A. An obvious need

B. When we have a need/problem we should admit it, own it, and involve God in it!

1. Delay and denial

2. The path of logic versus the path of love and sacrifice

A. Jesus expects the disciples to handle the problem.

B. When God uses humans to do the humanly impossible…

1. …he does it by using what they have and what they offer to him.

C. Jesus is not a solo artist.

1. He requires our participation to multiply the goodness of God.

• What are your thoughts on the vision that was presented today? Is the need for expansion obvious to you?

• Has the path of logic ever dissuaded you from taking the path of love and sacrifice? What did that look like? • Discuss the implications of the statement, “God does humanly impossible things through humans.”

• Why do you think Jesus involved the disciples at such a high level in feeding the 5000?

• What kinds of attitudes within the disciples were challenged when Jesus insists that the disciples feed the people? (i.e. trust; alternate plans; inadequacy)

• Where are you being challenged through this effort to expand the facility? What are your fears or concerns? How can you involve God in that?

• Healthy things grow…

• Growing things change…

• Changing things bring challenge…

• Challenge forces us to trust God…

• Trusting God leads to obedience…

• Obedience makes us healthy!

A. What it is; what it isn’t!

B. The purpose behind the plan

C. What can we expect?

D. Why should people give?

E. What will it look like?

• Today’s “family talk” comes at yet another pivotal point in the life of the Vineyard. What are your thoughts about the future of the Vineyard Church in New Orleans?

• What excites you most about the health and growth of the church?

• Discuss any past experiences with capital giving campaigns. How will this be different?

“[Jesus] is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being…” – Hebrews 1:3

A. It has always been true of human beings that we will look like what we worship.

A. Colossians 2:17 | Colossians 1:19 | Colossians 2:9 | Hebrews 1:3

B. If it doesn’t look like Jesus, then it’s not God.

A. The radical mission of Jesus is to show us who God is and what God is like…and he is not like we had imagined. “If Jesus and God are one, and if to know Jesus is to know God, then any conception of God that doesn’t look like Jesus is an idol.” – Michael Hardin, The Jesus Driven Life

• How has/does your image of God differed from your image of Jesus in the past? Today?

• Realizing that Jesus is God in the flesh, how might this impact the way you understand how God sees you? How does this reality impact the way you talk to God?

• What are the overarching implications for your life when you consider the reality that Jesus is God?

• What are your feelings/thoughts about the statement, “If it doesn’t look like Jesus, then it’s not God”?

by Carl Medearis

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

by Michael Hardin

A. When you hear, “God is love.”…

1. Incomprehensible…Immeasurable…Impossible?

B. Comprehending “God is love” | Ephesians 3:14‐21

1. It is Jesus‐centered (v17‐19)

2. It is infinite (v18‐19)

3. It is realized, manifested, experienced by the Spirit (v16)

A. Rooted and grounded in love

1. The infinite love of Christ is the foundation of life!

B. Confronting obstacles that block out the love of Christ

1. Distorted views of love

2. Twisted theology

3. The word itself can be problematic

C. What does it mean that “God loves you”? | 1 John 4:9‐10

1. “By this the love of God was manifested in us…”

2. God has no “OFF” position on his love

• What was your number one take‐away from today’s talk?

• What did you think of the statement “You begin to know that which is unknowable when you bump into its unknowability”?

• The scriptural text for today is well‐known to many but experienced by few. Why do you think that is true?

• What obstacles have blocked out the experience of God’s love in you? How can we establish our lives on a foundation of God’s love?

• How do you say “Yes” to the love of God?

A. Why has the church lost so much influence in society?

1. Institutionalization and scandal?

B. Whatever the reasons for the loss of prominence and influence…

1. We are still responsible to be the church with Jesus at the center.

A. “Vive la Revolution!” (Live the revolution)

1. With Jesus at the center, it is a different kind of revolution!

B. The Revolution has a mandate from God

1. “Taking the city for God” versus “Seeking the welfare of the city”

C. Why do we get the dirty work?

1. God desires to be present here…now

2. Only the church can truly bring heaven to earth.

3. It might be a dirty job, but it’s our job!

A. What is it?

B. Where does it happen?

C. How is it done?

• In our generation, how has the larger church contributed to its own marginalization?

• What has been your reaction/response to our society’s loss of respect for the church?

• Discuss the differences between the two approaches to fulfilling the mandate from God; “Taking the city for God” versus “Seeking the welfare of the city.”

• Is Jesus–centered service a strategy, a calling, or is it our mission?

• Is it transferable to every culture, people group, geographic location, and generation?

• Imagine being a Christ follower in war‐torn Syria…

A. What is a servant? Doulos (Greek) subjection to but without bondage

B. Jesus ‐ the servant leader | Philippians 2:5‐8 1. Willingness, humility, and sacrifice

C. Where did he learn this type of servanthood?

1. Mary and Joseph?

D. Whom did He serve?

1. John 2:1-12 – Trivial service

2. John 13:12-14 – Humble service

3. 1 John 2:2 – All‐inclusive service

A. On the job training | Matthew 11:28‐30

B. The most influential man in the early church…

C. The three people who probably had the greatest influence on Jesus and the Apostles were simply servants.

A. How we define certain pronouns determines who we will serve.

1. We…

2. Those…

3. All...

• Discuss the idea that Jesus learned and developed a life of service from his parents. We mostly think he had that attitude just because he was God incarnate but he was influenced like any other child. What does that say for and to us?

• Why is it that we think our acts of service have to be BIG to count? In what ways have you noticed someone demonstrating a heart of service as an everyday expression of who they are?

• How has our church encouraged and participated in humble service?

• How has our church dealt with the pronouns…we, those, and all? What has been your experience with the pronouns?

• In what ways can we move forward together in taking on the humble service of Jesus?

A. Our conversations with God should be genuine and expressive of what is really going on (or not going on) in us.

1. Matthew 6:5‐6; Matthew 26:36-46

B. Within the dialogue, there is wrestling and there is resolution…

1. Although the answer is not what he hoped for, he is resolved and determined to trust it!

A. We generally believe that “Where there is power, there is hope!”

1. What is the source of the power that gives us hope?

2. Which worldview are we embracing?

B. Once we understand the power of prayer we will face opposition.

1. Acts 4:29‐31

2. They were relying on the very real, animating presence of God in their lives.

A. Pray without ceasing…

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‐18

2. …not always talking but always aware and engaged

B. Humans were wired to be “face time” people.

C. What if we don’t pray?

• Why does prayer seem like an empty, boring, lifeless, obligation to so many Christians?

• What can we learn by observing the prayers of Jesus? Especially dial into the prayer from the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36‐46.

• How do you handle unanswered prayer? How do you deal with the disappointment when the answer is not what you expected?

• What did you think of the prayer in Acts 4:29‐31? What kind of opposition were they facing?

• What can you do to jump start your conversation with God?

II. Answering some difficult questions… (Luke 18:18-30)

A. The rich guy: “What shall I do?”

B. Jesus: “Who will you be?”

C. The disciples: “What’s in it for us?”

D. Us: “How do we interpret Jesus’s answer?”

1. Figuratively, spiritually, literally?

E. Us: “Why is this so confusing to us?”

1. Western paradigm with a consumerist and individualistic filter

F. Us: “How do we make sense of this?” 1. Matthew 12: 47‐50 (redefining family)

2. Acts 2:41‐47; Acts 4:32‐37 (a radically different way of life)

3. If it was a radical change of life then, how much more so for us?

III. Jesus-centered generosity A. Getting there from here…

1. Imagine that Jesus, our King, is at the center of all of life

2. With Christ at the center, examine ourselves, making sure that the things that previously occupied the center, the things that shaped us and defined us have been displaced

3. Imagine that whatever we possess is not ours…

4. With Christ at the center, ask how HE wants us to steward these things

5. Imagine that we TRUST Jesus enough to follow His lead

6. Seek out and participate in a kingdom community

• What part of the talk and supporting scripture stood out to you the most?

• What is it about our western paradigm that gives us so much trouble in interpreting these texts? Why do you think that is?

• How have you interpreted the Luke 18 text previously? Did anything change for you ager this talk?

• What steps can you/we take to move toward the experience of the early church in Acts?

A. Whose land is it?

1. Promised to the descendants of Abraham – Genesis 15:18-19; Exodus 23:31

• Fulfilled – 2 Chronicles 9:26

2. A gift versus a right – Leviticus 25:23

• Fulfilled – Leviticus 25:23

3. Lost through disobedience – Leviticus 18:24; 28; Deuteronomy 4:25-27

• Fulfilled – Jeremiah 9:13-16

4. Restored after repentance – Jeremiah 29:10‐14

• Fulfilled – 2 Chronicles 36:22‐23

B. Jesus, the Apostles and the New Testament

1. Who are Abraham’s descendants? (Galatians 3:26‐29; Luke 3:7‐9)

2. What inheritance is promised? (Romans 4:13; Matthew 8:10‐12)

C. Today’s ongoing conflict

1. If it is about land only…

• What would biblical justice require? What would it look like? 2. If it is about hatred and the right to exist...

• What should we Christians do?

A. What do we do with our feelings; especially the bad ones?

B. How do we avoid being sucked into despair, fear, and hatred?

1. Don’t feed those things!

2. Wrestle through the issues with other Christians.

3. Pray for all…

4. Support those working for peace.

• Describe your feelings from recent days as you have watched these events unfold. What has been your primary emotion?

• Why do you think you have reacted in such a way? What part does your upbringing play in your thoughts and feelings?

• Did today’s talk shed any light at all on your understanding of the issues? How?

• Discuss together a positive, healthy way forward for concerned Christ‐followers.

by Colin Chapman

A. Jesus-centered and others oriented

1. Experiencing life with Jesus at the center

2. Experiencing others with Jesus at the center

A. Growth dynamics

1. Numerical, geographical, and relational growth

B. Family issues and cultural challenges

1. Remaining Jesus‐centered required the creation of families within the family

2. Remaining Jesus‐centered required active participation in the family

• The Spirit of Jesus

• The Apostle’s teaching

• The common life together

• The breaking of bread (communion, meals)

• Prayer

C. 21st century resistance to the idea of “church family”

1. “Privatized Christianity”

2. “Corporate Only” Christianity

3. “Anti‐Corporate” Christianity

A. A foretaste of and witness to the coming Kingdom

B. “…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”

• What has been your understanding/view of the organized church? Where did you get your perception from?

• From what was spoken in today’s talk, what was communicated that may have caused you to rethink your perception of the church?

• What do you think of the idea of the church as a family? Where does that place you/me in the church?

• What responsibilities are implied for us within the church family?

• Why is being Jesus‐centered so important? What should/could that look like? What are the alternatives?