Derailed by Running Through the Warning Signs: Lessons From the Life of Cain (Genesis 4:1-12)

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Interacting with the Sermon

Synopsis of the Sermon

      Rich Nathan preached this weekend on the danger of ignoring the warning signs of sin by using the life of Cain as an example of what not to do.  In the verses from Genesis, God clearly warned Cain that sin was “crouching at [his] door” but Cain brushed aside the impending disaster and ended up destroying his life and lives of those around him by killing his brother Abel.  Rich challenged us to reflect on our own lives for warning signs.  He gave several concrete examples of signs to look for.  First, is there any person or people group that we view as being below us in importance - an ex-spouse, an in-law, a parent, or sibling?  Perhaps we are overlooking a people group such as people of another class, race, or religion?  Secondly, we were warned against feelings of entitlement that result in bitterness when God doesn’t respond to us in ways we feel deserving of.  We were encouraged to instead, approach God with spiritual emptiness and remember that by saying we are followers of Jesus, we are saying that we understand that everything we receive from God is entirely based upon grace.  Pure, sheer, unmerited favor that opposes the concepts of legalistic religion.  In fact, Jesus’ death on the cross spoke forgiveness and wiped away all ideas that we must somehow earn God’s favor. 

           

In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon.  What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?  Explain.

Getting the Conversation Started

These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

·          What are one or two things from this weekend’s sermon that really stood out to you?

·          Share a piece of advice you received as a child/young adult?

·          Did you follow the advice?  If so, how did following the advice benefit?  What are ways you/others could have been harmed by not following the advice?

Scripture Study

Study Goal: By the end of this study, you will have discussed the instructions Paul gives followers of Jesus and how Jesus paved the way for obedience and service so that the message of God’s forgiveness, grace, and love would show itself to be extravagant.  If we choose the way of Cain, we choose to kill with our actions and words.  On the Contrary, if we choose the way of Jesus, we choose to die to ourselves with our actions and our words.  By the end, you will have asked God, “In what ways I have chosen the ways of Cain and how can begin choosing your way, the way of Jesus?”  The way of Jesus is the way of grace.

Context: Around 60 A.D., Paul was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He spent 2 years waiting for his trial and during this time, he wrote the letter to the Philippians.  Chapter 2 is the centerpiece of the entire letter.  It focuses on the mindset of Christ; therefore, explaining Paul’s attitude up to this point and why he is encouraging the church to continue strong in humility.  Two major themes of this text are 1. unity and 2. having joy in suffering.  He explains the foundation of these qualities as coming from Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.  Just as Jesus will be exalted to the highest place, Paul has confidence that by following Jesus’s obedience, there will be reward; furthermore, they have every reason to be glad and rejoice. 

Read Philippians 2:1-18 (TNIV)

¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a human being,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

 ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

 ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

·           

• What is the general attitude of this passage?
• Vv. 1-5, What advice does Paul give to the church in Philippi? 
• Vv. 6-11, How do his encouragements and warnings reflect the ministry of Jesus?
• V 8, What actions did Jesus take out of obedience?
•  From the Bible, we know that God often uses the “nothings” of the world to fulfill His purpose, such as in the cases of Abel, David, and Paul.  How does God’s preference for the “nothings” of the world point to Jesus?
• How might approaching God with a feeling of entitlement contrast with the way Jesus approached the throne of God?
•  V 12, What effects has being “united with Christ” had on your life?
•  V 12, How is performance based salvation different from what Paul means by “work out your salvation with fear and trembling?”  Fear of what?
• V 13, What are God’s purposes for his children?  
• V 14, Paul says to do everything without “grumbling or arguing.”  How is holy submission different from being a push-over? 
• How does following this advice benefit us?  How does it benefit others?  How does it give glory to God?

Ministry Application

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

•  Ask God how you may be ignoring warning signs for disaster– try to share openly and honestly with a few others about where things are REALLY at. 

•  Is there anyone who feels you have ignored warning signs in the past and now you are suffering the effects of this?  Perhaps this makes you feel a loss of hope.  Be encouraged, there is hope for every human being even for those who have rushed through the warning signs. 

•  Ask yourselves, is there anyone who has become a nothing to you?  An ex-spouse, an in-law, parent, sibling?  Is there a people group that has become a nothing to you?  Pray that God would allow you to see people whom you have overlooked as people?

•  How is obedience to Christ going for you?  Are you experiencing opposition?  Take time to pray for one another.

•  How often do you pray for unity in your life?  Is there anyone you feel disconnected from and therefore temptation grumble and argue?

•  The idea of joy in suffering is counter intuitive to this world.  If you are suffering, god wants to minister to you and show you His comfort and love.  God wants to give you faith in the difficulty.  God wants for you to trust him completely. 

Doubting God’s Goodness (Ephesians 6:10-12)

Click here to download the Study Guide in PDF
Click here to download the Study Guide in WORD

Interacting with the Sermon

Synopsis of the Sermon

      Rich Nathan preached this weekend on doubting God’s goodness.  In the verses from Ephesians, Paul encourages the early Christians to be “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” by clothing themselves with God’s character qualities.  By doing so, they possess the strength to take a stand against the devil.  Paul reminds his reader in vs. 12 that their struggle is not against people but against the “powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  The passage goes on to compare the act of assuming God’s character by putting on armor as if one preparing for battle.  Rich made the point - When we look at the suffering of this world played against the backdrop of spiritual warfare, things make a great deal of sense.  Humans and all of creation are in the middle of a war.  As followers of Jesus, we are called to be different from the world.  Our fulfillment is not in the  “American dream” where we are pampered and have no hassles or stresses.  Rich plainly stated, “we are not on vacation, we are fighting a war”.  This war is against an enemy whose sole purpose is seeking and destroying everything that God loves.  Our God loves the world.  The enemy wants to destroy everything in the world.  That includes you- your character, your reputation, your marriage, your health, and your kids.  We know that when Christ died on the cross, it was to overthrow the kingdom of Satan (Col 2: 13-15) and this war will not be complete until he returns (1 Cor 15: 24-26).  Until then, we must rely on God’s power where God’s creation is under attack.

           

In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon.  What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?  Explain.

Getting the Conversation Started

These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

·      What are one or two things from this weekend’s sermon that really stood out to you?

·      Share a time when you felt really cared for?  Perhaps the circumstance was unexpected or you found the person who was caring for you to be inexpected.  Did these person(s) actions make you think differently of them?   

·      How might the situation have gone if you had not been cared for?  How did being cared for make a difference?  How did it change things?  How did it change you?  How did it help you?

Scripture Study

Study Goal: The purpose of this study is to recognize the war being waged against all that God loves including our own lives.  At the end of this study, you will have discussed how following Jesus is like one going to war and how we may know God’s goodness as he desires to give us strength and power to stand against the enemy’s attacks.  

Context: The Letter of 2 Timothy presupposes that Timothy, a leader in the church in Ephesus, has been entrusted to keep the church in Ephesus on track in Paul’s absence.  Earlier in the book, Paul describes the extremely desperate situations he endured including being arrested in Asia Minor - where no one came to his aid since they were apparently ashamed of his imprisonment.  Paul writes to encourage Timothy to remain brave no matter what opposition he might face and to stay on track with their original mission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ no matter the circumstances, and in doing so, Paul is confident he will receive God’s goodness.

Read 2 Timothy 4: 1-7

¹In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵ But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day —and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

·      Paul knows how difficult Timothy’s task will be as overseer in Ephesus. But he also knows the judgment of the Lord—the reward for the faithful.  What instructions does Paul give Timothy in v. 2?  In what way is Timothy to follow through with these instructions?  Why might it be significant that Timothy is told to carry out Paul’s instructions in a particular way?

·      What warning does Paul give Timothy in vv. 4 and 5?  In his sermon, Rich mentioned how the enemy will often use humans to bring about evil.  Paul specifically states, “For the time will come” as if he is predicting what will happen in the Ephesian church and as if he has seen something like this before.  Could Paul have seen the enemy use these same tactics before in other churches?  Share a way you have seen the enemy work in ways that were predictable.  What are ways we can protect ourselves from the predictable patterns of the enemy?

·      Paul provides specific instruction to Timothy in how he must act despite what evil is surrounding him.  Paul states, “But you...” as though Timothy must be radically different than the world around him, even if he (Timothy) is the only one.  What specific instruction does Paul give?  What authority does Paul have to give such bold instructions based on vv. 6 and 7? 

·      Paul calls God “the judge” (v. 1) and “the righteous judge” (v. 8).  Knowing these qualities of God, what comfort might this have given to Timothy during difficult times?

·      Judges are necessary when complex conflict is unable to be resolved by individual parties involved.  Only then, is a judge necessary for intervention and resolution.  Yet, Paul remains confident of the Lord’s reward when God judges.  What does this imply about God’s character?

            Read 2 Timothy 4: 17-18

¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

·      Paul uses powerful imagery in these two verses to describe a war being placed against him and the church.  In these verses, Paul goes on to describe the character of God despite the the attack he faced.  Paul lived a life of constant struggle marked with imprisonment, torture, and his peers being put to death based on what they believed.  What might Paul mean by “the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength?” 

·      Paul describes being delivered from the “lion’s mouth” and rescued from “EVERY evil attack.”  Who is on the attack?  Who is the aggressor in this fight?  Who is trying to take more territory? 

·      Paul describes God as being in action during Paul’s struggle.  He says the Lord “stood at my side,” “gave me strength,” “delivered,” “rescued,” and “will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.”  Describe the significance of this imagery and how it demonstrates God’s goodness.

            In Closing, Read Psalm 34

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

                    ¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
                   and his ears are attentive to their cry;
               ¹⁶ but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
                   to blot out their name from the earth.

                   ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
                   he delivers them from all their troubles.
              ¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
                  and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

                 ¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
                  but the Lord delivers him from them all;
             ²⁰ he protects all his bones,
                 not one of them will be broken.

                ²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
                 the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
            ²² The Lord will rescue his servants;
                no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Ministry Application

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

•  If you’re finding yourself in the war and feeling like you need God as your rescuer – try to share openly and honestly with a few others about where things are REALLY at. 

•  How is the war going for you? Are you clear that humans are not the enemy? The enemy is Satan.   Are you clear that you are not able to fight on your own? You need to be in partnership with God and then you will know God as your rescuer.  As we begin to see God in this way, we are then able to feel and see God’s goodness in our life

•  What can we do to trust that God is good?  A soldier would not risk his life if he did not have confidence in his leader’s power to win the battle.  Our God is not just our leader in this war, he is our Father who has good plans for us.  How do we, who are in the middle of a battle, trust that our Father has good plans for us?

•  How often do you pray for power in your life?  For strength to stand, and to withstand the assault that you are under?  How often do you pray for the release of God’s power in a situation where you see someone under assault?  How often do you pray for a release of God’s strength and power in a situation where you see what God loves being under attack?  (Leaders, ask your group these questions and then take time to pray God’s release of power where your members are under attack.) 

•  Are you having difficulty trusting the goodness of God?  God wants to minister to you and show you the love He has for you.  God cares about all areas of your life but he wants to start with your heart.  Take time during prayer to ask for healing in ways you have been hurt and in ways you find it difficult to trust his goodness for you.  God wants to give you faith in the difficulty.  God wants for you to trust him.

 

Doubting God’s Power (Isaiah 7:1-14)

Click here to download the Study Guide in PDF
Click here to download the Study Guide in WORD

Interacting with the Sermon

Synopsis of the Sermon

      Insoo Kim preached this weekend on doubting (or rather, trusting) in God’s power. The passage from Isaiah begins with King Ahaz “trembling with fear” at impending attacks.  His first response in v. 3 is “to check the city’s water supply”. Insoo made the point - to whom do we go with our first response when we’re desperate, or in need, or afraid? If we believe we are more than mere flesh and blood, being spiritual beings at our core, why do we neglect that reality when in crisis? God reminds Ahaz in v. 7 to trust that God will do what he said he will do because He is Sovereign. When we’re in crisis, we need to recall that God is sovereign. And because our God is a relational God, He asks us to demonstrate our faith in Him and His sovereignty through our active trust. He’s always asking, “Do you trust me”? God’s sign to us of His faithfulness is offering his Son Jesus to us. Let’s not forget God’s sovereign plan through Jesus and that he’s with us to the end of this age.

           

In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon.  What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?  Explain.

Getting the Conversation Started

These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

• What are one or two things from this weekend’s sermon that really stood out to you?
• What comfort(s) did you use as a child when you felt scared? Why?
• Share an recent example where you knew you were seeking comfort or reassurance in something other than Jesus, and the Holy Spirit convicted your heart? Please share briefly.

Scripture Study

Study Goal: In his book Finding God, Dr. Larry Crab tries to pull the curtain back on what it means to truly live a life passionately and wholly for God. He’s says, ultimately finding God “means to face all of life, both good and bad, with a spirit of trust. We have a higher calling than finding joy in good things and working through bad things; we must reflect confidence in God in ALL our relationships and activities, in ALL our joys and sorrows. You know you are finding God when you believe that God is good no matter what happens”. The recipe for passionate living is not that complicated. I believe it’s laid out in Scripture, and the Holy Spirit is testifying to it in our lives – if we slow down and we listen. The main ingredient, the “stumbling block” as Crabb puts it, is our trust in God, our trust in His Goodness. He links our comprehension and embrace of God’s Goodness to how severe our trust is of Him.

Context: Look at verses 1 and 13. God uses Jeremiah to prophesy to Judah and Israel who have forsaken Jehovah. They claimed to worship Jehovah, but in practice they worshipped other gods. In the middle of Jeremiah telling Judah about the consequences for their sin, he relates a beautifully profound picture from God contrasting the reality of trusting in God or in His creation.

Read Jeremiah 17:5-8

            5 This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
    in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

• Begin by observing and considering the pictures - there are 2 plants.  What are their characteristics? What do both pictures have in common and what is different?
• Which tree’s life is more appealing? Which tree’s pattern do we find ourselves choosing more?
• Formulaic Christianity says “if I do the right thing God will bless, He’ll watch my back”. But what happens when “all hell breaks lose”? What happens when…

o   Unexplainable, bad things happen…

o   When hardships don’t get resolved

o   Unanswered prayers, years of waiting

o   When I feel threatened, insecure, needing love and not receiving it, no present relief from anger, bitterness, stress, tiredness, boredom…

o   Relationship challenges with your kids, spouse, family members, neighbors, or colleagues linger

o   When things are unfair, you get over-looked, you’re misunderstood, taken for granted, not recognized.

o   What are your responses? What is the alternative for you to trusting in God’s faithfulness and power?

• v. 5 What are some examples of Trusting in creation, in flesh, In the things of the world? Describe what happens personally when your trust in God leaks?
• V. 6 “Dwelling in parched places, in a salt land…” – has anyone lived there? Please share how you got there, and what drew you out?
• Vv.7-8 What is the root’s source of life? How do they reach the stream? There is a reality that we play a part in the “trust” cycle – we need to reach out to the source for our life….Read John 15:1-4, how do you “remain in Christ”? How does that correlate to your active trust in God?
• V. 8 “…when heat come”, not “…if heat comes”.  Can you truly live worry free in a year of drought? How so? How have you made it through?
• Close by reading Psalm 121 (Message version provided) Perhaps when completed – pray out as group in a Spirit of thankfulness for God’s faithfulness…

Psalm 121: A Pilgrim Song

 ^1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
   No, my strength comes from God,
      who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

 ^3-4 He won't let you stumble,
      your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
   Not on your life! Israel's
      Guardian will never doze or sleep.

 ^5-6 God's your Guardian,
      right at your side to protect you—
   Shielding you from sunstroke,
      sheltering you from moonstroke.

 ^7-8 God guards you from every evil,
      he guards your very life.
   He guards you when you leave and when you return,
      he guards you now, he guards you always.

Ministry Application

Below you’ll see some options for ministry time with your group. We always encourage you to reserve time in your group to pray for one another and wait on the Holy Spirit.

·      If you’re finding yourself in the desert and feeling like the bush in the wasteland – try to share openly and honestly with a few others about where things are REALLY at.

o   How can you deepen your trust in God? Step 1 - Seek the Holy Spirit. He will focus our blurred vision of God as we pursue a deeper awareness of Christ and ourselves that can mobilize us into a state of spiritual alertness where we can grow in our eagerness to hear the voice of God. Hearing God speak can be one of the most faith building experiences we have. God sees you and knows where you’re at and longs to draw near – we just need to let Him in.

o   Step 2: Strive to recognize that God is good. Or at least good enough. In our own sinfulness we so often subvert God’s goodness, God’s way, for our own way, for own solutions, our own fallen methods. The moment we forget that God is good, we subvert HIS goodness and HIS plans and HIS ways for our own. We stop trusting in him and start trusting in ourselves or other created things. We need to break that cycle and learn to go to God first. When we believe he is good, we will seek Him more. When we seek him more, we’ll see that He’s faithful and, hopefully, those rhythms will increase and intensify.

o   Step 3: Practice Obedience; obedience to God shows that we submitted to his reign in our life and we trust that there is no other way to finding God, to finding peace, to finding love. Flee the enemy and cling to the cross. If there are place in your life where you need to align with God’s authority, confess it to another and seek prayer.

·      If you’re finding yourself in the desert, yet with “green leaves” – be committed to share with others and pray that you can grow in your trust of the Lord, despite what you’re going through. Seek God’s sovereign Hand to pull you out of the draught.

·      If you know of someone else who’s struggling, how might you encourage that person? Seek the Lord and be open to how He might lead you – practically and spiritually.