Pastor Notes

LifeDEFINED Week 6: Designed For Mission

The fifth LifeDEFINING purpose:

The mission we were designed for defines our lives. 

John 17:18 (Msg.) “In the same way that you gave Me a mission in the world I give them a mission in the world.” 

John 20:21 (NIV) “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” 

Acts 20:24 (NCV) “The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to tell people the good news about God’s grace.” 

Acts 1:8 (NIV) “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

Three ways I can complete my LifeDEFINING Mission.

1. Take the Good News into my personal world.

Luke 8:39b (NIV) “So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

Romans 10:13-14 (TLB) “13 Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 But how shall they ask him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” 

2.  Take the Good News beyond my world. 

In 2 Corinthians 9:22b (TLB) “Whatever a person is like I try to find common ground with him so he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.” 

James 1:27a (NIV) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress……”

Mark 10:29 (LB) “...‘Let Me assure you that no one has ever given up anything for the love of Me and to tell others the good news [that’s all about our mission] who won’t be given back a hundred times over.’” 

3. Take the Good News into the whole world.

Mark 16:15 (NIV) says,  “Go into the world and preach the good news to all of creation

Mark 8:35 (LB) “Jesus said, ‘If you insist on saving your life you will lose it.  Only those who throw their lives away for My sake and for the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live.’” 

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Small Group Notes
LifeDEFINED: Week 6  Designed For Mission

Jesus said in a prayer to His Father. John 17:18 (Msg.)“In the same way that you gave Me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.”                     

Q. Who is Jesus referring to when He says “I give them a mission in the world’?

Q. How do you feel about being designed for a mission?

Q. What does being on mission mean to you?

Discuss this statement: In the Christian context, a ministry is to people who know Jesus and a mission is to people who don’t know Jesus.

Our LifeDEFINING mission according to Paul is to share good news.

The apostle Paul said in Acts 20:24 (NCV) “The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me - to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”

Q. What is the good news Paul is referring too?

Q. Does everyone want to hear good news?

In Acts 1:8 (NIV) Jesus is speaking, He says, “You (referring to people who have come into relationship with God) will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

Q. What is a witness and what does a witness share?                  

Jesus said you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

·  Discuss your LifeDEFINING mission at home.  (Jerusalem & Judea)

· Discuss your LifeDEFGINING mission to people who are different then you. (Samaria)

·  Discuss your LifeDEFINING mission to the whole world. (Ends of the earth)

Discuss again these words of Jesus below in the context of your LifeDEFINING mission.

Jesus said, Mark 8:35 (LB) “ ‘If you insist on saving your life you will lose it. Only those who throw their lives away for My sake and for the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live.’” 

A test of four possible responses to the great commission:

·  You can say like Moses, “Who me?” 

·  You can say like Jonah, “Not me!”

·  You you can say like Habakkuk “Why me?” 

·  You can say like Isaiah, “Send me.” 

Isaiah 6:8 (TLB) “8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go?” And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”

Q. What is your greatest challenge in fulfilling your LifeDEFINING mission?  

Jesus said to His followers in Matthew 28:18-20 (TLB) “18 “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth.19 Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

Q. If Jesus sends us on mission under His authority is fear a legitimate emotion?

Q. Can we trust in Jesus promise to be with us even to the end of the world?

Pastor Notes

LifeDEFINED Week 5: Designed to Serve

Scripture Matthew 20:20-28 (LB)

My fourth purpose in life is to serve others.

Jesus said: 

Mat. 20:28 (LB) , “Your attitude must be like My own, for I the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve.....” 

Mark 8:35 (LB) “If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.”

What does it take to learn to serve like Jesus? 

1. Serving like Jesus means I’m available. 

Matthew 20:30-32 (NIV) “Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus STOPPED and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?.”

Proverbs 3:28 (GNT) “Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.”

Proverbs 3:28 (MSG) “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.”

John Wesley’s servant motto:

“Do all the good you can by all the means you can by all the ways you can in all the places you can and at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as you ever can.”

Phil 2:4 “ (ESV) “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Eccl. 11:4 (LB) “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done”.

What does it take to learn to serve like Jesus? 

2.  Right Motives

Matt. 6:1 (NLT)  “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.

·  Self-promotion and servant hood don’t mix.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NCV) “So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.”

· Don’t mistake anonymous with insignificant.

Hebrews 6:10 (NIV) “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

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Small Group Notes
LifeDEFINED: Week 5  Designed To Serve

Please read Matthew 20:26-28 (MSG)

Context:  The Mother of James and John ask Jesus if her sons can be seated in a place of high honor or elevated to greatness in His kingdom.

 Jesus responds, “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”

 Q. How are greatness and service connected?

 Q. What is the role of a slave?

Please read Colossians 1:15-18 (NIV) “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Q. How does it impact your life to know that the Jesus described in Colossians, came to serve you?

Q. What does it mean to give your life away in service?

Discuss Mark 8:35 (NLT): "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life." 

Discuss Eph. 2:10 (NIV): "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."                                           

Q. If God has created you for service, how has He prepared you to serve?

Discuss: 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) “10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”

Discuss this statement: Each person has been created with a least one gift designed to use for service.

Q. How are you a gifted person?

Q. How do your abilities contribute to your ability to serve?

Q. How do your experiences contribute to your ability to serve?

Q. How does your personality contribute to your ability to serve?

Q. Why do you think people are reluctant to employ their gifts in service to God?

Discuss this statement:  Two things happen when I discover the ministry I’ve been shaped for, fruitfulness and significance.

Pray David’s Prayer together "Teach me to serve you with complete devotion." Ps. 86:11 (GN)

Gifts for service

Romans 12:6-8 / I Cor. 12:1-11 / Eph. 4:11-16 / I Peter 4:9-11

Pastor's Notes

Life Defined Part 3

"Fellowship"

Eph. 1:5 NLT “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ."  

The second Life Defining purpose for our lives is “Fellowship”

Definition... “Fellowship is all about loving God's family.” 

I John 4:21 (TLB) “21 And God himself has said that one must love not only God but his brother too.”

There are four steps to true fellowship.

1. Choosing to belong

Ephesians 2:19 LB “You are members of God's very own family and you belong in God's household with every other Christian." 

Romans 12:5 NIV “In Christ we who are many form one Body, and each member belongs to all the others."

The second step of growth in true fellowship is:

2. Friendship

Acts 2:44 LB "All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other."

What are we to share?

Experiences

Proverbs 27:17 NCV “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.”

Homes

I Peter 4:9 NCV "open up your homes to each other, without complaining."

Our problems

Galatians 6:2 NLT “Share each other’s burdens in this way you obey the law of Christ,”

Hebrews 10:25 GNT “25 Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.

3. Partnership

1 Corinthians, 3:9. GNT " We are partners working together for God." 

Ephesians 4:16 NLT  “The whole body is fitted together perfectly as each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love."

Matthew 25:40, "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are the members of my family, you did it to Me." 

4. Kinship

Acts 2:42 CEV "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together.”

Romans 12:10a ESV “Love one another with brotherly affection."

John 13:34-35 TLB “And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Small Group Notes

Life Defined Part 3

"Fellowship"

The second LifeDefining purpose for your lives is “Fellowship” connecting with God’s family. Loving God, is called “Worship,” loving each other, is called “Fellowship.” 

Definition... “Fellowship is all about loving God's family.”

John 4:21 TLB “And God himself has said that one must love not only God but his brother too.”

Q. How would you describe God’s family?

Q. Who is in God’s family?

Discuss this statement: God creates everybody, but not everybody is a child of God.

Eph. 1:5 NLT “His (God) unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ." 

Discuss this statement: The story of God is a story of God building a family.

True fellowship is developed in four steps:

1. Choosing to belong. (Finding a church family and choosing to connect.)

Discuss this statement: You were meant to belong. The Christian life is more then believing, it is matter of belonging. We must choose to belong to a fellowship.

Q. Why belong to a fellowship? Ephesians 2:19 LB “You are members of God's very own family and you belong in God's household with every other Christian."

2. Friendship. (Learning to share, developing deep friendships)

Acts 2:44 LB "All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other."

They shared their homes, experiences, struggles or problems

Discuss this statement: How much should I share of my life and resources?

3. Partnership. (Coming to realize how making a contribution on my part is vital.)

Discuss this statement: You must discover where you fit in the body. 

phesians 4:16 NLT “The whole body is fitted together perfectly as each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love." E 

Q. What does this verse mean to you? Matthew 25 :40 NIV "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are the members of my family, you did it to Me." 

4.  Kinship. (Loving believers like family)

Romans 12:10a ESV “Love one another with brotherly affection.”

Discuss this statement: If we miss kinship, we have missed a major part of what defines our lives.

John 13:34-35 TLB“And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you. 35 Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

Pastor's Notes

Life Defined Part 2

"Worship"

Revelation 4:11 NCV “11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you made all things. Everything existed and was made, because you wanted it.”

Matthew 22:37-38 NIV “Love the Lord your God.  This is the first and greatest commandment.” 

Romans 12:1 TEV “Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him.  This is the true worship that you should offer.”

Mark 12:30 NCV “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul all your mind and all your strength.”

God wants me to love Him three ways.

·  God wants me to love Him passionately. 

·  God wants me to love Him thoughtfully. 

·  God wants to love Him completely. 

What is worship?

1.  Worship is focusing my attention on God. 

David said in Psalm 139:1-3 CEV “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord and You know all about me.  You know when I am resting or when I am working.  You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.” 

·  We are self-centered by nature. 

·  We live in self-centered culture. 

Romans 8:7 MSG “Focusing on yourself is the opposite of focusing on God.  Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God and ends up thinking more about self than God.” 

Romans 12:2 MSG  “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

2. Worship is also expressing my affection to  God. 

I John 4:19 NKJV “We love Him because He first loved us.” 

Hosea 6:6 LBT, God says to Israel, “I don’t want your sacrifices.  I want your love.  I don’t want your offerings.  I want you to know Me.” 

Romans 6:13 (NLT)”13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”

3.  Worship is using my abilities for God. 

Colossians 3:23 TEV “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.” 

 “In life, it’s not what you do that matters.  It’s who you do it for.  You give it all to God.  And all of your work can be turned to worship.  I don’t care if you’re a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker.  You can do it for God.  You say, I’m going to do this as if I’m doing this for You, God.  You may be a carpet cleaner.  You may be an attorney.  You may be a nurse.  You may be an at-home mother raising children.  You may be an executive or manager or a sales person or truck driver – it really doesn’t matter what you do.  It’s who you do it for.” -Rick Warren  / Purpose Driven Life

Small Group Notes

LifeDefined Part 2

"Worship"

Think on this verse. 

In the book of Revelations the Elders and the living Creatures fall down before Jesus and say:  Revelation 4:11 NCV “11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you made all things. Everything existed and was made, because you wanted it.”

Discuss this truth: God made all things including you because He wanted to.

In Psalm 139:1-3 CEV David said, “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord and You know all about me.  You know when I am resting or when I am working.  You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.” 

Q. What is David communicating about God?

Q. Why is God worthy of our attention?

Q. How would you define worship?

WORSHIP IS FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON GOD

Q. Why is it difficult to focus our attention on God? 

Discuss these statements.

We are self-centered by nature.  /  We live in a self-centered culture. 

Romans 12:2 MSG “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

WORSHIP IS EXPRESSING MY AFFECTION TO GOD

I John 4:19 NKJV “We love Him because He first loved us.” 

Hosea 6:6 LBT, God speaking to Israel said, “I don’t want your sacrifices.  I want your love.  I don’t want your offerings.  I want you to know Me.” 

WORSHIP IS USING MY ABILITIES FOR GOD

Colossians 3:23 TEV “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.” 

Discuss this verse.

Romans 12:1 TEV “Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him.  This is the true worship that you should offer.”

Q. What does it mean to OFFER yourself as a living sacrifice?