Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness
Recently, there was a PGA tournament winner by the name of Xander Shaufelle:
Xander has played really good golf all season long, placing in the top 10 in 9/11 Tournaments
5 of those being top 5
About halfway through his run of really good finishes, he was asked if he was frustrated by his being so-close and yet not winning a single tournament. His response was this:
"A steady drip caves a stone"
His thought process was that if you keep working hard and making the right decisions, the breakthrough would eventually come
This was akin to what Ovid (The Roman Poet alive around the time of Christ) wrote:
“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.”
-Ovid
Then on May 19th - he finished 1st in the PGA Championship
That is the picture of what it means to be faithful!
Faithfulness has an exponential force in your life
When you are faithful to something, the results always seem small in the moment, but they are huge over time
In the kingdom of Christ, when you keep doing the things that he has called you to - breakthroughs come suddenly over time!
We have been talking about the opposites and substitutes of each fruit of the Spirit
It should be obvious that the opposite of faithfulness is: UNFAITHFULNESS or FAITHLESSNESS
Much of what we say will be directed at the ACTIONS of faithfulness, but understand that FAITHFUL ACTIONS flow out of FAITHFUL BELIEFS
Now for the opposite of faithful:
We could call it Faithless
We could call it unfaithful
The fact is that faithfulness requires HARD WORK!
It requires repetition
It requires a steadfast holding onto our convictions
We want to be found faithful!
1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV)
2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
Let's talk about the substitute - cause we live in a messed up world!
In our culture, the substitute for FAITHFULNESS is:
ENTITLEMENT - The idea that I don't have to do anything to earn anything because I'm owed something!
We read:
Luke 12:32 (ESV)
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
...and we interpreted it to mean that HE OWES the kingdom to me
What does it mean to be faithful?
To be faithful means that you have an unwavering commitment (both in idea & in practice) to something.
You can be faithful in:
Your marriage
Your job duties
Your attendance to something (we believe in faithful attendance to HCC, amen?)
A particular discipline
Spiritually speaking - Let’s talk about some things that we want to be faithful to:
1.Faithful to prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Faithful prayer is abundantly effective:
James 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Here's how Jesus taught his disciples to pray:
Luke 18:1–8 (ESV) 1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
2.Faithful to your Bible
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
You need to be systematically, consistently studying your Bible
If you need resources, we are gearing up to equip you to effectively study your Bible
The Bible Deep
Do you remember what God told the prophet Hosea?:
Hosea 4:6 (ESV) 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
The fact that your devotional life is a wreck and your life is in shambles is no coincidence!
3.Faithful to your faith community
Hebrews 10:25 (ESV) 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Why is this important?
Believers encourage you
Believers hold you accountable
Believers pray WITH you through a situation
You NEED other believers in your life according to 1 Corinthians 12!
4.Faithful with your resources
Matthew 25:21 (ESV) 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
2 Corinthians 9:10–11 (ESV)
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
Provision and Abundance are products of FAITHFULNESS
The concepts of reaping and sowing are a kingdom law - you don't have the option of breaking these laws!
The problem is that some people want to sow sporadically and reap faithfully - but a plentiful harvest is tied to faithful sowing!
Reaping is a reward of FAITHFUL SOWING
Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
This is not just a financial concept or a church attendance concept - it is the fundamental idea that:
When you are faithful with the Kingdom of God
Prayer
Bible
Treasures
Serving
Attending
....it causes increase in your life in every area that you apply it:
2 Corinthians 9:6 (ESV)
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
When you pray faithfully
He answers - you find him, you receive of His character
When you study faithfully
He brings it back to your remembrance
He hides it in your heart that you might not sin against him
He is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path
When you give faithfully, he says:
Luke 6:38 (ESV) 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
When you SHOW UP
He says:
Matthew 18:20 (ESV) 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Faithfulness is THE common trait of those who live an overcoming lifestyle!
Jesus said:
Matthew 24:13 (ESV): 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
James 1:12 (ESV)
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Sometimes you don't see the fruit of your faithfulness here: I need you to know that God keeps good records.
Some of you have invested, and Satan has lied to you that it's no use:
You are laying up treasures in heaven - and he can't touch the reward of your faithfulness
Every prayer you've prayed - is not a waste:
Revelation 5:8 (ESV)
8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit - that takes being faithful to the spirit to see come to fruition.
Here’s what that means:
It lends itself to itself.
When I am faithful to Him, he produces faithfulness in me.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it gets easier, but rather it gives me the ability to be faithful in things that require MORE FAITH!
But it also means that I have to commit to faithful actions before I see faithful fruits.
Hub City Foundations
Real Devotion
Theology is important!
What we believe about God shapes
How we interact with God
Why we interact with God
This also impacts how we interact with other people!
What we believe
We are an Assembly of God church - that means that we subscribe to what we refer to as the "16 fundamental truths"
Real Community
Sunday gatherings (faithfulness)
The law of showing up
Psalm 133 (NKJV)
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.
2 ways of building community:
First: Micro Churches
MICRO-CHURCH should be:
A disciple-making team is formed around a common mission in out city
This team commits to pray and look for opportunities to love, serve and engage in spiritual conversations
People engage in a Discovery Bible Study: an obedience based Bible study that leads us into deeper understanding and application of God's Word to our lives
As disciples are being made, these disciples are trained to begin new micro-churches
Our Micro-churches MUST be Missional
We want to strategically group people who are on mission together
SECONDLY: Teams
HCC Hospitality & Events (Kyle; Jasmine)
Missions teams (Me)
HCC worship (Tyler)
HC kids (Krista)
HC StuMin
We are striving to flip the model - here's what "normal" church looks like, versus what a missional model looks like:
Real responsibility
Our responsibilities are our core values:
Micro-Church | Fall 2022 | Week 7
Sunday we discussed the idea of focusing less on doing more Christian things and focus on actually spending more time with Christ. That is not to say that we shouldn't have Spiritual disciplines at work in our lives, but rather that we should get the "why" right before we spend our energy on the "what" we are doing. We used an example of a marker bleeding onto a white paper as it is held in the center. Likewise, our lives should show the marks of Christianity because of our contact with Christ, not just because we know how to do the right things. Romans 12 began with a charge from Paul to present ourselves to Christ. Tonight, let's talk about what that means.
Someone in your Micro-Church read this passage aloud:
Romans 12:1–8 (ESV)
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Re-read this passage in a slightly more dynamic passage:
Romans 12:1–8 (NLT)
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
What do you notice about the nature of God from this passage?
What do you notice about people (who are part of the church) in this passage?
Fundamentally, Paul makes a point about four key areas in the life of believers:
Submission, Transformation, Evaluation, and Application
Submission
We have talked a good bit about presenting our lives to God in submission over the last couple of weeks.
What do you think Paul meant by telling us to present ourselves as "Living" & "Holy" sacrifices?
Transformation
Paul says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. This renewal has the opportunity to give us a Christ-centered outlook that responds to life in ways that may be different than what most would consider to be normal.
Have you experienced God working to "change your mind" about a situation or an outlook in your life? How so?
Evaluation
What do you think Paul meant by "Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves"? How do you incorporate that into your Christian life?
Application
Paul points out that as we are honest in evaluating ourselves, it allows us to operate in the body of Christ properly. Each person who becomes a follower of Jesus has a part to play in the local body of believers.
There are more listed in other passages, but specifically here:
What "gifts" are listed here in this passage?
Do you see yourself operating in any of these gifts?
Is there anyone in your MC that you are encouraged by would like to encourage them in their giftings?
Bonus question:
Who do you know that would benefit from a faith community like your Micro-Church?
As a group, write those names down and pray for God to open their hearts and create opportunities to invite them to your Micro-Church.
As you pray throughout the week, look for opportunities to invest in that relationship and to share your faith with that person.
Micro-Church |Fall 2022|Week 6
As we concluded this past Sunday, we made reference to a passage in 2 Timothy 1. In this passage, Paul is sending a letter to his disciple Timothy. He uses this letter to encourage and to give instruction for the ministry to come in Timothy's life. Before we dive into the content tonight, let's spend a few minutes reaffirming Micro-Church values:
Real Devotional Life:
Has anyone had any moments this week that you've noticed God at work in your life?
Real Community:
Have you been encouraged by or felt led to encourage anyone in your faith community this week?
Real Responsibility:
Who are you praying for to experience the goodness of Jesus this week?
2 Timothy 1:4–7 (ESV)
4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
We understand that Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy. You can definitely feel the sense of responsibility and love that he has for this young disciple. It seems apparent that Paul had played some part in the building of the faith community that Timothy's mother and grandmother were also discipled in. Paul is a great example of being a disciple that makes disciples.
Let's expand on what it means to have "sincere faith" as Paul mentions in verse 5.
What do you think are characteristics of "sincere" faith?
Paul tells Timothy to fan into flames the gift of God that is inside him.
What are practical things we can do or how have you worked to bring to fruition the giftings of God in your life? (That is to say: How have you developed in your Spiritual maturity?)
For the current day that we live in, verse 7 is vitally important for the believer.
Paul states that the Spirit that God has placed inside us is not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.
Are there areas in your life that would like to see God replace them with power, love, and self-control?
Paul makes reference to the things that are happening in Timothy's life as a result of laying hands on him and believers praying together for Timothy.
Spend some time together praying together over the areas that your Micro-Church members are asking God to move over.
Micro-Church | Fall 2022 | Week 5
Romans 3:1–4 (ESV)
1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
One of the things that we talked about a few Sunday mornings ago is the idea of people's perception of God being based on what they have seen other people portray. In other words, our experiences impact our perception.
Consider this article written by Neuro Science News entitled: "Do you see red like I see red?" It poses a question that I tend to irritate my nerdy children with. What if the color that you see as red, is interpreted by your brain as what I actually would see as blue? The article gives this quote at the conclusion of an experiment with colored lights on normally easily recognized objects:
"Sometimes what you know, or think you know, influences what you see."
We are all guilty of allowing our past experiences to influence what we perceive about God. There are countless people in our circles, and PROBABLY even in our Micro-Churches who have experienced some sort of pain that they would classify as "church-hurt". When we allow our experiences with a fallen world dictate what we perceive about God we can sometimes be guilty of misunderstanding who God really is.
Romans 5:6-11 is a really good summation of the gist of the Gospel:
Romans 5:6–11 (ESV)
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
What do we learn about God specifically from this passage?
What do we learn about people specifically from this passage?
We've often pastored people who had grown up with a very painful home-life. It was difficult for them to understand God revealing himself in scripture as a loving "Father", because their own perceptions of their earthly parents. We've all been touched by painful experiences that will affect our thoughts about who God is.
Have there been moments in your life when you allowed an experience to affect your perception of who God is? How did you overcome that?
Going back to Paul's statement in Romans 3 - he's making a point that the inconsistency of people does not change the fact that God is steadfast and completely trustworthy. This brings us face-to-face with an opportunity to respond to the Word.
We have a responsibility to represent the character of God to the best of our ability. We cannot save. We are not God, but according to 1 Corinthians 5:20 his representatives on this earth.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
In practical terms, what are some things that can we do to help the people in our community to reconcile false perceptions about who God is?
In closing, it is important to pause here to give opportunity for God to heal someone who may be deeply impacted by hurt inflicted by someone who may have misrepresented Christ.
Is there someone in your Micro-Church who needs healing from a church-hurt?
I believe that God desperately wants to reveal His true nature to that individual. Take time to pray for the reconciliation of perceptions versus the reality of the love of God.
Micro-Church - Fall 2022 - Week 3
During our "Versus" series in Romans, we will spend our Micro-Church time developing ideas that fall within the text of Romans. As an introduction, let's start with Paul's introduction of this letter to get a feel for the trajectory of this passage:
Romans 1:1–7 (ESV) 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
From this passage, what do you notice about the character, plan, and nature of Jesus?
There is so much validation for our Micro-Churches in the first chapter of Romans. Sunday morning we discussed the power of disciples gathering together and the experience of being "in the room".
Read aloud verses 8-12:
Romans 1:8–12 (ESV)8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Why does gathering together as disciples matter?
Take a few moments and give space for anyone to share their personal stories of how gathering with believers made a difference in their lives.
(Your fellow micro-church members may not even know the impact that something they contributed made in your life!)
Lastly, let's take a look at one more verse in closing:
Romans 1:13 (ESV)
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Without doubt, there are things that God has placed in your heart that have not yet come to fruition. It may be an assignment, a promise, or maybe even just a faint nudge that you have not yet seen come to pass. In Paul's heart, there was a constant yearning to get to the cultural epicenter of the region. Paul had a heart to preach the gospel in Rome, but had encountered delays in being able to get there. He told the Roman church "I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented..."
Do not lose hope when your intentions see preventions.
Is there something in your heart, big or small, that you are intending to do for God that has seen preventions or setbacks? If so, what are those things?
Is there a step that you can take this week in seeing your intentions come closer to being reality? What is that step?
Take a few moments at the close of the meeting to pray with one another that the hesitations, distractions, and delays that have prevented good intentions from coming to pass would be resolved by the Holy Spirit. If there are tangible steps that are named, pray with one another for the ability to take those steps.
Fall Micro-Church - Week 2
We had the honor of having our Mississippi District Assemblies of God Secretary and Treasurer, Pastor Scott Davis with us Sunday morning. I want to pick up where his text left off to discuss the idea of being a church on mission. When we reflect on the mission of Hub City Church. Each of our Micro-Churches must own that same mission, which then trickles down to our own lives individually.
Before we read our passage, take a moment to share a bit about your week so far:
What are you thankful for this week?
What circumstance or situation have you found challenging to see the good in this week?
Take a moment to pray that the Holy Spirit would bring clarity and peace in these areas as we begin our study.
1 Thessalonians 2:1–8 (ESV)
1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
If we read this passage in the context of the Apostle Paul on his missionary journey, we understand that he is bringing the Gospel into new areas, training disciples, planting churches and is now writing letters to check in on the progress of that church. In many ways, that resembles us as a church plant. Do not be mistaken. I (Pastor Justin) am not the apostle Paul, but in the sense that we are a young church, we can find ourselves in many of the New Testament letters.
As disciples, let's put ourselves in the place of Paul and he early church as they established the kingdom of Christ in places where it was not previously.
In verses 1-4, what is the motivation of Paul as he brings the Gospel to a new city?
What do you think that Paul meant in verse 4 to "have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel"?
In our current day, who has been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel?
We see that Paul's motivation was to please God. He explains that he was not there to please people, and affirms that he was there on mission from God. Being on mission with Christ comes a certain boldness. Consider Acts 1:8 -
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Application:
Paul concludes this thought with the following statement in verses 7 & 8:
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
The idea tonight is that we must balance the tension of being bold and being gently. We must be courageous and courteous. Let's end our discussion tonight talking about how we can become better at:
What did Paul mean by being "affectionately desirous" of the Thessalonians?
Verse 8 is important: Paul states that we cannot effectively share the Gospel without also sharing ourselves.
What is one way that you can share the Gospel by sharing yourself this week?
As we close, take a few moments to pray together that God would open up opportunities to share ourselves this week. We are on mission with Jesus as a church, as a micro-church, and as individuals. We need God to fill us with a commitment to Him, and to give us the boldness to live our lives in a way that dares to share ourselves with the people around us.
Fall 22 Micro-Church - Week 1
This Sunday our text took us through a passage where Christ's nature of intercession was the driving force behind Peter's restoration after his failure the night of the Jesus' arrest. Our passage began, though, with a little bit different of a context. The disciples were arguing over who was or would be the greatest disciple among them. Here was the story:
Luke 22:24–34 (ESV)
24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. 28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
From this text, what conclusions do you draw about the nature of Christ?
Let's discuss leadership:
YOU ARE A LEADER! (Read that in an "all-caps, bolded, and highlighted" voice!)
You may not feel like a leader, but in many regards you are. We must constantly be aware of the influence that we carry even among our peers. You may or may not have positional authority, but you most certainly have relational authority in so many lives! Use it wisely.
What are some characteristics or actions that would represent a leader that Christ is telling the disciples NOT to be?
In contrast, discuss what it means to be a "servant leader" in the current culture that we live in.
Since this is the first night that our Fall 22 Micro-Churches are meeting, this serves as an excellent foundation to build upon. As we meet together as Micro-Churches, we must continually affirm this Kingdom value:
Micro-Churches Serve: Obviously at the forefront of this, we serve God.
We serve one another
We serve our community
We serve our church
Community Building:
How are real, tangible ways that your micro-church could serve:
Each other? (Hint: This may require you to be transparent about needs in your life.)
Our community?
Our church?
One of the greatest ways that we can serve one another is by creating a culture that fervently prays for one another:
How can your micro-church pray for you tonight?
Close by taking the opportunity to pray over needs present in your Micro-Church.
Micro-Church - Week 39 - The Potters House
Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to our HCC Kid's "Belt of truth lesson"! We're really glad that the whole team helps pour life into this next generation!
Also as a note - be ready - We're about to shake Micro-Church up for a few weeks. We're excited about adding additional Micro-Churches as well as mixing our MC's up a little. Be ready to see from new faces and build even greater community in the weeks to come at Mirco-Church. Stay tuned for more info. (MC leaders can fill you in as to the changes coming down the line!)
This week, we discussed a conversation that Jesus had with Peter after the his resurrection. You can only imagine the anxiety Peter might have been facing as he sat down with the Savior of the world having after failing in the moments that mattered most. I love that Jesus's affirmation of Peter's calling came in the same three-count that Peter's denial came - Jesus definitely has enough grace to cover our shortcomings!
To continue on with our Old Testament discussion that parallels these short conversations, today we will look at a Word from the Lord to the nation of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah. We see, that just like Peter's outcome, that the end of their story had much more to do with their relationship to God than it did their ability to perform any good thing. Just like pottery in the hands of the potter, their outcome was dependent on him.
Jeremiah 18:1–11 (ESV)
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. 11 Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’
As we look into this passage, let's understand what God was saying in the context of the nation of Israel:
In your own words, explain the lesson that God was trying to convey to Israel in this passage:
What are some lessons that you notice about God as he relates himself to the potter from this passage ?
(Not just applicable to Old Testament, but are a part of God's eternal character)
Do you think that the idea that we are simply clay in the potter's hand still holds true in the New Testament days that we live in?
Do we have a choice in what kind of "vessel" we become? Do we have any responsibility to "BE" or "Do" anything as God makes us into what he wants us? Why or why not?
We must live in submission to the process of the potter. Sometimes that is quite a process.
Can you share moments when you know God was shaping you to become more like the vessel that he designed you to be?
In this moment - Even right now! - By being part of a micro-church, God is both shaping you and using you to help shape the lives of those around you! Here's a new testament passage concerning the "vessels" that God is building:
2 Timothy 2:20–21 (ESV)
20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
It is God's will that you become a vessel of honor! There are great things ahead for you - abide in the master's hand in submission to his process!
In closing: We are all in the process of being molded in the hands of the potter -
What do you sense that the Lord is doing in your life currently? How does that fit into the context of your micro-church and Hub City Church as a whole?
Take a few moment to encourage one another as you see the hand of the Lord at work in the lives of the people in your Micro-Church.
Micro-Church - Week 38
Help us out! Today, we need some input:
Hub City Kids will be spending a few weeks talking about TRUTH.
In your micro-church generate some ideas of things that you think it is important for our kids to internalize as truth and add to their "Belts of Truth". Thanks in advance!
How to help: As a group, discuss and generate some ideas and scripture. One person from the group compile these ideas and email them to: Krista@hubcitychurch.ms or text them to Krista directly if you've got her number.
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Welcome to Micro-Church!
How's your week been? Take a moment to discuss challenges and victories.
Sunday morning we talked about being equipped to discern the lies of the enemy. In life, if we are not careful we will believe things about our life and live in response to realities that are not even true.
Let's talk about it:
Have there been times in your life when you were living in a way that showed you were believing things that were not true? (i.e. in your relationships, in your health, in your thinking, etc.) How did you come to resolution?
Keeping our current theme of looking at Old Testament figures during this series of "Just a little talk with Jesus", today we are going to look at someone who obviously had a deep, intimate relationship with God, but believed a lie.
Genesis 3:1–24 (ESV)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
From this passage alone, share with your Micro-Church one or two word descriptions of each person in this story:
The Serpent:
Eve:
Adam:
God:
One of the pillars of our faith is that God gives us the ability to believe and live in faith or to rely on our own judgement and free-will.
What do you notice about the nature of God as he gives parameters, options, and consequences to his people?
What do you notice about Adam and Eve as they work through their decision?
What do you notice about the serpent in the way that he deceived Adam and Eve?
Real Life:
Notice that the enemy sought out Eve (and Jesus) while they were alone. This is the reason that we believe so strongly in real community. Isolating yourself makes you a prime target for the lies of the enemy. As our church grows and diversifies, help us make sure that the people in your Micro-Church KNOW and FEEL that they are not alone.
What are some real, tangible ways that we can help one another become more resilient to the lies and abound in truth?
Is there an area of your life that you needed to be reminded of truth? (i.e. you are currently being attacked by the lies of the enemy?)
Take time to pray for any needs in your Micro-Church.
Micro-Church - Week 37
Begin today's meeting discussing:
Challenges: What has been a challenge that you have faced this week?
Wins: What is happening in your life that you count as a "win"?
As we continue on with our Old Testament study of God speaking to his people, today we will take a look at the call of Joshua, who was the successor to Moses and a key leader for Israel as they followed God into Canaan.
Joshua 1:1–9 (ESV)
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Is there anything that stands out to you about the nature of God in this passage?
Notice the relationship that God desired Joshua to establish and keep with the Law (The Old Testament Scripture).
Reflect on the questions below and discuss together:
Why do you think that God was emphatic about Joshua adhering to the Law of Moses?
Is it still important for us to adhere to Old Testament Law?
Is it still necessary for us to abide by Biblical truth to experience God today?
(For some New Testament reference, see: John 1:1-2,14; Hebrews 8:6-13)
What does God promise to Joshua? (Both tangible and intangible aspects)
Is there anything that you notice about Joshua in this passage?
What do you notice about the relationship that Moses and Joshua had? Is this an accurate model of discipleship?
Can you identify a "Moses" in your life? Who is pouring their life into you?
Do you currently have a Joshua that you are intentionally discipling?
Joshua had important parameters on things in his life that were priorities to seeing the promises of God fulfilled in his life. (Obedience to the word, faith, etc.)
What could you adjust in your life to better align yourself with the promises of God to be at work in your life? Be specific and vulnerable - we are growing together!
First Wednesday - Table Discussions
Multi-Service:
If 10am is no longer an option, what time would you be most likely to attend faithfully?
If you are on a team (we hope you are!) is serving at one service and attending the other service realistic? Why or why not?
Mule Barn:
Is the mule barn worth the investment given the limited capacity?
New Property:
Is our identity tied to downtown Hattiesburg?
In your opinion, what are the positives about being downtown?
In your opinion, what are the challenges about being downtown?
Growth:
Is there anyone at your table who is not connected to a Micro-church that wants to be?
Is there anyone at your table who would be interested in leading a micro-church?
Is there anyone at your table who would like to follow the Lord in Baptism?
Is there anyone at your table who is interested in attending a Next Steps series?
Micro-Church | Week 35 | Gideon
This Sunday morning we spoke about the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus AS THEY WENT to the temple to show themselves to the priest. We discussed being the type of people that not only take the opportunity to ask God to move in our lives, but like the 1 leper, return to Him with gratitude. Take a few moments to share with your Micro-Church something that you are thankful for this week.
Judges 6:1–24 (ESV) 1 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3 For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. 6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the Lord. 7When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord on account of the Midianites, 8 the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.” 11Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.” 19So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
In your Micro-Church, someone retell this story in common language
Questions:
What do you notice about the nature of God in this passage?
As you make observations about God, how do you think these old testament principals translate to today?
What do you notice about the nature of Gideon in this passage?
Do you see aspects of Gideon in your own life? How so?
In verse 24, Gideon builds an altar to honor the Lord and names it: "Jehovah-Shalom" or "Yahweh is peace". This is immediately after God has effectively called him to war (Verse 14).
Have you ever experienced the peace of God in the middle of difficult or challenging situations? What was that like?
This week, it is important that we recognize the difference between how we see ourselves and how God sees us:
In what ways do you struggle to see yourself in the perspective that God sees you?
Take time to pray for one another in areas that they may be struggling to see God's overcoming power and redeeming love in their life.
Micro-Church Week 34
As we have started out series "Just a little talk with Jesus", we will be looking at encounters with Jesus. It is amazing to watch these brief encounters lead to life-change in the people who had interactions with Jesus.
During this series, our Micro-Church gatherings will be discussing moments when God was speaking to people prior to the coming of Jesus Christ. Consider this introductory verse in Hebrews:
Hebrews 1:1–2 (ESV)
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
God has been speaking all along. In the upcoming weeks, we will take a look at how these Old Testament men and women heard from God. For today, let's look at a conversation between Moses and God.
Exodus 3:1–12 (ESV)
1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
What do you notice about God in this passage?
What do you notice about Moses in this passage?
What do you notice about Israel as a whole in this passage?
Verse 7 contains such a powerful statement: "I know their sufferings,"
God has always been very aware of the condition of his people. That was true then and now. The New Testament writer of Hebrews says of Jesus:
Hebrews 4:15–16 (NLT)
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
In closing tonight, be reminded that Jesus is aware, and concerned and understands the challenges that you face. The writer of Hebrews says that because of this reality, we have the privilege to come BOLDLY to the throne of God. When we do, we stand there receiving mercy and grace.
What in your life do you need God's mercy and grace for? Pray and believe together as we experience God moving in our Micro-Church!
Micro-Church 33
We spent some time Sunday talking about investing in things that matter. Paul said, I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls! I asked the question Sunday: How much is a soul worth? Implying that we sometimes value some over others. I made a statement like: “Is my soul worth more than somebody else’s?”
Here’s what I want to affirm – The eternity of someone outside of Hub City Church is not more valuable than the eternity of someone who is already part of Hub City Church. Neither vice-versa. That sounds obvious, but let’s restate what I told our lead team from the moment we began meeting:
I refuse to plant a church at the cost of the
spiritual well-being of the people who plant it.
Simply put – I want to spend the week discussing how we can better invest in the people we have, and not just the people we want. As we grow this is increasingly important.
Isaiah 6:1–8 (NLT)
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
What do you notice about the nature of God from this passage?
What do you notice about Isaiah in this passage?
It is important to take note of how Isaiah’s attention moves through this passage:
Verses 1-4: Isaiah looks up! (He is observing just how Holy and glorious God is!)
Verses 5-7: Isaiah looks in! (He obviously wasn’t impressed with himself!)
Verses 8: Isaiah looks out! (There was a calling to reach the lost!)
Let’s discuss investing in each of these areas:
1. Look up: How can we better invest in our devotional life?
2. Look in: How can we better invest in our Church/Micro-Church/Ourselves?
3. Look out: How can we better invest in the community around us?
Micro-Church Week 32
Take a moment to begin by sharing any wins you've seen in your life this week.
Recap
One of the major themes that we have been dealing with in 2 Corinthians is that there is often a large gap between what we see in the natural, and what is happening in the spiritual. Here's the truth: I am often having to reconcile my feelings with reality & the work of the Spirit. This is hard work!
I find so many times that this brings to mind over and again the phrase that we use so much:
"My feelings may not be right, but they're real!"
Consider this passage:
2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
So many times we feel insufficient to hold, much less carry, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the glorious things about the Gospel is that Christ continually uses the weak to demonstrate his strength. This is a recurring theme in 2 Corinthians.
In this week's Micro-Church gathering, let's take a deeper look at how Paul presents this truth.
2 Corinthians 3:4–6 (ESV)
4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- a more dynamic translation (New Living Translation) reads:
2 Corinthians 3:4–6 (NLT)
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
Observations
Is there anything in the previous passage that draws your attention about the nature and the work of God?
From The New Living Translation, the translators use the verbiage of "qualified" and "enabled".
What do you think Paul means by saying that we do not "think we are qualified to do anything on our own", but "enabled to be ministers"?
Have there been moments in your life that you felt that the Spirit enabled you to accomplish something? Would you share those?
In our culture, do you think there is a tendency to reduce our commitment to faithfulness and holiness since we are already not "qualified" to produce lasting spiritual fruit?
If so, where do we draw the line in our commitment to righteousness, and our dependency on the Holy Spirit?
To better understand our responsibility, read 2 Corinthians 7:1
2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV)
1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NLT)
1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
REAL RESPONSE!
What is an actionable way that you can work toward bringing "holiness to completion" in your life?
Take a moment this week to share strategic ways that your Micro-Church can pray for you.
Mico-Church: Week 30
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?’ Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’”
Job 1:6-7 ESV
We see in in Job 1 that the enemy was roaming the earth seeking whom he may devour. It is what he has been doing from the beginning and what he will continue to do until the end.
How does knowing that we have an enemy and knowing how he operates help you in your relationship with Jesus?
“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”
Job 1:12 ESV
Here we see that the enemy (Satan) had to be subject to what the Lord said he could and could not do. Because of this example we see that the kingdom of darkness is no match for the kingdom of God.
How does that reality change the way you look at God and satan?
“Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’”
Job 1:13-19
We clearly see here that being in a relationship with God doesn’t promise immunity from problems in your life. Job was blameless, upright, and turned away from evil yet he still experienced pain and suffering. We also see through the whole context of the bible that God is taking every moment of our suffering and pain turning it around for his glory.
How does knowing that your suffering and pain is benefiting you and the kingdom of God around you change your perspective on your hardships in life?
“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
Psalm 145:9
If someone were to ask you, “How can you call God good if he constantly allows bad things to happen?” how would you answer?
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”
Job 1:20-22
What are things that I can do right now in my life to make sure that when the hard times come, I am still declaring God is good just like Job did?
Micro-Church; Week 29
One of the discussions from Sunday morning was that of radical worship. We discussed the moments in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus when Mary was obviously more interested in expressing her worship of Jesus than anyone else in the house. We talked about how her whole-hearted worship changed the atmosphere of the entire house.
Sometimes we must respond with worship in moments that are difficult. Sometimes this difficulty is because of circumstances, our own emotions, or maybe even fear to express worship while you've got a friend visiting a church service for the first time. One thing is for sure, an atmosphere of worship brings liberty even in difficult moments. Lets look at Acts 16.
Acts 16:20–34 (ESV)
20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
What do you think this story teaches us about the nature of God?
What do you notice in this passage about people?
The "crowd"
Paul & Silas
The prisoners
The jailer
Has there been a moment in your life that you have expressed worship when you didn't "feel" like it? Did you learn anything in those moments?
In this passage, what were the outcomes of Paul & Silas being faithful in worship?
In response to this passage, what are some tangible ways that you can help create an atmosphere where people can be saved and find freedom:
In day to day life?
At Micro-Church?
Sunday Gatherings at Hub City Church?
Culture Days: Just Sit
Our whole series in Nehemiah has focused on what we should be for God:
One of the most important things we need to be reminded of is that it does not matter how good we are
We aren't just called to do good things and be good Christians - the heart of the gospel is that we have a good God - that we are dependent upon!
The prophet Isaiah put it this way:
Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
It's not just our job to live holy and practice spiritual disciplines:
We serve a God who is deeply aware of our shortcomings, our flaws and everything that we are not
At the end of the day, we must bow in humility knowing that if something supernatural is going to get done - the Holy Spirit will have to do it.
John 15:4–5 (ESV)
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Serving is necessary and bearing fruit in the kingdom is great - BUT - communion with Jesus is better
Luke 10:38–42 (ESV)
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
So what does that mean for us?
This passage tells us that good intentions can sometimes fall short of God's best for our lives.
Martha had great intentions and serving is a noble thing - but Jesus tells Martha that there was more for her than just serving!
This passage reminds me that sometimes my living a life FOR God can become a distraction from living our life WITH God.
Verse 40: "But Martha was distracted with much serving"
Ministry has to come from the overflow of our devotional lives - our devotional life cannot be a means to a successful ministry or building a successful church!
This passage tells us that we have the option to choose worship over anxiety and stress
The truth of the matter is that often I try to chase away the darkness rather than turning on the light
Don’t stress out over being stressed - go to the source for peace!
So here is a reminder for Hub City Church: We wholeheartedly believe in serving, but we must never spend time serving if we’re not spending time sitting.
We celebrate serving!
We must create space for sitting!
If you are on a team here at Hub City Church, we invite you to work until your fingers bleed, but please don't pour out until your cup is dry!
Sit!
Sabbath!
Let's take a look at John's account of Jesus at Mary, Martha and Lazarus's house:
John 12:1–3 (ESV)
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Lazarus was looking cool: reclining at the table
He had received a HUGE blessing from Jesus (literal resurrection!)
Martha was doing what Martha does
She's a Enneagram Two!
Where are my Two's at?
Listen to me, you better not serve yourself into a deficit!
Two's - replenish your souls!
Mary walks in with a pound of expensive perfume
Her worship costs something
She's worshiping on another level
Here's the sad truth:
In a room full of "Christians", NOBODY in that room understood her worship
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Let's be real: This kind of worship:
Holy worship
Sacrificial worship
Spiritual worship
IS NOT NORMAL
You may be like Mary and be in a room full of Christians and nobody even understand the worship that you are giving!
You can't let the thermostats around you to set the temperature of your worship!
When she worshiped - the Bible says that the whole house was filled with the fragrance!
You serving Jesus makes more of a difference to this church than you serving Hattiesburg
Your relationship with Him means more than your relationship to your micro-church
Your deep devotion affects this city more than your deep financial support of this church or your great ideas for outreach!
At the end of the day:
You're not here for Hub City Church
You're not here for your Micro-Church
You're not here for me
You're not here for the lost of the city
You were created to give Him MORE GLORY
You were made to worship Him
Micro-Church: Week 28
Micro-Church – Week 28
Acts 6:1–7 (ESV)
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
We made mention of this passage in Sunday's message saying that early church leaders were so committed to the ministry of the Word. One of the aspects of our "Church culture" that we are trying to facilitate is a commitment to what we believe. This commitment will reveal itself in our actions, and how we respond to the needs around us.
Take a moment to discuss the needs that you are noticing in your everyday life.
What are some ways that you, your micro-church, or Hub City Church could respond to those needs?
(We are doing more brainstorming here than formulating an actionable plan)
From our passage today, what do you notice about how the early church interacted with needs?
What qualities do you see in those who were working in ministry?
The current culture oftentimes crowns individualism, and can sometimes create a "it doesn't matter what anyone thinks about me" mentality. While we are not striving to please people, this passage makes it clear that disciples were chosen based on having a reputation of being people of integrity.
In today's culture, do you think it is important to build a reputation of being people of faith? If so, how do you apply that to your life?
Let's dream:
We want to be disciples that make disciples. If this passage presents a clear Biblical pattern for healthy church growth, then verse 7 is the template:
(ESV) 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
(NLT) 7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Developing disciples who are mature in the Word is the obvious way to reach a city.
As a micro-church, what are your thoughts on how we can systematically make disciples who better understand and apply God's Word to their lives.
Assign someone as a scribe for your Micro-church during this time. As we explore ideas of how we can be disciples who makes disciples, encourage your group to be creative as we discuss becoming better at building disciples. Our city is at stake!