WELCOME & SHARING: Love People Extravagantly Once again consider putting a roster together for different members to take responsibility for providing snacks every week. Entrust the responsibility for co-ordinating this to a person gifted in this area. You could also again consider asking a couple gifted in hospitality to join you at least 10 minutes before your meeting to help you with the welcoming. Consider drawing some of your members in as assistant leaders so that you can move toward a roster for leading the discussion from week to week. One of our responsibilities as leaders is to identify and release the God given gifting in people. Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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. FAMILY NEWS: Up-&-Coming Events Remember to PLEDGE for our HARVEST HOME REVAMP Taking Ground for Christ & His Kingdom www.harvest.co.za 1
PRAYER & WORSHIP: Love God Extravagantly Select songs from the various Harvest Live CD/DVD recordings and trust the Holy Spirit for a rekindling of our first love for Jesus. Psalm 116:7: Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. WORD & DISCUSSION: Impart Victorious Lifestyle On Sunday we were again reminded by Tony Fitzgerald that when Christ took hold of us, He raised us from one realm to live in another, the actual realm where we belong! This is how Paul puts it in: Ephesians 2:5-6 That even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms, because we are united with Christ Jesus. Even though we live with natural feet on real earth, there is nothing less real about the heavenly realm where we live by faith and through the power and grace of God. In fact, God calls us to live in that higher place every day, to live naturally May we see like He does, may we do as He does and may we see a bit of heaven on earth in our everyday lives and encounters. Let s look at two examples together, one where Jesus is involved and another where Peter is involved. Taking Ground for Christ & His Kingdom www.harvest.co.za 2
1. THE POWER OF JESUS. Read: Matthew 9:18-25 (NLT) 18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. My daughter has just died, he said, but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her. 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21 for she thought, If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed. 22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well. And the woman was healed at that moment. 23 When Jesus arrived at the official s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 24 Get out! he told them. The girl isn t dead; she s only asleep. But the crowd laughed at him. 25 After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! 1.1 Jesus was sitting in the house of Matthew, the tax collector and there were other sinners and tax collectors reclining at the table with him when the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him with a desperate request. What were some of the unusual things that we note the leader of the synagogue did in verse 18? What do you think drove this man to break protocol and come to the feet of the man who was regarded as an enemy of the religious leaders? Do you consider it possible that God could send someone into your home or office with a desperate request? Expect it and live naturally 1.2 Jesus was on His way with His disciples to a very important assigment to the home of the synagogue leader to raise his daughter from the dead. Whilst on the way, a woman who had suffered from constant bleeding for 12 years pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus robe. What do you think was going on in her mind when she pushed through the crowd? Taking Ground for Christ & His Kingdom www.harvest.co.za 3
Why did she not shout out to Jesus to stop? Is there anything we can learn about her faith in this encounter? One of the other gospel accounts descibe that when she touched his robe, Jesus felt power leave Him.From the words of Jesus to her, what can we learn about receiving power for healing? Do you consider it possible that, in your daily routine, whilst on the way to an important assigment, someone may come to you with a desperate request? Be ready for it and live naturally 2. THE FAITH OF PETER Read Acts 3:1-9 (NLT) 1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, Look at us! 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, I don t have any silver or gold for you. But I ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk! 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 2.1 Discuss what you think was going on in the mind of the lame beggar on this routine day for him? What was going on in the mind of the family or friends that carried him to the temple gate every day? From this account, do you think the lame man had any idea of what was coming? Why do you say so? Taking Ground for Christ & His Kingdom www.harvest.co.za 4
2.2 Why do you think Peter did not give him any money? Perhaps Peter and John did not have money to give, but from verse 4 and 5, what stands out about Peter that confirms that he was living naturally supernatural? When you see someone in need, do you really see his/her real need? Do you believe that God can give you His eyes to really see? Open your spiritual eyes and live naturally 2.3 Do you think the healing took the lame man by surprise? Why do you say so? Do you think he would have been as happy if Peter had given him a million shekels? Does God always meet our apparent need or does He sometimes give us what He knows we need? What should our response be when God does an unexpected miracle in our lives? Live naturally MINISTRY & MISSION: Be a Resource to Others & Touch the World When the faith of Peter and the power of Jesus intersected, a miracle followed. It can happen by someone coming to where you are, it can happen whilst you are on your way and it can happen when you see with God s eyes and not your own. No wonder Jesus said this to His disciples as part of His great commission: Mark 16:15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." Jesus called us to live in a place where we belong, a different realm, a place where He is, a place where signs and wonders follow those who believe. Pray for one another that we will start living by faith, naturally May he receive all the glory and honour through our lives! Taking Ground for Christ & His Kingdom www.harvest.co.za 5