Notes from Sept. 6/7, 2008

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
“Bringing it Back” – “Real History is His-story”
Pastor Jim Zippay
Sept. 6/7, 2008
1 Chron. 13:1-4

Outline

1. What is IT? (What are we talking about?)
2. Where was IT?
3. Why bring IT back?
4. Will you commit to bringing IT back?

Content

1. God made provision to meet with people, to be with the Israelites in a personal sense. (Ex 25:22)
2. God is always with us, but are we always with Him?
3. The God of the universe extended Himself to a select group of people, which was a privilege, a life-changing experience.
4. The Israelites lost the ark because they lost the presence of God. (1 Sam 4:5-21)
5. The presence of God was evident in King David’s life.
6. When men risked their lives to get David water, he poured it out because he didn’t deserve that kind of devotion. (1 Chron. 11:16-19) God must be the center of their (and our) devotion.
7. David brought back the ark to show God as the stabilizing center of Israel.
8. Only God deserves the place of prominence in our lives; the church should convey that.
9. The church needs to bring back the focus on God that David brought to the Israelites.
10. As Heritage embarks on this year of focusing on worship, we might go on an uncharted and uncomfortable path, but it will help us sense God’s presence in our midst and in our lives.
11. Do we need to make a confession and commitment to God:
* God, I confess that I have given supremacy to something/someone other than You.
* God, I confess that I have not made seeking You my focus in coming here each week.
* Lord, I commit to joining this journey to establish Your Presence as the place of prominence in this church and in my life.

Aim
We need to have God as the place of prominence in our lives, the center of our attention, affection and devotion.

Application Questions

1. Are there times you’ve wandered away from God?
2. What changes do you need to make so your heart will be a place where God meets with you?
3. In what areas of your life would you say there’s no glory or evidence of God’s presence?
4. How do you respond to people’s acts of kindness?
5. What people or things replace God as the center of your affection/devotion?
6. What is often your focus when you go to church?


For future study: A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, by Beth Moore
Leviticus: Worshipping a Holy God, by Kay Arthur

Sermon Notes for August 30/31, 2008

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
Livin’ for the City
Pastor Richard Johnson, Children’s Pastor
August 30/31, 2008
Jeremiah 29:4-7

Outline
I. God is sending us (Jer. 29:4; Psalms 137:1-4)
II. To serve in the city (Jer. 29:5-6)
III. So we can worship together (Jer. 29:7).

Content
1. The city has experienced the flight of the economically astute (businesses left), the relationally available (neighborhoods disintegrated), and the spiritually accessible (churches withdrew).
2. Jeremiah 29:5-6 encourages serving in the city by building houses, planting gardens, marrying and multiplying.
3. Jeremiah tells the people of God to serve rather than to teach or preach or plant a church.
4. Seek the peace (shalom) of the city, wherein shalom reflects love and peace within strong families, a safe and decent living environment, and spiritual peace.
5. Pray for the “enemy” by seeing them not as the enemy, but as the called ones of God acting in rejection and yourselves as givers of God’s grace.
6. When the city prospers, we prosper, because it brings us into repentance and it strengthens us for missions.
7. We should see our place in the city and become deeply involved in it, with our prosperity blessing the city.

Aim
We should love the city because God loves the city and wants to redeem that which is lost.

Application Questions
I. What is your attitude towards the city? How can you change any negative attitudes you may have?
II. How do we influence the city without being influenced by the city? How do your children view the city today?
III. How do you pray for the enemy? How does the suburb prosper with the city? Why should we love the city?

August 24th: It's Time to Send Someone

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
It’s Time to Send Someone / Sermon Series 3 of 3
Teaching Pastor, Jim Zippay
August 24, 2008
Scripture Passage: Acts 13:1-3

Outline
I. Establish a Kingdom Community (Diversity – 13:1)
II. Engage in a Heavenly Ministry (Worship – 13:2)
III. Embrace a Global Mission (Following the call – 13:2-3)

Content
1. God’s faithfulness in the past should give us faith in the present about the future
2. Christian community should reflect the kingdom of heaven in its diversity (“all tribes and peoples and languages” – Rev 7:9)
3. Diversity is not just racial, but spiritual and cultural
4. Worship should involve “wasting time” on God, because once God has the priority, things align themselves around Him.
5. God meets with His people and speaks to His people when we are worshipping.
6. We will spend the next year focusing on worship
7. John Piper – “…missions is not the ultimate goal of the church, worship is. Worship is ultimate, not missions because God is ultimate...Worship therefore is the fuel and goal of missions.”
8. Our mission is global, not just in location, but in scope (reaching into all areas of the community and life)
9. God’s call often has at the same time specificity and vagueness – specificity as to who (e.g. Barnabas and Saul), vagueness as to what (e.g. “the work to which I have called them”)
10. We will send as God calls (international missions, urban ministry, etc)

Aim
Worshipping God should be our focus, so that we will be ready to hear His call and send those whom He has appointed to do His work.

Application Questions
I. How diverse is your “circle”? What are some ways that you could increase this diversity?
II. Think about how much time we spend ooing and awing at things in life (Sunsets, babies, etc). What can we do to spend time on the Creator of all those things?
III. Is God saying something to you? What has He been calling you to?

August 17, 2008 ~ "It’s Time to Serve Somewhere"

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
It’s Time to Serve Somewhere / Sermon Series 2 of 3
Teaching Pastor, Jim Zippay
August 17, 2008
Scripture Passage: Acts 6:2-6

Outline
I. Conflict is part of change.
II. The Church is to be a place where reconciliation overrides the rift.
III. A greater value on discipleship

Content
1. Conflict was part of the early church.
2. Leaders must make the tough decision to delegate for the betterment of the body.
3. It was true then, as now, God does not intend Pastor to be involved in everything.
4. To swage the rift, another level of leadership needs to emerge.
5. 8 folks are being made deacons.
6. These people will act as in the book of Acts, leading, decision making, etc.
7. A heightened sense of ownership
8. Another level of leadership,
9. A greater value on discipleship.

Aim
As Heritage Church grows it must become Biblically in line with the God’s plan for church leadership.

Application Questions
I. Where are you planning to serve next weekend?
II. Do you know what needs exist to serve the church?
III. Tell how God blesses you when you serve. How do you feel?

We Need Help!!

We are currently looking for a few people to help write these sermon notes! You would be part of a rotation and would normally do one week a month. We will give you plenty of help getting started. Either leave a comment or email me at bhackworth @ heritagecc.org(take the spaces out)

It’s Time to Say Something

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
It’s Time to Say Something
Jim Zippay
August 9/10, 2008
II Corinthians 6:1-2, Several Passages from Acts mentioned below

Outline

1. Heritage Christian Church’s Mission Statement: Bring, Build, Bless
   
   Blessing people in our community, across the country and around the globe, to bring them into a personal relationship with Jesus and to build them up to be dedicated followers, all to the glory of God.
   
   
2. God prompts an Inspired Interest (Acts 10:1-5, John 6:44, Acts 10:21-22, Acts 10:42-43)
   
   
3. God prompts a Divine Disturbance (Acts 16:26-33, Acts 16:22-25)
   
   
4. God provides an Ordained Opportunity (Acts 26:1-3, Acts 26:12-18, Acts 26:24-29)
   

Content

1. Cornelius was a religious man, generous and had a great reputation but did not know God.
2. Cornelius received a message from God through an angel, stirring up his interest in faith in God. (Acts 10:1-5)
3. Ho one comes to God or expresses a curiosity in Him without the Father drawing him or her.
4. Paul was in prison when an earthquake occurred. As a result of the earthquake and the prisoners’ obedience, the jailor asked Paul how he could be saves. (Acts 16:26-33)
5. God uses difficult times to draw people to himself. He uses his people in these times to share the gospel.
6. Paul is before King Agrippa sharing his testimony on how he came to know Jesus Christ as his savior. (Acts 26:1-3, 12-18)
7. Your conversion story is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and greatness. This is a powerful tool when sharing the gospel.
8. God calls His people to step up and share their faith in Christ. Every opportunity to speak of Christ is a God ordained opportunity.
   

Aim
It’s time to say something, step up and tell others what God has done for all.

Application Questions

1. When you came to know Christ, how did God spark your curiosity in Him?
2. Who stepped up and share the gospel with you?
3. Are there difficult times God had brought you through that could be used to help others com to know Him? What are they?
4. Do you know of anyone who does not know Christ that is going through a difficult time? How could God use you in their life?
5. How is sharing your testimony to non-believers a great tool in sharing the gospel?
6. What areas in our lives can we step up in faith and obedience in order to see others come to know him?
   

Sermon Notes from August 2/3, 2008

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
August 2/3, 2008
Andy Sieberhagen, Guest Speaker
Matthew 5:13-16


Outline
1. Salt on its own is awful. The church doesn’t exist only for itself. Look to expand God’s kingdom.
2. We are God’s preservatives. When righteousness and peace prevail, we can stop the world from becoming rotten.
3. Salt lengthens life. We can help people find eternal life.
4. Salt gives flavor to food, as we are the flavor of life – God’s flavor.


Content
1. A church’s vision should include the whole world.
2. All men die, but not all men live. We should live for something way bigger than we are to be really
alive.
3. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.
4 God has equipped us to make a difference.
5. Ghandi said, “If all Christians were like Jesus, all India would be Christians.”
6. We need to be agents of God’s grace.
7. We were created for more than just looking forward to a next activity; we need to have a purpose and be involved in changing the world.
8. Focus on the purpose God created us for, not ourselves.
9. There are people out there who don’t know Jesus and are dying; we can show them Jesus, Who can give them life.
10. When people are around us, they watch us, and they should see that God is good.
11. Our homes should be filled with God’s grace.
12. We should reflect God’s glory; it should shine through us so that the world knows He lives.


Aim
We need to have a purpose in life, and that purpose should be to draw people to God. Live in such a way that we reflect God, so that others will be drawn to Him and His kingdom will be expanded.


Application Questions
1. What is something you’ve done to help spread God’s Word to the world?
2. When people leave your presence, what taste do they have in their mouth? Do they taste God?
3. Do you have God’s perspective or yours? Do you see people as problems or opportunities?