Simple Church

January 6 - Discipleship, part 4 (Wednesday)

A disciple is one who is taught and obeys the teaching that is taught. 

Being a disciple is hard.  And the more you teach someone what it really means to be a Christian the harder it is to reach people.  

Discouragement.  Set backs.  Being wounded.  What are we to do?

Go. 

Go now. 

And tell people who want to hear the truth about Jesus. 

Discipleship, part 4 - Luke 10:1-24

January 3 - Giving, part 2

Do you think it's possible to write God a check and have your giving taken care of?  We are ordinary people called by God to do extraordinary things.  And that requires that we give everything to Jesus, and it has nothing to do with your checkbook. 

Giving, part 2

Luke 20:45 - 21:6

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

December 30 (Wednesday) - Our Call - Keith Wilson

At the end of our life, what we really want is to know we squeezed every last drop out of life.  We know trials are coming.  And our hearts are heavy because we can't seem to get away from the sin of this world.  

Take heart -- God's grace is there. 

Our Call

1 Peter 1:13-20

December 27 - Giving

To give -- to truly surrender -- your life to Christ will cost you more than you think.  It's like writing a blank check to Jesus for Him to fill in any way He wants to.  What if what gets filled in that blank check is putting someone in your place of honor, your place of care and comfort?  What if what gets filed in that check is the monumental task of loving God with all your hear, with all your mind, with all you soul and with all your strength?  It's the constant battle of loving God more. 

Giving - Luke 10:25-37

December 20 - Christmas - Glory

There was good news because God had a plan.  Mary should have been stoned.  Joseph's betrothed is pregnant and the baby isn't his.  Shepherds are outcast.  The king is mad. 

But it was all part of the plan.  A plan that had been set in motion at creation, moved forward with the exile of the Israelites, and then was glorified through the birth of a baby. 

It's good news that doesn't look like good news, but God had a plan.  

Glory

Luke 2:10

Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:46-56

Luke 2:8-20

Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2:13-18

December 16 - Discipleship, part 3 (Wednesday) - Keith Wilson

What's so good about the Good News?  Jesus repeatedly told people they had to give up everything to follow Him, and even hate their family in comparison to how much they loved Him. Why would He do that?  Unless, whatever He has for you is not everything you need.

Keith Wilson

Luke 14:25-35 - Discipleship 

December 13 - Glory

One day, when you are talking to people about Christmas, maybe you can turn to Matthew 2 and show someone that God has been preparing a hope for the word in Jesus Christ for thousands of years.  There was a dark side to that first Christmas. But God saw there tears, and there was hope. 

Matthew 1:25 - 2:18 - Glory

December 9 - Discipleship, Part 2 (Wednesday)

Do you know what you are supposed to care about more than your family?  Do you know what you're supposed to care about more than your possessions? Being a Christian and being a disciple are the same thing.  Being a disciple means that compared to how much you love Jesus, your care for everything else looks like hate.  

Luke 9:57-62 - Discipleship, part 2 

December 6 - Thankful, part 2

The most familiar verse in all of the Bible are in the middle of a story about a man who took a chance to believe Jesus when other's didn't.  

There were rumors that the reason Jesus could perform miracles was because He was of satan.  Religious leaders looked for reason to discredit Him and call Him a liar.  But one of their peers went to Jesus in the cover of darkness believing He was exactly who He said He was - our only hope. 

Thankful - John 3:1-21

December 2 - Discipleship (Wednesday)

A small portion of discipleship is meeting over coffee and going through the Word.  Instead, it's more like sharing our lives with each other.  

That's what Jesus did.  He didn't have huge crowds.  He had twelve guys that He trained, challenged, corrected, and sent them out to do the work.  He talked to them about God in everyday life as they walked together, were going places together, and doing everyday life together.  

And He begged the question of them: what needs to be done, and how can you be a part of doing it? 

Discipleship - Ephesians 4:11-16