New Day Christian Church - Weston, WI

Adulting: Rule of Life

^{Kids don’t always like rules. Teenagers like them even less! Adults realize that good rules are not designed to oppress us, but to support us. In fact, mature people put rules in place for themselves to help them grow and become fruitful--a blessing to the world.}

^{Acts 2:42-47}

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper^[a]), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. ⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity^[b]— ⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Adulting: Growing in Spiritual and Emotional Maturity

Growing older isn’t the same as growing up. Pitching fits, choosing the easy way (even when it isn’t the healthiest way), handling conflict poorly, having a me-centered perspective...these are normal behaviors for kids. Yet we all carry some of these characteristics into adulthood. When we look at God’s plan for us, it becomes clear that we can’t become spiritually mature without growing up in other aspects of our life. Adulting is hard! Together, we are discovering our Heavenly Father’s plan to help us grow in spiritual and emotional maturity.

KEY TEXT: Ephesians 4:13 (NLT)  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Resurrection Sunday!

“He is risen!” “He is risen, indeed!” So goes the traditional Resurrection Sunday greeting between disciples of Jesus. Why is this such an important celebration? Hope for eternal life hinges on Jesus having victory over death. Let’s celebrate together!

John 5:24 (NLT)  “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

 

Matthew 28:5-7 (NLT) 5  Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6  He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7  And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Romans 6:23 (NLT)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NLT) 3  I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

2 Timothy 1:10 (NLT)  And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)  Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

Adulting: Not My Will - Palm Sunday

Part of “adulting” is living in the long term--choosing the pain of discipline over the ease of distraction. Palm Sunday is a reminder to us that Jesus had a long-term goal in mind. While some people wanted  instant gratification for their own tribe, Jesus brought eternal life for all nations.

John 12:12-13 (NIV) 12  The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!"

Mark 14:35-36 (NLT) 35  He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36  “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Adulting: Listening to the Word of God

Even though we know God loves us, we can only begin to fathom how deep His love is. Still, we have to try! Looking intently into His love letter to us, The Bible, is one way to grow our relationship with Him. This growth is an important aspect of growing up into the full stature of Christ.

KEY TEXT: Mark 1:35 (ESV)  And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Listening to God in Two Steps

1. Get alone with God
2. Listen to the Word of God

Adulting: Rhythm

Sabbath--24 Consecutive Hours of Rest Each Week

Genesis 2:2-3 (NLT) 2  On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3  And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Exodus 16:29a (NLT) They must realize that the Sabbath is the LORD’s gift to you.

Exodus 23:12 (NLT)  You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.

 

The Daily Office--Retreating to Connect With God Throughout the Day

Mark 6:30-32 (NLT) 30  The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31  Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. 32  So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.  

Luke 5:16 (NLT)  But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.  

Mark 1:35 (NLT)  Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Matthew 14:23 (NLT)  After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) 28  Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Adulting 5: Grief and Loss

https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Content/VideoElement/268042

On April 1 we’ll celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Two days before the celebration of renewed life, we’ll remember the crucifixion on Good Friday. Before resurrection, there is death; there is loss. Loss and grief are a part of life, and they are tools God uses to grow us into who He wants us to be. We’ll take a look at an example God gives us to follow into times of grief and loss.

KEY VERSES: Job 1:20-22 (NLT) 20  Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21  He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” 22  In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.  

Five Lessons from Job to Let Suffering Grow Us

1. 1. 1. Be Real
      2. In the Tension, Wait.
      3. Embrace the Gift of Limits.
      4. Erase your Status.
      5. Let the Old Birth the New.

Adulting - The Wall

Why can’t we simply decide to be more spiritually mature and then just do it? Everyone on a spiritual journey runs into walls--difficulties that challenge our character and our motivation. These walls don’t happen according to our plan or predictions. Thankfully, God has given us examples to help us prepare for our own seasons of suffering, to move through the walls that would otherwise leave us stuck.

KEY TEXT: Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT) 11  Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Moving Through the Wall

1. My Focus: My WILL vs. God’s WILL
2. My Work: Awareness, Forgiveness, Acceptance

SUGGESTED READING: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Updated Edition, Zondervan 2017)

Adulting Part 3

Adults have to learn how to navigate, even without GPS. Sometimes to know where we are (in driving or in life), we have to know where we have come from. Scripture gives us a powerful example of someone who could have remained stuck in bitterness and depression his whole life. Instead, he went back in order to move forward.

KEY TEXT: Genesis 50:20 (NLT) You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 

BIG IDEA: It’s impossible to go forward on your spiritual journey without first going back.

 

3 Applications from Joseph’s Response to his Family

1. Recognize your Family Iceberg.
2. Discern the good God intends.
3. Do the hard work of discipleship.

SUGGESTED READING: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Updated Edition, Zondervan 2017)

Adulting Part 2: Know Yourself

Who are you really? One of the earliest results of sin was Adam and Eve covering themselves and hiding from God. In hundreds of ways we continue that pattern today. But we don't have to. In Adulting 2 we'll look at a biblical figure who will inspire us to be real about who we are--who God created us to be.

KEY TEXT: 1 Samuel 17:45,47 (NLT)  David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied...And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

Big Idea: Hiding our true selves keeps us from truly knowing God.