Fall Ironmen 2017 #1 “The Intent of Creation…..”

6:15-6:20 (7:00-7:05)Greet and Get Settled

6:20-6:30 (7:05-7:15)Welcome (especially any new men)……We do this every week so we can continue to “Restore Hearts-Catalyze Friendships-Initiate/Engage in Good Works”. To do this by coming in “Different Windows”, but the REAL POWER is the time around these tables….A SOLO journey can be dangerous!

-This Fall we want to “Pull Back The Curtain” as we try to make sense of the “craziness-pain-and heartache” that seems endless in our world today.

“The fact is it isn’t isolated to a certain part of the world, it’s all over. Nation threatens nation, people battling people, married couples fighting one other and families being destroyed by anger, resentment, and infidelity. The craziness seems constant. The outbursts may vary in intensity but a trail of bloodshed, heartache, and abuse is all too common. The uncertainty of what our fragile future may hold seems to prevail.

I have often found myself both asking, and being asked, what is going on? Who or what is behind all this despair, pain and brokenness? Is there an “Evil One”? If so, what part does he play in all this? To what degree is mankind culpable? What did Jesus have to say about it all? What is the true nature of the “battle” that rages both within and around us? How can we best confront and address it? Did Jesus do anything that offers a sane reason to have hope?”

This is where we are headed and I trust it will be a challenging and I trust hopeful journey!

6:30-6:45(7:15-7:30)WATCH These SLIDES (brokenness)………What are you thinking and feeling now besides “I thought this time was supposed to encourage us”?

-What do you think is at the “Core” of all this craziness? How do you explain it? (Push men on this a bit)

6:45-7:10(7:30-7:55)Mini-Teaching Time

*One thing is CERTAIN it sure didn’t start out this way…..

*Gen 1: Everything is created ON purpose-WITH a purpose and a built in good “OUGHTNESS-ESSENCE” to it (planets orbits, seeds growth, seasonal changes, animals reproduce….God’s DIRECT rule of order/blessing-Prov 8, Ps 24, 33:6-9 it all was VERY GOOD).

*KEY: God’s INDIRECT rule came/comes through mankind/humanity (Read Gen 1: 26-28). He CREATED us for HIMSELF/in HIS IMAGE to be able to ENCOUNTER and KNOW Him and to be CO-WORKERS with Him to develop His undeveloped world meaning society and culture (tools, building, art, music, justice, science, agriculture, etc) according to the “creational intent” of each of these.

*”Thoughcreation was completed the development of it wasn’t…so God created mankind in His Image, out of LOVE, with the MANDATE to RULE, be FRUITFUL, FILL, and SUBDUE…carry on where God left off-shape civilization and culture” ----Wolters….see Ps 8:3-9. Nothing else created was given this task often called the “Creational-Cultural” Mandate of “Having dominion” (subduing).

This was, and is, our Creational Calling to further develop God’s world with Him and in response to Him for His glory, honor and our flourishing! This “blueprint” has never gone away and the CHAOS/BROKENNESS of our everyday world has not cancelled God’s creational intent out!

*READ from Yancey’s Book “The Question….” Pgs 121-124 excerpts

7:10-7:15(7:55-8:00)WATCH These SLIDES (beauty)……These affirm how it “Ought” to have been---what we long for. And also show that even with the realities of pain, brokenness and despair God hasn’t given up on His Creation/us. Next week more of what happened……

7:15-7:40(8:00-8:25)TABLE TALK….

*How do you make sense of the painful things you read in the paper, listen to on the news or see on TV, or that crash directly into your world or the world of people you know and love?

*What was it between the 2 sets of slides that struck you the most?

7:40-7:45(8:25-8:30)Wrap Up:What are you leaving with…..what “questions” are surfacing for you?

7:45/8:30Announcements:

*New Guys always Welcome

*$10 if and when you have it…

*Pick Up a Training Assignment

*Nov 10th Christopher West

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:

*Take some time to consider how you might respond to someone if they asked you “Why is the world the way it

is today in terms or sickness, war, strife, conflict, resentment, etc? How do you think most people might answer

this same question?

*Read Gen 3 a few times and give some thought to:

*Where did the serpent come from, who is it?

*What characterizes the serpent in the exchange that occurs with Adam/Eve?

*What was the “core” issue for Adam/Eve that opened the door for the pain that ensued? What does that

say about the nature of the relationship God wanted with them and all of humanity?

*Write down the various outcomes of Adam/Eve’s decision? Who is ultimately responsible for the chaos?