I Belong: Making Things Better

August 29/30, 2015


READ Matthew 16:13-20
CONSIDER using biblehub.com to dig a little deeper into this scripture passage.

The question that makes all the difference: Who is Jesus? v. 13-17

• Who do you say that Jesus is? How do you know? 
• Who do others around you say that Jesus is? Do you know why?
• How do you continue to discover who Jesus truly is? 
• In what ways does Jesus reveal Himself to you?

Who builds the church on what? v. 18

Jesus is building His church and we are the stones. We are rough and unpolished, but He begins to shave off those edges until He can stack us together with grace and love as mortar. For 2000 years He's been building us together to provide shelter for others to heal and grow. What other questions or thoughts do you have regarding this verse?

Jesus also speaks of the gates of Hades being broken through by the church. TALK about how you feel about this idea. 

• If you're the church, what does that mean for you? 
• How do you break through the gates of Hades? 
• Are you taking steps to do so?

What is Jesus' view of the church? v. 19-20

Word Study from Bible Hub - (Vincent's Word Studies)

• Keys (κλεῖδας)   The similitude corresponding to build. The church or kingdom is conceived as a house, of which Peter is to be the steward, bearing the keys. "Even as he had been the first to utter the confession of the church, so was he also privileged to be the first to open its hitherto closed gates to the Gentiles, when God made choice of him, that, through his mouth, the Gentiles should first hear the words of the Gospel, and at his bidding first be baptized" (Edersheim, "Life and Times of Jesus").
• Bind - loose (δήσῃς - λύσῃς)   In a sense common among the Jews, of forbidding or allowing. No other terms were in more constant use in Rabbinic canon-law than those of binding and loosing. They represented the legislative and judicial powers of the Rabbinic office. These powers Christ now transferred, and that not in their pretension, but in their reality, to his apostles; the first, here, to Peter, as their representative, the second, after his resurrection, to the church (John 20:23, Edersheim). "This legislative authority conferred upon Peter can only wear an offensive aspect when it is conceived of as possessing an arbitrary character, and as being in no way determined by the ethical influences of the Holy Spirit, and when it is regarded as being of an absolute nature, as independent of any connection with the rest of the apostles. Since the power of binding and loosing, which is here conferred upon Peter, is ascribed (Matthew 18:18) to the apostles generally, the power conferred upon the former is set in its proper light, and shown to be of necessity a power of a collegiate nature, so that Peter is not to be regarded as exclusively endowed with it, either in whole or in part, but is simply to be looked upon as first among his equals" (Meyer on Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18).  

Pastor Paul talked about the bottom line of this verse: Jesus' view is that the church is a group of people who make things better. Jesus has given us the keys and the authority of the kingdom to make things "on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt 6:10b) Pastor Paul: "I believe that the church of Jesus Christ is the greatest force for good in the world. I believe the Chippewa Valley needs us to be the church even if they don’t realize it or will ever appreciate the church."

Fortress vs. Parish
SPEND some time talking about what it means to the world if we lock ourselves in our fortresses. What does it mean if we live our lives as a parish? How messy is it to live with a parish mindset? How do we protect ourselves from those who don't realize they need the church or appreciate the church?

Gathered vs. Scattered
What if we thought about churches like they're gas stations? We collect in one of several locations to fuel up and then we're off on our individual adventures. Thinking along this line, what kind of vehicle are you? A yugo? A minivan? A tow truck or bus or semi trailer? Maybe you're a jeep wrangler climbing the rugged mountains. No matter what kind of vehicle we may be, we all have a purpose and a journey to travel. What happens when we don't care for our vehicles? What happens when we don't refill our tanks? What happens when it's miles and miles between gas stations? MAKE a plan to continuing to care for your soul. BE INTENTIONAL  and SPECIFIC about your travel plans.

So what does this all mean for you and me?

PRAY together as a group for insight into how you can gather and scatter. PRAY for strength to live out the authority you've been given to bring heaven to earth. PRAY for Jesus to continue to reveal Himself to you as you go.

Finally, CHAT with your small group about how you can go out together to make a difference in the Chippewa Valley. Maybe you're already working a plan, but maybe you haven't considered yet how God may scatter you to make the community better. If that's your group, begin talking about the things that break your heart that God may be calling you to step into. CONSIDER attending Discover Your Design to learn more about how God made you to serve in a way that's life-giving to you.

I Belong: Be the Church

August 22/23, 2015

READ 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10

• What stands out to you about these verses?
• Who does God say you are?
• What is your purpose according to this passage?
• What is the thing that connects you to each other?

Community requires contribution

Community requires commitment

DISCUSS with your group how contribution and commitment connect to these verses. TALK about how the 5 commitments at Jacob's Well are lived out together. How do these commitments help us become like Jesus? GIVE examples from the Gospels of how Jesus lived the commitments in His own life and/or taught His disciples how to live in this manner?

WORSHIP  We commit to love and honor God with our whole lives.

BELONG  We commit to be responsible for our own spiritual growth.

GROW  We commit to healthy, Christ-centered relationships.

SERVE  We commit to serving others through our strengths.

SHARE  We commit to sharing our stories and God’s story.

• Have you ever considered that God hasn't just called you out individually, but as a small group? as a church? as a community? as a part of something bigger than yourself?
• What does it mean to belong to each other and for each other?
• How committed do you feel you are? to each other? to God?
• Do you consider yourself to be a contributor or a consumer? 
• Do you feel overwhelmed with where to begin? How so?

STUDY: Do a search for the word "ekklesia" and find out what it means. Where does it come from? How is it used in the Bible? What can you learn from studying this word?

READ John 17:20-23

Jesus prays for our relationship with the Father, our relationships with each other, and our relationships in the world. SPEND some time praying as a group for each of these things. 

I Belong: Counting Sheep

August 15/16, 2015


READ Matthew 18:10-14; 
   Luke 15:1-7; Matthew 9:36; Matthew 10:6

PRAY as a group for insight on these passages.

THINK about and ANSWER these questions as you study the verses above.

• What is your favorite sentence or verse from these passages? Why?
• What are a few of the most crucial words in these verses?
• Is there anything in these verses that's challenging or confusing? Why?
• How can we see Christ through these passages? Describe the characteristics of God as you view them through the shepherd.
• What insights do you see?
• What conclusions can you make? 

Let's TALK about counting sheep. You likely came to the conclusion that Jesus cares for lost sheep. Sheep count to God, and we want to count sheep. You matter and others matter too. "We are God's masterpiece. He has created us so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Eph 2:10 

At Jacob's Well, we're going after the lost sheep. You can help by letting us know you're here by filling out a super communication card if you haven't done so already. This fall we'll be calling those who don't respond to find out where they're at on their journey.

The big question: Are you the shepherd or the sheep? 

*** Perhaps you're feeling like a lost sheep. We all have our seasons of feeling lost. We encourage you to lean on your small group for support and guidance. Truly, that's what a small group is meant for.

*** If you see yourself more as the shepherd, then how can you begin to go after the lost sheep? What's God calling you to? What's your next step?

WORSHIP 
A shepherd is dependent upon weather, vegetation, and protection from predators. All of those are under God's control, therefore, the shepherd is dependent on God's grace. When we recognize the grace of God in our lives, it's only natural that we worship and thank Him. Is God calling you to worship more fully or regularly? Have you ever done a study of what it means to worship God? Hint: It's more than music. What does it look like to worship God with our whole life?

BELONG
Sheep belong together with other sheep and with their shepherd. This is how they survive and thrive. Since you're reading the small group study guide, you likely already belong to a group. How has your group helped you survive and thrive? Is God calling your group to reach out to other individuals to join your group? Is He calling your small group to get involved together to make an impact? Is He placing individuals in your lives that you can encourage and support emotionally, financially, or to take another step? THINK of one person? PICK one thing you can do this week to reach out to them by calling, writing or inviting them to come back to church.

This fall our church is going to be studying the book of Romans. We’re challenging you as a group to dig deeper into this amazing book. Also, the devotions will lead you to not just read Romans, but to begin a more serious Bible study. We’re encouraging you to BRING your Bible to church, MEMORIZE a verse of scripture every week, and MAKE a prayer commitment as part of this series. You can also CHECK OUT the @home Center for resources that will challenge you and help you grow. Will you and your group commit to study through the book of Romans with the church? If so, let Tony know at tony@jacobswellec.org.

GROW
READ 1 Samuel 17:34-37. You can bet when David needed to fight off the lion and the bear, he grew...stronger, braver, wiser. When a shepherd sets off to find a lost sheep, he's sure to grow as well...more caring, wiser, more courageous. How is God calling you to grow? Do you have a regular prayer or study time? Is there someone you can mentor? Do you need to invite someone to join you at church? Do you need to reach out to someone who's walked away from God and see how they're doing? SET a time this week to connect with God, and SET a time to connect with a friend or family member.

Maybe you're unsure of what God is calling you to do. This fall we are also offering Discover Your Design on September 23 and October 28. In this class you’ll learn how God has designed you with gifts, passions, abilities that make you a perfect fit in a ministry area. COME and LEARN more about yourself so that you can serve God, His church and others better. This teaching could improve every part of your life.

SERVE
What does a shepherd sacrifice for the benefit of his sheep? How does he serve his sheep for their own survival and growth? What small way can you serve others in order to show you care for their well-being? Is God calling you to take a next step in sacrificing your time, talents, or treasure in a great way? We have Serve Tours on September 26/27&30 and October 31/November 1&4. Every week it takes hundreds of volunteers to make Jacob’s Well the amazing place we love. We’d love to have you join us in helping others take steps to know and become like Jesus.

SHARE
A church isn't just a denomination or a building or a staff. It's all of us who follow Christ. WE ALL are the church. In a way, we all are the sheep as Christ is the Good Shepherd. In another way, we are the shepherd tending the sheep for the Owner of the sheep. So as you think of yourself as a shepherd, what are some ways that you can draw others into the presence of the Owner? What are ways you can love others like the Owner loves them?

CONSIDER opening seats in the Auditorium for those who are new to Jacob's Well by moving to the North Venue. This is a great way to share Christ with others by ensuring people aren't turned away from a service. There are many who love the small coziness of the North Venue, and you may too!

In order for the church to be all that it can be, it takes resources to accomplish meeting all the needs within a congregation and a community. This fall at Jacob’s Well, we are asking people to recommit to giving the tithe. The giving of tithes and offerings is another very critical part of being the church. If this is a growth area for you, CONTEMPLATE going back and listening to a message from March 22, 2015 called the King of Skittles.             

   jacobswellec.org/media.php?pageID=95   

Getting God’s view of money could change your whole life.