Sermon Discussion

Sermon: The Race

Text: Philippians 3:12-14

Introduction

The Christian growth process is a race that God calls each and every one of his children to run. It is a race that will bring us into a deeper relationship with Him and allow us to have true joy in all circumstances. However, as with any race, it requires us to be focused and have the right attitude in running. This means we need to forget what is behind and strain forward towards the prize.

Discussion Questions

1. How can a Christian know how much (if any) to delve into the past? Do we need to work through “repressed” memories, etc.? Why or why not?
2. Should every Christian have clearly defined written goals? Do you suppose Paul did? How can goals help? Can they hinder?
3. What are some practical goals that you have for your spiritual growth in 2011? What are some ways the community can help you achieve these goals?

Moving Forward

If you want grow as a Christian, make sure you’re in the race--that Christ has laid hold of your life and saved you from sin. Make sure you have the right attitude--that you haven’t arrived, but you’re in the lifelong process of moving ahead. And along the way, you will be able to experience joy in all circumstances because you know what God’s will is for your life.

Meditate

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Why Jesus Came

Text: Luke 2:1-7

Introduction

Each year as Christmas comes around, we are bombarded with new marketing campaigns designed to sell us on the meaning of Christmas according to corporate America. We are told that Christmas is the time to consume and be consumed by materialism. Yet, this is far from the true meaning of Christmas according to the Scriptures. In this message, Pastor Charlton revisits the important ideas of the reason for the season.

Discussion Questions

1.  Share some of your Christmas experiences in the past. How did these experiences help you to understand the Biblical meaning of Christmas?
2. PC listed six reasons for Christ’s birth:

•   He came as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)
•   He came to call us to repentance (Luke 5:31-32)
•  He came to give us a new way to see (John 9:39)
• He came to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34-36)
•  He came to remove condemnation (John 3:17-18)
• He came to give us eternal life. (John 3:16)
  Of these reasons, which ones you find most easy to accept? Why? Which ones you find most difficult to accept? Why?

1. Reflect and share one thing you can do to help you refocus on the true meaning of Christmas during the rest of this month.

Moving Forward

During the Christmas season, we can easily get swept up in the busyness of life and forget the real meaning of Christ’s birth. Or we get excited over the festivities of the season and forget the excitement of Christ’s birth. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying family, friends, the presents, and the parties during this time of year. But Christmas is much simpler but deeper in meaning than that. It is about God coming into the human world as a helpless baby to save us all.

Meditate

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  – Luke 2:10-12

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Ecclesiastes – The Desert

Text: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Introduction

For many Christians, there is nothing worse than experiencing “the desert” in your spiritual life. It is a time when you feel God is most distant and that nothing you do or not do really matters. The sins of the past seem to haunt the doorsteps of your life. In this message, Pastor Charlton offers some practical approaches in guarding yourself in these times. These including guarding your steps, listen to God, authentic prayer, and do what God has called you to do in your life.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe an experience when you got lost as a child. What happened? How were you found?
2. Read Eccl. 5:1. What does it mean to “guard your steps”? How do you do it practically?
3. What are the difficulties or excuses that we use not to listen to God?
4. What is authentic prayer? Why is it important to have authenticity in our prayers?
5. Consider your spiritual life. What is one thing that you wish you could change or improve about it? What are some ways the group can help you make this a reality?

Moving Forward

In Eccl. 5:7 says that “much dreaming and many words are meaningless.” Many times in church in small groups we come together and talk about our good intentions. However, as a community, let us find practical ways to spur each other on in living these truths. It will take a lot of commitment from not only the individual but also the community to encourage each person to apply these truths. Honestly, many of these principles are extremely difficult to follow during tough times. However, with an authentic and loving community that rallies around each other, we are able to live out fully God’s intentions for our lives.

Meditate

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.  – Eccl. 5:7

The Troubles of Life

A Chinese pharmaceutical company named Kunming was determined to make a childproof aspirin bottle. So it created one that had thirteen moving parts and took thirty-nine steps to open. For added safety, the company changed the design every six months. Many people bought the bottles, but not for the medicine. Instead parents were buying them for their children to play with as puzzles.

Challenges can be fun when we are looking for something to fill our time. They are enjoyable when we are able to overcome them. But they become a headache when they turn into something that seems unsolvable. Albert Einstein said that “In the midst of difficulties lies opportunity.”  As Christians, in the midst of difficulties lies the opportunity to turn to God and trust in Him.

Jesus says to his disciples and to us “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He acknowledges that difficulties and troubles that surround and invade our lives. Jesus doesn’t give us false reassurance that when you become a Christian, your troubles will go away. In fact, you will experience more troubles and difficulties because you choose to follow someone that the world had rejected and nailed to the cross. So if Christ had to suffer, we, as his disciples, are called to walk along the similar path.

But the dark realities of suffering, pain, and difficulties is met by another reality. The reality that Christ has “overcome the world.” This means that the problems and troubles that we face in this world have been solved by Christ through His death. The root of all our problems and difficulties have been dealt with by Christ. We no longer have to worry about it. It has been done for us through Jesus’ blood on the cross.

So it comes down to this, which reality do we choose to live in? The reality that dooms humankind to suffering and bondage to the sins, addictions, pain, and difficulties of life? Or the reality that Christ has won victory over sin and death and we are called to live with true freedom?

If you look at your life, you may see that the problems and burdens that you carry are too much for you to handle alone, and you’re right. You need God’s help. Ask God to walk with you through your troubles. His strength will comfort and support you. 

Questions for Thought:

1) What are some difficulties that are you facing in your life? How have you seek to solve these problems?

2) What makes it difficult for you to come and present these problems to God?

3) What are some ways that God is calling you to be a help or answer to someone's problems or need?

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Ecclesiastes – Confessions of A Cynic

Text: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Introduction

Each time we turn on the TV or listen to the news on the radio, we hear stories after stories of pain and suffering caused by injustice throughout our world. From the back alleys of any inner city in America to the remote deserts of Africa, people suffer at the hands of their fellow mankind. We, personally, don’t seem to escape this injustice. We look at the world and wonder “Is there any hope?” The reality is as long as we are sinful beings; our world will continue to exist in this state of chaos and injustice. But God wants us to have a different perspective amidst these problems. We can significantly be used by God if we refuse to let our disadvantages turn us into a cynic.

Discussion Questions

1. When was the last time you saw “injustice”? At work, school, out and about? How did you did you react? What did you do or not do? Would you do anything different if that situation came up again?
2. “Cynicism mentally confuses us, it angers us emotionally, numbs us spiritually, leaves us scarred, bitter, disillusioned and feeling distant from God.” Evaluate this statement. Do you relate to it? Why or why not?
3. What areas in your life that you struggle with in terms of cynicism, insecurities, or anger?
4. There’s a quote that says: “Individuals can resist injustices, but only a community can do justice.” Also, in Micah 6:8  it says “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” What is the responsibility of an individual? What is the responsibility of a community?

Moving Forward

People say they have a “backlog” when they are behind in their work. The term “backlog” stands for something that is left over or not completed. Sometime we carry a backlog of guilty feelings or hurts for things that happened in the past. It seems as if our bad feelings will never leave us – as if we’ll be stuck with them forever. But God doesn’t want us to bear that burden. Jesus comes to bring us freedom by giving us a new identity in Him. This is only way we can see our advantages in times of disadvantage. Because we know that Christ has already won victory over all the things that prevent us from living a full and complete life in Him.

Meditate

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.  – Psalm 94:18-19

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Ecclesiastes – Let Go

Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

Introduction

Timing is everything. You have probably heard this phrase many times. There is a great deal of truth in that statement. In this passage, Solomon tells us that life is really a matter of timing, for timing is everything. This should be evident to us. Yet God is the one is who in charge of everything in our lives. It doesn’t matter how much we plan or prepare, God has sovereignty over the good and bad things that occur in our lives. Knowing this, we are called to acknowledge God’s goodness over our personal desires and experience.

Discussion Questions

1. How does it make you feel to know that God is ultimately in charge of all the events in life (3:1)? Are you comforted by this reality? If so, how does this truth comfort you? Do you find God’s sovereignty a bit disconcerting? How so?
2. Blaise Pascal speaks of those that live in the past and those that live in the future as never really living because they miss the present. Do you agree or disagree with this? Why or why not? What does it mean to live in the present?
3. Verse 11 says that God has made everything beautiful in its time. Looking back at your life, tell of an experience that is “beautiful in its time,” when everything worked out perfectly.
4. What are some of the “mysteries” regarding your life or faith that you have been dealing with lately? How can we, as a community, work together in helping each other make sense of these mysteries in our lives?

Moving Forward

Solomon says one of the greatest responses to this life is to make the most of it. Not in a hedonistic sense, but in a spiritual sense. We enjoy life by including God in all that we do and being filled with joy. Biblical faith is a call to joy. We take joy in knowing that we have a sovereign and benevolent God that is full control of our lives and the things that happen to our lives. We are called to acknowledge His greatness in worship despite whether times are good or bad.

Meditate

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.   Romans 8:28

Let Us Love

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.   - 1 John 4:7-11

The church father, Jerome, recounts that when the Apostle John was in his extreme old age, he was so weak that he had to be carried into the church meetings. At the end of the meeting he would be helped to his feet to give a word of exhortation to the church. And each time, he would give this exhortation, “Little children, let us love one another.” The people began to grow weary of the same words every time, so they finally asked him why he always said the same thing over and over. He replied, “Because it is the Lord’s commandment, and if this only is done, it is enough” (cited by John Stott, The Epistles of John [Eerdmans], p. 49).

When you hear the word 'love,' what comes to your mind? Is it your favorite love song or movie? We hear a lot about love in the church too. But what does that mean to us, individually and as a faith community? Here, in this passage, the Apostle John defines love as the self-sacrificing, caring commitment in seeking the highest good of the loved one. And this love is exemplified through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Why is this possible? Because, as John stated, God is love. It is inevitable that God loves his creation and desires to bring restoration and reconciliation back to Him. He knows that ultimate and highest good for humans is a relationship with Him. Knowing this, what about us? John argues that since we are born of God and claim to have a relationship with Him, we must love as God loves. It becomes inevitable that we show the same self-sacrificing and caring commitment to those around us. The implication is that the life of God imparted to us in the new birth manifests itself in love for others. If we are children of the One whose very nature is love, then we will be like our Father.

At the same time, even thought love is inevitable for God, it is not automatic. God loves the sinner but hates the sins. His love for us is boundless but abhors our sins. He reconciles this by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. We know of God's love not because He claims an intense emotional fondness towards us, but because of what he did. In the same way, John commands us to love one another. He knows that even though love is inevitable for the believer, it is not automatic. It requires the active participation of the believer. It is not automatic or effortless! There is always room for growth in love.

Reflecting on this, how has our lives demonstrated this love? We serve in this ministry and get involved with that cause and claim that we love God. But that's not what God is looking for. He's looking at our personal relationships with those He placed in our lives. When was the last time we put other's needs before our's? When was the last time that our commitment to others cost us something?

I want to encourage us to meditate on this for our lives. We must realize that love comes from God. The source of our love comes from experiencing His love in our lives. As we grow in our relationship with God, love becomes inevitable within our lives. At the same time, we know that showing love is not automatic. It requires effort. It requires sacrifice. It requires us to step away from our comforts and into an uncomfortable situation. But it is only within that space, do we truly experience the full and completeness of God's love.

Who Is Your God?

Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.    - Jeremiah 32:17

J.B. Phillips wrote a book called  Your God is Too Small, in which he exposes the caricatures of God that people have created for themselves. Many people have a God of their own making - not the God the Bible reveals. The result is that people have a false sense of the God they worship and ultimately, a false sense of what is expected of their lives.

The sad truth for many modern Christians is this how we "know" God. We pick up bits and pieces here and there from this sermon or that commentary. We think that if we can learn the true greatness and character of God through Twitter feeds. We justify it because our lives are so busy! We just got so much to do and not enough time to do it.

And this fine when life is going well. The God we have created in our minds serves us well when our family is loving, when that job promotion is on the horizon, and when we are healthy. But when troubles start brewing within the family or we've just lost our job, not only lives seem to crumble around us, but the our God seem so powerless. What happened to the God that was suppose to be my good-luck charm?

My friends, when we don't take the time to get to know our awesome and wonderful God through His Word, the Bible, we start to make-up expectations and demands for God. And when these expectations don't play out as we hope, we get disappointed. So I encourage you today to spend time to get to know this God that you worship. Stop depending upon blurbs that you hear from off the street. Engage in His Word and He will surely reveal Himself to you.


Self-Examination
Who is God to you? How do you know that what you believe about God is true? What has He been teaching you about His characteristics lately? How do you respond?

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Ecclesiastes – Evaluate

Text: Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

Introduction

People sometimes call life a big rat race. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or in a wheel. This can be our lives too if we don’t stop and take the time to evaluate the choices and decisions we make. In this message, Pastor Charlton explains that death is the great equalizer for all people, regardless of their status and intelligence. Knowing this, we are forced to evaluate the pursuits of our lives. The truth is that any pursuit of pleasure can only bring us temporary satisfaction. The only lasting enjoyment can be found in God. And so Solomon concludes that “To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” (vs. 26)

Discussion Questions

1. Evaluate this Italian proverb: “After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box.” Do you agree or disagree? Do you think that is the extent of life?
2. What is your perspective on the death of people (2:14-16)? How has this mindset affected your pursuit of pleasure and management of time?
3. What does it mean “to find pleasure or satisfaction in Christ alone”? What does that look like?
4. Read Hebrews 11:6. What are the two aspects or components of faith? (God exist and He wants to rewards those who seek Him.) How does this lead to us finding true and lasting enjoyment for our lives?

Moving Forward

Many times, we mistakenly think that the values of the world are the same as the things that God desires for our lives. We try to apply these worldly principles but become disappointed when they don’t meet our expectations. That is why it is so important to look at what the Scriptures say about God. As we start to embrace the value-system from the Scriptures, we will start to see and experience true and lasting enjoyment and purpose for our lives.

Meditate

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? – Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Broken But Blessed

Text: Genesis 32:22-32

Introduction

Many times our lives seem to be a series of endless problems and struggles. However, the biggest struggle is the one we have internally with God. A God who will confront us and challenges us on “Who we are?” and “Who is in charge of us?” As we see the story of Jacob’s struggle with God, he is struggled with God to find his true identity. A identity that was given to him because he was truthful to God of his weaknesses, struggles, and sins.

Discussion Questions

1. Think back to elementary school. What did you want to be when you grew up?
2. What’s the difference between self-confidence and pride? How do you identify the difference?
3. Some say we need proper self-confidence to get things done. Is this biblical? Consider 2 Cor. 3:5-6; Phil. 4:13; John 15:5.
4. Brokenness can be a key factor in restoring strained relationships. Discuss how.
5. How do we as a community exist to remind our members of their true identity in Christ?

Moving Forward

Many of the problems we face with fall within the category of either identity or idolatry. How do we ourselves? What gives us value as a person? These are the questions that deal with identity. The other is “Who or what do we worship?” falls in the category of idolatry. The world wants us to identify ourselves by what we do and what we make of ourselves through our education, wealth, status, and relationships. In addition, we are constantly bombarded by suggestions and enticements to worship our money, our reputation, our image, and ultimately ourselves. Only through being in God’s Word and in His community are we able to be reminded and centered on God as the one who gives us our identity and the one we worship.

Meditation

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  – Galatians 3:26-28

Psalm 131

This is a great reminder on humility and contentment in Christ. We need to hold firm and remind ourselves that we are valued not by our accomplishments but by Christ' love. Until we realize this internally and start living it out. We will forever be chasing after the "next best thing" in order to find meaning and value in our lives.


Something To Consider:
What makes life worth living? Is it because of the material goods in my life? Is it because of my skills and abilities? Or is it because of Christ?

Sermon Discussion

Message: Ecclesiastes – Pleasure

Text: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Introduction

The misconception about God is that He doesn’t want us to have fun and take pleasure in our lives. We think God’s laws and expectations as hindrance to our personal enjoyment of life. However, the truth is that God wants us to enjoy the blessings and pleasures of our lives. However, this enjoyment can only be found and experienced fully in God. Our lives become empty, meaningless, and “chasing after the wind” when we become engrossed in the material gifts and not the Gift-Giver. We chase after worldly pleasures but find that they only temporarily with happiness. But true and everlasting joy comes from seeking after God.

Discussion Questions

1. Finish this sentence: “I’ll be happy when….”
2. Solomon was seeking happiness and meaning in life. But what does that mean? How would you define these terms: happiness and meaning?
3. Between happiness and meaning, which is more important? Why? How can you tell when you are beginning to desire the lesser of the two about the one that is more important?
4. Does seeking your own happiness sound self-centered? Aren't Christians supposed to seek God, not their own pleasure? ( Hint: We value most what we delight in most. Pleasure is not God's competitor, idols are. Pleasure is simply a gauge that measures how valuable someone or something is to us. Pleasure is the measure of our treasure.)

Moving Forward

Hedonism is the belief that pleasure is the sole good. Pleasure and the pursuit of it will make you happy. Solomon becomes a hedonist who pursues these things with unparalleled gusto. Similarly, we all want to be happy and so we live solely for the pursuit of pleasure. However, our problem is not that we are hedonists, but rather that we are too easily pleased. And because we have settled for these “simple pleasures,” we live lives in meaningless and “chasing after the wind.” However, God invites us to experience true pleasure in Him.

Meditate

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.       - Psalm 16:11

The Source of Forgiveness

But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  - Genesis 50:19-20 

It doesn't matter where you live, what you do, who you surround yourself with, people will disappoint you. Not only that, they might even hurt you with their words and actions, intentionally or unintentionally. We've all experienced this at one time or another in our lives, and though we can't control other people's actions or words, we can control how we respond. So how do we respond?

CS Lewis says "Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive." Indeed, it is a lovely yet difficult concept when it has to be applied in our personal lives. Yet, it is only through forgiveness that we break the bondage of bitterness, hatred, resentment, and anger. It is only through forgiveness, do we find the freedom to enter into a relationship with others.

Yet, what is the source of our forgiveness? Is it because we are so good, generous, and abounding in love? We may think and pray that God gives us a larger heart that will allow us to forgive, however, the true source of lasting and unconditional forgiveness comes from recognizing how big God's love is for our lives, and not how much we can love. It is recognizing the times that we have failed and sinned against God, yet He still forgives us. It is seeing that when we don't deserve the good things in life, He gives it to us anyways.

I believe that this is the source that Joseph draws upon to be able to truly forgive his brothers. Despite the evils of what Joseph's brothers had done toward him, he reflects upon what God has done in his life. Joseph recognizes that God is the one ultimately in control.  His brothers did not recognize this when they sold him into slavery. If Joseph refused to forgive his brothers, he would also fall into the same thinking as his brothers. Instead, he chose to forgive.

Forgiving others for when they have wronged you requires much courage. It takes courage to see that God is greater than you and them. It takes courage to give up control of the situation and to leave it in God's hands instead of holding on to it. So when we are at these crossroads, pray that God opens our eyes to the greatness of His love for our lives, and that by seeing it, we will have the courage to forgive.

Something to think about:

1. What is your initial reaction to the concept of forgiveness? Do you react in denial, anger, self-righteousness, or judgment? Do you perhaps feel hostile toward the whole idea of forgiveness as a necessity? 

2. Is it possible to forgive someone fully if they have not asked for it?  Does this deal with the sin/wrong in a just way?  Does it show real love to ignore the sin?  Does it minimize and even condone the sin if it is not dealt with?   In what circumstances is it possible to forgive someone without their confession and repentance?