40 Days of Focus: Serving - Week 4

Week Three – Day 1 – Everyone Hates a Pharisee

“The man who gives little with a smile gives more than the man who gives much with a frown.” – Jewish Proverb

Let’s suppose you and I have decided to go into business together. We want to make tennis shoes. Now imagine I said you to, “Hey, I want you to meet my friend Mike. We grew up together. I’ve known him my entire life. I think we should hire him to run the office.” You might wonder what makes me think Mike would be a good office manager, other than the fact that we lived next door from each other as kids. So, you ask, “What kind of a guy is Mike and what makes you think he’d be good for the job?” So, I tell you at length about how his dad was the pastor of my church and how he went to the best school in town. He’s always wanted to run his own company and he’s really, really, smart. He even graduated from the University of Texas MBA program 1st in his class. About now, you might be thinking, why would he want this job? So, you say, “I’d like to meet him.”

Now imagine we set up a lunch meeting with Mike and over the course of the next hour he tells you how much he has done at past companies. He tells you about how he attends the best church in town and how much the church is doing to serve others. He hands you his resume and you are impressed.

Later that afternoon you call his references only to find there is no answer. So, just to be thorough you look up the last two companies he worked at on line and call them to see if they can confirm he worked there. The first company tells you they remember him well. In a hush voice, the secretary tells you, strictly off-line, that he was always talking bad about the boss and telling customers things that were not true. It turns out he was fired after only one month on the job. The next company’s receptionist directs your call to the owner. “I could not recommend Mike for the job,” he tells you. “It took us weeks to figure it out, but Mike was not a good guy. He talked a good talk, but he was the most self-centered guy we’ve ever hired. He made my best sales guy quit because he was taking his best leads and closing the deals himself.”

So, who is Mike? Is he a good guy or a bad guy? What started out sounding good, turned out to be only the surface. When you dug deep you found him to be a hypocrite. He said one thing, but he did another. My guess is, you wouldn’t agree to hire Mike.

Mike was a hypocrite. He said one thing and did another. He was fake. He was self-centered. In Jesus’ day, this is what the Pharisee was like.

Matthew 23:1-4, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”

If you are a Christ follower your actions must be consistent with your title. You don’t have to be perfect, but you’d better be real. Otherwise, people might see you as a modern day Pharisee and no one likes a Pharisee.

Questions:
1. What would you tell me if I’d asked you to hire Mike?
2. Have you ever met a hypocrite? How did it make you feel?
3. Is it hypocritical to speak about loving others without actually doing it? Do you practice what you preach?
 
Week Three – Day Two – What does God Look Like?

“Somebody did a golden deed; Somebody proved a friend in need; Somebody sang a beautiful song; Somebody smiled the whole day long; Somebody thought, 'Tis sweet to live; Somebody said, I'm glad to give; Somebody fought a valiant fight; Somebody lived to shield the right; Was that somebody you?” – Unknown

What does God look like? If He were to live in your world, what might He do? How would He act at a wedding or when someone died? Would he work hard or hardly work? How would He set Himself apart from culture? How would He find a balance among the busy streams of life that pulled at Him?

There is a simple answer to all of these questions. Jesus Christ lived a fully human life on planet earth for more than 30 years. He was fully man, but He was also fully God. When God took on human flesh we know exactly what He did. Each of the four gospels tells the story of Jesus and this is what He did:

John 8:2-9, “At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.”

Luke 19:1-9, “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner. 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus fed, He healed, He cried, He protected. He was always actively involved in the lives of those around Him. He taught that anyone near you was your neighbor and He showed us how to love our enemies. When you picture God, picture real-life care for those who need it most. He didn’t just run with the in crowd. Jesus didn’t stay in comfortable places. God looks like a busy guy with blood, sweat and tears on His brow. He looks kind and strong, gentle but fierce.

Questions:
1. Could people see what Jesus stood for by watching His actions?
2. Can people see what you stand for by watching yours?
3. Describe what you see when you picture Jesus at work.
 
Week Three – Day Three – What Does God Sound Like?

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” – Apostle Paul

As the old saying goes, “Talk is cheap.” But does that mean it’s not important? Sure, anyone can talk a good talk. But loving people without speaking the truth can cause all sorts of problems. When we love others in significant ways it leaves them asking two questions: 1) Who are you? 2)Why are you doing this? If we don’t answer these questions for them they will form their own conclusion and it may be very wrong.

The early Church began on Pentecost Day. While the disciples were gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem the Holy Spirit descended on them in what the Bible describes as, “tongues of fire.” They began speaking in different languages and ran out into the streets that were filled with Jewish worshippers from around the known world. When the people heard them speaking in multiple languages they asked two questions: 1) Who are these people? 2) Why are they doing this? In short order they came to a conclusion. They are drunk! (Acts 2)

Imagine this. If Peter had not spoken truth at that moment one of the greatest beginnings in history would have never happened. The disciples would have been brushed off as drunkards mourning the loss of their leader and nothing more. But, in the face of the moment, Peter stepped up and spoke truth. He preached an amazing sermon that day to explain that the things which were predicted in the Bible were now coming true. Jesus was the Messiah and the promised Kingdom had arrived. About 3000 people decided to become Christ followers that day as a result of hearing the truth.

In Ephesians 4:15 the apostle Paul tells us that we should, “speak the truth in love.” Truth without love can seem harsh. Love without truth can be confusing. God has called us to find a balance of both.

Our good work verifies the gospel message. At the same time, the gospel message clarifies the good work. Sharing and caring are both important. It’s not enough to just look like Jesus, we must also sound like Him.

2 Timothy 4:1-2, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Questions:

1. What does it mean to, “preach the word?”
2. What is the gopel?
3. Have you ever shared the truth with another person?
4. Can you speak truth without love? What does this produce?
 
Week Three – Day Four – Real Fruit

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” Apostle Paul

If I gave you a cherry seed and asked you to plant it, could you make it grow into a tree that produced good fruit? In the passage above, Paul tells us that sharing the gospel is much like planting a tree (1 Corinthians 3). First, you must dig a hole and put the seed in. Next, you will need to bury the seed in some good soil with nutrients and add water. It will take many days of watering and waiting before the tree begins to sprout. It will need sun and more water to grow and it will be in danger of bugs eating it’s leaves and storms breaking its branches. But, if you continue to care for the tree and give it what it needs, it one day may grow into a mature tree and produce fruit.

This process takes years. It’s not possible to make cherries in a week and most of the process is out of our control. Only God can make things grow. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do the part we can do. A good farmer knows that the crop will be greater if he is hard at work. While the farmer doesn’t do miracles, he does all that he can.

Luke 6:43-45, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers.45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

God expects your life to bear fruit. Someone planted a seed of truth that led to your spiritual birth. God caused the growth but there many have been multiple people who prepared the soil, watered it and sheltered you from harm. You were created to bear good fruit. In other words, you were created to reproduce after your own kind. The faith that has grown in you should also be growing in others. God is not pleased when a tree bears no fruit. In fact, He is rather harsh in at least two passages of Scripture. Consider these examples of trees that bear no fruit:

Matthew 21:18-19, “Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.”

John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned… 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Questions:

1. Name as many people as you can who helped you grow.
2. Why do you think Jesus was so harsh on the fig tree?
3. What does the Father do to branches that don’t bear fruit?
4. What happens when we try to bear fruit on our own?
 
Week Three – Day Five – The Ephesus Experience

“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.” – Betty Reese

Our world is full of opportunity for evil. People tend to be distracted by all kinds of shinny things that beckon them to buy, to cheat and to steal and to covet. We see so much brokenness and so little reason for hope that we can be overcome with despair and begin to think that the only thing worth wishing for is heaven. This is only one side of the whole. The Bible tells a different story.

One of the greatest revival stories in all of human history is recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 19. It’s the story of Ephesus, a popular City in the first century. Ephesus was a major hub for businesses who traded goods between Rome, Africa and Asia. It was home to many distinct people groups and was filled with pagan worship including the temple to the goddess Artemis.

As Paul travelled throughout the region planting churches in each City along the way, he found some fertile ground in Ephesus and planted a church there that grew at such a fast rate it threatened to destroy the pagan temple. Demetrius, a silver smith who made idols for pagan worship, appointed himself leader of the silver smith trade and rallied a large crowd of people to confront the Christians and run them out of town. Because the gospel had taken hold of so many thousands of lives in Ephesus, daily commerce was effected. Scores of people purged their homes of pagan idols and scrolls.

The combination of sharing and caring had taken hold. God’s name was held in high regard and this once pagan stronghold was becoming a stronghold for truth.

Acts 19:23-27, “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

Can you imagine what it might look like if this happened in our City today? What industries of evil might be snuffed out if the Church in our City were to effect the morality of the masses?

Questions:

1. Do you expect the moral compass in our City to get better or worse in the next 20 years?
2. If we do a good job of verifying and clarifying the gospel, can we expect a revival like this?
3. Does the Church in our City need to be unified to see a revival like this?
 
Week Three – Day Six – Revival

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
- Woodrow T. Wilson

What does revival mean to you? For some revival brings to mind the image of a large tent with men yelling, women shrieking and people whipped up into a frenzy of emotion. It’s a picture of con men and coercion. Others will quickly associate revival with the Jesus People of the 60’s and 70’s. At that time the Spirit of God swept across the west coast of the United States in power and many thousands of young people who came to California looking for truth and the meaning of life found it in Jesus Christ. Of course there have been many events labeled as revivals in history, but a true revival is a time of unprecedented repentance and faith.

Could it be that this type of movement is about to happen in our own City? If so, how could we know? Could we look to see the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit on the events of our lives and discover that He was much more actively present than in normal times?

How can a person decipher the finger prints of the Holy Spirit? We will have to understand convergence. Convergence is a word that describes what happens when multiple thousands of seemingly disconnected variables spread across time and space begin to overlap into a common story. This overlap is a convergent moment. This is an evidence of the Holy Spirit and it is always present in the lives of those who love and follow Christ. However, when these begin to appear in greater number it can become a convergent movement instead of a moment. This is when we have experienced revival.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This passage is a clear statement that one of God’s eternal attributes is convergence. Paul says, “and we know.” He is convinced that there is no doubting God’s ability to know and control all the millions of variables spread throughout time and space. The key word in this verse is “all.” There is not one thing God is not able to work for good. No matter if it’s a bad thing or a good thing, with God in charge it is all turned to good.

The good Paul speaks of here is not random or unjust. It is for those who love God that this promise is true. These are the ones He has called by name to serve “according to His purpose.” God has a plan. Every detail of eternity is part of that plan. When we see things begin to line up in convergent moments until there is a pile of convergence we know that a convergent movement is underway. That’s what true revival looks like. That’s what happened in Ephesus, what happened in California in the 60’s and it just might be what is happening today.

Questions:

1. If there were a revival in our land, how might it change things?
2. How does it make you feel to know that God is in command of all things?
3. How have you seen convergent moments in your life?
4. What’s the difference between a convergent moment and a coincidence?
 
Week Three – Day Seven – The Tipping Point

“The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” ― Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Not long ago I remember hearing about a new shoe that was showing up around town. It was like the old china man shoes from the 1980’s, made from canvas with a thin flexible plastic sole. They were a fashion statement in that they were affordable looking, relaxed and unlike any other shoe young people were wearing at the time. As you may have guessed, the shoe was what we refer to as TOMS.

What you might not know is that the company, TOMS, was founded by Blake Mycoskie in 2006 after he and his sister had competed in the second season of the Amazing Race. On the race, Blake spent time in Argentina where he wore some of the local Alpargata shoes which were a similar design. He later had the thought that he would start a shoe company in America and for every shoe sold, he would donate a pair to kids who could not afford shoes. TOMS gets its name from the word, “tomorrow.”

It’s a great idea, but does every great idea become an overnight sensation? Malcom Gladewell, a New York Times best-selling author, defines a tipping point as, “that magic moment when and idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” It’s based on research that was done to better understand epidemics in the world of disease control. So, what makes a good idea tip and spread like wildfire? That answer is a bit more complex, but in short, it’s not any one thing, but rather a whole group of related things that happen all at about the same time. Gladwell explains it like this, “That is the paradox of the epidemic: that in order to create one contagious movement, you often have to create many small movements first.”

Let’s imagine that we are not talking about shoes but social behaviors. Could Christianity tip? Could Christian values, ethics and behaviors that Christians have held as sacred for two thousand years tip and become the norm in our culture? You bet they could. In fact, they did in the 3rd Century. But then, as now, it could not be isolated to one movement. It was many small battles that were won or small movements that were created which led to the tipping point.

What does this teach us about the importance of serving others in Spirit and in Truth? Unless we engage in creating movements, however big or small, the place where things tip will be out of reach. Without the small there is no big. Without the big there is no significant change. Do you want to see the gospel spread like wildfire across our Nation and our globe? If so, you will need to get cracking on your own part of the movement. Change one life, the one in front of you. Together, we might just cause things to tip.

Questions:

1. Do you own a pair of TOMS? Did you know the story?
2. What other things have you seen reach the tipping point?
3. Do you believe you have an important role to play in sharing kingdom truth?
4. Do you believe that revival is the tipping point?
5. What are you doing to fan the flame? What’s your movement?
 
Small Group Discussion Guide: Week Three

Open your time with prayer. Ask God to lead and guide you and welcome Him into your presence. Pray for each other and care for one another.

LOOK
Read John 4:1-42
Focus on verse 23

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

LEARN
There are several thoughts in this one verse that are profound. Jesus identifies the time when “true worshippers” will “worship in Spirit and in truth.”

True Worshippers are men and women who worship God in the right balance. False worshipers are out of balance. These are “the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

Spirit and Truth define the balance. Worship means assigning worth. When you demonstrate love for God it must be according to revealed truth and it must be with the right heart. The right heart is one that cares. The truth is what one shares. Sharing and caring. Testify and Verify.

Questions:
1. How is this teaching similar to Paul’s teaching on, “speaking the truth in love.”
2. Why did Jesus give this teaching to a Samaritan woman of poor reputation instead of giving it to men of good standing?
3. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come” John 4:23?

SHARE
1. Do you think the Church in America is more interested in Spirit and speaking or truth?
2. Do you think your church is like the rest of the American Church?
3. What could you do better in your personal life to reflect the right balance between these two?
4. Share a time when God brought a convergent moment into your life.
5. Do you believe that a revival is coming? Why? Why not?