Abraham; Moses; Gideon; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Jonah; Etc.; Jesus; Me; You; Us

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Romans 12:14-21 - how should we treat our enemies?

Replicating the pattern of the cross in our lives... 

Matt. 28:5-10 is the additional text for Easter Sunday.

1. We will cultivate a Deeper Love for God
2. We will be a Loving Intergenerational Family
3. We will Pursue Unity Focused on Jesus
4. We will Nurture Marriage and Young Families
5. We will Make Disciples who Make Disciples
6. We will Have an Outward Focus on Our Local Community
7. We will be Mission Minded for the Lost of the World

1. We will cultivate a Deeper Love for God
2. We will be a Loving Intergenerational Family
3. We will Pursue Unity Focused on Jesus
4. We will Nurture Marriage and Young Families
5. We will Make Disciples who Make Disciples
6. We will Have an Outward Focus on Our Local Community
7. We will be Mission Minded for the Lost of the World 

1. We will provide unified Godly leadership that communicates clear vision, demonstrates grace and exemplifies boldness in following Jesus. 
2. We will develop a culture of grace, forgiving as we’ve been forgiven, keeping no record of wrongs, and bearing with one another in love.

-We will intentionally encourage and help our members develop meaningful relationships across all generations.

-We will nurture a community of encouragement, support and growth within the body.  

Abbreviated Commitment # 2
We Will be a Loving Intergenerational Family

7 Commitments (abbreviated)

1. We will cultivate a Deeper Love for God
2. We will be a Loving Intergenerational Family
3. We will Pursue Unity Focused on Jesus
4. We will Nurture Marriage and Young Families
5. We will Make Disciples who Make Disciples
6. We will Have an Outward Focus on Our Local Community
7. We will be Mission Minded for the Lost of the World 

1. We will cultivate a Deeper Love for God
2. We will be a Loving Intergenerational Family
3. We will Pursue Unity Focused on Jesus
4. We will Nurture Marriage and Young Families
5. We will Make Disciples who Make Disciples
6. We will Have an Outward Focus on Our Local Community
7. We will be Mission Minded for the Lost of the World 

Today's sermon places the focus on Commitment # 1 - We Will Cultivate a Deeper Love For God. All the other commitments must flow through this one.  Loving God with all of our being is easier said than done. It requires continually cultivation,  getting down to the roots, making sure we aren't operating out of a spiritual deficit, or that our "doing for" God does not exceed our "being with" God. 

• What is our motive in following Christ?

2:7-12 - They use several family metaphors, why?

• How are you loving like family?

2:13, 14 - Prayer of thanksgiving, side-by-side with a reference to their suffering

• What are you thankful for? Why do we also go straight to the negative?

2:19, 20 - Another reference to the "coming" of Christ

Sermon Notes

 Luke 6:37-45

 This is the ____________________ and ____________________ principle.

“Do not ____________, and you will not be _______________” – The tension?

Notes:

“Do not ________________, and you will not be _____________________” – Don’t try to play the role of _____________________.

“_______________, and you will be __________________” 

Notes:

“___________________, and you will be _____________________”

What’s going on __________________ of you is what comes ______________ of you

Notes:



2-23-20 Connect Group Discussion Guide

Love Your Enemies & Living with a Generous Disposition 

Weekly Readings Discussion and Sharing Time

1.    Allow time for anyone in the group who wants to share any insights, thoughts, observations, or questions they have from the previous week’s readings (last two weeks):

a.    Feb. 9 - Feb. 23 – Luke Ch. 1 – 14

The Text Discussion

2.    Sermon Series the last three weeks: The Sermon on the Plain - Luke 6:20-49. 

Love Your Enemies

3.    Read Luke 6:27-36 – what is most challenging for you out of this section of the sermon? Why?

4.    Who are our enemies? More specifically, who are your enemies? (you may not share individual names, but try to describe what an enemy is to you in your life)

5.    Why do you think Jesus expects us to love our enemies? How do we go about loving them? How does this go against our natural instincts?

6.    Do you think this works? 

7.    Do you trust Jesus enough to internalize this teaching and put it into practice?

8.    If you have time: compare to Matthew 5:38-48

Living with a Generous Disposition

9.    Read Luke 6:37-45

10.  What stands out to you from this section? 

11.  How does V. 37, 38 go against our natural instincts? 

12.  Why does Jesus teach us not to judge? How does the “plank” and the “speck” example expound on this? 

13.  Do you feel that you are often tempted to judge others? In what ways? Why is this such a strong temptation? 

14.  Why do you think Christians have a reputation for being judgmental? Do you think that is fair or unfair?

15.  How do people sometimes misuse the “do not judge” language?

Take-Home

16.  From the entire “Sermon on the Plain”, what is one thing you think you should put into practice this week? Is there one thing you could start doing or start doing that would help you live more obediently to what Jesus teaches here? 

17.  Pray as a group

Sermon Notes

John 17:20-23

Jesus prays for _______________________ - has His prayer ever been ______________________? 

What does ______________________ look like?

What does _____________________ look like?

Two types: 

1. ________________________ __________________________; 2. ________________________

_________________________

In John, Jesus’ ______________________ is connected with the ___________________________. The 

___________________________ is the path towards _____________________________... 

There is an __________________________ purpose to unity…

Action Steps:



2-2-20 Connect Group Discussion Guide

One Cruciform Way to Unity 

Weekly Readings Discussion and Sharing Time

1.    Same as the last few weeks, allow time for anyone in the group who wants to share any insights, thoughts, observations, or questions they have from the previous weeks readings. The readings from this past week:

a.     Jan. 26 – Mark 4 - Sunday

b.     Jan. 27 – Mark 5 - Monday

c.      Jan. 28 – Mark 6 - Tuesday

d.     Jan. 29 – Mark 7 - Wednesday

e.     Jan. 30 – Mark 8 - Thursday

f.      Jan. 31 – Mark 9 - Friday

g.     Feb. 1 – Mark 10 - Saturday

2.    Go around the room, and for anyone who feels comfortable, look back over what you read and let this be a time of sharing and reflection (take as much time as you need with this. As a leader, you aren’t required to have all the answers, just let the group hear how God is speaking to the group members during the weekly readings. Let the discussion go where it needs to go here).

The Text Discussion

3.    Read John 17:20-26 – What are your initial thoughts on this part of the prayer? What stands out to you? What questions do you have?

4.    How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus prayed for you?

5.    John 17:20-23 is our theme passage for the first part of the year. We are challenging you to memorize it. What do you think is the main thing Jesus is praying for, and why?

6.    Do you think Jesus’ prayer has ever been answered?

Unity Discussion

7.    What is unity? Why is it so hard?

8.    What is the difference between relational unity and spiritual unity?

9.    Read Eph. 2:13-16 – How does the cross create spiritual unity?

10.  How does the cross help with relational unity? (In what ways does following Jesus’ example of sacrifice, self-denial, forgiveness, reconciliation help promote unity?)

Personal Reflection

11.  Where in your life are you experiencing disunity? Take a few minutes to pray for there to be peace and reconciliation… (this may require a few minutes of silent reflection)

12.  How are you pursuing unity? What steps can you take in your life, family, work or church to pursue unity?

13.  Pray together as a group

Sermon Notes - Bulletin Insert 

John 10

V. 1 – Jesus is talking about the difference between the ______________ Shepherd and the _______________ shepherd’s (example: Ezekiel 34).

V. 3-5 – How do we ___________________ the ________________ of Jesus?

V. 7-10 – “I am the ____________________”

V. 11-14 – “I am the ______________________ ______________________”

V. 16 – “other sheep” = the _______________________

“They too will listen to my _______________. So there will be _____________ flock, __________________ shepherd.”

How do we learn to ____________________ to our shepherd together?

One Voice

There is a lot of noise competing for our ____________________. Perhaps the noisiest place 

for some of us is _____________________________________________...

Discipline yourself to ask: 

_______________________________________________________________________?

Sermon Notes

If the pursuit is as important as Jesus says it is, we have to be willing to put in the ________________ to hear from God! 

 Gospels – Zoom Out Notes:

All four gospels are ______________________ _______________________

Gospels – Zoom in Notes:

Mark:

Matthew:

Luke:

John:

-Each Gospel presents Jesus in a ___________________ way. They are ______________________ on each other to give us a complete picture of Jesus. 

-You can’t put a _________________ on how _________________this pursuit is. It is worth ____________________!

Sermon Notes

Vision Focus for 2020: Christ in _________

Theme Passage: ______________ 17: _____-_______

As you read:

1.    ___________ it a ______________

2.    Watch for ___________________

3.    ________________ and ask the ______ ____________________

4.    Be ______________________________

5.    Discover _________________________