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To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

When Jesus (and Paul) talk about “going to church” they mean something very different from American Christians. Mark 3: 31-35 “Going to church” isn’t being a ________ of a _______ but rather it’s being a ______ of a ______. What “going to church” meant for Paul: 1 Cor 12: 26 So now what are we called to do? - Join a group - Go deeper Mark 10: 29-30 According to Jesus, Christian community is not something you ____ __ do, but something you ___ __ be a part of. A last word to parents

If from the beginning, as seen in Acts 2, followers of Jesus Christ gathered together in community, why should that be any different today? Life is good together in Christian community, and even better in small groups. 1. Spiritual Growth a. Learning (v.42) b. Worship (v.42, 43, 46, 47) 2. Character Growth a. “Family time” (v.42, 44, 46) b. Social action (v.45, 47) 3. Numerical Growth a. Soul winning (v.47)

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

Do you know who Manoah’s wife was? Don’t feel bad if you don’t; the Bible does not even tell us her name. Yet she is a great woman of faith in the Bible. Her story should be an inspiration and a hope for anyone who has not been treated with respect or trust by others; in her situation, by her own husband Manoah. Different from the world, God chose to use Manoah’s wife in a mighty way to save the Israelites, even though others, especially her husband, thought she was insignificant and not trustworthy. God is full of surprises. For God to be able to use us for His purposes, we need to be like Manoah’s wife. From Judges 13 (based on J.I. Packer, Never Beyond Hope), comparing Manoah to his wife: 1. While Manoah knew only religion, Manaoh’s wife truly knew (loved) God. 2. While Manoah was prideful, Manoah’s wife loved her husband by accepting her position with great humility. 3. While Manoah wa

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

"When [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of God's grace, he was overjoyed and encouraged everyone to remain fully committed to the Lord." Acts 11:23 I wonder what part of Barnabas' story means the most to you? I wonder what part of his story you would like to leave out? I wonder if there is any part of this story that helps you live out your own story more faithfully.... If you want to read more about Barnabas these are the places you can find him in scripture. Acts 4;36, Acts 9:27, Acts 11, Acts 12:25, Acts 13, Acts 14, Acts 15, 1 Corinthians 9:6, Galations 2 and Colossians 4:10.

A Final Word For Those Who Are Suffering 1. Humble = 2. Timing - “It’s easy to bow, but hard to wait” 3. He Cares 4. Devil Prowling (def: to quietly sneak up to you so as to pounce) 5. Eternity - What is the last 10 years of your life compared to the first ten million? If I could summarize this scripture with one word it would be ____________

Points from the Text • Don’t be surprised by the down curve • If you’re going to suffer, suffer for the right reason • God’s judgment for His people is not punitive but purifying So What? To be insulted for Christ is to be ___________, socially __________, or to lose __________. Eight ways to “bear the name of Christ” (that might get you “insulted”) 1. Tell people you are a Christian 2. Pray before your meals 3. Invite someone to church 4. Honor the “emperor” (while voicing disagreement) 5. Share stories of God’s provision in your life 6. Go to church on Sundays, religiously 7. Share about what Jesus did on the cross and what it means 8. Befriend the person that no one wants to befriend

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

I. The ___________ of Jesus (v. 18-20) 1. _______________ to authority 2. __________________ for righteousness II. The ___________________ of His suffering (v. 21-23) III. The ____________________ of His suffering (v. 24-25)

SIX Descriptions of Who You Are (as a believer) 1. 2. 3. 4. A people for His own __________ 5. 6. People who have received _______. ONE Purpose statement: to ________ the excellencies of Him Ideas to consider: • What you do is determined by who you are • If you believe in God it’s because God chose you first • You are all priests! (It is the role of a priest to represent God) • The church is not just a museum of saints but a hospital for sinners.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

Have you ever needed a pep talk when you found yourself struggling? From a friend, a coach, a boss? That is what the Apostle Peter was doing in his letter to the early Christians. From 1 Peter 1:6-9 (NIV), 1. Rejoice in spite of life’s realities. (v.6) 2. Proven faith brings praise to God. (v.7) 3. Love + “Believe In” = Faith (v.8) “Believe In” = Trust 4. End result of faith journey is salvation. (v.9) We are in trouble if our faith is dependent on us. Thankfully our faith is in the source of our faith, that being Jesus Christ. Application: Where are you with Jesus? Curious? Ask questions and learn more. Ready? Consider baptism. Committed? How can you trust more?

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

At the end of Holy Week God gives us the greatest gift ever. With gratefulness, The best gift we can give to God is repping Him in this world. How? From 1 Peter 2:11-12, 1. Get into mission shape. (v. 11) 2. Do good, do more good, and even more good, for others to see. (v. 12) Application: Go experience a short-term mission first-hand. For example, the CLC Eye Screening in Richmond.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.