Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 10.8.11.

Refining Faith
From The Good Life To The Great Life
Steven Whitlow
October 8 & 9, 2011

GOOD: the steps you’ve taken towards God.
GREAT: being able to take the next step.

1 Peter 2:1-5 1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. 4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

Remove and Replace to be prepared for G______________.

Remove Sin and Replace it with H______________.

James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Remove L_____ and Replace it with T________.
Remove I____________ and Replace it with A__________.

Ephesians 5:14-16 …“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” ¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Remove ______________________________________________________
and Replace it with ________________________________________.

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. If “good” means a step toward God and “great” is making the next step, then identify the good things you are doing to grow in your faith as well as the “great” things you need to do in order to keep growing in your faith.

2. What happens to us spiritually if we only settle for “good?”

3. Not to be contradictory, but Ephesians 2:10 says that believers were created by God to do good works. God desires for us to live out a life of faith, which means that His plan includes that our ability to impact the kingdom of God should keep increasing. What is something “great” that you’d like to eventually do for the kingdom of God?

4. Unfortunately, moving from “good” to “great” can get hijacked by certain lies we believe about ourselves or God. What kinds of lies have you believed about yourself or God that have prevented you from stepping toward the “great” life?

5. Apathy is simply not caring about what’s going on around you. Like the frog stuck in the proverbial pot of slowly boiling water, many of us have been involved in sinful patterns for so long that we don’t even realize the extent to which it is damaging our faith. How can we stay free from apathy and keep moving forward in our relationship with Christ?

6. The process of moving from the “good” life to the “great” life is different for every person. Discuss one “good” step you can take toward God this week as well as one “great” next step you will commit to taking in the near future.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 9.24.11.

Not a Fan
Total Surrender
Lee Powell
September 24 & 25, 2011

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had…he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…PHILIPPIANS 2:5-7

I Surrender My:

S__________________ /S__________________________

…may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. MATTHEW 6:10

My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” MATTHEW 26:39

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16

E___________________

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger…EPHESIANS 4:31 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5

R__________________

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil…Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.Then he will fill your barns with grain,and your vats will overflow with good wine. PROVERBS 3:5-10

After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. MATTHEW 25:19

R_________________________

…“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” LUKE 10:27

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. LUKE 6:27

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. PHILLIPIANS 2:3,4

What about Missional Membership?
Missional Membership is the highest
level of commitment at CedarCreek Church
All Scripture is from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Are you a “flexetarian?” A “flexitarian” is someone who says they follow Christ in every area except for one or two. Where does your life as a Christ-follower break down? Why?

2. In the book, Not a Fan, there is a line that says: “You can’t call Jesus Lord without declaring yourself his slave.” Being a “slave” is undesirable in our society, yet in a scriptural context, the Apostl’s refers to themselves as slaves 130 times in the Bible. Remember back to this weekend’s message. What does being a “slave” to Christ really mean?

3. Complete this sentence: In order for me to totally surrender to God in every area of my life, I need to ___________________________________.

4. How would a totally surrendered life to Christ be different than the life you are living right now? What attitudes, beliefs or habits would change?

5. Fill–in-the-blank: I love Jesus, but sometimes I am still filled with _____________________. What did you learn in this weekend’s message about how to surrender the emotion that is keeping you from living a life that is totally surrendered to God?

6. Being called to surrender our resources (money, property, homes) is something we try to avoid, except in the event of a burglary or armed robbery. Yet, God calls us to willingly surrender our resources to Him. How can you know when you have fully surrendered your resources to God? How close are you to that goal?

7. Describe how loving the Lord with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind can help you love others and your neighbors and to surrender your desire to “always be right” in your relationships with others.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 9.03.11.

Not a Fan
Self Empowered or Spirit Filled?
Lee Powell
September 10 & 11, 2011

“Fans may have received the gift of the Holy Spirit but they aren’t being filled with the Holy Spirit.” Kyle Idleman

“…be filled with the Holy Spirit…” EPHESIANS 5:18

…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…GALATIANS 5:22

To be filled with the spirit (to walk with the spirit, be led by the spirit) is to co-operate with and yield to the spirit as he:

Coaches Us by…

T__________________ US

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 JOHN 2:26,27 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. JOHN 14:26

C_____________________ US

And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. JOHN 16:8

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. JOHN 16:13

E_______________________ US

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. JOHN 14:16

Empowers us to…

S__________

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ACTS 1:8

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them… ACTS 4:8

S__________

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4,7 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 PETER 4:10

S______________ / SUFFER

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. ACTS 5:41

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ACTS 7:55

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

1. What was your understanding of the Holy Spirit before this week’s message? After the message, how would you describe the Holy Spirit to someone who doesn’t quite understand the role of the Spirit in the life of a Christ-follower?

2. Describe a time when you were aware of the Holy Spirit in your life? Can you share a time when you were having a conversation with someone and the Holy Spirit gave you the words to speak?

3. Some of you are experiencing the conviction of the Holy Spirit right now. How can you know when you are being convicted? How should you respond?

4. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts to serve the kingdom of God. Every Christ-follower receives spiritual gifts. What are your spiritual gifts and how has the Holy Spirit worked through your gifts to impact others?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
 (Memorize this verse for the month of September.)
Luke 9:23 (New Living Translation)
Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.27.11.

Not a Fan
Define the Relationship
Kyle Gray
August 27 & 28, 2011

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
LUKE 9:22

STEP ONE ____________________________

STEP TWO _______________________________

STEP THREE ________________________________

Notes:

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

ICEBREAKER: WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU A FAN OF? HOW BIG OF A FAN ARE YOU?

1. In three words, how would you describe your relationship with Christ right now?

2. Are you a “fan” or a “follower” of Jesus Christ? How do you know the difference?

3. Describe someone who is a fan and describe someone who is a follower.

4. Read Luke 9:23. Being a fan is exciting and fun, but it really costs nothing to be a fan. However, being a follower means that one agrees to put aside his or her agenda in order to follow another agenda. List some of the things that “fans” of Jesus don’t want to give up in order to be a follower. How often do you compare yourself against other Christians in an effort to see how you are measuring up? Do you find that you are comparing yourself to those who are more fully living out their faith or do you compare yourself to those who are struggling? What would happen if you compared yourself to the first group?

5. DTR Time! What is your level of commitment to Christ? Pick the statement that best describes you:
a. I’m just hoping that being a good person is enough.
b. I come to church when I can fit it in and sometimes I read my Bible – but I struggle to connect with God.
c. I’m at church every week! I serve as much as possible, but I don’t spend a lot of time with God, studying the Bible or praying because I’m just really busy.
d. I do come to church and my life is focused on really living out Jesus’ words in scripture. I spend regular time reading my Bible and praying. I have accountability relationships to help me grow in my faith and I honor God in all areas of my life.

6. After listening to the weekend message and doing these discussion questions, what have you been challenged to re-evaluate or change?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
 (Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
EPHESIANS 2:10 (New Living Translation)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created
us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do
the good things he planned for us long ago.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.13.11.

Before I Die I Want To…
Heal the Hurt Between Us
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
August 13 & 14, 2011

The Key: O________ Forgiveness to Those Who Have Hurt Me and Ask For Forgiveness From Those I’ve Hurt.

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! MATTHEW 18:21,22

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” MATTHEW 5:23,24

Forgive Those Who Have Hurt Me. . .

BECAUSE GOD HAS F__________ ME.

Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ. EPHESIANS 4:31,32

BECAUSE R_____________ DOESN’T WORK.

Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. HEBREWS 12:15

BECAUSE I N _____ FORGIVENESS IN THE FUTURE.

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. MARK 11:25

Ask Forgiveness From Those I Have Hurt

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. ROMANS 12:18

MAKE A LIST OF THOSE I’VE H________ AND WHAT I DID.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” MATTHEW 5:23-24

THINK OF HOW I’D LIKE OTHERS TO M______ THE A_____OF ME.

Do to others as you would like them to do to you. LUKE 6:31

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. In this weekend’s message, Lee discussed how it is so easy for us to assume that God will forgive us for our mistakes, yet we struggle to forgive others. Who are you struggling to forgive? Why have you been unable to forgive them?

2. Whenever we are hurt by others, we often hold onto those hurts as proof of their wrongdoing. Why is forgiveness the key to healing the hurts that happen in our interpersonal relationships? Conversely, how does resentment destroy the one who holds the grudge?

3. At some point or another every one of us has offended, hurt or devastated someone else. Too often, stubbornness or pride keeps us from admitting our wrongdoing. Who do you need to ask forgiveness from in order to begin the healing process of that relationship?

4. After listening to this weekend’s message and these discussion questions, what action steps do you feel God has placed on your heart?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
EPHESIANS 2:10 (New Living Translation)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created
us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the
good things he planned for us long ago.