Balcony East – 2nd ServiceJan. 22, 2017

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Welcome!

Announcements

Praise / Worship – Psalm 13 (Jamie DeJonge)

Testimony – class testimonies of Mission Focus

Recharge Groups

Current Series – Life on a Mission! A study of the Book of Acts

Announcements

  • Ladies’ Small Group – see Meredith. 3rd Saturday of the month, 1-3 PM
  • Men’s Small Group – see Mike. Starting first of year.
  • Super Bowl party at the Wilbers: February 5th. Game starts at 5:30 PM
  • Check out the all-church announcements on the main bulletin
  • Mark your calendars! Tass Assadafrom Israel will be speaking at MBTSunday, Jan 29. He’ll also be here for several “Q & A” sessions the followingMondayandTuesdaynights.
  • § Monday, Jan 30“Q & A”6-8pm(pizza served)
  • § Tuesday, Jan 31“Q & A”7-8:30pm
  • The Atheist Delusion,Friday, Feb 10.Doors open at 6:30p, movie starts at7pm; see details. Also we have an event on FB called “Movie Night”. You can use this event to invite others thru Facebook.
  • Couples Dinnerat MBTSaturday, Feb 11at5-7:30pm; $40 per couple. Childcare provided. Signup on myMBT or see Damon in the lobby byFeb 5.
  • 2017 Mission Trips:Sign up to pray, prepare, give and go.Get more information on the trips of interest to you by signing up at the Connections counter in lobby or online atmbtkc.org. Please see Bulletin insert for a list of trips available in 2017.
  • How to Teach Women’s Blueprint Study:Have you completed the Women’s Blueprint Study & want to teach others?We have two “How To Teach: Blueprint” classes set up. The first startsFebruary 5 at 10:45am& runs all Sundays in February. The second class will be Sundays in April at9am.Please email Kristi to register. Register ASAP as Pastoral Approval is required to attend.

Pick 2 – Recharge Groups

  1. What is something specific that your group could pray about this week for you?
  2. What is a praise you have or a way you have seen God answer prayer for you recently?
  3. Who is someone you are praying specifically for their salvation and that you could ask your group to pray about for you this week?
  4. What opportunities have you had to share the gospel/invest in someone else this week?
  5. What is something God showed you this week from your time with God in the Bible?
  6. What is something for which God is convicting you that you can share with your group for accountability and fellowship?
  7. Are there any opportunities that you are considering that God has spoken to you about that your group can pray about.

Acts – Life on a MissionJan. 22, 2017

Review

This Week…

Chapter 6:8-15 – Third Persecution of the Church: Stephen’s Work and Arrest

Life on a Mission = A life of Faith and Power

Characteristics of Faith – when you are met in your life with something that is not matching up with what the WOG says -- you change your life to make it match what the WOG says. Faith = obeying the WOG.

Characteristics of Power – Remember from our time in Acts, early on. The power of God comes from two things: 1) the presence of the Holy Ghost in your life (indwelling), and 2) the purpose of the Holy Ghost in your life (being witnesses).

A life of Faith and Power results in great things done in and through your life

A life of Faith and Power leads to Disputings – v. 9

  • The Characters
  • Libertines – thought to be of the Jews or of the ancestors of Jews who had been captured by the Romans but later freed. The Bible doesn’t say directly, but their name generally means “to be free, or freed”
  • Cyrenians – Two men named of Cyrene in Bible. Simon, who bore the cross of Christ in Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:26; and Lucius in Acts 13:1 who was one of the famous five who were called out as the first missionaries from Antioch. The name means “a coldness, also floor or wall.” It was the major city of its region, and would correspond with modern Tripoli, lying between Carthage and Egypt in northern Africa. Once an Egyptian dependant, now it fell under Roman rule.
  • Alexandrians – These were from Egypt in northern Africa, in what would be a northwest suburb of modern Cairo.
  • Cilicia – This was a south-coastal city of Asia Minor (in the north)
  • Asia – the vast continent to the east
  • ** So you can see that the rejection of God’s offering to chosen Israel had reached the modern world now. It started in Jerusalem, and went to its religious leaders, then to its governing rulers, then to its representative body. Now we see the same rejection extending to those who were dispersed, confirming that the official position was to reject Jesus.

Life Tip #1: The enemy will allow Christians lacking in faith and power to go about their business. But start living in faith and power, where you are effecting change in yourself and those around you, you can expect a turf war.

  • Note the source: the synagogue. False religion (used in the broadest sense) will challenge God’s work in your life
  • The obviously religious: false doctrine, atheistic, or other heretical, …
  • The less obvious sources of religious disputing. The religious devotion of your:
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Boss / Co-workers
  • Money philosophy
  • Idolatry
  • Slothfulness
  • Doubt and depression
  • And on and on…

Life on a Mission means speaking with Wisdom and Boldness

  • The Enemy cannot honestly resist God’s wisdom.
  • Defined by practice: Psalm 37:30 (righteousness and justice); Prov 3:7 (fear of Lord, rejection of evil)
  • The Enemy cannot honestly resist boldness of a believer that comes from the truths in the WOG.
  • I’m not talking about the bold brashness that you inherited from your obnoxious uncle Joey or your aunt Mildred
  • Or your gift of argument, or misdirection
  • Or ability to shout other people down

Life Tip #2: Boldness from knowing and living God’s word is a confidence that no matter how uncomfortable to your flesh, or to those around you, or the powers of darkness that would oppress you – the words that come out of your mouth are reflective of someone who has been walking with God.

Well, how am I ever going to get there? It’s not rocket science, but it needs to be said nonetheless - Having this spirit:

  • means you have to spend time in the WOG – yourself
  • And it means you have to spend some time praying that God would make the things you are reading true in your life.

Life on a Mission has a counter-culture – vv. 11-15

Don’t be a part of it! – Psalm 1:1

#1 – Don’t resist the wisdom and spirit of God.

When faced with God’s word, repent and agree with it in your life.

#2 – Don’t spend your energy and resources in ways that will distract you from God’s direction for your life – v. 11

#3 – Don’t allow yourself to distract others from following God’s direction for their life. – v. 12

#4 – Don’t lie about what God’s people say or do; don’t lie about the mission– v. 13-14

Life on a Mission is unmistakeable – vv. 15

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