Middletown Day 2014

THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered to staff our booth at Middletown Day Saturday! We gave out hundreds of invitations to this weekend's showing of God's not Dead and enjoyed a great day celebrating our community.

Deeper: 1 John 1:1-4-- Questions for Reflection

Dig Deeper

The theme of 1 John 1 is fellowship with God established by the incarnation of Jesus Christ. John declares, “The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us” (1 John 1:2).

Jesus Christ introduced by John as “the Word of life” “was from the beginning” (1 John 1:1). Here John begins his first epistle (letter) similarly to his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus Christ is eternally the Son of God. When the beginning began, He “was.” It is God the Son along with the Father and Spirit who declared in Genesis 1:27, “Let Us make man in Our own image…” The incarnation then is the eternal Son of God becoming human, or as John writes, “The life appeared…”

In his gospel John further explains the incarnation, “The Word become flesh and made His dwelling among us” or literally “tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). His original hearers would have immediately identified Jesus “dwelling among us” with the tabernacle of the Exodus. What do the following Scriptures reveal about God’s presence in the tabernacle reveal about His desire for fellowship with His people?

Exodus 25:8; 29:45-46; 40:34-36; Leviticus 26:11; and Deuteronomy 12:11--

According to the following Scriptures, why was Christ’s incarnation necessary for fellowship with God?

Ephesians 2:18-19; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Colossians 1:20-22; and Hebrews 10:19-22--

While John’s emphasis in his epistle is fellowship with God, he does express his desire for fellowship with one another, “so that you also may have fellowship with us” (1John 1:3). What insights about the connectedness of fellowship with God and one another do you glean from the following Scriptures?

1 John 1:3; Matthew 18:20; Mark 9:37; John 17:21; and 2 Corinthians 13:11--

Application

How will you pursue deeper fellowship with God this week?

Memorize This

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. HCSB

"Misplaced trust" CNN report of failed tsunami wall

Yesterday we illustrated the danger of trusting anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ to handle life's storms with this story of misplaced trust by CNN. The apostle John cuts to the chase without greeting or introduction begins his first epistle, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).

Deeper: 1 John 1:1 & 2 Corinthians 5:14-21-- Questions for Reflection

Think about a friend with whom you have a close relationship but do spend time together often and when you do, you pick up conversation right where you left it off the last time you were with each other. This is the tone of John’s first epistle. The apostle John without greeting or introduction begins, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).

From the outset John assumes his readers share with him a genuine and personal relationship with Jesus Christ-- a relationship that is only possible through reconciliation. Webster defines reconciliation as the restoration of a friendship after an estrangement. Theologically, reconciliation means that though “We were once separated and estranged from God because of our sin. He paid the ultimate sacrifice and reconciled us so that we can now have an unencumbered (deeper) relationship with Him.”[1]

What do the following Scriptures reveal about the need for reconciliation?

Isaiah 59:2--

Colossians 1:21--

James 4:4--

What insights about the means of reconciliation do you glean from the following Scriptures?

Romans 5:6-11--

1 John 4:10--

Application

When a person is reconciled with God he becomes a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and receives a new mission as an “ambassador” (1 Corinthians 5:18-20). To whom do you sense the Holy Spirit leading you to represent Christ? What will you do in response?

Memorize This

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. HCSB

---

[1] Dan Spader, 33 Things that happen at the moment of salvation, pg 7. © 1997  

3 Circles - Life Conversation Guide from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

Life On Mission-- Questions for Reflection

What additional insights do you gain about God’s design in creation, our brokenness as a result of sin and the effects of the Gospel from the following Scriptures?

God’s Design                            Brokenness                           the Gospel

Genesis 1:27-2:1                        Genesis 3:8-19                        Genesis 3:15

Psalm 19:1-2                              Psalm 14:2-3                           Ezekiel 36:26

Isaiah 45:18                               Romans 1:18-32                     John 3:16-17

Acts 17:24-28                             Romans 3:10-18, 23               Ephesians 2:2-10

1 Timothy 4:4                             Ephesians 2:1-3                      Colossians 2:13-15

Application

Memorize the three life circles found in the 3 Circles: Life Communication Guide and practice drawing them out on a napkin or sheet of paper. Then pray asking God to “open a door” (Colossians 4:3) for you to share the exciting news of the gospel with a friend, family member, colleague or neighbor. Download the 3 Circles: Life Communication Guide for your phone or tablet at sendnetwork.com/3circles.

Memorize This

Philemon 1:6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. NIV

Moms in Prayer-- Meagan's story video

Here's the video of Meagan's story from Sunday. Moms in Prayer meeting at NMBC Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30. Visit Moms in Prayer's website here.

Parables: The Persistent Friend Luke 11:1-10-- Questions for Reflection

Following a request of Jesus to teach him and his fellow disciples to pray and the Lord’s prayer Jesus tells the parable, A Friend Comes at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8). Jesus uses this parable as well as the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) to emphasis the importance of persistence in prayer.

The word translated persistent (importunity in KJV) means “to beg or request with urgency.” Jesus is inviting us to shamelessly and with urgency bring our requests to God in prayer. What additional insights about persistence in prayer can be gleaned from the following Scriptures?

Luke 11:5-10--

Psalm 40:1--

Micah 7:7--

Romans 12:12--

Ephesians 6:18--

Hebrews 4:16--

Application

Examine the following examples of persistent prayer.  What practices of these men and women do you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you to emulate?

Abraham (Genesis 18:23-33)--

Jacob (Genesis 32:24-32)--

Hannah (1 Samuel 1:10-11)--

Elijah (1 Kings 18:36-44; James 5:17-18)--

Memorize This

Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. NKJV