May 13 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

Hook: Trouble
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Trouble been dogging my soul since the day I was born

Worry
Worry, worry, worry, worry
Worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone

Troubled Hearts. What troubled you this week? What is troubling your heart today?

What do you say when people’s hearts are troubled?

Passage: John 14:1-14. Let not your hearts be troubled..

What was troubling the disciples hearts? (Heart encompasses all!) Go back to John 13:31-38. He tells them 4 things.

Serving others makes one great
One of you will betray me
Where I am going you can’t come
Your leader will deny me
1b) Believe in God; believe also in me. Can also be translated “trust.” Putting himself on the same plane as God. “You believe in God…” John 5:18, Col. 1:15-20.

2-3)In my Father’s house are many rooms, “not mansions.” If it weren’t so I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. I’m going to come back and take you there (???). Col. 3:1-4, Rom. 5:1-5.

4-6) You know the way to where I am going. Thomas-“No we don’t.” He was just being honest. Rather than pretending like he understood he just fesses up. He’s scared. All he can see is that Jesus is not going to be there with him. What about you? Jesus-“I am the way, the truth and the life.” Very exclusive statement by Jesus. Elaborate on WAY, TRUTH, LIFE.

7-11)Not knowing Jesus meant that they did not fully know Him as they soon would after the resurrection. Again drawing a very close connection to the Father. Jesus and the Father are one.

12-14) I’m gonna be like Thomas and just fess up that I don’t understand what Jesus is saying here.

Whoever believes will do the works I do
He will do greater works than I do, because I am going to the Father
Whatever you ask in my name I will do
Must glorify the Father
Anything to this effect I will do

Recap-Aim at unbelievers and believers

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What’s the most trouble you ever got into as a kid?
What has been troubling your heart lately?
Read John 14:1-14. Talk about the 6 points above.
Which one do you need to most apply to your life?

Apr 29 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Apr 22 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes
DATE: April 22, 2012

SCRIPTURE: John 13:21-30, 36-38 (Rebelling Against God) Are you more like Peter or Judas?

HOOK: Words that begin with RE____. Get to REbel. Turn rebel to sin and ask people how they’ve rebelled against God. We all rebel. The question is what should we do when after we rebel. Today we are going to look at two guys who rebelled bad. One took the proper response to be restored and the other didn’t.

PASSAGE: Read John 13:21-30, 36-38.

Judas-Treasurer (John 12:6).

REBEL (Mt. 26:14-16,47-50) > REALIZE (Mt 27:3-4) > REMORSE (Mt 27:3) > RETREAT (27:5)

Deut. 23:12-13

Some of you today are like Judas-Recap 4 R’s

Peter-Leader (1st on the list)

REBEL (John 13:36-38, Mt 26:69-74a) > REALIZE (26:74-75) > REMORSE (26:75) > RETREAT (26:75) (For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 2 Cor. 7:10) > REENGAGE >(John 21:3-13) > RESTORE (21:15-19) (Isn’t Jesus wonderful?)

JUDAS OR PETER? Deut. 23:12-14-Until you reengage. You haven’t taken the poo outside the camp.

CHALLENGE:

COMMITMENT: When you rebel and realized what you’ve done. Remorse will begin to set in. Here you must make the right choice not to retreat from God but to REENGAGE with Him being assured that He will Restore you to…

Job 22: 21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him;
in this way prosperity will come to you.
22 Accept instruction from his mouth
and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored:
If you remove wickedness far from your tent
24 and assign your nuggets to the dust,
your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,
the choicest silver for you.
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
and will lift up your face to God.

FOLLOW ME!

COMMUMITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What’s your greatest rebellion that you can confess to the group?
Read 2 Cor. 7:10. What’s the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow?
Look at the 6 stages-Rebel-Realize-Remorse-Retreat-Reengage-Restored. Between Rebel and Restored, which of the 4 do you struggle with the most and why?
Where in your life are you stuck as Judas and what do you need to do to become restored like Peter?

Apr 15 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Apr 8 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

April 8-John 12:44-50-Jesus Saves (Easter 2012)

HOOK: To save-touchdown saving tackle, relief pitcher, a file, money, a life, rescue from harm danger or loss, set aside for future use, save the best for last-piece of cake

JESUS SAVES. Picture of someone holding up a sign.

PASSAGE: John 12:44-50- (44-45)-If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. We are one.

(46)-The light. John 1:1-5-Who we are. Who we are supposed to be. What we are supposed to do. Who God is.

(47) Jesus came to save the world. From What…To What

Sin-Romans 5:12,17-19

Righteousness

Death-Romans 6:23

Eternal Life

4 Part of the Gospel Story-God, Man, Christ, Response

Living for Self-

Dying to Self-John 12:24-26-Living for God and Others

Fear-of the unknown

Assurance-Matt 7:24-27

Despair-trying to save a job, kind, marriage, house, family member

Hope-Psalm 33:13-22. Where are your hopes set? Can they provide the same foundation in Matt 7:24-27?

Powerless

Powerful-Romans 8:9-11; Eph. 1:17-21, Romans 6:3-4 The resurrection. Conquered sin, death and hell.

What power do you have to change all of those things? Even if you do have the power, how are you doing at saving those? Let me make a suggestion.

Can Jesus really do all this for me? Launch into the resurrection is the reason why we are here.

Come to the one who created you, died to saved you and proved that he had the power to help you. Not only does he make himself available but he also gives you an instant family to come around and help. Putting some flesh on it. You can either try and do it yourself or come to the one who overcame sin, death ande hell.

This is the big challenge. Many of you think you’re OK. That you really don’t need him. How do you get saved? To believe. True vs superficial. JOHN 3:36.

Why should I believe all this? Disciples go from cowards to bold martyrs. Josephus.

Cry out to him! All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. No one is outside of his saving power.

IT’S FOR ANYONE. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE! Start by SEEKING.

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is your favorite thing to save?
Recap the message “Jesus Saves.” Ask people, “What are the 4 parts of the Gospel?” See if you can get them to explain it. If they can’t then please encourage them to be able to do so. Work on it as a group is you need to by finding verses that accompany the 4 parts and then help them articulate it.
How do you know that you truly believe in Christ and have eternal life? (Along with faith you are trying to get them to give you some proof that they see in their own life. If they can’t see it then have others tell them what they see. Just don’t let them go away feeling that their relationship with Christ is based on works.)

Apr 1 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

April 1-John 12:37-43-

HOOK: Today I need your help. I have some questions that I need answered. There are things that I have been pondering this week and have not been able to fully understand. Since we have gathered today a good cross section of our community my assumption is that collectively we should be able to come up with the answers based on our collective knowledge and life experience.

Why is it that a baby can’t sleep through the night?

Why does a man’s underwear naturally congregate on the floor rather than the laundry basket?

Explain consciousness to me.

Why does light travel at a rate of 186,282mph instead of 186,283?

Explain to me how light is made up of waves and particles.

We will be discussing one of the great mysteries of God. Teaching and James 3:1-Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. Amazing things are found in deep waters.

Antinomy-an apparent incompatibility between two apparent truths. It exists when a pair of principles stand side by side, seemingly irreconcilable, yet both undeniable.

What should we learn to do with an antinomy? Accept it for what it is and learn to live with it.

The antinomy of divine sovereignty and human responsibility is really looking at what God does as King and what He does as Judge. Scripture teaches that as King he orders and controls all things, human actions among them in accordance with his own eternal purpose (Gen. 45:8; 50:20, Pro. 16:9; 21:1, Mt. 10:29, Acts 4:27, Romans 9:20, Eph. 1:11)

Scripture also teaches that , as Judge, he holds every man responsible for the choices he makes and the courses of his action he pursues (Matt 25, Rom. 2:5-8, Rev. 20:11-13).

God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are seen throughout the Bible and sometimes in the same text-Luke 22:22, Acts 2:23.

The temptation with antinomies, because our minds dislike them, is to undercut and maim the one truth by the way in which we stress the other.

PASSAGE: Read John 12:37-43-Big Statement. Culmination of 3 years. Repetitive Blindness and Stubborness. Excurses by John.

1ST STATEMENT-THEY DID NOT BELIEVE. (37) Even after all Jesus did, people still didn’t believe. (38) We ask the question “why?”.

2ND STATEMENT-GOD HARDENED AND GLORY OF MAN (39) For this reason… WHAT IS THE REASON? Explained in verse 40. Isaiah 52:13-53:3.

How does he harden? Not by cruelty. By sending one like him instead of the one they want. How did he harden? He brought them a savior that they did not want. One who was like Him and not them.

Prophecy not only described Israel’s unbelief, but it also explained it.

(42-43) THE LOVE OF GLORY. Glory, praise and approval.

Reprehensible motive for unbelief-loving the glory that comes from man instead of God.

APPLICATION: People would rather receive praise from flesh and blood than the one who created flesh and blood. Instances of seeing this in society. Instances of this among Christians-

We can seek the GPA of man many times by doing nothing. You may not be seeking the approval of man but instead doing anything to avoid the disapproval of man. Which in the end is the same as not seeking the glory of God. Because when we seek the glory, praise and approval of God we will most certainly come up against the disapproval of man. Does everyone speak well of you? I’m afraid for many Christians, even myself when it comes to sins of omission. Never cause a stir. Standing idly by.

We may not be seeking the glory of man but we are doing everything to avoid the disapproval of man. To receive glory from God requires means that we will be shamed by man.

What do you have to do in order to receive glory? Many of us would certainly say that we are no seeking the glory (approval of man). You can, not seek the glory of man and still be passive and not be seeking the glory of God.

The approval of man is most often not in line with the approval of God. Just because your friends approve of something doesn’t mean God does.

CHALLENGE:

COMMITMENT:

CONCLUSION: On our feet we may have arguments about it, but on our knees we are all agreed.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY BROUGHT ABOUT THE MOST EVIL DEED IN HUMAN HISTORY-THE CRUCIFIXION.

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

If you could have any question answered what would it be?
Recap the message. Discuss and give opinions about God’ sovereignty and man’s responsibility? How do you think it works? How have you seen it play out in your life?
Where do you see yourself loving the (praise, glory approval) of man more than (praise, glory, approval) that comes from God?

Mar 25 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

March 25-John 12:27-36-Joy from Jesus Death

HOOK: What kind of week have you had? Circumstances. Some good and some bad. Bad weeks and blah weeks are bound to happen. When they do, what do you do in order to infuse some joy into a bad day or week? Where do you go for an immediate shot of joy? (Turn up radio, Eat Chocolate) Talk about sustained joy by thinking about a vacation. None of these are sustaining.

Today I want to give you a way to get an immediate shot of joy and sustained joy all in one. If you ever need a shot of joy all you have to do is look to the cross and what it is that Jesus has done for us there.

PASSAGE: Recap last week.

(27) Jesus was troubled about dying. So don’t be surprised when we are. In the same way that he put his trust in the Father, we should also. The verb is a strong one, and signifies revulsion, horror, anxiety, and agitation. Cross reference Mark 14:36. Jesus can no sooner pray to be spared this hour, to escape this cup, than he must face again his unswerving commitment to adhere to his Father’s will (5:19, 6:37, 8:29). Death and obedience were meeting together.

(28) This request is nothing other than an articulation of the principle that has controlled his life and ministry (7:18, 8:29, 50). The servant who does not stoop to his own will, but who performs the will of the one who sent him-even to the death of the cross- is the one who glorifies God. (Ezekiel 36:22,32?)

This is the third time that Jesus has heard the Father’s voice (baptism, transfiguration-neither is in John). It has been glorified through the incarnation and signs up to this point.

How can the voice be for their benefit if they didn’t understand it?

APPLICATION: Having Permanent Joy in the Cross-For Jesus it was troubling but for us there is joy. 2 sides of same coin-Should be somber that he died for us. Should be joyful knowing how much he loves us, what’s going to happen to us. JOY!

Substitutionary Atonement-Day of Atonement- 2 goats without defect-The first was a sin offering that was a substitute for people. Isaiah 53:5-6- He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all. The second carried the sins away to be remembered no more. JOY!
Redemption-Synonymous with being liberated freed, or rescued from bondage and slavery to a person or thing.
Galatians 3:13-Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law to live transformed lives by the power of God the Holy Spirit
Col. 1:13-14-Jesus has redeemed us from Satan and his demons to a new life made possible by the forgiveness of all our sins
Romans 6:6-11-Jesus has redeemed us from being dead to God and alive to sin and being dead to sin and alive to God JOY!
Gift Righteousness-Romans 3:21-22; 4:4-5. Imputed-to attribute something (Adam’s guilt or Christ’s righteousness) from another to me/us. JOY!
Justification-Romans 4:22-5:9 (wrath leads to propitiation). The NT speaks of God’s justice and righteousness more than 200x. JOY!
Propitiation-Romans 3:23-25. Psalm 5:5 says God hates all evildoers. And 11:5 says that he hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Well that just the OT God. John 3:36. JOY!
Expiation-1 John 1:7; Jer. 33:8; Zech. 13:1. Cleansing from the stain of sin on our soul. Victims of sexual abuse and showers. Reason people do good deeds to make up for bad ones. Still a good idea after you’ve wronged someone but not necessary to be clean. JOY!
Reconciliation-2 Cor. 5:17-6:1 JOY!
Revelation-God can only be understood in light of the cross. To get to God we must get to the cross. JOY!
CHALLENGE: Holding onto our JOY in the midst of all that is going on in our lives and the world.

COMMITMENT:

INSPIRATION:

Bring it back to joy.

35-36a-The man who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. Quit listening to people who aren’t following Jesus. JOY STEALERS!

36b-He is acting out the warning that he just gave them. His next public act is the cross.

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is the most joyful moment in your life?
What are the things that usually steal your joy?
Remembering that this list is not exhaustive, recap the 8 things that Christ accomplished on the cross that should bring us joy. Which one do you need to remember most when circumstances try and steal your joy?
Read Hebrews 12:2. What thoughts and feelings come to mind when you read that “for the joy set before Him Christ endured the shame of the cross? How will you respond?

Mar 18 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

March 18-John 12:20-26-Dying to self. In order to live you must die, meaning that you will live for God and others instead of self.

HOOK: What is the hardest thing you’ve ever successfully done? The hardest thing to do is something that takes constant attention and focus? Diet. Focus on the apple. The hardest things aren’t one and done. Things that take constant attention. The hardest thing in the world is dying to self.

PASSAGE:

(20-22) Greeks represent the Gentile world. The verb “to see” in this context means to interview. Having to go through others to get to Jesus. Assuming that these guys had never heard Jesus speak before, only what they had heard about him. Look at what he says in the one moment that he has with them in this life.

(23-24) This verse points to 27-36. It also shows that his death will bring much fruit. In order to bring much fruit he had to die. Setting the importance for what he is about to say.

Truly, truly.

Apple-When you see this apple what do you think? Only think of the here and now. How good it will taste… We limit the fruit it can bear. In order to produce a harvest something must die.

4:34-My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

5:30-I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

5:36-He is doing the work the Father gave him to accomplish.

8:29-I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.

10:17-18a-For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

The only way to be truly fruitful in this life is to follow Jesus example and die to self. JESUS DIED SETTING OUR EXAMPLE. Mark 10:45

Dying is seen as a passive thing. The Bible talks about it as a living thing. Mark 8:34-37

APPLICATION:

From Carson-“Death is the necessary condition for the generation of life. It is true of Jesus, meaning it is also true of us. Jesus’ death is uniquely fruitful. A parallel type of death is mandated to his followers as the necessary condition of their own life. The person who loves his life will lose it; inferring an idolatrous focus on self, which is the heart of all sin. (OPRAH)

Self-Love

Almost all emotional problems indicate a lack of self-love.

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SELF-LOVE-IN RELATIONSHIPS- They see fun and enjoyment as a primary goal most of the time. They never put anyone else first. (Even those they love are “a close second.”)

Loiuse Hay “You Can Heal Your Life”-The Process of Loving the Self-As I have said before, no matter what the problem, the main issue to work on is LOVING THE SELF. This is the “magic wand” that dissolves problems. Remember the times when you have felt good about yourself and how well your life was going? Remember the times when you were in love and for those periods you seemed to have no problems? Well, loving yourself is going to bring such a surge of good feelings and good fortune to you that you will be dancing on air. LOVING YOURSELF MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.

“What is it that makes you worthy to be loved?” “You are worthy to be loved because God loves you and because you believe that you are worthy”. The Earth would be the paradise that God intended if everyone did love themselves. In fact, all the problems in the world can be reduced to one:
lack of self love.

The True Root of All Evil: Lack of Love for Yourself

Louise Hay said it best: “When someone comes to me with a problem, I don’t care what it is: poor health, lack of money, unfulfilling relationships, or self esteem issues… there is only one thing that I ever work on, and that is LOVING THE SELF. I find that when we really love, accept and approve of ourselves exactly as we are, then everything in life works.”

CHALLENGE: The goal is bearing fruit. The means is dying to self. Positive=loving God and others. The person who denies himself, or “takes up his cross daily (Mark 8:34)” chooses not to pander to self-interest but at the deepest level of his being declines to make himself the focus of his interest and perception, thereby dying.”

In order to bear fruit in yourself (Gal. 5:22) others-spouse, kids, coworker, neighbor, family, Davin. Give of our time, talent and treasure. Use them for the good of others before self. Doesn’t mean to exclude self.

(26) If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there my servant will be also.

YOUR REWARD-If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Carson-“As Jesus crucifixion is the path to his glorification, so the believers death is the path to vindication (our glorification-Romans 8:30).”

COMMITMENT: Go back to the apple. Dying is a choice. Choose to love God and others. Deny yourself and love others. If you want to do this then come up here. Realize that it will be a fight and that you need the Spirit of God in you to bring this about. (Romans 8:12-13-Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.)

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is your favorite fruit?
Read John 12:20-26. Recap the message.
In what ways do you need to die to self? Who do you need to repent and confess your sin to?
Read and discuss Mark 10:45. Now do the same with Mark 8:34-37. How does this speak to you?
How are you going to intentionally love God and others before self?

Mar 11 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Mar 5 from The Bridge Church on Vimeo

Notes

March 4-John 12:9-11- What Kind of Testimony Are You? Everything you do and say makes a statement about what you believe about Jesus.

Hook: Picture of Obama and a referee. Lazarus didn’t do anything to be hated. He was dead and gone. Then Jesus showed up. He becomes polarizing.

Passsage: John 12:9-11

Lazarus was this kind of guy (GIVE BACKGROUND). Many people were believing in Jesus because of him and many wanted to kill him because of what he was proclaiming. He was a living, breathing, walking around testimony about the power of Jesus. He had been radically transformed.

They did not come just to see Jesus but also Lazarus. Like Lazarus we are a bridge to Jesus. By seeing Lazarus people were putting their faith in Christ.

Laura’s Story-powerful testimony

Application: What kind of testimony are you? Christian family, marriage, employee

What is a testimony? Christians in general use the term “testify” or “to give one’s testimony” to mean “the story of how one became a Christian.”

In the law, testimony is a form of evidence that is obtained from a witness who makes a solemn statement or declaration of fact.

What kind of testimony are you? Christian Marriage, Christian Employee-SHOW AND TELL. Do people see evidence of a transformed life.

Not fair to just tell her story and place the same expectations on you. We are all different and come from different places. Some grew up in church and have a boring testimony. I hope my kids have a boring testimony. If this is you or no one knows what you were like before Christ then here is what you have to do. Build bridges with, exhibiting Christlike love and character so that you can talk about Jesus. For this is what we are called to do in Scripture (Matt. 5:16, Romans 10:14-17).

Motivation to be a good testimony (2 Cor. 5:14-17). Indicative/Imperative. Because/Therefore.

Mark 5:19???

??? Your testimony will be polarizing.

What kind of testimony are you? Does anyone want to follow Jesus because of your life? Like Lazarus are people coming to see Jesus because of what he has done in your life?

COMMITMENT: Seek and Receive. Be transformed. Who wants to be radically transformed? Non-believer and believer.

COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask people to share their testimony about becoming a Christian.
Who do you know that is most like Christ? What makes you say that about them.
Please read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. In this passage we are told that we are to be ministers of reconciliation. What is our motivation for doing so?
Our testimony has 2 aspects-Show and Tell? Where does your testimony need to improve in each of these areas?