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Saturday, March 22, 2008

Laying a Good Foundation

1. Of the materials listed below, what is the best to use as a foundation in a building? Why?
A. Lumber B. Sand C. Rock D. Rubber






Read Luke 6:46-49

2. Who are the 2 type of people described in this passage? What is the difference between the 2?








3. What happened to the Wise person’s house when a storm struck? What happened to the Foolish person’s house when a storm struck?







4. How does this illustration help Christ point out the importance of hearing and doing? Why is hearing the word not good enough?



Additional Thoughts & Application:

Having a sure, strong foundation can help you weather all sorts of storms. Whether it is a relationship crisis or a circumstantial crisis, Christ has pointed out just how important being properly grounded in his wisdom and taking action is.

In this Easter weekend, take some time and examine what or who you are putting your foundation in.  Is it in Christ who can help you weather all sorts of storms or is it in something else?

Look back at v. 49 and check again what the Rock that Christ was talking about consisted of. It consisted of hearing the word of the Lord and taking action.

If you also look back at v.48-49, the man dug deep. His foundation did not just go a few feet. It went deep because the storms that approach can get pretty fierce at times. In the same way, the storms in our lives can get rough as well.

How are you able to withstand the fiercest of storms? The encouragement here is to be consistently hearing the word of the Lord and putting it into practice daily. By doing this, we can withstand the fiercest of storms that come our way.

Write 1 goal down that you can do this week in regards to listening and doing. Then, share it with another person so they can be encouraged and help you achieve your goal.

Pray

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Freedom to Serve

1. There were great people and warriors who fought for freedom, not just in America, but also in the world. Who are some that you admire and why?






Read Galatians 5:13-15

2. How does Paul think we should we use our freedom?




3. Out of ___________ should we serve one another? Why do you think Paul said we need to serve this way?




4. What will happen if you devour one another?





Additional Thoughts & Application:

Freedom is such a big idea. When you have freedom you can do whatever you want. As followers of Christ, He set us free by his death and resurrection on the cross.

With freedom, though, comes responsibility. Just because we are free, as Americans, that does not mean we can just go out and kill another person.

In the same way, just because Christ gave us freedom by his death and resurrection, does not mean that we should continue to live like we did before we knew him. Remember, we have been transformed into a new person when we decide to follow Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In this passage, Paul challenges us her to use our freedom to serve one another. Why should we use our freedom to serve one another? Why shouldn’t we use our freedom to do whatever we please? After all, people sacrificed their lives so we could do whatever we wanted, right?

Not exactly. Christ sacrificed his life so that the law would no longer bind us and through him a new covenant was created. So, yes, we have freedom now – a freedom that is engulfed in grace. But that does not mean that we can keep on living the same way we used to live apart from Christ. There needs to be a life change and a strive towards greatness found in Christ.

How can you serve others this week in love? Use your freedom in Christ to show your love to others by service. Write down 1 goal you can do this week and then share it with another person so that they can be encouraged and help you achieve your goal.

Pray