Monday October 27, 2014

Coming Up: Sonday November 2, 2014

Colossians 1:3-14 - Christ Brings HOPE

 Read: Colossians 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

“Thank You.” These two words have an incredible place in each of our lives. They are some of the very first words we teach our children. They are the words we remind them to say for years to come. They are words we often forget to sincerely express to others. They are words we long to hear from those we love and those we serve. They are words we use for those who give us comfort and help in difficult times of life. They are some of the most basic words in our society and yet some of the most important.

It makes sense then that Paul would start his letter to the Colossians with a note of thanks. He begins by encouraging the Colossian believers and telling them that he and Timothy always thank God when they pray for them. Notice what they are thankful for in vs 4. They are thankful for the faith of the Colossians in Christ Jesus and the love that they have for all the saints. As Paul begins his letter, planning on correcting the Colossians about a few matters, he begins with thankfulness for the work of God in the believers.

This isn’t the only place we see this. Paul does the same thing when he writes his first letter to the believers in Corinth. The church in Corinth is in a shambles. There are divisions in the church (ch 3), believers are engaging in blatant sexual immorality (ch 5), they are suing each other (ch 6), they are making a mockery of the Lord’s Supper (ch 11) and more! The Corinthian church is a mess and Paul is writing to correct them and rebuke them. But notice how Paul starts his letter in vs 4: “I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.” Paul is thankful for the work of God, even in this deeply divided, deeply troubled church.

Paul’s approach to other believers is a powerful challenge to us today. We are so quick to notice where other believers fall short. Within our churches we criticize one another and are quick to judge other believers who we deem less spiritual than ourselves. We look around at other churches in our community and we are quick to dismiss believers who don’t believe exactly the same as we do. We write off whole denominations that don’t fit into our mindset about Christianity. What if instead we began with thankfulness?

Even in those who we disagree with we can often see God at work, bringing about faith in Himself, growing them in knowledge, wisdom and love for other believers. There is much work of God in other believers that we can be thankful for, even if we disagree.

This isn’t to say that what we believe isn’t important. Paul clearly thought that it was important enough to write letters and fight those who opposed the gospel. We too ought to stand for truth where necessary. But let us do so from a position of thankfulness for the work of God in the lives of others.

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

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Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¥ Thank God for His work in the lives of other believers. Think of those believers who you disagree with and thank God for His work in each of their lives. Pray that you might be an encouragement to them and that you would seek to build them up, even if you disagree.

 Witness Moment:

The way that we treat other believers in Christ is a powerful witness to the world. They see a church that is deeply divided and fights within itself. Will we show them something different?

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What are some ways that we might express our thankfulness for God’s work in the lives of other believers?

2. How do you think you could disagree with another believer and still do so from a position of thankfulness for God’s work in them?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: Hearing someone say thank you for something you have done is a wonderful thing. 

Share: A time when someone thanked you for something you had done. How did it make you feel?
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: Hearing someone say thank you for something you have done is a wonderful thing. 

Share: A time when someone thanked you for something you had done. How did it make you feel?
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.

Suggestions for Cell

Welcome and Catch-up time

Worship

Spend time singing praises to God 

Prayer Time.

After sharing prayer points, spend time in adoration and praise, focusing on God’s holiness and majesty.

Word:

Read Colossians 1:1-2

Introductory Questions;

Is your cell at the stage where each member feels comfortable in sharing their struggles? If yes, take turns sharing. If no, brainstorm ways to move the group towards this position.

Read notes and do questions for Thursday October 23.

Read notes and do questions for Saturday October 25.

Word & Walk.

 How should progressive and positional holiness affect your daily life?

Witness

 Share how striving for holiness has opened doors for you to evangelise. Spend time praying for such opportunities. 

Saturday October 25, 2014

Read Philippians 3:12-14

There are many people sitting in our pews across the land who have come to the conclusion that they are perfected in Christ and no longer struggle with sin and temptation. Even worse, there are entire schools of theology teaching their devotees that they can be sinless in this lifetime.

Interestingly, the Apostle Paul never claims to be sinless or perfect. In fact, as we saw yesterday he shares his humanness and brokenness with us. In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul is again talking about the power of the resurrection and righteousness of Christ. In vs12 he undeniably states that he has not already achieved perfection. But nonetheless he strives and pushes on towards that goal. He strives to become all that Christ has called him to be. Paul’s heart towards himself is that he yearns to become everything that Christ wants him to become. Paul’s passion is to be what he has been declared to be by God in Christ. This has to include holiness and righteousness because, as Ephesians 1:4 reminds us, He chose us in Christ Jesus to be holy and blameless in His sight.

 But if we are always striving for holiness but never reaching it, then why bother with it? Such questions have to be asked. If we were to graph our life and our progress in holiness the graph should rise consistently, though there may be troughs along the way. When we are with Christ in glory the graph will have reached its peak and perfection will have been attained. It’s a bit like waiting for that awesome birthday present we’ve always wanted. We know the day is coming and the certainty of its coming keeps us expectant and watchful. So too with holiness. The certainty of the resurrection keeps us expectant and watchful. 

When a person is granted faith in Jesus Christ they are immediately filled with the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit means that He will work holiness in us and through us. There are no other alternatives. God the Holy Spirit will not dwell dormant in a person and allow sin to thrive. The fact that God the Spirit is called the “Holy” Spirit indicates His role within us - to conform us into the image of Christ which is equivalent to being made more and more holy.

Holiness is such a serious issue in the Bible that if there is no concern for holiness in a person, no striving or chasing after holiness then we have to, at the very least, question that person’s salvation.  If there is no growth in holiness  we have to question whether that person has really been saved by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. People come to Christ for a variety of reasons. Some come to feel good about themselves. Others come to appease their guilt. Some come for physical, mental  or emotional healing. There are many reasons why people seek Christ. But in all of these it’s possible to treat Jesus as a Genie at our disposal or a heavenly vending machine that dispenses what we need when we need it. Only when we bow down and confess Him as our Lord do we find the powerful work of the Holy Spirit active in our lives.

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

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Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

Pray that your church service this week would be a powerful testimony to the love of Christ, the holiness of Christ and splendour of our God. Pray that many would come to know Christ as Lord and Saviour this week.

Walk Moment:

 Striving for holiness becomes easier as we focus on our relationship with God. Build the latter and the former will grow and thrive.

 Discussion Questions

1.  Why should a believer strive for holiness?

2. Outwardly, a person seeking to earn their own salvation looks the same as a person who has the Spirit pushing them towards holiness. How can we tell the difference?

3. A brother comes to you and confides that he’s sick of striving for holiness. How do you counsel him?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: In a race all the runners run as fast as they can so that they get the prize for coming first. Our Christian lives are much the same.  But unlike normal runners, we are racing for a prize that is eternal.

Discuss the tough stages of your Christian journey and how the Lord has helped you overcome.

Read  1 Corinthians 9:24-25

What does Paul, the writer, do in these verses?

Why does he do this?

What is God asking us to be doing?

Pray together that God would give you a heart that strives to run the race with obedience and holiness.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: In a race all the runners run as fast as they can so that they get the prize for coming first. Our Christian lives are much the same.  But unlike normal runners, we are racing for a prize that is eternal.

Discuss the tough stages of your Christian journey and how the Lord has helped you overcome.

Read  1 Corinthians 9:24-25

What does Paul, the writer, do in these verses?

Why does he do this?

What is God asking us to be doing?

Pray together that God would give you a heart that strives to run the race with obedience and holiness.

Friday October 24, 2014

Read 1 Corinthians 15:32

It’s easy to elevate certain people to such high platforms that they become demigods. After such elevation we come to believe that they have no struggles, no issues and no problems in life. In fact, once elevated, these people become larger than life, almost mystical in their holiness. Pastors, missionaries and even biblical figures such as Paul himself might be elevated as such. We might be tempted to think that such people are super holy and never struggle with sin or temptation.

The reality is far more earthy! We all struggle with sin and temptation. We all have weaknesses and a biases towards sin. One person’s struggle may not be another’s, but we still all struggle with sin.

How comforting to know that Paul himself struggled with sin. In 1 Cor 15:32 Paul tells us he wrestled with wild beasts in Ephesus. While the illusion is to the popular Roman games in which people (mainly Christians) would be thrown to the wild beasts in the arena, it’s hardly likely that this is what he’s referring to. If Paul were literally thrown into the arena with wild beasts, it’s hardly likely that he would have survived given that he was small of stature and going blind.  It’s also unlikely that he would have been freed, even if he did survive round 1 with the beasts. Rather, the reference to wrestling with wild beasts is a common day 1st Century metaphor for dealing with sexual temptation. What Paul is telling us is that he himself wrestled with sexual temptation.  It’s such a powerful temptation that nothing short of a parallel with wrestling wild beasts could suffice. Paul was as human as you and I. He suffered temptation and struggled with sin just as you and I do.

But 1 Corinthians 15:32 is in the context of the resurrection. What Paul is arguing is that in the light of the certainty of the resurrection it is better to fight sin, to wrestle with it and to overcome it than to give in to it. The resurrection to eternal life will bring judgement to those who have rejected Christ and eternal life to those who have received Him. This latter group will have been characterised by a life of striving towards holiness.

On the contrary, if there is no resurrection then wrestling with and overcoming sin is relatively pointless. Without the resurrection, as Paul declares later in v 32, it is better to ‘eat and drink for tomorrow we die’.

The reality of the resurrection only strengthens what we’ve said to date. Only by the grace of God do you and I share in the certainty of the resurrection to eternal life. It’s only by His mercy that our sins have been washed away and we know for certain that on the final Day of Reckoning Jesus will indeed be our Saviour once and for all.

In the light of such certainty isn’t it better to wrestle with the wild beasts in your life now than to face judgement later on?

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

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Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¥ Pray that this Sonday’s service in your church would motivate you and your fellow believers to strive for holiness. Pray that God’s Word would be powerful and active in growing holiness among your church.

¥ Pray that God would be present among your congregation as you meet this week.

 Witness Moment:

If you live in the light of the resurrection to eternal life and strive for perfection this side of heaven, doors for Gospel sharing will inevitably open up.

 Discussion Questions

1. What is the link between the resurrection and striving to be holy in the present?

2. Narine says to you that she comes to church to be forgiven so that she can enjoy the week ahead. It clears her conscience and helps her to like herself. How do you counsel her?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: Fighting, especially with people we love, is horrible, isn’t? But God shows us that fighting isn’t always bad!  God wants us to fight with all of our might in this life as we try really hard to be like Jesus. He wants us to fight hard to be holy.

Discuss: the journey and the battle you’ve had in your Christian life to date.

Read 2 Tim 4:7

Paul knew he was going to die and wrote down a summary of his life.

What does he tell us?

If you could reword this verse, what would you say?

Pray together that God would help you fight for goodness, truth and righteousness.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: Fighting isn’t always bad! But before you plan who you’d like to beat up, listen carefully. God wants us to fight with all of our might in this life as we try really hard to be like Jesus. He wants us to fight hard to be holy.

Discuss: the journey and the battle you’ve had in your Christian life to date.

Read 2 Tim 4:7

Paul knew he was going to die and wrote down a summary of his life.

What does he tell us?

If you could reword this verse, what would you say?

Pray together that God would help you fight for goodness, truth and righteousness.

Thursday October 23, 2014

Read Colossians 3:5,12

Many religions across the world grow in number and depth of maturity and in their particular ‘holiness’ through fear and intimidation. Punishment, exclusion, isolation and possibly even death are used to intimidate people to change.

In contrast, Christianity grows through love. It’s the LOVE of Christ that draws people into Christianity. In terms of holiness, Christians grow in response to the LOVE of God in Christ Jesus. Throughout the New Testament all of the commands for holiness are in the context of the LOVE of Christ Jesus. We simply do not have commands to be holy standing apart from the love of Christ. LOVE is the key motivator!

It can be paralleled to a family where the parents rule with an iron fist and instil fear in their children. Eventually the children will break free and rebel in some way, shape or form. At the other extreme, parents who instil love in their children will always have a connection to them and ‘love’ and ‘obedience’ will be the hall marks of the children. The children will want to please their parents.

The command in Colossians 3:5 to put to death certain characteristics is linked to the love of Christ by the word ‘therefore’. It draws us to vs 1-4 where we see that we have been raised with Christ. We have been hidden with Christ and our glory will be revealed when Christ appears. The love of Christ in verses 1-4 is clearly the motivator for change in vs 5ff.

In vs 12 Paul addressed the believers as ‘holy and dearly loved’. Again the love of Christ is the motivator for having compassion, kindness and humility etc. Love is the motivator to remove the bad and to increase the good!  But notice also that the word ‘holy’ here has to refer to our positional holiness in Christ. Otherwise the commands to change from vs 5 onwards would make no sense. The love of Christ that made us holy is the motivation to change. Progressive holiness flows out of our positional holiness.

If we are to be holy in every area of our lives then we need to cultivate a relationship with God where we spend uninterrupted quality time and quantity time with God. We need both quality and quantity for that relationship to grow. Five exhausted minutes at the end of a gruelling day will NEVER grow a deep, loving relationship with God. Relating to God on the fly will NEVER grow a deep, loving relationship with Him. Sitting with God quickly in the busyness of a hurried day will NEVER grow a deep and committed relationship.

We need to build our relationship with God to the point where our meetings are “sanctuary” times. We need to learn to pour out our hearts to God and to grow in His presence and to learn from His Spirit as the Word pours over us. Holiness flow outwards as we grow deeper inwards in our relationship to the Lord.

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

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Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¥ Pray that this Sonday’s service in your church would be glorifying to God and edifying to the saints. Pray that any non believers would be convicted to repent and believe in Christ for salvation.

¥ Pray that God’s Word would be powerful and active in growing holiness among your church.

 Worship Moment:

If you worship God in your quiet times it’ll be reflected in your life.

Such a life is indeed a life of worship!

 Discussion Questions

1. How can you grow your relationship with God?

2. What motivates us to grow in depth in our relationship to the Lord?

3. How can you measure the health of a person’s relationship with God?

Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: Can you name 5 people you love? When we love people we do whatever we can to help them and to serve them. Holiness, in the same way, flows out of love. When we obey God we obey Him because we love Him. We love Him because He has loved us, shown  in the coming of Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

Discuss how you know that God loves you.

Read  John 14:15

What motivates obedience in this verse?

What does it mean to love Jesus?

How do we show love for Jesus?

Pray together that God would grow you in your love for Jesus.

  Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: Can you name 5 people you love? When we love people we do whatever we can to help them and to serve them. Holiness, in the same way, flows out of love. When we obey God we obey Him because we love Him. We love Him because He has loved us, shown  in the coming of Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

Discuss how you know that God loves you.

Read  John 14:15

What motivates obedience in this verse?

What does it mean to love Jesus?

How do we show love for Jesus?

Pray together that God would grow you in your love for Jesus.