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The scripture teaches us not just to be satisfied in God, but to also be hungry for Him. If it is true that God has called us to be hungry and homesick for Him, what will happen to us if we are not and continue not to be? Matthew 9: 14-15 • When Jesus is in the house, there is _______. • Is Jesus talking about the three days between Good Friday and Easter, or is he talking about ___? Why Fast? We fast because we miss Jesus. We fast because we are homesick for Jesus. We fast because we are hungry for more of Him. What Holds Us Back What keeps us from being hungry and homesick for Jesus? “Wanna know what the greatest enemy of God is? It’s not poison. It’s apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. What keeps you? __

Slow Down. Reset. Listen. Luke 10:38-42 I. Sitting (v. 39) • Mary’s posture: • Mary’s purpose: II. Serving (v. 40-41) • John 15:5 III. Seeking (v. 41-42) • The example of Jesus: Mark 1:21-37; Luke 5:12-16 • The good portion is Jesus: Psalm 27:4; Psalm 16:5; Psalm 73:26 • Access, Invitation, & Relationship: Hebrews 4:14-16

Review • Love begins with _______. • Whenever you see a speck in someone’s eye, first reflect on your own ___. • The key to forgiving someone is by doing it as a ________ to God’s love for you. • Love takes the ______ place. Today we focus not on how or what, but on WHY(?) Why do any of the above? Why love sacrificially? 1. We should love others (to the point of sacrifice) because of ___. • Matthew 22:39 • Ephesians 5:28 Love seeks its ___ in the ___ of the other person. 2. We should love others (to the point of sacrifice) because of ______. Hebrews 10: 34; 11: 24-26; 12:2 What do you call a person who focuses on the next ten days? What do you call a person who focuses on the next ten years? What do you call a person who focuses on the next ___ ______ _____?

We are commanded by God to love people. This is not optional. To love people means we are to meet their needs tangibly, and not merely say words like “I will pray for you.” A Love Like This means we recognize people’s needs and respond. So where do we begin? Following Jesus’ example from the story of the Feeding of the Four Thousand in Mark 8: 1. We are to notice. (v.1-2) 2. We are to listen. (v.3b) 3. We are to project. (v.3a) 4. We are to act. (v.4-8) Like the disciples in Mark 8, often we have resistance to help others, especially those who are different from us. But God gives no exclusions. So how can we overcome our fears or barriers? 1. Dependence on Jesus (v.8) 2. Have a plan (v.6) Response: Who has God called you to love? What needs do you recognize and how will you respond? Loving those in need makes us close to Jesus. (Matthew 25:40)

The problem: you want to be the greatest But according to Jesus, greatness is: 1. Someone who doesn’t… 2. Someone who is focused on… Put these together: love takes the ______ place.

God commands us to love others. If we are honest, this is not easy to do, especially when people we are to love are hard to love. Have you been there? So what to do? When love is hard, our love depends on God: 1. To have compassion for others. (v. 27a) If you are struggling, try first to “Hold Space” for them. 2. To forgive others knowing we are forgiven. (v. 27b) 3. To love others because God first loved us. (v. 33) 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21)

The Four Horsemen (according to John Gottman) are: 1. Defensiveness 2. Stonewalling 3. _________ 4. ________ The attitude behind both of these is putting yourself on a ______ self-righteous plane. Matthew 7: 1-6 • Beam Research - looking at yourself _____ • “Do I do that?” • “Have I done something similar?” • “What’s my flaw?” How Beam Research is like bad breath… So does loving people more mean being honest less? (But before you take this too far, read v. 6)

Introduction to Series If Jesus loved people so much that he would die for them, then how did that same love get expressed when he would live for them? How did Jesus love the people in his life? What can Jesus teach us about loving the people in our lives? • How can you become a more loving person? • How do you love a person who is incredibly hard to love? • How do you forgive someone impossible to forgive? • Does loving people more mean being honest less? • What do you do when love turns into sacrifice? Today’s message Mark 1:40-42 1. LOVE IS ALSO COMMUNICATED BY _____. Luke 7:11-17 2. LOVE BEGINS WITH _______. Why is this naturally not happening? Who is one person that you can apply this with?

Luke 12:13-21: False security through saving for retirement Luke 12:22-31: True security and freedom Luke 12:32-34: Maximizing a lifetime Kingdom investment portfolio

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

“The Church must take right ground in regards to politics…God will bless or curse the nation according to the [political] course Christians take.” – Charles Finney “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” (Proverbs 29:2) A. What are Christians to do as citizens? 1. Be salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-14) 2. Be peaceful, law-abiding citizens. (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15) 3. Pray for and honor our government leaders. (1 Tim 2:1-3) 4. Faithfully pay our taxes. (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:7) 5. Work for the highest good of ALL people. (Galatians 6:10) 6. Promote godly principles in politics and government, for example through our voting. (Proverbs 29:2) B. How to vote? 1. Biblically mandated issues can guide us: a. Confronting sin and moral decay. (Proverbs 14:34; Isaiah 5:20) b. Speaking out for innocent life, including

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

Emotional Health as part of a Christian’s discipleship process will lead to: 1. Redefinition of sin 2. Reorienting us to the goal of discipleship 3. Clear steps to the process of transformation

Intro: Have you guys ever noticed how people can look at the same thing and come away with a completely different conclusion? There is so much at stake based on how we SEE things. People say “seeing is believing” but the reverse is equally true… Main Idea: God is doing miracles everyday, but we must have the ______ of _______ to see them! In order to see the gospel we must see two things clearly: our ______ and His ________.

Jesus wants your life with Him to be incredibly __________! Everyone worships; it’s not a matter of IF you do, it’s a matter of WHAT. So where have you been looking to satisfy your soul? Sin is what happens when you look to a good thing to be an ultimate thing. Jesus calls us to do two things: to ______ away and to _____.

Have you ever been told you could not do something? Have restrictions or barriers, whether intentional or not, ever excluded you from things or others? Have you ever been looked down upon or marginalized, because of the color of your skin, your gender, or social class? If so, you can place yourself in the story of the “Woman at the Well.” This Samaritan woman had at least 3 strikes against her according to her community. But Jesus chose to engage with this woman, even if it meant breaking down walls that separate, to tell her the good news. He, unlike others, does not forsake people like her. We, who are followers of Jesus, share Jesus’ mission to reach others with the gospel, which may force us to “Get Out There,” and, if required, to break down barriers like him. How do we become Wall Breakers? From John 4:4-26, 1. “Walk across the room” to engage, even breaking barriers if necessary. (v.7) 2. B

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.

1)“ What do I see?” 2)“ What can’t I stand?” 3)“ What’s in my hand?”