WHAT GOES ON AT YAM?
The Gathering--learning how to make God look good 24/7, Sundays at 10 AM, on the TFB campus, in the Young Adult room
Eating together--most Sundays, around 11:30 am, give or take...
Experience--an alternative worship event, Every couple of months or so
HomeBase--fellowship in homes
Plain wRap--a bible and brain, pen and paper bible study, Sunday nights during the Summer
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IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
Upcoming Events
Next Sunday
The Gathering--Celebration Sunday
What's going on? Room redecoration
Know God--Writing your Faith Story
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UPCOMING EVENTS
- After Christmas Soda Shop Party, December, 26-- So far it's karaoke and food--have ideas? send 'em in!
- Winter Retreat - look for details next week
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NEXT SUNDAY
8:45 am Worship--Worship Center
10:00 am The Gathering--YAM Room
11:45 am LUNCH @
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THE GATHERING--God is doing something extraordinary--Week One
When Yahweh does something extraordinary, he calls one to bless many.
A survey of the South Bay Yellow Pages finds 87 different categories of religion and 531 listings for local religious bodies—and that’s just in the South Bay! People are searching for something greater. Yet, no matter how hard humans try or how many ways we attempt, on our own we can only reach ourselves. What humans need is for the something greater to reach down and do something extraordinary. Well, the “something greater” did “something extraordinary.” That’s why we celebrate Christmas.
But when did this extraordinary something begin? Did it begin around 2000 years ago when God was born as a human baby, who soiled his diapers and cried when he was hungry? Or did it begin 9 months earlier when a young woman who had never had sex conceived a son by the Holy Spirit? Neither. This extraordinary something was not a Johnny-come-lately plan B picking up the pieces after a failed plan A. This extraordinary something was God’s plan before he created even one thing.
God put his plan into action, not 2000 years ago, but over 4000 years ago—back when the list of religions in the ‘yellow pages’ was just as long as today, and when people everywhere searched for something greater in any way they could.
Today, we’re going to look at the event—the happening—that started the extraordinary something. We’ll see the who—the partner, the what—the plan, and the how far—the extent—of God’s extraordinary something.
Get out your bible and turn to Genesis 12.
It has always been God’s plan to do something extraordinary—to do something for humanity that humanity could not do for itself. When God put his plan into action—when he chose whom he would partner with—he didn’t form a committee. He didn’t create a task force. He called one guy. He called a regular guy—a settled guy. Look at verse one. “Then the LORD told Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.” What did God call Abram to leave? Where did God call Abram to go? God called one. When God does something extraordinary, he calls one.
But God didn’t just call one. He called one to bless. He called one to be a partner in the plan. Look a verse two. “I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others.” How did God promise to bless Abram? When God does something extraordinary, he calls one to bless.
God promised to bless Abram and to make him a blessing, but how far would the blessing go? What was the extent of God’s plan? Look at verse three. “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” What did God say would be the extent of the blessing—of the extraordinary something? When God does something extraordinary, he calls one to bless many.
God called one to bless the many who search for the something greater to do something extraordinary. He called one who was willing to let God lead—to let God do the doing. This extraordinary something began with Abram, but it didn’t stop there. The extraordinary something became fully active with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but it didn’t stop there either.
God is still doing something extraordinary. People are still searching for something extraordinary. God is still partnering with regular people in this extraordinary something. He’s calling regular folks. He’s calling us—one by one.
One of the ways God can use each of you is through your story—your faith story. A faith story is simply the story of your life before you trusted Christ, how you came to trust Christ, and what he is doing through you right now.
Today we’re going to start putting together our faith stories. If you don’t have a faith story—if you have not yet trusted Christ—if you’re still looking for that extraordinary something, I challenge you to take this opportunity. The something greater has already done something extraordinary and all he asks is that you trust him to do through you what you cannot do—to reach God—to reach the something greater and partner in the extraordinary something.
Start putting your faith story together, by answering these three questions:
1. What was life like before you trusted Christ?
2. How did you come to trust Christ?
3. What is Christ doing in you life right now?
Continue to work on your faith story, but don’t stop there—tell someone!
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WHAT'S GOING ON?
ROOM REDECORATION PROJECT: The room is looking good, thanks to Sarah K--resident designer. It's a work in progress, but so far, we have cool throw pillows, floor coverings, nifty lights that even make the green screen look good, and a lovely Christmas art piece created from a string of lights and a bunch of metallic Christmas balls. We've still got stuff to get (window treatments, cooler trash cans, table lamps), but we are on our way. By the way, if anyone has a spare table lamp they'd like to donate... we'll take it! We have some projects for next year, like resurfacing the lovely wood-grain formica entertainment center, and creating small coffee tables from some giant spools.
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KNOW GOD--RESOURCES FOR WALKING THE WALK
Help for writing your faith story from The Evangelism Toolbox
