Extreme Makeover: "We Need Your Help"

Discuss, “God wants your family to reflect his original design for creation…peace, harmony, unity, purpose and order.” Does this describe your family?

What do the following scriptures reveal about God’s original design for the family?


Genesis 2:24—

Genesis 7:1—

Deuteronomy 5:8-10—

Psalm 68:6—

2 Samuel 6:11—

Psalm 78:5-7—

If your family is to follow God’s original design, Jesus must be the architect.

Is Jesus the architect of my home? Be honest…don’t just flippantly say yes.

Am I following His blueprint? How well do you know the blueprint? If we don’t know it, we can’t follow it!

gravity: the church

The New Testament uses several word pictures to describe God’s dream for his church. Identify the image(s) in the following scriptures and answer the question, What does each image tell you about what we, as the church, are to be or do?

Ephesians 2:22

2 Corinthians 11:2

2 Peter 2:9

1 Corinthians 12:27

1 Corinthians 3:9

Don't Date the Church

I read Josh Harris' book, Stop Dating the Church, in preparation for this week's message-- gravity, the church. Great, challenging and easy read. I finished the book asking God to give me a bigger passion for HIS church.

Put Your Faith on the Field

Put Your Faith on the Field

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Group Life and our children

Of all the things I love about group ministry, I think what I love the most is the opportunity groups provide for the whole family.

I witnessed this on display Saturday afternoon at Journey’s gathering at the Schoeppners. Earlier in the day, several of the older kids and adults participated in the triathlon at Cook Forest. It was cool to hear these kids share their experience with folks who in turn congratulated and cheered them on. Some of the time children played in the pool and hung with each other while parents engaged with conversation around the pool and other times whole families played and interacted with each other. The day ended with teens and parents sitting around a fire enjoying community with one another.

This is what community is all about. Think about all the important life lessons every parent wishes to pass onto their children that was communicated Saturday with out a single “lecture”. The wisdom of healthy friendships, the privilege of praying together and the blessings of biblical community… just to name a few.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Moses instructed, “Write these commands that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children.” (the Message) As a dad, this responsibility begins with me. That said, it sure is good to be doing life with others who encourage, pray for and help me model what it looks like to wholeheartedly follow Christ.

gravity: ministry and spiritual gifts

gravity: ministry and spiritual gifts

We teach that God sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts. It is the privilege of every Christ-follower to minister according to their gift(s) and it is their responsibility to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s).
o Particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:7–8).
o God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; James 5:14-15; 1 John. 5:14, 15).
o The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and places the Christ-follower into the Body of Christ (Romans 12:1–8; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31; Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11.

1. What are the synonyms for “gifts” that Paul uses in the following scriptures?

1 Corinthians 12:5—

1 Corinthians 12:6—

Romans 12:4—

How does this help you understand spiritual gifts?

2. Agree/Disagree: The lists of spiritual gifts by the Apostles Paul and Peter are intended to be exhaustive. Why or why not?

3. How does a person go about discovering his or her spiritual gifts?

4. Can you identify your spiritual gifts? If so what are they? If not, can you identify what gifts you do not have?



Application:

1. Do you see ministry as a privilege?

2. Do you see the responsibility to use and develop your gifts?

3. Are you using your gifts in love?

gravity: salvation

salvation

We teach that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7; 2:8–10; Jn. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:18–19).

The good news of the gospel can be summed up in the first two words of Ephesians 2:4, “But God” (ESV). Apart from Christ, the bible describes us as “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), but God made us “alive with Christ.” We receive salvation “by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:5,8).

Read Ephesians 2:1-10.

How is the phrase, “But God” a summary of the gospel?

What is the future promise expressed in verse 7?

How is salvation experience according to verses 8-9?

Is it possible to be sure of one’s salvation? What do the following scriptures reveal about assurance of salvation?

1 John 5:11-12—

Romans 8:16—

Ephesians 2:10—

gravity: total depravity

total depravity of man

We teach that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin humanity fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; man is totally depraved and of himself unable to remedy his lost condition, destined to an eternity in Hell (Gen. 1:26, 27; Rm. 3:22, 23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1–3, 12).

Read Genesis 1:26-31 and 3:1-19. Since “God is spirit” (John 4:24), what does it mean to be made in the image and likeness of God?

What does Adam’s sin affect this image?

What is the continued result of Adam’s sin? (see Romans 5:12)

The New Testament word translated “sin” is the word, “harmaritia”, which means to “miss the mark”.

How does this definition help you understand Romans 3:20?

Read the following scriptures: Romans 7:18; Psalm 51:5, 58:3; and Isaiah 64:6.

How does sin affect humanity’s—
a. relationship with God?
b. physical surroundings?
c. relationship with others?

What is the hope offered in Romans 5:20 for someone consumed with his or her own sin? Read 1 Timothy 1:15. Spend some time thanking God for Jesus.