Tag: pride

Categories
Five

Freedom from Anxiety

Week 45 | Section 54g

Mat 6:19-7:6 Luke 6:37-42

sermon on the mount
Click to watch video clip

Turing our eyes from greed and love of the world we can experience true freedom.  Anxiety is stirred within us as we crave such temporal things. Oddly once gained they lose their luster and another temporal desire must fill its place – if not one’s pleasure in the eternal and spiritual things God has in store for us. Indeed, worry of such things gets us nowhere.

his eye is on the sparrow
Jesus reminds us that God the Father is our provider and always watching out for us and there is no need to worry, fear, or become anxious. The lyrics in the classic gospel song “His eye is on the sparrow” (listen) remind of the same. These emotions emerge from our lack of trust and faith in God and they are often accompanied with thoughts of our own capacity – too high and haughty or broken and fragile.  Jesus lesson for these apostles, disciples and us today is to keep our perspective and priorities in line. Forgetting such will undermine and derail our ministry and witness.

In the second half of this lesson Jesus also warns that we are not judge each other for this too will become a burden and cause anxiety in every relationship. Rather we ought to attend to our own sins and transgressions by setting them aside, abiding in Christ, and forgiving every transgression before it takes hold of our lives in the form of bitterness, fear, anger or timidity.

 

 

Categories
Two

You Must Be Born Again

You Must Be Born Again

Week 21 | Sections 32 a,b

You Must Be Born AgainNicodemus a pharisee and member of the ruling class of the Jewish council is curious about the miracles Jesus had performed during his first visit to Jerusalem since his baptism. So curious he came in the dead of night, to learn more. His struggles are like many today, for its hard to change our way of thinking. The gospel of God’s grace runs contrary to so many things we’ve been taught. Still, it is the Good News we wish to hear – that God has so much love for us that he provided a way to reconcile us. Al we need do to experience that is believe.

Scripture:
Section 32a | John 2:23-25
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24 But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25 and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Section 32b | John 3:1-21
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,1  a ruler of the Jews.2 2 The same came to him by night,3 and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”4 3 Jesus answered him,“Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”5 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” 5 Jesus answered,“Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.6  7  Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’7 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”8¯9 9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”10 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?11 11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12  If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?12 13  No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.13 14  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.14 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.15 18 He who believes in him is not judged.16 He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.17 19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20  For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”18

Group Dialog:

  1. Have we ourselves been “born again”?
  2. How has the grace of God allowed you to walk in love and obedience differently than obedience to the commandments of God and the customs of the church?
  3. Read and discuss the passages in study note #_.
  4. What patterns of your life (thought and deed) still need to change?
  5. What are the ways your life has changed since becoming born again?

Learning Objectives:

Be born again, justification then sanctification, availability of Jesus, The Messiah will break the adamic curse, our identity will be changed as we are born again Christ’s, let your mind be renewed, we need also to be bonded as the children of God – as one family, propitiation by the sacrifice of Jesus, the affective experience of those who do not receive the effective grace of God.

Study Notes:

Categories
One

The Magnificat

The Magnificat

Week 6 | Section 7

The MagnificatMary’s song of praise, The Magnificat, shows her humility, prophetic understanding of God’s intent, and willingness to be counted among the servants of God for the sake of the world. The verses and prophetic promises which she sings forth are like the threads in the divine tapestry. She models for us not only humble service, but also true worship with her whole heart and soul and all the faculties of her being.

Scripture:
Luke 1:46-56

46 Mary said, “My soul1magnifies2¯3 the Lord.4¯5¯6¯7 47 My spirit8 has rejoiced in God my Savior,9¯10 48 for he has looked at the humble state11 of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations12 will call me blessed.13 49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.14 Holy is his name.15 50 His mercy16 is17 for generations of generations18 on those who fear him.19 51 He has20 shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things.21 He has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has given help to Israel,22 his servant, that he might remember mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and his offspring forever.”23 56 Mary stayed with her about three months,24 and then returned to her house.

Group Dialog:

  1. Thinking about praise and worship, what do you find most astounding about the nature of God and his acts in your life and throughout time?
  2. How have you seen humility and pride affect your own life?
  3. The way Mary (age 12-13) was raised laid the seeds that allowed her to respond to the immaculate conception. How do our habits of study, prayer, and spiritual formation affect our ability to respond to daily events?
  4. In your closing group prayer consider offering up four parts: 1)affirmation of who God is 2) What God has done in your life (48-49); 3) What God is doing in the World (vs 50-53) 4) What God has done for Israel. Acts 1:8

Learning objectives:

Praise and worship, God the warrior, humility, servant-hood, plan of salvation, the graciousness of God, spiritual warfare, pride is the antagonist of prayer and worship as it besets humility. Humility then is the anecdote.  In the diminishment of humility pride increases and as does the virtues of compassion, consideration, kindness, and gentleness.

Study Notes: