Present Sacrifice. Eternal Investment.

The Law Of Diminishing Marginal Utility - as consumption increases the marginal utility (satisfaction) derived from each additional unit declines.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
- Romans 8:18-19

Logizomai – to have books balanced, to set one’s account, to make a calculation of something

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  
- Romans 8:31-32

“For most of Western history, the primary and most valued characteristic of manhood was self-mastery… A man who indulged in excessive eating, drinking, sleeping or sex — who failed to ‘rule himself’ — was considered unfit to rule his household, much less a polity…
In the face of recent revelations about the reckless and self-indulgent sexual conduct of so many of our elected officials, it may be worth recalling that sexual restraint rather than sexual prowess was once the measure of a man.”  
- Sara Lipton, history professor, NY Times

Italian - “from stars to stables”

Spanish -“he who doesn’t have it, does it, and he who has it, misuses it.”

“I have to teach them: ‘Yes, I can buy that for you. But I choose not to. It’s not consistent with our values.’” But then that, of course, requires that you have a set of values, and know how to articulate them, and know how to make them plausible to your child — all of which are really difficult things for anyone to do, under any circumstances, and especially if you have a Ferrari in the driveway…”  
– Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
- Jim Elliot

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Mixer

If ____________ were an Olympic sport, I would win the gold metal!

‘Neighborly’ - Daily Devotional

1. In Pastor Harry’s 1/26/21 entry, ​Pray​, he challenged us with a question: what kind of letter will you spread out before the LORD today? How would you construct your letter? Look at Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 19:14-19: what was in it, what was ​not​ in it - and what was God’s response? What if He were for you, and responded BIG against your storm?

2. In Pastor Ken’s 1/27/21 entry, ​Conformed to His Image, h​e shares this from missionary Paul Washer: “I would not trade the difficult years for all the prosperity in the world. God knows what each one of us must suffer in order to be conformed to the image of Christ.” What is a pivotal event in your life that, looking back, was painful but you are now not willing to trade it because of __________? How did it prepare you for the next time?

Sermon Questions

Scripture: Romans 8:18-19, 31-32

1. Pastor Jared shared about his personal mentor in high school, who spent invaluable time with him that had long term impact in his life. Has anyone ever done that for you? Are you willing to do something for someone without knowing what the outcome will be?
2. The Apostle Paul taught us to look at our deficits in life as deposits. Why does the ‘whole cake’ kind of person find it hard to operate under deficits? How is ‘more than a conqueror’ more like the ‘one slice of cake’ person? Which one are you?
3. What did you learn about how God’s economy (more with less) works? Gideon had his troops cut back. Five loaves and two fish, really? When God places a limit on us, what is He doing? How do His cutbacks actually create increase for His Kingdom?
4. Why does God ask us to sacrifice now? What did He lose in order for you to gain? What if... God were to use your sacrifices and sufferings today to make something better tomorrow? Would your sacrifice be worth it? Would you do it?

Go Deeper - with Goodbook

Dr. Mark Strauss and Pastor Ken Ingold
Week 3: Moses, Exodus and the Law (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

1. What parts, if any, of this teaching were new to you or surprised you in any way?
2. In what ways does the narrative of Exodus remind you of the narrative of our country? In what ways does it remind you of the narrative of your own life? (Ideas: seeking freedom, overcoming adversity, leaning on our turning from God in times of trouble....)
3. Read Numbers 22-24. How does the account of Balaam and his donkey parallel the account of Israel and God? How does it parallel your relationship with God?
4. God is faithful and expects us to be faithful, which we are not. Fortunately, Jesus paid the price for our unfaithfulness. However, the standard is still faithfulness. What does faithfulness to God look like in your life?

Serve

Good Neighbor Day is Saturday, February 6! There’s still time to sign up online or in app!

Pray

Pray over Good Neighbor Day this Saturday! Pray that our deposits will make a difference in someone’s eternity!!

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