Gateway Church of Visalia
Philosopher Jesus
Pastor Ed Kemp July 7 & 10, 2022
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:45 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
So What?!
Jesus teaches simple truth:
#1. Activate your faith like Noah.
Salvation
Salvation
#2. Look forward like Lot.
Sanctification
Sanctification
#3. Contemplate God’s integrity.
Judgment
Judgment
Jesus the Philosopher: Answers for Life
Luke 17:20-37, July 7 & 10, 2022
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Can you remember a teacher in your past or present who’s really good at explaining concepts? How do they do it: broad vocabulary, logical flow, good illustrations or examples?
Read out loud: Luke 17:20-37
Notice how Jesus uses the most well-known examples and notice how they contrast. Noah goes into a boat, Lot goes out of a city. Noah is confined for over a year and Lot leaves in a day. Both are a part of the judgment of God on their society and culture, Noah with rain and Lot with fire and brimstone. II Peter 2:5-7, says Noah was a outward preacher of righteousness and Lot was tormented in his soul daily in standing against unrighteousness.
Jesus teaches simple truths:
#1. Activate your faith like Noah, which teaches us about Salvation. The action Noah took in building the ark validated his faith in God. The action did not earn Noah’s salvation it validated that his faith was genuine. What kinds of actions in your life validated that you had placed your faith in Jesus? Do you struggle with feelings of hypocrisy when you aren’t doing the things you may feel like you need to do to serve God? If you did all of them do you think those feelings of hypocrisy would totally go away? Which of those feelings is the Holy Spirit prompting and which do you think is just motivated by your human nature and insecurity?
#2. Look forward like Lot, which teaches us about Sanctification. Lot’s wife is turned to salt by God because she looks back and longs to continue in the lifestyle of Sodom. God stops her from influencing Lot to go back to the city. When God asks you to be transformed by His Spirit in some way do you always take immediate action or do you have a tendency to procrastinate? How does your small group help you feel a sense of accountability or encouragement to follow through? Take a few minutes right now to pray for each other about what you’ve discussed in your group.
#3. Contemplate God’s integrity which teaches us about God’s righteous judgment. Judges sit in a court and decide guilt, innocent, fines and sentences. We trust the judge knows the law and applies it fairly to everyone. God is called the righteous judge because He created us, wrote the law for our benefit, and holds us accountable to obey it. Why do humans object so strongly to God holding us accountable to be what He wants us to be?
Read Luke 17:1-6. Jesus taught His disciples that if they just had a mustard seed of faith they would have an attitude of forgiveness. Is that a law and how good are you at obeying it? If you had a magic wand and change anything about the way you live for Christ what would you zap?
Family Time: Make a list with your kids about what you do everyday, what you do that never changes from day to day. Ask them how they would feel if one day God changed everything? Read Luke 17:27 about how God changed Noah’s world. What do you think Noah continued to do everyday even when he was on the Ark and afterwards.
Luke 17:20-37, July 7 & 10, 2022
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Can you remember a teacher in your past or present who’s really good at explaining concepts? How do they do it: broad vocabulary, logical flow, good illustrations or examples?
Read out loud: Luke 17:20-37
Notice how Jesus uses the most well-known examples and notice how they contrast. Noah goes into a boat, Lot goes out of a city. Noah is confined for over a year and Lot leaves in a day. Both are a part of the judgment of God on their society and culture, Noah with rain and Lot with fire and brimstone. II Peter 2:5-7, says Noah was a outward preacher of righteousness and Lot was tormented in his soul daily in standing against unrighteousness.
Jesus teaches simple truths:
#1. Activate your faith like Noah, which teaches us about Salvation. The action Noah took in building the ark validated his faith in God. The action did not earn Noah’s salvation it validated that his faith was genuine. What kinds of actions in your life validated that you had placed your faith in Jesus? Do you struggle with feelings of hypocrisy when you aren’t doing the things you may feel like you need to do to serve God? If you did all of them do you think those feelings of hypocrisy would totally go away? Which of those feelings is the Holy Spirit prompting and which do you think is just motivated by your human nature and insecurity?
#2. Look forward like Lot, which teaches us about Sanctification. Lot’s wife is turned to salt by God because she looks back and longs to continue in the lifestyle of Sodom. God stops her from influencing Lot to go back to the city. When God asks you to be transformed by His Spirit in some way do you always take immediate action or do you have a tendency to procrastinate? How does your small group help you feel a sense of accountability or encouragement to follow through? Take a few minutes right now to pray for each other about what you’ve discussed in your group.
#3. Contemplate God’s integrity which teaches us about God’s righteous judgment. Judges sit in a court and decide guilt, innocent, fines and sentences. We trust the judge knows the law and applies it fairly to everyone. God is called the righteous judge because He created us, wrote the law for our benefit, and holds us accountable to obey it. Why do humans object so strongly to God holding us accountable to be what He wants us to be?
Read Luke 17:1-6. Jesus taught His disciples that if they just had a mustard seed of faith they would have an attitude of forgiveness. Is that a law and how good are you at obeying it? If you had a magic wand and change anything about the way you live for Christ what would you zap?
Family Time: Make a list with your kids about what you do everyday, what you do that never changes from day to day. Ask them how they would feel if one day God changed everything? Read Luke 17:27 about how God changed Noah’s world. What do you think Noah continued to do everyday even when he was on the Ark and afterwards.