I am... a child of God

I am... a child of God

April 29, 2012

Connection Group Questions

Connection Groups Update

Home Groups are scheduled to run through May.  At or around Victoria Day Weekend your group should prepare to wrap things up.  Of course we hope your Group will plan for some summer events, and that relationships will continue!

  

We also have several Groups running at the office that are open to all who are interested: Mom2Mom meets Monday’s 9:30-11am and is for all moms with kids of all ages.  Man2Man (OK, we don’t really have an official name for this group) is open to all men and meets Wednesday mornings at 7am.

Visit Financial Peace University this Wednesday, May 2

Everyone is welcome to visit FPU, 7pm and get a taste of this in depth program on money management.

Serve at the ARK, May 9, 6:15-9pm

We always have a spot or two open for folks who are not on the regular team.  Let us know if you want to check out this awesome ministry.

Advanced Care Planning Worship, May 15, 7-8:30pm

This is not a sales pitch.  It is a workshop to help you prepare for the things in life many hate to think about: living wills, end-of-life care, estate planning.

Bible Study

A topic like this can bring up very deep emotions and memories.

Your group might need some time to talk about parent/child relationships.  Some have had wonderful parents, other have lost parents, or never had the kind of parents all children  should.  Also, some parents might have very strained relationships with their children.  As much is needed, and is appropriate, share about your experience as a child, or adopted child.  Parents in the group might share about their own struggles, and joys, in this role.  Leave time to support and pray for one another.

Make sure to move into the bible study, or at least the affirmation that all of us can have a perfect Heaven Father, and a perfect brother/savior in Jesus Christ.  Is is our faith in Jesus, the Son of God, that brings us into the Father/child relationship we have with God.  

Read 1 John 3:1-3

(As always, feel free to let the text guide your discussion and direct your answers.)

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

• How would you describe God’s love to someone?
• What does it mean to be a child, but to not yet be fully revealed?
• What does it mean to be like him (Jesus) when he appears?
• What can we do to purify ourselves as Christ is pure?

Also Read Romans 8:12-17

12 So then, brothers,[e] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[f] of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

• How does being the “adopted” children of God bring more clarity to our relationship with God?
• What does it mean to be an heir with Christ?  What is promised to us?

Bonus Discussion:

According to these, and other passages, being a Christian can be defined by being a child of God. This begs a question, are not all people the children of God?  Perhaps the following will help answer...

“We are all the offspring of God in the sense we are His products of the creative work of God (Acts 17:25ff), all men are not the children of God in a personal sense as a father with a son. Scripture teaches that God only dwells in those who have put their faith in Christ. All others, while God’s offspring by creation, have been separated from Him because of sin. When a person turns to God by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, they are spiritually regenerated, born anew, given new life, justified (declared righteous in Christ), forgiven of all their sin, past, present, and even future, and made children of God (John 1:12-13). At the same time, at the moment of faith, God the Holy Spirit comes to indwell their lives to enable them to experience fellowship with God and understand, grasp the truth of Scripture in a personal and meaningful way.”

To say that all people are the children of God, as this passage and others teach, does not really do justice to the depth and nature of the relationship God is inviting us into through Jesus, the son.

I am... in Christ

The Easter story is in may ways the start of Christianity.  Of course we know the story started with God in the beginning (Genesis 1), but if Jesus had not risen, then our faith would not be in Him.  It would have been the end of the story of Jesus.

But the resurrection changes everything.  We believe Jesus is risen, and this launches us into life and faith in him.  IN HIM.

That is the key to understanding much of the New Testament, and the Christian faith.

It's about life IN HIM since he rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and promises to return.

Being a Christian is about putting our lives in Jesus- our faith, our hopes, our plans, our minds, our emotions, our families, our work, our play... everything is to be IN Jesus.

So understanding our life and faith is about exploring life in Jesus.

The following puts in first-person who you are in Christ according to the bible.

The more you affirm who you are in Jesus Christ, 

the stronger your identity will grow in Christ, 

the more your thinking will be in alignment with Christ, 

the more your emotions will be in step with Christ, 

and the more your behavior will reflect Christ. 

Take time as a Group to read through the list together.  As you do, remind yourself of the following:

“Don’t you know who you are?  Don’t you know whose you are?  Don’t you know the meaning of your conversion and baptism?  Don’t you know that you have been united with Christ in his death, and raised with Christ in his resurrection?” 

Take note of any that speak to your heart, or a hurt.  

Maybe some of these are troubling or challenging.

Maybe some just don't make sense.

After reading through these aloud, talk about the ones that stand out.

Read the scripture passage.

• I am the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)
• I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
• I am a child of God (John 1:12)
• I am part of the true vine (John 15:1-5)
• I am a friend of God (John 15:15)
• I am appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
• I am a slave to righteousness (Romans 6:18)
• I am a child of the Father (Romans 8:14, Galatians 3:26)
• I am an heir in eternal blessing (Romans 8:17)
• I am the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19)
• I am one in spirit with Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• I am a member of his body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 5:30)
• I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• I am a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18,19)
• I am a citizen of heaven (Ephesians 2:6)
• I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
• I am part of the family of God (Ephesians 2:19)
• I am a prisoner of Christ (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1)
• I am righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:24)
• I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
• I am chosen, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4)
• I am a child of light, not darkness (1 Thessalonians 1:5:5)
• I am called to live in Christ (Hebrews 3:1, 14)
• I am a living stone in the house of God (1 Peter 2:5)
• I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
•  a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9, 10)
• I am an alien and stranger to this world (1 Peter 2:11)
• I am an enemy of the devil (1 Peter 5:8)
• I am born of God and protected from the devil (1 John 5:18)
• I am a saint! (1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:2)

Close with prayer for one another, and encourage the Group to follow-up and read over these every day.

Easter Sunday: "I Am... Called"

Connection Group Guide

April 8, 2012

We know that some groups will be taking Easter week off due to holiday plans.  If your group is meeting we encourage you to make this a special occasion of celebration. Perhaps your Group can host a dinner, or a party, and even invite friends.  Maybe plan for a special time of singing and prayer together.

For your bible study and discussion time stay focused on the Easter story.  Not everyone is familiar with the story, so take the time to explain the events that lead to the cross.  Allow everyone to ask questions, and stick to the bible for solid answers.  If you, or someone in your Group has a study bible, it will have a good index of the events and reading of Easter week.

Read John 20:1-18 and discuss.  Here are some statements on the resurrection, and why it matters:

1. Christ predicted His resurrection. The Bible records, "From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things ... and be killed, and be raised up on the third day" (Matthew 16:21). Even though His followers did not understand what He was telling them at the time, they remembered His words and recorded them.
2. Jesus made numerous appearances to His followers. He comforted the mourners outside His tomb on Sunday morning. On the road to Emmaus, He explained things about Himself from the Old Testament. Later, He ate in their presence and invited them to touch Him. Scripture records that Jesus was seen by more than 500 at one time.
3. The unrelenting faith of the disciples convinces us of the resurrection. Those disciples who were once so afraid that they deserted their Lord now courageously proclaimed this news, risking their lives to preach. Their bold and courageous behavior does not make sense unless they knew with absolute certainty that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
4. The growth of the Christian church confirms the resurrection. Peter's first sermon, which dealt with Christ's resurrection, stirred people to receive Him as their living Savior. Luke records the thrilling results: "That day there were added about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).  Today, there are millions of believers.
5. The testimony of hundreds of millions of transformed lives through the centuries shows the power of the Resurrection.  The most conclusive proof for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is that He is living within believers today with transforming power.

The Resurrection sets Christianity apart.  Here are some thoughts on the significance of the Resurrection:

The Resurrection proved that Christ was divine. The fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross does not prove in itself He is God. Jesus proved His deity by fulfilling the prophecies of His death and by His return from the grave. The Bible declares that "by being raised from the dead [Christ] was proved to be the mighty Son of God, with the holy nature of God Himself" (Romans 1:4).

The Resurrection proved Christ's power to forgive sin. The Bible asserts, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). By rising from the dead, Jesus proved His authority to break the bonds of sin and to assure forgiveness and eternal life to all who accept His gift of salvation.

The Resurrection revealed Christ's power over death. The Bible records, "Christ rose from the dead and will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him" (Romans 6:9).

The Resurrection secured our victory over death as well and "lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ..." (Ephesians 2:6).

The Resurrection defeated God's enemy. From the moment of his original rebellion until the day of the Cross, the devil fought viciously and cunningly to overthrow the kingdom of God. Satan must have thought he had dealt the final and decisive blow in this age-old war. But the Cross was heaven's triumph. And when Jesus Christ arose, the power of sin and death were forever shattered. Because of the Resurrection, Christians need never fear Satan or death again.

Jesus Came To Die

April 1, 2012

Read Matthew 21:1-11
(See also Mark 11:1-1; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)

Digging In:
As always, start with first impressions before questions:

What do we learn about Jesus?  

What did he do/say that strikes you?

What is clearly being taught in this passage?

Understand the culture:
This is the beginning of the final act in the life of Christ on earth.  

3 "storms" were blowing into Jerusalem this week:

• Roman Occupation;
• Israel's desire for a king;
• The Passover Celebration.

It was customary that a king would enter the city on a white horse after a victorious battle but during a time of peace, the king rode in on a donkey. (Judges 5:10; 1 Kings 1:33)   

What message might Jesus have been trying to communicate by entering on a donkey and not on a white horse?

Observe the response of the People.
Note that the crowds that went ahead of Jesus were shouting:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”

Discuss the meaning of the statements: “Hosanna” literally means “Save Now," “Son of David” was a Messianic title for Jesus

The crowds were acknowledging Jesus was who He claimed to be…for now.
Later, we read how these same crowds went from shouting ‘Hosanna’ to shouting ‘Crucify Him.’

Why are they so quick to turn on Jesus?

Have you ever been quick to turn on Jesus?

Dig Deeper-
This Triumphant Entry of Jesus is significant for many reasons, including:

1. This was the final and official presentation of Jesus to Israel as their Messiah
2. Many people recognized this as seen in their shouts of praise.
3. By coming on a donkey, Jesus presented Himself as King. 
4. This presentation of Jesus was the exact fulfillment of prophecy; prophecy the Israelites would have been very familiar with.  This should have confirmed without any doubt that Jesus was (and is) the Messiah.

What else can you think of?

Discuss why Jesus came to die:

• To save us from evil (Romans 3:25);
• To save us from our sins (Ephesians 1:7); 
• To save us from death (John 10:17-18).

Something else to think about:

Jesus was entering the city extending grace, not to judge the city.  

As we see in Revelation 19:11, the time will come (a time still future to us) when Jesus will enter the city as a victorious ruler and will judge the world.

Closing:

What is your response to Jesus?  Do you believe He is your Savior?
If He is Saviour and Lord, how can you publically and verbally praise God this week?