Notes from July 12/13, 2008 -- Parenting -- Character

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
Parenting
July 12/13, 2008
Eric Wharton
Mark 4:26-29


Outline
1. Be there for our children – physically and emotionally.
2. Help our children develop the capacity to own their own life.
3. Parent with grace and make it safe to be real.

Content
1. We create conditions for God to shape His character in our children. We should reflect His heart and attitude to them.
2. The parable of the seed and how it grows is similar to character in children’s hearts: the growth is in God’s hands.
3. We need to be there for our children; in other words, be a safe and loving presence, respond to their needs, and not be pre-occupied with something else.
4. Support and delight in our children.
5. Move toward a relationship that comforts fears and addresses needs.
6. The crux of the gospel is to take what life throws at us and deal with it in relationship.
7. Prepare our children to embrace God Who is with us.
8. Children are overwhelmed with life when no one is there.
9. Children need to realize that their problems are their responsibility and not someone else’s.
10. They need to have the freedom to experience the consequences of their actions.
11. Getting angry gets results quickly but doesn’t change hearts.
12. Children’s job is to cross the boundary and keep pushing; our job is to be on the other side of the boundary and keep teaching.
13. Help children see themselves as loved, not good or bad. If they think they’re good, they might not see their need for a Savior.
14. Children need to know there’s grace to be who they are.

Aim
Parents’ job is to develop a relationship with their children and to co-operate with God and create conditions for God to work in them. The desired result is that children will have a heart to connect with God and His character will be shaped in them.

Application Questions
1. If you’re not a parent yet, what are some ideals you have that you’d like to institute in your family?
If you are a parent, what ideals did you have that haven’t happened in your children?
2. How do you deal with misbehavior in your children? How did your parents deal with your misbehavior, and was it good or bad?
3. Describe a time when your child took all of himself to you with a problem and tell how you reacted.
4. When you were a child, did you feel free to take all of yourself to your parents? Why or why not?
5. What are some things your parents could have done better? What did they do right?
6. If you are a parent, what are some things you did or are doing right? Some things you wish you’d done differently?

Passing it On

Rich Johnson, Heritage Children’s Pastor
July 5-6, 2008
Psalm 78:1-7

Outline

1. Four things to pass on to the next generation:
   a. Faith – week one
   b. Character – week two
   c. Boundaries – week three
   d. Relationships – week four


2. There are two questions that every generation must face (Psalm 87:1-3):
   a. Why do men and women continue to lack trust in God and turn from his ways?
   b. Why does God continue to be patient and merciful to men and women when they rebel?


3. We need to combine our influence: The “we” in verse four is primarily parents and secondarily “erbody” (everybody) else.


4. Purpose statement: My purpose as a parent is to create a place for my child to discover the things of God and encourage them to depend solely on Him.


5. We need to “show and tell” our faith to the next generation (vs. 4-7). Show and tell:
   a. The glory of God.
   b. The grace of God.
   c. The gift of God.

Content

1. Psalm 78 was commissioned by King David and reviews a brief history of Israel.


2. Parents should impress a biblical view of God to their children. (Psalm 78:4, Deut. 6:1-2)


3. Many times things, even good things, distract us from passing our faith on to our children.


4. We need to evaluate where we put our values; it is okay to say no to things in order to put our faith first.


5. Everybody (grandparents, neighbors, friends, teachers, etc.) needs to be involved in passing on faith to children. (Proverbs 22:6)


6. We need to pass on our faith by sharing the glory, grace and gift of God (Psalm 78:4-7)
   

Aim
It is the responsibility of parents and everyone alike to pass along our faith in Jesus Christ to the next generation.

Application Questions

1. Why do men and women continue to lack trust in God and turn from his ways?


2. Why does God continue to be patient and merciful to men and women when they rebel?


3. What is your biggest distraction that prevents you from passing your faith on to your children?


4. Discuss the following statement, “What is one generation's luxury becomes the next generation's necessity.”


5. Share the “erbody” (everybody) in your children’s lives and your own. How have they encouraged faith in your children and your own life?


6. How do you share the glory, grace and gift of God?

June 28-29, 2008 Continue The Jesus Way

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
Acts 29 Jesus Said/The Church Did/We Continue The Jesus Way
Jim Zippay, June 28-29, 20008
Luke 24 and Acts 28

Outline
I. Extending the Invitation (Luke 5:1-11, Acts 11)
II. Entering the Community (Act 2, 4:24)
III. Experiencing the Power (Acts 15:9)
IV. Embracing the People (Acts 4:18)
V. Expanding the Kingdom (Acts 19:18)

Content
1. C. S. Lewis said that God whispers to us in our joy, speaks to us in our conscious and shouts in our pain.
2. Making room for one more is not just a slogan, it’s a mandate.
3. Commitment to membership is not required but strengthens, not lessens our commitment to the church, which is expected.
4. When you belong to the church, your people group changes from being based on family, race, ethnicity, culture, nationality to followers of Jesus, a “new tribe”.
5. The power and authority given to followers of Jesus is so now as much as then.
6. We should be more like a hospital than a resort.
7. Jesus doesn’t ask us to trivialize or erase the traditions of the past; however, don’t make them a yoke for new believers to get in.
8. We should talk more about the essence of the kingdom in terms of “Good News” or “Blessings” for those who believe.
9. Following Jesus should have more impact on us than what we do on Sunday; it should influence all the areas of our lives.

Aim
Our commitment to “The Jesus Way” should be a blessing to our individual lives and to the nations.

Application Questions
I. Do you think God is trying to whisper, speak or shout to you or someone you know?
II. Can you describe what steps you have taken since you decided to follow Jesus?
III. How has your commitment to Jesus made an impact on your church?
IV. How have you embraced your “new tribe” of believers? Have you felt embraced? Why or why not?
V. How do you use the power and authority of your gifts to serve Christ?
VI. What yokes have you been inclined to put on people with the lines you draw?
VII. How do you speak of the gospel or the kingdom in terms of good news, blessings?

June 22, 2008: The Jesus Way ~ Making a Good Handoff…

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
The Jesus Way ~ Making a Good Handoff…
Teaching Pastor, Jim Zippay
June 22, 2008
Scripture Passage: Acts 20:17-32

Outline
I. A good handoff begins with a solid race. (Acts 20:17-21)
II. A good handoff needs a strong finish. (Acts 20: 22-24)
III. A good hand off prepares for a hard run. (Acts 20: 28-31)
IV. A good hand off first hands us to God. (Acts 20: 32)

Content
1. Being a servant leader is critical to having a solid race.
2. Speaking the truth of Christ is the second important part of a solid race.
3. Being a Christ follower till the end, despite all adversity.
4. To run hard for God, you need to prepare yourself.
5. Self-awareness or spiritual preparedness comes in a forms of questions for battle readiness:
6. Are you paying attention to yourself?
7. Are you recognizing the value of people?
8. Are you aware of others influence?
9. Look for what will do to build up in you, make you stronger, give you certainty, security, a legacy and heritage.

Aim
Making a good handoff requires a fully Christ engaged life in obedience, preparation and spiritual battle experience.

Application Questions
I. Do you prepared to handoff the “spiritual reigns” with strength?
II. Are you engaging God in this process?
III. Are you prepared in the areas you need to be prepared?

Notes from June 14-15, 2008

Paul/The Jesus Way
Past Pavi Thomas
June 14-15, 2008
Acts 26:9-16

Outline/Content

1. Characteristics of Paul:

• Raised in a wealthy and elite Jewish family
• Studied under a famous Jewish Rabbi
• Member of the Pharisee sect of Judaism, a conservative reform movement that attempted to live out every aspect of the Mosaic law
• Part of a sect of the Pharisees that relied on mystical experiences, they sought to fully grasp God and his law through mystical experiences, visions and epiphanies fueled by disciplined study of God’s Word
  

2. Paul was present during Stephen’s trial and stoning. Paul was convinced that stoning Stephen was the right thing to do because the Sanhedrin (the Jewish court) believed Stephen was proclaiming a false messiah. (Deut. 13:1-10)

3. The three things about Stephen that moved Paul into action were:

• The power and irrefutable wisdom with which he spoke of Jesus
• The signs and wonders that accompanied Stephen’s message
• He was willing to die for his faith
  

4. Paul was convinced that he needed to devote his time to discovering and arresting those, like Stephen, who were propagating these false beliefs.

5. On the road to Damascus Paul had an encounter with Jesus similar to those he would have studied in Isaiah 6:1-5 and Ezekiel 1.

6. Paul’s sect of Pharisees longed to see the glory of the Lord, just as others had, in the Scriptures, in visions and in direct revelation.

7. During Paul’s encounter he learns that the Lord is Jesus, the very man whose followers he had been persecuting and even murdering.

8. Paul had encountered God; he had tasted what he had always longed for but everything he thought was wrong turned out to be God’s own truth.

9. Paul’s life was completely changed as a result of this encounter with Jesus. He dedicated his life to telling others about the true Messiah, Jesus. (2 Corinthians 4:6, Philippians 3, 2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Aim
Paul encountered Jesus, and he was forever changed. Jesus also desires to forever change you for his glory.

Application Questions
1. How has your background or upbringing affected your view of Jesus? What needs to change about your view of Jesus?

2. Share a time when you were convinced of one thing but the Lord instructed you in another direction. What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about God?

3. What are some ways that God speaks? (His Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, other believers, circumstances) What way do you hear God the best? What ways do you need to practice so you can hear God better?

4. Paul’s life was completely changed by the gospel. How has the gospel changed your life? How do you want it to change your future?

June 7 & 8, 2008 | The Jesus Way ~ How to Live Naturally Supernatural!

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
The Jesus Way ~ How to Live Naturally Supernatural! /Sermon Series: Acts
Teaching Pastor, Jim Zippay
June 8, 2008
Scripture Passage: Acts 16

Outline
I. Recognizing the Spirit's leading.
II. Respond to God's working.
III. Engage in Jesus stuff.

Content
1. God is not just a creator who is listlessly indifferent to our struggles.
2. God is a personal God, who through the Holy Spirit guides and directs our efforts.
3. Act 15:6-11 are examples of how God directs individuals in specific directions.
4. Pastor Jim described how his own child came to him through the specific direction of God.
5. Responding to God’s leading requires obedience and at times periods of frustration because it is not always clear what He is doing.
6. To the diligent worker, God does often make His plan vividly clear, but not always.
7. It is important to know that the timing of God’s plans revealed rarely coincides with our plans. We often operate on a need-to-know basis.
8. Warfare, struggle, push-back, confrontation, and demonic powers are all part of the engaging as a Spirit-led believer.
9. We need to know there is another team playing against us, who has as its chief objective to neutralize, destroy and otherwise discredit the cause and plan of Christ in the individual follower.

Aim
Our aim as believers is to recognize the truth of the leading of the Holy Spirit, obey His leading, and prepare to engage in warfare with the help of the Holy Spirit to overcome said battles.

Application Questions
I. Do you recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit in your own life? Can you give a testimony to that fact?
II. Why do you think God considers it is important for believers to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit?
III. Does the fear of aversion scare you? Do you think God actually is there to help you if a battle comes your way?
IV. What does spiritual victory in Christ look like? How has He helped you win over the enemy?

Notes from May 31/June 1, 2008

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
“Learning to Draw Lines DiFfeRentLY” “The Jesus Way” series
Pastor Jim Zippay
May 31/June 1, 2008
Acts 15:1-21

Outline
1. Some lines need to be drawn straight and unchanging.
2. Some lines need to be drawn differently. Three guiding questions:
1. What is God doing?
2. What does grace look like?
3. What good will result?


Content
1. Without lines we’d be disoriented and it would be hard to distinguish one category from another, but big black right angles might not be the only way.
2. Let people into your group who are different from you, who will change you.
3. The apostles were all Jews who obeyed the laws and customs of Moses.
4. As Christianity expanded further, throughout Samaria and beyond, people had to flex and bend.
5. Gentiles came to faith but didn’t follow the Jewish customs.
6. Every group has a set of standards.
7. People think they can say what God wants, what a committed follower should do; we think other Christians should be like us.
8. The straight and unchanging lines should be few and agreed on.
9. We are saved by grace, in God’s kingdom and family, if we trusted Christ to save us.
10. Following Jesus might look different to different people and different cultures.
11. Let Jesus build the church the way He wants it to be.
12. They were wise to restrict pagan worship and contact with idols, as we should do.
13. The good that will result is that people will know the one true God, will be ready to believe and follow Him.


Aim
The one clear line we should draw is coming to faith in Jesus; beyond that, accept others and welcome all whom God draws, helping them to continue to grow in Him.


Application Questions
1. What does being a part of a group look like?
2. Has there been a time you didn’t welcome someone who was different into your group/situation?
3. Describe a time you welcomed someone who was different and the good that resulted from it.
4. What are some lines you’ve drawn that you now realize were too rigid? Or should have been more rigid?
5. What is God doing in your life to help you make your lines more flexible?