Luke 7:18-35
Why We Look for Another

I. Because the WAYS of God OFFEND our EXPECTATIONS. (v18-23)

II. Because the WORD of God CONFRONTS our MOTIVATIONS. (v24-29)

III. Because the WILL of God REJECTS our OPINIONS. (v30-35)

Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form OPINIONS w/o having to get the facts. – White

The greatest deception men suffer is from their own OPINIONS. – Leonardo da Vinci


I. Because the WAYS of God OFFEND our EXPECTATIONS. (v18-23)
II. Because the WORD of God CONFRONTS our MOTIVATIONS. (v24-29)
III. Because the WILL of God REJECTS our OPINIONS. (v30-35)

NOTES:

I do not want merely to possess a FAITH; I want a FAITH that possesses me. - Charles Kingsley

A little FAITH will bring your soul to heaven; a GREAT FAITH will bring heaven to your soul.

FAITH is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of FAITH is to see what we believe.
FAITH sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.

I. CONSIDER the FAITH you put in people. (v1-5)

II. CONTRAST the FAITH you put in JESUS. (v6-10)

A GREAT FAITH KNOWS JESUS CARES for YOU.

A GREAT FAITH KNOWS what JESUS CAN DO for YOU.

1 Timothy 2:1-7
· PRay
· PRosper
· PRovided
· PReach

III. COMPREHEND the FAITH JESUS CAME to give you. (v11-17)

A GREAT FAITH KNOWS that JESUS will COME THRU for YOU.


I. CONSIDER the FAITH you put in people. (v1-5)
II. CONTRAST the FAITH you put in JESUS. (v6-10)
III. COMPREHEND the FAITH JESUS CAME to give you. (v11-17)

A GREAT FAITH KNOWS JESUS CARES for YOU.
A GREAT FAITH KNOWS what JESUS CAN DO for YOU.
A GREAT FAITH KNOWS that JESUS will COME THRU for YOU.

Slide #1 - “94 percent of peoplein prison are men. And 85 percent of those men grew up in fatherless homes.” Father Fiction, p.3

Slide #1 part 2 - “The loss of meaningful rituals ofinitiation into adulthood is considered by some to be the main cause ofdelinquency and malformed adult identity, particularly amongst men, in theWest.” - The Faith of Leap, p. 57

Slide #2 - Our culture isexperiencing a fatherhood crisis. How will we respond?

Slide #2 part 2 - The church is strugglingto pass the faith on to the next generation. How will we respond?

Slide #3 - Goal of a Protégé = be with teacher, become like the teacher, do what the teacher does

Slide #4 - Pathway for Spiritual Parenting

part 1 - information – mentor offers knowledge based upon their experience

part 2 - imitation – mentor offers access to their life and environment

part 3 - innovation – mentor trusts the Spirit and releases protégé


Slide #5 - Tips for Mentors (points can accumulate on a single slide)


1. Ask about their expectations and hopes for the relationship

2. Ask open ended questions

3. Ask about their story, goals, family, heart

4. Tell them what you can offer

5. Offer access: context, heart, failures, insight

6. Avoid speculation and opinion, staygospel-centered



Slide #6 - Tips for Protégés (points can accumulate on a single slide)



1. know what you don’t know

2. know that there is stuff you don’t know youdon’t know (be teachable)

3. don’t expect to learn everything from one person

4. take significant action based on what you learn

5. tell the truth: sin, struggles, story

Matthew 7:13-29
ENTERING the Kingdom of Heaven

3 things JESUS tells us about ENTERING into KINGDOM LIFE
1. THE WAY which Leads to LIFE is NARROW
2. THE WAY which Leads to LIFE is DIFFICULT
3. THERE ARE FEW WHO find it.

3 things we must keep ENTERING into our SPIRITUAL LIVES.
1. SPIRITUAL OUTLOOK: BE ONE of the FEW (v13-14)
2. SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION: BEWARE of the FALSE (v15-23)
3. SPIRITUAL OUTWORKING: BE WISE, not FOOLISH (v24-29)


1. THE WAY which Leads to LIFE is NARROW
1. SPIRITUAL OUTLOOK: BE ONE of the FEW (v13-14)

2. THE WAY which Leads to LIFE is DIFFICULT
2. SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION: BEWARE of the FALSE (v15-23)

3. THERE ARE FEW WHO find it.
3. SPIRITUAL OUTWORKING: BE WISE, not FOOLISH (v24-29)

Matthew 7:1-12
Seeking the Golden Rules

I. DEAL WITH OTHERS MERCIFULLY (v1-6)

JUDGE NOT without FIRST JUDGING MYSELF

We must FIRST SEE CLEARLY if we are to JUDGE CORRECTLY.

JUDGE NOT without FIRST JUDGING my OWN HEART.
JUDGE NOT without FIRST JUDGING to WANT to HELP.
JUDGE NOT without FIRST JUDGING WHAT is HOLY.

II. DO UNTO OTHERS GRACIOUSLY (v7-12)

We ASK to RECEIVE from God that He might use us to GIVE to OTHERS.
We SEEK to FIND from God that He might use us to FIND for OTHERS.
We KNOCK to HAVE OPENED by God that He might use us to HELP OTHERS discover the OPEN DOORS God has for THEM.

NOTES:

Seeking to Send Ahead: TITHING (part 1)
TITHING is SCRIPTURAL: It is the REVEALED WILL of God
TITHING is SET APART: It is the HOLY to the LORD
TITHING is SUPPORT for God’s SERVANTS
TITHING is CENTRAL to REVIVAL: It is to RETURN to the LORD
TITHING is CENTRAL to REVIVAL: ACKNOWLEDGING the SUPERIORITY of JESUS


Seeking to Send Ahead: TREASURES (pt 2)
TREASURE HAVING a HEAVENLY IDENTITY!
TREASURE TAKING an EARTHLY INVENTORY!
TREASURE SEEKING a HEAVENLY INHERITANCE!


Seeking to Send Ahead: TODAY (pt 3)
For just TODAY: WHAT is in your HEART? (v19-21)
For just TODAY: HOW will you see with your EYE? (v22-23)
For just TODAY: WILL God have your LOYALTY? (v24)
For just TODAY: WHAT is your PLAN? (v25-34)

KEY NOTES:

“What you fear most will determine whether you merely save for the future or give for the future.” ― Andy Stanley, Fields Of Gold

Seeking to Send Ahead: Our TREASURES

TREASURE HAVING a HEAVENLY IDENTITY!
TREASURE TAKING an EARTHLY INVENTORY!
TREASURE SEEKING a HEAVENLY INHERITANCE!

(1) GIVING our money and material possessions to the purposes of God.
(2) SELLING and GIVING our material possessions to the purposes of God.
(3) GIVING ourselves to the things that will further the purposes of God.
(4) CHOOSING to suffer for the sake of the GOSPEL.