Week of October 31, 2004
Know the story…Be the people…Expand the Kingdom.
If you would like to contribute to the eNews or converse with the editor, send an email to tfbyam1@hotmail.com
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IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
REGULAR HAPPENINGS
THINK! – What does it take to grow?
MEMORIZE!!
BEING COMMUNITY—The Front Porch is a place to grow
BUILDING A FRONT PORCH…
REVIEWS—Put yours here…
SERMON NOTES—How We Help Each Other Grow
WHAT I SAY—Jesus and the Kingdom, by Stefanie M
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REGULAR HAPPENINGS
WORSHIP GATHERING @ 9:15 am—Main Worship Center
“COFFEE HOUSE” @ 10:30ish—TFB Courtyard
SUNDAY COLLEGIUM @ 11 am—TFB College Room
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY @ 7:15-9:00 pm on Tuesdays— TFB College Room
Paul’s Letter to the Philippians
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THINK! – What does it take to grow?
Review memory verses and think back to what we’ve learned about love (John 13:35), disciple-making (Colossians 4:5), and belonging (Romans 12:5).
From what you’re learning, what do you think it takes to grow as a Christ-follower?
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MEMORIZE!!
THIS WEEK
The Front Porch is a place to grow: 1 Thessalonians 5:11
UPCOMING
The Front Porch is a place to serve together: Galatians 6:2
The Front Porch is a place to worship: Leviticus 23:3
SHOULD BE MEMORIZED
The Front Porch is all about Love: John 13:35
The Front Porch reaches out streetside: Colossians 4:5
On the Front Porch, it’s easy to belong: Romans 12:5
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BEING COMMUNITY—The Front Porch is a place to grow
October 31: The Front Porch is a place to grow, Deuteronomy 30:11-16
Core Truth: God has put his will in our very being; the community that obeys God’s will flourishes, while the community that disobeys God’s will fails.
v.11-14 You’ve got everything you need
v.15 This is serious
v.16 Three parts: love, walk, keep
Love: the tending of the will toward the good of the other.
Walk: the long term tendency of the will as seen in attitudes, behaviors, and emotions.
Keep: treasuring something to the extent that life is lived in conformity to that something.
Look back at your “Christ-follower” list (done in “THINK”).
What would you add?
What would you change?
Compare group and personal practice with your list. What grade (A-F) would you give?
TFB:
College Group:
Yourself:
November 7: The Front Porch is a place to serve together, Luke 10:25-37
November 14: The Front Porch is a place to worship, Psalm 22:23-29
November 21: Building the Front Porch
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BUILDING A FRONT PORCH…
A front porch is the transitional space between the personal/intimate space of the house and the public/social space of the street. It is a space where perfect strangers are free to interact and join in community, if only for a moment between sips of iced tea.
We’re working on two front porch projects:
1. A Front Porch event in December: bowling
2. A Front Porch space: creatively thinking about how we might help the 10:30 TFB "coffee time" to be a front porch space.
BELONGING ELEMENTS: WHAT HELPS PEOPLE FELL COMFORTABLE?
Sunken den
Raffle
College space downstairs
Incandescent lighting
Rocking chairs
Iced tea
Dog
Weber kettle
Leaving the space a bit dirty
Games
Banjo
Food
Beverages
CREATE/GATHER SOME GROW ELEMENTS:
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REVIEWS—Put yours here…
[This space left sadly blank…]
Here's how to do it:
- Give the movie/restaurant/TV show/whatever a rating of 1-5 stars (5 being best)
- Describe the story/style
- Explain your rating, why it was good or bad
- Send your review to tfbyam1@hotmail.com
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SERMON NOTES—How We Help Each Other Grow
Pastor Charlie
“From the very beginning, God decided that those who came to Him--
and all along He knew who would--should become like His Son…”
(Romans 8:29, LB).
“Encourage one another and build each other up…”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV).
WE HELP EACH OTHER GROW BY AFFIRMING EACH OTHER’S WORTH.
By showing ACCEPTANCE: Romans 15:7; Romans 14:10
By giving ATTENTION: Galatians 6:10
By showing AFFECTION: Romans 12:10
By showing APPRECIATION: 1 Thessalonians 5:12
WE HELP EACH OTHER GROW BY PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER’S GROWTH. Colossians 4:12; Ephesians 3:18-19; Hebrews 13:21; Romans 15:13; Ephesians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:5; Ephesians 3:16
WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER GROW BY ADMITTING OUR OWN MISTAKES. Ephesians 4:25
Benefits of honesty:
Emotional healing James 5:16
A fresh start Proverbs 28:13
Deeper fellowship 1 John 1:7
WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER GROW BY ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER’S DEVOTION. 1 Timothy 4:7; Romans 1:12
“Helping people become fully devoted followers of Christ”
Devotion to SHARING the good news of Christ with others
Devotion to MODELING Christ in all aspects of our lives
Devotion to ENGAGING in loving relationships with other believers
Devotion to SURRENDERING our lives joyfully to God
Devotion to SERVING God and others with our abilities and resources
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WHAT I SAY—Jesus and the Kingdom, by Stefanie M
Share the knowledge! It you’d like to contribute a paper to the eNews, send a copy to tfbyam1@hotmail.com. All topics considered!
Jesus enters his ministry during an interesting time in Jewish history. The Jews had already broken their initial covenant with God, and as a result were allowed to undergo exile by the Babylonians and the subsequent oppression by Rome. Throughout these difficult times, many prophets talked about the eschatological salvation of the Jews; in other words, of a future time when once again they would be given hope and freedom as the chosen people of the Kingdom of God.
When the Jews envisioned their savior, they pictured a strong, courageous warrior, someone who would lead them to a bloody victory against Rome. The savior would then bring righteousness and peace, as well as the reestablishment of a new covenant between Israel and God. This assumption is somewhat understandable, since the redeemer was prophesied to descend from the line of the heroic David. But surprisingly enough, the “savior” of the Jews appears unlike anything they expected, in the humble form of Jesus, the son of a simple carpenter from little Bethlehem. It is as a result of this sharp contrast of expectation versus reality that Jesus begins his ministry about the Kingdom of God. Jesus does in fact plan to bring about a new covenant for the people with God, but not as a warrior as the Jews had thought. Although many of the Jews were still waiting for their redeemer to come, it is the purpose of the Gospel of Matthew to declare that He- as well as the Kingdom of God- is in fact already here.
Matthew 13 is perhaps the best example of Jesus’ discourse about the Kingdom. It contains a number of parables spoken to the disciples and the crowds, all which are central to Jesus’ ministry and have the purpose of teaching something about the Kingdom. The first three parables all describe the Kingdom of heaven as a seed, whether simply as a “good” seed or as a mustard seed. This comparison shows how the Kingdom of God, meaning the knowledge of who Jesus is and the salvation He offers, will start off as discreet as a tiny mustard seed, but will later flourish and thrive as people learn the truth. Jesus also uses the parables of the seeds to indicate the different responses to his offer of the Kingdom. Some will hear the news and not understand it, because Satan will not allow them to, just as some seeds are thrown on the path and are gobbled up by birds. Others spring up quickly in joy at the news, just as a seed on rocky soil, but then wither and die quickly the first time they are faced with trials. Jesus gives other possible reactions as those “choked by weeds”- or the worries and busyness of life, and also the response compared to the seed in the good soil, which produced crops of plenty. Every listener to Jesus’ teachings falls into one of these categories. The Pharisees may perhaps be those “choked by weeds,” for they are so concerned with the Law that they fail to see the fulfillment of the Law who stands in front of them in the form of Jesus. Most of the disciples may be placed in the group described as the “seeds that landed on good soil,” for in time they recognize Jesus as the bringer of the Kingdom of God, and many sacrifice their lives in order to tell as many as possible the good news.
The final parable discussing the Kingdom in terms of seeds describes the Son of Man as a sower of good seed (the sons of the kingdom) in a field (the world). Then the enemy (Satan) plants weeds (“sons of the evil one”) among the good crops, which must remain until the harvest (end time). Jesus then ends the parable with His own victory as the Son of Man, who is in fact Jesus Himself, throws the weeds into the “fiery furnace.” Jesus uses this parable to teach that He, the Son of Man, is the one who will reap victory in the end, just as prophesied. However, He explains that just as the weeds and crops must endure together until the harvest, so must the people be patient in their wait for salvation from Rome, and accept that the Kingdom is in fact the present redemption available in Jesus.
Similarly, Jesus also talks about the Kingdom of Heaven as yeast, which is kneaded through a whole batch of dough. Once again, this symbolizes how it will take time for the news of who Jesus is to catch on, but soon everyone will hear about Him, whether they choose to accept the implications of His coming or not. Jesus uses this parable to explain that although He tries to keep His identity secret for now so He may fulfill His ministry in the ordained time, inevitably everyone will hear about who He is.
Jesus discusses another aspect of the Kingdom through his parable of the treasure in the field and the parable of the pearl. In each parable, a man is willing to give up all he has, for he knows that the treasure (or the pearl) is worth so much more. These two parables are very similar in that they relate the Kingdom of God not to a physical salvation from the oppression of Rome, but rather to a spiritual salvation that is here and now. To accept Jesus as the coming of the Kingdom of God, everything that might hinder obedience and faithfulness must be given up. However, just as the treasure and the pearl were worth so much more than other material wealth, so is the Kingdom worth the sacrifice of anything on this earth. Jesus tells through this parable that the new covenant is here, and that it is worth more than any of the Jews and disciples could imagine.
The final parable of Matthew 13 describes the Kingdom as a net used to catch all kinds of fish. Later the fishermen sort through the fish and separate good from bad, just as the angels will separate good from the wicked at the end times. Although this parable denotes the judgment of the end times, Jesus makes the connection that the Kingdom collects “all kinds of fish”- meaning that Jesus can save Jews, Gentiles, disciples, whoever will accept that he is the bringer of the Kingdom of God.
The final reference to the Kingdom in Matthew 13 is Jesus’ comment to the disciples that “every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (v. 52). In this final comment, by placing the new and old treasures together, Jesus alludes to the idea that He does not declare Himself as the new replacement to the old Law of Moses; rather, He is the fulfillment of the Law and works alongside the Law in all He does. Many of the Jews were horrified by the actions of Jesus that contradicted their beloved Law. Through this statement Jesus makes clear that He is the embodiment of the Law, and therefore does not intend to contradict it, but rather to overthrow the current image of God and the covenant and to declare Himself as the fulfillment of the new covenant with God. It is this idea that is central to the teachings of Jesus, that the Kingdom is the new covenant of spiritual salvation made available here and now by Jesus. Indeed, the Kingdom of God is near, for it is Jesus Himself that brings it about.
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