A FOUR-WEEK PURSUIT OF GOD S PURPOSE IN OUR PRESENCE

Transcription

1 A FOUR-WEEK PURSUIT OF GOD S PURPOSE IN OUR PRESENCE

2 WEEK ONE YOU ARE HERE... TO BE AN IMAGE BEARER What does God expect of His people? As we look at the panorama of Scripture, we can discover that God has been clear about His expectations wherever He placed His people (or allowed them to be placed). Even when the here changed, God s call was always clear. Let s take a moment to look at the earliest times recorded in the Bible creation. When God created mankind, Scripture indicates that man and woman were created in the image [or likeness] of God (Genesis 1:27; 5:1; 9:6). Not only were they to be God s image-bearers, they were given specific instructions to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion over the other creatures (Genesis 1:28). Later, Adam was specifically instructed to work the ground (Genesis 3:23). While the specific tasks they were given were important, their overarching mission was to live as those who were created in the image of God. We discover in the early chapters of Genesis that a few people were successful in being the image-bearers of God, while others were abject failures. Abel gave an offering to God that pleased the Lord, while Cain s offering displeased Him (Genesis 4:2-5). Enoch was one of the early patriarchs, and we read that Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:22,24), one of only two men described this way in Scripture. No other descendant of Adam listed in Genesis 5 is described in this remarkable way. Another man who lived in the time of the patriachs was Job. He is described as a man who was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1). Twice in conversation with Satan, the Lord describes Job in this same way (Job 1:8; 2:3) and says that there is none like him on the earth. While many were working the earth and filling it, few (if any) were living in a way that reflected the image of God like Job.

3 Years later, we read about Noah, another man who walked with God (Genesis 6:9) and who found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). At a time when God was grieved in His heart that He had made man because of their wickedness (Genesis 6:6), one man Noah was called a righteous man, blameless in his generations. Read Genesis 1:27-28; 5:1-2. What does it mean to bear God s image? How well does your life reflect the image of God? If someone were to describe you today, what do you think he or she would say? In what ways do you want to grow as God s image-bearer?

4 WEEK TWO YOU ARE HERE... TO SEEK THE WELFARE OF THE CITY Last week we looked at how God called His people to be His imagebearers to everyone they met. This week we will study how God expected His people to impact the world in which they lived as a community. Abraham was chosen by God as the founder of the Hebrew people (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-8). Through him and his seed, the world would be greatly blessed. While this promise was ultimately fulfilled by the coming of Christ, it was also to be fulfilled as the Hebrew people interacted with the nations around them. 1. Abraham was called a mighty prince of God by the Hittites when he sought to purchase a burial plot for his beloved Sarah (Genesis 23:6). 2. Abimelech and his adviser and commander saw clearly that the Lord had been with Isaac and that he was the blessed of the LORD (Genesis 26:26-29). 3. Laban said to Jacob, the LORD has blessed me because of you (Genesis 30:27). 4. Joseph encountered many trials when he was rejected by his brothers and was sold as a slave in Egypt. Yet we read over and over again that the LORD was with Joseph (Genesis 39:2-4,21) and gave him favor in the sight of the Egyptians with whom he related (Genesis 39:21-23; 41:37-44). During the 400 years that the Hebrew people were in Egypt, they went from a place of honor (as Joseph s family) to a place of dishonor and servitude. Yet God s hand was on them and it caused the Egyptian midwives to fear God, and they allowed the Hebrew boys to live (Exodus 1:17). When it came time for the Hebrews to depart Egypt, the Lord gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36). And when they left, a mixed multitude went with them (Exodus 12:38) showing that others chose to dwell with the Hebrews rather than to stay in Egypt.

5 Later, provisions were made in the law for those strangers who would choose to sojourn with the Hebrews and keep the Passover with them (Numbers 9:14), while instructions were made to love the sojourner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19), showing God s love for those outside of the Hebrew community and His desire that His people reach out to those outside of their nation (see also 1 Kings 8:41-43). During the period of the conquest, we see a remarkable example of how someone came to fear God and follow Him because of the impact of the Hebrew nation. Rahab sheltered several of the spies who were checking out the city of Jericho. She said, I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us... (Joshua 2:9). She later affirmed her belief that the Hebrews followed the true God and asked them to save her and her family when they returned to conquer the city (Joshua 2:8-21; 6:22-25). Ultimately, Rahab married Salmon and ended up in the line of Christ. During the period of the kings, we also see God causing others to be won to faith in the true God because of the testimony and lives of His people, such as David (2 Samuel 5:9-12), Solomon (1 Kings 4:29-34; 10:1-9), and Elisha as he interacted with Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-15). Unfortunately, the people of Israel forsook the Lord and turned their backs on Him. As a result, both the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17:6-20) and the Southern Kingdom (2 Kings 25:1-21) were disciplined by God and sent into exile. Even though God s people had been removed from their homeland and were grieving the loss of their homes and lands, God used Jeremiah the prophet to exhort them as to how they should live while in that foreign land to build houses, plant gardens, marry, have children, and multiply. In addition, he gave them a special charge: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jeremiah 29:7). Read Jeremiah 29:4-7 and Daniel 1:9,19-20; 2:47-49; 5:10-12,29; 6:3-5,23-28.

6 WEEK TWO How are we inclined to respond when our lives are put on hold or when we are suffering the loss of everything we hold dear? What do people see in our lives, especially during hard times, that causes them to realize that God is the one true God? How are we tempted to separate ourselves from the people around us who do not fear God? How could we be more intentional in seeking the welfare of the community and nation in which we live and in praying to the Lord on their behalf? In what ways could you and your community group seek the welfare of those among whom you live?

7 BUT SEEK THE WELFARE OF THE CITY WHERE I HAVE SENT YOU INTO EXILE, AND PRAY TO THE LORD ON ITS BEHALF, FOR IN ITS WELFARE YOU WILL FIND YOUR WELFARE. - JEREMIAH 29:7

8 WEEK THREE YOU ARE HERE... TO BE A WITNESS This week we want to look at some New Testament instruction about how we live in the place God has put us. While the Old Testament showed us principles of being God s imagebearers and those who seek the welfare of those among whom they live, Jesus introduces a principle that specifically addresses how we speak about Him: We are to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). How did the early disciples fulfill this command? Acts 2 records Peter s sermon on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. Although Peter was the one whose sermon is recorded (Acts 2:14-39), the Scriptures record that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak... (Acts 2:4). Peter and John are found healing a lame man in the name of Jesus in Acts 3. Peter once again gave a message about Jesus, and he and John are arrested. Peter again witnesses about Jesus before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin commanded Peter and John not to speak about Jesus and not to teach in His name. How do they respond? Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:19-20). Peter and John fulfilled what it means to be a witness they could not help speaking about what they had seen and heard. Although Peter and John are identified as verbal witnesses for Jesus, Luke also records that with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 4:32). In Acts 5, we see that the apostles were put in prison and were subsequently released when an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors. The angel instructed the apostles to go to the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life (Acts 5:20). And that s what they did (Acts 5:21,25)! When grilled by the high priest, Peter and the other apostles made a remarkable statement:

9 We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him (Acts 5:29-32). After receiving a beating, the apostles went out and kept on teaching that Jesus is the Christ. Read Acts 1:8; 4:33; 5:9-21,29-32, In contrast to the early disciples, why do we find it so difficult to give a verbal witness about Jesus to others? What have you seen and heard about Jesus that you could share with others? How does the indwelling Holy Spirit help us witness about the Lord Jesus? Would you be willing to pray that God would give you opportunities to witness about Jesus?

10 WEEK FOUR YOU ARE HERE... TO MAKE DISCIPLES This week we want to examine God s call for us to make disciples wherever we are. Scripture clearly provides Jesus challenge to His followers to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48). At Faith Church, we have defined a disciple as one who seeks to imitate the whole life of Christ by being in communion with God, in community with others, and on mission with Christ. But it s not enough to BE disciples, we are to MAKE disciples. While the book of Acts records quite a few instances of the early believers fulfilling this command of Jesus, one is particularly intriguing. In Acts 8:26-40, Philip was instructed by an angel to travel the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, a road through the desert. Scripture records that Philip rose and went (Acts 8:27). Sometimes God calls us out of our normal routines to go a way that is not the normal way. So whether we are in our normal daily patterns or in a place that is unusual or uncomfortable, God s call to make disciples should still be our primary focus. While Philip was walking on the road, he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip responded to the Spirit s prompting to speak to the man. In the process, Philip was able to share how Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Scripture the eunuch had been reading out of Isaiah. Notice how personal this interaction was. We as believers may be called to share Christ with people who are very similar to us, but we may also be called to interact with someone who seems unusual or different. Whether the person is familiar or very unlike us, we are responsible to interact with them in a personal, intentional way.

11 In Acts 10, God orchestrated events to bring Peter and Cornelius into contact. A Jew ends up engaging in conversation with a Gentile, someone he normally would have shunned. Yet God uses that interaction to bring a Roman soldier and his relatives and friends into relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus Christ. So wherever we find ourselves, our mission is to make Jesus known in lives where He has not previously been known. Read Acts 8: How do we tend to react when God leads us in a way that is uncomfortable or unfamiliar? How can we become more sensitive to the people around us who need Jesus? Will you commit yourself to grow as a disciple? Will you commit to obeying the Spirit s promptings to engage others in conversations that could lead to them becoming disciples?

12 Wherever you go, there you are. It s an old cliché, and one you ve likely heard before. While the saying is true, it s even more important to realize that wherever we are, God has a purpose in our presence. Whether at work or home, at school or on the soccer field, God has a calling on each of our lives. Every moment in life is a chance to reflect the image of God, make a difference in our community, share the truth about God s goodness, and seek to bring others into a relationship with Him. In our four-week series, YOU ARE HERE, we will come together to look at how God wants us to live each moment of our lives on purpose, regardless of where He has placed us. We hope you, your family, or your community group will use this study guide in the days leading up to each Sunday morning gathering. As we seek to move forward together, we ask that God will continue to do a work in us; both individually, and as a church family.