Show Notes
Week 2, Burn the Map
Sermon Series: Off the Map Jenn Lewis
September 29, 2019
NOTES
Burn the Map
Genesis 6:5-22, Genesis 12:1-4, Joshua 22:5, 23:6-8, Matthew
5:13-16, Matthew
10:16, Matthew
16:21-27, John
15:18-25, Joshua
24:14-15 Following Christ:
- Can often require us to do the unexpected
- Can be counter-intuitive
- Can be counter-cultural
- Three ways to go in life: follow culture's map, follow our map, or follow God's game plan We must choose which of the three we’re going to follow
- Following God’s game plan will be difficult.
- Following God’s game plan will encourage others to follow You can’t change the world if you are just like the world
- Following God’s game plan will bring salvation to others.
- God is calling us to take up our cross and follow Him
We don't live differently to pick a fight with our culture but to bring Jesus to our culture.
Jesus didn’t die on the cross to bless your life; He died on the cross to save you from yourself
REVIEW AND INTRODUCTION
Last week, Chris gave six ways to follow God’s will in your life (1. Nurture a friendship with God, 2. Learn and follow the game plan, 3. Do your best, and chill out, 4. Do the next right thing, 5. Remember the when is as important as the what, 6. When you find yourself in a valley, don’t stop following God). Have you tried implementing any of those in your daily life? If so, how is it working out?
Can you think of a time you saw someone sacrifice their personal preference to serve another or to stand up for what was right no matter the cost?
Can you think of any scenarios in your life where you wish God had given you a road map? Share one with your group.
Have you ever been labeled, disrespected, or ridiculed for following God’s game plan instead of the culture around you? What did you do in that situation? How did you handle the criticism? Did you handle it well, or could you have handled it differently for a better outcome?
When you choose to follow Christ, you are choosing to follow a different map. What does that mean to you in practical terms?
How was Noah counter-cultural? Do you know anyone today who is this counter-cultural due to the way they follow God?
St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the Gospel at all time. When necessary, use words." What does that mean? Does that describe your approach? Why or why not?
Think about where you work or go to school, your friends, your team, your neighborhood, your extended family... Do the people involved in these areas express how they feel about Christians? What about the Christian church? If they do, what do they say about Christians and the church? How does that make you feel?
MY STORY
How do you celebrate your good deeds so your light shines while remaining humble so God can be seen and on display instead of you? When you do a good deed, do you ever ask yourself, “is my purpose in this to make God’s name great or to make my name great”?
Jenn said following God’s game plan will be: uncomfortable, unpopular, and even painful. What do you think about that statement? Have you experienced this? Share with your group.
Jenn read two warnings that Joshua gives us in Joshua 22:5 and Joshua 23:6-8. In both, he tells us to "hold fast" or cling to God. What does that mean to you? How can YOU hold fast to God in spite of what’s going on around you?
Do you think you do a good job with “holding fast” to God? If so, how has this impacted your life? If not, why not? What makes it hard? Or have you never thought of this before? What are some practical changes you can make in your life to cling to God?
When we first met Abram (who becomes Abraham), he is a 75-year-old idol worshiper. Abram follows God throughout his life, becoming the man referred to as the father of our faith and listed as a hero of faith in Hebrews 11. What do you think was the defining thing that allowed such a drastic change in Abraham. (For a hint: see Genesis 15:6). What does that verse mean to you? Why do you think it was so significant that it changed Abraham’s entire destiny?
One of Jenn’s points was that you couldn't change the world if you are just like the world. You can't make a difference unless you are different. Why do you think that is? How do you live that out?
Does knowing that people will or will not see and feel God’s presence in how we live our lives resonate with you? Is that an encouragement for you? How? Why do you think that’s so important for us to remember?
When Jesus tells us in Matthew
5:13-16, we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, what does that mean to you? Do you feel that way about your life? How do you live that out daily? What are specific ways and where are particular places in which you can be salt and light?
Jenn said God is not calling us to follow the American dream. What do you think of that statement? Is it encouraging or concerning? Why do you think it makes you feel that way? Does reading John
15:18-25 help put that into a better perspective for you?
One of the points of this message is that we don’t live differently to pick a fight with our culture but to bring Jesus to our culture. What do you think the difference is between the two? Do you find yourself expending your time and energy picking fights with the culture, or do you spend more time bringing Jesus to the culture? How do you do one without the other?
DIGGING DEEPER
Read through these guiding scriptures and answer the corresponding questions.
As we heard this Sunday, denying ourselves to follow Jesus can be no small challenge. What hope do the above verses give that living a life based on God’s game plan is well worth it?
Can you think of a time in your life when the truth of these Scriptures came alive because you did the tough thing? If so, explain.
Which one would you say is most important to you?
Read: Ephesians 4:29-5:3 and Ephesians 5:15-16
This week we heard Jenn say that it's essential to take a serious look at what we're allowing in our life. The Apostle Paul makes a similar statement to the church in Ephesus, speaking not only of things to stop but also of things that need to be done. As you read the above verses, jot down what Paul tells the Ephesians to stop and start doing.
Looking back at what you just wrote, can you think of any examples of God working in your life that made you stop or start one of the behaviors Paul listed?
Read: Matthew 11:28-29, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:5, Romans 12:1-2
For many of us, denying ourselves to follow Jesus isn't just a matter of not wanting to; it's a matter of not quite understanding how and what it takes. What insight and encouragement does God give us to continue to deny ourselves in the above verses?
Which of these verses do you tend to forget? Why do you think that is?
BRINGING IT HOME
What's your first response to the statement that as a follower of Christ, you are called to "deny yourself"? What might be some examples of being willing to “deny yourself”...
... at work or at school?
... with your friends or teammates? ... at home?
Jenn talked about how living differently has an eternal impact. What does that mean? Do you think that if you do enough good things, you'll be saved? Or do you believe what the Bible teaches (for example Ephesians 2:8) that through God's grace we are saved by faith in Him and not through our good works? So if the phrase “living differently has an eternal impact” doesn’t refer to our salvation, what does it mean?
You can’t make a difference if you’re not willing to live differently. Jenn mentioned some specific areas in our lives where we should live differently to bring Jesus to our culture. Some examples include the language we use, the media we consume, the way we treat others, etc. Can you think of specific areas in your life where you need to live differently so you can be the salt and the light?
If you are a follower of Christ and you’re not feeling any tension between God’s game plan for your life and culture’s map, why do you think that is? Could it be because you’re only spending time with likeminded people? Do you think this is impacting your ability to be salt and light? Do you think you might be compromising somewhere?
What difference is God calling you to make? Does the way you live impact the difference God is calling you to make? How would your living differently enable others to see who God is?
Jenn said that if your dreams ever compete with God’s will, then God’s will needs to win out. How do you live well in the tension between your dreams and God’s will without being a “jerk for Jesus”?
Jenn talked about us having three ways to go in life: 1. Follow culture's map, 2. Follow our map, or 3. Go off the map and follow the game plan of God’s will. She said we must choose whether we’re going to follow one of those two maps or God’s game plan. How are you doing with that? What specifically can you be doing to get off the maps offered by our desires and culture and follow God’s will? Discuss this with your group.
NEXT STEPS
- If you’re not in a Life Group, you still have time to join. Visit vineyardwheeling.com, click “Get Involved’ and click “Sign Up” under groups.
- God answers prayer. If you’re walking through a valley right now, be sure to get prayer.