Intro to Church 1: Todos Bienvenidos! ("Everybody Welcome!")

Scripture lesson: Matthew 2:1-12

Key verse: Revelation 7:9 I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. 

 

·       God wants to adopt everybody.

·       God’s plan is for us who are already adopted to invite everyone else. (There is no Plan B.)

·       We have no right to exclude anyone from the family of God.

·       Unfortunately, many choose to exclude themselves.

·       Our job is to so demonstrate the blessings of God’s family that everyone else wants to be part of it.

 

 

Intro to Church 2: The Foot Bone’s Connected to the Leg Bone (We're All In This Together)

Scripture lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Key verse: Ephesians 4:16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. 

 

·       Under Jesus’ direction

• ·       It’s not our church, it’s God’s
• ·       It’s not our preference, it’s Jesus’ commandments
• ·       It’s not our comfort level, it’s the Holy Spirit’s guidance

·        the whole body is fitted together perfectly.

• ·       God has a perfect place for you in his church
• ·       God has a perfect plan for you in his church
• ·       There’s no such thing as a misfit Christian

 

·       As each part does its own special work,

• ·       God created you to do something special
• ·       When you do your special work, good things happen
• ·       When you don’t do your special work, it slows down God’s whole plan

·        it helps the other parts grow,

• ·       We’re all connected to each other
• ·       We’re all responsible for each other
• ·       We all help each other grow

·       so that the whole body is healthy

• ·       A healthy body is resilient
• ·       A healthy body is energetic
• ·       A healthy body is strong

·       and growing

• ·       Growing in knowledge
• ·       Growing in ability
• ·       Growing in maturity
• ·       Growing in size

·       and full of love.

Intro to Church 3: Working on the Dream

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 58:1-14

Key verse: Matthew 6:10 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 

 

·       Everything important starts with a dream

·       Our key verse tells us God’s dream

•    God’s dream is that God’s way will rule in this world as much as it does in heaven
•    Wherever things are not like heaven, that’s where God’s will is not being done

·       Our passage tells us God’s dream

•    God’s dream is not about religious ritual or human piety

1.    Religious activities in themselves are empty (verses 1-5)
2.   They are only meaningful if they are filled with love (verse 13)

•    God’s dream is about people treating each other like family

1.   Treat people fairly (verse 6)
2.   Share with those in need (verse 7)
3.   Speak truth in love (verse 9)
4.   Help those in trouble (verse 10)

•    God has a plan for accomplishing his dream
•    God’s plan is the church – there is no Plan B
•    When we work together to make earth like heaven, we enjoy the blessings of  heaven on earth (verses 8, 11-12, 14)

 

Intro to Church 4: Iron Sharpens Iron (We Make Each Other Better)

Scripture lesson: Galatians 5:16-25

Key verse: Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.  

 

·       “What if God brought us together, not to make us happy, but to make us holy?”

•    We can make each other better through teaching and mentoring
•    We can make each other better through encouragement and support
•    We can make each other better through disagreement and conflict

·       “If two people agree about everything, one of them is unnecessary”

•    The devil wants conflict to turn us against one another
•    God wants conflict to make us better people

·       Conflict doesn’t need to mean one is right and the other is wrong

•    Differences in spiritual gifts can create conflicts
•    Differences in natural worship styles can create conflicts
•    Disagreements on the best way to achieve a mutual goal can create conflicts

·       Let’s make each other better

•    Verses 19-21 list fifteen fruits of the sinful nature

1.   More than half of them have to do with our relationships with each other
2.   If the devil can get us to act this way, we destroy each other and we destroy God’s church

•    Verses 22-23 list nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

1.   All of them have to do with our relationships with each other
2.   If God can get us to act this way, we make each other better and we build up God’s church

•    Verse 26 lists three more problems that can arise even among Christians

1.   All of them have to do with our relationships with each other
2.   All of them are especially common to churches

•    Verses 16-18 and 24-25 tell us how to allow conflicts to make us better, not worse

1.   Live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit (verse 16)
2.   Choose the desires that come from the Holy Spirit (verse 17)
3.   Be directed by the Holy Spirit (verse 18)
4.   Nail the passions and desires of your sinful nature to the cross (verse 24)
5.   Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of your life (verse 25)

·       “What’s more important, proving I’m right, or strengthening this relationship?”

Intro to Church 5: Access to Power

Scripture lesson: Acts 2:37-47

Key verse: Acts 1:8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Twelve keys to spiritual power from Acts 2:37-47:

• 1.     Be baptized (41)
  
• 2.     Receive the Holy Spirit (38-39; key verse)
  
• 3.     Spend time with other Christians (42, 44, 46)
  
• 4.     Learn the things of God (42)
  
• 5.     Share in the Lord’s Supper (42, 46)
  
• 6.     Pray (42)
  
• 7.     Don’t lose your sense of awe and wonder (43)
  
• 8.     Spend time with those who know God’s power (43)
  
• 9.     Worship (46)
  
• 10.  Be joyful (46)
  
• 11.  Practice generosity (46)
  
• 12.  Praise God (47)
  

Every one of these is multiplied exponentially when done with other Christians (Leviticus 26:8; Matthew 18:19-20)

Intro to Church 6: Divine Orienteering

Scripture lesson: Acts 11:19-30

Key verse: 1 Corinthians 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 

·       Your decisions define your life

·       People try all kinds of ways to find the right direction

·       God knows the best direction for every decision

·       God gives us many ways to discern his direction

•    The Bible
  
•    Leaders
  
•    Tradition
  
•    Logic
  
•    Conscience
  
•    Circumstances
  
•    Dreams, visions and prophetic words
  
•    An inner sense of guidance
  
•    The counsel of others
  

·       It’s never too late to make good decisions

No Plan B - Part 3: Mud!