Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 1 Inward Spiritual Disciplines Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ

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1 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 1 Inward Spiritual Disciplines 2009 Follow Jesus. Our pursuit is guided by God s Spirit through community, prayer, and the Bible. How do I grow? What does a spiritually mature person even look like? Why does it seems so hard, and go so slowly? Will I ever be any different? To paraphrase Lew Smedes: If you have ever been frustrated with what you know of spiritual life, ever wondered if real change is possible, ever felt confused or stuck you re my kind of person The Christian gospel insists that the transformation of the human personality really is possible. Never easy. Rarely quick. But possible. I see it happening in people sometimes occasionally even in myself. It begins to happen anytime people become intensely serious about learning from Jesus how to arrange their lives. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ John Ortberg (The Life You ve Always Wanted) The Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11.1) Who has mentored you in your faith? Who has been an example to you, and why? What is a Spiritual Discipline? A practice I engage in that I might position myself for greater cooperation with God in seeing His Kingdom come and will be done in my life. A discipline for the spiritual life is nothing but an activity undertaken to bring us into more effective cooperation with Christ and His Kingdom. They enable us more and more to live in a power that is, strictly speaking, beyond us, deriving from the spiritual realm itself, as we yield ourselves to God, a s those who are alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God, as Romans 6:13 puts it. Dallas Willard This set of discussion guides focuses on the following disciplines: Inward: Prayer & Fasting (others include meditation, Bible Study (later), etc.) Outward: Simplicity & Service (others include solitude, submission, etc.) Corporate: Worship & Celebration (others include confession, guidance, etc. 1

2 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 1 Inward Spiritual Disciplines 2009 INWARD DISCIPLINES: PRAYER AND FASTING Read Matthew 6:5-13, ) In verse 5, what is Jesus asking his disciples to do? 2) In verse 7, Jesus warns his followers not to keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. What does this mean for us, today? 3) While many have viewed the Lord s prayer as a recitation, consider the following model: PRAISE - Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, PURPOSE - your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. PROVISION - Give us today our daily bread. PARDON - Forgive us our debts, PEOPLE - as we also have forgiven our debtors. PROTECTION - And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. What do you think? How can we use this model to develop a better prayer life? 4) What is fasting? What experiences have you had fasting? 5) Jesus starts with the words, When you fast. What does this tell us? 6) What Biblical examples do we have of fasting? 7) Matthew 9:14-15 talks of a time when his disciples would fast. How does that apply to us? Prayerfully consider how you can incorporate these spiritual disciplines (and others) into your personal life as a believer. How can we encourage their development in our home group? 2

3 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 1 Inward Spiritual Disciplines 2009 Why doesn t God answer my prayers as I think He should? 1) Prayer is always answered, but not always the way we think it will. No = Your request is not in God's will. (2 Samuel 12:15-16; 22-23; Matthew 26:36-39) Slow = Your request is not God's will at this time. (Genesis. 15:2-6; 21:2; John 11:3,6,14-15, 17, 43-44) Grow = Your motives are wrong. (Numbers 14:26-45; James 4:3) Go = Your request, timing and spiritual condition are OK - yes! (1 Kings 18:36-39; Acts 12:5-7, 12-17; James 5:17-18) 2) Scripture is clear that God answers every prayer in some manner. Yet, there are some guidelines for effective praying - certain attitudes or practices can hinder prayers. The following passages help illustrate that we must be in right relationship with God and with others in order for our prayers to be effectively heard by God. Psalm 66:18 - Harboring unconfessed sin creates a barrier between you and God. 1 John 3: God hears the prayers of those who obey His commands. James 4:3 - God will not hear prayers prayed with wrong or selfish motives. 1 John 5: We are instructed to pray according to His will, not our own. Mark 11: When we pray, we are to ask in faith; unbelief will hinder prayers. John 15:7 - Having regular fellowship with Jesus will enable your prayers to be heard. When fellowship is broken, so is communication with God. Luke 11:9 - Sometimes we have no answer because we never asked. We are to pursue appropriate requests regularly and bring them to God. Ephesians 6:18 - Prayer guided by the Holy Spirit is also a prerequisite. We must also persevere in our prayers and resist offering anything to God in the flesh. Mark 11:25 - If you are unable to forgive someone, God will not forgive you. Restored and right relationships with others are essential for open communication with God. Philippians 4:6 - We are to pray with thankful hearts. Ungratefulness will hinder being heard. 3

4 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 2 Outward Spiritual Disciplines 2009 Follow Jesus. Simplicity is reflected in our priorities, calendars, and possessions. OUTWARD DISCIPLINES: SIMPLICITY AND SERVICE Read Matthew 6: ) Jesus tells his followers not to store up treasures on earth, but in heaven. He goes on to say that where their treasure is, their hearts will be as well. How would Jesus followers have understood this? 2) Aside from just personal possessions, to what other treasures could Jesus be referring? 3) In verse 22, Jesus says that the eye is the lamp of the body, and that if the eyes are good, the whole body is full of light. What does Jesus mean? 4) Verses provide a general promise of provision; in what context should we take that promise? 5) Verses provide a general prescription of living a life of simplicity. Relate this to our church and/or home groups. Read Matthew 6:1-4 and 20: ) Similar to fasting, Jesus assumes that his followers will give to the needy: So when you give to the needy How can this be a part of the church plant? 7) How can this play out in our home group? Prayerfully consider how you can incorporate these spiritual disciplines (and others) into your personal life as a believer. How can we encourage their development in our home group?

5 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 3 Corporate Spiritual Disciplines 2009 Follow Jesus. Our pursuit is guided by God s Spirit, through community... CORPORATE DISCIPLINES: WORSHIP AND CELEBRATION (OTHERS NOT DISCUSSED HERE INCLUDE CONFESSION, GUIDANCE, ETC. THESE WILL BE DISCUSSED AT A LATER TIME.) Read Matthew 4:10 (see also Mark 12:30) 1) What are some alternatives to worshiping God? Read John 4:23-24 and Romans 12:1. 2) What do you observe in these two texts, noticing that the context for both is in community? 3) What is worship (definition)? What forms/activity does worship encompass? 4) According to the Roman s passage, worship involves a living and holy sacrifice. What tension do you see in that passage, as well as what tension do you experience in living-out worship on a daily basis? 5) What could a true worshiping community look like (Riverside Church, Home groups, )? 1

6 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 3 Corporate Spiritual Disciplines ) Break-up into four smaller groups, each group take one of the following verses, look at the context, and then share with the broader group about what this verse/passage is saying in regards to joy. Luke 2:10-11 (beginning of Jesus earthly ministry) John 15:11 John 16:20, 22 (preparation for Jesus death/earthly departure) Galatians 5:22 (post Ascension/Pentecost) "Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees." -Richard Foster 7) What is the prerequisite to joy/celebration according to these passages, as well as the passages on worship? How do we become for joyful/celebratory as a church? (Thought: think about the word overflowing in 2 Cor. 9:12, as well as the communal nature of the verses that follow verse 12.) Prayerfully consider how we can both individually and corporately live lives of worship and celebration. 2

7 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 4 Bible Study 2009 Follow Jesus. Our pursuit is guided by God s Spirit through community, prayer, and the Bible. Bible study can carry a mixed bag of preconceptions. For some Bible study is an academic exercise that results in little personal change. For others, it amounts to finding a random Bible verse that seems to address a felt need or preconceived idea, with little or no consideration of whether or not the verse is interpreted correctly. 1) What frustrations have you experienced studying the Bible? Do you ever seem to lack focus or direction when you study the Bible? Do you read the Bible and it just seems like there s all these words that pass by your eyes and leave little impact on your life when your done? 2) Why (or how) should we be intentional about studying the Bible? 2 Timothy Hebrews 4.12 Mark Matthew Luke 24.45, Psalm ) Ideally, Bible study should: make productive use of precious time in God s Word. arrive at the intended meaning of a passage. lead to application and spiritual transformation. use your optimal method of learning. Inductive Learning specific facts (induce) general principles slower nearly impossible to reach false conclusions requires no prior knowledge (natural process, anyone can do it) introductory: more effective for learning new material or building a knowledge base Deductive Learning general principles (deduce) consequences faster can reach false conclusions if deductions are built upon inaccurate general principles requires a preexisting base of knowledge (for deductions to be built upon) progressive: more effective for applying or expanding an existing knowledge base 1

8 Riverside Church Pursuit, Part 4 Bible Study 2009 Most individuals tend to prefer or are better at one type of learning or the other. All people of at least adolescent intelligence are capable of learning by either. Thus, preference of neither type makes any person "superior" to another. However, a balanced study of scripture should use both. Think about this in the context of third part of the Great Commission (Matthew 28.20). We must induce what Jesus has commanded us directly from the specific facts of scripture. Otherwise our human nature may be inclined to neglect those commands we don t like or even make-up things we aren t commanded. And if we are to obey these commands, with the help of the Spirit we must deduce the consequences or application they have in our everyday lives. Otherwise, we will just have empty head knowledge. The Bible study outline below and the attached worksheets can be useful tools for providing structure and guidance during the inductive/deductive learning process. The detailed outline and worksheet is designed to provide a comprehensive framework requiring at least minutes of thought. The abbreviated outline and worksheet is designed to provide a bare bones framework for a short study (less than 30 minutes) or those who absolutely loathe too much structure. Both outlines are designed to be generic; therefore, some sections may not apply to some Bible passages. Finally, remember that all man's study guides and learning theories are useless unless God first opens our minds to understand scripture (see Luke 24.45, Psalm ). Pray for God, through the Spirit, to open our minds to understand the Bible. Homework: Use the detailed worksheet to study the book of Jonah. I. Inquire for Facts A. People/Things Involved: [Who?] B. Location/Geography: [Where?] C. Context/Chronology: [When?] 1. Events Before: 2. Events Afterward: D. Events/Plot/Storyline/Outline: [What?] E. Main Event in This Passage: Inductive/Deductive Bible Study Outline II. Induce the Meaning (or General Principles) [Why?] A. Meaning/Definition of Words and Phrases: B. Significance/Meaning of Relationships Between People, Things, Places, Timing and Events: C. Motives Behind Actions Taken: D. Cross-References of Related Scripture for Understanding Important Principles/Ideas/Truths: E. Main Theme or Thought Taught by This Passage, Explaining Meaning: III. Deduce the Application (or Consequences) [How? or Now What?] A. Application of the Truths (or Teachings) in This Passage to 1. My Relationship with God: 2. My Relationship with Others: 3. Me Personally: 4. The Church/World: B. Action Point: Most Important Action for Me to Take in Obedience to This Passage: 2

9 Riverside Church Pursuit & Simplicity 2009 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (1998) by Richard J. Foster. Classic, a good how to. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives (1990) by Dallas Willard. Great book. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People (2004) by John Ortberg. He calls his book Dallas Willard for dummies. A Hunger for God (1997) by John Piper. On fasting. The Treasure Principle Bible Study: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving (2005) by Randy Alcorn. A good, simple read on stewardship. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR BIBLE STUDY Study Bibles, commentaries, and software (e.g., Accordance, etc.) (Always remember that some person writes study bible notes and commentaries. While that person may be highly educated and even well-intentioned, they are not God and are therefore not able to be free of error or bias.) Concordances (e.g., Strong s, etc.) Encyclopedias (e.g., Nave s, etc.) Dictionaries (e.g., Vine s, Halley s, etc.) 1

10 Riverside Church Pursuit & Simplicity 2009 The Blue Letter Bible ( is an interactive reference library that contains easy to use English/Greek/Hebrew translations and lexicons, as well as various concordances, commentaries, devotionals, dictionaries, etc. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library ( contains many study resources and classic Christian writings dating back to the 3rd century. Bible Studies Foundation ( 2