In our Message Series, Practicing The Way, we are learning more about being a Disciple of Jesus, or the way we could describe it in today’s language, being an Apprentice of Jesus.
We have talked about how being a disciple / apprentice of Jesus means that we who have trusted Jesus in faith for forgiveness of sin and salvation, center our lives around 3 Goals:
- Be with Jesus
- Become like Jesus
- Do what Jesus did
When this is how we live our life, we become an Apprentice of Jesus, and it leads to Transformation of our life. And this is what we are pursuing as a church for our own personal lives and for our church family. Our goal this year is to take the Next Step in growing in our relationship with Jesus and each other so that rather than being consumers, we are disciples / apprentices of Jesus.
Today we are looking at another practice Jesus followed: Scripture – See Isaiah 55:10-11, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, and others…
Luke 8:4-15… Three Barriers which prevent people from receiving God’s word, and prevent God’s word from transforming our life:
- A Closed Mind (Luke 8:5, 12)
- A Superficial Commitment (Luke 8:6, 13)
- An Overcrowded Life (Luke 8:7, 14)
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Three Kinds of Weeds:
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Life’s Worries.
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Riches
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Pleasures
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- A Receptive Life (Luke 8:8, 15)
Taking It Home
We encourage you to take a few minutes today and this week to process this morning’s message. These questions are designed for discussion with your family, a friend, mentor, spouse, and small group. They are also useful for self-reflection.
1. What stands out to you in these passages from the Bible? From the message?
2. What is difficult for you to understand or accept in these passages from the Bible? From the message?
3. What is God saying in these passages and through what we heard in the message about Himself? About people? About you?
4. What examples are there to follow, commands to obey, or promises to stand on from these passages in the Bible, and from what we heard in the message?
