Forty
Sermon Notes
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force.
- Matthew 11:2-11
Table Group Resources
Mixer
If you could sit down to dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
Neighborly - Daily Devotional
To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.
In the 2/15/23 entry, God Is Justice, Pastor Harry reminds us to be encouraged by knowing that any bad news we may be hearing about ourselves can be overridden by hearing the Good News of God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy! The question is: Are you hearing it? What is something that you have put on trial time and time again in your own mind... and what if you were to give it to Jesus to pass through His?
In the 2/18/23 entry, Sovereignty Or A Mystery?, Pastor Sean challenges us to be okay with the mystery of trying to understand God’s Sovereignty when things are not how we would like them to be. He quotes Joni Eareckson Tada who said: “Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” He goes on to quote her reference to a tapestry: What kinds of things in your life are you having trouble with God’s sovereignty over, making your life look like the ugly underside of a tapestry? Do you trust that the other side will be one of beauty for you? What is getting in the way of this trust and how will you change it?
Sermon Questions
Scriptures: Matthew 11:2-12
Read Matthew 11:2-12, John asks a question that shows he has been offended by Jesus. What is John’s situation and motivation for asking such a question? How did Jesus respond back, and why?
Pastor Jared said that there will come a time when you will be offended (scandalized) by Jesus, too. Have you ever asked a similar question to John’s? When you dig beneath the surface of the offense, what do you think you will uncover? And how could Jesus’ response to John be the response that you need to hear?
Pastor Jared stated that the Gospel, the Jesus Message, gets announced differently depending on the culture you are in. In the wealthy/developed nations, Jesus is seen as a teacher, not as a savior. Why do you think ‘teacher’ is our preferred position for Jesus? Why does the role of ‘Savior’ cause us to be offended and reject him?
Pastor Jared then said in developing/struggling countries or pockets, the message of Jesus has a lot more “blood and resurrection on it.” What do you think this means to you personally? Do you have any resistance in your heart to, not only recognizing, but also accepting that Jesus is your Savior? What character trait/flaw stands in your way?
Read Matthew 11:12. Here we learn that the Kingdom of God comes to us intensely, not passively. And not passively taken either, but intensely. Do you agree, or disagree - how did it happen for you? Based on the example of John the Baptist, what kind of people is Jesus suggesting we become?
Pastor Jared shared two obstacles that hinder us from aggressively and forcefully pursuing the Kingdom of Heaven:
We’re too busy (excited about something else and faith gets squeezed out), or,
We’re too cynical (tried it all and now not excited about anything)
Which of these two camps do you tend to fall into? Do you have the desire to make a change? What is one thing that you will do this week to become ‘radical’ like John the Baptist?
Serve
Youth Wellbeing | Sunday Project | Feb 26th
This is a family-friendly project to assemble Easter goodie bags and notes of encouragement for the Boys & Girls Club, Olive Crest, and Voices for Children.
Head here to Serve in the Community.
Pray
Pray over our Youth Wellbeing Tag Drive that began this week! Pray that our Partner Organizations will feel the support of the church community, and that they will be able to reach more, and offer more assistance, this coming year. And pray for the recipients of this outreach endeavor. May the ones who receive the gifts on the other end of our efforts experience Jesus and his love in a very personal way. And may our church be blessed and may faith grow within the hearts of all who step up and go first!
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “
Matthew 25:40
