I.     The Education of the Imagination | Colossians 2:4-8

A.      When you capture the imagination, you have captured life!

B.      The imagination is captured through…

         1.      Philosophy and empty deception (philosophia; apate)

         2.      The traditions of men (paradosis)

         3.      Elementary principles of the world (stoicheion)

         4.      ...rather than according to Christ!

C.      An inherited sense of normal may have diabolical roots!

1. What is normal in our culture?  Anything with diabolical roots?

D. If not Christ, then what or who educates our imaginations leading to “new” norms?

1. One example is entertainment.

2. Is it reflective of the people producing it or something else?

II. The Re-education of Imagination | Colossians 2:5-7

A. Rooted, built up, and walking in Christ

1. Wake up and question everything

2. Examine the place/role of entertainment/technology in your life

3. Guard your children

For Further Discussion:

· What were your thoughts when Phil opened with the examples of teens being shaped by culture?  Did you think of other examples?

· Do you believe in the premise that a cosmic, spiritual battle is raging?

· Why do you think so much demonic influence goes unnoticed?

· What would be an appropriate response to entertainment & technology, as discussed?

· What about guarding your children?  What would be appropriate?  What would be considered alarmist?  How would you know the difference?

Good Reads:

·  Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters by N. T. Wright

·  Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon

·  Imagining the Kingdom by James K. A. Smith

 

I. Annual Resurrections

A. False Starts

B. Something is missing...or is it?

II. Everyday Resurrection (Colossians 2:8-15)

A. Reality: You are complete in Christ.

Challenge:  You still need something to complete you.

B. Reality:  Your sin nature is dead.

Challenge:  It is alive, well, and ruling over you.

C. Reality:  You can live everyday resurrection life.

Challenge:  You will have to wait until heaven for that.

III. Conclusion

For Further Discussion:

· What makes it hard to believe that the resurrection applies to us today?

· Which of the three challenges to resurrection life gives you the most difficulty?

· Discuss the role of imagination in regards to faith.  Does it play a role?  If so, what is it and how does it work?

· What are some practical ways in which we can live the resurrection everyday?

Good Reads:

After You Believe by N. T. Wright    |   The Spirit of the Disciplines  by Dallas Willard

I. Annual Resurrections

A. False Starts

B. Something is missing...or is it?

II. Everyday Resurrection (Colossians 2:8-15)

A. Reality: You are complete in Christ.

Challenge:  You still need something to complete you.

B. Reality:  Your sin nature is dead.

Challenge:  It is alive, well, and ruling over you.

C. Reality:  You can live everyday resurrection life.

Challenge:  You will have to wait until heaven for that.

III. Conclusion

For Further Discussion:

· What makes it hard to believe that the resurrection applies to us today?

· Which of the three challenges to resurrection life gives you the most difficulty?

· Discuss the role of imagination in regards to faith.  Does it play a role?  If so, what is it and how does it work?

· What are some practical ways in which we can live the resurrection everyday?

Good Reads:

After You Believe by N. T. Wright    |   The Spirit of the Disciplines  by Dallas Willard

I. This Week in History

II. The King’s Kingdom Message

A. Matthew 4:17

B. Matthew 5‐7

III. Contrasting Kingdom Realities

A. The kingdom of darkness/world culminates in anger, violence, and power over.

B. The kingdom of light/God culminates in love, peace, and power under.

IV. Die to Violence

A. Die to physical violence; die to violence in our hearts.

1. Matthew 5:38‐48

2. Romans 12:17‐21

V. Live to Power Under

A. Jesus is looking for a people, a body, to embody and share with the whole world the message of his kingdom. (Ma

I. A Fragmented People

A. The kingdom of the world celebrates and encourages:

1. Rugged individualism

2. An “I can do this on my own attitude”

3. An ability to not need anyone

II. A Connected People

A. The kingdom of God celebrates and calls us to:

1. All out togetherness

2. An attitude and understanding that we actually can't do it on our own

3. Be in tune with our need and share life with others

III. Obstacles to Togetherness

A. The fear of judgment

B. The lack of space

IV. The Life of the Future

A. ...begins now

For Further Discussion:

• What stood out to you most from the message on living to togetherness?

• Looking at all of the relationships in your life, are you able to identify those that are quantity relationships vs. those that are quality relationships?

• What do you think might be a good way to either cut quantity relationships out of your life, or make them more qualitative?

• How might you make more space in your life for the qualitative relationships?

by N. T. Wright

by Gregory A. Boyd

by Paul

I. The Problem with Nationalism

A. Cross purposes with the Kingdom of God

1. God’s purpose for national Israel (Gen 12:1‐3)

2. Israel’s rejection of God’s purposes in favor of nationalism resulted in exile.

3. Amazingly, in exile, God’s purpose for Israel remained the same! (Jeremiah 29:4‐7)

4. Unfortunately, a return from exile meant a return to nationalism. (John 12:13, Psalm 118:26)

B. The disciples of Jesus would have to be freed from nationalistic pride and tendencies in order to live the resurrection life of the kingdom. (John 18:36)

II. Living the Kingdom Life within a Nation/State

A. Giving to Caesar and giving to God… (Luke 20:20‐26)

1. There are some things that do not belong to Caesar!

B. The church in the world

1. One nation under God (1 Peter 2:9‐10)

2. A higher calling than nationalism

• Loving your country...Serving your God

For Further Discussion:

• Has any aspect of nationalistic pride ever hindered you from living the kingdom life? If so, what was it and how did it affect you?

• Do you feel that na

I. American Idol

II. Judging vs. Discerning

• Luke 6:37 vs. 1 Corinthians 5:1‐8

• Kingdom people are not to judge but are to discern and bring correction in humility through love to fellow Christians.

• Our call is to look out for one another and bless one another.

III. A Modern Day Parable

• Luke 18:9‐14

• Society and governments have a responsibility to evaluate people and make decisions about their personhood. But as kingdom people, we are out of the social evaluation game and we are to have no enemies.

• Kingdom people are called to view everyone ‐ God, ourselves, and others ‐ in light of the cross!

IV. Die to Judgment

• Every time we judge we are detracting worth from the ones we are judging.

V. Live to Blessing

• Kingdom people understand that ALL of humanity is completely hopeless apart from Jesus and that ALL people are to be ascribed unsurpassable worth because every single human being on the planet has been created in God’s beautiful image.

For Further Discussion:

• With whom do you associate in this parable? What is your first reaction to Jesus’ words?

• If you associate with the Pharisee, how do you judge others? What impact does that have upon your relationships?

• If you associate with the tax collector, how do you see yourself as unworthy of love and grace?

• How might this teaching impact your daily interactions with others?

Good Reads:

​by Gregory A. Boyd

 

I. Occupy Jerusalem? (James 5:1‐5)

A. The socio/political/economic context

1. The poor and the greedy

B. Warnings to the rich

1. Who are the rich?

C. The motivation

1. ...of James

2. ...of those occupying Jerusalem

D. “...beware of every form of greed.” (Luke 12:15)

1. The issue with wealth: What it can do to you if you are not careful and therefore, what you should do with it.

2. The gravitational pull of greed (Matt. 6:24)

II. From Greed to Generosity (1 Tim. 6:17‐18)

A. Thank God and enjoy what He has given you

B. Submit all you have to King Jesus and resist the pull of greed

C. Live with outrageous generosity

For Further Discussion:

• What additional thoughts/questions did you have regarding the talk and the supporting texts?

• Isn’t it conflicting for God to “give us all things to enjoy” in abundance and then to ask

us to give sacrificially? What happens when we do one and not the other?

• How do you resist the gravitational pull of greed?

• What are some things that stop you from living generously? What can you do about those things?

Good Reads:

by Gregory A. Boyd

by Randy Alcorn

 

I. Die to Racism

A. A pre‐existing condition

B. A prevalent condition then and now (Acts 10 & 15)

II. Live to Embrace One Human Race

A. We are not fated to live to racism.

1. John 4; Ephesians 2:14‐16

B. Challenges to embracing one human race

1. Lack of awareness

2. Limited perspective and experience

C. Embracing One Human Race

1. Entering the “ecotone”

• Listen to and learn from each other

• Resist tribal instincts and pursue relationships

For Further Discussion:

• How were you raised in regards to other people groups? Would you consider yourself/family racist?

• How did listening to this week's talk make you feel? Were you uncomfortable in any way?

• What do you think about the analogy of the ecotone? Have you ever experienced the tension of the ecotone? Have you ever experienced the new humanity there?

Good Reads:

by Gregory A. Boyd

Lent 2013 Experiential Calendar

I. The History of Lent

A. Themes

B. Church Calendar

C. Practices and Evolutions

D. Protestants and Lent

II. Who Needs Lent?

A. Perhaps we need…

1. A time to refocus...

2. A time to restart...

3. A time to realize...

4. A time to remove...

5. A time to resurrect...

B. Die to ________ Live to _________

For Further Discussion:

• What are your earliest recollections of the Lenten season? What did it mean and how was it observed in your childhood?

• “Lent calls us back to who we are.” How does that happen?

• Discuss the fasting of Jesus in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew chapter 4. What purpose did his fasting serve?

• What role does fasting play in removing duplicities from our lives? What are we to fast from if it is to be beneficial?

• What is really happening during Lent, sin or resurrection?

​Good Reads:

Gregory A. Boyd

Lent 2013 Experiential Calendar