Take 5: The Lies We Tell, Part 4
Where are you tempted to take an “exit ramp” when dealing with a difficult scripture? Here are four more detours to watch out for.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
TRAIL GUIDE: Know Your Strengths
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Section 4, Lesson 2: Know Your Strengths
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” There are many wonderful theological messages to be gleaned from the account of David’s defeat of Goliath. One message that should not be taken from it, however, is that David was a skinny kid, unprepared for battle, who despite his overconfidence was used by God to miraculously defeat an experienced warrior. Many times, the way we teach this to children leaves them with the idea that they to can face the metaphorical “giants” in their lives if they just believe. Let’s take a closer look at the account before we get the children in our care metaphorically body slammed by their giants.
The key to this account is not knowledge of God and His covenant promises to Israel. We know that King Saul and the soldiers of Israel would have known well these promises. So David’s advantage was not superior knowledge. What David had that set him apart was experience with God. David makes the case to Saul when he says, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” David had high confidence of victory because his experience with God had shown him that God was with him. But it should not be missed that David had significant skills and strengths. We know that David was a shepherd, and from our understanding of the Ancient Near East, we know that one tool of a shepherd for protecting his flock was the sling. We also know from scripture and other sources that a skilled slinger could be deadly accurate at distances of 250 meters (nearly 3 football field lengths!) Here is the math. David had been given strength and skill by God plus David knew God’s promises plus David had experienced God’s faithfulness equals one headless Philistine warrior.
Our children need to know God, know and develop the strengths He has given them, and put those into action to experience God’s faithfulness. Strength that comes from God can be trusted absolutely. That is a formula for changing the world for Christ.
Just for fun: Watch this Israeli sling demonstration on YouTube. You will never read David and Goliath the same
way again. http://youtu.be/xwlZJ5IlN68
“The Lord is my strength and my shield. My
heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”” -Psalm 28:7a
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Matt 25:14-30 | Eph 6:10
Ps.139:14 | 1 Cor 10:31
Col 3:17,23 | 1 Samuel 17
Sunday Rewind | 12.7.14
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
All Creation Sing (Joy To The World) (Psalm 96:12-13a) – North Point Christmas by Seth Condrey
Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Luke 2:9-10) – North Point Christmas by Eddie Kirkland
Majesty (Isaiah 53:5) – Majesty: The Worship EP by Leeland
Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) (Psalm 27:1) – Burning Lights by Chris Tomlin
God Is With Us (Psalm 46:10-11a) – Louder Than Creation by Michael Olson
TEACHING: The Biblical Road to Maturity
The biblical road to maturity includes the mistakes we make, the false accusations against us, the people in our life, and the trials we face.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- Regarding Bill’s opening scenario, would you have written the ticket? Why or why not?
- Read and discuss Genesis 39. What do you note about the attributes and character of God? Of Joseph?
- “Position has nothing to do with prosperity. Character dictates prosperity.” Have you found this to be true? Why or why not?
- What mistakes have you made in your life that have contributed to your maturity in Christ?
- Have you ever been falsely accused? What happened? How did it contribute to your maturity in Christ?
- Who has the Lord brought into your life that has helped you mature in Him?
- What is the worst trial you have ever faced? Did God use it to mature you in Him? How?
- How does the gospel of Jesus lead and empower our maturity in the Lord?
Take 5: The Lies We Tell, Part 3
Here are three more ways we can try to make Scripture fit what we want it to say, rather than letting it say what it actually says.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: The Lies We Tell, Part 2
There are many “exit ramps” teachers are tempted to take, particularly when dealing with difficult texts from the Scriptures. Many of these are valid some of the time, but none of them are valid all of the time.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Christmas in the Bookstore
Looking for a great gift idea for the children or adults in your life? Be sure and stop by the RBC Bookstore (located in the lobby, just inside the main entrance) after a Sunday worship service to see our exciting selection of new resources, in hardback versions, just in time for the Christmas gift-giving season. There is a resource to fit every need, and don’t forget they are offered at discounted prices. If you need help or more suggestions, stop by and ask one of the volunteers. Here is just a sampling of new resources that would make a great gifts:
for Adults
By Tim Keller, Prayer – Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
With his trademark insights and energy, Keller offers biblical guidance as well as specific prayers for certain situations, such as dealing with grief, loss, love, and forgiveness. He discusses ways to make prayers more personal and powerful, and how to establish a practice of prayer that works for each reader.
By Ravi Zacharias – Why Suffering: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
Why would a loving and powerful God allow so much pain and suffering? In WHY SUFFERING? Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale carefully walk you through a variety of responses that considered together provide a clear, comprehensive, and convincing answer. God’s decision to allow temporal suffering is understandable when viewed from an eternal perspective. Divine goodness shows how to conquer, not in spite of, but even through suffering. WHY SUFFERING? provides an answer to the problem of pain and suffering with emotional sensitivity and intellectual integrity.
By Paul Tripp – New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional
Mornings can be tough. Sometimes, a hearty breakfast and strong cup of coffee just aren’t enough. Offering more than a rush of caffeine, best-selling author Paul David Tripp wants to energize you with the most potent encouragement imaginable: the gospel. Forget “behavior modification” or feel-good aphorisms. Tripp knows that what we really need is an encounter with the living God. Then we’ll be prepared to trust in God’s goodness, rely on his grace, and live for his glory each and every day.
For Family Devotions during the Christmas Season:
By Marty Machowski – Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Family Devotional
This brand new, four-week devotional, guides your family on an unforgettable advent journey, exploring some of the most wonderful prophecies in the Bible and how God fulfills them in Christ. The memorable and meaningful activities, songs, and stories of Prepare Him Room, will quickly become the fabric of your family’s Christmas memories for years to come
For Toddlers and Children:
By Deepak Reju – Great Kings of the Bible
The three greatest kings of Israel were Saul, David, and Solomon. However, many years later a different king would come. This king was born in a stable, not a palace. He served the sick, the poor and the needy and was without any sin. This king is Jesus, God’s Son. He is a very different king. His greatest victory was his death on the cross and because of that God made him, the greatest of all kings; the King of Kings.
By Sally Lloyd-Jones – Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
From Jago and Sally Lloyd-Jones, the creators of the bestselling Jesus Storybook Bible, comes this gorgeous and innovative collection of 101 simple-yet- profound thoughts on faith. Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing shares profound spiritual truths from the Bible told in a conversational tone drawing insights from creation, history, science, the writings of great thinkers, preachers, and writers, to turn the reader’s eyes toward the God who loves them with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always, and Forever Love.
Perfect for family devotions, bedtime, story time, or even as a companion to The Jesus Storybook Bible, this accessible yet theologically rich book reveals biblical truth in word and image, all working together and designed to do one thing: to make the reader’s heart sing.
By Joey Allen – Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers (series)
The most foundational teachings of the Christian faith are presented in this little four book series, set at a level preschool and elementary children can understand. The series includes The Gospel, The Trinity, The Scripture, and The Mission.
Take 5: The Lies We Tell, Part 1
Pastors lie, even when we don’t mean to. Are we suppressing the truth from the pulpit?
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
TRAIL GUIDE: Strength Training
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Section 4, Lesson 1: Strength Training
What is strength? How is the word used in scripture? It can mean our physical strength or energy, strength of character, strength of the will, perseverance, capacity or ability to perform work, or emotional strength. These are all different aspects of strength, but they all have two things in common: their source and their purpose.
“You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18)
“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides” (1 Peter 4:11)
So what is it that God teaches us about strength? First, He is the fountainhead of our strength. Second, He stands ready to renew our strength if we will seek Him, trust Him, and wait on Him. Third, God gives us strength not for our own selfish interests or nonsense but to glorify Him and do the good works of the Kingdom that He has prepared in advance for us to walk in. In the coming weeks, let us help the children to understand that God, and only God, deserves all of our strength.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield. My
heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”” -Psalm 28:7a
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Deut 8:17 |1 Chron. 29:12
Phil 4:13 | Is. 41:10
2 Thess 3:3 | Is.40:27-31
Sunday Rewind | 11.30.2014
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
In Your Presence (Deuteronomy 31:6) – Nothing Is Wasted by Elevation Worship
Hosanna (Mark 11:9-10) – Savior King by Hillsong Worship
I Stand Amazed (2 Corinthians 8:9) – North Point Live by Candi Shelton (North Point)
Cornerstone (Psalm 18:2) – Cornerstone by Hillsong Worship
Give Me Faith (Psalm 73:25-26) – Nothing Is Wasted by Elevation Worship
TEACHING: A Study of Deeper Faith in Colossians, Part 17
To the degree that you don’t know Christ, you will trust in other things.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- Throughout the course of this teaching series, what has particularly impacted you from the book of Colossians?
- What verse(s) would you consider the key verse(s) from each chapter of Colossians?
- Read and discuss Colossians 1:27. Why is Christ the “hope of glory”? What is biblical hope?
- How is hope dulled by unbelief? Where in your walk with Christ do you struggle with unbelief?
- Read and discuss Colossians 2:13-14. What does this section tell us about forgiveness and the gospel? What are the practical implications for your life?
- In what ways do you allow the gospel to become dulled by familiarity? How can we keep that from happening?
- Read and discuss Colossians 3:1-4. What do these verses tell us about an eternal focus? How does temporal experience dull our focus on eternity?
- Read and discuss Colossians 4:1-5. What do these verses have to do with missions? If our passion for missions is dulled by distance, what are some things you and your Shepherd Group can do to “close the gap”?
- “To the degree that you don’t know Christ, you will trust in other things.” How have you found this to be true? How does the gospel give us grace to deal with this?
Take 5: Taking a Short Break
Take 5 will take a short break from our regular posts while Pastor Mike is out of town. We’ll resume next week, December 3.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.