Hope Community Church

Lessons From a Quarantine – Week Four

In America, we glorify busy. We sleep less, stress more and hurry through life. This week in ‘Lessons from a Quarantine’ we are going to talk through one of the things that has become apparent during this time at home, which is the crazy pace of our lives. We will look at this fast pace by evaluating: 

1. The history of hurry.
2. The increase of stress.
3. The inability to rest.
4. How to slow the pace in our new normal.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus said it’s okay to get some rest!

Does ‘weary and burdened’ describe you? Are you trying to earn the rest that Jesus said He will give to us as a gift? You don’t have to earn it.

Psalm 127:2

“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”

God commands us to take one day a week where we stop all of the busyness and work and just rest and enjoy Him.

Genesis 1:3

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God formed a man[a] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

For six days, God was breathing out. On the seventh day, He breathed out and was refreshed. If God refreshes Himself, why don’t you?

Matthew 11:29

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

This verse is an invitation from Jesus to partner with Him and share our load. 

Matthew 11:30

“…For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus isn’t saying that life is easy; but when we are connected to Him, He carries the significant burdens.

An easy life isn’t an option; an easy yoke is.

Here are four practices to finding rest through your relationship with Jesus:

1. Set regular routines in your life.
2. Encouragement – Encourage five people every day.
3. Silence and solitude – Get alone with God in an intentional way.
4.  Time – What do you need to say no to? What do you need to say yes to?

Lessons From a Quarantine – Week Three

This has been a crazy few months for all us because of Covid-19, the quarantine and racial tensions. There are so many emotions and fears, which leave us with many questions. We’ll tackle some of these concerns by examining: 

1. What fear does to us.
2. Questions that fear causes us to ask.
3. Ways in which to grow your faith to withstand fear.

• Fear does different things to us.

Fear robs us of our joy.

Fear clouds our judgment.

Fear breeds more fear.

• There are some questions that fear causes us to ask.

Mark 4:35-37

   Did God cause it? Following Jesus will put us in uncomfortable situations because He cares most about our character and becoming more like Him.

Mark 4:38-39

   Does God care? Jesus does care. He is present and responds to our stress and anxiety.

Mark 4:40

   Why are you so afraid? Jesus has the power to make a difference.

   Do you still have no faith?

Mark 4:41

   Who is this man? Jesus is awe-inspiring in His power.

Faith isn’t the absence of fear, it’s not forgetting who’s really in control.   

• There are some ways to grow your faith to withstand fear.

Faith is believing when I don’t see it.

   Hebrews 11:1

Faith is obeying when I don’t understand it.

   Hebrews 11:7

Faith is persisting when I don’t feel like it.

   Hebrews 11:27

Faith is thanking God before I receive it.

   Hebrews 11:30

Faith is trusting God even if I don’t get it.

   Hebrews 11:38-40

Faith isn’t the absence of fear, it’s not forgetting who’s really in control.

Lessons From a Quarantine – Week Two

This has been a crazy few months for all us because of Covid-19, the quarantine and racial tensions. There are so many emotions and fears that leave us with many questions. We’ll tackle some of these concerns by examining: 

1. The balance in a Christian life.
2. Some things about conflict that we all need to remember.
3. The conflict between Paul and Barnabas.
4. Applications for handling conflict.
5. Four principles from Ephesians 4 that will allow you to have a solution-driven conversation.

• There has to be balance in a Christian’s life.

Jesus is loving, gentle and kind, but He was also the most controversial, confrontational person who ever walked this earth.

    – Matthew 5:7

    – Matthew 10:34

“The key to a healthy Christian life is balance.” Chuck Swindoll

• There are some things about conflict that we all need to remember.

There are things about conflict we need to remember.

    1st – Conflict is inevitable.

    2nd – In every conflict there are two ingredients: There’s an issue and there are varying perspectives.

    3rd – In many conflicts, each side is valid.

             In David Augsburger’s book, Caring Enough to Confront, he says, “Conflict is neither right nor wrong – it just is, and you’ve got to deal with it.”

• The Bible records the conflict between Paul and Barnabas.

     – Acts 13:4-5

     – Acts 13:13

     – Acts 15:36-37

     – Acts 15:38

     – Acts 15:39

We get our English word, “paroxysm,” from the Greek word translated “disagreement.” It means, “a sudden attack, a convulsion, a violent emotion and action.”

This is what happened between Paul and Barnabas with good points on both sides. However, it says that they parted ways, and we never see them together on a missionary journey again.

• There are applications to apply when handling conflict.

1st – When in conflict, work hard at seeing both sides, not just your own.

– Philippians 2:3-4

– Most of us suffer from ingrown eyeballs.

2nd – When both sides have good support, look for a wise compromise.

3rd – When the conflict persists, care enough to work it through.

– To resolve conflict, you have to have a solution-driven conversation.

• There are four principles from Ephesians 4 that will allow you to have a solution-driven conversation.

1st – Communicate Truthfully.

– Ephesians 4:25

2nd – Communicate Tenderly.

– Ephesians 4:15

3rd – Communicate Timely.

– “When it comes to communication, timing is often more important than content.”

– Ephesians 4:26-27

4th – Communicate Tactfully.

– Ephesians 4:29

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Lessons From a Quarantine – Week One

This has been a crazy few months for all us because of Covid-19 and the quarantine. There are so many emotions and fears that leave us with many questions. We’ll tackle some of these concerns by examining: 

1. Some questions about God.
2. The reasons why there is pain and suffering in the world.
3. That God is good; mankind isn’t.

• There are some questions we usually ask about God during a crisis.

Where is God in all of this chaos?

    – This leads to more questions wondering if God can or would fix a disaster.

    – There’s something in us that wants to point a finger at God.

Who is God? That’s the question we should be asking.

Why is there pain and suffering in the world? In the midst of the creation story, God reminds us that we’re dealing with a good God.

     – Genesis 1:1-4

     – Genesis 1:9-10

     – Genesis 1:12

     – Genesis 1:21

     – Genesis 1:24-25

     – Genesis 1:26-27

     – Genesis 1:31

• There are reasons why there is pain and suffering in the world.

Reason #1: Pain and suffering are the result of original sin.

    – Genesis 2:17

    – Genesis 3:16 (God casts judgment on humanity)

    – Genesis 3:17

    – Genesis 3:18-19

Reason #2: Pain and suffering are the result of man’s freedom to choose to be evil.

    – God gives people the freedom to choose to be in a relationship with Him so it can be an authentic relationship. 

• God is good; mankind isn’t.

God made a perfect environment and loved us enough to give us the freedom to mess it up.

God is good, and He’s so good that He judged sin the way sin needed to be judged. Humanity knows what it could be and should be, but we can’t get it to stay that way because of our sin and our knowledge of good and evil.

There is hope, and it is found in Jesus. He came to save us from our sin and to restore our relationship with God. It is a gift, freely given, if we choose to accept it.

Ten: Week Ten

The Tenth Commandment – Contentment

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people. We’ll study this tenth commandment by examining: 

1. The Principle of Contentment and the question of what is coveting.
2. Three suggestions to battle the temptation to covet.
3. The question of what’s the answer to being content.

• In the Tenth Commandment, God gives us the Principle of Contentment, but what is coveting? 

In Exodus 20:17, God warns us not to covet, which brings us to the Principle of Contentment. The only reason we covet what someone else has is because we’re not content with what we have.

What is coveting?

– Deuteronomy 5:21 restates the commandment not to covet and adds the phrase, “set  your desire.” Covet means, “to strongly desire.”

– Here are some verses that warn against coveting:

  1. In Luke 12:15, Jesus says to beware of coveting.

  2. In 1 Corinthians 5:11, covetousness is listed in a group of some serious sins.

  3. In Colossians 3:5, covetousness is equated with idolatry. When the desire for something or someone replaces God or is put above God, it’s idolatry. 

– God isn’t saying it’s wrong to desire. He’s saying it’s wrong to strongly desire what belongs to someone else because it will become an idol.

• Here are some suggestions that can help us battle the temptation to covet.

1. Learn to admire without the desire to acquire.

    – Discontentment is an appetite that’s never fully satisfied.

2. Make a confession about your obsession.

    – Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:8 to be content with all our blessings. More than anything, our blessings include forgiveness.

    – In 1 Timothy 6:7, Paul reminds us that we start with zero, and we end with zero.

    – Psalm 139:16 tells us that all our days have been ordained. 

3. Turn your resentment into contentment.

    – In Philippians 4:12, Paul tells us that he knows what it’s like to have plenty and to be in need. Regardless of the situation, Paul always found contentment. 

• What’s the answer to being content?

Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight in the Lord, and the Lord will give us the desires of our heart. 

How do you get your desires right so you can delight?

    – David refers to those who are evil or wicked 14 times in this Psalm. He explains that when it feels like evil is winning, you have to learn to trust God.

    – In Psalm 37:3-4, David says that if you’ll learn to be content with what God has provided for you, you won’t focus on what’s going on around you.

Most people think Psalm 37:3-4 means that if you’ll follow Jesus, He’ll give you whatever you want, but that’s not correct. Rather, it’s that if you’ll follow Jesus, He will put the right desires in your heart.

If we passionately pursue God, we will be passionate about the right things.

Ten: Week Nine
The Ninth Commandment – Honesty

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people.  We’ll study this ninth commandment by examining: 

1. What the Ninth Commandment is and the Principle of Honesty.
2. Three simple ways to develop honesty in you life.
3. Four transformational truths.

• In the Ninth Commandment, God tells us that “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor,” which brings us to the Principle of Honesty. 

In Exodus 20:16, God warns us not to lie, but there are a few things we need to understand about this commandment.

  1st – When the Bible talks about your neighbor, it’s not talking about the person living beside you. Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan and explains that your neighbor is anyone you come in contact with. (Luke 10:27, 29)

2nd – God gave these commandments to help the Israelites understand what a civilized society looked like. This is a society governed by moral laws, and morality is not subjective.

3rd – The Ninth Commandment is actually a legal commandment, “Don’t perjure  yourself.”

The principle behind this commandment is the Principle of Honesty.

• There are three simple ways to develop honesty in your life.

1. Learn to be honest with yourself.

    – Dishonest people are dishonest.

    – In John 8:32-33, Jesus explains that the truth will set you free.

    – God cannot help you if you can’t be honest about yourself.

2. Learn to be honest with others.

    – In James 5:16, God takes the idea of honesty beyond just Him to include confessing to others. There’s a humility and accountability that comes along with confession.

    – Confession forces us to bring what we’re dealing with out of the darkness into the light.

    – There are two types of people in life: Those who are wise and those who are foolish. A wise person takes correction. A foolish person makes excuses. (Proverbs 9:8)

    – Start being honest with people.

3. Learn to be honest with God.

    – In Psalm 32:1-5, David says, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven…” He explains how sin weighed him down, but forgiveness is freeing.

    – When you’re dishonest, there’s deceit in your spirit. (Psalm 32:2)

    – When you lie, you link or align yourself with Satan. (John 8:44) But in John 16:13, Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit will guide them into all truth.

• Here are four transformational truths that can set your life free.

In John 8:32, Jesus says, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

1. We are all sinners.
2. One day our sins will be uncovered.
3. We will all face a forever. (heaven or hell)
4. It’s a personal decision.
   It’s between you and God. It’s your choice to confess and believe that Jesus died for you to save you from your sins and to give you eternal life. (Romans 10:9, John 3:16)

Ten: Week Eight

The Eighth Commandment – Gratitude

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people. We’ll study this eighth commandment by examining: 

1. What the Eighth Commandment is and the Principle of Gratitude.
2. Some definitions of stealing.
3. Four words that will change your life.
4. How to be grateful for what God has given you and the life He’s chosen for you.

• In the Eighth Commandment, God tells us that “You shall not steal,” which brings us to The Principle of Gratitude. 

In Exodus 20:15, God warns us to not to steal, and the principle behind this commandment is The Principle of Gratitude.

After 430 years of slavery and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land. They were incredibly poor, and God knew they would face a desire to steal from each other.

• Here are some definitions of stealing.

Anytime you improve your situation by taking someone else’s stuff, you’re stealing.

Anytime you deceive someone for personal gain, you’re stealing.

When you take what belongs to God, you’re stealing.

– Tithe means one-tenth, and the word ten represents a test all though the Bible.

• Four words that can change your life: God owns it all!

God asks us to show our trust and gratitude by returning 10% to Him.

In Malachi 3:8, the Israelites were trying to rob God by not giving Him their tithe. 

In 1 Chronicles 29:14, King David gives us two lessons.

1. We don’t realize that everything we have comes from God.

2. We don’t understand that God distributes to each of us as He decides.

If you miss those simple truths from David, you’ll never be grateful for what God has given you.

• Are you grateful for all that God has given you and for the life that He’s chosen for you?

How do we cultivate a grateful heart? Here are three specific ways:

1. We need to learn to be grateful for imperfect gifts.

    – If we wait for perfect gifts, we’ll never be grateful at all.

2. We need to learn to be grateful in times of anxiety and frustration.

    – Gratitude often comes in the midst of pain and suffering, or it usually doesn’t come at all. 

    -C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasure, but shouts in our pain.”

3. We need to develop the discipline of noticing.

    – If you’ll take the time, you’ll discover that you have a lot more to be grateful for than you realize. Thank God for all these blessings.

The difference between people isn’t the circumstances we go through or what we have and don’t have. The difference between people is how we deal with where God takes us on this journey called life.

Ten: Week Seven

The Seventh Commandment – Intimacy

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people.  We’ll study this seventh commandment by examining: 

1. What the Seventh Commandment is and The Principle of Intimacy.
2. How we get to adultery and how lust affects our lives.
3. Some suggestions to keep us from adultery and the Ten Commitments of Marriage.

• In the Seventh Commandment, God tells us that “You shall not commit adultery,” which brings us to The Principle of Intimacy. 

In Exodus 20:14, God warns us to not commit adultery, and the principle behind this commandment is The Principle of Intimacy, which helps us understand how to have intimacy with God and with our spouses.

God created sex as a way to enjoy the pleasure and intimacy of marriage.

Because of how sex can be abused, God warns us to flee from sexual immorality because it is a sin against ourselves. (1 Corinthians 6:18, Exodus 20:14)

• There is a process in getting to adultery, and the impact of lust greatly affects our lives.

Lust precedes adultery.

The word for lust is also used in the Bible with the meaning, “to have a passion for other things.”

What are the negative impacts of lust in our lives?

1st – Lust affects your relationship with God.

The Bible uses different words for sin: transgression (action), iniquity (inward motivation). 

2nd – Lust affects your relationships with the people in your life.

“If we love each other, and we’re going to get married anyway, what difference does a 

piece of paper make?” It’s not the marriage license; it’s God’s blessing on your life that makes 

the difference.

All sexual immorality opens the door to numerous sins (deception, manipulation, lying).

Looking precedes lust.

Don’t look at attractive people! (Genesis 39:6-7, Matthew 5:28, Job 31:1)

• Here are some suggestions to keep us from adultery, and there are Ten Commitments of Marriage that are helpful to follow.

1st – Push the clock forward.

2nd – Recognize your times of vulnerability. 

C.S. Lewis said, “The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-age prosperity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil.”

3rd – Continue to work on your marriage.

4th – Obey the Ten Commitments of Marriage. 

The Ten Commitments of Marriage

1. You shall have no other human relationship before your spouse.

2. Remember to date and keep it fresh.

3. Remember your anniversary so your life may be long on the earth.

4. You shall not be apathetic toward your marriage.

5. You shall not search for old sweethearts on Social Media.

6. You shall not ride in a car alone with a member of the opposite sex.

7. You shall not eat alone with a member of the opposite sex.

8. You shall not have a trainer that’s a member of the opposite sex.

9. You shall not work late with members of the opposite sex.

10. You shall not share intimate details of your marriage with a member of the opposite sex.

To what degree are you willing to go to protect what is most important to you? 

Why not be extreme now instead of finding yourself in a place where you wished you had been extreme? We either have extreme regret or extreme standards.

Ten: Week Six

The Sixth Commandment – Forgiveness

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people.  We’ll study this sixth commandment by examining: 

1. What it means to murder and The Principle of Forgiveness.
2. The six stages that lead to murder.
3. How unconditional forgiveness breaks the progression to murder.

• In the Sixth Commandment, God tells us that “You shall not murder,” and The Principle of Forgiveness will keep us from breaking this commandment. 

We don’t have the right to take another person’s life.

The word “murder” in Hebrew means “a wrongful killing.” This is different from the Hebrew word “kill,” which is used in cases like capital punishment, war or self-defense.

This leads us to the relationship principle behind this commandment, which is The Principle of Forgiveness. The ability to forgive will keep us from breaking the Sixth Commandment.

• There are six stages that lead to murder.

1st Stage: Unconditional Love

• In John 13:34, Jesus tells us to love one another as He has loved us.
• Jesus uses the word “agape,” which means “seeking the highest good of the other person.”
• This is not an emotion; it’s a decision regardless of how you feel about a person.

2nd Stage: Unconditional Love often leads to Unmet Expectations

• In Luke 7, John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin) is in prison where he will stay until he’s beheaded.
• In Luke 7:19, John questions Jesus because his feeling are hurt over his unmet expectations.

3rd Stage: Unmet Expectations often lead to Unresolved Offenses

• In Luke 7:22-23, Jesus replies with a blessing on those who don’t get offended because of Him.
• Unmet expectations create offenses in our relationships. With a spouse, employer or friend, we assume certain needs/wants will be met. When those expectations aren’t met, we get offended.

4th Stage: Unresolved Offenses often lead to Unbridled Anger

• The first murder in the Bible was because of anger, which is the story of Cain and Abel. (Genesis 4:3-5,8)
• It’s ok to feel angry, because we can’t control how we feel. But, it’s not ok to act on that anger because it can lead to sin. Our anger should never control us. (Ephesians 4:26)
• In Ephesians 4:26, Paul tells us to deal with our anger in a timely manner.

5th Stage: Unbridled Anger often leads to Uncontrollable Hate

• Genesis 37:4-5 tells the story of how Joseph’s brothers came to hate him.
• In Genesis 37:17-18, we see how that hate turned murderous.

6th Stage: Uncontrollable Hate sometimes leads to Murder

• Unconditional forgiveness stops the progressive stages to murder.

Hate can lead to murder, but forgiveness leads back to love. This is seen in the story of Jacob and Esau. (Genesis 27:41, Genesis 33:1, Genesis 33:4)

If you have a problem giving forgiveness, you have a problem receiving forgiveness. (Matthew 10:8)

If you feel like you have to earn forgiveness from God, you will make other people earn forgiveness from you.

In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus tells us it goes beyond murder. He says that if anyone is angry with a brother or sister, he/she will be judged. 

Do your part and forgive and God will do His part and heal you.

Ten: Week Five
The Fifth Commandment – Honor

God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people.  We’ll study this fifth commandment by examining: 

1. How the Fifth Commandment is a transitional commandment.
2. The principle of honor.
3. The benefits of honoring your parents.
4. Some suggestions of ways to honor your parents.

• The Fifth Commandment is a transitional commandment. 

The first 4 Commandments are vertical, which is having to do with God. The last 6 Commandments are horizontal directives dealing with our relationships with each other.

This helps us understand how our theology determines our ethics not the opposite.

Put God in the rightful position in your life, and your ethics and behavior will fall in line.

In Exodus 20:12, God chooses the parent-child relationship as a connective commandment bridging the first 4 Commandments (the relationship to God) and the last 6 Commandments (relationships with each other).

• To understand the Fifth Commandment, we must understand the principle of honor.

In Exodus 20:12, the meaning of the word “honor” is much stronger than the word “respect.” To honor our parents, it should be reflected by our attitudes and our actions.

Are you honoring your parents? No matter how worthy they are of honor, are you honoring them?

• There are benefits to honoring your parents.

1. Longevity – “…so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving  you.” Exodus 20:12

2. Stability  – “…so that you may live long and that it may go well with you…” Deuteronomy 5:16

    – We are to be subject and obedient to authority. (Romans 13:1-2, Luke 2:51-52)

3. Sensibility – It’s just common sense. (Ephesians 6:1)

4. Tranquility – There’s inner peace when you do life God’s way. (Colossians 3:20)

• Here are some suggestions of ways to honor your parents.

1. You can honor your parents by loving them. It’s a demonstration. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

2. You honor your parents by cooperating with them or choosing to live under their authority. (Romans 13)

3. You honor your parents by valuing them. (Your parents are smarter than you are.)

4. You honor your parents by appreciating them. 

– Meet their needs.

– Include them in special days.

– Give them gifts.

You can honor dishonorable people by forgiving them so that you can be set free from the hurt and anger. (Ephesians 4:26-7) Forgiving someone is a decision not an emotion. It’s for you not the person who hurt you because you’ll be free.