Pastor Frank

FollowUp 3-6-18

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Message Title:  Visions of the Future and the Power in Prayer

Series: Visions of the Future

Key verses:  Daniel 9:20-23

Sermon Notes:

Prayer and the Principles of an Empowered Life (Daniel 9: 1-19)

  1. Prayer is knowing and acknowledging who God is
  2. Prayer is knowing our limits and accepting our failure
  3. Prayer is yearning for and submitting to God’s plan

Result: Experiencing God’s awesome power

The Answer to Daniel’s Prayer: The Seventy Sevens (Daniel 9:20-27)

Follow-up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: What big prayers has God answered in the last year for your life?  Please share one or two.

  1. Read Jeremiah 29:10-14. This is the prophecy Daniel discovered in the writings of Jeremiah, dating roughly a century earlier. God expresses a change in His relationship with Israel. What does this tell us about God’s seriousness with regard to sin? What kind of a heart does God want to develop in His children?
  2. Read Daniel 9:4-11. Make a list of God’s characteristics, as identified by Daniel and God’s people. How can reflecting on a list like this be helpful in our relationship with God? Why do you think it is difficult for us, especially in today’s world, to take responsibility for our failure?
  3. As you look over the list of Israel’s mistakes, check off the ones you’ve made in your own life. How did you feel about your mistakes at the time? How do you feel about them now? What did God teach you?
  4. Read Daniel 9:17-19. Daniel is praying for the things that God promised in Jeremiah 29. Why is he praying for things that God already says He intends to do? Jesus does the same thing in Matthew 6:10. What does this say to us about the role of prayer?  How can we apply this principle in our lives?
  5. Read Daniel 9:20-23. What does this tell you about God’s opinion of prayer? What do Gabriel’s words reveal about the importance of how we live our lives?
  6. Read Daniel 9:26-27. In verse 26, Messiah is “put to death” (NIV). This is an astounding prophecy of the death of Jesus  made hundreds of years before His birth. How does this encourage your faith today?  How should knowing this encourage us to study Daniel’s prophecies deeper as we look to the future?  What do you think is the value in trying to understand them?

FollowUp 2-27-18

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Message Title:  Visions of the Future and the Miracle of Prophecy

Series: Visions of the Future

Key verses:  Daniel 8:20-21

Sermon Notes:

Daniel Ch 8 predicts:

  1. The coming of the Medo-Persian Empire by name before it came to power. (Daniel 8:20)
  2. The coming of the Greek Empire by name before it came to power. (Daniel 8:21)
  3. The coming of the Jewish revolt against the Greeks before it happened. (Dan 8:13-14)

 

How does the Bible do this?

  1. The God of the Bible is real.
  2. Jesus says that prophecy is persuasive for faith.

 

Follow-up questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: As you look at the current events of the world, are you an optimist or a pessimist?

  1. What are your impressions of Daniel chapter 7 and 8 which has been shared these last two weeks by Pastor Frank? Why do you think God had Daniel write these two chapters?  How do you think God has used these last two chapters to speak to His people for the last 2,500 years?
  2. It is said that every person, even an atheist, has some degree of faith. Do you agree with this?  How do you know that what you believe is true?  What evidence or facts do you stand on in believing in Jesus?
  3. Read Acts 9:20-22,17:1-4, 26:21-28, 28:23-24. From the moment the Apostle Paul/Saul became a believer in Jesus, he would use prophecy in Scripture to persuade people to faith.  How has prophecy been used to persuade you to faith early in your journey and today?  Have you ever used prophecy to share your faith with others?  Why do you think that some people aren’t persuaded by prophecy?  Please share.
  4. Read Daniel 7:28, Daniel 8:27, John 21:18-19. There are times when God trusts us enough to reveal that difficult times are ahead.  Daniel was horrified at what God was telling him was going to happen to his people, and Jesus told Peter how he was going to die.  Has God ever trusted you enough to reveal hard things to you and how did you deal with it?  How did it affect your relationship with God?
  5. When God looks at the current events of the world do you think He is an optimist or a pessimist?

End your time praying for each other.

FollowUp 2-21-18

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Message Title:  Visions of the Future and the Son of Man

Series: Visions of the Future

Key verses:
Daniel 7:13-14

Sermon Notes:

There are two types of predictive prophecy in the Scriptures:

  1. Fulfilled
  2. Going to be fulfilled.
  3. Jesus referred to himself as the “Son of Man” over 85 times in the scriptures.

Who is the Son of Man in Daniel 7?

  1. He appears before God in the form of a human being.
  2. He is of heavenly origins.
  3. He is given authority, glory, and sovereign power over all people forever.
  4. He is the Messiah.

How should Daniel 7 speak to us today?

  1. The God of the Bible is amazing.
  2. Jesus is coming again. Are you ready?

Follow up questions from Sunday:

 

Icebreaker: What animal scares you the most?

  1. How has Biblical prophecy affected your faith journey?
  2. What do you think are some of the Bible’s most amazing prophecies that have been fulfilled?
    3.  Read Isaiah 41:21-24, 42:8-9, 44:7-8.  What do you think the God of the Bible is trying to
    communicate to us in these verses?
    4.  Can you name some prophecies in the Bible that haven’t been fulfilled yet?
    What makes you think that these will happen?
  3. Read John 3:13-17. Jesus was speaking to a religious leader named Nicodemus.  What do you think
    Jesus was trying to teach him about the “Son of Man”?
  4. Read Daniel 7:13-14, Mk 14:61-64. At Jesus’ trial, He was asked if He was the fulfillment of this
    passage.  From His reply, how should we interpret the sequence of this prophecy becoming fulfilled?
    How does the idea of Jesus coming again and fulfilling this prophecy make you feel?  How do you
    think this should impact our daily lives?

End your time praying for each other.

 

FollowUp 2-13-18

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?