Sunday Sermons - Entries from January 2011
SunSundayJanJanuary30th2011
January 30, 2011 - Expecting opposition to faith and worship
Not Going Back - Worship Rises
"Frustrate their purpose": Expecting opposition to faith and worship
Ezra 4
Todd Dugard
If I'm doing exactly what God told me to do, how is it that things can still go so wrong?
God doesn't keep me from being opposed (v. 1-3)
...his purpose is to set me apart from the world
God doesn't keep me from facing discouragement and fear (v. 4-5)
...his purpose is to have me know his power
God doesn't keep me from injustice (v. 6-23)
...his purpose is to have me man-up and trust him
God doesn't keep me from apparent failure (v. 24)
...his purpose is for me to know that his ways are far greater
Small Group Curriculum
1. Share a time when things went
wrong and God seemed absent.
2. Life’s difficulties happen to
everyone: How should our responses differ as believers?
3. How can we identify with the
person of Jesus when experiencing opposition to righteous living? (Read Matthew
10:16-33)
4. How does our culture disguise their opposition to our
“Mission” and “Message”? (Ezra 4:2)
5. Read 2 Timothy 3:12-14. What breaks
your resolve to live for Christ?
6. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-10. What specific tasks would an increase
in God’s power encourage you to step up for?
7. Todd quoted Paul Tripp – “Waiting
is not a sign of God’s … inattention, but a loving tool of his delivering and
transforming grace.” In what area
are you leaning on God’s “until”?
Breakout:
1.
What
is a specific area of discouragement or failure you need to bring before God?
2.
Encourage
each other with Philippians 1:6.
Audio
Expecting opposition to faith and worship.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary23rd2011
January 23, 2011 - Finding God in relationship not religion
Not Going Back - Worship Rises
"His house endures forever": Finding God in relationship not religion
Ezra 3
Todd Dugard
God loves me so much!
He treasures my family (3:1a)
He calls me to be part of something greater than myself (3:1b, 8-9)
He doesn't expect everything to be perfect now (3:2-7)
He encourages joyful celebration (3:10-11)
He allows for pain and sorrow (3:12-13)
Audio
Finding God in Relationship not Religion.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary16th2011
January 16, 2011 - Establishing the Priority of Worship
Not Going Back - Worship Rises
"Build Him a House": Establishing the Priority of Worship
Ezra 1-2
Pastor Todd Dugard
Lifting high the name of Jesus Christ in worship is first priority in my life.
- Worship orders all my other priorities (1:1-4)
- Worship requires my time and talents (1:5-2:67)
- Worship compels my generosity (2:68-70)
Small Group Curriculum
1. “God first, God only, God
always!” Is this how I would
describe my life?
2. Todd suggested that seeing
priorities as a list is not the best way to understand them. How are they better described?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16. How can
we make corporate worship (worshipping as the body), a priority? (Ezra 1:5)
4. How can I best prepare for
worshipping as the body?
5. Share how “all the time,
everywhere” worship carries on throughout my week. (John 4:23)
6. Read Ezra 2 in its entirety. (Just kidding!) What do you identify with in the
reasons Todd gave for why God included this list?
7. How is being “born and raised in
Babylon” a danger to worship?
Breakout:
1.
Read
Proverbs 11:24 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.
Which characterizes me? Does my giving reflect it?
2.
How
will I make worship a priority this week?
Audio
Establishing the Priority of Worship.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary9th2011
January 9, 2011 - Understanding the Justice of God
Not Going Back - Worship Rises
"The People were Unfaithful": Understanding the Justice of God
2 Chronicles 36;11-23
Todd Dugard
To understand God's judgment on our unfaithfulness we must understand that...
We are more stubborn than we realize (v. 11-13)
We are more sinful than we realize
- We mess up worship (v. 14)
- We too often ignore the Word (v. 15-16a)
- We take God's good gifts for granted (v. 21)
We are more vulnerable than we realize (v. 16b)
BUT...we are also more loved than we realize
- God disciplines those whom he loves (v. 17-20)
- God restores those whom he disciplines (v. 22-23)
Small Group Curriculum
1. “Each of us has certain
behaviours, character issues and attitudes that we would do well to leave
behind!” Begin by spending some
group time in prayer asking God to reveal what he might be trying to get our
attention about right now.
2. Read 1 Corinthians 10:6. What are some ways we can overcome our
inability to see blind spots in our lives?
3. Read 1 John 2:15-17. What are some things we hang on to that
actually pollute our worship? (vs.
14)
4. God’s persistent compassion is
most often shown through the proclaiming of his Word. How does complacency or flippancy about God’s Word
show? How does taking it seriously
show? (vs. 15-16a)
5. Read Proverbs 3:11-12. Share some ways you have experienced
God’s love through his discipline.
6. What are some results of
repentance and God’s restoring work in our lives?
Breakout:
1.
What
specific thing is God leading me to rebuild or begin in my life? (vs. 23)
Audio
Understanding the Justice of God.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary2nd2011
January 2, 2011 - Vertical Joy
Vertical Joy: Our Unending Desire for an Everlasting Joy
Philippians 3:1-11
Drew MacDonald
1. Joy is Foundational: Do I want it? (3:1-3)
2. Joy is Intentional: Do I choose it? (3:4-7)
3. Joy is Irreplaceable: Do I know him? (3:8-11)
Small Group Curriculum
1. What are some things people around
us are seeking happiness in?
2. In our quest for satisfaction what
are some external things we believers can get caught up in?
3. Read the passage. What is the great tension for
Paul as to what he was trusting in to be righteous?
4. Do we examine ourselves often
enough or rigorously enough concerning what our hearts are set on? (vs. 3) Read Isaiah 64:6
5. Share a time when suffering loss
revealed that your hope was set on something other than Christ. (vs. 7-8)
6. How can we realize the power of his resurrection on a daily basis?
7. What are some ways true joy shows
in a life?
Breakout:
1.
What
specific ways can I make Jesus my greatest priority this year?
Audio
Vertical Joy.mp3
Recent Entries
- May 12, 2012 - Faith endures
- May 5, 2012 - Faith believes
- April 29, 2012- Lessons from the Life of Joseph of Arimathea
- April 22, 2012 - Faith chooses
- April 15, 2012 - Faith blesses
- April 8, 2012 - Our God's Alive!
- April 6, 2012 - Good Friday "God's Dead?"
- April 1, 2012 - Faith obeys
- March 25, 2012 - Faith pleases
- March 18, 2012 - Faith is
© Harvest Bible Chapel - Barrie