Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 5
In the final session of Making Jesus the Hero, Pastor Mike shares two visual illustrations that can help people grasp the gospel and all its implications.
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: Soul Mate
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 2, Lesson 2: Soul Mate
Who is your favorite person to be with? Who is your soul mate? If you could, would you spend every free moment with that person? I have often asked my children, usually when I am frustrated by their lack of time in the Word, if they truly love God. Of course their answer is “yes.” I usually follow up that question with something like this, “Do you find it strange that you spend so little time with someone who you claim to love above all others?” It’s a great question, but one that rightly should be turned back on myself. David wrote, “My soul thirsts for you, the living God.” Wow! What makes David different from many of us? Is it that we don’t thirst? I don’t believe so. Our souls do thirst and so do the souls of the children we minister to. What made David a man after God’s own heart was that he recognized what – or better, Who – would quench his thirst.
Our problem is that often we don’t recognize what we are thirsting for, so we try to quench our thirst with other things. It could be work, relationships, recreation, television, or video games. Does my soul thirst for God as the deer pants for streams of water? It sure does. The question is whether I choose to go to the Source of living water or something else. This isn’t a guilt trip, but it should be a call to each of us to examine our souls and ask the hard questions, then cry out to God for a soul makeover. Let’s try to help the children understand the depths of God’s love, that by Jesus’ death He purchased for us a front row seat in the Father’s presence now and forever. God wants to be our soul mate and Jesus died to make that possible. Don’t miss out on the gift of the gospel, God’s presence, which is living water for our soul.
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress – I will never be shaken.” -Psalm 62:1-2
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Psalm 63 | Psalm 143 | Psalm 42:2 | Psalm 23:1-3 | Psalm 107:9 | Luke 1:46-47
Sunday Rewind | 10.12.2014
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
How Great Thou Art (Psalm 145:3) – Hymns Ancient $ Modern by Charlie Hall (Passion)
Hosanna (Mark 11:9-10) – Savior King by Hillsong
Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Psalm 47:1-2) – See The Morning by Chris Tomlin
Unending Love (Romans 8:38-39) – God Is Able by Hillsong
I Lift My Hands (Psalm 46:10) – And If Our God Is For Us… by Chris Tomlin
TEACHING: Take Refuge
Chris Anderson teaches from Psalm 1 & 2 on life as it ought to be, the vain rebellion of man, the coming judgement, and God as the ultimate place of refuge. We cannot take refuge from God, but we can take refuge in God.
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?
- What things/places/events tend to regularly remind you that the world in which we live is not safe? How do you tend to react when you are reminded of the dangers around us?
- Read through and discuss Psalm 1 & 2. What do you note about the nature of man? What do you see about the nature of God?
- “We cannot take refuge from God, but we can take refuge in God.” How do Psalm 1 & 2 support this statement? What other scriptures can you think of that teach us this?
- What does it mean to take refuge in God? Why is this easier said than done?
- Are there areas of your life where you try to take refuge from God?
- In the sermon, Chris gives this breakdown of the first two Psalms: Life as it ought to be – The vain rebellion – The coming judgement – The place of refuge. Where do you find these in Psalm 1 & 2? What are the implications of each?
- What is “the good life”? How does Psalm 1 define the good life for us? How does the gospel provide this good life?
- Can you think of someone in your life who is hurting or afraid? How can you reach out to them this week to serve them or encourage them to take refuge in the Lord?
- Spend some time praying for the things you have discussed. Give thanks to God that He is our great refuge using Psalm 1 & 2 as a guide.
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 4
The gospel isn’t a formula – it’s a Person. It’s not an add-on – the gospel must be the solution to whatever tension you’ve presented in your message.
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: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 3
In the 3rd part of the “Making Jesus the Hero” session, Pastor Mike shows how Jesus rescues us from having to keep the righteous demands of the law.
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: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 2
If Jesus is not the hero of your message, who is? In this session, Pastor Mike discusses the importance of bringing to bear the fact that Jesus is the gospel.
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: With All Your Soul
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 2, Lesson 1: With All Your Soul
When we talked about loving God with our heart, we referenced our personality and passions. That’s pretty deep. When we talk about loving God with our soul, that’s deeper still because our soul is the innermost part of who we are. It is used as a synonym for life, our life, our essence. It’s the part God created to last for eternity. Sadly, sin introduced death into the world, and that includes the human soul. We are eternally dissatisfied until our soul finds rest in Him. Why? Because before we accepted Christ, our soul was dead in its trespasses and sins. We were longing for Him, for a perfect leader in this quest called life. After we know Jesus, our souls can rest because we have “returned to the shepherd and guardian of our souls”. (I Peter 2:25)
King David was Israel’s Poet King. He often spoke about His soul, “my soul is greatly dismayed…I will lift up my soul…my soul may sing praise…my soul will rejoice…” King David knew there was more to him than his mind and body. My soul is my immaterial essence. It is the eternal part of me that worships God best and also the part that can be separated from Him if I choose to put myself on the throne of my own life. As a Christian, I desire a makeover that will reform my soul so that I can love and put God at the center of everything. God has promised this makeover in Romans 8:29. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Everyday God is reshaping me to resemble Jesus – and that includes my soul.
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress – I will never be shaken.” -Psalm 62:1-2
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Psalm 63:1-5 |Matt 10:28 | Ecc.12:7 | Ezk.18:4 |Luke 16:19-31 |Mark 8:36 | Matt 16:26 | 3 John 1:2
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 1
If Jesus is not the hero of your message, who is? In the first part of the “Making Jesus the Hero” session, Pastor Mike gives examples of how the Old Testament points us to Christ.
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.
Sunday Rewind | 10.5.2014
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
God Is With Us (Psalm 46:10-11a) – Louder Than Creation by Michael Olson (North Point)
Blessed Be Your Name (Job 1:21) – Where Angels Fear To Tread by Matt Redman
Glorious (Psalm 72:18-19) – Glorious by Paul Baloche
Mighty To Save (Zephaniah 3:17) – Yahweh by Hillsong Chapel
10,000 Reasons (Psalm 103:1) – Unrelenting Love by Nick Thurmond
TEACHING: Black Water
In the dark times of life, we are never alone – God teaches us things in the darkness that we would never have learned in the light. God is present and purposeful in our pain.
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?
- Have you ever had a “black water” experience, where you felt isolated, alone, and in the dark in your Christian life? What happened? Did you struggle to sense God’s presence and purpose in your trial? Did that situation resolve?
- Do you struggle with diving into the living and active Word of God with purpose? How does the Word of God prepare our hearts for trials?
- Consider some of the passages from Mike’s message: Psalm 22:1-2, Psalm 23. Psalm 139:7-12, John 16:33, Job 1:1, Psalm 145:18, James 1:2-4, 2 Samuel 22:5-7, 17, Hebrews 12:7-11, 2 Corinthians 4:17. What do these tell us about out “black water” experiences?
- How would you describe your prayer life? How does this change in times of darkness?
- If God’s Holy Spirit suddenly left you, would you notice? Why or why not?
- If you are in a trial right now how, are you coping with the reality that you don’t know when or if it will end? What perspective does prayer, scripture and the gospel bring to your situation?
- How has God ministered to you during trial in prayer, in the Word, or through connection and guidance?
- In looking back at your own “black water” experiences, what are some things you can see you learned during those times? How do you think God used that time in your life to shape you spiritually into the image of Jesus?
- Spend some time in prayer about the things you’ve discussed.
Take 5: Making It Stick, Part 6
In the 6th part of “Making it Stick,” Pastor Mike talks about the importance of bringing your message to a logical conclusion.
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.