The Forge

Lie 4 - What I do doesn’t matter. I couldn’t possibly make a lasting impact on the Kingdom

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)

The Exchange Rate Deception -

P- programming (lead to)
T- thoughts (lead to)
F- feelings (lead to)
A- action (lead to)
R- results (solidify)

Ways to Use Work for Kingdom Impact

What you do Is part of God's broader purpose on Earth.
Be all in with your heart and hands (see verse at top of page).
What you do Imitates the nature of God.
Abide In His presence so Fruit of His Spirit creates an essence of Christ In your workplace.
Find ways to love others through your work.
Speak the gospel to those you are working with.
If compensated through your work, give generously & joyfully from the first fruits.
"And he said to them, 'The harvest Is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers Into his harvest.'" (Luke 10:2)

Discussion Questions
Do you believe what you do matters? Don't hide the lie If It Is there. Put Jesus to work.
Where is your mission field?
Are you currently tending the crops of that field? Are you all In or holding back?
How do you partner with God In helping you with this

1. Exchange a lie for the truth.
Why-
How-

2. Break down this lie to shine truth
"earn/worthy"
what does He say?
discipline & other pertinent truths

3. Apply it. Practice session
Jesus, what's the lie I'm believing about ________?
what do I do with lies, Jesus?
Break partnership/reliance
offer/exchange
declare it, repeat
other helps...

Discussion Questions
Am I interested in walking out my calling in Him? Do I believe I can? What does He say? Father, what do YOU say about me in this regard? Jesus, in what ways do I aim to "earn" Your grace, solo style? is "this material", this partnering with You regular "for me"?

1. Doing the exchange is easy, right? What is required to walk it out?
2. Can I do this alone?
3. Where do I start?
4. Where does Holy Spirit fit in here?
5. What's next?

Things were going our way, we trusted. Things got tricky, trust slipped away.

"Where are you?" He answered, " I hear you In the garden, and I was afraid..." (Genesis 3:9,10)
"Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!...He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" (Mark 4:38-40)

What's the difference between Tithe and Offering?

Tithe-
Genesis 14:19-20
"Every tenth of the land's produce, grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord." (Leviticus 27:30)
'"Test me In this, says the Lord Almighty, "and see If I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store It."' (Malachi 3:10)
Offering-
"Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure-pressed down, shaken together, and running over - will be poured into your lap." (Luke 6:38)
"If we have sown spiritual things for you, Is It too much If we reap material benefits from you?" (1 Corinthians 9:11)
First Fruits-
"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3:9,10)

Discussion Questions
In what areas do you need to start (or return to) trusting God more?
What Is the best way for you to be encouraged and/or encourage others to trust God when there seems to be so many reasons to distrust?
Where are your treasures and how are you sharing God's blessings?

In this week’s episode our communicator, Jeff Munro, unpacks the lie the deceiver tries to trick us with that our faith is good enough right where it is at. In this lie, the attempt is to get people off course of having a deeper, fuller relationship with Jesus and fully stepping into all that God has for us. As Jesus followers, we are called to step into the fullness of a deepening relationship with Christ.

The author of the lie: SATAN
"…because there is NO truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

The audience: THE CHURCH

What to do instead-
Practice makes: IMPROVEMENT
Devote yourself to: HEARING the Word of God (John 16:13)
Devote yourself to the: LIFE of the church. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Devote yourself to: COMMUNITY (1 Peter 4:10)
Devote yourself to: PRAYER (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)

Discussion Questions
Where do I need to “resume living” my life?
How does the patience of Jesus impact any struggles we experiencing?
How might we encourage someone who is in a season of waiting?

Wikipedia:The past is the set of all events that occurred before a given point in time. The
past is contrasted with and defined by the present and the future.
Merriam – Webster: A past life, history, or course of action.

The difference between guilt and shame.
·Guilt is a sense of remorse and the desire to make amends; Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and unworthy of acceptance and belonging.
·Guilt overcome by the conviction of God’s spirit is encouraging because it leads to repentance; Guilt held onto weighs you down, is spiritually crippling, and leads to Shame.

How Satan uses shame against you.
·Satan will say you are unforgivable, but God will delight in your redemption (Romans 3:23-24).
·Satan will tell us repentance is not possible. God encourages us to change and grow (2 Corinthians 5:17)
·Satan is the Accuser. God is our Advocate (Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 8:12)

Declarations the Liar doesn’t want to hear you say.
1. God loves me (Romans 8:39)
·Believing that God love you is foundational for believing the rest of God’s promises
2. God chose me (Ephesians 1:4-5)
·Despite the good, the bad, and the ugly, God still chose to adopt you into His family
3. God will use me (Ephesians 2:10)
·Don’t let the voice of “look what you’ve one”, “you’re too this or that” disqualify you

Know that your wounds, your past, and your weaknesses – when surrendered to God – are actually what God uses powerfully in His service.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 – For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you believe you have done something unforgivable, or have you done something that you still need to forgive yourself for?
2. Who do you say, the world say, and God say you are?
3. Do you believe that God can use you?
4. Whose lives can you speak into to help them forgive themselves and see themselves as God does?

My last dollar, my last word, and my last hour.

URGENCY-importance requiring swift action.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)
THE ONE THING:

QUESTIONS & CHALLENGE:

1-Is my faith wavering anywhere right now? Why?
2-Do I stir up others to do good deeds, or do I “stir up the dust”?
3-Would those around me call me encouragement?
4-What is the hardest thing for me to surrender….$ or time?
5-Who needs my time? Who can I invest in?
6-Do I have any relationships to reconcile?

**7 Day Reading Challenge: Hebrews 10, and or 2 Peter 3

**To Remember: I don’t need to change the world, how can I impact the 20’ around me? He came to serve others, not to be served. If we don’t move, the movement will happen for us. I would rather see a sermon than hear a sermon. Your job and purpose are different.**

Discussion Questions:

What fruit of the Spirit do you need to see in your life right now?
What areas of your flesh are you struggling with the most right now?
What does stepping with the Spirit need to look like for you today?

Where was the mountain and what was the significance of Its location?

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:18-20

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

A. Great Calling Great Commission
1. Come Follow Me You Go
2. I will make you (I will send you out) You Make
3. Fishers of men (to fish for people) Disciples of all Nations

B. 3 Years of Ministry: How Jesus prepared his follower.
1. Teaching through sermons and parables
2. Examples like miracles, time with people in margins, prayer.
3. Experiences:
Luke 9:1-6: sent out disciples with power and authority
Luke 9:10-17: had disciples fee the 5,000
Luke 10:1-12: the harvest is plentiful, workers few (sends the 72)

C. Great Commission today at Grace Chapel
1. Teaching through messages, The Forgeorge, discipleship series
2. Examples for us like Heart of the City, Catalyst, Supper at the Harbor, MacLaren, and
prayer
3. Experiences by inviting us to participate in the above.
4. GO – discipleship cohorts, Alpha, sharing our faith, invitations.

Discussion Questions:

1. What will it take to move fulfilling the Great Commission out of the ‘difficult conversation’ reality into the ‘love this conversation’ reality?
2. Do you have ‘anger and resentment’ when you are called to rescue the world with the Great Commission?
3. Do you agree that there Is a difference between being an evangelist and being a witness?? Explain.

Jesus Surrendered to the Father

Matthew 26:39-42

Prayer of Surrender-
“God, there are things in my life that you are asking me to do, asking me to give up, in order to do your will. Reveal those things to me now, convict my heart and expose my rebellion. Holy Spirit you are willing. I give you permission to move in me. Jesus, I surrender.”

Jesus Shared in his Suffering

Luke 23:26, Hebrews 12:2

Prayer in Suffering-
“Jesus, give me the strength to endure the struggles of this world, but even more so- give me the strength to share my suffering with others around me. Give me boldness and humility to ask a brother in Christ to help carry my cross. Lord give me courage to step in the pain of other men and help carry their cross and endure their suffering so that we might fulfill the purpose you have called us to.”

Jesus Showed Compassion

Luke 23:28-43

Prayer of Compassion-
“Jesus, in the midst of my own pain, my own struggles, may my heart break for what breaks yours. Teach me to see others and treat others as you see and treat them. As I seek to love God and love my neighbor, give me courage to forgive others and to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to my family, to my community, and wherever else you may take me.”

Discussion Questions
What is God calling you to that you haven’t surrendered to yet?
What cross are you carrying that is beginning to get heavy?
In what ways do we help carry the crosses of other believers?
Who is Jesus calling you to stop and show compassion to? To forgive? To proclaim the good news? What steps do you need to take today and how can your table support you?

What is the Table? What was Jesus doing there? Why do we struggle with it?

“Wherever, whenever, however the kingdom manifests itself, it is welcome”-Krister Stendahl
Jesus Calls Matthew/Levi and the ensuing dinner party

Wedding at Cana - Jesus' first miracle

Christian hospitality: when pressing outward to the weakest, needy, the least of these, the unheard, and those least likely to be able to reciprocate we are actually welcoming God.
The role of hospitality has changed culturally throughout the centuries.
This action was the invitation. It made us welcome. And, it linked hospitality, grace, and sacrifice. What was it?

3 dimensions of hospitality:
An expression of respect and recognition-specifically different statuses and backgrounds
A means of meeting the physical needs of strangers, travelers, and local poor
Hosting of local assemblies of believers

John Wesley specifically looked at breaking bread and eating with one another as hospitality as “the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity”. And, a diverse table fellowship brought us closer to reflecting the heavenly banquet.

Discussion Questions

What was the most memorable hospitality moment you can recall? What made it that way?
Do you consider yourself someone who is good at hospitality? Explain.
In which ways do you and/or your family currently show hospitality? Do you feel there is room to increase the level of hospitality that you extend to others?