Crossroads Church

Courageous Generosity | Week #01

Was Jesus #Blessed? | June 19th

What’s the Issue Anyway?

We often think of the __________ in our lives.

We rarely think of the __________ in our lives.

Jesus didn’t seem to equate __________ blessing with getting good things.

What Wisdom does Scripture offer us?

Jesus and his people suffered under the weight of __________.

Jesus knew possessions can too easily become __________. (Matthew 6:24)

Ancient Israel believed __________ produced a __________ on the land. (Malachi 3:6-12) Jesus knew that giving brought __________ into our lives. (Acts 20:35)

Don’t Miss This!

The Blessed Life is the __________ life.

How can I live this in my everyday, normal life?

#1: The Universe is grounded in spiritual and physical __________.

#2 __________ things happen to stingy people and __________ things happen to generous people.

#3 All spiritual habits are for __________ spiritual good.

#4 __________ can transform and ruin your life.

#5 Courageous Generosity is about __________ __________ in giving.

Take a __________ step in giving this summer. Be an __________ Giver

Be an __________ Giver Be a __________ Giver Be a __________ Giver

How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?

God uses financial generosity to break the power of __________ and __________. God uses financial generosity to power __________ church.

Financial generosity is the fast track to living a __________ -__________ blessed life.

What is God inviting you into today?

Take a courageous step in your financial generosity this summer.

Thought provoking question:

1. Do you like to give? Would your closest friends describe you as generous, greedy, or somewhere in between? Why?
2. Have you ever felt manipulated into giving to a church or Christian ministry?
3. Do you think your life is blessed? Why or why not? How do you define a blessing?
4. What about Jesus’ life was blessed by the material standards of the #blessed movement?
5. Why do you think Jesus saw possessions as a potential possessor?
6. How hard is it for you to see the blessed life as a life of giving rather than receiving?
7. What would be a courageous step in financial generosity for you? What is holding you back from taking that step?
8. If our church had unlimited financial resources, what would you love to see us do together that would bring hope to our world?

Guest speaker Carlos Rodriguez from the Happy Givers NPO (Puerto Rico) closes out the teaching series Keeping Hope Alive.

Welcome! For more information, the connect card and ways to give, visit our Gather page.

Talk Notes:

What’s the Issue Anyway?

We neglect the care of our souls because we are too DISTRACTED. We neglect the care of our souls because we are too BUSY.

We neglect the care of our souls because we lack DISCIPLINE.

If we neglect the care of our souls we neglect our CAPACITY to love.

What Wisdom does Scripture offer us?

The soul can PROSPER. (3 John 1:2)

A prospering soul is not without seasons of SUFFERING. (Psalm 42:1-6)

The soul needs to be CONDITIONED for times of suffering. (1 Timothy 4:8-10)

Don’t Miss This!

Hope demands SOUL CARE.

How can I live this out in my everyday, normal life?

Soul care and spiritual training is a TEAM sport.

Gather for community WORSHIP, PRAYER, and LEARNING.

How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?

Effective soul care produces a RENEWED mind and TRANSFORMED perspective.

What is God inviting you into today?

1. Commit to gathering regularly as a part of Crossroads Church.
2. I would like to learn more about volunteering with kids and students.  

Thought-provoking questions:

1. How intentional would you say you are right now in the care of your soul? Why is not soul care a priority in your life? Have you had seasons where you have been more intentional? What did those look like?
2. Psalm 42 is the cry of a weary soul. What do you think could have made the author’s soul so weary?
3. Our own personal level of hope correlates with our ability to bring hope. The author of 1 Timothy 4:10 claims to suffer/struggle and toil because of hope. What are ways in which we toil as individuals and as a church from “setting our hope on the living God?”
4. How has regularly gathering to learn from scripture contributed to your soul care? What elements of a “worship experience” do you find particularly meaningful and helpful in encouraging your soul?
5. How can a renewed mind help us discern the will of God? How particular do you think Paul meant by “will of God?” Have you ever felt like you got it wrong?

Welcome to Crossroads! We are so excited to spend some time with you on the podcast today. Just because you are joining in here, doesn't mean you aren't family! Let us know if you need anything at all! You can find resources at crossroadscolorado.com/gather.

Have a great week!

Jessica

Welcome to the podcast!

Visit our Gather page for links to many digital resources. Here's the link.

Have a great week!

Jessica

______________________

Here are the message notes filled in for future reference!

Keeping Hope Alive | Week #04

Keep Your Distance | May 8th

What’s the Issue Anyway?

When someone is HURTING, we tend to keep a safe distance.

When we can’t understand WHY or HOW, we tend to keep a safe distance. When we are AFRAID, we tend to keep a safe distance.

We cannot give HOPE from a safe distance.

Trying to bring hope from a safe distance creates a MESS.

What Wisdom does Ruth 1:1-17 offer us?

Naomi did not want to be a BURDEN. (Ruth 1:7-9a) Orpah and Ruth felt Naomi’s PAIN. (Ruth 1:9b-10) Naomi had lost all HOPE. (Ruth 1:11-13)

Don’t Miss This!

Ruth knew the power of PROXIMITY. (Ruth 1:14-17)

How can I live this out in my everyday, normal life?

Bring your pain into proximity with IMMANUEL, God with us. Get proximate by asking MEANINGFUL questions.

Proximity will always take us beyond our COMFORT ZONE. Proximity HONORS the experience of others.

How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?

Proximity unlocks EMPATHY.

Three components of empathy: Cognitive, Emotional and COMPASSIONATE. Empathy creates CONNECTION in a divided world.

What is God inviting you into today?

1. Intentionally try to get proximate with God.
2. Watch the YouTube video “The Power of Proximity” by Bryan Stevenson
3. Move beyond cognitive and emotional empathy to compassionate empathy with someone you know who is hurting.

Thought-provoking questions:

1. Have you ever kept your distance from someone? What was it that kept you distant?
2. Why do you think Naomi was so adamant about Ruth and Orpah leaving her? Have you ever pushed someone away who was trying to help? Why?
3. Ruth demonstrates the power of proximity by committing to be present in Naomi’s painful journey. Has anyone ever made a commitment like that in your life? What affect did it have on you?
4. What are some ways that you get proximate to presence of God? Share about a time when you felt the closeness of God’s love in the midst of a difficult experience.
5. When it comes to empathy, all of us struggle empathizing with one person or group of people. With whom or what do you have trouble empathizing? Who do you think Jesus had trouble empathizing with?

Welcome to the podcast!

Visit our Gather page for links to many digital resources. Here's the link.

Have a great week!

Jessica

______________________

Here are the message notes filled in for future reference!

What’s the Issue Anyway?

We all can get ___________________.

Certainty is the friend of _______________ and the enemy of ____________.

What Wisdom does Peter’s Story offer us?

Peter’s life is a portrait of _______________ growth.

Peter needed to learn about two ways of ____________. (Mark 8:33)

Acts 10:13-47 Peter’s Epiphanic Moment

The Spirit of God was causing Peter to ____________ what he knew about God. (17) When traditions become exclusions, we need a _______________ vision.

Peter’s _______________ is the start of his spiritual growth. (23)

Peter had to accept that his idea of God was ____________. (29)

Don’t Miss This!

Hope for the Gentiles _______________ Peter to grow spiritually.

How can I live this out in my everyday, normal life?

Your Spiritual growth is not your _______________ _______________. Your Spiritual growth follows ____________ and ___________________.

“You do not think yourself into new ways of acting, you act yourself into new ways of thinking.”

Regularly go out on a _________.

How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?

Spiritual Growth produces wisdom with ____________.

What is God inviting you into today?

1. Take a few minutes this week and explore the differing Contemplative practices.
2. Read Acts 10 this week.
3. Take a few moments this week and engage with this writing prompt, “I used to believe that....”

Thought-provoking questions:

1. Can you think of a time when you were so certain you were right, then found out that you were wrong? Describe your physical response to being wrong?
2. Do you think it was easy for Peter to set aside his beliefs about God showing partiality or creating things unclean? Why or why not?
3. What was your religious environment growing up? How was spiritual growth talked about? What were the signs of a spiritually mature person?
4. Take a few minutes and explore the Tree of Contemplative Practices. What limbs do you think you would enjoy climbing out on? How would you apply the tree to your Christian faith?
5. Think of a person who exemplified wisdom and humility in your life. How did they make you feel when you were with them?

Welcome to the podcast!

Visit our Gather page for links to many digital resources. Here's the link.

Have a great week!

Jessica

Welcome to the podcast!

Visit our Gather page for links to many digital resources. Here's the link.

Have a great week!

Jessica