Hi, RezChat
OK, I think I got this one right. We did the lesson about suffering last week. This Sunday we start a series on the Apostle's Creed.
I know it sounds boring. But we don't do boring.
We'll rattle the cage on our core beliefs.
________________________________________
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
________________________________________
Sunday's session: Cris Bahadur
Curriculum team: draft of the track
Passover Seder: on Palm Sunday
Chewables & Cafe: Lisa and Dave Rock
________________________________________
Sunday's session: Things I believe
Actually, I still don't know if Cris Bahadur is leading Sunday's session. All I know is that she's in charge of finding someone to lead it.
Whoever leads it, that kind soul will they'll be launching a 4-week series called "Things I'm supposed to believe: Apostle's Creed."
Here's the look ahead.
•We three gods (Trinity), taught by Cris knows who.
•The walking dead (Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus), by Robert Ladd.
•Us ("I believe in the holy catholic Church" and other stuff, too), by Jim Buffington
•Jesus, the sequel ("He ascended into heaven...), by Cris knows who.
Sunday's session, We three gods, focuses on this statement:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
Links to Bible passages:
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Matthew 3:16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
28:19 Go,[a] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 28:19 TR and NU add “therefore”
Curriculum team: the year ahead
Here's your first look at the curriculum track that the curriculum team put together.
It's still a work in progress. The team will get back to me on any revisions they want made.
As for signups, let the dogs out. Cris Bahadur will be circulating the list and arranging for signups. If you see any session topics that interest you and you'd like to lead the discussion, let me or Cris know. We'll plug your name in.
RezChat Curriculum, May 2014 through April 2015
|
LEADER
|
DATE
|
TITLE
|
|
FLASH
FLOOD ALERT (2
wks)
|
||
|
|
5.4
|
Why
Noah?
What character traits does God want to see in his children? Genesis 6:5-8; 9:20-28. Genesis 6:8 is the key verse, “Noah found favor with the Lord.” |
|
|
5.11
Mother’s Day
|
Noah’s
Flood vs. Geology 101
What are some ways Christians understand this story in light of science that says there was no worldwide flood? Genesis 7:1-24 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDERS (2
wks)
|
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
5.18
|
Date
with the Music Man
Q&A to talk about Nathan’s philosophy of music ministry, his dreams for the future of music ministry at RezWest, a little behind-the-scenes into what it takes to pull off a single Sunday of ministry (the steps he goes through). —While Nathan is leading music, we can listen to a popular worship song or two, and discuss them. Proverbs 25:20 (illustrates how music can feel painful); 2 Chronicles 5:2-3;12-14 (an example of music in worship service) |
|
|
5.25
Memorial Day weekend; Pentecost Sunday
|
It’s
a good day to die
What does the Bible have to say death and dying? Old Testament take: Ecclesiastes 9:3-8 (the dead know nothing” Psalm 23:4 New Testament: Romans 14:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 |
|
THE
B-I-B-L-E, YES THAT’S THE BOOK FOR ME (4 wks)
Note from Steve: I juggled this oddly because I’ll be gone 6.22, and I wanted to be here for the discussion of Adam’s book. |
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
6.1
|
Pastor
Adam’s B-I-B-L-E.
His take on the Bible is to the Southern Baptists what Martin Luther was to
the Pope. Discuss Adam’s view that the Bible was written by humans inspired
in much the same way that God inspires us today. Pull examples and Scripture
passages from his book, for reaction by the class. Invite any of the pastoral
staff to join the discussion. Invite pastoral staff to join the discussion.
|
|
|
6.8
|
Life
with Pastor Adam’s B-I-B-L-E. Discuss several Bible passages that could change our
lifestyle if we adopt Pastor Adam’s way of reading them. Session leader would
select these, and perhaps a few quotes from Adam’s book, to lead the class
though the discussion.
|
|
Steve
Miller
|
6.15
Father’s Day
|
Write
your own Bible.
We’ll look at a few Bible passages and paraphrase them into words we would use to get the point across to our kids or grandkids or a friend outside the faith. Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 19:18; Song of Songs 8:6-7 |
|
|
6.22
|
Who
invented the Bible?
This is the story of how we got the Bible. One of many resources: Steve’s book Bible Snapshots, pp 14-16. Deuteronomy 31:9; 2 Samuel 1:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 [Note: Please react. This was originally planned as the first lesson in the series, but I had to juggle it so I could be there for discussion of Adam’s book. We may need to replace this session with a closing-style theme such as The best words in the Bible, which could look at some of the Bible’s most popular teachings and promises, and why we love them.] |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
6.29
Independence Day weekend
|
Free
to be me
Or maybe it’s free to be all God wants me to be. Focus: life lived according to the guidance of God’s Spirit instead of rules people make for us. Galatians 5:1-26 |
|
I
LOVE THAT PASSAGE
(3 wks)
|
||
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
7.6
|
Fav
Bible passage of Terry Bahadur
|
|
Jim
Buffington
|
7.13
|
Fav
Bible passage of Jim Buffington
|
|
Steve
Miller
|
7.20
|
Fav
Bible passage of Steve Miller. Isaiah 40:27-31
|
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
7.27
|
Where
have all the miracles gone?
John 4:48; John 14:12-14; Acts 19:11-12 |
|
THREE
FACES OF JESUS
(3 wks)
|
||
|
|
8.3
|
Jesus,
warm and fuzzy
“Bring the children,” and Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Mark 10:13-16; Luke 19:41-44 |
|
|
8.10
|
Jesus,
bringing down the hammer
Jesus clears the Temple and rags on the Pharisees. John 2:13-22; Matthew 23:23-28 |
|
|
8.17
|
Jesus,
at the end of his rope
Jesus curses cities in Galilee and calls the people faithless. Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 9:37-43 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
8.24
|
God
moments
Events in the lives of people that serve as their spiritual anchors, assuring them that they have the God thing right. Joshua 1:9; Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:38-39 |
|
TOUGH
QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD AND THE BIBLE (topics pulled from Steve’s new book; 4 wks)
|
||
|
|
8.31
Labor Day weekend
|
What
on earth do Christians mean when they say the Bible is “inspired” by God?
Matthew 22:31; Acts 15:36; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21 |
|
|
9.7
Grand-parents Day
|
Since
Jesus told people to turn the other cheek, why aren’t more Christians
pacifists?
Matthew 5:39, 44; Matthew 7:12; Joshua 11:11 |
|
|
9.14
|
Why
do Christians say hell is a fiery place of eternal torture when it’s an
invented English word to describe a valley beside Jerusalem?
Mark 9:42-43; 2 Peter 2:4; Matthew 10:28; Colossians 1:20 |
|
|
9.21
|
Why
do preachers tell people they have to tithe when the New Testament says
that’s an obsolete Jewish law?
Malachi 3:8; Hebrews 8:13; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 8:1, 3 |
|
JEWS
AND CATHOLICS ARE US? (2 wks)
|
||
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
9.28
|
Are
we more Catholic than we think?
|
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
10.5
Day of Atonement today |
Are
we more Jewish than we think?
|
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDERS (3
wks)
|
||
|
Jim
Buffington
|
10.12
Bosses Day is 10.16 |
How
to treat your boss
Colossians 3:22-24; Ephesians 6:5-9; Romans 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-20 |
|
|
10.19
|
Things
that go bump in the night
What should we believe about spiritual beings such as angels, demons, and demon possession? Ephesians 6:10-12; Mark 5:1-20 |
|
|
10.26
|
Figuring
out “God in me and me in God”
What does this mean and how should it affect the way we live? John 14:15-21 |
|
ISRAEL’S
SUPERHEROES AND PART-TIME JERKS (3 wks)
|
||
|
|
11.2
Turn back clocks
|
Gideon,
the hero who fleeced God
Explore Gideon’s character traits, good and bad, and how God used him anyhow. Possible application: How do we deal with doubts about doing something we think God wants us to do? Note: His story runs 3 chapters long. We could read it, or at least summarize it for the class so they know the whole story before discussing it. Judges 6:1, 6, 11-12; 33-40; 7:19-22; 8:22-27; Hebrews 11:32 |
|
|
11.9
Veteran’s Day week
|
Jephthah,
the hero who killed his daughter
God uses the son of a hooker to save the people. Application: What surprising people has God used to help us or others we know? Judges 11:1-40; Judges 12:1-7; Hebrews 11:32 |
|
|
11.16
|
Samson,
the hero who liked girls
God uses a thoroughly selfish man who runs on the power of 2 driving forces: lust and revenge. He’s a really oddball of a hero. His story covers several chapters, so the class will need a summary if we don’t read the entire story. Application: What common flaws do people have that get in the way of God’s business? And can God use our flaws? Judges 13: 1-5; Judges 14:1-3, 10-19 ; Hebrews 11:32 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
11.23
Thanksgiving week
|
Thankful
to give till it hurts?
Who came up with the idea of sacrificial giving? Discuss how churches raise money. Offer critique, advice, praise. Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Corinthians 8:1-3; 9:7 |
|
SON
SHINE AT CHRISTMAS
(3 wks)
|
||
|
|
11.30
Advent begins
|
Merry
Christmas, Son of God
Focus on what the Bible says about the divinity of Jesus. Isaiah 9:6; John 1-5; John 10:22-38 |
|
|
12.7
|
Merry
Christmas, Son of Man
Focus on the humanity of Jesus. “Son of man” is a nickname God gave Ezekiel, apparently to remind him that he was just a human who was being addressed by God. Application: How does it help us to relate to Jesus if we believe he was as human as we are? Ezekiel 2:1; Luke 9:57-58; John 8:25-30 |
|
|
12.14
|
Merry
Christmas, Son of Mary
The Christmas story revisited, with the add-on of the childhood of Jesus. If we don’t read the entire story, someone could summarize it. Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-52 |
|
|
12.21
Christmas Sunday; no class
|
No
class today
|
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
12.28
New Year’s week
|
I
want lots of stuff, which the Bible promises
A biblical look at the kind of Abundant Life God wants for us. Job 36:10-12; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:19-21, 24; 1 Timothy 6:10 |
|
CHRISTIANS
IN THE FYING PAN (1-2
Peter, 4 wks)
|
||
|
|
1.4
|
Suffer
now, party later
The suffering we have to endure in this life is worth what we’ll get in the next. 1 Peter 1:1-12; 3:13-4:19 |
|
|
1.11
|
Rx
for a happy family
1 Peter 3:1-12 |
|
|
1.18
MLK Day 19th
|
How
to grow a Christian
Traits of a mature Christian 2 Peter 1:1-21 |
|
|
1.25
|
How
to spot a fraud Christian
2 Peter 2:1-22 |
|
PAUL,
FOR BETTER AND WORSE (4 wks)
|
||
|
|
2.
1
|
We’re
saved. Count on Jesus for that.
Saved by faith in Christ. Romans 4:1-3; 5:1-11 |
|
|
2.8
Valentine’s Day week
|
Worship
etiquette
On Valentine’s Day week we allow Paul to tell the ladies to put a cork in it at church. We can talk about this teaching and then move on to what kind of worship practices work for us. 1 Timothy 2 |
|
|
2.15
Ash Wed is 2.18
|
A
letter to a slave owner
For someone who tells slaves to obey their master, Paul is pretty good at lobbying for this slave owner to free his slave. Philemon |
|
|
2.22
|
Be
nice to each other, guys
Paul’s Rx for spiritual maturity and how to get along with each other. Ephesians 4:1-16 |
|
RAGGEDY
MAN JOHN
(2 wks)
|
||
|
|
3.
1
|
John
the Baptist: the man who left the good life
Explore who he was and what he gave up as the son of a Jerusalem priest. Life application: What have we given up for the sake of God’s Kingdom? Resource: Jesus of the Bible, by Steve, pp. 102-107, “Who was John the Baptist?” Note: Avoid talking much about his message, since it gets covered next week. Luke 1:5-25; 80; Matthew 3:4 |
|
|
3.8
Clocks spring forward
|
John
the Baptist: the message that drew a crowd
What did he preach and why were the people so receptive? Life application: How do we prepare the way for the Lord, providing opportunities for God’s Spirit to work in the hearts of people we know? John 1:19-34 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDERS
(7 wks)
|
||
|
|
3.15
|
God:
“Can you hear me now?”
How does God talk to us? 1 Kings 19:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16; John 14:16-17, 26 |
|
|
3.22
|
Tiny
sin, big effect
Explore ways that what seem like a small departure from the path to God can produce painful results. Acts 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 7:9-11 |
|
|
3.29
Palm Sunday
|
Predicting
the death of Jesus
What did the prophets and Jesus say about the death of Jesus: how and why he would die? Resource: Jesus of the Bible, by Steve, pp 354-355, “Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled in Dying.” Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 14-18; Isaiah 53:1-12; John 17:1-5 |
|
|
4.5
Easter; Passover 4.4
|
Our
contract with God: the New Covenant
What is it and how is it different than the Old Covenant agreement God had with the Jews? Exodus 24:8; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Mark 14:24; Hebrews 8:13 |
|
|
4.12
|
The
Bible’s surprising #1 commandment: Don’t be afraid
2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10; 1 John 4:18; Philippians 4:6 |
|
Steve
Miller (but I’d defer to Robert Ladd if he’d like to take this session)
|
4.19
|
Sing
a new song
Listen to new or little-known worship songs, react to the effect they have on us, and evaluate the lyrics to see if they track well with Bible teachings. Consider discussing the value of singing new songs, compared to the golden oldies of the church. Resource: Nathan Brooks should be able to suggest some songs. Psalm 98 |
|
|
4.26
|
The
fine art of suffering
How should we approach suffering and the suffering of others? When it comes to suffering, what are the down sides and what are the up sides? Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4; Matthew 26:36-46 |
Hi, RezChat
OK, I think I got this one right. We did the lesson about suffering last week. This Sunday we start a series on the Apostle's Creed.
I know it sounds boring. But we don't do boring.
We'll rattle the cage on our core beliefs.
________________________________________
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
________________________________________
Sunday's session: Cris Bahadur
Curriculum team: draft of the track
Passover Seder: on Palm Sunday
Chewables & Cafe: Lisa and Dave Rock
________________________________________
Sunday's session: Things I believe
Actually, I still don't know if Cris Bahadur is leading Sunday's session. All I know is that she's in charge of finding someone to lead it.
Whoever leads it, that kind soul will they'll be launching a 4-week series called "Things I'm supposed to believe: Apostle's Creed."
Here's the look ahead.
• We three gods (Trinity), taught by Cris knows who.
• The walking dead (Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus), by Robert Ladd.
• Us ("I believe in the holy catholic Church" and other stuff, too), by Jim Buffington
• Jesus, the sequel ("He ascended into heaven...), by Cris knows who.
Sunday's session, We three gods, focuses on this statement:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
Links to Bible passages:
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 1:1; 14:11
Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19
Curriculum team: the year ahead
Here's your first look at the curriculum track that the curriculum team put together.
It's still a work in progress. The team will get back to me on any revisions they want made.
As for signups, let the dogs out. Cris Bahadur will be circulating the list and arranging for signups. If you see any session topics that interest you and you'd like to lead the discussion, let me or Cris know. We'll plug your name in.
RezChat Curriculum, May 2014 through April 2015
|
LEADER
|
DATE
|
TITLE
|
|
FLASH
FLOOD ALERT (2
wks)
|
||
|
|
5.4
|
Why
Noah?
What character traits does God want to see in his children? Genesis 6:5-8; 9:20-28. Genesis 6:8 is the key verse, “Noah found favor with the Lord.” |
|
|
5.11
Mother’s Day
|
Noah’s
Flood vs. Geology 101
What are some ways Christians understand this story in light of science that says there was no worldwide flood? Genesis 7:1-24 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDERS (2
wks)
|
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
5.18
|
Date
with the Music Man
Q&A to talk about Nathan’s philosophy of music ministry, his dreams for the future of music ministry at RezWest, a little behind-the-scenes into what it takes to pull off a single Sunday of ministry (the steps he goes through). —While Nathan is leading music, we can listen to a popular worship song or two, and discuss them. Proverbs 25:20 (illustrates how music can feel painful); 2 Chronicles 5:2-3;12-14 (an example of music in worship service) |
|
|
5.25
Memorial Day weekend; Pentecost Sunday
|
It’s
a good day to die
What does the Bible have to say death and dying? Old Testament take: Ecclesiastes 9:3-8 (the dead know nothing” Psalm 23:4 New Testament: Romans 14:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 |
|
THE
B-I-B-L-E, YES THAT’S THE BOOK FOR ME (4 wks)
Note from Steve: I juggled this oddly because I’ll be gone 6.22, and I wanted to be here for the discussion of Adam’s book. |
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
6.1
|
Pastor
Adam’s B-I-B-L-E.
His take on the Bible is to the Southern Baptists what Martin Luther was to
the Pope. Discuss Adam’s view that the Bible was written by humans inspired
in much the same way that God inspires us today. Pull examples and Scripture
passages from his book, for reaction by the class. Invite any of the pastoral
staff to join the discussion. Invite pastoral staff to join the discussion.
|
|
|
6.8
|
Life
with Pastor Adam’s B-I-B-L-E. Discuss several Bible passages that could change our
lifestyle if we adopt Pastor Adam’s way of reading them. Session leader would
select these, and perhaps a few quotes from Adam’s book, to lead the class
though the discussion.
|
|
Steve
Miller
|
6.15
Father’s Day
|
Write
your own Bible.
We’ll look at a few Bible passages and paraphrase them into words we would use to get the point across to our kids or grandkids or a friend outside the faith. Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 19:18; Song of Songs 8:6-7 |
|
|
6.22
|
Who
invented the Bible?
This is the story of how we got the Bible. One of many resources: Steve’s book Bible Snapshots, pp 14-16. Deuteronomy 31:9; 2 Samuel 1:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 [Note: Please react. This was originally planned as the first lesson in the series, but I had to juggle it so I could be there for discussion of Adam’s book. We may need to replace this session with a closing-style theme such as The best words in the Bible, which could look at some of the Bible’s most popular teachings and promises, and why we love them.] |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
6.29
Independence Day weekend
|
Free
to be me
Or maybe it’s free to be all God wants me to be. Focus: life lived according to the guidance of God’s Spirit instead of rules people make for us. Galatians 5:1-26 |
|
I
LOVE THAT PASSAGE
(3 wks)
|
||
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
7.6
|
Fav
Bible passage of Terry Bahadur
|
|
Jim
Buffington
|
7.13
|
Fav
Bible passage of Jim Buffington
|
|
Steve
Miller
|
7.20
|
Fav
Bible passage of Steve Miller. Isaiah 40:27-31
|
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
|
7.27
|
Where
have all the miracles gone?
John 4:48; John 14:12-14; Acts 19:11-12 |
|
THREE
FACES OF JESUS
(3 wks)
|
||
|
|
8.3
|
Jesus,
warm and fuzzy
“Bring the children,” and Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Mark 10:13-16; Luke 19:41-44 |
|
|
8.10
|
Jesus,
bringing down the hammer
Jesus clears the Temple and rags on the Pharisees. John 2:13-22; Matthew 23:23-28 |
|
|
8.17
|
Jesus,
at the end of his rope
Jesus curses cities in Galilee and calls the people faithless. Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 9:37-43 |
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDER
|
||
|
Steve
Miller
|
8.24
|
God
moments
Events in the lives of people that serve as their spiritual anchors, assuring them that they have the God thing right. Joshua 1:9; Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:38-39 |
|
TOUGH
QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD AND THE BIBLE (topics pulled from Steve’s new book; 4 wks)
|
||
|
|
8.31
Labor Day weekend
|
What
on earth do Christians mean when they say the Bible is “inspired” by God?
Matthew 22:31; Acts 15:36; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21 |
|
|
9.7
Grand-parents Day
|
Since
Jesus told people to turn the other cheek, why aren’t more Christians
pacifists?
Matthew 5:39, 44; Matthew 7:12; Joshua 11:11 |
|
|
9.14
|
Why
do Christians say hell is a fiery place of eternal torture when it’s an
invented English word to describe a valley beside Jerusalem?
Mark 9:42-43; 2 Peter 2:4; Matthew 10:28; Colossians 1:20 |
|
|
9.21
|
Why
do preachers tell people they have to tithe when the New Testament says
that’s an obsolete Jewish law?
Malachi 3:8; Hebrews 8:13; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 8:1, 3 |
|
JEWS
AND CATHOLICS ARE US? (2 wks)
|
||
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
9.28
|
Are
we more Catholic than we think?
|
|
Terry
Bahadur?
|
10.5
Day of Atonement today |
Are
we more Jewish than we think?
|
|
ONE-WEEK
WONDERS (3
wks)
|
||
|
Jim
Buffington
|
10.12
Bosses Day is 10.16 |
How
to treat your boss
Colossians 3:22-24; Ephesians 6:5-9; Romans 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-20 |
|
|
10.19
|
Things
that go bump in the night
What should we believe about spiritual beings such as angels, demons, and demon possession? Ephesians 6:10-12; Mark 5:1-20 |
|
|
10.26
|
Figuring
out “God in me and me in God”
What does this mean and how should it affect the way we live? John 14:15-21 |
|
ISRAEL’S
SUPERHEROES AND PART-TIME JERKS (3 wks)
|
||
|
|
11.2
Turn back clocks
|
Gideon,
the hero who fleeced God
Explore Gideon’s character traits, good and bad, and how God used him anyhow. Possible application: How do we deal with doubts about doing something we think God wants us to do? Note: His story runs 3 chapters long. We could read it, or at least summarize it for the class so they know the whole story before discussing it. Judges 6:1, 6, 11-12; 33-40; 7:19-22; 8:22-27; Hebrews 11:32 |
|
|
11.9
Veteran’s Day week
|
Jephthah,
the hero who killed his daughter
God uses the son of a hooker to save the people. Application: What surprising people has God used to help us or others we know? Judges 11:1-40; Judges 12:1-7; Hebrews 11:32 |
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11.16
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Samson,
the hero who liked girls
God uses a thoroughly selfish man who runs on the power of 2 driving forces: lust and revenge. He’s a really oddball of a hero. His story covers several chapters, so the class will need a summary if we don’t read the entire story. Application: What common flaws do people have that get in the way of God’s business? And can God use our flaws? Judges 13: 1-5; Judges 14:1-3, 10-19 ; Hebrews 11:32 |
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ONE-WEEK
WONDER
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11.23
Thanksgiving week
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Thankful
to give till it hurts?
Who came up with the idea of sacrificial giving? Discuss how churches raise money. Offer critique, advice, praise. Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Corinthians 8:1-3; 9:7 |
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SON
SHINE AT CHRISTMAS
(3 wks)
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11.30
Advent begins
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Merry
Christmas, Son of God
Focus on what the Bible says about the divinity of Jesus. Isaiah 9:6; John 1-5; John 10:22-38 |
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12.7
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Merry
Christmas, Son of Man
Focus on the humanity of Jesus. “Son of man” is a nickname God gave Ezekiel, apparently to remind him that he was just a human who was being addressed by God. Application: How does it help us to relate to Jesus if we believe he was as human as we are? Ezekiel 2:1; Luke 9:57-58; John 8:25-30 |
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12.14
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Merry
Christmas, Son of Mary
The Christmas story revisited, with the add-on of the childhood of Jesus. If we don’t read the entire story, someone could summarize it. Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-52 |
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12.21
Christmas Sunday; no class
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No
class today
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ONE-WEEK
WONDER
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12.28
New Year’s week
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I
want lots of stuff, which the Bible promises
A biblical look at the kind of Abundant Life God wants for us. Job 36:10-12; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:19-21, 24; 1 Timothy 6:10 |
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CHRISTIANS
IN THE FYING PAN (1-2
Peter, 4 wks)
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1.4
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Suffer
now, party later
The suffering we have to endure in this life is worth what we’ll get in the next. 1 Peter 1:1-12; 3:13-4:19 |
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1.11
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Rx
for a happy family
1 Peter 3:1-12 |
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1.18
MLK Day 19th
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How
to grow a Christian
Traits of a mature Christian 2 Peter 1:1-21 |
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1.25
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How
to spot a fraud Christian
2 Peter 2:1-22 |
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PAUL,
FOR BETTER AND WORSE (4 wks)
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2.
1
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We’re
saved. Count on Jesus for that.
Saved by faith in Christ. Romans 4:1-3; 5:1-11 |
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2.8
Valentine’s Day week
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Worship
etiquette
On Valentine’s Day week we allow Paul to tell the ladies to put a cork in it at church. We can talk about this teaching and then move on to what kind of worship practices work for us. 1 Timothy 2 |
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2.15
Ash Wed is 2.18
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A
letter to a slave owner
For someone who tells slaves to obey their master, Paul is pretty good at lobbying for this slave owner to free his slave. Philemon |
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2.22
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Be
nice to each other, guys
Paul’s Rx for spiritual maturity and how to get along with each other. Ephesians 4:1-16 |
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RAGGEDY
MAN JOHN
(2 wks)
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3.
1
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John
the Baptist: the man who left the good life
Explore who he was and what he gave up as the son of a Jerusalem priest. Life application: What have we given up for the sake of God’s Kingdom? Resource: Jesus of the Bible, by Steve, pp. 102-107, “Who was John the Baptist?” Note: Avoid talking much about his message, since it gets covered next week. Luke 1:5-25; 80; Matthew 3:4 |
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3.8
Clocks spring forward
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John
the Baptist: the message that drew a crowd
What did he preach and why were the people so receptive? Life application: How do we prepare the way for the Lord, providing opportunities for God’s Spirit to work in the hearts of people we know? John 1:19-34 |
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ONE-WEEK
WONDERS
(7 wks)
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3.15
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God:
“Can you hear me now?”
How does God talk to us? 1 Kings 19:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16; John 14:16-17, 26 |
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3.22
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Tiny
sin, big effect
Explore ways that what seem like a small departure from the path to God can produce painful results. Acts 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 7:9-11 |
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3.29
Palm Sunday
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Predicting
the death of Jesus
What did the prophets and Jesus say about the death of Jesus: how and why he would die? Resource: Jesus of the Bible, by Steve, pp 354-355, “Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled in Dying.” Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 14-18; Isaiah 53:1-12; John 17:1-5 |
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4.5
Easter; Passover 4.4
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Our
contract with God: the New Covenant
What is it and how is it different than the Old Covenant agreement God had with the Jews? Exodus 24:8; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Mark 14:24; Hebrews 8:13 |
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4.12
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The
Bible’s surprising #1 commandment: Don’t be afraid
2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10; 1 John 4:18; Philippians 4:6 |
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Steve
Miller (but I’d defer to Robert Ladd if he’d like to take this session)
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4.19
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Sing
a new song
Listen to new or little-known worship songs, react to the effect they have on us, and evaluate the lyrics to see if they track well with Bible teachings. Consider discussing the value of singing new songs, compared to the golden oldies of the church. Resource: Nathan Brooks should be able to suggest some songs. Psalm 98 |
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4.26
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The
fine art of suffering
How should we approach suffering and the suffering of others? When it comes to suffering, what are the down sides and what are the up sides? Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4; Matthew 26:36-46 |
RezChat Passover: Palm Sunday
Our Second Sunday Social in April falls on Palm Sunday this year, April 13.
That's when Renay Kessler will host for us a Passover meal called a Seder (SAY dur).
Linda will help Renay and the class fund will cover the cost for the food items.
Linda says they'll need to create a signup list so they know how much of the supplies to buy.
The Seder will be after the 10:45 a.m. worship service. The location is still being discussed.
More info to come on Sunday.
We're dog-sitting for our daughter. Tucker the Border Collie likes to dig in freshly laid top soil. Stop by if you'd like to see black paw prints on light tan carpet, from the back door to my upstairs office.
It could be worse. I could be the something Tucker was trying to dig up.
Steve
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Our mailing address is:
Stephen M. Miller
PO Box 2712
Olathe, KS 66063 United States
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