This is the seventh sermon in an eight week series called, "Revival" which is a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

1. Have you ever thought of God as a “suffering servant”—one who saves us from sin by living with us, suffering and dying at our hands, and rising to new life?

2. Have you ever thought of your vocation in Christ as being a similar “suffering servant?”

3. How would you characterize the posture of your spiritual life—self-protection or self-sacrifice?

4. How will you respond to Jesus’ warning that a posture of self-protection will cause you to lose the life you want to save and leave you unprepared to receive God when you finally meet?

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them." -Matthew 24:45

 

This is the sixth message in an eight-week series called, "Revival" which is a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

GROW Questions:

1. Have you ever found yourself feeling offended by something someone has said about God?  Why?

2. If there is truth to this distinction, how often would you say you profess Jesus as Messiah, Son of God but live the “way of Satan”—the way of protection and preservation?

3. What role has your religious culture played in nurturing that default posture and, like Peter, do you think Jesus may be trying rescue you from it?

4. What might it look like this week to enter into the scary place of confession and/or forgiveness?

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

-Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)

This is the fifth message in an eight-week series called, "Revival" which is a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

GROW Questions:

1. What expectations of God do you bring to your “faith?”  Where did you form them?

2. Is it possible your expectations may actually cause you to “turn away” from Jesus?

3. How do you respond to the suggestion that God may be eternally, universally merciful?  Like the crowd?  Like the religious leaders?  Like John the Baptist?

4. Are you currently finding rest for your souls in Jesus? 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

 

GROW Questions:

1. What do your innermost thoughts and desires as revealed by THE WORD say about God, others and yourself? Will you allow Him to change the way you think so you become a new person in Him? How?

2. Who might Jesus be asking you to be with or for that the religious system may not want you to be with or for?  Will you follow Him here? How?

3. How will you handle it if others from your own family, circle of friends or church falsely accuse you of not following this book of the law in the process?

4. What will you do practically speaking to grow in your love for people through this…not only those Jesus is asking you to be with or for but including those who make you their enemy as a result?

"Those that say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6 (NLT)

This is the third message in an eight-week series called, "Revival" which is a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

GROW Questions:

1. Do you need to “repent of your sins and turn to God for the Kingdom of  Heaven is available to you?”

2. Do you need to rethink how you approach the Bible in light of Jesus’ words about completing or fulfilling the law?

3. How much of your life/faith is driven more by a “fear of man” (either the need to please or the need to protect) than an authentic desire to please God in your inner being?

4. Are you bearing the good fruit of love for your enemy?  If not, what does that tell you about the health of your tree and what should you do about it?

GO:

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” -Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

This is the second sermon in an eight-week series called, "Revival" which is a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

GROW Questions:

1. Does your religious system assume and reinforce the belief that:

a) God’s enemies are HUMAN and that

b) one day God will respond to those HUMAN enemies by destroying them?

2. Do you ever find yourself living on the safety spectrum?

3. Is it possible that Jesus as “God with us” and “the Lord saves” is actually trying to save us from this very belief?

4. Does it make sense that for God to save HUMANs he would have to destroy the evil that enslaves them?

5. Are you leaving church today a little more convinced that God is fundamentally good and entirely trustworthy?

Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God.'" Matt. 4:7

 

1. Do you believe God is “with you?”  Why or why not?

2. Do you believe God is with you as “one who saves?”

3 Is it hard for you to believe/embrace that all God has ever done, is currently doing, and will ever do is save?

4. Are you someone who is need of saving today?

5. Do you ever find yourself rejecting news about God in order to protect an already established kingdom?

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you:  Believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29 (NLT)

This week Derek Moran teaches out of Luke 5 and Matthew 5.

This is a Vision message where we take a break from our regular schedule of teaching through all the books of the Bible. This Vision message is titled, "Give To Grow" and focuses on what it means to give our lives away and live intentionally in our pursuit of loving Jesus and sharing his love with others.

GROW Questions:

1. When have you GROWn most in your faith?  Did it involve giving your faith away to someone else?

2. In what ways are you currently giving your faith away to someone else? 

3. What could it look like for you to begin giving you faith away to someone else?

4. What’s currently holding you back from making disciples of others? 

GO:

"Again he said, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.' "

John 20:21 NLT

KNOW:

This is a one-week study of the New Testament book of Philemon.

GROW Questions:

Do you notice a limit when it comes to whom you “naturally” extend love and kindness?

Do the people for whom you struggle to “naturally” extend love and kindness share any of Onesimus’ qualities (i.e. “slaves” or “enemies")?

Have you ever experienced a change of heart where you began to willingly show love and kindness to someone from whom you previously withheld?  What prompted the change?

Why is it so important to face people we could otherwise easily objectify?

From Paul’s perspective, why should we actively bring into fellowship with us people who “owe” us something or have ”wronged” us in some way?

When has love become perfect?

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!"

Matthew 10:8  NLT