Grace Church

Big Idea: God has entrusted you with a unique calling, will you discover it?   Three Unique Truths about Your Unique Calling.   Your Calling has been handcrafted by God (:4-5)  Your Calling will be accompanied by doubts (:6-8)  Four Excuses when it Comes to Calling The “Jungles of Africa” excuse  The “I don’t have anything to offer” excuse  The “I’m too busy” excuse  The “I’m already using all my gifts” excuse     3. Your calling is your reason for being alive (:9-10)   5 missional arenas 1. your neighborhood 2. the marketplace 3. the church 4. a non-profit 5. an affinity group  Next Step:  Ask, “what is holding me back from discovering or stepping into my calling?”   Visit www.whoisgrace.com/read for more series resources 

4 Preliminary Truths about Discipleship.  Every person is a disciple of someone or something Every person is becoming who they are by who or what disciples them.  In the New Testament the word “Christian” is used 3x, the word “Disciple” is used 260x.  Discipleship is more caught than taught because it’s primarily relational.   Big idea: God has a disciple-making journey for you to walk. Will you take the next step?   Original Discipleship Handoff   Command #1 - Make Disciples "As you are going."  "Baptizing."  “Teaching them to obey”  Command #2 - Be sure of this, I am with you always!   Changing the Scorecard: A Deep Discipleship.   What is a disciple?  An apprentice of Jesus who imitates his ways and then makes more disciples.    What is Grace’s Dream Disciple?  Compassionate Storyteller  Savvy Follower Intentional Friend Embedded Influencer   What is Disciple Making? Consistently helping someone take their next step toward becoming like Jesus.   The Progression toward a Disciple-Maker  Step 1 – SEEKER - ‘c

Big Idea: God can resurrect what has been written off.   Four Major Shifts We Are Making at Grace.  A Missional Reorientation.  Changing the Scorecard of “Success”  Changing the Finish Line for discipleship.  Creating an all-play, everyday mission statement.  Following Jesus as we live out God’s story every day, everywhere.  The Path of Hope When you Feel Written-Off (Ez. 37:1-14)  The path forward starts with a realistic picture of WHAT IS (:1-3)  The path forward maintains a resolute faith in what God CAN DO. (:4-13) The path forward involves finding yourself in God’s story (:14)  3 basic things we receive from God: 1. His Spirit, 2. Life itself, and 3. Our place.  3 things we must know, 1. He is the Lord, 2. He has spoken, 3. He will do it.   Next Step:  What has been written off in your life that God needs to resurrect? Pray for our church.  Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/read  

Envy = a mingling of a desire for something with the resentment that another is enjoying it and you’re not.   Big Idea: cultivating contentment counteracts the silent killer of chronic envy.   3 Stops on the Journey from Envy to Contentment 1. An envious heart points to sin that must be dealt with (:13-15)   Where are we most susceptible to envy?  a. With people closest to us.  b. In Achievements most important to us  2. An envious heart invites residual chaos (:16)   Personal Chaos restless spirit | depression | consumerism and debt | prayerlessness.   Relational Chaos  distancing | secret satisfaction when someone else fails | harsh words| lack of love 3. A heart at peace is the antidote to envy (:17-18)   At peace with God.  At peace with others.   Contentment = finding enough in God’s current provision for you.   How is it with your heart?   Next Steps:  Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/READ 

The More Cycle. Greed says I Owe Me. Big Idea: Cultivating generosity counteracts the craftiness of chronic greed. Four Practical ways to Cultivate a Heart of Generosity Develop a strategic awareness of needs around you.Liquidate some stuff and give it away. Don’t accumulate more without applying Kingdom filters. Become a percentage giver. Next Step choose one of the 4 ways to cultivate a heart of generosity and commit to practicing one this weekFor more series resources visit www.whoisgrace.com/READ

The Problems with Anger.  You cannot be angry and live the righteous life that God desires.  Anger is a gateway to other toxic emotions.  Anger is self-reinforcing.  Anger is bad for your health.  Big Idea:  Cultivating forgiveness counteracts the erosion of chronic anger.    3 Heart Questions to Overcome Your Anger 1. Is this righteous or unrighteous? (4:26)   Unrighteous anger = self-centeredness.   Righteous anger = when the heart of God is being violated.  2. Am I responding or reacting? (4:27-31)  3. Will I choose forgiveness or un-forgiveness? (4:32)   Forgive = “to cancel the debt”   What forgiveness is NOT.  Forgiveness is not a feeling. Forgiveness isn’t pretending that what they did to you is okay.  Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to trust that person.  Forgiveness doesn’t erase the consequences for their actions.  Forgiveness doesn’t mean you’ll automatically forget.  Forgiveness does not require and apology.   Next Step:  “here’s my chance.”   Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/REA

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Proverbs 4:23  4 Toxic Emotions Guilt - "I owe you."  Anger - "You owe me."  Greed - “I owe me.”  Envy - "God owes me.".  Big Idea: Cultivating grace counteracts the power of chronic guilt.   How to Cultivate a Posture of Grace.  Run to God (Luke 15) Own what you did. (Romans 7:19-20)  Confess your sins specifically. (1 John 1:9)  Make it Right. (Romans 12:18)  Accept any consequences. (Psalm 51:17)  Replace all lies with the truth! (Romans 12:1-2)  Next Step  Come back to church for this entire series in August  Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/read

PROBLEM = PARENTS WANT TO BRING THEIR INFANTS.    Components of the Hebrew Blessing: Meaningful touch A spoken word of blessing Attaching high value of worth Picturing a special future of service in God’s kingdom An active commitment of fathers/leaders RESPONSE 1: DISCIPLES REBUKE THE PARENTS... RESPONSE 2:  JESUS REBUKES HIS DISCIPLES... RESOLUTION:  JESUS BLESSES THE INFANTS...  Next Steps:  Discipleship Failure  Discipleship Question:  How does this picture of Jesus compel me to live differently? 

Three Truths about Divorce  1. Christians tend to let other voices overshadow God’s voice when it comes to divorce (:1-2)  2. Divorce is a product of sin (:3-6)  3 primary marriage promises from Exodus 20:  - Fidelity.  - Provision.  - Conjugal Love.   5 legitimate reasons for ending a marriage:  Death (1 Cor 7:39; Rom 7:2-4).  Adultery (Dt. 22:22; Mt 5:32).  Sexual Immorality (Dt. 24, Mt. 5:21, Mt. 19:9).  Betrayal by an unbelieving spouse (1 Cor. 7).  Treasonous breach of covenant vows (Ex 21; Mal. 2:14-16).   3. You can’t un-one what God has made one (:7-10)    Next Step:  Pray 3 Prayers  Jesus, I Believe You  Jesus, I resolve to do marriage Your way.  Jesus, I need your grace    Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/mark  

The Gravity of Discipleship  Big Idea: Discipleship Requires Diligence  Jesus cares about our influence (42) Jesus cares about our integrity (43-48) Jesus cares about our investment (49-50)  Next Steps: What is holding you back from looking more like Jesus? 

Big Idea: Jesus demonstrates that downward mobility is the path to true greatness.  3 Insights into Jesus’ Radical Redefinition of Greatness.  Jesus doesn’t rebuke a desire for greatness (:33-34)  Jesus reimagines greatness as humble servanthood (:35-37).   Humility = the noble choice to forgo your own status and use your influence for the good of other before yourself.  3. True greatness rejects comparisons to others (:38-41)  Embedded Influencer: I understand how God has purposefully gifted and positioned me to multiply His work in the world.   4 reimagined bottom lines at work  1. Who can I demonstrate God’s love to today?   2. How can my community be better served by what I do?  3. How can I model excellence and hard work to those around me?  4. How can my God-given gifts be maximized in my current position?   Discipleship Question: from Discipleship Failure Theme  “What is holding me back from looking more like Jesus?”  Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/mark 

Big Idea: Jesus invites faith, even in our failure.  Jesus and his closest disciples were confronted by a troubling situation immediately after a mountaintop experience. (Mark 9:14)  --Can you identify a mountaintop experience in your life? And can you describe any challenges that might have come afterwards?  The disciples failed to cast out the demon by relying on their own power instead of depending on God’s. (Mark 9:15-21; 29 [reference Mark 6:7b; 13])  -Prayer is how we best stay dependent on God and live into the Dream Disciple role of a Savvy Follower. Where I discern God’s voice and follow His lead at the right time in the right way.  --What does prayer look like for you? How do you best connect with God?  --Ask yourself the Discipleship Failure question: What’s holding me back from looking more like Jesus?  The father responded to Jesus with a desperate faith, and Jesus healed his son. (Mark 9:22-28)  “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)  T

Big Question: How does this picture of Jesus compel me to live differently? What the Transfiguration Says About Jesus: He isn’t just a man; He is God (9:2-3) He isn’t just another prophet; He is the Son (9:5-7) He isn’t part of the story; He is the point of the story (9:8-13) What This Means For Us:   Honor Him Listen to Him Reflect His glory Discipleship Question: How does this picture of Jesus compel me to live differently? 

Big Idea: A dream disciple will always begin with Jesus  When we live unguarded, near-truths quickly become the breeding ground for Satan to carry out some of his most divisive work  The first Kingdom Cost of Discipleship means  Letting go Preparing for a difficult road Following Jesus Next Steps What’s holding you back from looking more like Jesus? 

Big Idea: Following Jesus requires Kingdom Vision. Kingdom Vision = Jesus is the Messiah, the fulfillment of God’s Story to rescue, redeem, and reconcile the world. And Jesus sends His followers, the Church, into the world, wherever they live, learn, work, or play, to tell this Good News in word and deed until the day God’s Kingdom comes at the end of time. How to Develop Kingdom Vision: By Faith (Mark 8:29; 1 Peter 1:21) Through the Revelation of God (2 Peter 1:3-4) In Community (1 Peter 2:5) Gradually (2 Peter 1:2, 5-13)  Discipleship Questions:  What’s holding me back from looking more like Jesus?  Which of these steps do I need to embrace in a new way? 

Discipleship Failure = Failure to SEE The POTENTIAL of God’s Kingdom promise (Revelation 5:9) The WONDER of God’s Kingdom promise (Luke 2:10) The FULFILLMENT of God’s Kingdom promise (John 6:35) The DANGER of Unbelief (Mark 4:11-12) Big Idea: Following Jesus requires Kingdom Vision. Discipleship Questions:  What’s holding me back from looking more like Jesus?  What am I failing to see: potential, wonder, obvious, danger?   Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24 

Big Idea: Jesus is available to restore those who think they’re disqualified.  4 Ways Jesus Gives Hope to the Disqualified 1. Sometimes Jesus needs to get your attention to draw out your faith (7:24-27)  2. Jesus recognizes humility as an indicator of true faith (7:28-30).  Her response was incredible: She understood the parable.  She didn’t take offense.  She expressed true faith.   3. Jesus will restore you in deeply personal ways (7:31-35)  4. Jesus gives you a story to tell of his goodness (:36-37) :   The proper response when you experience God’s work in your life:   Tell the story of what he’s done.  Personal reflection.  Worship.   Discipleship Question Ordinary Heroes: “What is my next small step of obedience today?”   Find more series resources at www.whoisgrace.com/mark 

Big Idea- Monitor the condition of your own heart more than you monitor the behavior of others.   Three-part Journey Toward Avoiding Hypocrisy  Embrace your need to be spiritually clean (:1-5)  Behavior modification won’t bring Christ-exalting change to your life (:6-13)   4 ways behavior modification undermines true spiritual maturity.  Behavior modification confuses man-made rules with God’s laws.  Behavior modification is always connected to a condemning spirit.  Behavior modification doesn’t deal with the source of uncleanness (7:14-16) Behavior modification will leave you exhausted and frustrated.   3. A clean heart is the antidote to hypocrisy and the key to an authentic spiritual life (:14-23)  The primary role of your heart.  Your true struggle with sin is not external but internal.  At the cross, Jesus purchased for you a purified heart.  Discipleship Question: What’s holding me back from looking more like Jesus?   Find more resources at www.whoisgrace.com/mark 

Big Idea: Jesus is easy to miss.  Jesus fed the 5000 after His disciples returned from being sent out. (6:30-44) Jesus responded to the crowds with compassion, (6:34) unlike the disciples who showed irritation. (6:35-37) He cared for the crowd (6:38-44; Numbers 27:15-17) as the Great Shepherd (Psalm 23:1) by feeding them in the echo of the Prophet Elisha. (2 Kings 4:42-44)  Ask yourself: How are you being called right now to meet someone’s needs while also sharing the Gospel with them?  Jesus walked on the water and revealed Himself to His disciples. (6:45-56)Jesus withdrew to prioritize the most important thing, spending time with His Father. (6:45-46) When the disciples struggled, (6:47-50a) Jesus went down and revealed Himself to them (6:50b) by “passing by” just as God had done in the Old Testament. (Ex 33:21-22; 1 Kings 19:11a) The disciples still didn’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God. (6:51-52)  Take time this week to look back on moments in your life where you’ve seen God’s provision, God’s comfort,