Debrief

Debrief offers an abridged outline of the Sunday sermon for individuals or Community Groups alike, to re-engage the content of the Sunday sermon.  This outline is far from complete, but serves to give a track or road map to walk through the content of Sunday in another context during the week

In our day there are HUGE expectations on marriage including: Companionship.......Ultimate Friendship......Economic Stability.......Emotional Stability.......Sexual Satisfaction.......Future for our Family

In Jesus’ day, there were more simple, but equally HUGE expectations for marriage including: Family Heritage, carrying on the family name and Economics, ensuring enough help free labor the family business.

Sadly in our day, because our expectations of marriage are rarely met, because of the hardness of our hearts and our wrong perspective, divorce is now one of the expectations that many peope have for marriage.  The reality that you’ll be married multiple times is simply excepted today as the way it might be.

The same was true in Jesus’ day.  Divorce was simply a way of life.  It wasn’t surprising that Jesus called them “an adulterous generation."

To the Secular Community of our day, there is not to much disapproval regarding the issue of divorce.  If your needs aren’t getting met in your marriage, divorce is simply one of the options, if not option number one.

The same was true in Jesus’ day.  In contemporary Roman culture, not only could a man divorce his wife for any reason, but a wife could also divorce her husband, something that was taboo until that time.

BUT, to the Spiritual Community of our day, there are HUGE tensions with the issue of divorce.

There is a Conservatie School of thought that says God doesn’t want divorce, but that He allows it in the cases of (1) Adultery (Matt.19:9) and (2) Abandonment by an ubbelieving spouse (1 Cor.7:15).

There is a Liberal School of thought that says that altough God hates divorce, He loves you, and what He hates more than divorce is you being unhappy, even in your marriage.

In the Spiritual Community in Jesus’ day, there were likewise HUGE tensions about divorce.

The School of Shammai (Conservative) said a man can’t divorce his wife expect for adultery / indifelity.

The School of Hillel (Liberal) said a man can divorce his wife if she is “indecent” in anything, including things like her appearance and her cooking.

This is the Pharisees approach, so they come to Him to “test” Him on the issue of divorce.

The verb “test” is used 4 times in the Gospel of Mark.  Three times it’s used of the Pharisees, and once, and first, for Satan testing Jesus in the wilderness.  What Mark is saying is that the Pharissees are trying to distort the Scriptures, like Satan in the wilderness, to get what they want, while still “technically” having the approval of God.

The most outwardly “spiritual” people in Jesus’ day are doing this to Jesus.......trying to understand how much they can get away with without losing the approval with God, or falling out of favor with God.

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife”

THIS IS THE WRONG QUESTION!

Moses permitted a Certificate of Divorce NOT to encourge divorce, but to protect women who were disgarded like unwanted property

Jesus goes behind Moses and the Torah to the presidence of Creation.  Jesus points to the God-ordained union, or ONENESS between male and female.

The Pharisees want to talk about divorce.......Jesus wanted to talk about Marriage.  Jesus wants to recover God’s Desire & Design for marriage, not argue about possible exceptions to it.  (Gen.1:2; 2:24)

The RIGHT QUESTION is not “What are the reasons we can get divorced,” BUT “What is THE reason God created marriage?”

God created marriage to show how Christ loves the Church and how the Church is to be devoted to Christ.  (Eph.5:31-33)

Marriage is meant to tell the truth about the Gospel.

Too many people are simply trying to GET THROUGH their marriage.  Too many people want to GET OUT OF their marriage......When God is calling us to GET IN to His design and desire for marriage.

BIG IDEA:  Marriage Unexpected is not looking for fullfillment from one another or from marriage in and of itself, but finding ultimate fullfillment by imaging God together in marriage and telling the story of the way Jesus loves His Church and how the Church loves Jesus through your marriage.

7 Means To Oneness in Marriage

These seven things won’t give you oneness in and of themselves, but they will provide the CONTEXT for Oneness in your marriage.

1.    One God:  Marriage is meant to be centered on and in the One true God. (1 Tim. 2:5)

2.    One Bible:  Marriage is meant to be centered on and saturated in God’s Word.  Consider investing in one special Bible you use to read Scripture with your spouse.  (Eph.5:25-26)

3.    One Journal:  Maybe you and your spouse both journal seperately.  To help create more oneess in your marriage, consider investing in one special journal you journal your thoughts and prayers together in.

4.    One Prayer Life:  Maybe you and your spouse both pray, only seperately.  To help create more oneness in your marrige, consider BOTH intentional and spuratic times you can pray with and for each other.

5.    One Bed:  Your sexual union is an imporant union in your marriage, so imporatant that the Bible says not to stop it without an agreed upon timeframe with a game plan of how to re-engage.  Make your bedroom a sacred place where you come together as husband and wife. (Heb.13:4)

6.    One Interest:  Maybe you and your spouse both have lots of interests, hobbies, etc, but mostly apart from one another.  Consider what interest you share togehther and how often you get to enjoy that together.

7.    One Mission:  Maybe you and your spouse both have a mission statement for your life, but mostly seperate from one another.  Consider prayerfully putting together a mission statement together as a couple. (Acts.18:26)

Jesus never directly answers their question about divorce.

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife”

He doesn’t have to.  The answer is clearly “No”

Jesus is saying He doesn’t want you to divorce your spouse, because He will never divorce Himself from His Bride, the Church, even from those who are part of His Bride that have divorced themselves from their spouse.

If Christ ever abandones or disgards the Church, a man may divorce His wife.  And if the Church ever ceases to be the Bride of Christ, a wife may divorce her husband.  But as long as Christ keeps His covenant with the Church and as long as, by grace, the Church remains the Church, no one can separate a man from His wife besides God.

The plain sense of 10:1-12 is that Jesus does not alllow grounds for divorce.  Although we might add adultery as a legitimate exception (Matt 5:32; 19:9), at very least, Jesus does not desire nor demand divorce even in the case of adultery.

Jesus does not permit divorce, but He forgives those that have been divorced (Woman at the well – John 4)

7 Committments To Oneness in Marriage

1.    I will worship Jesus, and worship Him with my wife.

2.    I will read the words of Jesus, and read them with my wife.

3.    I will reflect on the work of Jesus, and reflect on His work with my wife.

4.    I will pray in the name of Jesus, and pray in His name with my wife.

5.    I will love my wife in a maritally intimate way, regularly, for the name of Jesus.

6.    I will be a friend to my wife, and take interest in her, for the name of Jesus.

7.    I will be on mission with and for Jesus, and be on mission with and for Him with my wife.

Diving In
Diving In offers a few questions to help you re-engage the concepts from Sunday. Feel the freedom to use all of the questions, or to simply camp out on just one. These questions aren't intended to answer all the issues that surface through the thrust of this weeks' message, but to simply raise them and allow you time and space to process them, ideally in the context of your Community Group.

• What kind of expectations do you have of your marriage?  What are 5-7 expectations you have of your marriage?  How are these expectations different than the expectations you had at the beginning of your marriage?  Why? 
• Would you consider yourself to have a more “conservative” or “liberal” view of marriage and divorce based on the descriptions above?  Why would you say you hold that position?
• Have you been “testing” Jesus on the issue of divorce in any way?  Is there any way in which you’ve been trying to find a way out of your marriage at worst, or focusing on the thought of divorce more than the desire for oneness in your marriage at best?  Why?
• What kind of story is your marriage telling?  Who’s story is your marriage telling?

Deep End
The Deep End is a short and simple formation exercise you can use to dive deep into your heart before God. Feel the freedom to divert from the directions if that makes it easier for you to connect with Jesus in this exercise.

• First, quiet your heart before the Lord. If you find yourself distracted by various thoughts (things on your “To Do” list, etc.), don’t “fight” the distractions, but rather spend some time praying over those things. Hopefully soon your heart will quieted down and you will be able to hear the Lord speaking to you.
• After this, take 5-10 minutes to read and meditate on Mark 10:7-9.
• After you do, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a marriage you know that best reflects the Gospel and the commitment Jesus has to His Church and the love the Church has for Jesus.
• Next, ask the Spirit to reveal to you ONE trait about their marriage that best reflects the Gospel.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a Scripture that underscores this characteristic of their marriage.
• Last, ask the Spirit to show you one way you can imitate Jesus in your marriage by imitating what you’ve seen of Him in this marriage you regard.
• End your time with a prayer of thanks, thanking Jesus for the opportunity to display Jesus in and through your marriage.

Digest
Our digest section is all about helping you to memorize and meditate on God's Word so you'll be able to better digest it.  Take some time to commit these short verses to memory this week:

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." – Mark 10:7-9

My hope is that these simple exercises in The 60 will help what we discovered during this week be distilled, and deepened in your heart and life with Jesus.

Matt

For The Elders

Debrief offers an abridged outline of the Sunday sermon for individuals or Community Groups alike, to re-engage the content of the Sunday sermon.  This outline is far from complete, but serves to give a track or road map to walk through the content of Sunday in another context during the week

This idea of being on the mountain with God and coming down the mountain to be with people is seen throughout the Bible. It’s the interplay between the jounrey INWARD To God and the journey OUTWARD to the world.

What tension do you experience coming down the mountain?

The Failed Faith of a Demonically Drunken Community

The boy in this story is not the only one who has been harrased by demons.  The crowd has been harrased by demons in a way they don’t even see.

“Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.”  The idea here is that we shouldn’t be under the influence of any other substance…….any other presence other than the indwelling Presence of Jesus by His Holy Spirit.

The Community in Jesus’ day had drunken their fill of Religion and Rebellion, which are both Demonically Influenced, and were under the influence of, under the control of what they had been metaphorically drinking.

The Bible says that Religion is Demonically Influenced: (1 Cor.10:20; 1 Tim.4:1)

The Bible also says that Rebellion is Demonically Influenced: (1 Jn. 5:19)

Much of the time what we look at as Demonic we also think of as Demonstrative……. The truth is that Demonic influence can come in the midst of everyday, ordinary Religion and Rebellion.

At the end of the day, the goal here is to get you and me to trust in something or someone else other than Jesus

This community has tried, for the entire life of this boy, solve this problem through their best thinking (Rebellion) and through sprituality (Religion),  but they can’t.  So they’re excited when Jesus shows up, because they know enough about Him to know that maybe He can. (“If you can.....”)

The Frail Faith of the Disciples

On the one hand we have to give some credit to the disciples, that even while Jesus and the leaders of the disciples are on a retreat of sorts, they’re continuing on with the work of the ministry.  BUT, they’re relying on their own Prowice and Power to do it.  Sound familiar?

If you consider yourself a Disciple of Jesus, this scenario will be your scenario.  People who are drunk on Religion and Rebellion will come to you with their sin, saddness and suffering, looking for the help of Jesus.  What will you have to give them?

The Disciples gave them (1) Their Personal Strength and (2) Their Past Success (Mark 6:13) - And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

For the Discipels, Frail Faith meant Forgetfull Faith.  They Forgot to Pray!  They forgot to do the most foundational, the most essential thing.  They tried to cast out a demon without praying.

Jesus says plainly that the reason they couldn’t do it is because they lacked faith - “Because of your little faith…….” – Matthew 17:20

Little (oligopistia ) = small or young faith; poverty of faith

Jesus makes an unquestionable connection between a lack of prayer and a lack of faith.......between the lack of prayer and a small, young, poor......Frail Faith.......”This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

How is Prayer Connected to Faith? - It declares our dependence on God, that He is the only one who can Hold us and Help us.

This is a good example of how far the disciples have to go…….but it’s also an encouragement to remember just how far they will come. (Acts 3:1-10)

The Frail Faith of a Dad

The Disciples are there, the Religious Leaders are there, but this Dad is the only one that admits he doesn’t have what it takes to deal with what’s in front of him.

This is saving faith:  Faith in Jesus instead of oneself.

The Faith of this father was Frail, but he was honest about it, and asked Jesus for help with his unbelief. 

This Dad actually has more Faith at this point then the Disciples do.  In Matthew 17, Jesus tells the disciples they couldn’t cast out the demon because they didn’t have enough faith, not even the size of a mustard seed.  But we do see that the Father does have faith, although frail.

The Faithfulness of a Gracious God

Jesus was really, sincerely disappointed.  He didn’t allow them to see this as a justifiable shortcoming…….He includes the Disciples in His public rebuke.

Jesus can be Righteously Annoyed with His Disciples, while at the same time not loosing one once of Affection for them.

Jesus might be Annoyed with this generation, just like He was annoyed with that generation, but He won’t Abandon us, just like He didn’t Abandon them.

The bottom line this morning is that EVERYONE has Frail faith…….BUT Jesus is faithful despite our frail faith.

Jesus is Faithful to this Dad and his son despite the faithlessness of his community, himself, and the disciples.

When we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself…… - 2 Timothy 2:13

“Everything is possible for him who believes.”

The emphasis is not on the quantity or quality of our faith, but on the power of the One who we are joined to by faith.

“This is very good news.  Through Jesus we don’t need perfect righteousness, just repentant helplessness, to access the presence [and power] of God.” – Tim Keller; Kings Cross; pg.121)

Diving In
Diving In offers a few questions to help you re-engage the concepts from Sunday. Feel the freedom to use all of the questions, or to simply camp out on just one. These questions aren't intended to answer all the issues that surface through the thrust of this weeks' message, but to simply raise them and allow you time and space to process them, ideally in the context of your Community Group.

• How have you seen the community at large around you ‘drunk’ with the doctrine of demons?  How have you experienced the intoxicating affects of doctrines of Demons, either through religion or rebellion?
• Do you sense you are trusting someone or something else more than Jesus?  Have you been ‘drinking’ at the wrong fount?
• How might you be relying more on your personal strengths or past success instead of the Person of Jesus?
• When was the last time someone came to you with their sin, sadness and/or suffering.  Did you pray?  What kid of counsel did you give them?  Was it your best thinking, or what you sense God was saying?
• What does your regular practice of praying and fasting look like?  How do you see your prayer life connected to the vitality of your faith?
• Does Jesus have good reason to be annoyed with you?  How does knowing He has not lost an ounce of affection for you despite any annoyance with you make you want to respond to Him?

Deep End
The Deep End is a short and simple formation exercise you can use to dive deep into your heart before God. Feel the freedom to divert from the directions if that makes it easier for you to connect with Jesus in this exercise.

• First, quiet your heart before the Lord. If you find yourself distracted by various thoughts (things on your “To Do” list, etc.), don’t “fight” the distractions, but rather spend some time praying over those things. Hopefully soon your heart will quieted down and you will be able to hear the Lord speaking to you.
• After this, take 5-10 minutes to read and meditate on Mark 9:19.
• As you do, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what Jesus would be righteously annoyed with in your life today.  Don’t resist the things He reveals to you.  These may be things that have been true in your life for quite some time.  The truth of it may sting a bit, but allow the Spirit to be the save that heals you here.
• After take 5 minutes to read and meditate on Psalm 139:17-18.  Allow the Spirit to remind you just how much you are adored by God.
• End your time with a prayer of thanks, thanking Jesus for being patient and longsuffering with you.

Digest
Our digest section is all about helping you to memorize and meditate on God's Word so you'll be able to better digest it.  Take some time to commit these short verses to memory this week:

And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." – Mark 9:23

My hope is that these simple exercises in The 60 will help what we discovered during this week be distilled, and deepened in your heart and life with Jesus.

Matt

For The Elders

Debrief

Debrief offers an abridged outline of the Sunday sermon for individuals or Community Groups alike, to re-engage the content of the Sunday sermon.  This outline is far from complete, but serves to give a track or road map to walk through the content of Sunday in another context during the week

The Disciples have just heard something unexpected from Jesus – “If anyone would come after Me, let Him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (8:34).  This was so unexpected it took them six days to comes to grips with it.

Now the Disciples are about to see something unexpected from Jesus – Jesus radiating the glory of God as the glory of God.

Because we have the Bible, that bears witness to Jesus, and that Jesus uses to show Himself to us, every time we open it, we have a MORE SURE revelation of Jesus than the disciples did on the Mount of Transfiguration. (2 Peter 1:16-21)

It doesn’t get any better than God’s people opening up God’s Word and trusting God’s Spirit to Unveil Jesus in it all.

Transfigure means “to change radically.”  Jesus wants to show Himself to you as Someone radically different than you think He is

No encounter with Jesus is supposed to be the normal stroll down the lane.  This morning is meant to be that moment when you stop and realize everything is different than you thought it was……better than you’ve seen it to be.

Jesus not only desires to show Himself to us in radically different ways as radically different than we think He is…….He also wants us to respond radically different than we usually do, or which is our natural tendency to.

When Jesus shows Himself to us, our tendency is to want to say something or do something, like Peter.  BUT what God really wants is for us to Look at Someone, Love Someone and Listen to Someone.  He wants us to Look at Jesus, Love Jesus, and Listen to Jesus. - “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” (v:7)

(1) Look On Him

Jesus wants us to Look AT Him, Look ON Him instead of Look PAST Him.

Much of the time when we think we’re looking AT Jesus, we’re really looking PAST Jesus, to what we think Jesus wants us to DO.  All the while, Jesus is more concerned that we look AT Him than PAST Him.

Peter’s first response was to DO something.  His first response should have been to Look at Someone.

The Disciples are going to struggle to Look to Jesus.  Peter is going to look to himself and his own means.  Peter is going to look to his pre-understanding of Scripture (Moses & Elijah).

Seeing Jesus clearly isn’t primarily about doing something, BUT gazing at Someone.

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to GAZE upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. – Psalm 27:4

(2) Love Him

Jesus wants us to LOVE Him instead of just loving the things that come from Him – in this case, His Power

This is what the Disciples are after.  This is what their view of Moses & Elijah are all about.  This is what their question on the way down the mountain about Elijah coming first is all about.  It’s a reference to Malachi 4:5-6:

Later, two of the disciples who were there, James and John, are going to say to Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (10:35). 

How many of us are thinking the same?

Much of the time we’re looking to Jesus to see what He wants to give to us – Power, rather than what we should give to Him – LOVE.

The Disciples are going to struggle to love Jesus.  They are going to have a more Utilitarian mindset.  Peter is going to deny Jesus to protect himself.  The disciples are going to abandon Jesus to protect themselves…….to love themselves and their lives more than Jesus when Jesus doesn’t seem to have the power they anticipated.

A couple of chapters later Jesus is going to be asked what the most important thing in life is…….what the most important commandment of God is:

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' – Mark 12:29-30

The more we gaze on Him, the more we love Him, the more we want to LISTEN to Him

(3) Listen to Him

There does come a time when we move from Looking on Jesus and Loving Jesus to Listening to Jesus, and actually DOING what He says.  But it happens in that order.  We can’t just stay on the mountain forever.  We can’t just try to stay in the moment and capture the moment like Peter tried to do.  The error of not listening to Jesus is just as bad as the error of not looking on Jesus or loving Jesus.  We don’t want to error either way.

BUT it’s only after you’ve Looked on Jesus and Loved Jesus that you will LISTEN to Jesus.  That’s why Jesus says, “IF you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15).

If you’re struggling to obey Jesus, to Listen to Jesus, it’s probably because you’re struggling to Look at Jesus……. And if you’re struggling to Look at Jesus you’ll also be struggling to Love Jesus.  And if you’re struggling to love Jesus, you’ll struggle to listen to Jesus…….to obey Jesus

If you’re struggling to obey Jesus even in the more Pleasurable things, you’ll certainly struggle to obey Jesus in the Painful things.  It’s only after you’ve looked on Him long enough, you would love Him for seeing that He Himself has gone before you in anything He’s put before you.  He’s not asking you to do anything He’s unable or unwilling to do Himslef…….”If anyone would come after Me, let him deny Himself and take up his cross and FOLLOW Me” (8:34).

Jesus wants the Disciples to Listen to Him because He’s leaving Galilee to go to Jerusalem.  Jesus wants us to LISTEN to Him because life with Jesus is not just about life in Galilee…….it’s also about life in Jerusalem.

Throughout the first half of the book of Mark, Jesus is Pleading with the Masses to listen to Him.  Now He is Pleading with the Disciples to Listen to Him.

The Disciples are going to struggle to Listen to Jesus.  Peter is going to struggle to listen to Jesus.  Peter is going to misunderstand what Jesus says about dying and raising.  The disciples are going to struggle to listen to Him, missing much of what he says about his ultimate purpose.

Much of the time the agenda God has is radically different than the agenda we have…….that’s why we need to LISTEN to Jesus.

Diving In

Diving In offers a few questions to help you re-engage the concepts from Sunday. Feel the freedom to use all of the questions, or to simply camp out on just one. These questions aren't intended to answer all the issues that surface through the thrust of this weeks' message, but to simply raise them and allow you time and space to process them, ideally in the context of your Community Group.

• Have you ever considered 2 Peter 1:16-21 in light of Mark 9:2-13?  What kind of confidence to Peter’s words give you as you open up your Bible?
• Are you Looking on Jesus?  Is there something you’re looking PAST Jesus for today?  Are you missing the opportunity to look AT Him……..to look ON Him? 
• Are you Loving Jesus?  Is there something you want from Jesus that you’re loving more than Jesus today?  Are you missing the opportunity to Love His face, not just His hands?
• Are you Listening to Jesus today?  Why do you sense you may not be listening to Jesus the way you desire?  Do you see a connection between the way you look on Jesus and love Jesus and the way you listen to Jesus?

Deep End

The Deep End is a short and simple formation exercise you can use to dive deep into your heart before God. Feel the freedom to divert from the directions if that makes it easier for you to connect with Jesus in this exercise.

• First, quiet your heart before the Lord. If you find yourself distracted by various thoughts (things on your “To Do” list, etc.), don’t “fight” the distractions, but rather spend some time praying over those things. Hopefully soon your heart will quieted down and you will be able to hear the Lord speaking to you.
• After this, take 5-10 minutes to read and meditate on Mark 9:7.
• Next, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your normal MO in your time with Jesus.  Is it Listen, Love, Look, OR Look, Love, Listen.  Be open to receive what the Spirit is speaking to you about.  Don’t be discouraged, but encouraged to see things from His perspective, and that He desires you and your time with Him in deep ways.
• After that, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one practical way you can practice Looking at Jesus as priority number one.
• Last, make a commitment to talk with someone about the things you sense the Spirit revealing to you.
• End your time with prayer, confessing to Jesus your desire to Look on Him, and asking Him for help, but His Spirit, to do more of that.

Digest

Our digest section is all about helping you to memorize and meditate on God's Word so you'll be able to better digest it.  Take some time to commit these short verses to memory this week:

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." – Mark 9:7

My hope is that these simple exercises in The 60 will help what we discovered during this week be distilled, and deepened in your heart and life with Jesus.

Matt

For The Elders

One recent story of life-change is the story of my new friend Craig.  Craig was at church the morning we recently had baptisms.  He heard the preaching of the Word, saw the baptisms, and heard the testimonies.  It was only AFTER church was over that the family member who invited him prayed with him to receive Christ.  If you read the church blog or saw the pictures, you might remember Craig as the guy who got baptized AFTER church, while we were draining the baptismal.  What a sight to see!

After coming to know Jesus, He began to convict Craig that he needed to marry his girlfriend Bobby, to make their relationship right before Him.  After praying and planning, Craig proposed to Bobby on New Years day in the back of church during the responsive worship time!  That was a first for me to see.  I've seen proposals in all kinds of places, but never in church.  And why not?  Why not in church?  It seemed like the best place to Craig in his new relationship with Jesus.  What an incredible responsive worship time for him, (1) singing songs to Jesus, (2) remembering Jesus by receiving Communion, and (2) asking Bobby to marry him, so their lives and marriage can rightly reflect our marriage to Christ as His Church, the Bride of Christ!  It doesn't get much better than that at The Village!

Jesus is changing lives.  He is calling unsuspecting sinners to Himself, making them saints.  He is calling men and women to radical life-change through the radically transforming power and radically transfiguring Presence of Himself.  Praise God!

Who is your Craig?  Is God calling you to invite someone to The Village this week to hear about Jesus?  We promise to tell them about Him, and invite them to Him, if you step out in faith and invite them to His church.

Oh, by the way.......SHE SAID YES!!!

It’s my privilege to serve you through the teaching of the Word most Sunday’s here at The Village, but as you know, this Sunday is all you.  The Elders trust you to lead your families well this coming Christmas Sunday morning, and we trust you will.  I also trust you’ve been considering what you might share with your families this coming Christmas Sunday morning, but I thought I’d pass along my basic game plan to you in case you’d like some help getting your legs as you get prepared to lead your families this Christmas.  While I’m sure you have many of your own Christmas traditions, my hope is these simple thoughts will be of help to you should you want or need them.  I look forward to hearing great stories in the days and weeks to come of the Spirit-filled, Christ-centered Christmas you had with your family this coming Christmas Sunday morning.

The BIG IDEA:  One of my goals every Sunday morning is to help focus us all on a Big Idea I sense God has for us as a people, and as the people of God.  The Big Idea is normally the main thrust of the sermon, and may be communicated through songs, interviews, media, etc, as well (primarily through the Word).  There is so much good stuff to communicate on any given Sunday, but the Bid Idea is meant to help us concentrate on a main truth in manageable measure.

The BIG IDEA for our family Christmas is this:  He has come, He is coming, and He is coming again.  This Christmas I want my family to understand that Jesus has come, that He is coming into our lives everyday (including that day), and that He will be coming again for us someday (hopefully soon).  I want them to see the consistency of our great God, His faithfulness, His unchanging nature, His reliability, His integrity, His dependability.  There’s so much I want to communicate to my family this Christmas, but it’s unrealistic that I’ll be able to get it all in, just like it’s unrealistic that I can get in everything I want to say on a given Sunday morning (as much as I try).  But, what I can do is discern what I sense God wants to say, do my best to say it the best I can, and trust Him to do with it what He will, leaving the rest for another day, and for a great God who can communicate anything He wants, anytime.  This ONE idea, wrapped up in these three ideas, is all I plan to bite off this coming Christmas Sunday morning.

The MAIN STROKES:  One of my goals every Sunday morning is to help us focus on a few Main Strokes, key points, main thrusts, usually connected to a particular passage of Scripture (right now from the Gospel of Mark).  When preaching an Exegetical Sermon, these Main Strokes are taken straight from the text of Scripture itself.  When preaching a Topical Sermon (or having a topical discussion, like I will this coming Christmas Sunday morning), the Main Strokes are taken from a big idea communicated in the breadth of Scripture, each being connected to THE Big Idea of the sermon and morning.

The Main Strokes for our family this Christmas will keep our discussion moving along chronologically as the Main Strokes of a Sunday message do on any given Sunday morning.  The Main Strokes for our family Christmas are:

(1)  It Was Christmas  (He Has Come)

• In this section, I plan to start by asking my kids to tell me the Christmas story, in their own words.  This can work for kids of any age, even as old as college age, etc.  Of course, expect more from your 18 year old than your 18 month old.  This might take a few minutes, and you might have to help them along, fill in a few details, etc.  But, try to let them do as much as they can on their own.
• I’ve found over the years that allowing your kids to use a Nativity scene is really helpful.  Let them use the characters to tell the story (One year our girls had the entire living room set up with different scenes.  It was amazing).  If you don’t have a kid-friendly Nativity scene they can play with, get one, even if it’s just for this one morning a year.  You won’t regret the $20.
• After they’ve had time to share, I plan on reading the account staring in Luke 1:26-38, then Matthew 1:18-25, then Luke 2:1-21, then Matthew 2:1-12.  If you have young children, I’d use Matthew 1:18-2:12 to keep things short and sweet.  You know best how to gauge your kids.
• I plan to hit Isaiah 7:14 quickly, to remind my kids that Jesus came, just as He said He would.  He is trustworthy, reliable, sure, true.
• In the midst of communicating this truth, I’m not ignoring the reason He came – to save us from our sins (Matt.1:21).  This will be included in my Christmas morning to be sure, as it should in every Christmas morning.  What I am doing is connecting this essential reality to the Big Idea like this: He has saved us (justification), He continues to save us (sanctification), and He will save us one day (glorification).
• I plan to end this section by listening to and signing together, “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.”  I plan to use the version by Chris Tomlin on his Glory In The Highest album.  For smaller children, “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” works well.  Choose your artist, or go solo.
• If you have really small kids, you may not be able to listen to the entire song, or get through all of this.  If not, listen to part of it.  Take what you can.  Don’t get frustrated.  Do the best you can.  God will use it.

(2)  It Is Christmas  (He Is Coming)

• In this section, I plan to ask my kids how they have sensed the presence of Jesus recently in their lives.  Again, this can work for kids at most any age.  For younger kids, you may have to suggest ways in which they may have sensed His presence, or just give them some examples from your own life (better be ready, they’ll ask you). 
• After they’ve had time to share (with my help if they’ve needed it), I plan on staying in Matthew, reading Matthew 28:18-20.  What I have in mind here is reminding them that Jesus said He would always be with us…..always.  The same Jesus that said He would come and did, will always be with us, coming into everything in our lives everyday.  He has been reliable, and He will be still.
• I also plan to hit John 14:13-17 quickly, reminding my kids (who know Jesus), that He is not only close to them, but His Spirit dwells within them.  You can’t get much closer than that!
• I plan to end this section by listening to and singing (as much as we can), “You’re Here,” by Francesca Battistelli.  You can also use “Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground),” by Chris Tomlin, also on his Glory In The Highest album.  This song will likewise emphasize the reality that God is with us.
• Again, if you have really small kids, you may not be able to listen to the entire song or get through all of this.  If not, listen to part of it.  Take what you can.  Don’t get frustrated.  Do the best you can.  God will use it.

(3)  It Will Be Christmas  (He Is Coming Again)

• I plan to start this section out by asking my kids if they’re looking forward to Christmas next year.  They’ll probably laugh and think I’m being silly, but I plan to ask them about all the things they’re looking forward to most about NEXT Christmas.  I’ll ask them about that they know will happen next Christmas, and what they hope will happen next Christmas.  I’m doing this for obvious reasons – they’re already counting on Christmas coming next year, and in the same way (greater actually), we should be counting on Jesus coming again.
• After they’ve had time to share I plan on reading John 14:1-4, then John 14:18-21, then Revelation 21:1-7.  Revelation 19:11-16 is incredible as well, but needs to be age appropriate for your kids of course.  If you have a kids Bible that touches the return of Christ, you may want to think about using that, even for kids who are a bit older.  Sometimes images from Revelation scare kids of any age (adults too).
• After reading Scripture together, I plan to ask my kids what they look forward to most about Jesus returning.  They may not have a great context for this, so I plan to share some of my own thoughts to ‘prime the pump’ if need be.  I’d be encouraged to hear 2-3 things from each of my kids.  For younger children, one cute hope will do.  Take what you can and encourage them in it.  One of the things I’ve found that helps kids related to the second coming of Jesus is the first coming of Jesus.  Tie some of the concepts of Revelation 21, especially verses 3-4, to some of the stories you talk to you kids about in the Gospels.  Help them see that the greatest things about the ministry of Jesus will be true in the greatest of ways when He comes again.  They can sometimes get a better handle on a concept like that then the tattoo on His leg and the sword coming out of His mouth in Revelation 19.
• I plan to end this section by listening to and singing (as much as we can), “Come Though Long Expected Jesus,” by Chris Tomlin, also on his Glory In The Highest album (As you can see, if you download this album you’ll have a song for every section here).
• Again, if you have really small kids, you may not be able to listen to the entire song or get through all of this.  If not, listen to part of it.  Take what you can.  Don’t get frustrated.  Do the best you can.  God will use it.

THE RESPONSE:  One of my goals each Sunday is to help us respond appropriately to the things I sense God is saying to us as a people, and as the people of God.  Part of that response is usually singing, prayer, giving and receiving Communion.  There are other ways to respond to be sure, but these are generally at the forefront.

The Response for our family this Christmas will include these four as well.

• We would have already spent time singing together.  If my kids desire to sing more, we will.  If not, I’ll be thankful for the signing we did have together, and move to prayer.
• I plan to ask each one of my kids to give a prayer of thanks, one thanking Jesus for the fact that He came, one thanking Jesus for the fact that He is coming, and one thanking Jesus for the fact that He is coming again.  If you don’t have three kids, you pick up one or two.  If they can’t quite express it, help them.  Lead them in it.  Encourage them with whatever they’re able to express to Him.
• I also plan to talk together with my kids about what Jesus is calling us to give in the coming year, how we determine that, and how we will do it.  In the midst of a morning where we have all given, but mostly received, I want my kids to know that giving is an act of worship, and is the first priority for our family in the way we use the money He has entrusted to us, not buying presents.
• I plan lastly to share Communion together with my family.  I plan to use 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 to ground our time here.  This is a great section that ends with “proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes” (He Is Coming Again).  Like me, if you have a younger child who doesn’t yet know Jesus, explain Communion to them as best you can.  Emphasize remembering Jesus.  Allow them to eat something they really like, helping them to participate even if they’re not sharing the elements themselves.  This will help them not feel left out while still encouraging a reverence for the Lord’s Supper that they’ll look forward to.  I plan to end that time, and our time as a whole, with a prayer of thanks, thanking Jesus for coming, for continuing to come, and for coming again.

Ok.  That was a mouthful, but I pray helpful.  This may feel overwhelming, but there’s not as much too it as it might seem here on paper.  I’ve just tried to give you some of my own input advice, etc.  Take what you want.  Leave what you want.  Use what you want.  Use something different altogether.  BUT, make sure Jesus is the central focus for your family and in your home this Christmas.

He has come.  He is coming.  He is coming again.

Merry Christmas.

Pastor Matt

Village Church,

I’m feeling today that I don’t have the words to express my deep joy and thanks for all Jesus did in our midst Sunday as we gathered as His Saints.  With that said, I’m compelled to attempt at least, to lay some words to what I clearly sense God saying to our church – namely, that He STILL speaks.

Sunday we all learned how God spoke to a six-year-old boy in our church.  On an average weekday morning, little Samuel awoke from his sleep, having had Jesus come and speak to him in his dreams.  It was a night just like every other night, but it was a night that would be like no other night this boy has ever known.  On that extraordinarily ordinary night, Jesus spoke to Samuel in his dream, telling him that he “needed to become a Christian by committing his life to Him, and being baptized.”  Little Samuel awoke, convinced Jesus had come to Him, convicted that Jesus was calling Him, and committed to consecrating His life to Jesus that very morning.  It reminds me of how God spoke to another boy named Samuel nearly 3,000 years ago.  “And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel!  Samuel!’  And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears.’”  God has been speaking to little boys for 3,000 years, calling them to Himself.  And He still does today.  Incredible.  Irresistible.  Irrefutable.

Sunday we all learned how God spoke to a young college student, giving him an ‘impression’ that he would be baptized Sunday.  He called his uncle Saturday night, asking him if he could come to church with him Sunday.  The invitation was made and accepted.  His uncle said nothing about the upcoming baptism, and the young man said nothing about sensing the Lord telling him he would be baptized.  Yet as he arrived Sunday and saw the baptismal, he was assured God had spoken to him, and knew without a doubt that he would indeed be baptized that day.  Incredible.  Irresistible.  Irrefutable. 

Sunday some of us saw how God also spoke to a single dad through the preaching of the Word.  As the Scripture was opened and the Word was preached, God called this infrequent attender to attend to Him.  As the Word was preached about a “new beginning for sinners,” God was speaking to him that he was the sinner, and it was he that needed the new beginning.  As the Word was preached about a “new beginning for anyone,” God was saying that he was the one.  After the preaching of the Word, the singing of songs, the witness of baptisms, and the fellowship of believers, this infrequent attender attended to the voice of God and confessed that he needed a new beginning, and that he knew a new beginning was only possible in and through Jesus.  God spoke through His Word as He always does, and it accomplished what He wanted, as it always does – the salvation of a sinner.  That single dad was single minded in his decision to follow Jesus, and was baptized immediately in front of a group of stragglers and clean-up crews.  The shouts of forty seemed as loud as the shouts of hundreds as he emerged out of the water.  As the baptismal was being literally drained and dismantled, his life was being spiritually filled and fortified.  Incredible.  Irresistible.  Irrefutable.

During this Advent season God is reminding us that He is a God who comes.  He has come, He is coming, and He is coming again.  It has become crystal clear to me that during this Advent season He is also reminding us that He is a God who speaks.  He has spoken, He is speaking, and He will speak still.