All posts by Greg Ellis

God’s Sending Nature

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The Missional Church – Part 1: The Missional Nature of God

Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19

God is a sending God

God’s sending starts in Genesis 12 and continues to Revelation 22 (the final chapter of the Bible)

The Father sent the Son

The Father & Son send the Holy Spirit

Jesus sends the church into the world as his witnesses.

 

Missio Dei

Missio Dei = “mission of God” or “sending of God”

Motive: Love of God for all creation

Goal: the Kingdom (reign of God over his people)

Whom does God send?

 

Questions:

  • What thoughts do you have about the missionary nature of God?
  • How has God called and sent you as a missionary to participate in his mission? Do you sense a “sending” call to participate in any of the activities mentioned in Isaiah 61?

Missional Living Homework:

  1. Identify at least two people groups or geographical locations in your city or neighborhood to which God is looking to “send” someone.
  2. List areas in your life that may need to change for you to be able to say, “Here am I. Send me!” What is the first step you will take to overcome each hindrance?

Am I Hearing God – or something else

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John 10:1-5

Gentle Leadings

1 Kings 19:11-13

Freedom

Matthew 11:28-30

Ask, Seek, Knock

Jeremiah 29:12-13

Specific

Luke 19:29-35

Conviction of Sin

John 16:8

Truth

John 14:6

Peace

Philippians 4:7

Verifiable

Prv 11:14; Dt 19:15; and Mt 18:16

 

 

Biblical Stories of People Hearing God

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Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-11

A Phenomenon plus a Voice

 

  • Genesis 15:17-18
  • Exodus 3:3-6
  • Deuteronomy 5:23
  • Ezekiel 1-2
  • Matthew 3:17
  • Acts 9:3-8


A Supernatural Messenger or an Angel

  • Genesis 18-19
  • Joshua 5:13-15
  • 2 Kings 6:17
  • Numbers 22:22-35
  • Judges 6:11-24
  • Judges 13
  • Isaiah 6:6-13
  • Daniel 9:20-27
  • Luke 1:11-20
  • Luke 1:26-38
  • Matthew 28:2-7
  • Acts 5:19-20
  • Acts 27:23-26

Dreams and Visions

  • Acts 16:9
  • Acts 9:10-13
  • Acts 10:9-19
  • Genesis 28:11-17
  • Genesis 37:5-9
  • Genesis 40:5-19
  • Genesis 41:1-7
  • Daniel 4:4-18
  • Jeremiah 23:25-32

An Audible Voice

  • Genesis 22:11-12, 15-18
  • 1 Samuel 3

The Human Voice

  • Exodus 4:10-17
  • 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
  • Numbers 22
  • Micah 3:8

The Human Spirit or the “Still Small Voice”

  • 1 Kings 18:20-40; 19:12
  • John 17:20-21
  • 1 Corinthians 2:16

Samuel, Eli, and the Voice of God

Samuel hears, but doesn’t understand

Eli didn’t hear God speak

Eli was able to teach Samuel to hear

Samuel learns and then hears and talks with God

 

atonement

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Luke 23:26-56

Pastor’s note: some of the audio isn’t very clear – much of our time was working in groups with the Bible passages listed below, to see what they had to say about Jesus’s work on the cross. You should join us sometime – the audio is always better in person!

atonement

 

We cannot understand the full meaning of the cross of Christ. We can only stand in silence before it, acknowledge its wonder, and submit to its power.

Stanley Grenz in Theology for the Community of God

Jesus’ Death as Our Example

  • Philippians 2:3-8
  • 1 Peter 2:21-23
  • Ephesians 5:2

Jesus’ Death as Our Ransom

  • Ephesians 1:7
  • 1 Timothy 2:6
  • Titus 2:14
  • 1 Peter 1:18

Jesus’ Death as Our Expiation

  • Hebrews 2:17
  • Romans 3:25-26
  • 1 John 2:2; 4:10

Jesus is our Reconciliation

  • Romans 5:10-11
  • Ephesians 2:11-22
  • Colossians 1:19-20
  • 2 Corinthians 5:18

If I Tell You, You Won’t Believe Me

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Luke 22:66-71, 23:1-25

Jesus is surprisingly silent

He could have said more

Why didn’t he try to convince them of who he was?

Luke 22:67

“If I tell you, you won’t believe me”

Using words alone doesn’t work

If it didn’t work for Jesus to convince people he was God – what chance do I have?

Image: Conversion Process

  • The Prayers of the 72
  • The Spiritual Battle
  • The Hand of God
  • Friendships
  • Kingdom Experiences
  • The Story of Jesus
    NEW BIRTH

There is Hope

Luke 23:47

Betrayal // Arrest // Denial

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Luke 22:39-62

 

Prayed

(abandoned)

Betrayed

(not surprised)

Denied

(aware)

 

Handout for Spiritual Examination and Confession

 Psalm 32

1 John 1:8-9

Questions for Reflection

  1. Does your confession tend to be along the lines of “Forgive my sins, dear Lord” rather than specifically naming your sins one by one before the face of God?
    What does the lack of specific confession do to self-awareness?
  2. What experiences have affected your ability to give and receive forgiveness?
  3. When have you tasted the joy of forgiveness?
    What was that like for you?

Signs of the Times

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:42 — 5.7MB)

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Luke 21:5-38

Five Major Topics

  1. Warnings Against Deception (vv. 5–11)
  2. Encouragement During Persecution (vv. 12–19)
  3. The Destruction Of Jerusalem (vv. 20–24)
  4. Future Events (vv. 25–28)
  5. Assurances Concerning These Events (vv. 29–36).

Nine Exhortations

  1. Do not follow false leaders (v. 8)
  2. Do not be frightened by the awesome events associated with the end times in apocalyptic literature (vv. 9–11)
  3. Do not worry about your legal defense when you are persecuted and face legal charges because of your Christian witness (vv. 12–16)
  4. When all turn against you, persevere and take a firm stand (vv. 17–19)
  5. Flee Jerusalem when it is besieged (vv. 20–24)
  6. When the final apocalyptic events (the portents in heaven and on earth) do take place, take heart at your coming redemption when the Son of Man returns (vv. 25–28)
  7. Recognize also that these things point to the approach of the kingdom of God (vv. 29–31)
  8. Be assured that throughout the apocalyptic period the Lord’s words endure (vv. 32–33)
  9. Be watchful and pray so that you will come through all these things in a way the Son of Man will approve of (vv. 34–36)

 

Questions:

How do you apply these signs of the end of the age to your own life?