Church of The Open Door

Prep Time

“Preparing for a Great Move of God”

Luke 3:1-6

A great move of God requires a great preparation.

How God prepared for His great move (revelation)

God bypassed the famous and powerful

God sent His own messenger

How we prepare for God’s great move (repentance)

Some of God’s greatest truths are found in metaphors. Our job is to find the message in the metaphor.

Metaphor: “valley” was a metaphor for anxiety and fear

Message: Fill in the valleys of fear by trusting in God.

Metaphor: “mountains and hills” were metaphors for idolatry and pride

Message: Tear down the idols of any competing loves.

Metaphor: “crooked” was a metaphor for deceit and corruption

Message: Straighten crooked paths of deceit with truth.

Metaphor: “rough” was a metaphor for obstacles and hindrances

Message: Remove any obstacles to connecting with God.

Repentance and surrender prepare the way for God to move in your life and our world.

Discipling the Next Generation

“The time will come”

Luke 2:51b

Long before something changes in your life

it changes in your heart.

Every part of your story belongs

The best thing you can do

Is remember what God can do

By treasuring

what He has already said

and

what He has already done.

CHRISTlike Characteristics: Connected to God through Word and Prayer. Heart of Worship.

“When Heaven Intercepts History”

2 Kings 19

● Prayer brings heaven into ________________.

● The Assyrians were invading, and the leadership of Hezekiah was

_______________________.

○ How did he respond? Hezekiah _______________. ○ Pain is always an ______________________ to pray

● Hezekiah ____________________!

● Prayer pulls down something God already

______________________________ to do.

● Every great move of God in history comes on heels of prayer

● When you pray, God moves.

Notes:

Pray:

● Praise God for who He is. Praise His name and give Him the glory He is due.

● Thank the Lord for the mighty acts He has done throughout history.

● Pray that God will give us the heart of Hezekiah and instill in us a

lifestyle of prayer.

● Cry out for the lost in Avon Lake and the boldness to reach them for

Jesus!

● Pray and ask for a move of God among His people in Northeast

Ohio; that He would empower His church in a fresh way. O God, light a fire in us! Give us bravery and boldness that is rooted in Christ.

● Cry out for the broken families in our communities. Pray that God would restore what has been damaged.

● Cry out for a deeper desire to grow in our love and understanding of the Bible. May we hunger for God’s Word.

Discipling the Next Generation

“Essential Questions for Parents and Disciples”

Luke 2:48-50

The identity question:

Who am I?

Loved, child of God, chosen, redeemed…

Who is Jesus?

Son of God, Sovereign Lord…

Who is God?

Creator, Sovereign Lord, Holy, Father…

Who is your child?

Do you know?

Do they know?

The purpose question:

What was Jesus’ purpose?

Reveal God as Father

Provide salvation

Make disciples

What is my purpose?

to glorify God by becoming more like Christ

The role question:

What was Jesus’ role?

Child of Joseph and Mary

Learner

Teacher

Savior

What is my role?

Role of disciple: to follow, learn, and become like Jesus

Role of parent: to nurture God-centered kids

Role of discipler: to lead people in the adventure of becoming like Christ

Knowing who I am in God brings peace, purpose and freedom.

Discipling the Next Generation

“Godly parents and growing disciples”

Luke 2:41-47

Godly parents:

are helped by a parenting plan

aren’t immune from family problems

depend on God’s sovereign grace

plant seeds that God will grow

seek to nurture growing disciples

Growing disciples:

need challenging environments

are insatiably curious

are great listeners

are always learning

never stop asking questions

Parents who want to nurture Christlike disciples must learn to trust our sovereign God.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer

Discipling the Next Generation

“God’s great solution for our greatest problem”

Luke 2:40

The grace Jesus

What is grace?

God’s joyful, unconditional love working in us.

Jesus needed grace because he was a child.

He needed nurturing, teaching, training, empowering grace

The grace kids/disciples

The home is the very best place to learn grace.

The grace that makes kids feel loved, accepted, and secure

The grace that saves, forgives, and redeems

The grace that teaches, trains, and encourages

The grace that strengthens, empowers, and transforms

The grace we

We are children before we are parents.

We can’t give what we don’t have

We can’t pass on what we aren’t living

Every home has a climate; parents are the thermostat

We must remember God’s job, our job and our kid’s job

Grace has the power to do what nothing else can do: transform

Fully grasping God’s grace will transform you and the way you parent.

Discipling the Next Generation

“Parenting to Wisdom”

Luke 2:40,52; Deuteronomy 6:1-25

 

Parenting to Wisdom…

Begins with truth.

Continues with ownership.

Recognizes responsibility.

Culminates with conversations.

Begins with truth. (Deut. 6:1-5)

There is such a thing as absolute truth.

Regardless of popular opinion.

From the outside of us.

Perspectives should not overtake providence.

Continues with ownership (Deut. 6:5,6)

Own wisdom first.

Protect wisdom.

Strive for whole-life application.

Recognize responsibility. (Deut. 6: 7-15)

Imparting wisdom is a faithful and continual effort.

The primary responsibility always resides with the parent.

Use supports.

Supports are supplements, not supplants.

Conversations

Create an environment where questions are welcome.

Be ready to answer.

Connect your testimony.

LifeGroup Questions:  Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is one way that you can tangibly pass forward the truth of God’s wisdom to your family this week?

What are some ways that culture tries to move your family from the truth of scripture? How can you guard against the drift?

Are there areas in your parenting that are taking more emphasis than the promotion of Christ? How will you address that beginning this week?

What is your testimony? Have you shared it with your children? Why is it important to do so?

What supports offered by the church should I plan to take advantage of?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connecting with God, Intentional Evangelism, Trustworthy Steward

Discipling the Next Generation

“Keep Walkin’”

Luke 2:40, 52

Walking in wisdom:

Wisdom of man

Wisdom of God

In the sandals of Joseph & Mary:

Wise ones

Scripture: Wisdom literature (Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs)

Wisdom’s starting point - Pr. 1:7

Wisdom’s voice - Pr. 1:20-23

Wisdom’s pathway - Pr. 2:1-9

Wisdom’s trail guide - Pr. 3:5-6

Walking on with Joseph & Mary

God’s provision and confirmation in Bethlehem vv9-12

God’s sending and identifying in Egypt vv13-16

God’s refining and fulfilling in Nazareth vv19-23

In the sandals of Jesus

In the sandals of Paul

If we want to grow in the wisdom of God, we must follow Jesus’ humble example by first  emptying ourselves in order to be filled up with Divine knowledge found only in Him.

As we walk in His presence, His wisdom will make a home in our hearts so that we can plant seeds of wisdom in the next generation of disciples, leading them to walk on in the adventure of becoming more like Jesus

 

 

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you.

Who is the wisest person you know (real person you’ve known in the flesh) - how did their wisdom impact you?

What’s been your approach to seeking wisdom in the past? How has the Word of God challenged or confirmed your assumptions today?

Read Ephesians 5:15-21. In the context of Paul’s instructions to the church, what is his call to wisdom?  How do we cultivate wisdom and avoid foolishness according to Paul?

“Most people, when they don’t know what to do, do nothing”* Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why are we so easily turned away from seeking understanding in moments of confusion and struggle?

What area(s) do you need to explore more in your walk with wisdom?

Reading more wisdom literature in scripture

Seeking out wise ones in my life

Devoting myself more to prayer - listening and waiting

Asking God for wisdom more earnestly and often

Reflecting on experiences where God led me in His wisdom, learning from it, growing in faith and thanking Him for it.

Planting seeds of wisdom in the disciples around me (becoming a “wise one” for someone else)

End with a time of intentional prayer for each other focused on what came out of the discussion today.

*The Noticer Returns, Andy Andrews

Core CHRISTlike Characteristics: Connected to God through the Word and prayer, Relates with others-centered love, Spirit-led servant.