Sunday's session:
Christians in the frying pan
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Sunday
1.4. Jim Buffington, Suffer now, party later.
JIm gets us started on a 4-week series called Christians in the frying pan.
Bible passages:
1 Peter 1:1-12; 3:13-4:19 |
Upcoming:
1.11. Robert Ladd, Rx for a happy family
1.18. Robert Ladd. How to grow a Christian
1.25. Terry Bahadur. How to spot a fraud Christian. |
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1 Peter 1:1-2 I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!
A New Life
3-5 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.
6-7 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
8-9 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.
10-12 The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah’s Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
3:13-18 If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.
19-22 He went and proclaimed God’s salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment because they wouldn’t listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact—saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience. Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He’s standing right alongside God, and what he says goes.
Learn to Think Like Him
4:1-2 Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.
3-5 You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore. But you don’t have to give an account to them. They’re the ones who will be called on the carpet—and before God himself.
6 Listen to the Message. It was preached to those believers who are now dead, and yet even though they died (just as all people must), they will still get in on the life that God has given in Jesus.
7-11 Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
Glory Just Around the Corner
12-13 Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
14-16 If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
17-19 It’s judgment time for God’s own family. We’re first in line. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message!
If good people barely make it,
What’s in store for the bad?
So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.
REZCHAT CALENDAR
- Erin Cottrell got born, January 1 many moons ago
- Second Sunday Social: January 11, 2015
- Fly-fishing? We're thinking about it for Spring
- Class elections before February 28
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Class elections
Team leaders serve for 12 months, beginning on March 1.
We might consider a class discussion about this at the next Second Sunday Social, and perhaps the election by the following social on February 8.
Below is a reminder of the RezChat mission statement and the list of current team leaders and their job descriptions.
It has been a while since we revised and updated the job descriptions. It may be a good idea to talk about that, too.
RezChat Bible Study mission statement:
Build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians by studying the Bible, discussing their questions about the Christian faith, and putting their faith into action.
Class leader, Bill Fitzherbert
1. Make sure all the team leaders are leading their teams and fulfilling their ministry responsibilities
2. Look for people with leadership potential and give them leadership opportunities that will help prepare them for a leadership position in Sunday school or somewhere else in the church
3. Arrange to send class e-mails updates about general class news and upcoming events
Class treasurer: Linda Miller
1. Don't commit a felony.
Curriculum team, Steve Miller and Cris Bahadur
[Cris volunteered to make sure we have session leaders each Sunday.]
1. Create a curriculum track of lesson topics for 12 months
2. Arrange for discussion leaders to direct each class session
3. Survey the class at least once a year for evaluation and for ideas about how to make the sessions more meaningful
4. Create an atmosphere that encourages everyone to participate in class
5. Find ways to engage the interest of people
6. Try to make sure everyone sees how the study topic applies to our lives today
Publicity team, Tim Edwards
1. Create PowerPoint presentations to publicize the class (the slides are run before and after each worship service)
2. Post signs to direct newcomers to the classroom
3. Explore ways to make everyone in the church aware of the RezChat Bible study class
4. Keep the RezChat promotional info on the church web site up to date
5. Invite promotional ideas from others in the class
Hospitality team, Karen Fitzherbert
1. Greet guests and introduce them to the class
2. Fill out the attendance book
3. Have first-time guest provide contact information
4. Send first-time visitors a card or e-mail
5. Contact class members who have been missing a week or two when no one knows why they have been absent
6. Contact class members who have been missing for an extended time
[Note, If I remember correctly, we added "chewables and cafe" mid-year.]
Social/missions team, Linda Miller (social); Lisa and Dave Rock (missions)
1. Plan regular socials, once every month or two
2. Plan regular opportunities for the class to serve others
3. Explore the possibility of a major mission trip for the class
4. Find ways to help class members connect with each other
5. Invite class members to suggest ideas for socials and ministry |
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