A Light to the Nations

Acts 13:44-49; Isaiah 49:6

Sermon Notes:

1) The "religious" disrupted (v.44-45)

2) The "religious" thrust aside (v.46-47)

3) The mission continues (v.48-49)

Reflection Questions:

1. How might being on mission for God disrupt our life?

2. What does it mean to be the people of God?

3. How can be we salt and light in our lives?

4. How does God's sovereignty spur us on toward mission?

Missed Opportunities for Health

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Sermon Notes:

1. Missing out when we function as individual parts independent from others.

2. Missing out when we aren't serving in the role God called us to.

3. Missing out when we're missing whole parts of the body

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of your passions? What are some of your skills?

2. What are some of the needs that need to be filled at Forestgate?

3. What unique giftings might Forestgate possess that contributes to the health of the broader, global, body of Christ?

The Law is So Good Because it Shows Us We Are So Bad

Romans 7:7-25

Sermon Notes:

1. The law is good because it reveals we're bad

2. Sin can misuse the law to make you feel good

3. We grow by using the law to show us we are bad

Reflection Questions:

1. How does understanding our adoption into the family of God help us view obedience as a response to love rather than an outlet to earn love?

2. Do you ever feel tempted to think about your faith as "Justified by Faith" but "Sanctified by Law" (See Galatians 3)?

3. Google "3 uses of the law" (here is a good ligonier article). What are the 3 uses? What then are some improper uses of the law?

4. How can we use the law to increase our faith?

When Suffering Rips Your Guts Out

Psalm 30

Sermon Notes:

1. The problem: Our struggle is we don't know how to respond to intense suffering (Optimism in our own strength, vain optimism, optimism but only for the far-off future, Pessimism?)

2. The main idea: This psalm shows us that oftentimes, "suffering can bring reorientation." David's suffering offers him reorientation:

  • Reoriented Perspective (v.5)

  • Reoriented Relationship (v.8)

  • Reoriented Hope (v.11)

3. The answer: David's experience shows us that we don't face suffering with optimism or pessimism, but God uses the suffering to give us a reoriented "Hopeful Realism."

Reflection Questions:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how much are you feeling signs of depression or anxiety from any suffering you are currently facing?

2. How do you tend to respond to intense suffering (see the list in parenthesis under "the problem" above).

3. Why do you tend toward that response and not the others?

4. What about David's experience in this psalm gives you hope or comfort for your own situation?

5. How might you reorient the way you see this current suffering with more of an outlook of "Hopeful Realism?"

Jesus, Our Prophet

Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Matthew 17:1-8

Sermon Notes:

1) God's word guides us

2) God speaks with us

3) Jesus, the ultimate prophet

4) The church, his body, as prophet

Discussion Questions:

1.    What are some rules you absolutely hate following?

2.    What are some things you do, that you don't like doing, but you know are good for you?

3.    Imagine being in love, how does it feel "doing all the right things to make a relationship healthy"? Does it feel burdensome or a joy? 

4.    How might a close relationship turn what was "begrudging obedience" into joyful expressions of love and trust?

5.    How was Jesus a better law giver then Moses? How was Jesus a better covenant mediator then Elijah?

6.    How are you called to be like Jesus, specifically how do we, as his body, continue his prophetic role in the world?

Why Didn't They Understand?

Luke 23:44-56

Sermon Notes:

1) Stop and pay attention! (How the Centurion eventually understood) v.44-47

2) Think for yourself! (How the crowd eventually understood) v.48-49

3) Look out for his kingdom, not yours! (How Joseph understood even though the council missed it) v.50-56

Reflection Questions:

1. How can you take time to slow down in your life and focus on Jesus to prevent what happened to the Centurion?

2. We know the gospel means both these statements are true "you are more sinful than you can see" but also "you are more loved than you can imagine in Christ". Which do you struggle more with?

3. What other "benefits" do you receive from being a Christian? How might those things become idols in and of themselves if you forget they are good gifts from God?

4. How might you feel if you were in the crowd crucifying Jesus and he looked at you? What expression would be on his face?

Great Warning of Hardship, Great Comfort for Hardship

Luke 21:5-28

Sermon Notes:

1. Jesus is our comfort in hardship (v.1-8)

2. Jesus is at work in our hardship (v.9-19)

3. Jesus provides the way out of hardship (v.20-24)

4. Jesus will end hardship (v.25-28)

Reflection Questions:

1. How anxious are you about the future? What are some common ways you deal with that anxiety?

2. How might Jesus provide some relief from that anxiety?

3. What is a trial you are currently facing?

4. How might God be growing you in that trial?

5. What are some common ways we forget we stand before God's judgment solely in Christ's good record and instead make it some mix of Christ's record and our record?

6. If resting in Christ's deliverance from judgment, how is the day of judgment a good day for us?

Making Room for Others

Luke 19:45-20:8

Sermon Notes

1) Hard hearts don't make room for others

2) The cycle of a hardened heart

3) Jesus breaks the cycle and teaches us how to make room for others

Reflection Questions:

1. What are some ways the priests failed to make room for others?

2. What was God's mission to Israel? How did the priests fail at that?

3. What does it mean to be "A light to the nations"?

4. How do our priorities either "make room for others" or push them away?

5. What are some challenges you face in "Making room for others"? How might your life need to change to do that?

6. What are some steps you can take this week to "make room for others"? How did Jesus live in a way that "made room for others"?

Give It Up

Luke 18:15-30

Sermon Notes

1) Give it up … and come as a child

2) Give “it” up … that idol you’re clinging to

3) Give it up … and get something greater

Reflection questions:

1.    What characterizes a child? What about a child might Jesus be asking us to mimic when he says "come like a child"?

2.    What are some ways you have failed to love God above anything else? What are typical things that you tend to really love in this world?

3.    In what ways have you fallen short in "loving your neighbor" to the best of your ability?

4.    How is money a particularly dangerous idol?

5.    How might you, today, respond to Jesus' call to "give it up", to give up whatever might be holding you back from fully following him, fully loving him, fully loving your neighbor?