Week of Feb. 19-25, 2012

Ephesians 3:10-20

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him,[a] we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[b] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[c] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Romans 7:17-25 (Message)

17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

 21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

 24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

 25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Romans 8:1, 2 (Message)

1-2With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

3-4God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all.

Are you an Addict?

Intro:

We live a life filled with all kinds of Distractions and things to be addicted to.  Today’s message is to shed light on whether you are addicted to Christ or are there things in your life that are pulling your attention from Christ.  In Ephesians 3 we see Paul writing to believers and praying a prayer for them to be enabled to live a life that reflects their addiction to Christ.

Read Ephesians 3:10-20

1. What are you addicted to?
2. Do you see things that are pulling your attentions from Christ in your life?  What are those things?
3. How have verses 18, 19 changed you?
4. What price would you be willing to pay for other people to experience Christ the way you have?
5. What are the things that are stopping you from sharing that experience with others?
6. Read verse 16, how does the Bible say we can strengthen our inner Spirit?

Take Away:

            Are you an Addict?

Week of Feb. 12-18, 2012

Title:  A Closer Look at the Book - Ephesians Two

Questions:

1.      Have someone read Ephesians 2:1-10.  What inspires you in these verses?  What bothers you in these verses?
2.      In the first section of Chapter Two Paul reveals how God reconciles us personally to Himself through the work of His Son, Jesus Christ.  In the second section, Paul shows us that our unity with Christ should spill over into a new unity with all believers.  How do you think that unity might look today?
3.       Take a few moments to watch the video that was played during the teaching.  After watching the video, take the rest of your time together to share how the video personally impacted your life and walk with Christ.  If it’s not too uncomfortable, share what you are allowing God to chisel on in your life right now.

You can locate this video on our website at www.onespokane.com or you can log onto http://skitguys.com/videos and type “God’s Chisel” into the search box.  There are a few to choose from so click on “God’s Chisel Re-mastered”. 

Moving Forward

What could you do this week to allow God to “Chisel Away” in your life?

Changing Your Mind

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Week of Feb. 5-11, 2012

Ephesians One

 

Discussion Questions:

1. Paul begins verse three by telling the believers in Ephesus to “Give praise to the god and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Why do you believe Paul started off this way?

 

2. Have one person read the following list of God’s blessing over the group:  I am blessed, chosen, holy, blameless, loved, adopted, forgiven, wise, marked, sealed, saved and free.  

 

Which word in that sentence impacts you the most and why?

 

3. What do you think about the following statement?  I’m not waiting for God to bless me because He already has.

 

4. Have you ever felt like your failure has been bigger than your Savior?  Explain.

 

5. Have someone read the following scripture to the group:  Ephesians 1:14

The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit marks us as God’s own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all of his people completely free.

      The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that we are:

· Secure – God doesn’t break His promise just as a seal shouldn’t be broken before the right person receives it.

· Approved – A seal was used only after the owner had verified the information within the letter or document as acceptable to him.  God puts His seal of the holy Spirit on each Christian because he or she is deemed “approved” and “acceptable” because his or her sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus.

· Genuine – A monogram tool’s design was unique, owned by a single individual, and impossible to be reproduced by another.  In the same way, the holy Spirit is unique and makes His genuine mark on us that can’t be imitated by another.

 

If you have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Does this truth increase your confidence to follow God at a higher level?  Does this truth encourage you in other ways?

 

Moving Forward

What could you do this week to thank God for all your blessings? 

 

Changing Your Mind

Ephesians 1:13-14a You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the good news about how you could be saved. When you believed, he marked you with a seal. The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit marks us as God’s own.

Week of Jan. 29 - Feb. 4, 2012

Introduction to Ephesians

 

Questions:

1. What was the most interesting thing you discovered about the book of Ephesians in the teaching?

 

2. In his teaching, Pastor Will outlined the goals of the series, “A Closer Look at the Book”.  Read through the following list and then share some of your personal goals you would like to realize from our walk through Ephesians.

 

The goal of this series is 

· To alleviate some of the intimidation we feel when reading God’s Word

· To inspire a new desire to read and understand God’s Word

· To settle once and for all that the Bible though written years ago is still relevant to our contemporary lives.

 

3. Acts Chapter Nineteen reveals a lot about what God did through Paul in Ephesus. Read through the following list and then discuss the significance you believe it had on changing the culture in Ephesus.  Which is your favorite?

 

Acts 19:1-7

Paul baptized twelve followers of John the Baptist

 

Acts 19:8-10

Reasoned and debated with people in the synagogue for three months, then daily in the hall of Tyrannus for two years.

 

Acts 19:11-12

Healing miracles were performed through Paul.  When handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul were placed on sick people they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

 

Acts 19:13-16

Seven sons of a Jewish priest tried to use Paul’s name to cast out a demon.  The demon claimed to know Jesus and Paul but wouldn’t obey the seven men.

 

Acts 19:17-20

Those who practiced magic were converted and burned their sorcery books and manuals.

 

Acts 19:21-41

Paul’s reputation created a riot because Demetrius accused him of threatening to destroy Diana’s Temple.

Week of Jan. 22-28, 2012

To Give or Not to Give

 

Discussion Questions: 

 

· Read Luke 16:10  If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

 

In your own words, explain to the group what you believe this scripture is communicating to the reader.

 

· Pastor Will said, “Taking care of small things can make a Big difference.”   Give a practical and spiritual example of that statement.

 

· Read Malachi 3:10:  Do you have a pencil story?  If you do, share it with the group. 

 

· Were you moved by the story entitled, “Why I’m Glad My church Needs Money?”  What impacted you in that story?

 

· Take a few moments to end your session in prayer.  Here are a few suggestions for your prayer time:  (I encourage each of you to pray your prayer aloud)

 

1. Maybe you want to ask God to help you fulfill your financial commitment for 2012.

 

2. Thank God for some of the things He provided for you in 2011.

 

3. Ask God to forgive you for not funding His work consistently.

 

4. Pray for the people of ONE* to continue growing in generosity.

 

5. Ask God to help you be attentive to the small things that can make a BIG difference in your life.

 

Moving Forward

What could you do this week to begin giving at a higher level? 

 

Changing Your Mind

Luke 16:10 If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in large ones.