Preparation for Wednesday April 29th 2015

This will be our final lesson on the topic of "Gospel Culture".  I think you will find it very interesting.  In order to be better prepared for our time together--read Lk 15:11-32.  You will recognize this right way as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son".  Couple things to think about before we meet:

1.  Who is represented by the Prodigal and the "Older Brother"

2.  How is grace manifested in the parable?  What are the consequences of rejecting God's grace?

3.  How does this parable relate to Gospel-Culture?

See you on Wednesday,
Kevin

Preparation for Wednesday April 22nd, 2015

We studied the example of Jesus when He washed the disciples feet, which in turn led us to the truths associated with the Christian's calling to have a servant's heart and to follow the example of Christ.  We have one last subject to investigate and it revolves around this question, "If we are living out the truth--a sacrificial, other-person-first, life of humility; how then would we expect the world to respond to us?"  

You might think it would be grateful, or even respond to the message we have.  Take a look at Jn 16:33 and Jn 15:18-19 to see what you can expect instead.  

Stated another way, William Tyndale, Bible translator, said this about the Gospel, "Euangelion (the Gospel) is a Greek word signifying good, merry, glad and joyful news, that makes a man's heart glad and makes him sing, dance and leap for joy."  And the world martyred him, for among other things, translating this good news into English.   

How do you explain this?  Should it effect our "Gospel Culture"?  

See you on Wednesday,
Kevin

Preparation for Wednesday April 15th 2015

So during our last meeting together, I tried to show you that one way we (the Church) puts on display the manifold wisdom of God (Eph 3:10) is through the outworking of a servant's heart (Jn 13:15-16).  And not just a few within the fellowship, but as a VCC-wide culture.  

Now, are there any boundaries or limits on this service model?  

  - On the one hand, with Christ as our example, we might be tempted to say no.  

  - On the other hand, consider 1Tm 3:15 and Jn 18:37-38.  I think they add something to what it means to be "holy. . . without stain or blemish" as a church fellowship.  That's one of the things we'll talk about this week. 

See you on Wednesday,

Kevin

Preparation for Wednesday April 8th, 2015

We are going to continue our study of "Gospel Culture" while at the same time transitioning to a study of John chapters 13-17.  Here is the connection I would like you to think about for this weeks' study.  

How does the example of our Lord washing the disciple's feet (and the command to do likewise) relate to Eph 3:10?  In other words--this idea of Gospel Culture seems to be tugged in two different directions.  Are we to take on a servant's role--or put on display the wisdom of God to the watching spiritual host?  Can these two be reconciled.  We'll try on Wednesday.  

Kevin

April 1--No Wednesday Evening Service

Preparation for Wednesday 25 March 2015

For the next few weeks we are going to connect our study of the kind of "culture" the Gospel should produce with the events associated with our upcoming celebration of Easter.  

You can prepare by reading Jn 13:1-17.  Just two questions for you to ponder.  

1.  Would you call what is going on in Jn 13 to be more of the "theory" of ministry or the "practice" of ministry?  

2.  How does your above answer impact our study of such very theoretical passages as Eph 5:23-33?  (I am not in any way implying that "theory" is bad--instead, I am wanting us to think about what it means every time Christ is brought up as an example of something--after reading the narrative of Jn 13.  In other words, does the life He lived add to or detract from holding Him up as an example?  Can the same be said of each of us?) 

See you on Wednesday.

Preparation for Wednesday March 18, 2015

After a week off for our Missions Conference, we'll be back this week to our study entitled "Gospel Culture".  Specifically, what kind of culture, or witness, should be observed by those watching a church fellowship that believes the Gospel--belief to the point that it transforms them into the kind of "Bride" that Christ desires.  

We have a few things to finish discussing about what the message of the Gospel is, and what it isn't, and then we will move from the individual to the corporate.  For not only does the Bible have much to say to the individual, it also addresses the corporate.  In order to be ready for this coming Wednesday, take a look at two passages:

   Eph 5:25-32
1.  What is the Church supposed to become?  What do you suppose this actually looks like in terms of day to day observable behavior?

2.  How does Christ feed and care for His Church?  

   Eph 3:10
1.  Is the Church's witness limited to our immediate surroundings?  When it looks like it is supposed to--who else is impressed and who gets the glory? 

Preparation for Wednesday March 11th

No preparation for the 11th, as we have guest missionary speakers Ken and Thurleen Bain.  They have been ministering on a nearby Indian Reservation for the past 8 years,  so join us for a pot luck at 6:00 and then hear about what the Lord has been doing among the Tohono O'odham people at 7:00 PM.  

Preparation for Wednesday March 4th

We are still warming up to our subject--the "culture" that should be apparent in every church fellowship because of their shared belief in the Gospel.  In other words, the things we hold most dear (Gospel doctrine) should naturally manifest themselves in a certain culture (Gospel culture).  This culture should be a distinctive mark of the church, and it should attract people to it, which is to attract people to Christ.   As we saw last time, our understanding of what God has done through the cross of Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16), should lead us to love one another (1Jn 4:11), and it is this love that manifests God to a lost and watching world.  

Beginning this week, we will start looking at passages that deal with the Gospel, and ask ourselves, "If we believed this, what kind of culture would it produce?"  The first passage we will study is Rm 1:16.   Meditate on this verse for a few minutes and think about the kind of culture that would result if we were a Church fellowship that shared a common belief in this verse?  

   - Of  these two words found in the verse, ashamed and power, which do you think is the one we are meant to focus upon?

   - How does that change the culture we would have as a fellowship?

All of this begs that we understand the Gospel--as an exercise,  write out your best understanding of the Gospel in less than 25 words.  

Preparation for Wednesday February 25th

We are just getting started on a study of both the Gospel and the culture it should produce.  As I tried to make clear last Wednesday, I am trying to persuade you that a set of shared beliefs, truly held among individuals, should lead to a shared culture.  Furthermore, by way of application, I am suggesting that our witness to the lost in our community is most powerful when it is a mixture of doctrine and culture.  Now you might find that to be a surprising thing for a Bible teacher to say--someone who cares about orthodoxy above almost everything else.  But I am also willing to hear God speak to me through His Word--and what does Jn 13:35 say?  Does this seem more like an expression of orthodoxy or culture?  (Specifically, I mean the culture the Church is to display to the lost world around us.)


We will take about Rm 1:16 this week and the culture it should produce.  Meditate on this verse for a few minutes and think about the kind of culture that would result if we were a Church fellowship that shared a common belief in this verse?  

   - Of  these two words in the verse, ashamed and power, which do you think is the one we are meant to focus upon?

   - How does that change the culture we would have as a fellowship?  


All of this begs that we understand the Gospel--as an exercise,  write out your best understanding of the Gospel in less than 25 words.