10.31 Worship - Love's Great Sacrifice

LOVE’S GREAT SACRIFICE

1 JOHN 4:9-12

1. GOD HAS A METHOD OF DISPLAYING HIS LOVE (v.9)

a. JOHN 3:16

b. MATTHEW 1:18-23

c. HOW DO WE DISPLAY OUR LOVE? SELFISH – EMINEM VIDEO

d. FACT: WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE FIRST THING ABOUT LOVE BECAUSE WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE FIRST THING ABOUT SACRIFICE. LOVE FROM GOD COMES IN THE FORM OF SACRIFICE

2. GOD HAS A MOTIVATION FOR SHARING HIS LOVE (v.10)

a. WHAT IS ATONEMENT? GOD PROVIDES THE SACRIFICE THAT SAVES US

b. FORGIVENESS: HOW AWESOME IT FEELS TO BE FORGIVEN

c. VIDEO: SWITCHFOOT: STARS

d. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-18

3. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR SHOWING HIS LOVE (v.11-12)

a. GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE TO US SO THAT WE CAN REFLECT HIM

b. FACT: WE FAIL TO REFLECT GOD’S LOVE BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW GOD

c. VIDEO: CASTING CROWNS "SLOW FADE"

FINAL CHALLENGE: WAKE UP! CONNECT, GROW, GO!

October 20 - Connect, Grow, Go!

CONNECT, GROW, GO!

Scripture: Hosea 1 & 3

INTRODUCTION: THE CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE – WHAT COULD HAPPEN?

BACKGROUND:

· HOSEA’S NAME MEANS “SALVATION” OR “THE LORD SAVES”

· HE PROPHESIED UNDER THE RULE OF FOUR KINGS

· HE PROPHESIED FOR FOURTY YEARS

· HE PROPHESIED AT THE SAME TIME AS ISAIAH

· HOSEA’S MARRIAGE WAS AN ALLEGORY OF GOD’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL

· MAJOR TRUTHS OF THE BOOK:

o GOD SUFFERS WHEN HIS PEOPLE SIN

o GOD HATES SIN

o GOD LOVES HIS PEOPLE SO MUCH, THAT HE SEEKS TO SAVE THEM

o GOD’S LOYAL LOVE TO HIS COVENANT PEOPLE DESPITE IDOLATRY

A) HOSEA 1: CONNECT TO THE CALL THROUGH OBEDIENCE

· GOD CALLS HOSEA: HE INVOLVES HIM IN HIS MISSION

· GOD CALLS HOSEA TO A DIFFICULT TASK

· GOD CALLS HOSEA TO A DIFFICULT LIFE

· HOSEA’S KIDS ALL REPRESENT THE SIN OF ISRAEL

o JEZREEL: ISRAEL WILL BE MASSACRED

o LO-RUHAMA: “NOT PITIED” GOD WOULD REMOVE HIS PROTECTION

o LO-AMMI: “NOT MY PEOPLE” GOD RESPOND TO REBELLION WITH REJECTION

· GOD CALLS TO SEE THE FUTURE GOOD TO COME FROM THE PRESENT EVIL.

· WHAT DOES GOD CALL US TO DO?

o CONNECT HIS CALL TO FOLLOW HIM DAILY

o CONNECT THE HIS CHURCH AND SERVE

o CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY AS HIS HANDS AND FEET

· STORY: WHEN I RAN FROM GOD

B) HOSEA 1: GROW IN OBEDIENCE

· HOSEA IMMEDIATELY OBEYS GOD. ISAIAH OBEYS GOD. JONAH RUNS.

· WATCH SWITCHFOOT VIDEO: DARE YOU TO MOVE

· HOSEA CARES MORE ABOUT OBEYING GOD THAN WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT THINK

· HOSEA FOLLOWED GOD RATHER THAN THE CULTURE

· HOSEA GREW IN HIS UNDERSTANDING OF WHY ISRAEL HAD TO BE PUNISHED

· HOSEA GREW IN HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAY OFF OF OBEDIENCE

· HOSEA NEVER STOPPED GROWING: H3: HE BOUGHT BACK HIS WIFE

· HOW CAN WE GROW?

o GROW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH BIBLE STUDY & PRAYER

o GROW IN OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS

o GROW IN OUR SERVICE TO GOD’S MISSION

· STORY: HOW HAVE I GROWN?

C) HOSEA 1: GO & SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS THROUGH LOVE

· ULTIMATELY, LOVE FROM GOD WINS IN THE END

· ULTIMATELY, LOVE FROM GOD ALLOWS US TO LOVE THE HARD TO LOVE

· ULTIMATELY, LOVE FROM GOD IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO CONNECT, GROW, AND GO

· HOSEA 1:2 – HOSEA IS CALLED TO LOVE A WOMAN HE KNOWS WILL LEAVE HIM

· HOSEA 1:10 – GOD’S PEOPLE WILL BE REUNITED TO GOD’S LOVE AGAIN

· HOSEA 3:1-2: HOSEA BUYS HIS WIFE OUT OF SEXUAL SLAVERY

· HOW CAN WE GO ON MISSION WITH GOD?

o GO AND SERVE OUR FAMILIES

o GO AND SERVE OUR FRIENDS @ SCHOOL

o GO AND SERVE THE POOR AND BROKEN PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY

FINAL CHALLENGE: CONNECT, GROW, GO!

Video Links for Sunday October 3

Today, we are watching all kinds of videos, from Francis Chan's videos for his Crazy Love book to the gay college student who committed suicide because his friends posted video of his private life on the Internet. We will be talking about the dichotomy between the greatness of a holy God and the desperate need of a broken humanity for redemption. I hope these videos are helpful to you as we continue to seek God together. Remember, hope is always available to those truly searching for it. -James

LINK: Crazy Love: The Awe Factor Of God

LINK: Crazy Love: Just Stop And Think

LINK: Pew Forum: Religious Knowledge Quiz

LINK: Kids & The Marshmallow Test

LINK: NAMB Evangelism: The Edge of Nastiness

LINK: Sturgis Biking: Lessons Learned From Ministry

LINK: Daily Conversation: Gay College Student Kills Himself

LINK: Associated Press: Student Suicide Illustrates Internet Dangers

Radical by David Platt

The following quotes come from Pastor David Platt's book. Please check out the website links following the quotes. God bless you as we press on together. -James

Do we believe the reward found in Jesus is worth the risk of following him? p162

I can imagine the looks on the disciples' faces when the next words came out of Jesus' mouth: "I am sending you out like sheep among the wolves." Sheep are among the most helpless of all domesticated animals. They are also some of the most senseless. Harmless noises can send them into a frenzy, and when they face danger, they have no defense mechanism. All they can do is run, and unfortunately they are slow. As a result, the dumbest thing a sheep can do is to wander into a pack of wolves. So why in the world was Jesus, the good shepherd, the great Shepherd, telling his sheep to hang out with wolves? p164

To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus. The danger in our lives will always increase in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ. p167

"Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin! The time for waiting is past!...Should such men as we fear? Before the whole world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God,...and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only in our God than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ." - C. T. Studd p178

Real success is found in radical sacrifice. Ultimate satisfaction is not found in making much of ourselves but in making much of God. The purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. Meaning is found in community, not individualism; joy is found in generosity, not materialism; and truth is found in Christ, not universalism. Ultimately, Jesus is a reward worth risking everything to know, experience, and enjoy. p183

Here's the experiment: use one year of your life to radically alter the remainder of your life. The challenge is for one year, and it involves five components. I dare you to:
1) pray for the entire world
2) read through the entire Word
3) sacrifice your money for a specific purpose
4) spend your time in another context
5) commit your life to a multiplying community
I believe - no, I know - that if you stick to these challenges for a whole year, you will find yourself coming alive like never before. You will know the incomparable thrill of being a part of what God is up to where you live and around the world. You will be ready to shed forever the unworthy parts of the American dream and hold on to the beautiful and lasting dream that God has designed for you. p186

If we are going to accomplish the global purpose of God, it will not be primarily through giving our money, as important as that is. It will happen through giving ourselves. This is what the gospel represents, and it's what the gospel requires. p198

You and I have an average of about seventy or eighty years on this earth. During these years we are bombarded with the temporary. Make money. Get stuff. Be comfortable. Live well. Have fun. In the middle of it all, we get blinded to the eternal. But it's there. You and I stand on the porch of eternity. Both of us will soon stand before God to give an account for our stewardship of the time, the resources, the gifts, and ultimately the gospel he has entrusted to us. When that day comes, I am convinced we will not wish we had given more of ourselves to living the American dream. We will not wish we had made more money, acquired more stuff, lived more comfortably, taken more vacations, watched more television, pursued greater retirement, or been more successful in the eyes of this world. Instead we will wish we had given more of ourselves to living for the day when every nation, tribe, people, and language will bow around the throne and sing the praises of the Savior who delights in radical obedience and the God who deserves eternal worship. Are you ready to live for this dream? Let's not waver any longer. p216-17.

LINK: Radical Book Website

LINK: Radical Promo Video

LINK: Radical Book & Bible Study Video

LINK: The Church @ Brook Hills Website

LINK: The Radical Experiment Website

Video Links: Wednesday 09/29/2010

Our last couple Bible studies have been about teenage suicide rates and finding hope in the Bible due to Chris Brown's death this past Thursday. I hope that these video links help to point you and me to Christ and the hope and joy we can find alone in Him. I love you and I'm praying for you. Please continue to pray for Mike and Cheryl, and continue to remember those who are left behind with many unanswered questions.

James

Scriptures to Consider:

1) Psalm 22: A Psalm about feeling forsaken by God
2) Psalm 23: God as our Great Shepherd in difficult times
3) Psalm 32: A Psalm about God's forgiveness
4) Psalm 40:1-4: God's rescue from evil
5) Psalm 57: God as our refuge
6) Psalm 62:1-12: God as our help in times of trouble
7) Psalm 77: Questions a man asks of God in times of trouble
8) Job 7: Questions about God's justice
9) Job 9:14-35: More questions about God's justice
10) Ecclesiastes 9:1-10: A strange view of life
11) Romans 8:1-11, 18-28: Joy in forgiveness
12) 1 Corinthians 13:1-13: The power of love
13) John 21:15-25: Jesus re-instates power and gives hope through forgiveness

LINK: Good Charlotte Song "Hold On"

LINK: Hillsong United Song "From the Inside Out"

LINK: Suicide Statistics

LINK: Next Generation Statistics

LINK: We are not alone (from a teenager perspective)

LINK: "We have a problem" (Conflict Ministries Promo)

LINK: The Frontline Youth Revolution

LINK: Two Suicide Letters

Video Links: 09/22 Wednesday Night Bible Study

Hey Everyone. The Bible passage we're studying tonight is John 4:7-14 about the Samaritan woman at the well to whom Jesus speaks while he's on a business trip. We're talking about "As You Go," as in, "As you go, talk to people about your faith." Talking to people about spiritual things should come naturally to us because we were designed to be spiritual people by a spiritual God.

We will be watching a bunch of videos about Mormonism, and then transition into the very vague doctrine of Pastor Joel Osteen, and then conclude with an interesting observation from Albert Mohler. Below are the video links, and I encourage you to watch them and discuss the obvious issues. God bless you. I am praying for you.

SCRIPTURES: Ephesians 2:1-10, Matthew 16:18, Revelation 22:18-21, James 1:5, John 6:35-51, 1 John 4:1-6, 1 John 2:18-27

Mormon theology cartoon

Joseph Smith’s Story

ABC, Inside a Mormon Temple (kind of…)

Are Mormons Christian? (YouTube Mormon Channel)

He Lives: Testimonies of Jesus Christ (YouTube Mormon Channel)

What Matters Most (YouTube Mormon Channel)

Joel Osteen Biffs it on Mormonism

Osteen said what?

Joel Osteen Says Jesus Christ is Not the Only Way

Benny Hinn Confronts Joel Osteen & Oprah

Dangerous Theology – Albert Mohler SBTS

Mormon Videos

Hey students. I showed you a few videos Sunday from the Mormon YouTube Channel, and we discussed about how completely Evangelical Christian they looked. I encourage you to watch more videos from the channel and see if you can find differences in theology that we have. Listen, WE HAVE TO RESEARCH OTHER RELIGIONS AND KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THEM WHEN THEY CHALLENGE US ON OUR FAITH!!! Help me out here...

After watching the videos, find out what they actually believe: www.allaboutcults.org

Here's the links to different videos:

"No Regrets" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BatMe89qYmQ
"Return to Virtue" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FXyPMKAfhE&feature=channel
"The Magnificent Priesthood" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j3MxNZdCeE&feature=channel
"What Matters Most" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYhDhiojBPA&feature=related