Thrive.Church Weekly Message

[Exodus 2:9-10] "Take this baby and nurse him for me," the princess told the baby's mother. "I will pay you for your help." So the woman took her baby home and nursed him. [10] Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, "I lifted him out of the water."

God can use even the most _________ person for His glory.

[Exodus 3:1-5] One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. [2] There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn't burn up. [3] "This is amazing," Moses said to himself. "Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go see it." [4] When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, "Moses! Moses!" "Here I am!" Moses replied. [5] "Do not come any closer," the LORD warned. "Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

No matter how ______ you've gone, God is ________ there. 

[Exodus 3:11] But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?"

God isn’t looking for _______________; He’s looking for _____________________.

[1 Corinthians 1:26-29] Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. [27] Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. [28] God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. [29] As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

God uses _____________________ people.

Your past _____________________ don't define your _____________________.

[2 Corinthians 12:9] Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Our _____________________ allows God's _____________________ to shine.

WHO DOES JESUS CALL?

Jesus calls the _________________ & _________________.

[Matthew 11:28] Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Jesus calls the _________________

[Matthew 9:12-13] When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” [13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

[2 Corinthians 5:17] This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

WHAT DOES JESUS HELP US BECOME?

Jesus helps us become more _________________

[Hebrews 12:2a] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

[Romans 10:17] So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

_________________ God's Word builds our faith.

[Isaiah 43:2-3a] When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Jesus helps us become more _________________

Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on _________________.

[Luke 2:10-11] but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Jesus helps us become more _________________!

[Isaiah 9:6-7] For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

[Matthew 25:14-15 ESV] "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. [15] To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Everything you have is a _______________ from God.

We are ____________________ and not ___________________.

[Matthew 25:16-18 ESV] He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. [17] So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. [18] But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 

God gives us resources according to our ____________________, and expects us to ____________________ them.

[Matthew 25:19-23 ESV] Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. [20] And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' [21] His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' [22] And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' [23] His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

There is great ______________ in taking a __________ for Jesus.

[Matthew 25:24-30 ESV] He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, [25] so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' [26] But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? [27] Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. [28] So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. [29] For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. [30] And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Fear can ____________________ us from achieving God's ____________________ for our lives.

[1 Corinthians 3:12-15] Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials--gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. [13] But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. [14] If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. [15] But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Everything you work for will either ____________________ away or be left ____________________. 

A _________ and Glorious Morn

Parables are seemingly __________ stories that have _____________ meaning to them.

[Matthew 13:44-46] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. [45] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, [46] who, when he had found one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Finding the kingdom of heaven is like finding the _____________ valuable thing you could think of for a greater ____________ than you could ever imagine and __________ at hand that you could ever think.

[1 Kings 19:20-21 ESV] And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you? [21] And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

Our salvation is _________ important and has greater _________ than we could ever comprehend.

[Philippians 3:8-10] Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; [10] that

I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, [11] if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

God __________ have precedence over everything in our lives.

Spend time seeking __________ treasure.

If you don't turn the blessing into ____________ it will turn into ____________.

There is great ___________________ within things that seem insignificant.

[Matthew 13:31-32] Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. [32] It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."

God can use even the smallest acts of ______________ to bring about ___________________ things.

[Zechariah 4:10a] Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin...

Keep moving forward when the growth process seems ___________________ and ___________________.

Lasting growth always requires ___________________.

[1 Corinthians 3:6-9] I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. [7] It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. [8] The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. [9] For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building.

We need to ___________________ the seeds of our faith.

My small actions can bring ___________________ to someone in need.

[Matthew 17:20] "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

[John 8:32] And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

[Luke 18:9-10] Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: [10] "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.

Pride is nearly impossible to _________________________.

[Luke 18:11-14] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

God doesn't count the _______________ of our prayers; He measures the _______________.

[Matthew 6:5-6] "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. [6] But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

God values ____________________________ in our prayers more than eloquence.

[Luke 18:13-14] "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

True humility isn’t thinking _______________ of yourself; it’s thinking of __________________ less and God more.

True righteousness comes from a _______________ heart.

[Matthew 23:11-12] The greatest among you must be a servant. [12] But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

God's _______________ is available to all regardless of their _______________.

We are to _______________ the authorities of the land.