Let Us Run: Our Tribe APPETIZER: Helping The Widows & Orphans ...
10-04-15: Hank Fortener
Let Us Run: Our Tribe APPETIZER: Helping The Widows & Orphans Check out the following organizations: • www.BothHands.org • www.AdoptTogether.org • www.WorldAdoptionDay.org
DINE-IN: Born To Run Together Body Cognition: Our brain filters out 95% of the data we receive through our senses, only allowing us to process 5%. A Lone Wolf cannot hunt: He goes from hunter to scavenger. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 Connection with God does not produce an easier life. A faith in God… • does NOT guarantee everything goes perfectly • does NOT guarantee safety • does NOT guarantee promise for a perfect future
REALITY = Life is going to swing at you! SOMETIMES SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES CAN GET TOO OVER-‐SIMPLIFIED IN PRACTICE. The good deeds (“ergon” in Greek) refer to our life calling; the everyday living – not simply a volunteer event. It’s in the everyday living we need to encourage one another! This is about Villages… This is about connection & conversation.
TAKE-OUT:
1. There is no support system for a Lone Wolf. We are not designed for isolation, but for community. If you are not part of a Village, now is a great time to sign up!
2. Take time this week to encourage the people in your life (at home, work, Village, etc…). If you’re married, go on a date & speak out the good things you see in one another. Maybe even write it down, or write a song! If it’s difficult to get going, start with this: “Thank you for…” 3. Also, be mindful this week about your own limitations. With whom can you be vulnerable? Let people know you need encouragement, prayer, etc…
Village Conversation HANGOUT (Warm-up)
1. When was a time someone encouraged you & it really meant something or it helped you push through a difficult time?
HEAR (Listen to God through scripture) 2. Read the following scripture aloud twice: Philippians 2:1-16 3. Take 2-‐3 minutes of silence to let the words sink in. a. What verse(s) stands out to you? What do you notice? b. What does it mean to be “like-‐minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind”? c. What does it look like in your context to value others above yourself? d. What comfort can we find in God’s response to the humility & obedience of Jesus?
HUDDLE (Making it Personal & Praying together) AFFIRMATIONS: This is an exercise to practice giving & receiving encouragement. BOTH are necessary! 1. In a circle, have each person give an affirmation to Person A. 2. Person A is not allowed to deflect the compliments, but may only say “Thank you.” 3. Once everyone has shared an encouragement/affirmation, move on to Person B, then Person C, etc… The affirmations need to be about the person, NOT clothing or other exterior elements. This is practice in recognizing the Divine spark in each other.
QUOTES/SCRIPTURE… 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:23-25 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-‐ minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. - Philippians 2:1-16
Let Us Run: Our Tribe APPETIZER: Helping The Widows & Orphans Check out the following organizations: • www.BothHands.org • www.AdoptTogether.org • www.WorldAdoptionDay.org
DINE-IN: Born To Run Together Body Cognition: Our brain filters out 95% of the data we receive through our senses, only allowing us to process 5%. A Lone Wolf cannot hunt: He goes from hunter to scavenger. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 Connection with God does not produce an easier life. A faith in God… • does NOT guarantee everything goes perfectly • does NOT guarantee safety • does NOT guarantee promise for a perfect future
REALITY = Life is going to swing at you! SOMETIMES SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES CAN GET TOO OVER-‐SIMPLIFIED IN PRACTICE. The good deeds (“ergon” in Greek) refer to our life calling; the everyday living – not simply a volunteer event. It’s in the everyday living we need to encourage one another! This is about Villages… This is about connection & conversation.
TAKE-OUT:
1. There is no support system for a Lone Wolf. We are not designed for isolation, but for community. If you are not part of a Village, now is a great time to sign up!
2. Take time this week to encourage the people in your life (at home, work, Village, etc…). If you’re married, go on a date & speak out the good things you see in one another. Maybe even write it down, or write a song! If it’s difficult to get going, start with this: “Thank you for…” 3. Also, be mindful this week about your own limitations. With whom can you be vulnerable? Let people know you need encouragement, prayer, etc…
Village Conversation HANGOUT (Warm-up)
1. When was a time someone encouraged you & it really meant something or it helped you push through a difficult time?
HEAR (Listen to God through scripture) 2. Read the following scripture aloud twice: Philippians 2:1-16 3. Take 2-‐3 minutes of silence to let the words sink in. a. What verse(s) stands out to you? What do you notice? b. What does it mean to be “like-‐minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind”? c. What does it look like in your context to value others above yourself? d. What comfort can we find in God’s response to the humility & obedience of Jesus?
HUDDLE (Making it Personal & Praying together) AFFIRMATIONS: This is an exercise to practice giving & receiving encouragement. BOTH are necessary! 1. In a circle, have each person give an affirmation to Person A. 2. Person A is not allowed to deflect the compliments, but may only say “Thank you.” 3. Once everyone has shared an encouragement/affirmation, move on to Person B, then Person C, etc… The affirmations need to be about the person, NOT clothing or other exterior elements. This is practice in recognizing the Divine spark in each other.
QUOTES/SCRIPTURE… 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:23-25 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-‐ minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. - Philippians 2:1-16
