Water for a New Heart Mountain Life Church/Life Pack/February 15-16, 2014
Water for a New Heart Sermon Notes February 15-16, 2014 I. Chosen! A. Chosen to be Holy 1. Saints, not sinners 2. My purpose is to be holy B. Chosen to be loved and accepted 1. God s family 2. The new me A heart of flesh, not stone A hunger for the Word The Spirit lives there! My heart is the communication center with God II. The Choice A. Dress like a King s kid 1. Put on: Tenderhearted mercy Kindness Humility Gentleness Patience Above all - put on LOVE 2. Take off: Impatience Judgement Bitterness Anxiety Fear B. Let Peace rule 1. My heart s moment by moment choice 2. The competition for my heart 3. Grace s victory 2 19
Table Talk Teens Read Colossians 3: 12-17 Question One: Because of their new lives in Christ, all believers are called on to clothe themselves in virtue. They should live accordingly, with appropriate attributes and attitudes. In verse 3: 12, which virtues do you find challenging to you and why? Question Two: In verse 3: 14, Paul states that over all these virtues, Christians are to put on love. Why is it important to cover all these virtues by love? Question Three: Believers are also to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts because they are called to peace as members of one body. The closer believers are to Christ (and His likeness), the closer they are to each other. Why is it important that the peace of Christ should rule over your heart in any disagreement? III.Water for the New Heart A. The Word dwelling richly 1. Wisdom 2. Admonishing Greek = Telling the mind how to be set Centered on worship and thanks B. Worship and Thanks 1. Empower the Word to dwell richly 2. Empower to LOVE 3. Empower us to forgive 4. Enable us to receive grace 5. Empower us to do all to His glory! C. His Representative 1. More than singing 2. Words that bring glory 3. Deeds that reflect His nature D. Thanksgiving 1. Evidence that I ve received grace 2. Empowers us to live it 3. Sets our minds on things above Question Four: The new life Christians must put on is one in which the Word of Christ dwells richly. By studying, meditation, and application of the Word, it becomes a permanent abiding part of one s life. What is the result when the Word of Christ becomes part of a believer s nature? Question Five: In these verses, Paul sums up how Christians should live. We should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually thank God for all His good gifts. What are some things you are thankful for from God? 18 3
Life Group Questions for February 15-16, 2014 Message = Water for a New Heart Ice Breaker: Tell about someone you have known who was always grateful. How did that person impact you? Read Colossians 3: 12-17. 1. What do you observe about this passage? 2. Tell what you think it means to be chosen by God to be holy. Do not venture too far into the Calvin vs. Armenian debate with this. Simply talk about what being chosen by God in order to be holy means to you. 3. Why do you think Paul uses the clothing metaphor when it comes to pueing on virtues in verse 12? What does that mean to you personally? 4. What challenges you about verse 13? 5. What usually keeps you from leeing peace rule in your heart? (e.g. anxiety, fear, anger, etc.) 6. Verse 16 tells us how to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. First of all, what does it mean for the word of Christ to dwell in us richly? Next, do you think that maybe worship and thanksgiving empower us to walk in love and peace? 7. Verse 17 tells me that my words and deeds also give worship to God. What does Paul tell us at the end of the verse to enable us to moment by moment give glory to God? 8. Pray for one another. Table Talk Elementary Focus: Let Us Bow Scripture: Psalm 95: 6 (adapted from Big Book of No Object Talks by Tim Simpson) Day 1 If your Dad or Mom were a king or a queen, what would you do to show him/her respect? My guess is you would bow or curtsy to show respect. If your Mom or Dad were a soldier in the military, what would you do to show them respect? My guess is you would salute to show respect. In the same way that we can show respect and honor to a soldier and a king or queen, the Bible shows us that we can give respect and love to God. The word the Bible uses for showing respect and love to God is worship. Psalm 95: 6 says, Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. This verse tells us that we can bow down and kneel to worship God. Bowing and kneeling helps us show love an respect for God s greatness. What are some ways that people today worship God and show love and respect to Him? Day 2 Gather your family to play a game called Show Respect. You ll need everyone to stand in a circle and, at the signal of the leader, start walking around the circle. In this game, the leader will say the words king, soldier, or God. When the leader says soldier, everyone will salute. When the leader says God, everyone will kneel. When the leader says king, everyone will bow. The object of the game is to show respect in the correct way. This game reminds us of the respect the one true God deserves. Day 3 The Old Testament tells us the story of King Nebuchadnezzar. This king built a large, golden statue of himself. The king demanded that all the people bow down and worship his statue. But three followers of God would not bow down and worship the statue because they believed in the one, true God. The king was so angry that he wanted to throw these men into a fiery furnace! Read what happened next in Daniel 3: 16-28. Why do you think Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego chose not to bow to the king s statue? How did God help Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego? No matter what everyone else did, these three chose to worship only God! 4 17
Table Talk Preschool & Nursery Scripture: Colossians 3: 12-17 Day 1: Read: Colossians 3: 12-17 Ask your child(ren) to tell you what they think it means to worship God. To worship God, in definition, is to give proper worth to God. In other words, giving ALL honor and glory to God! Day 2: Read Colossians 3: 12-17 again Talk about ways we can give God honor and glory. Share how you like to worship. We should seek out moments in our everyday life to give God glory and honor. Memory Verse: Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. - Psalm 100: 2 Day 3: Practice worshiping God together by praying a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Tell God how amazing you think He is! Activity: Try worshiping God through song when you are riding in the car...all week, every car trip. Crank up the praise music and worship Him! Personal Devotion Pages The following pages are designed to help you enjoy a regular time alone with God. We have divided up the curriculum to help us grow wherever we are at in our relationship with God and in our knowledge of His Kingdom. LEVELS: Since we are a Colorado church, we use skiing imagery to communicate the different levels of intensity and time involved in relating to God. BEGINNER: If you are new in your relationship with God, we encourage you to try the exercises under this symbol: INTERMEDIATE: If you have walked with God for some time and would like a little more challenge and more time involvement, try the exercises under this symbol: ADVANCED: These exercises are for people who have walked with God for some time and display maturity in their relationship with Him. These exercises provide a practical way to encounter God and His truth on a regular basis. There are no rules here. Please don t hurry through the process. Slow meditation and memorization seems to soak in better than cramming. Enjoy! 16 5
Day One 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Meditate on Colossians 3: 12-17. 3. Write down all your worries and cares here. Then lay them down at the feet of Jesus. Day Five And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father. ~Colossians 3:17, NLT My words reflect what fills my heart. If I am resentful, angry or judgmental, my words will reflect those attitudes. It s not just the words themselves, it s the tone of my voice, and it s my body language as well. All of these communicators reveal the condition of my heart. As Paul finishes this paragraph, he gives us one more encouragement to be thankful. Something tells me Paul wants us to be thankful. (Are you impressed with my observation skills?) Let s see... that s three times Paul has mentioned a thankful attitude in three verses. Yep, that means he s really serious about maintaining an attitude of gratitude. Memorize Colossians 3: 16. Memorize Colossians 3: 15-17. Memorize Colossians 3: 12-17. Paul tells us that we are representatives of Jesus. Everywhere we go, people will either see Jesus in us, or us in us. Seeing Jesus in us will be winsome and magnetic, the other will... well, you know. So, how do we learn to speak only words that glorify Jesus? James and all the other New Testament writers tell us that this is not easy. James says, And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life (James 3: 2 The Message). Paul lets us in on the secret to a sanctified mouth - a constant attitude of gratitude. 6 15
Day Five 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Meditate on Colossians 3: 12-17 again today. Day One Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ~Colossians 3:12, 13, NLT Paul writes some of the finest words ever penned in this passage. He reminds us that we are chosen to be holy people whom He loves. 3. Take time to pray for God to give you a deeper passion, devotion, and discipline in pursuing Him. Chosen. What a significant word. The king of the universe, the greatest judge of all the living, has chosen me! He has chosen me to be a part of His family and to be Holy, like He is holy. However, I have never been holy. If I m honest, I m anything BUT holy. How can I join this holy family? I become holy when I receive His grace, given when I accept the sacrifice of His son on my behalf. His grace does two things. It declares me holy before my new father. As I stand in His presence, I am completely forgiven of my sin. He gives me a new position in his sight. I am now seated at his right hand, where his favorite children sit. What s funny is all His kids sit there! His grace also empowers me to be holy. As a new creation in Christ, I am empowered to live by His grace. His grace slowly transforms me to act like what I am! My responsibility is to obey and worship Him. This keeps the grace faucet pouring over me. 4. Finish your Bible memorization today. Paul tells us to take off our old selves like a piece of clothing. After discarding our old ways of thinking and living, we are to put on the virtues of our king. His grace enables us to do this! Father, I take off all of my old selfishness and sinful ways, and I put on the virtues of Christ. He s my all in all! 14 7
Day Two 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Meditate on Colossians 3: 12-17 again today. 3. Ask God what words you can speak to friends, co- workers, and family members to bless them and speak into their destiny. 4. Take time to invite peace to rule in your heart. Do not do anything else until peace is installed as the ruler of your heart. 5. Continue memorizing and meditating on the scriptures for this week. Day Four And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ~Colossians 3:15b-16, NLT As I choose thankfulness, it ushers in peace. Thanksgiving is the troubadour of the ruler of my heart - peace! Giving thanks paves the way for peace to rule. Thanksgiving is a response to grace. I know people have received grace by the gratefulness of their heart. Typically, if my gratitude quotient is low, I ve failed to receive God s grace. If my gratitude quotient is high, God has had His way with me. Worship is also a response to grace. It s what comes out of me as I experience His goodness and favor. Paul invites us to make worship a constant in our lives. Worship is water for a thirsty heart. My new heart, created at the cross with a driving passion for Christ, is hydrated by worship. Worship drives me deeper and deeper into His presence, which causes increasingly greater transformation of my life. Without a constant attitude of worship, I will not experience Christ-likeness. Have you ever been completely dehydrated? Fatigue and dryness take over. It s a horrible feeling. That s what happens to our new heart when we do not allow worship to have a continual feast. Jesus, I worship You with my whole being. With all that I am, I honor You, hallow Your name, and lift You above all my cares and worries. You are Lord! 8 13
Day Four 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Meditate on Psalm 34 today. 3. Bring all the problems of your life to God and thank Him that He will see you through each one of them. Day Two And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. ~Colossians 3:14, NLT This piece of clothing has gone out of style today. So few of us wear it. Most of us prefer knockoffs like romance, sentimentality, and even spirituality. Though love is gentle, kind, patient, holy, pure, faithful, joyful, peaceful, and overwhelmingly good, it is hard to wear. It wears well in good times, but when offenses come, we prefer to take it off and wear our religious garb. In God s name, we push one another away. In God s name, we would rather judge than to give grace and mercy. The real evidence that this piece of clothing is out of style is seen in our divisions. This piece of clothing, when worn regularly, will push through differences - something few of us are willing to do. 4. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this week. Putting on love will, at some point, require suffering. It may mean losing reputation and loss of valuables. At the same time, putting on love can prove to be overwhelmingly profitable. We can find joy and fulfillment in a way that nothing else can do. In church life, putting on religion is often substituted for putting on love. It has the appearance of love, but over time, it fades. Putting on love involves a commitment that religion will not tolerate. That said, love does not enable sin, or encourage rebellion. Love is sometimes, possibly ofttimes, tough. Love is honest. It is frank. But above all, it is gracious, kind, and available. Father, as I push into You, please grant me a greater measure of love! 12 9
Day Three 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Mediate on Colossians 3: 12-17 again today. 3. Bring at least three friends or loved ones to the Lord and ask Him to bring them to repentance and faith. Ask Him to show you how you can boldly love them and speak the words of Jesus into their lives. 4. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this week. Day Three And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. ~Colossians 3:15, NLT Paul encourages us to LET the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts. LET is important. It implies a choice on my part. Peace won t rule unless I vote it in on a moment by moment election. Peace will not be a dictator. It will not take over my heart. Peace that comes from Jesus will never rule over me unless I LET it. What is this peace that comes from Christ? Jesus describes it like this: Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14: 27NAS). So, we can, with great certainty, say that Jesus peace passes all understanding. It s like no peace ever imagined! It s not a peace that comes from not Peace having difficulty or from avoiding pain. This peace reigns no matter my circumstances. This peace also has competitors. There are others who desire to rule my heart. Jesus says my heart can also invite anxiety and fear to rule. In the Greek, Jesus literally says, Stop letting your heart be troubled and stop being fearful! These two despots will take over the heart and make us miserable! The key here is this: I don t have to let those two guys take over my heart. For some reason, we often think that we have to let them rule if they push their way in to leadership! No, they can be de-throned immediately! Let peace have it s way and he will expel those two in a jiffy! Father, I invite peace to take over the leadership of my heart. I reject anxiety and fear! 10 11