Stand and greet others who are either (leave your comfort zone)
three or more rows directly in front or behind them, or
at the opposite side of the worship area.
Have them form groups of between four and six within their immediate area and discuss these questions:
What’s the wildest most daring thing you ever tried?
Anyone ever jump out of a plane? Want to? Lets do it - what’s the worst that could happen?
Mosh pit - body surf? What’s it like? Back flip on a snowboard, trampoline?
Drive more than 100 MPH? Ride a bull or bronco? Sail a boat in a fierce storm (or get baptized in 3 ft waves)
Show some images on the screen of extreme sports - What would possess someone to do this?
Too much time on their hands? Mentally Challenged? Out of touch with reality?
Or are they more sane than most of us, knowing that we were designed for thrill and adventure
Car & Pop commercials adventure not comfort - Extreme is big because God is missing
You want every nerve in your body challenged?
We will spend the next month or so learning about Abraham - father of Nations
75 when God called him to a Promised Land - leave the city Ur - go to unknown place
100 when he and his wife had their firstborn
137 Sarah dies - he remarries and has more kids!
175 dies - 100 years as a tent dweller Imagine being a 70 yr. old camper - moving into a new land (Haiti - I would prefer Hawaii)
Abram is a Shemite (Noah’s son, Shem) later known as Semites...(anti-semitic)
God tells him to pack up and head for Canaan. Noah’s son Ham (dad naked) had a son Canaan
Noah prophesied Ham’s future was trouble...bad genes...sins of the father...
Canaanites were well known for sexual sins (Sodom and Gomorrah)
God rewards Abram giving him the Canaanites land
Suppose Abram decided not to go? But he did go.
Was Abe a spiritual giant? Think again Abe not wildly faithful but faithful still
Abe not the most spiritual man you ever saw, but his bit of faith justified him
1 Cor. 1:26-29 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.
Not qualified? So what!
Why Abraham? He was listening - Motivated - Willing
Gen. 12:1-8 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. The call is towards the future - unseen - to faith to a journey Have you heard the call of God on your life 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, Promise - it is all about God. "I will" is in there 5 times and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Blessing to all people - that means it is now our job - how are we doing in the blessing department? 4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. There is a direct relationship between taking steps and gaining further direction Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. Tree was the site of worship of false gods now build an alter to the true God. What false gods have you worshipped? At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Why build an alter? To remember 8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Faith is not complete without trust - walking and believing go together.
What spiritual resources do we have that Abraham & his family didn’t?
(church, scripture, tradition, culture)
What did Abraham have as a spiritual resource that you would like to have?
What is the difference between trust and faith?
Walk, not stand still or sit, not even run - faith is.... Walking & believing - trust makes faith complete
What did Abe give up? - Abe’s father’s household idols - home - habits - comfort
What do you need to leave behind?
Look at the events that shaped your life
Era Generation name Events that shaped your life Culture - Music media General aim or goal
Born before 1928 74+ Builders Depression - Pearl Harbor WWII Legacy
1928 - 1945 Silent generation Prosperity of 50’s Kennedy assassination Retirement
1946-1963 Baby Boomers TV MLK Civil Rights Woodstock Security
1964-1982 Generation X Space Challenger, Divorce MTV Meaning
After 1982 Millennial 911
Live by faith - no better way to live
Don’t settle to be a VNP Very Nice Person - faith is the ultimate extreme sport
Are you numb to the call of adventure in your life?
Without faith - the end of life is filled with tons of regrets
There is no do over for your one and only life No reincarnation until you get it right
What are you faith-challenged in today?
Don’t be afraid to share you talents, time and treasures
If you don’t trust God in the small things you wont trust Him in big things
If God can’t trust in you small things He wont trust you in big things
- offering your talents
You think that building a Mission Center is going to be a huge move, cost a lot of money time and talent, You ain’t seen nothing yet
- giving generously
How is it possible that the richest people on the planet are the most fearful, the most stingy
Don’t trust in riches power or politics trust in God
Do you think that you cam be more generous than God?
That you will actually out give Him? Do you think that He wont resupply you according to your needs?
- sharing your witness
Who will be the next pioneer in this church? Who will plant the next 5 churches that come from PoP?
- turning from sin
Why don’t we live faith filled lives? Just believe that God knows better than you do?
Fear that God will not be enough that God will not come through
Don’t settle for amusement park and IMAX -
Quit Mickey Mousing around with God and with your one and only life
If you can’t live a faith filled adventure here - then LEAVE - find a place where you can
Faith is risking what you have for all that God will give
Faith is betting the farm on God Betting that God is not only good and great - but that HE is RIGHT
And He was 75 - what is your excuse? Gerard in Haiti
Is your life faithful to God
Is your life following God more like a game of monopoly or and extreme sport
I’m not where I want to be - stuck in 3rd gear.
People wont tolereat others who are geared too high or low
They killed Jesus
Emerill kick it up a notch - leaders first but the rest of you will need to move up too
