God-man. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He truly arose from the dead and took again His body, together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us. (Matthew 1:20-25; 16:15-16; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-18; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 8:3, 32-34; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:12-22; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Hebrews 1:1-5; 7:22-28; 9:24-28; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:2-3, 15) III. The Holy Spirit 3. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that He is ever present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers, and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus. (John 7:39; 14:15-18, 26; 16:7-15; Acts 2:33; 15:8-9; Romans 8:1-27; Galatians 3:1-14; 4:6; Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 3:24; 4:13) IV. The Holy Scriptures 4. We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith. (Luke 24:44-47; John 10:35; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21) V. Sin, Original and Personal 81 Published by the authority of the Twenty-Eighth General Assembly held in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A., June 23-27, 2013. Nazarene Publishing House, 2013. Appendix 111 5. We believe that sin came into the world through the disobedience of our first parents, and death by sin. We believe that sin is of two kinds: original sin or depravity, and actual or personal sin. 5.1. We believe that original sin, or depravity, is that corruption of the nature of all the offspring of Adam by reason of which everyone is very far gone from original righteousness or the pure state of our first parents at the time of their creation, is averse to God, is without spiritual life, and inclined to evil, and that continually. We further believe that original sin continues to exist with the new life of the regenerate, until the heart is fully cleansed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit. 5.2. We believe that original sin differs from actual sin in that it constitutes an inherited propensity to actual sin for which no one is accountable until its divinely provided remedy is neglected or rejected. 5.3. We believe that actual or personal sin is a voluntary violation of a known law of God by a morally responsible person. It is therefore not to be confused with involuntary and inescapable shortcomings, infirmities, faults, mistakes, failures, or other deviations from a standard of perfect conduct that are the residual effects of the Fall. However, such innocent effects do not include attitudes or responses contrary to the spirit of Christ, which may properly be called sins of the spirit. We believe that personal sin is primarily and essentially a violation of the law of love; and that in relation to Christ sin may be defined as unbelief. (Original sin: Genesis 3; 6:5; Job 15:14; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:18-25; 5:12-14; 7:1-8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 John 1:7-8 Personal sin: Matthew 22:36-40 {with 1 John 3:4}; John 8:34-36; 16:8-9; Romans 3:23; 6:15-23; 8:18-24; 14:23; 1 John 1:9-2:4; 3:7-10) VI. Atonement 6. We believe that Jesus Christ, by His sufferings, by the shedding of His own blood, and by His death on the Cross, made a full atonement for all human sin, and that this Atonement is the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race. The Atonement is graciously efficacious for the salvation of those incapable of moral responsibility and for the children in innocency but is efficacious for the salvation of those who reach the age of responsibility only when they repent and believe. (Isaiah 53:5-6, 11; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:46-48; John 1:29; 3:14-17; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 3:2126; 4:17-25; 5:6-21; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 1:3-4; 3:13-14; Colossians 1:19-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:9; 9:11-14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:1821; 2:19-25; 1 John 2:1-2) 112 Appendix VII. Prevenient Grace 7. We believe that the human race’s creation in Godlikeness included ability to choose between right and wrong, and that thus human beings were made morally responsible; that through the fall of Adam they became depraved so that they cannot now turn and prepare themselves by their own natural strength and works to faith and calling upon God. But we also believe that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely bestowed upon all people, enabling all who will to turn from sin to righteousness, believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from sin, and follow good works pleasing and acceptable in His sight. We believe that all persons, though in the possession of the experience of regeneration and entire sanctification, may fall from grace and apostatize and, unless they repent of their sins, be hopelessly and eternally lost. (Godlikeness and moral responsibility: Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16-17; Deuter- onomy 28:1-2; 30:19; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 8:3-5; Isaiah 1:8-10; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:1-4; Micah 6:8; Romans 1:19-20; 2:1-16; 14:7-12; Galatians 6:7-8 Natural inability: Job 14:4; 15:14; Psalms 14:1-4; 51:5; John 3:6a; Romans 3:10-12; 5:12-14, 20a; 7:14-25 Free grace and works of faith: Ezekiel 18:25-26; John 1:12-13; 3:6b; Acts 5:31; Romans 5:6-8, 18; 6:15-16, 23; 10:6-8; 11:22; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 10:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:10a; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12-15; 6:4-6; 10:26-31; James 2:18-22; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 2:20-22) VIII. Repentance 8. We believe that repentance, which is a sincere and thorough change of the mind in regard to sin, involving a sense of personal guilt and a voluntary turning away from sin, is demanded of all who have by act or purpose become sinners against God. The Spirit of God gives to all who will repent the gracious help of penitence of heart and hope of mercy, that they may believe unto pardon and spiritual life. (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalms 32:5-6; 51:1-17; Isaiah 55:6-7; Jeremiah 3:12-14; Ezekiel 18:30-32; 33:14-16; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 3:1-14; 13:1-5; 18:9-14; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30-31; 26:1618; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9) IX. Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption 9. We believe that justification is the gracious and judicial act of God by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and complete release from the penalty of sins committed, and acceptance as righteous, to all who believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior. 9.1. We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience. Appendix 113 9.2. We believe that adoption is that gracious act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God. 9.3. We believe that justification, regeneration, and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith, preceded by repentance; and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. (Luke 18:14; John 1:12-13; 3:3-8; 5:24; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 3:21-26, 28; 4:5-9, 17-25; 5:1, 16-19; 6:4; 7:6; 8:1, 15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 2:1621; 3:1-14, 26; 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:6- 7; 2:1, 4-5; Philippians 3:3-9; Colossians 2:13; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 1:9; 3:1-2, 9; 4:7; 5:1, 9-13, 18) X. Christian Holiness and Entire Sanctification 10. We believe that sanctification is the work of God which transforms believers into the likeness of Christ. It is wrought by God’s grace through the Holy Spirit in initial sanctification, or regeneration (simultaneous with justification), entire sanctification, and the continued perfecting work of the Holy Spirit culminating in glorification. In glorification we are fully conformed to the image of the Son. We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect. It is wrought by the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service. Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by grace through faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as “Christian perfection,” “perfect love,” “heart purity,” “the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit,” “the fullness of the blessing,” and “Christian holiness.” 10.1. We believe that there is a marked distinction between a pure heart and a mature character. The former is obtained in an instant, the result of entire sanctification; the latter is the result of growth in grace. We believe that the grace of entire sanctification includes the divine impulse to grow in grace as a Christlike disciple. However, this impulse must be consciously nurtured, and careful attention given to the requisites and processes of spiritual development and improvement in Christlikeness of character and personality. Without such purposeful endeavor, one’s witness may be impaired and the grace itself frustrated and ultimately lost. Participating in the means of grace, especially the fellowship, disciplines, and sacraments of the Church, believers grow in grace and in wholehearted love to God and neighbor. 114 Appendix (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Malachi 3:2-3; Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17; John 7:37-39; 14:15-23; 17:6-20; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 15:8-9; Romans 6:11-13, 19; 8:1-4, 8-14; 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; Ephesians 3:14-21; 5:17-18, 25-27; Philippians 3:10-15; Colossians 3:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Hebrews 4:9-11; 10:10-17; 12:1-2; 13:12; 1 John 1:7, 9) (“Christian perfection,” “perfect love”: Deuteronomy 30:6; Matthew 5:43- 48; 22:37-40; Romans 12:9-21; 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13; Philippians 3:10-15; Hebrews 6:1; 1 John 4:17-18 “Heart purity”: Matthew 5:8; Acts 15:8-9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:3 “Baptism with the Holy Spirit”: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Malachi 3:2-3; Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 15:8-9 “Fullness of the blessing”: Romans 15:29 “Christian holiness”: Matthew 5:1-7:29; John 15:1-11; Romans 12:1-15:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:17-5:20; Philippians 1:9-11; 3:12-15; Colossians 2:20-3:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:7-8; 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; Hebrews 10:19-25; 12:14; 13:20-21; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 1:1-11; 3:18; Jude 20-21) XI. The Church 11. We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word. God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ, holy living, and mutual accountability. The mission of the Church in the world is to share in the redemptive and reconciling ministry of Christ in the power of the Spirit. The Church fulfills its mission by making disciples through evangelism, education, showing compassion, working for justice, and bearing witness to the kingdom of God. The Church is a historical reality that organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms, exists both as local congregations and as a universal body, and also sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Exodus 19:3; Jeremiah 31:33; Matthew 8:11; 10:7; 16:13-19, 24; 18:15-20; 28:19-20; John 17:14-26; 20:21-23; Acts 1:7-8; 2:32-47; 6:1-2; 13:1; 14:23; Romans 2:28-29; 4:16; 10:9-15; 11:13-32; 12:1-8; 15:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:5- 9; 7:17; 11:1, 17-33; 12:3, 12-31; 14:26-40; 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:1; Galatians 5:6, 13-14; 6:1-5, 15; Ephesians 4:1-17; 5:25-27; Philippians 2:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:19-25; 1 Peter 1:1-2, 13; 2:4-12, 21; 4:1-2, 10-11; 1 John 4:17; Jude 24; Revelation 5:9-10) XII. Baptism Appendix 115 12. We believe that Christian baptism, commanded by our Lord, is a sacrament signifying acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, to be administered to believers and declarative of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and full purpose of obedience in holiness and righteousness. Baptism being a symbol of the new covenant, young children may be baptized, upon request of parents or guardians who shall give assurance for them of necessary Christian training. Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant. (Matthew 3:1-7; 28:16-20; Acts 2:37-41; 8:35-39; 10:44-48; 16:29-34; 19:1- 6; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-28; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:18-22) XIII. The Lord’s Supper 13. We believe that the Memorial and Communion Supper instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is essentially a New Testament sacrament, declarative of His sacrificial death, through the merits of which believers have life and salvation and promise of all spiritual blessings in Christ. It is distinctively for those who are prepared for reverent appreciation of its significance, and by it they show forth the Lord’s death till He come again. It being the Communion feast, only those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints should be called to participate therein. (Exodus 12:1-14; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:28-58; 1 Corinthians 10:14-21; 11:23-32) XIV. Divine Healing (2*) 14. We believe in the Bible doctrine of divine healing and urge our people [to seek] to offer the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick. We also believe God heals through the means of medical science. (2 Kings 5:1-19; Psalm 103:1-5; Matthew 4:23-24; 9:18-35; John 4:46-54; Acts 5:12-16; 9:3242; 14:8-15; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; James 5:13-16) XV. Second Coming of Christ 15. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so that we shall ever be with the Lord. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 9:26-28; 2 Peter 3:3-15; Revelation 1:7-8; 22:7-20) 116 Appendix XVI. Resurrection, Judgment, and Destiny 16. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, that the bodies both of the just and of the unjust shall be raised to life and united with their spirits — “they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” 16.1. We believe in future judgment in which every person shall appear before God to be judged according to his or her deeds in this life. 16.2. We believe that glorious and everlasting life is assured to all who savingly believe in, and obediently follow, Jesus Christ our Lord; and that the finally impenitent shall suffer eternally in hell. (Genesis 18:25; 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalm 50:6; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2-3; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; 20:27-38; John 3:16-18; 5:25-29; 11:21-27; Acts 17:30-31; Romans 2:1-16; 14:7-12; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15; 22:1-15) (1*) Scripture references are supportive of the Articles of Faith and were placed here by action of the 1976 General Assembly but are not to be considered part of the Constitutional text. (2*) Constitutional changes adopted by the 2013 General Assembly are in the process of ratification by the district assemblies at the time of printing. Where changes are being made, words in italics are new words and words in brackets [ ] are words being deleted. Appendix 117 Passages Evaluation Congratulations! You have completed Passages! We are excited for what God is doing in your life. Know that you have been prayed for, supported, and loved throughout your time. Hopefully, you have walked away with a deeper understanding of your relationship with God and your fellow Christ-followers. In order to make Passages the best course it can be for future travelers, we would like you to take a few moments to give us your thoughts on your recent experience. Overall Impressions 1. As a whole, Passages has been (circle one)— Not very helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very helpful 6 7 8 9 10 2. The best things about Passages were (weeks, particular days, activities)— 3. Ways Passages could be improved (weeks, particular days, activities)— Environment 1. The environment, the setting that we journeyed together was (circle one)— Not conducive to learning 1 2 3 Very conducive to learning 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2. Changes I would make in the environment— Facilitator 1. Did the facilitator enrich your study? How? 2. What might be a growing edge/something that would help him/her better facilitate future groups? Any additional thoughts you would like to share with us about your experience in Passages? Optional information about yourself— Name_______________________________________________________ Phone______________________________________________________ E-mail______________________________________________________ 118 Appendix