"Fifty Years of Weather"
TEXTS: Luke 12:35-56; Luke 13:1-9; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:13
TRUTHS:
1. Do not be passive and neglect what you are responsible for (as it relates to both your natural and spiritual life). God does require His children to bear fruit and pursue righteousness. For those who have been given the gift of eternal life, God expects us to respond rightly.
2. We can often meditate and focus on what we expect God to do for us. We would be better served to more frequently consider what God is expecting from us.
3. God does not want us to be hyper-focused on sin. Our motivation to faithfully serve and submit to Christ should come from a heart that is focused on knowing Jesus, experiencing His presence, serving His Church, and advancing His Kingdom.
4. Some wrongly assume that they can receive Christ as the Savior but not as their Lord.
5. When we see other believers struggling with weakness and sin, we can pray that the Lord would redeem, restore, and bring forgiveness to their hearts and lives (1 John 5:13).
6. There are some who have never had righteous people praying on their behalf. And mature, rightly committed believers should be intentional in praying for those people. The testimony we hear from many believers often highlight a parent or grandparents’ prayers for them to come into the Kingdom. But what about those who have had no one praying for them as the matured? We can be the ones who step up and pray on their behalf!
TALK TO EACH OTHER:
1. What does it mean to "bear fruit" as a child of God? Does it look the same for every believer? Why or why not?
2. How can a believer be diligent about fighting their personal sin without becoming hyper-focused on their transgressions?
3. What does it mean to welcome Christ as a Savior but reject Him as Lord?
4. What does the truth from 1 John 5 (Truth #5) communicate about God? What does it communicate about the Church and how the Lord desires that we interact with one another?
TALK TO GOD:
Pray as you feel led concerning the following areas:
- For those who have had no past generations faithfully praying for them
- Fruitfulness and a right understanding of what God expects from us