WELCOME Dear Friends and Family, Thank you for joining us today! We hope that during your visit today you experience what it means to be part of our family. Over the last year we have been walking through the Old Testament in a series called The Epic Journey. Today we’re looking at the minor prophets. You would be amazed at just how relevant the minor prophet books of the bible are even today. If you came alone or brought the whole family, please know that Tamara and I pray you experience something special. Your Pastor, Greg and Tamara Dumas Pastor Greg & Tamara Dumas Lead Pastor
UPCOMING EVENTS KP3 Enroll now for fall 2010 – 2011 school year. Application deadline Sept. 15. For more info Checkout www.crossingonline.org/kp3.
Breakaway In the month of August Breakaway will be looking at each principle in our KP3 Vision; Kingdom, Prayer, People & Presence.
Job Finders Unemployed? Under-Employed? Looking for Work? The Crossing Church Wants to Help! Announcing the “Quick Start Job Search” workshop on August 20-21. Come and learn everything you need to know to mount an effective job search campaign! For more information contact Laurie Weaver at 813-626-0783 or register online at http://www.crossingonline.org/ jobfinders.
Deeper Life Join us for the Deeper Life Orientation on Monday, August 30th at 7 PM in Room 229 to hear for yourself how your transformed life can be used to transform the life of others. For more information visit www.crossingonline.org/news.
Women’s Bible Study Classes begin Thurs, Sept 2nd at 9:15am & 7pm in the Life Center. Childcare is available w/ pre-registration. Register at www.crossingonline.org/news.
Baby Dedication Our upcoming opportunities to dedicate your child are September 18th and 19th. For questions or for more information, please contact Tiffany Ogborn at (813) 626-0783 ext. 151 or togborn@crossingonline.org.
The 26.2 Discipleship Process is an 18-week process that will help you discover and apply Biblical truths in your everyday life and learn how God has designed you to connect, serve, grow, give, and reach. We encourage everyone to join in the race. Register for the 26.2 Discipleship Process at: www.crossingonline.org/262DP. • Warm Up: September 19, registration closes September 12 • 26.2 Discipleship Process: Beginning August 21 and 22
For more announcement details: www.crossingonline.org/announcements
Saturday, August 14 Sunday, August 15
WELCOME TO THE
CROSSING CHURCH
THE MINOR PROPHETS: IMMORALITY Hosea 4:10, 7:4; Amos 2:7; Micah 1:7; Nahum 3:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20
Lead Pastor: Greg Dumas
SCRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 9
OBSERVATION • • • • • •
The Major and Minor Prophets were written to underscore God’s standards and served to warn Judah and Israel of God’s immanent judgment. Throughout the words of the Prophets – Idolatry, Infanticide, Greed, Oppression, Immorality and Moral decay were rampant. Once a nation, or a people, or an individual, loses moral and objective standards of truth, they proceed to do what is right in their own eyes. Doing life apart from God’s life-giving standard brings forth judgment, loss of freedom, and ultimately, total destruction. The church in America has largely capitulated to the culture. The church MUST regain its FAITH in God and His Word if we are to preserve our future.
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
APPLICATION A. What Constitutes Immorality? (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3, 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:9) 1. Idolatry – Putting anything before God, the dismissal of Biblical revelation and the creation and worship of man-made ideas and concepts. 2. Adultery – Sexual Intercourse outside Marriage (Extra-Marital Sex) • Fornication – Sexual Intercourse before Marriage (Pre-Marital Sex) 3. Self Defacement – Homosexuality, Lesbianism, Prostitution, Incest, Bestiality, etc. • Indecent Dressing/Adornment – Nudity, Undue bodily Exposure, Tattoo, Nose/Body piercing etc. 4. Thieves (common), Greedy (covetousness), Drunkards (dependants), Slanderer (revilers), Swindler (Extortioners) 5. Washed, Sanctified and Justified (1 Corinthians 6:11, 20) B. What does the Bible say about Sex before and outside of Marriage? (1 Corinthians 7:9; Hebrews 13:4) 1. Marriage is a divine institution by God. 2. Pre-marital sex is a dishonor to this divine institution. 3. Extra marital sex is forbidden as it defiles the bed and attracts a curse from God. C. Isn’t my body my own? Why can’t I do with it as I choose? (1 Corinthians 6:13, 19-20) 1. When we become Christians, we dedicate ourselves to the Lord, and that includes our bodies 2. Our body is the temple of God, not ours. In marriage, our body belongs not only to ourselves but to our mate as well. D. Is there any such thing as Safe Sex? (1 Peter 2:11, 4:3; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40) God’s version of safe sex is abstinence until marriage. The world’s version of safe sex is not based on morality. The world’s theme is, “If you can’t be good, then be careful.” E. Will God forgive my past Sexual Sins? (Acts 13:38-39) 1. God will forgive our sexual sin if there is true repentance, turning away from that sin and seeking forgiveness.
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
LIFEGROUPS Use the following as a resource for your LifeGroup to go deeper with this week’s message. We hope this helps you as you “do life together”.
Opener: This is an intense psychological evaluation: How do you treat a rental car? Pick one of the following responses (or make up your own) and give the explanation to why you have selected it: 1.
I treat the rental car like a fine, irreplaceable piece of art – very gingerly – “It’s not mine.”
2. I treat the rental car like a dirt bike – I just wear the car out. “It’s not mine!” 3. I don’t do rental cars – mine is the best. “It’s mine, all mine!” Digging Deeper: Ownership is the issue in this week’s message – whose are you? Your own? The Lord’s? Before studying the Scripture – answer from where you are now – whose do you believe you are? How does the answer to this question determine how you live? This is a very important question – wrestle with it long and in depth. The key passage – I Corinthians 16:19-20. This answers the questions. So – how now do we live? When revelation comes – how do we reorient our lives?
Application: Let’s make the assumption that your life and body are rentals. God has given them to you for a season. Looking at the three options above for the rental car – now apply them to your life. With your life belonging to God – which option do you choose? How do you need to ask for help in turning over to God what already belongs to Him?