Satisfied by Vineyard KC North

Satisfied? Small Group Workbook Edition 1.0 Copyright© 2016 Vineyard Church® Daily devotions written and edited by Jody Barrett, Jeremy Buske, Heather Chatlos, Josie Coleman, Joan Gould, Fred Herron, Beth Hey, Eddie McKechnie, Marcy Nelson, Cassidy Perry, Kathy Perry, Roger Sodsod, Jessica Tholl, Season Tingler, and Roger Wilson. Daily Spiritual Activities - by Roger Sodsod Designed by Dianne Dowler Photographs by John Mann, Axio Media Requests for information should be addressed to: Vineyard Church 12300 NW Arrowhead Trafficway Kansas City, Mo, 64165 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means - by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior written permission. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New Living Version®. Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed and bound in the United States of America

the search for meaning starts here

Table of Contents Prayer Request & Praise Report

Getting Started

Week 1 - Meditating on Dust and Wind

Week 2 - Pushing the Limits

Week 3 - Traveling through Time

Week 4 - Suffering with Uncertainty

Week 5 - Vacillating on Leadership

Week 6 - Wrestling with Death

Week 7 - Focusing on Worship

Host Guide

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Prayer Requests

& Praise Reports

Getting Started

Roger’s Welcome Letter

Are you TRULY satisfied with your life? Do you sense there’s more, but you just haven’t figured out how to get it? How do we find REAL happiness? How do we deal with pain, uncertainty, and death? How do we make sense of a world that so often doesn’t make sense? Is it possible to ever be completely SATISFIED in this life? The quest to find satisfaction and meaning in life is universal – spanning time, age, cultures, and languages. The author of the book of Ecclesiastes explores these and many other perplexing questions with honesty and wisdom that speaks as freshly now as it did when it was written. In a world such as ours, so obsessed with beauty, pleasure, power, and material wealth, the book of Ecclesiastes has much to say. In this seven-week study, Senior Pastor Fred Herron will cover a passage from Ecclesiastes in his weekly sermons, and, in your small group, you will watch 20-minute video teaching of Fred and discuss a corresponding passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel.

Each week, we have included seven daily devotionals that touch on both Ecclesiastes and the Sermon on the Mount as well as daily spiritual exercises. You will get the most out of this experience if you read those devotionals and practice those spiritual exercises each day throughout the week between your group meetings. Hosts, your guide starts on page 88. If you haven’t yet taken the Spritual Growth Assessment at sodsod.com/resources, now is a great time to take it. It is a tool to help measure where you are in your spirtual life and to give you direction to grow. Are you ready to be SATISFIED? Let’s begin!

Six Ways to Get God’s Word Into Your Life

The Word of God is more than simply a set of guidelines or recommendations. It gives us the foundation for how we live, move, and shape every aspect of our lives. The Hand Illustration below is a simple way to break down the taking in of God’s Word.

HEARING (Romans 10:17): We gain spiritual insights by listening to the reading of the Word. It can be at church, in small group, or listening to an audio Bible on the YouVersion app on your phone. READING (Revelation 1:3): Reading exposes us to all of God’s Word. A daily reading program, where we start reading and working through the Bible is an essential discipline. STUDYING (Acts 17:11): Studying the Bible personally or in a group helps us dig deeper into God’s truths. When studying the Bible, it is helpful to write down insights so they are more ingrained in our memory and so we can look back on them. MEMORIZING (Psalm 119:9, 11): Memorizing the Word is the most powerful way to change our thinking and give us the mind of Christ. It helps us resist temptations, and gives us ways to share Christ and encourage others. MEDITATING (Psalm 1:2-3): Meditation/reflection connects with the others, like the thumb touches each of the fingers. Taking time to ponder what you’ve read, heard, studied, and memorized will transform your spiritual life. APPLYING (James 1:22): Putting the Word into practice is crucial. Merely obtaining knowledge isn’t our goal, application is, when dealing with God’s Word.

How to Pray A.C.T.S. is an easy way to remember key elements of prayer. It’s simply prayer in four parts: Adoration – “Praise be to God!” -Psalms 68:35 Tell God how much you appreciate Him. Express your love for Him. Praise His power and majesty. This is a great way to begin your prayer time. Sometimes we watch the sun rise and praise God for the beauty of His creation. You should never run out of praise. “How awesome are your deeds!” - Psalms 66:3 Confession – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9 Tell Him where you have fallen short. Be specific. I thank Him for the forgiveness I have in Christ, and ask for help and strength to turn away from future temptations. Thanksgiving – Always “glorify him with thanksgiving” -Psalms 69:30 You have plenty of reasons to be thankful. Thank God for His love, His faithfulness, His patience and a million other things. Express gratitude for what He’s doing in your life. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you. Thank the Holy Spirit for dwelling within your heart, and never leaving. Thank Him for being your conscience, your counselor and that “still small voice.” Supplication – “Make your requests known to God.” -Philippians 4:6 Tell God what you want, no matter how small it seems to you. Do you really think any of your requests are big to God the Creator? Pray for others as well (this is called intercession).

Week 1

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; Matthew 6:19-21 8

Meditating on Dust & Wind Memory Verse Matthew 6:19-21 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind

Notes

Day 1

ood choices and a life well-lived should equate to a fulfilled and happy life, right? Yet, our hearts still echo with questions that are left unanswered: Does my life matter? Will anyone remember me? Do I make a difference? These are all questions we face sometime in our lives. The writer of Ecclesiastes starts by reflecting back on his life and feels that even though he tried to make wise choices over foolish ones, it didn’t seem to matter because his life still feels unfulfilled and futile. He bitterly resents the fact that the fruits of his labor will only go to others, and that even the fate of his own legacy is left open to the scattering wind. Although a man of great power and influence, the author has yet to find contentment. So he invites us along on a journey for true wisdom and lasting satisfaction. The author of Ecclesiastes tries all that we think will satisfy. He has power. He lives in the city surrounded by life and movement. He has the motivation and resources to look for answers in the world, so that he can understand the life he is living. But, he falls short and is left earthbound and heavily burdened until he turns to God. When we look only to this tangible world, we are left with dust and wind. The cry of our heart remains, and we feel that which we fear most--that we are alone. Apart from God, there are no lasting answers, and only through His teachings can the rhythm of life on earth be understood. We must have faith. Faith in God and His love for us.Faith that His love will carry us through the things we cannot understand, and that we can depend upon our Father. In Him, we will never be alone. In Him, we’ll find fulfillment, renewal and eternal love. All understanding of our time on earth fades under the light of God’s love for us. When we rest in God, we find true peace and lasting contentment.

Spiritual Activity In this study, we follow along with the author of Ecclesiastes as he goes on a quest for meaning. At times the quest is frustrating and difficult but throughout it all we are called to cling to Jesus in lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenges. God is the true Shepherd of those who are searching for meaning and by studying His Word we study the true source of wisdom.

Meditate on todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scripture. Read it slowly out loud three times. The fourth time, write it down. Then highlight any words that stand out to you, and record your thoughts. Let that lead you into prayer.

Notes

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind Spiritual Activity Take a walk, go on a run or take a bike ride while you pray. Notes

Day 2

n youth, we live with a vigor and optimism that our lives will positively change the world. As we grow older, the light in our hearts begins to dim. We grow weary. Experiences slowly shackle us to the idea that our impact is limited, and that we’ll never fully understand the world around us. While it’s tempting to give into hopelessness and conclude that life is meaningless, it’s vital that we keep pressing forward in the search for meaning and eternal impact. The writer of Ecclesiastes wanted answers. We do too. Why are we here? Why do our lives matter? Is there a reason for our existence? How do we know when we’ve achieved meaning in our lives? These questions are difficult but important. The writer of Ecclesiastes scoured the earth looking for understanding and meaning. He concluded that his search was like chasing the wind: like trying to capture the unseen, unpredictable and incomprehensible. Yet, we must continue to seek answers. Every heartbeat demands understanding of life’s meaning. So lean into the discomfort and keep asking questions. Keep searching. While our wisdom and understanding is limited, God has the big-picture vision. His knowledge is comprehensive, and He welcomes our questions. In fact, He urges us to search for wisdom and promises to give us glimpses of understanding when we ask Him. James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Questions don’t scare God, so don’t stop asking and seeking. What are you searching for? What question about the world weighs heavily on your heart?

Day 3

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind

earching for wisdom and truth is something humanity has always done, but it has never been easy. There might be days in our search for wisdom that are frustrating or difficult. There will be times we want to give up. But when that happens, don’t give up. Keep pursuing understanding and searching for wisdom, even when the journey is complex or discouraging.

Spiritual Activity Listen, really listen, to someone today. Give the gift of listening. Notes

Take time to dive deeper into questions. Trust God’s power and wisdom to give you peace and satisfaction in life, despite the things that seem unexplainable. God is walking alongside us. Stay focused on discovering Him and seeking His wisdom. During this study, start each day of reading with a prayer. Ask God to show you something new and direct your thoughts to uncover truth. We all have questions and struggles, but we aren’t meant to walk through them alone. Reach out to people in small group, at church or talk with a pastor. The pursuit of satisfaction and understanding is difficult. Surround yourself with others who are searching, and lean into God’s presence in your life.

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind Spiritual Activity What is one thing you can do to simplify or refocus your life? Ask God in prayer that question. Then do it. Notes

Day 4

s we maneuver through life, there are times we’re overwhelmed with the message that we need all the latest stuff: technology, fashion trends, exercise equipment, etc. It’s easy to lose sight of what is truly important and, instead, look for satisfaction in the next thing we can purchase. We need to pause and ask ourselves, Is this really important? It’s a tough question. Commercials and social pressure often convinces us that our value is demonstrated by what we own. But God warns us that earthly treasures are temporary, and our hearts are revealed by what we treasure. A really practical litmus test to see where we are storing up treasure is to look at our monthly bank statement. Look for patterns. What are we continually investing in? Are they things that will have an eternal impact, or are we spending to “keep up?” Reflect on whether you’re putting your trust in God or things to provide satisfaction in life.

y mom kept this pretty doll for me, in a box! When we moved from the Philippines to the United States, it came along with us. I would sneak the doll out of the box just to hold it and touch the curls on its head and then quickly put it back in the box. Of course my mom noticed, and I would be reprimanded for it. A couple of girls in my new neighborhood played with their dolls together, and I thought if I could sneak my doll outside, that they would play with me and be my friends. So I did. I opened my bedroom window and set the box outside. I left my house and ran quickly to the girls’ house. When they saw what I was holding, they wanted to hold my doll. And I let them. I never got her back. My doll was torn in two pieces. I remembered them laughing and pushing each other and then pulling at my doll. I didn’t know what to say to them, I didn’t speak English. I know I cried. I just wanted to be friends, make them happy and for them to notice me. The box and doll were gone. It was just a doll, right?! No. It was my treasure. I used the doll to show off. At the same time, I broke the trust my mother gave me. I hurt my mom. I hurt myself. It’s common for us to find our sense of self-worth in our accomplishments, our earnings or the possessions we’ve accumulated over the years. These things, however, are temporal and won’t bring us closer to God. In fact, they can pull us away from God. God loves us more than we can possibly imagine. We are His beloved. If we continue to turn to Him, He will provide everything we need--and more! — by Josie Coleman, Vineyard Church member

Day 5

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind

he world around us is fading. It’s temporary. This is what the writer of Ecclesiastes faced. He looked around and decided it was all meaningless. And without God, without eternity, it is meaningless. The world is broken, yes, but more than that, it’s dying. It’s not meant to be our source of importance or value. We were made for bigger things-- eternal things. Jesus warns us about placing value and meaning only in earthly things in Matthew 6:19-21. Instead, He urges us to strive for something bigger. To focus on storing up treasures in Heaven.

Spiritual Activity Sit in a place that is calming and relaxing for you. Write down at least ten things you are thankful for, and thank God for them. Notes

Jesus gives us the chance to invest in eternity. Our actions today may not result in the world’s idea of success or bring us total and complete understanding of why the world is the way it is. But when our actions are aligned with God’s heart, we’re storing up treasures in Heaven. The things we do that make an eternal impact are what matter most. It’s the moments of kindness shown to a stranger. It’s the time spent showing love to a friend in need. It’s the decision made to step out in faith and trust God with our lives. No one can take those things away from us. They will never fade, They won’t diminish in worth over time because those moments of impact are stored in heaven, where rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot steal them. Our worth doesn’t stem from how much power, money or earthly success we find in life. Those things will turn to dust and disappear on the wind. Our worth is more than a title or status. We’re made in the image of God. We’re uniquely created for an eternal purpose. So if our focus is on finding success and earthly importance, then our life’s work will ultimately fade into a distant memory. But when we set our heart on what matters most to God: people, character, relationships…then we can rest assured that our life has greater meaning. It has impact, and that impact is for eternity.

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind

Spiritual Activity Practice an act of secret service today, something that will lift someone else’s burden. Notes

Day 6

esterday, we talked about the importance of storing up heavenly treasures. But what does this tangibly look like in everyday life? Often our first instinct is to point towards doing good works; going to church, giving to the poor, being honest and ethical in business etc. These are good things, but the action itself is less important than our heart. Jesus is looking for more than empty actions done to deposit more treasure into a heavenly bank. Treasure is found in a heart that is utterly reliant upon and trusting in God. It’s found in actions that are motivated out of love for others and don’t require repayment. It’s found in acts of kindness, forgiveness, encouragement, giving of time, money and talents in order to share God’s love with the world and out of love for Jesus. Storing up treasure in Heaven isn’t done accidentally. We make daily choices in our lives about how we behave and think, and whether or not we are going to add value to others’ lives. Every day brings a new opportunity to make the choice to value what God values most--people. God values you. He values the barista that made your coffee this morning. He values the people you don’t know and even the people you don’t like. We have a daily choice to look for ways to align our hearts with God’s and act in a way that shares His love with the world. Storing up treasure in heaven means placing our focus on eternal things. One way to do this is to begin searching for ways to share God’s love to the people around you. Don’t over think. It can be as simple as looking people in the eye and smiling, being fully present when listening or holding a door for a stranger.

“

We have to make a choice in our lives that we are going to add value to people in our lives... It’s not about me; it’s about others.” — John Maxwell

Day 7

Week 1 | Meditating on Dust & Wind

his week we started on a journey of asking questions and seeking true meaning in the life. The author of Ecclesiastes searched relentlessly, and came to the conclusion that his pursuit of understanding was like chasing after the wind. Like striving after something he couldn’t see and couldn’t contain. He couldn’t find meaning in the invisible, unpredictable and impossible things of the world.

Spiritual Activity Worship God today by listening to worship music and, if you’re bold enough, sing along. Notes

We can all agree that there are good and beautiful things in the world but there are also bad things that have infiltrated our life and have seeped into the pores of humanity. Sometimes it feels like for every step we take, the bad things in life take two steps. What does that mean about how we live our lives? Do we give up on the search for meaning, or do we press into the mystery? Our unanswered questions cause us to more deeply rely on God. We must trust in His power and wisdom to guide us through that which is inexplicable and impossible in life. We have a chance to take life one day at a time from a place of faith in Christ because our knowledge is limited. He is a loving God, and He cares deeply for us. Because He loves us, God redeems any situation and uses it for something beautiful and good, even when we don’t immediately see the meaning.

Week 1 | Day 7 (continued)

Notes These questions are also an opportunity to find meaning and significance in eternal things. We can choose to value others and relationship with Christ more than the size of our house or the title in front of our name. Each moment that we walk in God’s love instigates a ripple effect that, no matter how small, will make an impact for eternity. The world will ultimately crumble into dust and be forgotten. But the treasure we store up in Heaven lasts for eternity.

Life Lessons

y grandson is five years old. I pray that God will reveal to him what his purpose on this earth will be. I already know what it is for me. He came to remind me what a treasure in Heaven looks like. It looks like love. I see the way he looks up at me with that tender little face of his, in those quiet little Godgiven moments in the day. The world around me fades into the background; everything is right and good. All I can feel is the love I have for him, so pure and so complete that it must have a heavenly storage. I guess that’s where things are kept safe for when we need them, in Heaven. Sometimes I think that only the best things in my life get that heavenly storage, but I know that’s not true. God is bigger than that. What if I stored everything there? Where moths and rust couldn’t destroy them. Where thieves couldn’t break in and steal. What if I put my actions there and asked God to bless them? What if I put my words there and asked God to make them kind and gentle to everyone I spoke to? Even strangers, or people that make me mad. Everyone. What if I could try, just try, to look at everyone the way I look at my grandson? The way that God wants me to see them. What if I could do that? Would God bless that for me? I think He would. I think He does. God keeps blessing me, that’s for sure. You see, I have another grandson now. I pray that God will reveal to him what his purpose on this earth will be. I already know what it is for me. — by Eddie McKechnie, Vineyard Church Liberty Campus Pastor

ermon Notes

Week 2

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 & Matthew 6:25-34

Pushing the Limits Memory Verse Matthew 6:33

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits Spiritual Activity Use your hands to do something quiet that doesn’t require active thinking: crochet, yard work, cooking, brushing the dog, etc... Invite God’s presence to be with you. Notes

Day 1

ur lives here on earth are described in the book of James as “a mist, a vapor that is here for a little while and then vanishes.” No one likes to think about death or how quickly our time on earth passes. Nevertheless, the recognition of this truth is enough to cause us to desperately seek an answer to the question, “How do I live a full life?” Several years ago, there was a popular acronym trend that described the sense of urgency we have to live life to the fullest. The saying was “YOLO”- you only live once. You would hear people living life in the fast lane and checking things off their bucket list as they declared “YOLO!” This acronym was plastered on clothing, bumper stickers, social media, everywhere! The desire to live a life of meaning is in our DNA; it’s how we are wired. We were all created with a God-sized hole within us that longs to be filled with an intimate relationship with our Creator. The problem is we spend much of our time and energy seeking to fill the hole with what I like to call the three P’s: pleasure, pennies and power. Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 highlights the ways we seek to fill our God-sized hole with so many things that the world tells us will leave us feeling full. Unfortunately we find that, while they may bring short-term fulfillment, in the end, we are left unsatisfied. Have you ever tried to plug in your phone only to find you were using the wrong cord and the plug didn’t fit your phone? This is exactly the kind of frustration we face when trying to shove ourselves full with simple pleasures of the world when we were created very specifically to be filled with Christ. This week, think through what you may be trying to fill your life with and ask yourself how you can refocus your ingrained need for meaning on God.

Day 2

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

fter a time of trying to do all the “right” things, we often hit a wall; a “forget it” moment. Usually it’s when we’re most desperate for answers and aren’t finding them. The writer of Ecclesiastes has one of these moments and decides not to deny himself anything that promises meaning. It’s with reckless abandon that he starts saying “yes” to wine, women, beauty, entertainment and accomplishments. This headlong determined pursuit of all the things that promise satisfaction left him a very rich man. He boasted about all things that people associate with success. In fact, he had more than any other king before him, and everything he did flourished. But in the end, he looked around at riches, the thriving gardens, his accomplishments everything he had worked so hard to achieve and make perfect, and said it all meant nothing. It wasn’t worthwhile.

Spiritual Activity Write out a letter to God, as if you were writing to a friend, about all the things going on in your life right now. Include your praises and your struggles. Notes

There is an inner tape or dialogue that we all struggle with. It may play a different track for each of us, but it says,“When ___, then I will be _____.” When I start my own business, then I will be fulfilled. When I find love, then I will feel seen and whole. When I weigh this amount, then I will feel more confident. But those “whens” never turn into “now thats.” Instead we are left striving and reaching for the next “when” that promises satisfaction. The author of Ecclesiastes says that he reached out for everything and anything that promised satisfaction. But nothing filled the hole in his heart. We may feel like we won’t find satisfaction until we have, achieve or find something. But God doesn’t operate that way. There is nothing wrong with job titles or large homes, but He cares much more about your heart and your relationship with Him. In their proper place, houses, cars and jobs are blessings and wonderful tools. But when they take our focus away from God, they become our puppeteers and we their puppets. We aren’t meant to be puppets. We weren’t created to worry or to search aimlessly for satisfaction in the things of the world. We’re created to look to God for fulfillment and meaning, to hang out with Him, to worship and be in relationship with Him. 23

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

Day 2 (continued)

The author of Ecclesiastes says that he reached out for everything and anything that promised satisfaction. But nothing filled the hole in his heart. We may feel like we won’t find satisfaction until we have, achieve or find something. But God doesn’t operate that way. There is nothing wrong with job titles or large homes, but He cares much more about your heart and your relationship with Him. In their proper place, houses, cars and jobs are blessings and wonderful tools. But when they take our focus away from God, they become our puppeteers and we their puppets. We aren’t meant to be puppets. We weren’t created to worry or to search aimlessly for satisfaction in the things of the world. We’re created to look to God for fulfillment and meaning, to hang out with Him, to worship and be in relationship with Him. Notes

Day 3

“

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

I think we get trapped by titles. We allow people to put a period where God has put a comma.” — Bishop TD Jakes

hat is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “successful?” Is it a social position, a job title or a family with two and a half kids?

Conventional wisdom defines success based on what we can achieve in life. But once we attain that title, family or respect, we still feel like something is missing. Someday that title will be passed on to someone else, and the things that have defined our identity change, leaving us empty again. We build walls of outward success to cover the empty, unfulfilled pieces of our lives. On the outside, everything may seem perfect, but inside we identify with Ecclesiastes’ lament, “I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless…” Sometimes it’s easier to find self-worth in things that others can understand and appreciate than to identify our worth in God’s grace and love.

Spiritual Activity Think of the best place inside your home that can be used as a quiet place--and pick the best time of the day for a “mini-retreat.” Use the mini-retreat to think about what it means to be cherished by God.

Notes

Consider this; anything we find worth in aside from God is selling ourselves short. If our worth is fixed on earthly things, they’ll pass. But when we find our identity in God, we reconnect with our true value. We’re worthy of love because God loves us. We’re worth more than a title or earthly position. We’re meant to live a life that is free and filled with meaning because we’re highly valued by God. Each of us are children of the Creator and the King. How can we search for identity in anything less?

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

Spiritual Activity If you can’t imagine letting go of worry, start by shifting your focus from worry towards God-for one minute. During those 60 seconds, be vigilant about keeping your mind fixed on the goodness that God has given you. At first, 60 seconds will seem like an eternity, but with practice, you’ll start to develop “trust endurance” and fear will lose its grip on your heart. Notes

Day 4

e wake in the middle of the night, unable to stop the barrage of worry. Eventually we fall back to sleep and wake up, adding up the hours of missing sleep in our heads. Anxiety and fear are our enemy. They can control every move, decision and the quality of our days. We can spend precious time worrying about what might never happen. Worry blocks out the good and causes us to lose our sense of direction. It’s rare to have nothing to worry about in life. More often, the question “what if...” haunts our thoughts. Sometimes, our worries are valid-what about our children’s futures and their health? Will the next paycheck cover our bills? We could make a neverending list of worries. But we cannot let our anxieties and worries overshadow our faith in God. God cares for the birds in the air. God sends rain for the flowers in the field. How much more does He love and care for us? He knows what we need. We must pause to quiet our hearts, and listen. God is beside us--His presence is with us. Let go of worries and let Him lead you out of anxiety and into a life of rest and peace. There will be times you feel feel fear. But your trust in God can outweigh that fear. Bring Him those fears. You may not know the future, but God does. Trust the One who is in control.

Day 5

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

Spiritual Activity

t an early age, we’re taught that the essential needs of life are usually categorized as food, water, clothing and shelter. But somewhere along the way, those needs grow into something more deceptive. We start worrying about having “enough.” The home we have doesn’t feel like enough compared to others. The clothes we wear aren’t close enough to the fashions we see popping up around us. Our technology doesn’t do enough now that the latest version has been released. Media tells us we’ve got to buy stuff to be happy and popular. After all, everyone else has this stuff! It’s normal and necessary for modern life, right? Soon we lose discernment on the difference between our needs and our desires to keep up. We lose track of all of the good things that God gives us and how much above and beyond the basics that He provides.

“

Make a list of 100 things you are grateful for in your life. Then thank God for each of them in prayer.

If you need stuff to fill your life and home let it be love, faith, forgiveness, mercy, grace, truth, generosity and compassion.” — Marcy Nelson, Vineyard Church Member

It’s not often that we’re told God is essential to life. But in truth, we were never meant to feel bound to things or be dependent on anything other than God. When we loosen our grip on the things that are holding us captive, whether it’s material possessions or addictions, we find ourselves free to focus on an essential need that has been forgotten-God.

Notes

Today, there is a growing movement to live in a tiny house and to live simplistically. Basically, it’s a reaction to the bombardment of consumerism by living a life unburdened by an excess of things. It’s a life unshackled from the tyranny of the material and status. God never wanted us to live bound to things, to feel dependent on our phone or displaced when we don’t have access to the latest and greatest product. We need to thank Him for meeting (and often going above and beyond) our needs. We find peace by realizing not only are we enough, but God will always provide enough. Sometimes it’s just enough, but it is enough, nonetheless. 27

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

“

Worry is a misuse of your imagination.” — Dan Zadra

Spiritual Activity Spend some time in prayer asking God to show you how you might be worrying instead of trusting Him. Then confess that worry to a trusted friend and pray together over that issue. Notes

Day 6

omeone once said, “Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. We may feel like we are doing a lot but we are going nowhere.” There is a sense of freedom that comes with loosening your grip on worry. We all have legitimate needs that must be addressed, but worry does nothing but drain energy from our soul. What has worry done to add time to a schedule or influence an outcome? When was the last time worries added anything positive to life? Worry robs us of the freedom and peace found in trusting God. God is fully aware of our needs. He created us and knows us better than ourselves.There is a balance between trusting God for things and working hard for those things. The key is where we put our trust. If our trust lies only within ourselves (the faulty notion that God helps those who help themselves-which is found nowhere in Scripture) then we take on a heavy burden. We are left alone while trying to trudge through the difficulties of life. But when we turn over that fear and anxiety to God, He promises to meet our needs. And in clearing away that anxiety to replace it with trust, we make space in life to focus on seeking Him first. We aren’t built to endure worry. Each day we face new trials and struggles and spending time worrying about those struggles proves pointless. Instead, we can find freedom by setting our focus on God, letting Him meet our needs and allowing the struggles of tomorrow to take care of themselves.

Day 7

Week 2 | Pushing the Limits

Spiritual Activity

ll of us have found ourselves worrying or feeling anxious at one time or another. We worry about our future, our family, our marriage and even things that have happened in the past that cannot be changed. Parents often justify their worrying by saying, “I only worry about you because I care so much.” Often times, we can get caught believing the lie that says if we aren’t worrying then do we really care?

Create music or artwork as an act of worship. Write a poem, sing, play an instrument, paint reflectively or, perhaps, meditate on one of the Scriptures from this week.

Every person longs to live a life of purpose and meaning. We want to know that our time here on earth hasn’t been wasted. We long to be good workers and recognized in our jobs. We long to be good parents and raise successful children. We long to know that we lived a life that made a difference. Not only do we worry if our life will amount to enough, we also tend to worry if we’ll ever have enough.

Notes

But God’s Word promises us that the key to a full life and peace in our hearts is found in only one thing: seeking Christ first. It’s easy to let our relationship with God fall to the bottom of the to-do list of things demanding our time. But when we invest in our relationship with Christ, above all else, we’re given a return that isn’t just for this life but of eternal value.

ermon Notes

Week 3

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 & Matthew 6:10

Traveling Through Time Memory Verse Matthew 6:9-13

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

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Day 1

Present means we understand that the here and now is sacred, sacramental, threaded through with Divinity even in its plainness. Especially in its plainness.” — Shauna Niequist, Present Over Perfect Spiritual Activity Sit in silence and invite God to be present with you. Write down any thoughts that come to mind. Notes

here are rhythms to life. Seasons for everything, the good and the bad. Life can be hard and burdensome and, in the next moment, full of excitement and momentum. God created beautiful and wonderful things on this earth. There are moments and experiences that imprint themselves onto our hearts and take our breath away. The first time your child smiles, just for you. The glorious smallness felt when looking up at the vast, innumerable stars. The booming laughter of a friend. These moments are beautiful, yet, we cannot press pause on these moments and stay in them forever. Time marches along, reaching for the next season. Sometimes a sadness hangs around the edges of joyful moments, reminding us that the moment is temporary, and hardship is coming around the bend. But that means happiness must also be invited to the edges of sad times, to gently remind us that the rhythms of time here on earth will continue to fluctuate, and joy is possible once again. We often look for consistency and comfort. Ironically, the only consistent thing in life is change. Our longing to hold onto the peace-filled moments and times of exhilaration point to the deeply-seated knowledge that there is more to come. Eternity has been set in our hearts. Our hearts thrum with the knowledge that there must be more… that there is more to come. God has planned great things for our eternal future; things that our imaginations can only guess at. When we learn to live life seasonally, accepting the good along with the bad, we learn to embrace each season as temporary and allow both good and bad to serve as a reminder that earth isn’t the final outcome. Heaven awaits with its perfection and unfathomable beauty that only God can bring.

Day 2

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

he writer of Ecclesiastes says there is nothing better for us than to be happy and do good while we live; to find satisfaction in all that we are doing in life. It’s a “seize the day” kind of living. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, and we cannot live in the past. What we can do is embrace the present. So how are you spending your present moments? Too often we spend the present passively. We scroll through social media and watch television mindlessly, distantly aware that this isn’t a good use of time. We fill the present with ways to alleviate boredom instead of engaging in the world around us. Look around in waiting rooms or while waiting in line. How many people are engrossed in their phones? How many times do we tune out? Tuning out helps the time go by and relieves the awkwardness we feel.

Spiritual Activity Talk to God about each of the things that are distracting you. Turn your thoughts into prayers— into communion with God. Notes

But that always-plugged-in lifestyle is causing us to miss things. We miss the chance to improve a stranger’s day with a smile. We scroll past the opportunity to start up a conversation with someone who needs a friendly face. More devastating, when we finally do look up, we might feel like Rip Van Winkle… our families and friends have grown up without us noticing or being truly with them for important moments. We’re in great danger of losing the art of being present. Of slowing to focus on the now. Not making a list of things to do next, not wishing we were posting pictures from last weekend… but truly engaging with the opportunities God has placed in front of us. The more difficult this seems, the more desperately we need to break the chains to entertainment that we’ve forged for ourselves. A good place to start is to dedicate five minutes to be present. Walk outside, look around, don’t worry about finding something to do, just observe. Practice engaging fully with family and friends. Being truly present can improve our relationships, give us more joy and connect us with God at a deeper level.

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

Spiritual Activity Simplify your speech today. When you are talking with others, make every attempt to avoid words used either to draw attention to your accomplishments or give inauthentic flatterly to the other person.

Notes

Day 3

od has made everything beautiful in its time. We are given the gift to live, work and finding satisfaction at the end of the day in a job well done. The satisfaction we can find after getting a lot done in a day, is a glimpse of the eternal satisfaction that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find in Heaven. The Ecclesiastes writer stands between two seemingly opposing thoughts. The first is that we cannot fathom the big-picture work that God has been orchestrating, spanning from the earliest days in the Garden of Eden until the final sunrise on earth. The second emphasizes our small role in that work. We can find satisfaction in the simplicity of hard work and doing good day by day. We must hold these two thoughts in tension with each other. We are to keep working on what God has put in front of us, and also realize that God has a larger plan at work for humanity that we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fully see until Heaven. God is the one who opens doors. We can choose to walk through them or ignore the calling, but the work itself starts and ends with God. Take care not to allow earthly success to fool us into thinking that our achievements are accomplished without God. Our stories and work are but a thread in His tapestry. Let a reverence for God and His story cast out inklings of self-importance and self-dependence.

Day 4

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

ou may have heard someone describe a death of a grandparent as “their time” to go. What does that mean, “their time?” Maybe they didn’t want to continue living in a body that had begun to shut down, trapping them in a skin and bone prison. They might have been ready for that next step into eternity. But when faced with our own death, things get more difficult to swallow. Our lives have an expiration date that only God knows. That can stir panic and cause us to recklessly throw ourselves into things headlong or make us want to shelter ourselves from anything that might speed up death’s call. But there can be a middle ground. A place where we can take advantage of the present and allow peace to permeate our souls.

Spiritual Activity Spend today, or part of today, without words. Consider how you can leave an eternal legacy to those in your life.

Notes

There is a time to be born and time to die. Once we acknowledge our time is limited, it becomes more important to release anxiety and let go of the illusion of control over our lives. Because of Jesus, we see glimpses of eternal joy during our lives, and when we live with our sights set on the Kingdom of God, every day becomes a new chance to be part of God’s story. Death is no longer the end, but the beginning of a joy-filled eternity with God.

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

Spiritual Activity Make a list of opportunities where you can daily give up your own rights for the good of others. Choose one opportunity on which to act today.

Notes

Day 5

e are created after God’s image with emotions that range from happiness to sadness, anger to peace. Emotions aren’t inherently bad. According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, author of the book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, emotions are the primary driver of our behavior. No matter how logical we think we are, only about 20 percent of our life is explained by our IQ. In fact, all our experiences and learning starts at the base of our brains and travel through the emotional center first. Which means we respond emotionally before we respond rationally. Since emotions play such a large part in our lives, we must start to see them through God’s eyes. It’s vital to allow God and His Word to govern our hearts and feelings, instead of allowing our emotions to drive our lives. The first step to giving emotional control over to God is understanding our emotional habits. It’s important to learn how we naturally respond and look at those reactions through the lens of Scripture. Where are areas that you may need to work on to become more like Jesus? Share those areas with God and ask Him to take control. Tell a trusted friend what you are working on, and ask him or her to hold you accountable. Second, we have to daily pursue God and ask Him to help us see our own mistakes and missteps. We need grace when we mess up and a patient heart to understand that every day is a process. Some days, we might lose it in traffic and feel like we have slipped back into old anger habits. Instead of viewing that as a failure, acknowledge that we are training our emotions. It takes practice. We cannot expect to move from emotionally-driven to Kingdom-driven reactions without practice, failure and more practice. Just like any athlete, the first few times they try a new sport, they might fail. What makes or breaks success is the decision to get back up, seek help when needed and keep working at it. Living life as members of God’s Kingdom requires us take our emotions out of the driver’s seat of our lives and let God and His Word drive instead.

Day 6

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

ometimes we argue to prove that we are right. We lose sight of the value of the person we are speaking with and focus merely on beating them in a verbal sparring match. When we win, at what cost have we won? Sure, we walk away the verbal hero of the argument, but we may have lost the trust and heart of someone we love. There is a time to speak up and a time to be quiet. A time to argue passionately and a time to lay down arms and simply love one another out of reverence for Christ. Today, conversations and debate have been debased to an “argument culture.” We hear politicians, journalists or parents talking over each other. They fight to be heard and use silence as a waiting period until their chance to speak again, rather than truly listening to the other person. Something inside us strains against this. We grow tired of the verbal battleground that has replaced the respect and openness in relationships.

Spiritual Activity Spend some time in prayer asking God to show you how you might be gossiping and/or speaking ill of others. Commit to making a change and to start using your words to encourage and bless others instead. Notes

As a member of the Kingdom of God, we have a responsibility to use words wisely and understand their power. Words have power to build up or to tear down. They can influence, manipulate or be used to stand up for someone who cannot speak. This great power requires us to constantly evaluate whether our words are furthering the Kingdom or bringing more darkness to the world. Choose battles wisely and decide carefully when to use words to take a stand for Christ and when to defer being “right” in relationships and respectfully listen to the other person’s point of view.

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(In relationships) If we fight to win, we’ve already lost. If my rights are the point, I may win the argument, but I will lose their heart.” — Steve Jones, Leadership Development and Worship Pastor at Vineyard Church 39

Week 3 | Traveling Through Time

Spiritual Activity Practice holy leisure today: an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, to enjoy family and friends and to be at peace through the activities of the day. Take time to practice resting in God.

Notes

Day 7

his week, we have looked at some of the good and bad things in life. We have explored what it means to embrace both joys and heartaches as part of the rhythm of the world. But what does that actually mean for our daily lives? When we cannot understand the “why” behind pain and hurt, what is our first reaction? We grow frustrated or fixated on an image of our “perfect life.” Our tendency is to dig our claws in and never let go because we “know” a new job or address will satisfy us. But God’s knowledge far outreaches ours. He understands what will fill up your heart with satisfaction while drawing you closer to Himself. Instead of relying on your limited sight of the big picture, learn to take steps that are logical and calculated, yes, but also come from a place of faith. Acknowledge your need for God to guide each step. When we suffer pain and anguish, our instinct is to find someone to blame. But instead, we need to look for Someone to rely on. We can trust that God’s plan will never fail, and He will never allow us to go through things without Him by our side. Let this be a reminder of our humanity: our limited vision and God’s comprehensive wisdom. Each season of our lives here on earth is a gift. It’s the chance to grow closer to God, to rely on him to guide us according to His plan and find peace in knowing we serve a loving God who not only wants us to take part in His plan but also to find satisfaction in walking through every season in faith.

ermon Notes

Week 4

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:1-3; 5:8-9, 11:1-2 & Matthew 5:10-12

Suffering With Uncertainty Memory Verse Matthew 5:10

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty

Spiritual Activity Go to someplace beautiful and worship God today through music, prayer and/or meditating on a Scripture.

Notes

Day 1

ave you ever found yourself walking away from a circumstance feeling truly sad, scared or even having anxiety over the uncertainty of what the future holds? It seems that nearly every time we turn around, a form of cruelty is being discussed. These malicious events aren’t only local, but are also seen in countries and lives all over the globe. The oppressive acts of violence, human trafficking, terrorism, religious persecution, misuse of power and hate crimes involving race, gender and ethnicity are just a few areas that seem to be constantly occurring all around us. We seek answers in the chaos, to feel a sense of “control” for why innocent people are continually being hurt, starved, abandoned, persecuted and forced to live in ways that are hard to imagine. During these unstable times, it’s crucial that we return to God’s Word and allow His truth to be our solid foundation in the storms of life. In John 16:33 (NLT), Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” As Brennan Manning says in his book, Ruthless Trust, “As we enter the third millennium, ruthless trust is the courageous confidence that despite suffering and evil, terrorism and domestic violence, God’s plan in Jesus Christ cannot fail.” We don’t have a system to explain all the “whys.” With all the calamity around us, we can rest in confidence and peace when we give the control of our life over to God. We must stand together, united through trust in God’s Word, and be the instruments of His love and light to this dark world.

Day 2

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty

e have but to turn on the news at night or open our newsfeeds to see the latest horror that has besieged us. There is never a day that goes by without something so horrific happening that it makes us wonder if there is any justice. The behaviors of people in this earthly realm garner headlines, news flashes, breaking news stories and the names of the oppressors become commonplace. Such behaviors may gain them the earthly compensations they are seeking, such as notoriety, money and power, but what good are those beyond these earthly boundaries? Their pursuit is a dark and dangerous journey. They turn on themselves and on each other. There is no comfort, no peace, no satisfaction, regardless of what they gain. They are right to fight to survive and stay alive--for their death, while they remain covered in sin, will be far worse than they know. However, we can rest peacefully and confidently at the feet of our Lord and Savior.

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Spiritual Activity Choose one activity that you do every day (social media, eating a meal, watching TV, etc.) and replace that time with spending extra time in prayer and/or meditating on a scripture. Notes

True peace is not the absence of conflict; it’s the presence of justice.” — Danielle Strickland

We can choose to work faithfully for the Lord and, when we do, we savor the morsels of goodness and are satisfied. In contrast, the unjust gorge themselves with what they have taken from the oppressed and still feel empty. While the corrupt continually work to replace their riches, the servants of God gladly give away all they have knowing that it will be replenished through the grace and mercy of the Lord. Those who have hurt others with their riches can never find peace. Their souls and hearts remain hardened and cold. But those who are true Christians slumber in peace knowing their toils have glorified the Lord. Their hearts are full and their souls sing. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 “God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29 45

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty Spiritual Activity Give something away today that would be of value to someone else (it can’t be junk, but in good condition). If at all possible, give it to someone you know.

Notes

Day 3

t’s easy to think of oppressors as “them.” Something “we” could never be. But no one wakes up thinking “I will make others suffer needlessly and steal their livelihoods today. Yep, right after my coffee, I’m going to go out there and make people wish they were dead.” No, greed is much sneakier then that. It starts with the underlying belief that God won’t provide, and that life plays by the rules of a zero-sum game. This distrust whispers in our ear that we cannot afford to be generous. After all, if we don’t look out for ourselves, who else will? Viewing the world as a zero-sum game tells us that there is only a certain amount of money, success, love, whatever it is. Every share that someone else gains is a loss for us. But God’s Kingdom runs differently. He is the infinite and almighty Creator. He has no limit and consistently provides above and beyond our needs. God challenges us to approach life differently-give things away and trust that He will bless us all the more. A generous character is formed one decision at a time. A small allowance for greed and misuse of power may seem like no big deal. The next time, maybe we let things slide a little more… still not a big deal. Until we wake up and realize greed and power are no longer whispering in our ears. They have stolen control and are shouting demands at us. Greed and power may lean in close to whisper, but so does God. Listen for His voice of Godly generosity and let Him guide us step by step, small action by action, towards a life lived generously. When we begin to alter our thinking from a win/lose mentality to a trusting mentality, generosity becomes a way of life. Generosity is a simple way to combat injustice. Give generously of your time, treasures and talents. Watch how God uses them to bring life and hope to a world who needs His love.

Day 4

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty

ometimes we hear about persecution or oppression and think of the countries that are hunting Christians to imprison or kill them. But we suffer small acts of persecution for Christ right here in our everyday life too. We feel the compulsion to be “cool;” to say, act, or be a person who more easily fits in with the crowd. In business, there is pressure to behave unethically to receive a raise or praise from a boss. In family, there is a push to “just be normal.” There is a certain amount of social ridicule that comes from following Jesus. We can do everything right and follow in Jesus’ steps and still be heckled and laughed at. In fact, we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens. After all Jesus was laughed at, scorned, beaten and killed. If we are following in His footsteps, we cannot expect to remain unscathed by the world’s hatred. There is an undercurrent of pressure to behave the way everyone else does and make decisions based on what will draw the most attention to ourselves. But that isn’t how Christ lived. He showed kindness where others showed disdain. He valued the children that were viewed as troublesome and in the way. Jesus stood up for the outliers and boldly protested against those who tried to keep people away from God’s love. And still, there were people who hated Him.

Spiritual Activity Get up a little bit earlier today and go someplace where you can be alone, preferably outdoors. Spend time reflecting on God’s creation, His blessings in your life, and then pray. Notes

Even today, people admit that He was a really nice guy, but laugh at His radical teachings and claims to be God in the flesh. If we are to follow Him, we can expect to be laughed at. But that cannot stop us from showing kindness and love and standing against small and large injustices. We can choose to believe that we should never have to suffer or feel unpopular. The mentality that we shouldn’t ever suffer sends us down a path of self-pity and bitterness when we do encounter inevitable hardship. Or we can choose to accept disapproval as part of following Jesus. This path allows us the freedom to brush off insults and hatred, because the One we are following is more valuable than anything this world can offer us. We can choose to believe that we should never have to suffer or feel unpopular. The mentality that we shouldn’t ever suffer sends us down a path of self-pity and bitterness when we do encounter inevitable hardship. Or we can choose to accept disapproval as part of following Jesus. This path allows us the freedom to brush off insults and hatred, because the One we are following is more valuable than anything this world can offer us.

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty Spiritual Activity Do you know someone who is struggling or hurting? Pray and ask God how you can help him or her. Then do it.

Notes

Day 5

uffering through persecution, no matter how small or large, can leave us feeling hollow. But Matthew 5:10 tells us to be happy when people lie about us because our reward isn’t earthly but heavenly. We can rejoice when someone impugns our character because our identity isn’t found in others’ opinion but in God’s opinion of us. Too often we listen to the words of a parent, teacher or friend who has spoken into our life. We start to play an internal tape that tells us that they must be right about who we are--for good or for bad. We need to stop playing that tape and start listening to what God tells us about who we are. God created us for a specific purpose with a unique mix of gifts, talents and experiences that will make our impact on the world utterly unique. We need to start agreeing with God about who we are and realizing how much we need Him.

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Most of us in a Western context don’t suffer with codependency, we struggle with self-sufficiency. We live our lives in such a way that we don’t need God except for a parking spot… You need to create space in your life where only God can show up.” — Danielle Strickland 48

God calls us to take bold steps and live a life that could bring us persecution. In order to live this way, we must find our identity, security and courage in Him. We are made to be dependent on Him for everything, including discovering who we are. God tells us that we are… Holy and blameless (Colossians 1:22) Chosen and dearly loved (Col. 3:12) A conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37) Capable of courage and strength (Joshua 1:7) A joint heir with Christ and a child of God (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 1:23) Finding our identity in a title or what others say about us is fickle and fleeting. It forces us to walk through life insecure, proud and alone. God knows us deeply and fully. He was the one who knit us together with innate worth because of His love for us. We must look to Him for our identity. He will bring us peace, comfort, humility and joy. Additionally, we will come to realize that we truly CAN depend on Him for our every need.

Day 6

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty

esus warns His followers that there is a cost for following Him, and rewards may not be received here on earth. We’ll often face ridicule and persecution. Matt h e w 5:12 says that we aren’t only to expect this but to “be happy about it. For a great reward awaits us in Heaven and remember the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.” Being happy about persecution is a strange reaction. Being happy when we’re lied about? Be glad about the persecution that could impact your career, family or put your future in jeopardy? This is a difficult road to walk and it may seem strange to others that we should find joy while walking that road.

Spiritual Activity Submit to the needs of the abandoned and helpless in society today by either serving them in some way or by praying for them.

Notes

It’s a risk in our modern society to take a stand for those things that are good, righteous and godly. In some parts of the world, Christ-followers risk their reputation; in other parts of the world, they risk their lives. There is a spiritual battle on earth that exists. Doubts, temptations and obstacles arise in the minds and hearts of people to sway them away from God. Fear threatens to spook people away from living for Jesus. Don’t let that fear win. We must be patient, read Scriptures and stay focused on our faith in Jesus, for He is the beginning and the end. We will experience the abundance of all His promises in Heaven and get a taste of what is to come here on earth. He understands your struggles; the world wasn’t very kind to Him either. You are His precious treasure on earth, and your faithfulness doesn’t go unnoticed by God. Your peace and steadfast love, despite hardship, may help others who are struggling for meaning in life. Your reactions and responses to persecution can point others to Jesus.

Week 4 | Suffering With Uncertainty Spiritual Activity When you attend church this weekend, arrive a bit early, pray that God would speak to you, teach you, and that you would experience His love and power. Then, at the end, ask God, “Based on what I just heard, what is one thing you want me to change in my life?” And then do it.

Notes

Day 7

n the book of Acts, we learn that Stephen was stoned to death for speaking out boldly to the Sanhedrin about Israel’s disobedience to God and against evil in the land. It’s hard to imagine that such horrific persecution could take place in our present day. However, in 2015, a merciless gunman rushed into a community college and gunned down students who claimed they were Christians. Unfathomable acts of religious hatred throughout history are hard to grasp with our human understanding. We may never be martyred in our community for our faith, but rampant persecution at all levels is still extremely active. Christianity, by nature, is counter-cultural to the values of this world. Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.” The world is hostile toward the Gospel, and we shouldn’t be alarmed if we are marginalized by society and alienated from relationships. Peter urges us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) Each day, it’s important to remember the true, sometimes invisible, battle we are engaged in as followers of Jesus. From now until Christ’s return, we must continually re-arm ourselves with God’s life-transforming truth. As Psalm 23:4 (NLT) states, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” When difficult trials surface, we can rest assured and rejoice that God is our guide with the final say.

ermon Notes

Week 5

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 8:1-9; 10:16-20 & Matthew 5:13-16; 20:20-28

Vacillating On Leadership Memory Verse Matthew 5:13

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership Spiritual Activity Meditate on this week’s Scripture. Read it slowly out loud three times. On the fourth time write it down. Then highlight any words that stand out to you and record your thoughts. Let that lead you into prayer. Notes

Day 1

t’s not easy being the one in charge. Leaders live in the tension of constantly disappointing someone. A good decision or change in direction may have positive benefits for some but uncomfortable effects on others. A leader’s popularity can quickly evaporate. Someone new comes along, and people throng to his or her side, abandoning the present leader. In Ecclesiastes 8, Solomon paints a picture of submission to others whom God has placed in authority over our lives. Ecclesiastes 8: 2-3 encourages us to “obey the king.” This picture of submission is a stark contrast to a way of living centered around ourselves, demanding that others provide us with satisfaction and comfort. The wisdom that the writer of Ecclesiastes describes calls us to a different way of living. There are times when leaders don’t do what we want or expect them to do, and if we look hard enough we can usually find a new leader who better suits our wants. Our knee-jerk tendency is to bale on people when things get tough or uncomfortable, but wisdom will slow down our reactions. Ecclesiastes continues, “Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ “ The idea here was about abandoning support for a leader just because he didn’t do what was wanted or expected of him. But this is also relevant in other areas of life. It’s easy to become disenchanted with your spouse and assume that, if you leave, you’ll be happier with someone new. It’s easy to become disillusioned at church by pastors or those in leadership. Some people immediately threaten to leave when their personal agenda seems unimportant, assuming that they won’t have these types of frustrations at other churches. This principle also applies to our jobs. We believe that there are greener pastures, but forget that the greener grass still has to be mowed, watered and cared for. In our attempt to escape our troubles, we may find further grief and pain.

Day 1 (continued)

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership Notes

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 says, “How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness.” As people of faith in Jesus, how we live and respond when we don’t get our way can bring light to dark situations. When things don’t play out as we want, but we choose servanthood over judgment, it sends a powerful message. Jesus said it best in Matthew 20:28, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership Spiritual Activity Think and pray about how you can devote several hours, a half-day or even a full day to spending time with God. Then do it. Notes

Day 2

e can’t always control what happens to us or the circumstances around us, but what we can control is our reaction to those circumstances. If we break things down, there are things in our control and outside of our control. When something is inside our circle of control, we tend to feel more comfortable about it. Having a sense of control over a situation seems predictable and changeable. But challenge yourself to rest in that same peace when things are outside of your control. One of the most common “out of our control” areas is leadership. We hope to work for a wise boss who makes decisions for the good of the team and the organization. We depend on leaders to be reliable and who guide, encourage and empower us to grow. Unfortunately, not all leaders are good and wise. Have you ever had a boss that you had no respect for? Have you reluctantly followed a leader who made decisions that went against your beliefs? It’s easy to become resentful in these situations, especially if your leader’s choices affected your life and working environment. Here is a little secret, we have the power to change our work life for the better. We can choose to be disruptive or be diligent. Either choice will dramatically change the situation. Choosing disruption could mean we work halfheartedly, throw pity parties every day or work out ways to destroy our leader. Disruption devalues us and focuses on our own unhappiness. When we view our work as unto the Lord, we realize that this mode of operation isn’t honoring to Him. The second choice is diligence. It’s humbly striving for patience and reacting to uncomfortable situations with wisdom and grace that honors God.

Day 2 (continued)

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

While this is never easy, we will find greater inner peace and satisfaction from this perspective. This choice requires gritty, day-by-day determination to see the bigger, eternal picture. Remember that your boss has another boss. In reality, we are working for Jesus. In difficult or frustrating moments, pray for your boss instead of harboring anger. Ask God to show up in his or her life and to show you how to respect and love them, despite their unlovable characteristics. Work as though you are working for the Lord, rather than for people. When looking at work through this lens, it becomes easier to give your best efforts, because they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for your earthly boss--but for the Lord.

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

Spiritual Activity Ask God what behavior or attitude needs to be changed in your life, and ask Him to help you make the change.

Notes

Day 3

esterday, we looked at how to react to situations and leaders who are not in our control. Whether we are serving others as a leader or as a follower, we have the responsibility to cultivate behaviors, attitudes and actions in our lives that are honoring to God and to those around us. The primary area that we have control over is our behavior. We often assume that our behavior is “just the way we are.” And in some ways, that is true. God created us with unique personality and characteristics, but our behaviors tend to be habitual. They are the things we do after years of practice. Our brains have been forming neurological pathways since infancy. Those pathways inform us about who we are, what is “correct” and how the world works. Over the years, daily experiences strengthen these pathways and turn them into well-developed paths: somewhat like a freshly, re-paved road. New ways of thinking or behaving are foreign to our brain. We must start by consciously choosing a new pathway. Changing behaviors--trying to quit smoking, remembering to count to ten before exploding in anger, praying instead of worrying--requires practice to start turning that neurological footpath into a well-constructed road. Every decision you make to step on that neurological path and make a decision to show obedience, rather than anger or worry, further solidifies that behavior habit in your brain and your life.

Day 3 (continued)

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

Notes God allows us to control our own reactions by our choices, which is an act of the will, and through reliance on His spirit. We can control our behaviors, attitudes and actions, but it takes work. It requires that we ask God to show us the actions and attitudes that we need to modify and the places where we need heart healing and a new mindset. We can ask God to help change what he reveals to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a work of the flesh and our self-sufficiency. True and lasting change comes through the cross and the power available to us through Christ. At the same time, He has placed leaders in our lives that we cannot control. However, what we can control is our response to leadership. We can choose to obey, respect and serve under them as unto the Lord.

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership Spiritual Activity Practice flash prayers today. As you see people throughout the day, pray short silent prayers of blessing on them. Notes

Day 4

magine trudging through the snow, pulling your coat tighter around your neck and trying to block out more of the cold, cutting wind. Your teeth clench tighter and your pace quickens as your destination gets closer. When you arrive at your favorite coffee shop, the door opens and warmth welcomes you as the aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeates the room. You sit down, pressing your hands around your coffee mug, sipping away while the warmth flows through you--chasing away the memory of the cold outside. Just like that coffee was the perfect antidote for a cold, blustery day, we can permeate the world around us with compassion, love and peace. Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Our relationship with Christ enables, and requires us, to bring good flavor into the world with our “saltiness.” Rather than participating in negative conversations, bitter attitudes and gossip, let your influence be a positive one. Don’t think people don’t notice--they do! In cooking, salt enhances the flavors of the ingredients around it. It adds depth and complexity. When added to burnt caramel or bitter coffee, it reshapes and tones the bitter flavors, transforming them into something pleasant. We have an impact every day on people, whether it be for good or for bad. As we grow closer to God, our relationship with Him strengths our positive “flavor” and allows us to bring notes of hope and joy to the people around us. Through relationship with Christ, we have what the world craves: hope. As salt to the world, we can follow Christ’s example of serving others with grace and love. What an amazing thing our Savior did for us! He came to serve us (not to be served), and to give His life so that we could live. He demonstrated that greatness isn’t about being at the top of the food chain, but greatness is found in serving others.

Day 4 (continued)

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

Serving doesn’t have to be a grand production. Think about your five senses--and then think how we can affect others with them. Notice things with your eyes, listen to people with your ears, give someone a hug that needs one, wear a clean smell, taste the goodness of giving. Let your “saltiness” bring peace, joy, love . . . let it reveal Christ to people who deeply crave hope.

Life Lessons Tim Harris was born with Down Syndrome. But he has spent years exceeding expectations and spreading a simple message of happiness. Six years ago, Tim fulfilled his dream of owning and opening a restaurant that serves daily breakfast, lunch and hugs. Tim’s goal for his restaurant isn’t the food but to positively change the world of each person who walks through his door by giving away hugs. Tim fills a room with his joyful personality, career visions and a heart to spread hope. Because of his contagious joy, he has brought smiles to people’s faces through hugs to over 70,000 people. A hug is a small thing with a big impact. Tim says, “My hugs are way more important than the food . . . the food is just food!” Tim’s happiness bleeds through everything that he does because he loves others and lives without restraint. People travel thousands of miles to experience his business, which embodies love because of Tim’s heart.

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership Spiritual Activity Submit to the interests of others today and use your unique skills and abilities to make someone’s day better.

Notes

Day 5

hile watching the Olympics, the symbolic Olympic torch burning bright called to mind Matthew 5:15: “No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house.” The competitors of the games stand out as a light for their countries. Many have shared their journey to the Olympics and have brought hope to those who are developing their God-given skills. The Olympic competition brings the world together and highlights one goal: to be the best. And without the talented people behind the scenes at the Olympics (timekeepers, security, coaches, janitors) the games wouldn’t be possible. Each one has a special part to play and contributes to the whole. In the Kingdom of God, we’re all working towards one goal too: to lift up the name of Jesus. In Matthew 5:14, we are told. “You are the light of the world.” Each one of us has a special talent and purpose in life. Your light cannot shine unless you do something with the abilities you have been given. Not many of us can be Olympic athletes, but all of us have a unique blend of personality, talents and skills that God has deposited in us for a purpose. Each one of us is a light. God is constantly calling us to take our light into the broken world and bring the Gospel, service, hope and encouragement to the darkest places. It may be to a neighbor who lost their way, the homeless or the hungry. Or maybe it’s a co-worker who is struggling. Don’t let your light be suffocated by hiding from your calling. We have the chance to shine brightly in the world by using our God-given talents and abilities. Moreover, when we put our lights together, we have a torch for all the world to see. In unity, we can make an impact on today’s world for future generations and eternal life.

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

Day 6

eadership takes many forms in our lives. Often we don’t see ourselves as a leader, but others do. Have you ever heard the saying “be careful what you do and say because little eyes are watching you?” At any moment you could be seen as a leader or role model to people who look up to you. Leadership sounds intimidating, but Jesus offers a simple answer to our fears about embracing our role of leadership. Jesus’ walk on earth wasn’t about earning the title of leadership. He is innately King, Lord and Creator and, therefore, our ultimate example of a leader. He didn’t need a title on a business card to be a leader. Instead, He was a leader who chose to lead through service. Jesus illustrated that by showing grace and love towards others. When someone in your life looks to you as an example, you are a leader. You become someone others want to follow. You simply have to decide what kind of leader you want to be. So how do we create a life where we take our personal leadership seriously? You may be tempted to first evaluate your local circle of peers and friends to better answer this question, but actually it doesn’t matter if you can directly see those you lead. If each day you wake up and live with the direction of God’s promise in your life and the reaction to the world’s circumstances with love and grace, then your character will shine through to others and lead them to do the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re the CEO of a company or an intern; if you give your best with a good attitude, then you’re showing leadership qualities that are inspiring those around you. Think through how you might be leading others through your actions at work, home, at coffee shops, at church, etc. Are you holding yourself responsible for your role as a leader? Spiritual Activity

Notes

Ask yourself, “Who can I offer the gift of hospitality to right now--a meal, a room or just simple fellowship?”

Week 5 | Vacillating On Leadership

Spiritual Activity Practice the presence of God today (1 Thess. 5:17). Punctuate every moment with inward whisperings of adoration, praise and thanksgiving.

Notes

Day 7

ou are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16 The role that we play as “salt of the earth” is an important one. In the same way that salt preserved essential food sources in the ancient Near East, as followers of Jesus, we’re meant to preserve goodness in our culture. Salt also adds flavor to otherwise bland foods. We can make life pleasing and palatable as we bring the distinctive flavor of grace and forgiveness to our world. Imagine the goodness that could come from being people who preserve goodness and augment the lives of people that God has placed in our lives – to serve instead of looking to be served. “You are the light of the World . . . ” We’re meant to shine like a city on a hilltop; reflecting good deeds inspired by our Heavenly Father. As employees we have opportunities to bring the goodness of God into our workplace. As spouses and parents, we can project an encouraging light that is a shelter from a darkened world for our family – a beacon of light for a wayward son or daughter. As members of a church community – brothers and sisters in Christ – we can call others into the light of Christ that has transformed our lives. As we slow down and seek wisdom, choosing to reflect the character and nature of God in every aspect of our lives, it creates a noticeable contrast to knee-jerk reactions that can perpetuate more conflict, discontent, frustration and aggression. Imagine

the picture that Jesus painted about you: “You are the salt of the earth . . . a city on a hilltop.” It’s true! God has chosen you to be His message to the world around you today.

ermon Notes

Week 6

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 & Matthew 5:3; Luke 23:29-43

Wrestling With Death Memory Verse Matthew 5:3

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death

Day 1

Spiritual Activity Sit quietly before God for 20 minutes and ask Him how you can show His love to those whom you love. Then do it.

Notes

n August 8, 2012, I received a call that my grandmother, age 93, had passed away. This was a surprise to us because she had been relatively healthy and able to live on her own. I spent the next 12 months taking care of everything that needed to be done: notifying relatives, planning a funeral, hiring an estate attorney, working with the probate court, selling her home, paying her bills, closing accounts and so on - and all this from 1,200 miles away! A year later on September 9, 2013, my mother passed, and the whole process began yet again. When a loved one dies, we are faced with the fact that one day WE will die. Unless Jesus returns during our lifetime, we WILL die. It’s inevitable. But, for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus, this death will simply be a step into the fullness of life in the presence of our Lord. Knowing and accepting that, it’s a helpful exercise to begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself now, “How can I live in such a way that, at the end, I will have no regrets? How can I live a good life, bless the most people, and accomplish God’s purposes for my life so, at the end, Jesus can say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant?’” Additionally, ask yourself, “How can I leave a legacy to bless those I’m leaving behind?” We offer a class at Vineyard Church that will help you answer that question: Legacy Journey. One more thing... Are your affairs in order? Do you have a will? A trust? Are you busy buying and collecting things that one day someone will be donating to Good Will? Think about it.

Day 2

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death

“E

verything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances…” —Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Ultimately, we all share the same destiny. Death isn’t something that we can escape or control. While our departure from earth is inescapable, our attitude in life is what we choose. Viktor Frankl was faced with meaningless death and abuse every day as a Jewish prisoner during the Holocaust. He watched as men around him succumbed to what he called “give-upitis.” These men lost their reason to live. He noted that death usually took them a day or two after they lost the will to live. He also observed that those who fought the inward battle for hope and purpose, lived much longer in the camps. His conclusion? People can take anything away from you except your attitude. We always have the choice on how we’ll respond to situations.

Spiritual Activity See each person you meet today as a new opportunity to show love to the Imago Dei (the image of God within them). Notes

While we don’t face anything near what those prisoners suffered during the war, we often struggle to keep our head up in times of trouble. It’s too easy to become hateful and pessimistic about life. When we realize that, eventually, we’ll leave this earth and be forgotten, it seems easier to give into “give-upitis” than to continue the search for meaning. But another way is available. We can choose to live in the moments we’re given, and view each one as a gift that we can embrace. There are things out of our control. Attitude isn’t one of them. Everyday tasks, when accepted with an attitude of gratefulness, can be a source of joy and hidden blessings. We choose our attitude towards life--not the number of days in it. It’s up to us. Will we spend our days steeped in bitterness and complaining? Or will we determine to be joyful and grateful?

Life Lessons

n one Holocaust prison camp, some of the Jewish prisoners received toothbrushes; a rare and precious commodity. The five second rule didn’t exist in their world, despite the total lack of sanitation. Instead, when they dropped their toothbrushes, the question the men asked each other was “bristles up?” Bristles up, everything was fine. Bristles down--the toothbrush was a goner. This thought process filtered into more areas of their lives. They looked for the small things, the fraction of light in their bleak world. They dealt with the horrors that surrounded them by deciding to set their outlook on what they could control: their attitudes. During the blackest hours, they would ask each other quietly, “bristles up?” A gentle question about their friend’s mental state and a soft reminder to seek the “bristles up” moments and hold onto them tightly.

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death

Spiritual Activity One easy way to be a blessing to others is by giving away the gently used items you no longer use or want. Today, clean out your clothes closet and give away anything you haven’t worn in a year to someone in need-maybe with the exception of a wedding dress or something similar. Notes

Day 3

hroughout Ecclesiastes, the author makes it clear that each day is a gift from God to be enjoyed. None of us knows what tomorrow may bring or how long we will be on the earth. What we do know is that we are here now, and that we are created for a purpose. As long as we keep the eternal God in view, whatever we do with our God-given abilities will please the Lord and give us fulfillment at the same time. No matter where we are in life, even if we are on our deathbed, we can still act as a blessing to the people around us. We can forgive, practice kindness, find things to be thankful for and give sound wisdom with as much cheer as possible. If you have lost a loved one, yes, there is a time to grieve. But God doesn’t want you to stay in mourning forever. Continue to enjoy life and serve Him. If you are lonely, regularly get together with friends or relatives. Volunteer at a place that strikes your passion. Learn something new. Try a different hobby or interest. Join a small group. It will please both you and God if you enjoy life as His gift, to make the most of every opportunity you’re given, to live fully. All the while remembering that there will come an end to our time on earth and a beginning to our eternal life.

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death

Day 4

hink of life as a story. It has a beginning, middle and end. Each chapter brings joys and disappointments, positive changes and losses. But when our story becomes filled with loss, any loss (physical death, death of a dream, broken relationships, etc), we find ourselves faced with our own utter lack of control. We are helpless to stop or sometimes even foresee death in our lives, but what we do with this truth is up to us. We can choose to become anxious and fearful because of lack of control. We can choose to become angry, stubbornly refusing to accept our dependance on God. Or we can rest in the peace that comes with relinquishing control to God.

Spiritual Activity Post a Bible verse or two around your house, and change them frequently. When you see them, turn them into a prayer (Start with John 14:1-2 or Phil. 4:6). Notes

If we give in to anxiety and fear to cope with feeling out of control, we become more and more controlled by that anxiety. It hinders us from living life well and experiencing the freedom that Jesus desires for us to have. If we choose anger and refuse to admit that we aren’t in control, we enter into a solitary existence. We walk through loss without help and suffer immensely because of our choices. But when we loosen our grip, and realize our need for Him, we find rest and peace. Giving up control is difficult. It means admitting that we are dependent. It means trusting that God has good planned for our lives. It means having confidence that God won’t fail us or forget about us. But God is the Creator of all things. The master storyteller. The Father who loves you with wild abandon. The King who chose to walk a path of suffering, death and resurrection so that death isn’t the end for us. When we admit our dependence on Him, we find peace and rest, knowing that He covers us in love and will never abandon us. 71

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death Spiritual Activity Sit silently and think of a friend or family member who could use prayer right now. Then when God reveals the person to you, pray for them. Ask God for encouraging words or Scripture you could share with them after you’re done.

Notes

Day 5

eath can be a gentle hand leading people into the arms of the Father, or it can be a thief, stealing away the breath of someone we love without warning or reason. A child who takes his last breath too soon. A high schooler teaming with potential, who succumbs to a dark depression. A daughter who loses her battle with cancer, leaving a family behind. Death tears a piece of our heart away, leaving us broken and demanding answers for its unjustifiable thievery of what should have been ours much longer. We can choose to allow bitterness and the “unfairness” to tinge our lives, or we can live out our days seeking God’s comfort and love. The first route is tempting and much easier to fall into. The second is an uphill battle, it forces us to daily reach for God instead of being pulled towards the morose. But it’s a battle worth fighting. Consider this: Death is an unnatural part of our lives. It’s the result of the broken and shattered nature of the world around us. Sin’s curse brought death into the world, but Jesus’s work on the cross overcame death. He snatched death’s power and transformed the closing of our life’s story into the turning of a page--an introduction to a new chapter with Him that will never end. Jesus’s death and resurrection gives us hope for the future and knowledge that death isn’t the end. Jesus brought God’s Kingdom to earth. It’s “here, but not yet fully.” We see glimpses of His eternal joy on earth but don’t know it fully until we pass from life on earth into life with Him. Sometimes the timing seems unfair or too short, but God’s redemptive work gives us hope and assurance that there is more to come. Earth isn’t our final destination. That can be a scary concept. We haven’t seen eternity or traveled to Heaven, and the unknown can strike fear in our hearts. But God is trustworthy, loving and has unfathomable peace and joy waiting for us. Death isn’t a sunset, it’s the break in the clouds as the sun rises on a new and more beautiful day in God.

Day 6

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death

man sat in a prison cell, biding his time until his execution. He knew why he was there . . . he was a thief, a liar, a criminal and, people were probably right, he deserved to die. Night fell, and the sun rose again. Day after day, his hopelessness and anger towards his life increased. His mind vacillated from wanting his death to be over to a desperate panic for escape. Finally, his jailor unlocked his door and led him to his execution. The beatings, the impending death was as expected. But something was different about that day. He watched as someone else suffered the same fate alongside him and realized that this man was different. Unlike himself, the other man was innocent. As the thief fought for his last breaths on the cross, he realized who was dying next to him. All the pieces came together; next to him was Jesus. The Messiah all of Israel had been waiting for.

Spiritual Activity Volunteer for a task either at church, home or in your workplace. Submit to others’ needs without looking for recognition or position.

Notes

Maybe the thief’s earthly life was ending, but with forgiveness from Jesus, his eternity could still be redeemed. So he cried out to Jesus with this simple plea - to remember him when Jesus entered His Kingdom. That day, the thief started an eternal relationship with Jesus and joined him in paradise. There are people who seem so far away from God, that they will never come to follow Jesus. You probably know someone like this. Or maybe you are that person, wondering if Jesus can really forgive everything you’ve done. We often give up on people or ourselves, deciding that redemption isn’t possible. But Jesus fervently disagrees. He never gives up on people and will never give up on you. The story of the thief on the cross next to Jesus is an example of God’s desire to forgive and bring us close to Him--no matter how young or old, how rough around the edges or when we see our need for Him. Don’t stop praying for people. Don’t underestimate God’s love and desire to restore you and others. Jesus wants to forgive and redeem, even at the last minute.

Week 6 | Wrestling With Death Spiritual Activity When you attend church this weekend, arrive a bit early, pray that God would speak to you, teach you, and that you would experience His love and power. At the end of the service, ask God, “Based on what I just heard, what is one thing you want me to change in my life?” And then do it.

Notes

Day 7

everal years ago I baptized a young man in his late twenties in January, and I was grieved to conduct his funeral in December. He apparently overdosed on the recreational drugs he was taking. There were hundreds of people at this young man’s funeral. Although this young man made a terrible decision that cost him his life, I know that he’s in the presence of Jesus now. What a wise decision he made to follow Jesus and be baptized! But what a loss to have him die so young! We can learn something from this young man. If you’re still breathing, it’s not too late for Jesus to transform your life. Jesus not only wants to save us, He wants to change you. How does He do that? He does it through His Word, prayer and other followers of Jesus. Do you want to grow and be transformed? We have worked hard to develop our Discipleship Track at Vineyard Church (101, 201, 200-Series classes, 301 and 401). The 200-Series classes, in particular, are really designed to help you grow and transform: Baptism, Alpha, Empowering Workshop, Oaks of Righteousness, Spiritual Formation, Financial Peace University, Vineyard Bible Exploration (VBX) classes and Vineyard Institute (VI) classes. How can you make Jesus your first priority? Don’t put your spiritual growth on the back burner. Make it an important part of your life today!

ermon Notes

Week 7

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; 12:8-14 & Matthew 5:17-20; 6:9

Focusing On Worship Memory Verse Ecc. 12:13-14

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

Spiritual Activity Sit in silence, and invite God to be present with you as you sit. Write down any thoughts that come to mind.

Notes

Day 1

orship is a beautiful privilege that we have as God’s people. We acknowledge and show gratitude for His attributes, His works and the love He poured out on humanity through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. God invites us to be a part of His everlasting Kingdom, and He is worthy of all praise honor and glory. He’s worthy of our worship. We sing songs that state these sentiments all the time. However in Isaiah 29:13, the Lord states, “These people are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” An attitude of worship and reverence must take root in more than just our songs on Sunday mornings. It must become the melody of our life as we worship God, sit at His feet and give him our attention as we try to get to know Him better. As you spend time exploring worship this week, allow God to expand your thoughts on how you can worship. Ask Him to highlight the ways you can worship by giving generously and thankfully to Him. Look around you and take stock of what you have, whether it feels plentiful or scarce, and express thankfulness. Thank Him for the sun on your face, the grass in your yard, the squirrels in the trees. Breathe in and breathe out, and thank Him for the breath in your lungs and the beat of your heart. Thank Him for who He is and what is yet to be, as He works everything around you for good. When you begin to view even the small things in your life as gifts from God, it changes the attitude of your heart. You hold your time, your treasure and the people He puts in your path with open hands saying, “Your will be done, Lord.” You begin to praise and worship Him freely in the good and the difficult seasons of life. And the song of your heart sings, “The Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.”

Day 2

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

n a world of instant gratification, quick fixes and on-thego lifestyles, we find ourselves struggling to slow down and listen. So often we approach God like we would a genie. We come to Him with our list of problems, worries or demands. Suddenly prayer becomes less about coming to God in relationship, love and worship and more about getting the results that we believe will satisfy us. We forget that we were created for relationship with God and that He longs to walk alongside us. We forget His bigness. His majesty. His creativity. His power. Instead we try to fit Him into a bottle of our own making, thus limiting our relationship Him.

Spiritual Activity Take a walk, go on a run or take a bike ride while you pray. Notes

A man named Job came to God, justifiably pleading for answers. He received 58 verses of answers that pointed to the vast difference between God’s wisdom and ours (Job 40:7-42:6). Job was reminded that God is the one who gives strength to the lion and peace to the smallest bird. He sets the stars in motion and instructs the rivers where to run. He clothes Himself with glory, splendor, honor and majesty. We are utterly unworthy of Him and yet He showers us in an unending flood of love and grace. Remember God’s grandeur and bigness. Yes, bring Him your worries, but come to Him in humility. He tells us to ask so that we can receive, according to Matthew 7:7. Don’t forget to sit in silence and allow God to show up however He wishes. Sometimes it may be a stray thought that God places in your mind or maybe a spectacular show of nature will focus your mind on the One who orchestrated that show. Approach God and come near to Him in order to listen and be led, rather than always to speak.

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

Day 3

orship certainly is a big part of the weekend services at Vineyard Church. It invites God into our midst and praises Him. But worship isn’t limited to the church building. We can integrate worship into our everyday life. How differently our days would be if we invited God into our daily tasks and praised Him during activities? Carry worship with you outside of the church building and bring it into your activities through silent prayers as you walk through your day. If you love gardening, pause to consider all of the goodness God gives us to nurture and for the renewal of life that you witness each day. Are you an athlete? Celebrate moments during your conditioning to praise and worship God for the abilities and talents he’s given you and the opportunities to use them. In times of doubt or insecurity, recall the lyrics to your favorite worship song and know that “He never gives up on you” and “never leaves you” (Deut. 31:6). Turn to worship in your thoughts, and the peace of God will settle into your heart throughout the day. Allow God to move past being a checkbox on your list of to-dos. Cultivating a relationship with God means creating space for Him in your life--not just on Sunday. Being present and inviting God into each moment will bring to light new blessings in habitual activities and a friend to walk alongside you wherever you go. Spiritual Activity Look at your calendar and commitments. Pray about how God might want you to simplify your life in order to create more margin, so that you can cultivate your relationship with Him.

Notes

Day 4

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship Spiritual Activity

ome people might sum up the Bible this way: The Old Testament is all about laws, and the New Testament is all about love. Have you ever heard that? It’s as if once Jesus showed up in the Bible, things got a lot softer and loving as compared to the rigid regulations in the Old Testament. Jesus addresses this very misconception when he stated in Matthew 5:17: 17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” Jesus’ life and work didn’t negate anything that God had already revealed about Himself. God declared who He was in the Old Testament, He hasn’t changed today, and He will be the same tomorrow. Jesus’ ministry on earth not only fulfilled the law, by perfectly obeying it, but also helped us to understand the heart behind the law.

Get up a bit earlier today and go someplace where you can be alone (preferably outdoors). Spend time reflecting on God’s creation, His blessings in your life and then spend some time in prayer and thanksgiving. Notes

Because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, our sin is forgiven and our relationship with God can be restored. We can choose a fresh start. By placing our trust and faith in Jesus, we’re adopted into His family and called His beloved. From that moment on, our brokenness and sin is covered by love and grace. But that covering doesn’t excuse us from future obedience. “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?” (Romans 6:1) It shifts our heart from futilely trying to “earn” salvation to obeying out of love and gratitude because of the One who paid the price for our salvation. Obedience isn’t a list that we can check off. (“I didn’t murder anyone, check. I didn’t steal anything, check…”) As followers of Christ, obedience is an expression of love and trust in the One who cares for us. Obedience protects us from unnecessary harm, draws us close to Him and gives us a way to respectfully thank and honor Him for taking our sin to the cross and giving us, not only eternal life, but a new heart.

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

Spiritual Activity Volunteer for a task either at church, home or in your workplace. Submit to other people’s needs without looking for recognition or position.

Notes

Day 5

alues within the Kingdom of God, compared to those of the world, are upside down. Greatness is achieved, not through self-promotion and self-aggrandizement, but through humble service. True servant-leaders must abandon pride and become servants. The media often clothes greatness in a power suit. The “great” demand our attention with their booming voices and drive to succeed. But Jesus describes a different way. Those in leadership should seek ways to empower, encourage and serve those they lead. Becoming the greatest in the Kingdom of God means tirelessly pursuing godly character, while helping others to do the same. Greatness in God’s eyes isn’t about how much money one can accumulate or how many powerful people one knows. God measures greatness by how ardently we seek to follow His example of obedience, grace and love. Matthew 5:19 tells us that greatness in the Kingdom of God requires not only obedience but also that we lead others into a closer walk with God. Leadership, at its core, is about obeying God and helping others to do the same. Even if we don’t consider ourselves a leader, we must remember that leadership is merely influence. There are always people watching us. Every day we are presented with opportunities to influence others. Our legacy of leadership is forged moment by moment as we come alongside others, extend grace to them, love and forgo judgement. As you journey toward Christlikeness, you’ll be fulfilling Jesus’ desire for your life when He said, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11-12)

Day 6

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

hances are, you know a rule follower or you are a rule follower: someone who works very hard to follow all the rules. Occasionally, such a person will take this rule-following to new levels, creating even more rules to avoid getting close to breaking them. If the rule says “do not enter,” they simply avoid that area all together…better safe than sorry.

Spiritual Activity Practice an act of secret service today. Something that will lift someone else’s burden.

Notes

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day sought to live a life of spiritual purity by a meticulous following of the Torah (Jewish law). No doubt their emphasis on the law resulted in legalism leading to hypocrisy. Nonetheless, many Pharisees were highly committed and deeply spiritual people. From their perspective, Jesus relativized the law which explained their anger towards him. The Pharisees took the Torah so seriously that they began building rules around the rules; safeguards to ensure that no law would ever be accidentally broken. In many cases, they lost sight of the heart that lay behind the things God asked of them. As time went on, their obedience became empty and devoid of the heart behind obedience to the Torah--which was love. Jesus had a knack for bringing people back to the heart of obedience. It’s not enough to refrain from adultery while inwardly fantasizing about another woman or man. It’s not enough to feign love while inwardly nursing secret hatred, resentment or unforgiveness towards another. In Matthew 5:20, we are commanded to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees. This implies that our actions of obedience come from a loving heart that is submitted to Christ’s lordship. Outward obedience reveals an inward love for Christ and a love for others. How is the state of your heart? Is it soft and submitted to Christ?

Week 7 | Focusing On Worship

Spiritual Activity Ask God today to help you recognize ways in which you are reluctant to follow Him in obedience. Take a step (even a small one) of obedience and faith today. Notes

Day 7

ave you ever looked at Jesus and then looked at yourself and thought, “There’s no way I can ever be like You, Lord!” While perfection may not be a reality, we can begin to look more like Jesus little-by-little and step-by-step, as we worship Him and ask Him to speak to us. Righteousness comes from obeying the Lord’s commandments and His will. Even Jesus obeyed His Father saying, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” Take a quiet moment and think about your life. Are there areas in which you know you aren’t obeying the Lord’s will for you? Are you listening to His voice as He directs you or are you running through each day with earplugs in? Do you feel like you’re trying to listen but hearing nothing? One way you can immediately hear God speak is through His Word--the Bible. In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus sums up the way people can obey God by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength… Love your neighbor as yourself.” When we are obedient to God, we love Him and we love people. Loving God means living a holy life, surrendered to His will and ways. Loving people means shining God’s light into the world through our words, attitudes and actions. Take a quiet moment, and ask the Lord how you can worship through your obedience as you love Him and love people today. How you can be a positive reflection of Him today? Thank Him for His loving kindness that brings you into a restored relationship with Him so that you can be holy and righteous through the blood of Christ.

Final Thoughts | From Fred Herron

cclesiastes is written for a community of people who are trying to find meaning and satisfaction in life. The narrator of Ecclesiastes is reporting the journey of the Teacher (or Qohelet in the Hebrew), so that all of us who are seeking wisdom and meaning in life may benefit from the Teacher’s journey. In the beginning, the Teacher describes his quest for meaning as a frustrating quest. It’s vanity (or hebel in the Hebrew). All is hebel. The search for meaning is like chasing the wind. It cannot be grasped. It’s incomprehensible. The Teacher doesn’t deny the existence of meaning, but he finds it nearly impossible to lay hold of. Unlike “wisdom” in Proverbs ,which is a stable path, “wisdom” for the Teacher is a journey which leads to enigma, vexation and even pain. And yet, the Teacher invites us to join him on this frustrating journey. `

Spiritual Activity Practice holy leisure today - an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, family and friends, and to be at peace through the activities of the day. Notes

In the end the Teacher does find wisdom because he turns to God—the true Shepherd of those who are searching. The Teacher concludes that you cannot find wisdom everywhere. His journey points us back to God’s Word as the true source of wisdom: “Fear God and obey His commands.” Fearing God is the action of revering and worshipping God. Revering God is the way in which we fulfill our humanity. As followers of Jesus, we have the full revelation of the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1, 14). Through Jesus, we see from a greater vantage point than the Teacher did. But even for followers of Jesus, the journey can be frustrating and unsteady. In the end we are called to follow Jesus and cling to Jesus in all of life’s challenges. We find meaning and satisfaction in Jesus. We stand in affirmation with the Apostle Peter concerning Jesus. Peter’s words become ours: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69). - Fred Herron

ermon Notes

Host

Guide

HELPS FOR HOSTS top ten ideas for new hosts Congratulations! As the host of your small group, you have responded to the call to help shepherd Jesus’ flock. Few other tasks in the family of God surpass the contribution you will be making. As you prepare to facilitate your group, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind. Remember you are not alone. God knows everything about you, and He knew you would be asked to facilitate your group. Even though you may not feel ready, this is common for all good hosts. God promises, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5). Whether you are facilitating for one evening, several weeks, or a lifetime, you will be blessed as you serve. 1. Don’t try to do it alone. Others are there to help you. Pray right now for God to help you build a healthy team. If you can enlist a co-host to help you with the group, you will find your experience much richer. This is your chance to involve as many people as you can in building a healthy group. All you have to do is ask people to help. You’ll be surprised at the response. 2. Be friendly and be yourself. God wants to use your unique gifts and temperament. Be sure to greet people at the door with a big smile. This can set the mood for the whole gathering. Remember, they are taking as big a step to show up! Don’t try to do things exactly like another host; do them in a way that fits you. Admit when you don’t have an answer and apologize when you make a mistake. Your group will love you for it and you’ll sleep better at night. 3. Prepare for your meeting ahead of time. Review the sessions. Write down your responses to each question. Pay special attention to exercises that ask group members to do something other than engage in discussion. These exercises will help your group live what the Bible teaches, not just talk about it. Be sure you understand how an exercise works. 4. Pray for your group members by name. Before your group arrives, take a few moments and pray for each member by name. You may want to review the prayer requests from your group at least once a week. Ask God to use your time together to touch the heart of every person in your group. Expect God to lead you to whomever he wants you to encourage or challenge in a special way. If you listen, God will surely lead. 5. When you ask a question, be patient. Someone will eventually respond. Sometimes people need a moment or two of silence to think about the question. If silence doesn’t bother you, it won’t bother anyone else. After someone responds, affirm the response with a simple “thanks” or “great answer.” Then ask, “How about somebody else?” or “Would someone who hasn’t shared like to add anything?” Be sensitive to new people or reluctant 90

members who aren’t ready to say, pray, or do anything. If you give them a safe setting, they will blossom over time. If someone in your group is a “wallflower” who sits silently through every session, that’s okay. Don’t force them to talk. Later on in the group you might consider talking to them privately and encouraging them to participate. Let them know how important they are to you — that they are loved and appreciated, and that the group would value their input. Remember, still water often runs deep. 6. Provide transitions between questions. Ask if anyone would like to read the paragraph or Bible passage. Don’t call on anyone, but ask for a volunteer, and then be patient until someone begins. Be sure to thank the person who reads aloud. 7. Break into smaller groups occasionally. With a greater opportunity to talk in a small circle, people will connect more with the study, apply more quickly what they’re learning, and ultimately get more out of their small group experience. A small circle also encourages a quiet person to participate and tends to minimize the effects of a more vocal or dominant member. Small circles are also helpful during prayer time. People who are unaccustomed to praying aloud will feel more comfortable trying it with just two or three others. Also, prayer requests won’t take as much time, so circles will have more time to actually pray. It’s okay if prayer requests are shared in the smaller group that don’t get shared in the larger group. Often people will share more within the smaller group. The other great aspect of sub -grouping is that it fosters leadership development. As you ask people in the group to facilitate discussion or to lead a prayer circle, it gives them a small leadership step that can build their confidence. 8. Rotate facilitators occasionally. You may be perfectly capable of hosting each time, but you will help others grow in their faith and gifts if you give them opportunities to host the group. You also will prevent any one person from burning out if you share leadership with the group. 9. One final challenge. Before your first opportunity to lead, look up each of the passages listed below. Read each one as a devotional exercise to help prepare your heart. Matthew 9:36-38, John 10:14-15, 1 Peter 5:2-4, Philippians 2:1-5, Hebrews 10:23-25, 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12

frequently asked questions HOW LONG WILL THIS GROUP MEET? This study is 7 sessions long. In addition to your main meetings, we encourage you to also get together for a social event--perhaps a celebration event at the conclusion of this study. In your last couple sessions, each group member may decide if he or she desires to continue on for another study. At that time you may also want to do some informal evaluation (e.g. how did the group go, what changes should we make, etc.), discuss your Small Group Guidelines, and decide which study you want to do next. We recommend you contact Roger Sodsod at rsodsod@vineyardkcnorth. com to get some more ideas for small group studies. WHO IS THE HOST? The host is the person who coordinates and facilitates your group meetings. In addition to a host, we encourage you to select a few others from the group to facilitate your group discussions. Several other responsibilities can be rotated, including snacks, prayer requests, worship, planning fun events/outreaches, or keeping up with those who missed a meeting. Shared ownership in the group helps everybody grow. Use the calendar on the following page to plan your responsibilities rotation. WHERE DO WE FIND NEW GROUP MEMBERS? Recruiting new members can be a challenge for groups, especially new groups with just a few people, or existing groups that lose a few people along the way. We encourage you to use the following acronym to brainstorm ideas for people to invite. F.R.A.N.K. (Who are my FRANKs?) Friends Relatives (family members) Associates (work, school) Neighbors Kids (other parents you know from your kids’ schools, sport teams, etc.) Follow this Simple Three-Step Process: 1. Have each person in the group list one to two people for each letter 2. Prayerfully select one person or couple from your list and tell your group about them. 3. Give them a call and invite them to your next meeting. Over fifty percent of those invited to a small group say, “Yes!” As you come up with lists, pray for the people on each member’s list. Allow each member to invite several people from their list. Some groups fear that newcomers will interrupt the intimacy that members have built over time. However,

groups that welcome newcomers generally gain strength with the infusion of new blood. Remember, the next person you add just might become a friend for eternity. If your group starts to become too large for easy, face-to-face conversations, you can subgroup, forming a second discussion group in another room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s common too that group members may leave to start their own new group. This is actually a good thing! HOW DO WE HANDLE THE CHILDCARE NEEDS IN OUR GROUP? Childcare needs must be handled very carefully. We suggest you seek creative solutions as a group. One common solution is to have adults meet in the living room and share the cost of a babysitter who can be with the kids in another part of the house. Another popular option is to have one home for the kids (with a babysitter or two there) and a second home (close by) for the adults.

small group calendar DATE

LESSON

LOCATION

FACILITATOR

SNACK OR MEAL

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Session 5

Session 6

Session 7

Session 1

MEDITATING ON DUST AND WIND Session 1: Meditating on Dust & Wind Memory Verse: Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Icebreakers: 1. If this is your first time meeting as a group, or if you have new group members, be sure to go around the circle and introduce yourselves, beginning with the Host. Tell everyone at least three things about yourself. Also share with the group what you hope to get out of this small group series. 2. Before you begin this study, we recommend that you review the Small Group Guidelines on the next page as a group. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. Have a volunteer read Ecclesiastes 1:12-18. How would you answer the following question, and how has your answer to this question changed over the years: “What is the purpose of my life?” 2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 6:19-21. If you were to honestly reflect on your life, what things are you currently juggling that you need to let go of because they are a waste of time? 3. What things have you tried to stuff into your life to make it meaningful only to find that they did not truly satisfy? 4. Selfish ambition, living for self, and living for things that are just earthly are going to simply fade away. Rather, there’s another way to do life. It’s doing life where we invest in eternity and where we invest in heavenly treasure. Our heart can reveal where we are investing. Where are you spending most of your time, talents, and money? Where is your heart at - meaning when you’re not thinking about work or the essentials of life, what are you thinking about? Where are you currently investing? 5. How can you make shifts that will insure that, over time, you will begin to really live a life that counts eternally?

Prayer: One way we can show our love for one another is by committing to pray for each other. Take some time as a group to share your prayer requests. Be sure to record everyone’s prayer requests on the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. Resource: If you haven’t yet taken the Spritual Growth Assessment at sodsod.com/resources, now is a great time to take it. This tool helps you measure where you are in your spirtual life and gives you directions on how to grow.

Small Group Guidelines

WE AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING VALUES: CLEAR PURPOSE: To grow healthy spiritual lives by building a healthy small group community. GROUP ATTENDANCE: To give priority to the group meeting (email or call if I am absent or late) SAFE ENVIRONMENT: To create a safe place where people can be heard and feel loved (no quick answers, snap judgments, or simple fixes) BE CONFIDENTIAL: To keep anything that is shared strictly confidential within the group CONFLICT RESOLUTION: To avoid gossip and to immediately resolve any concerns by following the principles of Matthew 18:15-17 SPIRITUAL HEALTH: To give group members permission to speak into my life and help me live a healthy, balanced spiritual life that is pleasing to God WELCOME NEWCOMERS: To invite friends who might benefit from this study and warmly welcome newcomers BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: To get to know the other members of the group and pray for them regularly We have also discussed and agree on the following items: STARTING TIME: ENDING TIME:

Session 2

PUSHING THE LIMITS Memory Verse: Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. What are your favorite hobbies? 2. What are some things you liked to do for fun as a teenager? 3. Share with the group something daring you did as a child or teenager. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 6:25-34. What is the one thing in your life which everything else centers around? Or to put it another way, what is the one thing you get the most jazzed about? 2. There are differences between the things we love and think are important and the things that should be our main focus. What are each of those in your life? 3. List some things that you’ve worried about in the past that never came to pass. How has God provided for your needs and come to your assistance in the past? 4. Now list some things you’re currently worried about. What can you learn from this exercise? 5. The word “seek” in the original Greek means “to crave.” How does this definition give the verse “seek first the Kingdom of God” a different meaning? 6. Discuss this quote by Tim Keller, “To live for anything else but God leads to breakdown and decay. When a fish leaves the water, which he was built for, he is not free, but dead. Worshiping other things besides God leads to a loss of meaning. We end up defining ourselves in terms of our achievement in these things. We must 96

have them or all is lost; so they drive us to work too hard, or they fill us with terror if they are jeopardized.” How have you seen this to be true? 7. Discuss the promise God makes us in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” What does it look like practically to seek Jesus with all your heart? How can that affect the things you are worried about? Prayer: Spend some time praying for the prayer requests you have been sharing with each other. Remember to record them on the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. You may want to focus on praying for one another to seek Jesus with ALL their heart.

Session 3

TRAVELING THROUGH TIME Memory Verse: Matthew 6:9-13 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. Tell the group about a time when someone really blessed you and/or your family. 2. Share a God-story - a time when you feel God answered a prayer or blessed you in some way. 3. What are 3 things you hope to do before the end of your life? Watch the VIDEO now. Introduction: Jesus had one basic message, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The time has come,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? (Mark 1:14-15). He repeatedly spoke about the kingdom. t 5IF ,JOHEPN PG (PE JT UIF BDUJWF TPWFSFJHO SVMF BOE SFJHO PG (PE t 5IF ,JOHEPN PG (PE JT XIFSF )JT XJMM JT PDDVSSJOH t (PE JT DBMMJOH QFPQMF UP MJWF VOEFS UIF BVUIPSJUZ PG )JT SVMF XJMM t 5IFSF JT B DPVOUFS LJOHEPN B EBSL LJOHEPN BU XPSL JO UIF XPSME t (PE T QFPQMF BSF DBMMFE UP FYUFOE (PE T LJOHEPN JO UIF XPSME George Ladd in his book, The Theology of the New Testament, says it this way, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kingdom is Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kingly rule. It has two moments: a fulfillment of the Old Testament promises in the historical mission of Jesus, and a consummation at the end of the age, inaugurating the Age to Come.â&#x20AC;? Ladd goes on to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of waiting until the end of the age to reveal his kingly power and destroy satanic evil, Jesus declares that God has acted in his kingly power to curb the power of Satan (Matthew 12:2829). In other words, Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kingdom in Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; teaching has a twofold manifestation: at the end of the age to destroy Satan, and in Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mission to bind Satan.â&#x20AC;? So, Satan continues to be active; he is not powerless (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 98

2:1-2; John 16:8-11; 1 John 5:18-19). But his power has been broken. Now that the kingdom has come, Jesus gives us power to intercede and intervene and even overcome the power of Satan (1 John 4:4; 2 Cor. 10:3-5). One day, Jesus will return, and Satan will be destroyed! When Jesus came the first time, the kingdom of God was inaugurated, but one day He will return, and the kingdom of God will be consummated (Revelation 11:15)! So the kingdom of God is both present and future. And that’s good news! So Jesus taught us to pray this way, “Our Father who art in heaven hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10). He commanded us to pray that His kingdom would literally be manifest on earth! Discussion Questions: 1. What is the good news about the Kingdom of God? 2. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6:10-12. As we look out at the world, who do we as Americans or as Christians tend to think of as our enemies? Who is our real enemy? How should this change how we approach life and how we approach living as citizens of the Kingdom of God? 3. Have a volunteer read Luke 4:18-19. How can we extend God’s Kingdom to our families, neighborhood, friends, school, and workplace, and be a person who prays and works for the coming of Heaven on Earth? What would it look like for you to live as a Kingdom citizen in your life today? 4. How do you need God’s Kingdom to come and invade YOUR life in a special way? Share those needs. Prayer: Pray for the needs shared in #4 above. Also pray over the prayer requests on the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. You also may want to split the group in half for prayer (perhaps men and women).

Session 4

SUFFERING WITH UNCERTAINTY Session 4: Suffering With Uncertainty Memory Verse: Matthew 5:10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. Share something with the group that they might be surprised to learn about you (e.g. something odd, funny, slightly embarrassing, shocking, etc.) 2. Describe a time during your teenage years when you did something odd, strange, surprising, or out of character for you. 3. If you could suddenly become an expert in an area/field of knowledge, what would you choose and what would you do with your newfound knowledge? Watch the VIDEO now. Introduction: Those who faithfully live according to the first 7 beatitudes will at some point have an opportunity to experience the 8th. Those who choose to live a Godly life will at some point be persecuted for it. Godliness generates hostility and antagonism from the world. Kingdom people are often rejected people. A few years ago, Faithworks magazine had an article entitled The Risk of Faith(1). The article lists the degrees of persecution one could face for practicing and living out the Christian faith starting with the mildest and progressing to the most extreme forms of persecution: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Disapproval Ridicule Pressure to conform Loss of educational opportunities Economic sanctions Shunning Alienation from the community Loss of employment Loss of property

100

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Physical abuse Mob violence Harassment by officials Kidnapping Forced labor Imprisonment Physical torture Murder or execution

Discussion Questions: 1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:10-12 and 2 Timothy 3:12. Discuss the following statement: “Those who faithfully live according to the first 7 beatitudes will at some point have an opportunity to experience the 8th.” Why are followers of Christ persecuted? 2. Look over the list again of degrees of persecution on page 100. Share a time when you or someone you know experienced persecution for practicing and living out their Christian faith. 3. Have a volunteer read I Thessalonians 3:1-5. Is persecution one of Satan’s tactics to discourage believers or is it one of God’s means of strengthening our faith? 4. There are many degrees and forms of persecution. Do you think we as American Christians will ever suffer the more extreme forms of persecution such as imprisonment, physical torture, or execution? Why or why not? 5. Have a volunteer read Matthew 13:18-23. In verse 21 we have a person described as having no deep roots. There are many people in this world who have heard the Word and received it with joy but when persecution or trouble came, they fell away. What are some things in life that might be considered “rocky places?” How can we develop “deep roots”? Prayer: Spend time praying for one another’s requests from the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report as well as any new ones. You might break into smaller groups for prayer (3-4) this week. Andrew Black and Craig Bird, “The Risk of Faith,” FaithWorks (July/August 1999), pp.17-20 (1)

101

Session 5

VACILLATING ON LEADERSHIP Memory Verse: Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. What is your favorite â&#x20AC;&#x153;saltyâ&#x20AC;? dish to eat? 2. When you were a child/teen, how did you envision your life would be as an adult? How is it different than you imagined? 3. Describe 1 or 2 of your best friends when you were growing up. What did you like to do together? Watch the VIDEO now. Introduction: Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:13-16. The Use of Salt in the Bible t 4BMU XBT VTFE GPS TFBTPOJOH BOE QSFTFSWJOH GPPE BT UPEBZ

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t 4BMU XBT VTFE JO PGGFSJOHT PG BMM LJOET -FW i4FBTPO BMM ZPVS HSBJO PGGFSJOHT with salt to remind you of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.â&#x20AC;? Every sacrifice was offered with salt as a symbol of preservation. Salt in this context symbolizes external preservation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring.â&#x20AC;? Numbers 18:19 t 4PNFUJNFT B DBQUVSFE DJUZ XBT TPXFE XJUI TBMU UP JOTVSF VUUFS EFTPMBUJPO PG UIF place. (Judges 9:45) t $PWFOBOU PG 4BMU *O 1BMFTUJOF BOE TVSSPVOEJOH DPVOUSJFT TBMU XBT VTFE UP NBLF covenants. To eat of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salt is regarded as a token of amity and loyalty, and brings one under his protection. The covenant of salt pictures the everlasting friendship between God and his people (e.g. 2 Chron. 13:5, Num. 18:19, Lev. 2:13). t "OE JO UIF /FX 5FTUBNFOU TBMU JT VTFE UP EFTDSJCF XIPMFTPNF DIBSBDUFS BOE speech. Col. 4:6 (NIV) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.â&#x20AC;? t 4BMU UBLFT PO BO FWFO CSPBEFS DPOUFYU XIFO XF CFHJO UP SFBMJ[F (PE JT SFEFFNJOH and restoring creation through the Body of Christ and through the power of the in102

dwelling Holy Spirit. Christ is working through each of His followers “to bring good news to the poor”, “to comfort the brokenhearted”, and “to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed”. We are “to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.” (Isaiah 61:1-3) Discussion Questions: 1. Review the notes below from the video: HP (high potency) + CP (close proximity) + CC (clear communication) = MI (maximum impact) High Potency: we need to be enough like Jesus so people see a difference in our lives Close Proximity: like salt, we have to be in close contact with who we want to affect Clear Communication: listen well, ask good questions, as we get to know people we can ask spiritual questions Maximum Impact: we want to live a life for Jesus where we’re influencing others and helping others to follow and love Jesus You’ve heard the phrase “live in but not of the world.” What does that look like? Leaning too far in one direction can lead to legalism, judgmentalism, and frankly, becoming one of those people Jesus reserved his harshest words for: the Pharisees. But leaning too far in the other direction is not good either. Are you intentionally doing this now? If not, what would it look like for you to live this way? 2. How can we continue to be infused with the life of Jesus? In other words, how can we keep from losing our “saltiness”? 3. Who are some non-Christians in your life that God may be giving you an opportunity to engage more intentionally? 4. As you consider Jesus’ words about being “salty”, what’s one area in your own life where you’d like to work on being more salty (more distinct from the world, more redemptive, more loving, more merciful, more gracious, etc.) 5. Have a volunteer read Matthew 20:20-28. Ambition is not wrong but should be for the right object. Worldly ambition strives to exalt self and exercise authority over others. Christian ambition seeks to exalt God and humbly serve others. Describe some ways in which you are tempted to promote yourself instead of serving others (perhaps at work?) Is your job or anything else keeping you from the humble service of others?

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6. Children need to see humble service modeled by their parents and also need their parents to guide them into serving others. Parents, think of one area of humble service for you to perform each week and for each of your children to do so as well. Get them to experience the joy of giving themselves to others. Parents, do you set the example of humbly serving your family or is the example you set being served BY your family? Prayer: Do you have any friends who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know Jesus Christ? Pray for their salvation. Do you know anyone going through a difficult situation right now? Pray for them. Be sure to pray for the requests in the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. You might pair up for prayer this week. Thinking Ahead: Since this is week 5, your group might want to discuss your plans after this study is over. Here are some options: 1. Do the 5-week sermon-based study, Living in the Light of Jesus, that will track with the next sermon series. Studies will be provided each week, however there will be no videos and no daily devotionals. This study will start the week after Satisfied ends. Email Josie Coleman at jcoleman@vineyardkcnorth.com if interested in this option. 2. Pick a study on rightnowmedia.org. This is a Netflix-type video-driven Bible study service that we subscribe to at Vineyard. We will be happy to give you and your group access to this site. Just email Josie Coleman asking for access to this site. There are thousands of video-driven Bible studies on there. 3. If you have had Vineyard 301, you may pick another study. If approved, we will purchase all the materials for the leader. Group members will purchase their own materials. Please email Roger Sodsod at rsodsod@vineyardkcnorth.com if interested in this option.

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Session 6

WRESTLING WITH DEATH Memory Verse: Matthew 5:3 (NLT) God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. What is one piece of advice you were told as a child that you’ve never forgotten? 2. If you won 100 million dollars (after taxes) what would you do with the money? 3. If your house was on fire and all your family and pets were safe outside, what 3 things would you carry out as you left the house? Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. Think of a strong Christ-follower that you know who has passed away. How would you describe his or her spiritual legacy? What would you like to emulate about this person’s legacy? 2. In thinking about that person’s influence on yourself and others, what kind of influence for Christ might you like to have? 3. Have volunteers read the following scriptures... Matthew 16:24-25 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Colossians 2:20 Colossians 3:5 2 Timothy 2:11 So how does one die to Christ in order to live a life that is full of the Kingdom of God?

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4. What are some ways you can invest your life in the Kingdom? How can you live for what is eternal verses what is temporal? 5. A quote... “Here is the test to find out whether your mission on Earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t.” - Richard Bach. What would need to happen in your life in order for you to say, “Mission accomplished?” Prayer: Take time this week to pray God’s blessings and protection over one another. You can either stay together as a group or break into smaller groups if you’re running short on time. Make sure to thank God for this group and for each other. Thinking Ahead: Continue your discussion from last week on what your plans are after this group ends.

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Session 7

FOCUSING ON WORSHIP Memory Verse: Ecc. 12:13-14 (NLT) That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the Host.) 1. Tell us about an enjoyable vacation you once took. What made it enjoyable? 2. What are some of the things you like to do either for fun or for relaxation when you have some time off? 3. What is one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever been to? Tell us about it. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. For many, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the word worship is music. But worship is so much more. Worship is our daily lives. Worship is serving others. It’s countless hours in private prayer. Worship is helping those in need. And worship is giving. How would you define the word worship? 2. As you reflect on the experiences below, which two or three resonate with you in describing how you connect with God? Circle those. Naturalist: Loving God Out of Doors The naturalist would leave any building to go worship God outside. Forget the books, the naturalist would rather go take a walk in the woods, sit under a tree, listen to the birds, or even watch a sunset. They are simply filled deeply and see God’s presence most clearly through the beauty of creation. Sensates: Loving God with the Senses The sensate wants to be filled with sights, smells, and even sounds. Architecture, liturgy, classical music, and even formal language all capture a sensate and help them experience God in a very deep and profound way. If you are a sensate, one of the most worshipful experiences you may have is going to an art gallery for an afternoon. Traditionalists: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol The traditionalist loves structure. Their form of worship is often displayed through 108

connecting to the historic dimensions of the faith. Rituals, symbols, sacrifice and the sacraments are all essentials for the traditionalist to experience God fully. Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity The ascetic simply wants to be left alone. Often these folks can be viewed as reclusive in their conduct. They would prefer no liturgy, no loud music, no crowds, just simply to be left alone. In simplicity and solitude the ascetic sees God clearly. Activists: Loving God through Confrontation The activistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith is described in terms of action. For the activist, God is a God of justice. Poverty, famine, genocide, unjust wars, oppression, sex trafficking, and even slavery become areas of concern and points of action for the activist to be fully alive in their faith. Shane Claiborne(1) is a great modern-day example of one who worships God through an activist pathway. Caregivers: Loving God by Loving Others The caregiver is simply energized by caring for the needs of others. These people often claim to see Christ in the poor and needy. Often caregivers may view the life of the enthusiast and contemplative as selfish. Enthusiasts: Loving God with Mystery and Celebration The enthusiast wants to be inspired by joyful celebration. Enthusiasts over the years have often been called the cheerleaders for God and the Christian life. Shouting Amen, clapping and dancing unto the Lord are all key essentials to the enthusiast connecting to God. Contemplatives: Loving God through Adoration The contemplative seeks to love God with the purest, deepest, and most profound love imaginable. Their focus is not necessarily on serving God or even doing great things in his name, but rather simply worshiping him through deep contemplation on his character. Intellectuals: Loving God with the Mind The intellectual will often be found reading, studying or even debating a key doctrine of the faith. For the intellectual, their faith is often tied up in concept. Thinking deeply, understanding new concepts and exploring new ideas bring the intellectual into the presence of God. Describe how you have connected with God in the ways you have circled.

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Read more about Shane Claiborne at thesimpleway.org 3. In the end, each of these experiences is about the same thing... a meaningful experience/encounter with God who uniquely made you to worship Him. What that looks like for you may be very different than what it looks like for someone else, and when we’re not careful we can become guilty of worship envy, worship guilt, or worship criticism. Worship envy is when I look at someone else’s life and say, “I wish I could worship God like they do.” It breeds dissatisfaction with how God has chosen to wire us. Worship guilt is when I feel embarrassed by how I prefer to encounter God, as if it shouldn’t “really count” as spending time with Him. Really, can taking a walk in nature be as valid as raising my hands in a worship service? Worship criticism shows up when I criticize or demean an experience that seems completely foreign to me. I might look down my nose at a contemplative because they only ever seem to waste time. In our heart, we should hold our preferred worship experiences humbly, be open to learning from those who are different from us, and enjoy the freedom to experience God as He’s created us to. Have you experienced worship envy, guilt, or criticism before? How so? (1)

4. Does this list give you any ideas on new ways in which you’d like to connect with God? 5. How can you build the sacred into your schedule and make room to worship God and do that as a rhythm throughout your calendar?

Prayer: Pray as you feel led this week. Thinking Ahead: This is our last session. Discuss your plans for next week!

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