MARCH 22
10:15 I Facebook Live
UTTERLY AMAZED
Well friends, we’re all one week into the national emergency due to the COVID-19 virus. How y’all doing? I’m sure the answers are all over the board. And our answers say much about us — things like where we work, what personality type we have, where we gather our information. But most importantly, this is a great time to find out what we truly value. Testing has a way of making some things clear to us that we can’t see when life is easy, when nothing is asked of us. And what is testing but a time of being asked for things? Let’s dig in this week and see how Jesus handles this, and what it has to teach us, and let’s see why his answers let the crowds utterly amazed.
May 15th, 2022
10:15am I Facebook Live & Zoom
Watch last week's message here
Title
The Understanding is in the Doing
Text
Introduction
In our teaching group this week Laura shared a story that rings true on so many levels, whether you have kids or not. Her son came to her dramatically complaining of his intense hunger, “I’m soooooo hungry mama!” Being the good and loving parent she is, Laura immediately started offering a remedy. “How about a peach?” No was the answer. “How about peanut butter?” Again, rejection, “How about some yogurt?” Not buying it. And this went on and on, the growing declarations of imminent starvation in the face of abundant food offerings.
I have a huge hunch we do this all the time with God. We flail about asking for revelation, direction, comfort, deliverance and God stands ready with an abundance of help, answers, tangible responses yet we, like the hangry kids we all are, turn our noses up at what is offered. Most of the time we don’t even know why we do this.
This week’s parable may hit a little too close to home for all of us.
Grace and peace y’all,
John Ray and the teaching team
The Big Idea:
“Light” is given to us for the benefit of all. True understanding comes from obedience. Enlightenment without action is toxic.
Take Away:
We all have more “truth” than we know what to do with. So often our addiction to more information, among other things, keeps us from acting on what we already know.
How does this fit with "Belong, Become, Believe"?
At Grace, we seek to practice hospitality from the core of our invitation to belong that God gives us, from the realization what has been given to us is not for just us. This practice helps form us more and more into the image of Jesus. These practices form and inform what we declare that we believe.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
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When you think about what you know, know about God, about yourself, about life, do you think you know enough? Enough to live faithfully and honestly, generously and lovingly?
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What keeps you from acting on what you know?
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Have you ever considered the idea that you might be given something just for the sake of others, that it might not be of any immediate benefit to you?
What's Next?
Mark 4:26-29 and the parable of the seed
