- Pair off again to work on reciting the 10 Commandments from memory then do it together as a group.
- Why do you think Jesus summarized the 10 Commandments the way he did in Matthew 22:37-40? (Love God [1-4] and Love others [5-10])?
- This week we looked at Commandment #5 – Honor Your Father and Mother. Read Exodus 20:12. Honor was defined as, “To treat someone with respect because they carry a heavy weight of authority.”
Has this been easy or hard to do with your parents? Why?
- Why do you think God’s command to honor our parents is not qualified by “if they were good parents”?
- Four ways were shared on how we can honor our parents…
- Speak well of them
- Obey them
- Forgive them
- Support them
Which of these are easy for you to do and which ones are not? Why?
Which ones did you sense God speaking to you about?
6. Read Ephesians 6:2-3. Two promises were shared about obeying this command:
- I will live long and prosper!
- My kids will “get it”.
How are these motivations for you personally to obey?
7. What are some creative ways you could begin to “honor” your parents or the memory of your
parents today?
8. How must my life be different because of this command?
- In our world today, we tend to downplay the importance of the Sabbath in our lives. If that has been true of you and your family, what keeps you from giving it the important place in your life that it deserves?
- What part of your life suffers most, when you are not observing the Sabbath in the way God intended?
- Read Exodus 20:9 - 10a and Isaiah 56:2, both of which talk about God’s view of the Sabbath. Why do you think God puts such emphasis on this commandment to rest?
- In our “24/7” culture today, we reject the very notion of rest and reflection. Busyness is a common problem, and it cheats us out of Sabbath rest, and the benefits that come with that. If busyness is a problem in your life, name two ways you could cut it back, to make more time for Sabbath rest and reflection in your life.
- Read the story in Matthew 12:9-14. What is Jesus saying to the Pharisees in this passage?
- At its core, keeping the Sabbath is an act of faith. Read through Exodus 16. How can you relate this story to your own life?
- Do you think if you were Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-Fil-A, you would have the same faith in God to close down your stores every Sunday? Why or why not?
- With your Journey Group, come up with a service project you can do this summer in our community. Be sure to let the staff know what it is!
This past Sunday was the second in our series on the 10 Commandments. The passage of scripture that deals with this second commandment is Exodus 20:4-6
“Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. 5 You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. 6 But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations.”
I made a statement this week that was incorrect. I have heard for years that the only commandment with a promise is the 5th commandment that speaks of honoring our parents. When you read the second commandment you can see that there is clearly consequences that follow either obeying or disobeying this commandment. It may seem that there is a promise of God “lavishing His love on those who love Him and obey His commands that will last for even a thousand generations.” However, promise is the wrong word to use for this commandment. Let me explain why.
After Sunday’s services one of our Plum Creekers emailed me to remind me of a passage of scripture in Ephesians. It actually contains the verses that help clear this up, I had totally forgotten about them. These verses say this in Ephesians 6:1-3:
“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. 3 And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing.”
So the word promise is the wrong one to use in relation to the 2nd commandment, definitely the right word to use related to the 5th commandment. I think that consequence is the right word to use when we talk about the 2nd commandment.
Awesome that Greg caught this and took the time to email me.
Great to have Reza with us this week! I really appreciate your willingness to fill in for me this week. Here are the reflection questions from Reza’s message: “Pure Redemption”:
1. In what ways does understanding God’s Holiness impact the way you view your walk with God?
2. Reread Genesis 2:15-17 | 3:1-5. In what way was Eve deceived by the Serpent. What did the serpent do to trick Eve? How has sin enticed you to twist God’s standards to “gain” certain things?
3. What has the sanctification process looked like for you? What specific trials has the LORD walked you through to shape your character and “create in you a pure heart”?
4. Have you caught yourself trying to strive for Holiness? Do you see how Holiness is not something we can attain, yet it is an expression of a life that understands what Christ has done upon the Cross? How does allowing Holiness to flow through you versus striving for holiness impact your understanding of the Christian walk?
5. Paul addresses his letters to the “SAINTS” in the first century church. How does knowing your true identity in Christ motivate you to live?
1. This is Holy Week. What does that mean to you? How have you celebrated or how do you celebrate it?
2. Remembering the “racquetball illustration”, have you ever measured yourself or your ability without an accurate “benchmark”? Please share.
3. Read Leviticus 11:45, Matthew 5:48 and Habakkuk 1:13 then consider the illustrations in your Journey Guide. When did you realize your own “goodness” fell far short of God’s standard for perfection? When did you realize how many black marks were on your “moral scorecard”?
4. Read Romans 3:23. Share how you “overrated your goodness” (past or present) before a Holy God. How have you seen this done by others?
5. Read Romans 6:23. Share how you “underestimated the seriousness of your sin” (past or present) before a Holy God. How have you seen this done by others?
6. Read I Peter 2:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. Then discuss John Piper’s quote: If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. Therefore his love is willing to meet the demands of his justice.
What does the truth of these verses/doctrine do in your heart or mind?
7. Share when you “signed up” or “resigned up” with Jesus.
8. How will your life be different, now that you know these things?
9. Make sure to pray for people you know and love who haven’t recognized their need to be “saved from their sin”.
Discussion Questions:
1. Reread Romans 15:5-7. Who has best displayed to you the “as is” love of God? Describe what that experience is/was like.
2. How have you seen Wonderful Desires become Demanding Expectations?
3. Three options were shared for when people are stuck in the Expectation Trap:
Which one have you seen predominately in your circle of relationships?
Which one do you think you might be most disposed to?
4. Three Exercises were shared to help avoid or escape the Expectation Trap:
5. Describe how you might specifically apply expressions of gratitude and acts of service in a relationship this week.
6. Share how you remind yourself of God’s unconditional “as is” love for you.
7. Now that you know these things, how will your life be different?
1. Prior to your experience at Plum Creek, when you heard the word “church” what kind of thoughts and images did this conjure up in your heart and mind?
2. When you think of the idea of a, “Safe Church” what do you think of? Do you have experience with this kind of church?
3. This week I said this, “If you aren’t offending some “Pharisees” you probably aren’t a Dangerous Church.” What do you think I meant by that?
4. This week I talked about the first 3 characteristics from Acts of the Dangerous Church.
Read Acts 4:1-31.
A DANGEROUS CHURCH…
- Is EMPOWERED By GOD
- Has DIVINE BOLDNESS.
- Has An UNCIVILIZED APPROACH
5. Spend a few minutes talking about each of these three characteristics. Why do you think they are so important? How are they also important in your life personally?
6. In light of all that you have talked about this week, why do you think it is so important as and individual and as a church to be more concerned with what God thinks than with what other people think?
7. Talk about what you can do this week to foster these characteristics in your life and in our church.
8. Finish off your group praying for each other and also for our church.
A Time for Salvation
Luke 2:11
1. We have less than 12 days until Christmas? Are you ready? What scene from the video, 12 Crazy Days of Christmas did you relate to the most?
2. Read Luke 2:8-14. In verse 11, the angel announced to the shepherds, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Why is the angels’ announcement that “a Savior has been born to you” so important?
3. This week we focused on the truth that Salvation Is Here. And that because of that…
I can be saved from my self and my sin (Read Matthew 1:20-21 and John 8:36)
I can be saved for a life of significance (Read John 10:10 and I Corinthians 15:58)
I can be saved by God’s grace through faith (Read Ephesians 2:8-9)
4. Take time to have members of the group share how they have experienced each one these truths in their own life.
5. If your group is ready (or if a few individuals are willing) have each one share when they accepted God’s grace through faith embracing Jesus as Savior.
6. Does anyone have questions from Sunday’s message that they would like to ask the group about?
7. What are the takeaways from this week’s message? How will life this Christmas be different now that you know these things (or have been reminded of these things)?
A Time for Celebration
Luke 2:10
1. How have you generally celebrated Christmas?
2. What are you doing or where are you going this Christmas?
3. Read Luke 2:8-14. In vs. 10, the angel announced to the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
This announcement of Christmas was…
Personal
Positive
Universal
Why is each of these announcements so important?
4. This week we also realized that Christmas is a time to celebrate…
God loves you. (Read John 3:16)
God is with you. (Read Matthew 1:23)
God is for you. (Read Jeremiah 29:11)
5. Have you ever doubted any of these? Please share.
6. How have you experienced one or more of these? Please share.
7. Why is each of these truths so important?
8. What are the takeaways from this week’s message? How will life be different now that you know these things?
Link to hear Paul Harvey read, “The Man and the Birds”
Come join us over the next 3 Sundays as we celebrate Christmas time is here!
Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
On the first Christmas night the angel announced the birth of Jesus as a time for…
Celebration
(December 6)
Salvation
(December 13)
Reconciliation
(December 20)
