What do we do now that we have finished reading the Gospel of Matthew? You get to choose which book from the Bible you will read. Some will continue with the gospels and move into the Gospel of Mark. Reading all four gospels in a row will keep you focused on the life and teachings of Christ, which I think should be the catalyst for all we do. Others may move to an epistle or an Old Testament book. Ultimately, you should read from all the books of the Bible.
The goal for your life group is transformation not information. If you have developed the spiritual habit of absorbing the Word of God daily, you have built a strong foundation for transformation. During your regular meetings, you should provide appropriate time for the discussion and application from your reading. Furthermore, the time you invest in sharing life issues and lifting one another in prayer will enhance the transformation process. Remember, genuine transformation is not produced in a 15-second microwaveable experience.
Feel free to post on this blog about your reading. Let others know what you are learning and the impact it is having on your life.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Matthew 11-15
We see in Matthew 11 the challenge of faith when life has not turned out as you thought it would. After preaching about the coming Kingdom, John the Baptist finds himself locked away in prison. His question to Jesus, “Are you the One?,” voices the doubt that every believer has experienced at a dark moment in life. Jesus’ response does not condemn John for his honesty, but encourages John in his faith by reporting the kingdom results from Jesus’ ministry. As we read later in Matthew 14, John’s commitment to preach the truth of the gospel results in his execution by Herod.
In Matthew 12, the Pharisees begin their strategy for doing away with Jesus. Very wisely, they begin to place a label on Jesus that will falsely identify him and even allow others to treat him as less than human. Recognizing that they cannot match Jesus’ miraculous works, they respond by calling him a son of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Most people would never crucify the son of God or a wonderful teacher and miracle worker, but one who is aligned with Satan can easily be nailed to a cross. Any time we define a person with a label rather than as child of God, we open the door to treating that person in a way that disrespects the Creator.
Let’s not leave Matthew 12 without a statement about the “unforgivable sin.” One thing is certain, if you are reading this blog along with your bible reading and seeking to walk closer to God then you have not committed this sin! Most scholars believe only those who deliberately reject the Holy Spirit’s urgings to salvation and thus deny the work of God through Jesus Christ are guilty of such blasphemy.
If you like parables, you will love Matthew 13. Chalked full with Jesus’ stories, this chapter gives understanding about the kingdom through the actions of farmers, merchants and fishermen.
Matthew 14 and 15 continue to reveal Jesus as a miracle worker; he’s doing what only God is suppose to be able to do. One hiccup along the way is when Jesus calls a woman a dog. Now I’ve been around barking women, mostly those dressed in red and black, so I can understand Jesus’ disgust. In this case, however, Jesus uses this teaching moment to broaden the work of the kingdom beyond the house of Israel. As Jesus elevates this woman from a dog to a child of God, my mind imagines Jesus celebrating with a cry of “War Eagle!”
In Matthew 12, the Pharisees begin their strategy for doing away with Jesus. Very wisely, they begin to place a label on Jesus that will falsely identify him and even allow others to treat him as less than human. Recognizing that they cannot match Jesus’ miraculous works, they respond by calling him a son of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Most people would never crucify the son of God or a wonderful teacher and miracle worker, but one who is aligned with Satan can easily be nailed to a cross. Any time we define a person with a label rather than as child of God, we open the door to treating that person in a way that disrespects the Creator.
Let’s not leave Matthew 12 without a statement about the “unforgivable sin.” One thing is certain, if you are reading this blog along with your bible reading and seeking to walk closer to God then you have not committed this sin! Most scholars believe only those who deliberately reject the Holy Spirit’s urgings to salvation and thus deny the work of God through Jesus Christ are guilty of such blasphemy.
If you like parables, you will love Matthew 13. Chalked full with Jesus’ stories, this chapter gives understanding about the kingdom through the actions of farmers, merchants and fishermen.
Matthew 14 and 15 continue to reveal Jesus as a miracle worker; he’s doing what only God is suppose to be able to do. One hiccup along the way is when Jesus calls a woman a dog. Now I’ve been around barking women, mostly those dressed in red and black, so I can understand Jesus’ disgust. In this case, however, Jesus uses this teaching moment to broaden the work of the kingdom beyond the house of Israel. As Jesus elevates this woman from a dog to a child of God, my mind imagines Jesus celebrating with a cry of “War Eagle!”
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Matthew 6 - 10
Our reading for this week picks up in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We were introduced to the beatitudes last week and now we move into the challenges of living life with a new kingdom of God perspective. In Matthew 6, the Jesus prayer provides us words to recite often if not daily as we live this new life. If you have not committed to memory Matthew 6:9-13, now might be a good time. One way to do so is to voice this prayer daily for a month.
Matthew 7 concludes Jesus’ sermon by introducing the “golden rule” as well as other principles for life that “astonished” those who sat on the hillside listening to these words. In Matthew 8 & 9, Jesus encounters a variety of people and situations. His sermon in the earlier chapters is backed up by actions such as healing a leper, calming a storm and casting out demons.
Our last chapter for this week, Matthew 10, reveals Jesus plan for the Kingdom movement. Jesus is not about a one-man show. He intends to call and equip others to multiply his efforts. Read carefully Jesus’ instructions for his first disciples. These are not just words for 1st century Christ followers. The same calling and plans are voiced to us today.
Matthew 7 concludes Jesus’ sermon by introducing the “golden rule” as well as other principles for life that “astonished” those who sat on the hillside listening to these words. In Matthew 8 & 9, Jesus encounters a variety of people and situations. His sermon in the earlier chapters is backed up by actions such as healing a leper, calming a storm and casting out demons.
Our last chapter for this week, Matthew 10, reveals Jesus plan for the Kingdom movement. Jesus is not about a one-man show. He intends to call and equip others to multiply his efforts. Read carefully Jesus’ instructions for his first disciples. These are not just words for 1st century Christ followers. The same calling and plans are voiced to us today.
Friday, January 30, 2009
What is a Life Transformation Group?
What is a Life Transformation Group? A Life Transformation Group (LTG) is made up of two or four people of the same gender who meet weekly, to discuss their daily Bible reading, to ask each other character-building questions and to pray for unbelieving family and friends.
How often does an LTG meet? Groups should plan to meet one hour a week. The group agrees on a time and location for their meeting that fits their schedule. The group does only three things during the meeting. They discuss their Bible reading, ask one another character-building questions, and pray for family and friends who do not yet know Christ.
How much Bible reading is required? We will begin with every group reading five chapters from the Gospel of Matthew. We will move through the New Testament in the order the books are placed in the Bible. After our first few months, we will seek to increase the number of chapters being read to ten chapters per week.
What are Character-Building questions? At each meeting group members ask one another character-building questions. These questions should stimulate conversations of character and confession of sin in a safe environment that values honesty, vulnerability, confidentiality, and grace. A prepared list of questions is provided on the Life Group blog page.
How do we pray for our unbelieving family and friends? Some time at each meeting is devoted to pray for members of the group as well as specific unbelieving family and friends. Each person in the group should identify two or three people for whom they are praying and share these names with the group. Each group member commits to pray for each of these people everyday - as well as during the group meeting.
How do I join an LTG? You may start your own LTG by inviting one or two other people to join you or you may join an existing group that has an opening. If you would like to be placed in a group, contact the church office (office@celebrationfamily.com).
How do I start an LTG? LTG’s are led by the Holy Spirit. You can begin your own by asking one or two others to join you. Individuals forming a group might commit to an LTG for a specified time e.g. 3-6 months. At the end of that time group members may recommit or decide to disband.
What does a group talk about in a typical group meeting? The character-building questions stimulate conversation. Some time is also spent talking about the week’s Bible reading. Often questions arise or new insights can be shared. Finally, the group spends some time praying for one another and for two or three pre-Christian friends and family. The success of an LTG depends on the level of trust developed between the participants. Absolute commitment to confidentiality will allow for sharing, accountability, intimacy, and true life transformation.
Why is the group size limited to two or three people? There are several reasons for keeping the group small.
First, with only two or three schedules to coordinate, it is easier for a group of two or three to find time to meet each week.
Secondly, in a one hour meeting there just is not time to allow each member of the group to share their answers to the accountability questions and to have time to discuss the Bible reading if the group is larger than three.
Third, developing trust and confidentiality is important in an LTG and easier to maintain with a group of two or three people of the same gender.
What happens if our group grows larger than three people? As a group grows larger it can choose one of two paths.
First, a group of four or more people may decide to stay together and change the character of the group from a Life Transformation Group to a Celebration Group, Bible Study Group, Prayer Group, or another type of group. This transition will occur as a result of the increase in size as it will be difficult to maintain an LTG format with more than three people.
Secondly, as a fourth or fifth member is added to the LTG, the group may decide to divide and multiply. That is, a group of four will divide into two groups of two. Each of these groups may invite a third person to join and the LTG will multiply.
How often does an LTG meet? Groups should plan to meet one hour a week. The group agrees on a time and location for their meeting that fits their schedule. The group does only three things during the meeting. They discuss their Bible reading, ask one another character-building questions, and pray for family and friends who do not yet know Christ.
How much Bible reading is required? We will begin with every group reading five chapters from the Gospel of Matthew. We will move through the New Testament in the order the books are placed in the Bible. After our first few months, we will seek to increase the number of chapters being read to ten chapters per week.
What are Character-Building questions? At each meeting group members ask one another character-building questions. These questions should stimulate conversations of character and confession of sin in a safe environment that values honesty, vulnerability, confidentiality, and grace. A prepared list of questions is provided on the Life Group blog page.
How do we pray for our unbelieving family and friends? Some time at each meeting is devoted to pray for members of the group as well as specific unbelieving family and friends. Each person in the group should identify two or three people for whom they are praying and share these names with the group. Each group member commits to pray for each of these people everyday - as well as during the group meeting.
How do I join an LTG? You may start your own LTG by inviting one or two other people to join you or you may join an existing group that has an opening. If you would like to be placed in a group, contact the church office (office@celebrationfamily.com).
How do I start an LTG? LTG’s are led by the Holy Spirit. You can begin your own by asking one or two others to join you. Individuals forming a group might commit to an LTG for a specified time e.g. 3-6 months. At the end of that time group members may recommit or decide to disband.
What does a group talk about in a typical group meeting? The character-building questions stimulate conversation. Some time is also spent talking about the week’s Bible reading. Often questions arise or new insights can be shared. Finally, the group spends some time praying for one another and for two or three pre-Christian friends and family. The success of an LTG depends on the level of trust developed between the participants. Absolute commitment to confidentiality will allow for sharing, accountability, intimacy, and true life transformation.
Why is the group size limited to two or three people? There are several reasons for keeping the group small.
First, with only two or three schedules to coordinate, it is easier for a group of two or three to find time to meet each week.
Secondly, in a one hour meeting there just is not time to allow each member of the group to share their answers to the accountability questions and to have time to discuss the Bible reading if the group is larger than three.
Third, developing trust and confidentiality is important in an LTG and easier to maintain with a group of two or three people of the same gender.
What happens if our group grows larger than three people? As a group grows larger it can choose one of two paths.
First, a group of four or more people may decide to stay together and change the character of the group from a Life Transformation Group to a Celebration Group, Bible Study Group, Prayer Group, or another type of group. This transition will occur as a result of the increase in size as it will be difficult to maintain an LTG format with more than three people.
Secondly, as a fourth or fifth member is added to the LTG, the group may decide to divide and multiply. That is, a group of four will divide into two groups of two. Each of these groups may invite a third person to join and the LTG will multiply.
Questions for Life Transformation Groups
1. How have you experienced God in your life this week?
2. Did you complete your Bible reading this week?
3. What truths did God reveal to you from your Bible reading?
4. How did you invest the proper quality/quantity of time in your most important relationships?
5. What temptations are challenging you?
6. What sin do you need to confess?
7. Did you pray for your unbelieving family and friends?
8. How did you practice sharing Christ’s love with another this week?
9. What are your plans for this coming week?
2. Did you complete your Bible reading this week?
3. What truths did God reveal to you from your Bible reading?
4. How did you invest the proper quality/quantity of time in your most important relationships?
5. What temptations are challenging you?
6. What sin do you need to confess?
7. Did you pray for your unbelieving family and friends?
8. How did you practice sharing Christ’s love with another this week?
9. What are your plans for this coming week?
Matthew 1-5
As you begin your Bible reading, you may feel like you sprung from the starting block and immediately landed in a pothole. The very first words from this gospel contain names one can hardly pronounce. Do not let your excitement for reading God’s word be squelched by having to plow through a genealogy, a long list of descendants who lead us up to the birth of Jesus. What this first chapter reveals for me is not only the historical link of how God has been preparing for this salvation moment, but also the mess that He works through to bring about His plan. Many of the names you will recognize in this genealogy have life stories that make modern day soap operas appear G-rated. I like the thought that God can take the mess of my life story and still bring about His Story.
Once you leave Matthew’s genealogy account, you move into familiar territory with the narrative of Jesus birth, his baptism and his temptation by the devil. Take time to reflect on the crisis moments in these stories as from the beginning the writer discloses the challenges facing God’s work in this world.
Matthew 5 begins Jesus’ sermon that shows how God’s ways are so very different from the ways of the world and even the ways of the religious structure of Jesus’ day. If we really were to grasp what Jesus says in this sermon, our lives and our churches would be quite different than they are today
Once you leave Matthew’s genealogy account, you move into familiar territory with the narrative of Jesus birth, his baptism and his temptation by the devil. Take time to reflect on the crisis moments in these stories as from the beginning the writer discloses the challenges facing God’s work in this world.
Matthew 5 begins Jesus’ sermon that shows how God’s ways are so very different from the ways of the world and even the ways of the religious structure of Jesus’ day. If we really were to grasp what Jesus says in this sermon, our lives and our churches would be quite different than they are today
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