Grassroots Messages

Genesis 2:21-25

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

1.     In order to experience oneness and trust with someone we love, we have to first enter into oneness with God through trusting Him.
 

2.     Trust grows through vulnerability.

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage.” Brene Brown
 

3.     A relationship of trust, rooted in God, has the power to heal our souls and bless the world.

James 5:7-16
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.  See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.  8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.  9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.  The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.  All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.”  Otherwise you will be condemned.

13Is anyone among you in trouble?  Let them pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let them sing songs of praise.  14 Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.  If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.  16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

- Our tests of patience involve factors largely outside of our control

- “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (v.11)

- “The Lord’s coming is near” (v.8)

- Prayer is important in all circumstances

- James encourages us to have patience for what is outside of our control

- James encourages us to pray in all circumstances as an active way to engage our situations, yet still leave them in God’s hands

- Patience and prayer … trust in God

Matthew 17:20
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.

James 4:1-10

James 3
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Our words flow out of our heart.

Luke 6:45 (NLT)
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Proverbs 4:23
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Our words hold the power to bring blessings or curses.

“Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.”
- Mother Teresa

 Our words reveal which wisdom we are seeking.

James 3 (cont.)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 1:22-24

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

James 2:1-4
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.

3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

James 2:14-19

Are you truly shining God's light into the world or are you shining your own? Is your light contagious?

Tiffany Staman talks about a close friend who lived a full life, bursting with unmistakable light from God. Dave left behind a contagious light that will burn brighter and longer than he ever imagined.

The living stones are about the gift of vulnerability and insight into someone’s soul and how God is participating there.

The truth that regardless of how much you have remembered God, that He is always remembering you, and that He is always at work in your life even when you aren’t aware or don’t remember. And he is telling you every time you touch the rock that He is at work and that He is very pleased to have you as his child.

John 20: 24-29

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Personal pain often precedes seasons of doubt.

Doubts and questions thrive in isolation.

Be open to the evidence.

Sometimes our questions are never answered.

Sometimes our perspective is changed.

Luke 18:31-33

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

Jesus wants people to understand Easter

Luke 18:34

34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

John 20: 11-15

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Mark 11:1-10

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!”

A procession, a donkey, a crowd

The procession is about POWER

The detail is the donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

Why was the crowd of Palm Sunday so big, and the crowd on Good Friday so small?

When people thought Jesus was coming to fulfill their agenda, he gathered huge crowds. 

When people realized Jesus had a different agenda, the crowds disappeared. Positional authority needs to be defended, often through violence. 

Spiritual authority needs to be shared, always through love.

Are you a FAN or a FOLLOWER?