Women’s Workshop – Saturday, November 1, 2014

“Wherever You Are, Be All There”-Jim Elliot

The Impact of Technology on Relationships & Our Wise Response

There’s no question that technology has changed our way of life. In what ways

does technology help us build relationships? How does it sabotage them? What does

the Bible say to us about this uniquely 21st-century issue? How do we use technology with wisdom & grace?

Come & join this vital discussion about how to navigate relationships & technology with Biblical wisdom.

Saturday, November 1st

7:00 p.m.

at the Boys & Girls Club

For more information, please contact Amy Stolnis:

571.224.6927

amy.mclaulin@gmail.com

 

Prayer Focus for Slovenia – Sunday, November 3

Slovenia, Europe: Evangelicals are few, underfunded and divided. There is an evangelical presence in only 28 out of 210 municipalities, so church planting teams are clearly needed. The tiny evangelical population often reflects the divisive culture of the South Slavs – pray for unity and the formation of an Evangelical Alliance. Of the few dozen fellowships, almost none are self-funding; most pastors rely on secular employment or external financial support, and there is little teaching in churches on stewardship and giving. Pray for Slovene believers to rise to the challenge of personal evangelism, to support their own pastors and even to send missionaries. www.operationworld.org

 

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The Rock was Christ – Exodus 17:1-7

 

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Pyramid and Sphinx

Our passage this week features the people of God after leaving Egypt in the Exodus. Talk about an aspect of Egyptian history that you find particularly interesting. For example the pyramids, the Sphinx, mummies, the Nile, Coptic Orthodoxy, etc.

Rev. Muldoon said that the Israeilites were failing to let God be God. Considering the larger sweep of the story of the Exodus up to this point and then 17:1-3 how is it that they are failing to do this? Why is this a sin? What would it mean for them to allow God to be God? Why would this be better?

This can be applied to how we treat one another as God’s image-bearers also. Why is it important that we allow other people to be who they are rather than to be someone/thing else? How could doing so honor God?different people talking

Psalms were originally given to God’s people to be sung as a community. In this way the words would be owned and embodied by the people at appropriate times. Read Psalm 88. Why is this not teaching God’s people to grumble? How is this different from what Israel did in Exodus 17?

Is there a difference between grumbling and complaining or lamenting? What is it?

Rev. Muldoon said that “all sin must be punished.” How did Exodus 17 prefigure how the sin of God’s people would be punished?

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Big Electric Chair by Andy Warhol, 1967

Read Paul’s letter to the Colossians 2:13-14. How many sins are we responsible for now or in the future?

How does Colossians 2:13-14 help you to understand that your relationship with God is based on what Jesus has done rather than what you do? How might this give us freedom in the way that we covenantally-relate with God day-to-day? Try to give a specific and concrete example.

Prayer Focus for Slovakia – Sunday, October 26

Slovakia, Europe: Creative ministry is manifesting itself in many ways, particularly through partnerships between local visionaries and foreign ministries. SIET, IN Network, Integra Ventures and many others move the transforming gospel into the marketplace, into popular and youth culture, into prisons and addiction centers. Pray for even greater vision and fruitfulness for these expressions of grace. www.operationworld.org

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Prayer Focus for Singapore – Sunday, October 19

The growth of the Church in Singapore has been steady and sustained since 1970. Evangelicals in particular increased 20-fold from 1960 to 2010; 1 out of 13 people in Singapore is now evangelical. Independent and charismatic churches represent nearly half of all new churches, and some of them now attract over 20,000 in weekly attendance. Additionally, the mainline churches such as Anglicans, Methodists and Presbyterians have very strong evangelical components and continue to grow.

Challenge for Prayer

Strategic issues facing the Church include:

a) The family under threat. Singapore’s birthrate is one of Asia’s lowest. Many young couples rule out having children to pursue careers instead. The government now offers incentives that promote marriage and family. The challenge is great for Christians to maintain balance of their work, family and church life.

b) Increasing social concerns include broken marriages, family violence, elderly poor, dysfunctional youth, depression, issues of sexuality, drug abuse and gambling addiction.The number and types of social-welfare initiatives that minister to the hurting have significantly increased. Pray for more to be done, especially through the local church with its ready pool of volunteers.

c) Effective Bible and leadership training for prospective pastors and missionaries. Excellent theological training opportunities abound, such as Singapore Bible College, Trinity Theological College, Theological Centre for Asia, East Asian Theological Seminary, Biblical Graduate School of Theology, Asia Theological Centre for Evangelism and Missions and Chin Lien Bible Seminary. Specific mission-preparation institutions include YWAM, Asian Cross-Cultural Training Institute, Discipleship Training Centre, Antioch Missions and Bethany International University. The Haggai Institute provides short-term courses for pastors/Christian workers from around the world, especially Asia and Africa. Many churches run their own theological training programmes. There is, however, an increasing need to balance academic learning with practical training for ministry in the 21st Century. Pray for new initiatives to fill this gap. Pray that continued educational excellence might produce many outstanding pastors, missionaries and theologians for Singapore and for the world.

d) Young people remain the most responsive segment of the population. Among under-graduates, about 35% are involved with student ministry of some kind: FES(IFES), CCCI and Navigators groups, or the growing ministries of some megachurches. But spiritual vitality appears to be cooling as young people face many challenges, such as the high demands of studying and, increasingly, worldly pleasures. Many churches struggle to remain relevant to Singapore’s fast-changing youth culture. Pray for the discipling of a new generation with ministry that is relevant, fresh and full of spiritual power.

 

 

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Disturbing the Peace? – Genesis 41:50-45

1. We’ve heard about Joseph’s and others dreams the past few weeks. Not to say your dream was intended to tell the future, but what is an interesting dream you’ve had in your life? Do you remember the characters, setting and plot? Describe for the group.

2. Were you disturbed or comforted by the message that God will disturb false peace in order to achieve true peace?

3. What is “false peace”?

4. What, then, is “true peace”?

5. How does this help to make sense out of Jesus’ teaching that “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God”?

6. How is it true that we are like our Father (sons of God) when we seek reconciliation? Restricting ourselves to Genesis, how has God shown he wants reconciliation in history?

7. Have you ever known someone who would rather live with false peace than pursue true peace through reconciliation?

8. Have you seen reconciliation happen in a church?

9. Have you tried and succeeded or failed in true peacemaking? How?

10. Why is peacemaking a particularly important aspect of adult Spirit-ual formation?

11. Do you see where God might be graciously working events so that you might pursue true peace in conflicted relationships?

Prayer Focus for Sierra Leone – Sunday, October 12

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Sierra Leone, Africa: Secret societies and their occult influence shape the country profoundly. This spiritual evil lies behind the greed and cruelty of Sierra Leone’s darkest times, and is now at the heart of spiritual and social opposition to education, anti-corruption measures and the empowerment of women. Many Christians compromised their spiritual purity, resulting in the disempowerment of the Church. Pray that these dark powers may be bound and the influence of secret societies broken. Pray that Christians will live lives of faith, depending on Jesus alone for provision, protection and power.

Genesis 41:1-57

41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

22 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,  and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

God and the Earth’s Future – 2 Peter 3:3-13

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Rainbow, by Billy Apple, 1965

Last week’s sermon focused on God’s promise to restore and transform the earth by smelting away the impurity of sin at the return of Jesus from heaven (a Restorationist view).  This is in contrast to the popular view that God’s relationship with the earth will end when he totally destroys it at Christ’s return creating a different one afterwards (an Annihilationist view). First we looked at the big picture, noting how a Restorationist view does better justice to the unfolding drama of creation, human rebellion, and redemption. We were created into a web of good relationships that were broken by human rebellion. God is in the business of destroying sin and Satan in the efforts to redeem his good work of creation, which includes human beings. On an annihilationist view the relationship between God and the earth is lost, Satan has corrupted and marred the earth and gets what he always wanted – ultimate destruction of God’s good work of creation.

We then looked at 2 Peter 3:3-13. Noting that Peter is making a comparison between the Flood in Noah’s day and the coming judgment of the ungodly we concluded that the future judgment is not a destruction of God’s good work of creation but “destruction of the ungodly” (v. 7). The extreme heat and burning will be of all evil and effects of death thereby restoring and even transforming creation into the place where righteousness will be established forever (v. 13).

Autumn shotWhat do you find most beautiful about God’s creation during this Autumn season?

If the sermon was to have been abbreviated to one or two quick points which ones would you say should be included no matter what?

In Genesis 9:13 what is included in the covenant that God made with Noah? How does this illustrate the relationship between God and the earth?

Acts 3:18-21 – How much will be restored by the Spirit when Jesus returns?

Romans 8:19-25 – What is presented as groaning with human beings it longs for God’s redemption from the effects of sin?

Colossians 1:15-20 – How much was created through Christ? How much is restored through Christ’s death and resurrection?

In 1 John 3:8b the Apostle writes that “the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” Whose works did the Son of God not come to destroy?

God has obviously placed a value on his good work of creation.  Should creations value be measured by God or by humanity?

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The Girl with the Mushroom Under the Rainbow, by Konstantin Somav, 1922

How is creation’s value to God different from or the same as its value to humans?

Prayer Focus for The Seychelles – Sunday, October 5

Seychelles, Africa: The vernacular of Seselwa has a translated New Testament (NT), but the shelves are empty – financial troubles and the inability to exchange local currency means a shortfall of NTs and all Christian literature. There is an OT translation team in place. Pray for a solution that enables Seychellois to have access to Scripture and materials, and that these will have an impact on their spiritual life. www.operationworld.org

 

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