Pastor Frank

FollowUp 2-13-18


Message Title:  Rest

Series: Boot Camp

Key verses:  Mark 6:30-31

Sermon Notes:

  1. In the Bible, rest is not a suggestion but a command. Ex 20:8-11
  2. God expects His people to be people of balance. Ex 20:8-11
  3. Jesus is our rest (Shabbat.)
  4. Jesus is our peace (Shalom.)

How should we approach Sabbath?

  1. Greet God in the morning. (Ps 5:3, Lam 3:22-23)
  2. Seek a spirit of thankfulness. (Phil 4:6,1 Thess 5:16-18)
  3. Come to church. (Heb 10:25)
  4. Be still (Ps 46:10)
  5. Focus your thoughts (Col 3:1-2, Rev 4:1-6)
  6. Other_____

Follow up questions from Sunday:

 

Icebreaker: What is your earliest memory of church?

  1. Read Ex 20:8-11, Is 58:13-14. What captures your attention as you read this verses?  What do you think God is trying to say to us about the importance and benefits of taking a day of rest?
  2. What things distract you from making Sunday a day for you and Jesus to connect? How have you experienced Sunday being honorable and a delight to you?
  3. Read Mk 6:30-31, Mt11:28-29. How does these verses describe the heart of Jesus to us?  When was the last time the you experienced Jesus giving you rest?
  4. Read Lk 10:38-42. What do you love most about this story?  Between Martha or Mary who do you most identify with in your personality?
  5. Read Jn 14:27. How have you experienced the peace of Jesus in your life?
  6. Read Col 3:1-2, Rev 4:1-6. The scriptures tells us that we need to keep our mind on things above where Jesus is.  When you realize what the throne of Jesus looks like and picture yourself standing there in His presence….how does it make you feel?  What happens to your stresses and problems?  Should can this scene give us courage and strength to press on in the fight of life.

Pray for each other that we all learn the secret to finding true rest and peace in Jesus for our daily lives.

FollowUp 2-6-18


Message Title:  Teach

Series: Boot Camp

Key verses:  Matthew 28:18-20

Sermon Notes:

  1. Making disciples begins with leading a person to Christ
  2. Making disciples continue within the local church
  3. Forms of teaching that you use in making disciples
    1. Teaching through influence 2 Corinthians 5:11
    2. Teaching through modeling 1 Corinthians 11:1
    3. Teaching through instruction 1 Thessalonians 4:1

 Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Who were the most influential people in your life that poured into you spiritually? How did they do it?

  1. Go around the room and read Matthew 28:18-20
  2. This passage has been commonly called “The Great Commission” because it was the last command Jesus gave too His disciples. Why do you think it is important to Jesus that His disciples teach other disciples to follow Him? What is so special and unique about following Him?
  3. Have you ever led a person to Christ? Share about that experience and what it meant to you.
  4. If you have never led a person to Christ, why do you think that is so?
  5. Why do you think Jesus wants people of all nations and generations to follow Him? How can people of different cultures, language, customs and values be united by following the same leader?
  6. Read Matthew 14:13-14. Jesus wanted to withdraw from the crowd in order to grieve over the death of John the Baptist. But the crowd followed him. How did Jesus respond to the people’s needs? What does that tell us about the heart of Jesus for people? How would you have responded under similar circumstances?
  7. How are you modeling/reflecting the life of Jesus in the following areas? (those applicable)
    1. home
    2. workplace
    3. neighborhood
    4. school
  8. Who is the person(s) you consider your mentor and how is that person pouring into your life?
  9. Do you have a person you are mentoring? Describe how you are pouring into that person’s life.

FollowUp 1-30-18


Message Title:  Learn

Series: Boot Camp

Key verses:  Matthew 11:28-30

Sermon Notes:

  1. We need to learn what it means to come to Jesus
    1. Coming to Jesus means understanding our brokenness and acknowledging it “Come to me all who are weary and burdened…”
    2. Coming to Jesus means understanding His grace “And I will give you rest…rest for your souls.”
  2. Learning from Jesus means becoming more and more like Jesus
    1. As you get older as a Christian, did you become more righteous, or are you just self-righteous?
    2. Did you become more holy or are you just holier than thou?
    3. If you become more like Jesus, you will attract people to Jesus
  3. Why do some Christians stop growing in their spiritual lives?
    1. They come to Jesus but refuse to take His yoke “Take my yoke upon you…”
    2. They are more focused on eliminating the sin rather than falling in love with our Savior

 

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Who was your favorite teacher or mentor growing up? Why did that person have an impact in your life?

  1. Go around the room and read Matthew 11:28-30
  2. Based on your experience in the past, how would you rate yourself as a learner/disciple of Jesus?
  3. Why is it important for Christians to learn from Jesus, and be like Him? What’s at stake here?
  4. What happens to a Christian that stops growing spiritually and/or stops learning from Jesus?
  5. In 2Peter 3:18, Peter exhorts us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why is an accurate understanding of God’s grace so crucial to our spiritual growth?
  6. Read Matthew 11:20-24. This provides the context of our main passage in verses 28-29. Jesus was expressing grief because He had just performed miracles in Chorazin , Bethsaida and Capernaum but they still rejected Him. But in verses 24-27, Jesus thanks the Father for the people who will accept Him and opens the door for them to come to Him. What attitude should we have towards unbelievers who reject Him? Accept Him?
  7. Why do you think some non-Christians have a negative attitude towards Christians today? What do you think has led to this negative and even hostile stance towards Christianity?
  8. In what ways can Christians show love and compassion so that unbelievers will be attracted to Jesus? In what ways do you show the love of Jesus to others?

FollowUp 1-23-18


Message Title:  Servanthood

Series: Boot Camp

Key verses:  John 13:12-17

Sermon Notes:

Servant hood.

  1. Our King is a servant. (Phil 2:3-9)
  2. In the heart of God is the desire to give, forgive, and to serve. (Phil 2:3-9)
  3. God calls us to learn servanthood. (Jn 13:12-17)
  4. Serving blesses you.
  5. Serving blesses others.
  6. Serving each other blesses God’s Mission.
  7. Serving may not always be fun, but it is fulfilling.

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Describe your past week in weather terms. (Was it stormy, cloudy, foggy, mostly sunny or what?)

  1. Go around the room and read John 13:1-17.
  2. What captures your attention as you read this chapter? How does God speak to you in this chapter?
  3. Read 13:6-10 again. If you were Peter, would you have reacted the same way as he did. Why or why not?
  4. What do you think Jesus meant when He said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part in me?”
  5. It was customary for the people’s dusty, sandaled feet to be washed by the lowest ranking servant in the house. How does Jesus challenge their understanding of authority and servanthood?  How does Jesus challenge your thinking in these areas?
  6. In sermon note #2, it was stated that in the heart of God is the desire to give, forgive, and serve.

How have you experienced this in your spiritual journey?

  1. Do you have a hard time serving others? If you could give yourself a grade as a servant, what grade would you give yourself?  How do you think your family or friends would grade you?
  2. In Jn 13:17 Jesus says that we would be blessed if we learn and practice servanthood in our lives. How have you experienced this to be true in your life?
  3. Pastor Frank challenged us to be intentional in looking for ways to serve others this week. How have you  been doing with this challenge?

Pray for each other this week that Jesus’ teaching of servanthood would make a difference in your lives.

FollowUp 1-17-18


Message Title:  Work

Series: Boot Camp

Key verses:  Col 3:23-24

Sermon Notes:

What does God say about work in the Bible?

  1. God worked and He is still at work. (Gen 1:1, 2:1-2, Jn 5:17)
  2. God created us to work. (Gen 2:15, 3:17-19)
  3. To be idle and unwilling to work is a sin. (2 Thess 3:6-12)
  4. From our work, we should save money and bless others. (Eph 4:28)
  5. How we work should be a witness to the world. (1 Thess 4:9-12)

 

Why should we be a blessing in the work place?

  1. We work for God. (Col 3:23-24)
  2. Work is a divine calling.

 

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Who was the best boss you ever worked for and why?

 

  1. Share one thing that captured your attention from the message on Sunday. What do you think is God’s intention for us to work? When did you first realize that work is a part of God’s purpose for our lives?
  2. How do you think Jesus learned his work ethic? Who was the most influential person in your life that impacted your work ethic?
  3. In Genesis, we read that God worked in Creation and that He liked His work. What makes a good day of work for you?  What things need to take place for you to say that you had a good work day?
  4. Read 1 Thess 4:9-12. What word or phrase captures your attention in these verses?  How can “minding your own business” in the work place make a person a better employee?  Have you ever experienced an employee that didn’t do this?  What was the impact of that person in the work environment?
  5. The Scriptures say that being a hard worker is a good witness in the work place. Have you ever seen this happen before?  Please explain.
  6. What are some practical ways we all can be a blessing to others at work?
  7. Read Col 3:23-24. As you read this Scripture, what words jump out at you?  How do you think applying these verses could change the way you approach work in a practical way?  How do you think applying this verse should affect the quality of your work?  Besides Jesus, who do you think is the best example of this work ethic in your experience?
  8. Read John 5:17.  If God never retires from work, then what does this say to us?

FollowUp 12-13-17


Message Title: The Writing on the Wall

Series: Rebel with a Cause

Key verses:  Daniel 5

Sermon Notes:

Letting God speak to us in Daniel 5.

  1. Our days are numbered. (Psalm 90:12)
  2. How we live our days matter to God. (Is 65-1-3)
  3. How we live our days are weighed by God — we are found lacking. (Romans 3:23, 6:23)
  4. Our kingdom is temporary. (Mt 6:19-21)

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker:  What was the most valuable thing ever stolen from you?  When did it happen and what did it teach you about life?

  1. Go around the room and read Daniel ch 5.
  2. When you read Daniel 5:1-3. Why do you think Belshazzar had the holy cups brought to his party?  How do you see modern culture mocking God today?  Why do you think they do this?
  3. When you read Daniel 5:5-6. When can you think of other times in the Bible when God responds to people defying Him?  What does this tell you about the person of God?  Have you ever seen God humble someone in your spiritual journey?  Please share.
  4. Read Daniel 5:25-30 again, Psalm 90:12. Mene  means number….”our days are numbered”.  Knowing that our life is only for a time and we will all stand before God, how do you think this should affect how we live our days?  When did you first learn to number your days?
  5. Read Romans 3:23, 6:23. Tekel means “weighed”.  Knowing that our lives are weighed on the scales of heaven before a Holy God, how does this truth influence your love for Jesus and His sacrifice for you?
  6. Read Mt 6:19-21. Parsin  means “divided”.  Knowing that all our possessions are for a season–and will one day be divided to someone else if they don’t get stolen or rusted away before then, –what should this teach us about the importance of “earthly wealth vs. heavenly wealth”?  How does this truth affect your life today?
  7. Pray for each other the rebels prayer as we all seek to meet know and follow Jesus.

Father give me the wisdom to know the right thing to do and the courage to do it

FollowUp 12-05-17


Message Title: “It’s All About Me!” – A Lesson in Pride

Series: Rebel with a Cause

Key verses:  Daniel 4; Matt. 16:26

Sermon Notes:

  1. Pride deafens us to wise advice.
  2. Pride blinds us to our sin.
  3. Pride blocks us from the relationships we need.
  4. By his grace, for our own good, God may break our pride.

 

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: What’s the best Christmas present you can remember receiving as a child? How old were you when giving became more important to you than getting?

  1. Read Prov15:31-33. How good are you at taking advice? Do you have people in your life who have the freedom to call you out when you’re off track?
  2. Read Prov 8:13. Pride allows us to protect and defend our right to sin. Why is it hard, in today’s world, to humble yourself and live out God’s values?
  3. Read Matt 11:29. What can we learn from Jesus about humility? How does his humility connect us to him?
  4. Read Heb 12:5-11. Do we look at hardship this way, most of the time? Share a time when God used difficult times to produce a harvest of peace and righteousness in your life.
  5. Read Prov 21:24. Why is anger sometimes a sign of arrogance? Share a time when you were angry and later realized your pride had been hurt.
  6. Read James 4:13-17. James scolds the church in Jerusalem for having too much confidence in their own plans. What are some ways you can humble yourself before God as you look ahead to 2018?

FollowUp 11-29-17


Message Title: Rebels and a Fiery Furnace

Series: Rebel with a Cause

Key verses: Dan 3:16-18, 24-25, 28.

Sermon Notes:

Notes:

  1. When a Rebel stands for God in the little things, they are better prepared to stand for God in the big things.
  2. You make choices and your choices make you.
  3. Our God is big enough to rescue us from hard circumstances, but if He chooses not to He is big enough to carry us through it!
  4. Sometimes God won’t save you from the flames, but he will always be with you in the fire!
  5. God is revealed to others when we walk by faith.

The Prayer of a Rebel for God.

  1. Father give me the wisdom to know the right thing to do and the courage to do it.

 

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: In high school, what two friends did you hang out with the most?

  1.  Go around the room and read Daniel ch 3.
  2.  As you read this chapter, what do you admire most about the three men in the story? Their courage, witness, faith in God for a miracle, trust in God no matter what? Please share.
  3.  As you read this chapter, what is your impression of Nebuchadnezzar? How would you define his personality and character traits?   In your life travels, who have you personally met that most reminded you of King Nebuchadnezzar?  Is there any Nebuchadnezzar in you?  Please share.
  4.  How do you think God views King Nebuchadnezzar?  Please share then read Is 40:21-26
  5.  What are some of your most “fiery” tests of faith that you remember experiencing and how did God use these in your life and in the lives of others around you?
  6.  In what areas of your life do you feel the greatest pressure to compromise your convictions? Work, home, school, friends, finances, other?  please share.
  7.  Are there any areas of your life that you are sensing God may be calling you to stand for Him as a rebel?  Please share?  How can this group stand with you and pray for you?

FollowUp 11-21-17


Message Title: Rebel and the King’s Dream

Series: Rebel with a Cause

Key verses: Dan 2:1-3, 46-49, Acts 4:8-12

Sermon Notes:

  1. In Daniel chapter 1, God sustains his prophet.
  2. In Daniel chapter 2, God speaks to the King.

In Daniel 2, God speaks to the king that:

  1. The God of Israel is the absolute Sovereign ruler of heaven and earth!
  2. Sovereignty means God can do what He wants when He wants and how He wants to do it without asking you first.
  3. The time of the Gentiles is a period of time of Gentile denomination over Jerusalem and the Jewish people until the coming of Jesus.

The Prayer of a Rebel for God.

Father give me the wisdom to know the right thing to do and the courage to do it.

 

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: What is one of the most memorable or unusual dreams you ever had?

  1. In Daniel Chapter 2, God reveals that He is not weak or distant, but he is powerful and present with what is happening on earth. How does this truth effect you?  How should it effect all of us?
  2. Read Acts 4:8-12. After Peter heals in the name of Jesus, he declares the prophecy of Psalm 118 that Jesus is the Stone of the kingdom of God.  How has Jesus been a solid foundation for your life?  How do you think this Stone will play out into your future?
  3. Read 1 Thess 5:18, Phil 4:6, Col 3:17. We are told as followers of Jesus to be thankful in all circumstances.

What are some things you are thankful for that has happened to you in this last year?  What are some things you are thankful to your family and friends for?

  1. This Thanksgiving week spend some time sharing about all the good things that God has done for you and give Him praise.

Examples of those who gave thanks:

Jesus Christ—Mt 14:!9 (Luke 9:16); Mark 8:6; Luke 24:30; 1Cor 11:24

Paul—Acts 28:15; Rom 6:17; Eph 1:16; 1Tim 1:12

Heavenly beings—Rev 4:9; 7:12; 11:17

FollowUp 11-14-17


Message Title: Rebel with a Cause

Series: Rebel with a Cause

Key verses:

2 Chronicles 36:15-16, Daniel 1:8-9, Jn 17:13-19

Sermon Notes:

Who was Daniel and his friends?

  1. They were teenagers.
  2. They were most likely from a Godly home.
  3. They came from royalty and privilege.
  4. They came from the horrors of war.
  5. They were under pressure to leave their God.
  6. They were rebels for God in a foreign land.

What does Jesus mean by the world?

  1. It is a fallen system of thought that call us to live our life and seek out or needs independent of God. (Gen 3:1-7)

How did Daniel live for God in a foreign land?

  1. He wasn’t a wimp. (Dan 1:8)
  2. H wasn’t a jerk. (Dan 1:9)
  3. He loved first and led second–but he always did both.

Our church prayer for this series:

11. Father give me the wisdom to know the right thing to do and the courage to do it.

Follow up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Who is your favorite rebel character in the movies and why?

  1. Read 2 Chron. 36:15-16; Matthew 21: 12-14 What do these verses reveal about God to you? Do you see God as a patient God why or why not?  How have you experienced God being patient with you?
  2. Read Daniel 1:9: How have you seen God give you favor in the eyes of others in your life journey?  Why do you think He does this?   In what circumstance, would you like to pray this verse for your life today?
  3. We read in Dan. 1 that to be an effective rebel for God in the world we need to love and to lead. Which one of these do you struggle with the most?
  4. Read John 17: 13-19; What does Jesus pray for –for us–as we live in this world and why? In what ways, can we live out being in the world and not of it?  When was the last time you felt like an alien in this world? Please share.  How can you reflect truth in this situation, without being a “wimp or jerk”.
  5. Read 2 Cor. 6:16-18. How does thinking of ourselves as children of God help us live morally distinct lives in our culture? (Hint: In Jesus’ time, familes had shared values, and were a shelter against the influences of the world at large. Our families today don’t always work the same way.) In what way is “idols” a good way of thinking about the things that the world uses to influence us?
  6. Read Heb. 11:13-16. The writer says that people who live by faith identify themselves as foreigners and strangers in this world. What things distract you from focusing on heaven? Why do we find ourselves so easily influenced?
  7. In your faith journey as a follower of Jesus, can you recall a time when God gave you the wisdom to do the right thing and the courage to do it?  Please share.  Pray for each other that God will continue to answer this prayer in your life as you follow Him.