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SCARED SENSELESS 

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship
 
Summary:  Fear is paralyzing.  Fear is neutralizing.  Fear brings anxiety and stress that can affect our health as well as our capacity to function.  Fear is an emotion that the powers of darkness will exploit, causing us to shrink back from living the full life that Jesus desires to lead us into.  In our LifeGroups this week, let’s take a look at this powerful emotion of “fear” under the light of God’s Word and, in His presence, expose it for what it is: a deterrent to living by faith.

DISCUSSION POINTS:

Webster’s online dictionary defines the verb “fear” this way:

transitive verb
1 archaic : frighten
2 archaic : to feel fear in (oneself)
3 : to have a reverential awe of <fear God>
4 : to be afraid of : expect with alarm <fear the worst> intransitive verb : to be afraid or apprehensive <feared for their lives>
— fear·er noun

There are two categories of fear: One is natural, the other is spiritual.

NATURAL FEAR: 
It is natural and healthy to have a respectful fear in certain circumstances that induces taking wise action to avoid immanent harm.  Give examples in your group of healthy fear (hint: think of having your car stall in a railroad crossing and hearing the train’s whistle growing louder, a healthy fear would induce what kind of action?).

Spiritual fear can be divided into two categories.  Compare #3 and #4 above.

FAITH DRIVEN FEAR
Read Romans 8:12-17 (reread vs 14) and 1 John 4:12-19 (reread vs 19)
Talk about how we need to understand the fear of the Lord in the context of his love for us.

Read Proverbs 9:10, 19:23, 22:4, Isaiah 33:6 and Acts 9:31
Talk about the promise found in each one regarding a faith driven “fear of the Lord.”

FAITH KILLING FEAR
Faith and Fear cannot coexist.  They are like oil and water.  They can be shaken together in the same bottle but will always separate from each other. 

Read James 1:2-8 (reread vs 7&8); Matthew 21:18-21 (reread vs 21&22)
Talk about the overarching message being presented in both of these passages.
Is there anything you would like to share with the group about fear that you want broken in your life?  If so, ask the group to pray for you.

Taking Action:  In your devotional time this week, ask the Lord to reveal to you areas of your life that have been hindered by fear.  Pray for the Lord to release faith and wisdom (James 1) over these areas.  Consider calling a trusted friend and ask them to pray and stand with you as you step out in faith in the area that God reveals to you.
Ministry Time

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 Open in Prayer and / or Worship

SUMMARY:  The message Pastor Judith brought to our church family on January 24 was taught out of the book of Romans on the subject of righteousness.  That is a big religious sounding word.  Simply put, righteousness is the measurement by which we are counted worthy to stand in the presence of God.  A God who is described as “an all consuming fire.”  Are you that righteous?  I know I am not.  In fact, I know none of us are.  Roman 3:23 says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  James 2:10 tells us that if we spend our whole life being perfect, except for breaking God’s command just one time, we are equally as guilty as someone who has spent their life in sin.  The message is clear.  We cannot become righteous in our own effort.  The message of the Bible is also clear, that God has made a way where there is no way.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the “good news” that through the blood of Christ we have become worthy to “approach the throne of grace with boldness.”  In our LifeGroups this week, discuss this miracle of our righteousness in Christ, and talk about the liberty and freedom that it brings to our lives. 

DISCUSSION POINTS:
1. Jesus’ righteousness satisfied God’s demand for relationship.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1,2)

Talk about the difference it makes in our lives to be able to come before God with our failure, knowing he accepts us based on Jesus righteousness and not our own.  Talk about how this reality frustrates the devils attempts to keep us isolated in the guilt of our own shortcomings.

2. Jesus’ righteousness is now on our heavenly court record.
 “However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” (Romans 4: 5)

Talk about how the eternal hope we have impacts our ability to walk our lives out by grace and not in fear.

3. Jesus’ Righteousness gives you a new identity.  Read Romans 3:21-26 & 8:29-30
“We do righteousness because we have been made righteous not to become righteous.” 
          —Pastor Judith Crist

Talk about the difference it makes in our lives when we see ourselves through our new identity in Christ. 

4. Jesus’ righteousness is an unlimited force of unending, abundant life. 
Read Romans 6:22-23  Talk about the abundant life, and what that means to you in light of this discussion on righteousness.  Talk about the power of living for God out of his supply of righteousness versus striving for a righteousness of our own. 

Taking Action:  In your devotional time this week, consider reading the entire book of Romans, prayerfully asking God to reveal to you fresh insights into the righteousness we have been given through the loving sacrifice of Christ.

Ministry Time

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Stronger  (part 2)  “Unmerited Favor”

Opening Prayer / Worship

Overview:
The lavish grace of God in Christ Jesus is difficult for us to accept, partially because of our deep seeded guilt association with our shortcomings.  Humans tend to feel internally justified if we pay some sort of penalty for our wrong.  While there are consequences to wrong action, there is no justification in God’s eyes for suffering the consequences of our rebellion.  The Bible teaches us that the only thing that can justify us from our sin is the penalty Jesus paid on our behalf when he suffered on the cross and then was raised from the dead, cancelling out the power of sin (past, present and future) over our lives forever.

Today, in your LifeGroup, discuss the message Pastor Terry brought to us over the weekend about God’s free gift of grace and the power that grace brings to the life of a believer.  As you read the scriptures and the comments below, talk about how grace is able to revolutionize our lives, and transform us from striving to thriving in the power of the Spirit of God’s grace and love for his children.

DISCUSSION POINTS

1) Grace means that we don’t have to earn our salvation.

Read Ephesians 2:4-9
Talk about what this passage says about “earning our way to God’s favor” versus receiving it as a gift.  How is this different than you might have once thought?

What does the message of grace really mean?  It simply means that God deals with His people, not on the basis of what they deserve, but according to His goodness, kindness, and generosity.

2) Grace means that we don’t have to fear not being forgiven.
Read 1 John 4:13-19  Talk about what fear has to do with.  Verse 18 says that “fear has to do with ______________??”

3) Grace means that we don’t have to live the Christian life by our own effort.
Read Jude 23-24.  Then read the statement below and discuss the scripture related to the statement.

Now, here’s something to think about. How can the thing that could not save you, keep you from losing your salvation? If good behavior could not save you, good behavior cannot keep you. If discipline and determination could not save you, discipline and determination cannot keep you. We were saved by grace and we are kept by grace.

4) Grace means that we can overcome the weakness that lays claim to us.
Read Titus 2:11   Talk about how grace serves as a teacher, instructor and guide to our lives.

5) Grace means that we can become like Jesus.
Read 2 Peter 3:18 .
Talk about how grace is not a license to sin, but rather it is the power to overcome sin and help us to become more like Jesus.

Taking Action:  In your devotional time this week, consider how great a love God has shown you by his grace in Christ Jesus.  Now, being freshly aware of God’s unmerited grace in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone you need to offer that kind of grace toward.  Pray for them, and consider how you might reach out to them.

Ministry Time

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Big Picture:
God’s love for us transcends our comprehension.  His capacity for loving sinful human beings follows no logic.  As a Holy God, his relentless acceptance of us does not make sense.  The breadth of his love exceeds the human experience.  From Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God presents a love story of God’s passionate pursuit of people.  The Bible uses real life stories to illustrate God’s love.  One of those stories is found in the book of Hosea, which was the sermon text last weekend.  It is the story of the prophet Hosea, whose wife was a prostitute.  Hosea was instructed by God to marry Gomer and keep taking her back in spite of her wonderings.  Hosea eventually ended up buying her off the slave-trading block.  This story was recorded to illustrate God’s love for us.  How he loved us when we were rebellious, and purchased us from slavery by the payment of Jesus blood.

In your LifeGroup discussion this week, read the scriptures and the points below and consider the great love of God in your life.

1) God’s love is unmerited.  Read the scriptures below and talk about how God loved us when we were unlovely, and how that should influence the way we love others.
 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
Read 1 John 4:19

2) God’s love is unconditional.
Read Ephesians 2:4-10 and talk about God’s love for us… is it “conditioned” upon our action. If not, then what is based upon.

“Let me be absolutely clear that in our lives as Christ followers, blessing is tied to obedience, but love is tied to God’s character. God blesses us because of our obedience, but, as the story of Hosea illustrates, He loves us even in our rebellion.” 
     –Pastor Terry, January 10 message

3) God’s love is unchangeable.
Read Romans 8:31-39.  Is there anything we can do to undo God’s love for us?  What are the ramifications of this truth of God’s unchangeable love for us.  How does knowing how much God loves us affect our walk of faith?

4) God’s love is unforgettable.
Read Lamentations 3:22-23 and discuss how waking each morning looking for God’s mercies can keep us from experiencing spiritual amnesia.

City of Grace Mission Statement: “Our mission is to love people to life!”
Pastor Terry introduced this new mission statement for our church family.  Talk about how this mission statement is relevant to your LifeGroup as you seek to glorify God through the vision he has given to our Church community.

Taking Action:
Take time this week to pray over this mission statement, and ask God how you can live it out in your own life and in your church.  Remember that this week Pastor Terry has called everyone in the church to fast and pray.  Consider what you can offer up to the Lord in a sacrificial fast as you intercede for our church and your life as the Spirit leads you.
 

Ministry Time

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 OVERVIEW: There are thousands of Churches all over the world, with many different worship styles and strategic mission statements.  The churches that teach Biblical truth and recognize Jesus as the way, truth and life, these are our brothers and sisters with whom we share the greatest exploit known to mankind… to advance the kingdom of God in the earth.  As the Church, the ones betrothed to Christ, we are called to finish the work Jesus began… to demonstrate God’s love to everyone he places in our path or draws to the church’s doorstep.  Please take the following notes from Pastor Terry’s vision message and prayerfully consider your role in building the church here at City of Grace.  Also, please tuck this page in your Bible and use it as a prayer guide throughout 2010.

Guiding Passage: Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

ONE: The church belongs to Jesus. “I will build MY church.” The church in the NT is the ekklesia… the community of called out ones.  The church transcends human reason.  Through scripture Jesus is saying: “I am going to teach the world there is a better way to live… and my church will model it. My church will be based on another value system…the value system of an upside down kingdom where the last shall be first and the first shall be last. A kingdom where the greatest of all shall be the servant of all. A kingdom where those who give their lives away shall find a greater life. It’s a kingdom where the best seats at the banquet table are reserved for the least, the last and the lost. This is MY church!”

TWO: He has promised to build the church. “I will BUILD my church.”
The greatest satisfaction you will ever experience is in knowing that you are co-laboring with Jesus to build the house of God in your generation. Everything else you do, regardless of its significance, is temporal; however, what we are building here, together, is eternal!

THREE: The Church will prevail against the powers of darkness.
“The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
NOTE:…Gates are not offensive weapons. This insight Jesus gives us reveals that it is the Church who is on the offensive as we assult the gates of darkness and allow the Holy Spirit to use us to set the captives free from bondage.

Taking Action: On page two of these notes (back of hard copy), you will find our theme for 2010, our initiatives for the coming year, our dreams and a list of our values as a church community.  There are also three things Pastor Terry is calling our church body to do in 2010.  Please prayerfully read over this information and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart about this call on your live to build a stringer church in the coming year for His glory and purpose.

May God’s richest blessings overshadow you as you seek to live in His purpose for your life in the coming year and beyond.

Looking Forward: Our Theme for 2010 is: “Stronger.” Job 17:9
“The righteous keep moving forward and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

2010 Vision Initiatives
1) Launch third City of Grace campus. (Biltmore Area)
2) Complete our parking lot expansion project (Mesa)
3) Complete SMC and begin expansion of Administrative Offices (Scottsdale)
4) Develop our “Family Wednesdays.”
    a. Move Radial Mesa Service to Wednesdays. 
    b. Move Encounter Service to first Wednesdays.
5) Develop our Sunday morning Spiritual Enrichment Hour.
    a. Begin all church prayer in Chapel from 9:00-9:50 (Mesa).
6) Revitalize our 11:30 worship service and relocate to the Activity Center (Mesa).
7) Launch Internet Campus
8.) Develop Adult Lifestage Ministries

City of Grace Values

Please review the values of our church as stated below.  This is “who we are.”  As Pastor Terry stated over the weekend, values are more important than vision. Vision is fluid. Vision comes and goes, based on the objectives before us, but values last. Vision is the doing part of church life but values is the being part of church life. Who you be is more important than what you do!
As a co-laborer at City of Grace, please prayerfully embrace these values and look for ways to express them in your own unique witness as a partner in ministry.

1) A healthy church family filled with life, laughter, and liberty.
2) A church family that is biblically literate, culturally relevant, and  spiritually sensitive.
3) A church family with effective ministries to the whole family.
4) A church family that is multicultural and multigenerational.
5) A church family that nurtures, trains, and empowers emerging leaders.
6) A church family with an inviting atmosphere that loves and affirms one another.
7) A multi-site church family reproducing new campuses at a healthy rate.
8.) A church family that is willing to take risks for God.
9) A church family committed to excellence in spirit, lifestyle, and ministry practices.
10) A church family committed the transformation of communities, cities, and nations.

Our Dream

Out of these values…We dream of City of Grace thriving as a multi-site church of ten thousand people meeting on seven campuses throughout the city. We dream of reaching the unchurched community around us with the grace and power of Jesus Christ. We dream of young leaders emerging, new churches being planted, and missionaries being sent to the nations. We dream of a new generation of Kingdom leaders being developed and deployed into every sphere of influence in the world around us. We dream of making a lasting impact on our community that cannot be ignored or denied. We dream of us increasingly becoming a City of Grace.

Three things our Pastor has called to take action on in 2010…

ONE:To fast and pray for City of Grace. We have set aside the week of January 10-16 for 1 WEEK of FASTING AND PRAYER.
TWO: To commit to personal evangelism. Bringing our family/friends/co-workers/neighbors to our weekend worship experiences.
THREE:  To get involved beyond the weekend. As exciting as our weekend services are…they are just the front porch of this house. We also have a living room full of groups and classes where you can grow deeper in your relationship with God and each other. And we have a kitchen where our teams serve the church, the community and the world. There are many areas of ministry that need your gifts, talents, and abilities.