The Community of Service

FULL SERVICE: *See SERMON ONLY below

SERMON ONLY:

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Questions Sermon 28: The Community of Service

1. The Ethiopian reading the Bible was asked the most important question when we all come to the Scriptures – Do we understand what we are reading?
2. Do you think that there is an unspoken attitude that the Scriptures are just too difficult to understand? What do you do when you don’t?
3. There are, of course, many things that are challenging to the mind. Even Peter said this about Paul’s writings (2 Peter 3:16). What are your habits in coming to God’s Holy Word?
4. The eye, as a metaphor (a figure of speech that is used to make a comparison between two things that aren’t alike but do have something in common) is a master stroke by Jesus to give us such a physical picture that forces us to see the importance how central our minds and understanding really are. How do you love God with your mind?
5. I began by saying that “the community of the church serves when It can see clearly.” Am I claiming too much according to this passage? Ask yourself, “what does it really mean to see?
6. The eye is like a lamp that illuminates all of life, and everything that your body does. And so, it is an analogy for spiritual sight, spiritual perception, spiritual experience, spiritual discernment, spiritual understanding. In the light of how we actually grow spiritually, according to this passage, what does the Christian need to give priority to?
7. I contrasted conforming and transforming according to Romans 12:2. How does that verse link up to Jesus statement about the eye as a lamp to the body?
8. I say that “the power of the gospel transforms our hearts and minds.” That is an absolute game-changer. Think about that sentence again. How does it do that? Do we really understand that the gospel is not just for non-Christians, but also for believers? We get saved by the gospel, we know. But how does it also transform us?
9. “Purity of Heart Comes from a Singular Devotion to Christ.” As Jesus says, “If your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.” There is a play on the Greek word translated as “clear.” It may be different in your translation. But the literal word means single. We totally know what it means to have a “one-track mind.” How does the singular devotion to Christ put everything into perspective?
10. I say that “the mind completely devoted to Christ, wants passionately to love, to serve, to give, to be other focused, to listen, to risk, to speak in the name of Christ. Does that strike a chord in you? If it does, imagine what it would be like if every member of CBC understood itself as “a people who belong to a community of servants?” What would that look like?
11. In the context of the background of this passage, money and God are seen as masters. Which is why the idea of “the evil eye” has more to do with greed and covetousness. Think through how they destroy true servanthood. Look at little deeper and answer the question, “why do these things, in particular, damage the heart of the church?
12. Lastly, when I closed with the statement that “2021 will be the year that Calvary Baptist Church gets prepared to become a whole community of servants.” Knowing that we are already a generous church, what do you think I’m getting at? If you were given the task of making this a reality, how would it happen? What would it mean for your family and neighborhood?