Steadfast under TrialIntro:  Failing a Test I.  “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” – James 1:12A.   Temptation1.    “God Himself tempts no one.” – James 1:132.    “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” – James 1:143.    Spirit-driven into the wilderness (Mark 1:12)B.   Testing1.    “After these things God tested Abraham” – Genesis 22:12.    Impossible ChoicesII.  God Himself takes on our TrialsA.   “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’” – Genesis 22:8B.   “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” – Genesis 22:181.    “And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” – Mark 1:112.    “And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to Him.” – Mark 1:133.    God provides for Himself the LambC.   “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17 What is one of the most difficult choices you have had to make?  How did you go about making a decision?How does God’s unchanging character give you encouragement as you face difficult decisions?

“We Were All There”Mark 9:2-9Intro: Induction into the Hall of Fame

I. The Foundation for Us AllA. We think of people like Moses and Elijah almost as superheroesB. They were humans chosen for special roles and given special giftsC. They were also sinners, whose work would mean nothing without forgivenessD. Jesus is the foundation for us allE. The accomplishment of His task was difficult and possibly conditionalF. What the Transfiguration meant for all involvedII When Life Rests on GraceA. The struggle to be “good enough”B. A foundation that is immovableC. Can one slide off the foundation?D. Peter, James and John building on the foundationIII. The Boldness of SalvationA. The certaintyB. The humilityC. A desire for a life worthy of our callingD. What does your calling include?

What would be the scariest part of being at the Transfiguration? What would be the coolest?People constantly express doubt about whether they are “good enough” or have “faith enough”. What would you say to a person who says such things?

Isaiah 40, Mark 1

Intro: Sad stories of the pandemicI. The Weight of the WorldA. Bad news on the televisionB. Fear for healthC. Fear for the spiritual well-being of othersD. The plots of the evilE. Ongoing isolation, loneliness and sometimes despairII. Into This World Comes the Son of GodA. Jesus’ time wasn’t exactly paradiseB. Jesus’ mission? Health, demonic possession, information?C. The biggest problem might not have even been a felt problemIII. Our Assumptions and the Reality of GodA. Assumption #1: That God micromanages the Earth1. Assumption #1A: That life is fair2. Reality #1: This world is under the curse because of sinB. Assumption #2: That God’s people are sinless1. Reality #2: Not all who call themselves Christian are God’s people2. Reality #2A: God’s people are sinless because of forgiveness3. Reality #2B: We are on an imperfect path of growth and still have a sinful natureC. Assumption #3 God would do things our way1. Reality #3 God’s ways are not our ways2. Reality #3A But God can and will take care of things

Can you think of situations where you thought that God would fix something or prevent something, and He did not?Have you observed anything where you saw the wisdom of God’s way after everything played out?

Stumbling BlocksIntro:  What causes you to stumble?I.     Christ (Rom 9:33/1 Cor 1:23)A.   Promised & Prophesied (Deuteronomy 18)B.   “And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.” – Mark 1:22C.   “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” – 1 Corinthians 8:6

II.    You (Mt 18:7/Lk 17:1)A.   Arrogance & Judgementalism1.“We know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.” – 1 Corinthians 8:12. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” – Romans 14:13B.   Adiaphora1. “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” – 1 Corinthians 8:92. “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” – 1 Corinthians 8:13C.   Priorities (Matthew 16:23)

III.  “Come out into the tempest of the living”A.   Standing for truth vs. Christian freedomB.   Speaking the truth in loveC.   Allowing Christ to be a stumbling block

In what ways have you been a “stumbling block” for someone else?When have you seen Christ as a “stumbling block” for someone, and how might God be working through this?

“Change My Mind”

Intro:  When was the last time you changed your mind about something significant? I.     A never-changing God can change His mind?A.   “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.” – Jonah 3:10B.   God’s character never changesC.   God is engaged in an ever-changing worldD.   The paradox of God’s providence vs. freewill1.    Everyday choices vs. spiritual choices2.    Freewill always begins with God’s action3.    God knows every possible outcomeII.    God placed Jonah in a particular place and timeA.   Mordecai to Esther: “For such a time as this” (Esther 4)B.   Paul in Athens (Acts 17)C.   “The appointed time has grown very short…For the present f form of this world is passing away.” – 1 Corinthians 7:29b,31bD.   God has placed you in a particular place and timeIII.  You can change God’s mindA.   God knows when you will change His mindB.   God wants you to change His mindC.   Prayer changes thingsD.   God’s persistenceE.    God wants you to be persistent1.    Attitude is everything2.    Sanctity of Human LifeF.    Discerning God’s calling1.    “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” – Mark 1:152.    Always be ready to give an answer How does it impact your life knowing that God has changed His mind by offering you eternal life rather than death? Who are the people you can impact with the Gospel in the particular time and place in which God has placed you?

Understanding an Imperfect World:A Messy WorldAll three readingsIntro: What did you feel as the Capital building was stormed?I. Chaos or OrderA. There are certain things we hold on to for a sense of order1. Our democracy2. Our economy and our job3. Our family4. Our health and cognitive abilityB. Are these things immovable in the current order of things?C. God understated warning to Adam and Eve1. Disruption of nature2. Struggle3. PainII. Be Prepared but Not AfraidA. Like us the first disciples had found some order in a turbulent worldB. They probably expected things to get better1. Their assumptions about the arrival of the Kingdom of God2. What had been put in place3. What had notC. The struggles of the Church and the Kingdom of Satan1. Satan’s consolation and objectives2. Satan’s toolboxa. Competing “gospels”b. False prophets and scandalsc. Manipulating our own sinful natured. Resistance and persecutionIII. In Me You May Have PeaceA. Ignorance is not blissB. Jesus is over all and hold all things togetherC. You belong to ChristD. God can turn Satan’s plans on their headsE. What “taking heart” looks like and feels likeWhat tends to scare you about the future? Do you discuss world events with God? If so, what are you talking about lately?

Understanding an Imperfect World: “The Ugliness of Mankind” (Part 2 of 3)

Genesis 3

Intro: Killing Crazy Horse

I. Are People Basically Good?A. Created in the Imagine of God

1. Sharing in the character of God

2. With one exception (knowing evil)

3. Understanding the will of God

4. A genuinely free will mixed with naivete

5. Convinced that God was not good

B. The Shattered Pieces of the Image of God

1. No longer understanding God2. Born self-centered and capable of great evil 3. The glimmers of our original goodness4. What we can grow up to be5. The depth of our ugliness

II. Mankind from God’s Perspective A. Offended Holiness

B. Fatherly longing and pityC. The cherished hope of full restoration

III. Baptized into our conditionA. The Son of God incarnate B. Positioned as the new Adam C. SavedD. Reclaiming the good

What is the most horrible thing you ever heard of a human doing to another? Do you think Satan’s Kingdom was directly or indirectly involved in that?

What would be one thing that would be different about you if your sinful nature was completely gone?

John 1:1-14Intro: A dumbed-down JesusI. Can a transcendent God be so near?A. The extreme fine tuning of the universeB. Extraordinary luck or the work of a transcendent God?C. Isn’t God aloof?

II. With us in our troubleA. The trouble mankind created for itselfB. The gap created between God and manC. The God who never left usD. An inconceivable move toward us

III. The Word became fleshA. Creator of all thingsB. Good over evilC. Not recognized. How come?D. The Word fulfills what is writtenE. The Word reaches to you1. To be saved2. To know your Creator3. To recapture what we lost4. To lean on His strength

Intro: When “home for the holidays” does not seem like such a good thing.

I. Where is God’s Home?A. Heaven?

* “They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” – Genesis 3:8* Sin Separatesa) From Paradiseb) From Godc) From each otherB. A Building?* Tabernacle* Temple* ChurchC. House of David?* Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14/Matthew 1:23)* “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” – John 1:14* Ascension (Matthew 28:20)II. Where is Our Home?A. “Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’” – Mt 8:20/Lk 9:58B. Temporary housing, with all the necessary roomsC. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” – John 14:2* “Indeed, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” – Hebrews 9:22* “But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” – 2 Peter 3:13

What are the things in your own life that remind you that this is not your permanent home?

In what ways do you experience God’s presence in your life? How does God’s promise in Christ of an eternal home bring you comfort and hope?

Romans 8:18-23

Intro: What do you think Heaven or the New Earth will be like?

I. You are not currently in HeavenA. The remnants of God’s genius1. It was good2. A goodness that can still be seen and imaginedB. The flaws in my backyard1. A sick evergreen2. Why did God make mosquitos?3. Squabbles at the feederC. An aggressor like Covid-19D. Evolutionists argument against a Creator

II. Subjected to frustrationA. Sin and the curse aren’t just problems for humansB. Creation didn’t chooseC. God chose to interlink our fates1. Sickness2. Conflict3. Mutation/Devolution4. Death

III. The Freedom of the Glory of the Children of GodA. A New Earth, A New CreationB. Is my dog in Heaven?C. The Father’s good pleasureD. Do not worry

Where do you see frustration in other living things?

How do you imagine our interaction with the New Creation