I. WHAT IS A LEADER? (1 Peter 5:1‐4)

A. A leader’s role

1. An elder (v.1)

2. A participant in suffering (v.1)

3. A shepherd (v.2)

4. A watchman (v.2)

5. An example (v.3)

B. A leader’s motivation

1. Not compelled but voluntarily and willingly

2. Not career/money oriented but service/obedience oriented

3. Not for power/control but as an example for others

II. FOLLOW THE LEADER…REALLY? (1 Peter 5:5‐7)

A. The primary issue that underlies all other issues is pride.

B. Humility in all is what makes the church work as an outpost of the kingdom.

1. In the church, God has put something together that the world cannot understand or reproduce, and yet it needs it so desperately.

C. Grace to the humble

GOOD READS:

Hauerwas and Willimon

Chris Lowney

Bill Hybels

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION:

 What did you find eye‐opening, helpful, or troubling about today’s talk?

 What qualities make a good pastor/leader?

 Discuss your thoughts on what it means for a leader to be both a shepherd and a watchman. Why is this important?

 How does a healthy, functioning church with good leadership impact the world around it?

 How does humility transform relationships particularly in the church?

Sunday, June 10th, 2012

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

 Sunday, May 27th, 2012

I. When God Talks Back to the Evangelical Church…

II. Worship and Hospitality

 “The earliest reputation of the church, the first things Christians were known for, were hospitality and their strange way of worship.” (Spirituality According to Paul by Rodney Reeves).

III. The Presence of God (Ephesians 2:19‐22)

1. God is always with his people (Ephesians 2:6‐7)

2. The manifest/felt presence of God

3. The deliberate consciousness of God’s Presence

4. Dark night of the soul (When God's felt presence seems to be absent)

IV. Living as People of the Presence

1. Cultivate a life of paying attention to God.

2. It’s a relationship.

3. Expect God to show up... but know he’s with you even when you don’t feel his nearness.

4. Make a habit of praying simple prayers throughout your day: “Jesus, I need you,” “Come Holy Spirit,” “I thank you that you are with me,” “My life is in your hands.”

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT

A. Context is about understanding time, place, culture and worldview

B. Understanding a story in context puts the story back in its proper place

II. THE ROAD TO EMMAUS: LUKE 24:13‐35

A. V. 21: “We had hoped…”

1. These two people had an improper understanding of how the story of Israel and humanity’s redemption would play out.

2. For the disciples, the death of Jesus was the death of their hope to be set free from oppression.

B. Jesus retells the story of hope and presents a different worldview.

C. Just as Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened to recognize their alienation from God upon eating the fruit, so the disciples eyes are opened to the way back to God through the eating of the bread.

III. EXILE IS OVER

A. Through the death and ultimate resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, death is conquered, evil is destroyed and the Satan’s days are numbered.

B. Humanity is set free from exile and is once again invited back into the presence of the King.

C. We are not only beneficiaries, but are also ambassadors.

GOOD READS:

N.T. Wright

N.T. Wright

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION:

 How might you express what Jesus’ death and ultimate resurrection means for your everyday, ordinary life today?

 How do you feel/what do you think about the fact that you are now invited back into the presence of God without having to be full of fear or shame?

 What would it look like if you were to live your everyday, ordinary life in the reality of the fact that Jesus is the King, you are his ambassador and you are no longer a slave to sin or evil? 

I. SHARING THE SUFFERING OF THE MESSIAH (1 Peter 4:12‐19)

A. Kingdom living in a non‐kingdom world may result in us being warmly embraced or seriously rejected.

B. Why might Christians be persecuted?

1. Bad reasons and good reasons

II. WHAT WERE WE EXPECTING?

A. Jesus was actually quite clear about all this…

1. Matthew 5:10‐11; 22‐25; John 15:18‐20; 2 Timothy3:12; 1 John 3:13

B. Contemporary Christianity hasn’t been quite so clear about all this…

C. What, then, should we expect?

1. From a non‐kingdom world…

2. As resident aliens…

III. JOY IN SUFFERING…REALLY?

A. How can that be?

B. Why joy?

1. We are “sharing His suffering”

2. This is not the end of the story! It is but a road sign telling us we are headed the right direction!

3. God is with us!

C. What now?

1. …”entrust your soul to a faithful creator by doing good.”

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION:

 What did you find most helpful from today’s talk? Most eye‐opening? Most troubling?

 Is there anyone that you can point to as an example of being joyful in the midst of this kind of suffering? How have you experienced hatred as a result of your faith?

 How do you find joy in the middle of trouble? How can you rejoice in the fact that God will one day set things right?

 In what ways does living close to God bring you joy in trouble?

I. TRANSFORMED THINKING 1 Peter 4:1-7

A. Thinking about suffering… (1 Peter 4:1-2)

B. Thinking about time… (1 Peter 4:3-7)

1. The past (verses 3-5)

2. The future (verses 6-7)

3. The present (verse 7)

II. TRANSFORMED LIVING 1 Peter 4:8-11

A. Prayer (verse 7)

B. Love (verse 8)

C. Hospitality (verse 9)

D. Service (verse 10)

GOOD READS:

Hauerwas and Willimon

Scot McKnight

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION:

 Have you ever experienced rejection like Peter described in verse 4? Where do those relationships stand now?

 Why is it inconsistent with the life of Jesus to simply write off everyone and everything since we are going to heaven after all? In other words, why does the present matter at all?

 What do you think of legislating morality? Should it be a strategy of the church?

 From today’s talk, what is the most creative strategy God has to offer the world any hope of redemption?