As I said on Sunday, I am sorry for the allusion to Homestarrunner.com in the title of the message but I couldn’t resist. Here are the notes from this week’s sermon and a few application questions….

byron

Harvest South Bay August 31st, 2008

Strong Good
Great Expectations: The Gospel of Mark
Mark 4:35-41

Faith is believing that despite contrary circumstances
that God is both good and strong

Three Applications

1. God is good, all the time.

2. God is strong beyond our expectations

3. God is in the boat (with US!)

Weekly Application Exercises
1. Pay attention to what creates stress or panic in your life. How would your reaction change in light of a stronger faith? How can you remind yourself this week of God’s presence?

2. Take some time to reflect on how God has steered your life- foiling some of your plans and fulfilling others. How does this show you His goodness? What choices would have been folly and which were you not ready to fulfill? Thank God for His wisdom in your life.

Weekly Application questions:
1. What circumstances in your life do you hold on to as hurtful or negative? How has God used those circumstances either to strengthen you, to have you appreciate Him more, to have you call out to Him more in desperation, or to be humbled?

2. Are you a pessimist or an optimist (or… a realist?). How does Scripture inform your reaction to difficulties and outlook on life? Is the general tenor of your life driven by God’s worldview?

3. Take some time to praise God for His presence in your life- that instead of being an enemy, if you have Christ in your life, He is divine Friend and Father.

Hey Harvesters!
First of all, thanks to everyone who sent along the feedback for the retreat. We’ll definitely plan around a lot of the comments as we hope to maximize the experience away: growing toward the Lord and toward one another.

Here are the notes from last Sunday’s Sermon and some application questions to boot!:
This is a Test
The Gospel of Mark
Mark 4:1-20
Unpacking the Parable:
There are 4 soils, one of which immediately rejects God’s Word. The next two soils have some reaction and response to God’s Word but they are stifled by different obstacles. The fourth soil is a true follower of Christ- evidenced by the fruit that is produced through it.

The Test: 3 Challenges to the Reality of our Faith
1. The Challenge of Deception: there are many who think that they are saved because they respond to God’s Word somehow, however they do not have the depth of faith that is characterized by a believer.
2. The Challenge of Depth: Listening is key vs. simply hearing
A. Those who Listen Cling to Jesus through tough circumstances
B. Those who Listen Cling to Jesus through real temptations
C. Those who Listen Cling to Jesus over time
D. Those who Listen Cling to Jesus with true results
3. The Challenge of Deflection: the Parable of the Soils is addressed to each and every person who listens to it regardless of time or place.

Weekly Application Exercises:
1. Take some personal time to examine your faith in light of the tests within the parable of the soils. Reflect especially on how God has worked through your life and produced fruit beyond your own doing.
2. Anticipate possible trials and temptations which may come your way in the future. Devote yourself to praying for God’s strength to overcome and persevere through these difficulties.

Application Questions:
I had to post this since reading it on a blog I peruse.
From CS Lewis:
Your bid — for God or no God, for a good God or the Cosmic Sadist, for eternal life or nonentity — will not be serious if nothing much is staked on it. And you will never discover how serious it was until the stakes are raised horribly high, until you find that you are playing not for counters or for sixpences but for every penny you have in the world. Nothing less will shake a man — or at any rate a man like me — out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself.
C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

1. Think of the “dangers, toils and snares” which you have experienced. How has your faith in the Lord played a role in those times? How do you react differently to difficulties on account of your faith?
2. If someone were to ask you if you were experiencing any meaning in your practice of Christianity, how would you respond?
3. How do you account for your assurance of salvation? What biblical texts and tests give you that assurance?

Since we have the Harvest Retreat this weekend, we will not be having a Sunday Service here in the South Bay. If you don’t intend on coming to the retreat this weekend and you will not be attending either or Mandarin or Taiwanese congregations, please consider attending one of the following services in the South Bay:

Rolling Hills Covenant Church:
Sunday 9:00 or 10:45 AM in the Main Sanctuary
2222 Palos Verdes Dr. North, Rolling Hills Estates

Kings Harbor Church
8:30 and 10:30 AM
23915 Garnier St , Torrance

Bread of Life Church
9:00 AM (English) in the Main Sanctuary
2780 Lomita Blvd, Torrance

Have a great Sunday Worship! We will see you all next Sunday, the 17th of August!

Byron

Hey Harvest.
Once again, here are last week’s notes from the sermon and some extra questions for your quiet time or small group!

On Purpose
The Gospel of Mark: Mark 3:7-19
Review: Jesus’ Two Priorities in Calling People
1. Jesus valued Contrition
2. Jesus valued Relationship

The Purpose of Our Calling
1. Purpose #1: Being In Jesus’ Presence
2. Purpose #2: Being Jesus’ Presence

Weekly Application Exercises
1. Reflect on your relationship with God: would you describe it as moment to moment in consistency or a relationship where you touch base with Him only once a day? Determine to increase the constancy of your fellowship with Him.
2. Enter your sphere of influence this week, whether at home, work or school, and determine to be the presence of Jesus to people around you. How will this change your words, attitudes and actions?

Additional Questions:
1. How would your lifestyle, your words and your actions differ if you dwelt perfectly in Jesus’ presence at all times? How can you increase your communication with Him?
2. In what ways do safety and security hold you back from being Jesus’ presence to other people? What words and actions can you purpose to do which might make you stand out, but stand out in a positive way to others (i.e. displaying Christlike kindness that invades the boundaries of others, asking nonChristians how you can pray for them, etc…)
3. Work on one dimension of your personality this week that falls outside of how Jesus would relate to others (perhaps we are overly sarcastic, or lazy, or tempermental, or caustic with our words…etc…)

For all you parents who need to plan around your kids’ schedules and for all of the golfers reserving tee times, here is the schedule for the retreat this coming August 7th!

Thursday August 7th
3:00-5:30 Check-in Registration
5:30-6:30 Dinner (on your own)
6:30-8:00 Session 1 Worship/Message
8:00- FREE TIME

Friday August 8th
7:30 Wake Up
8:30 Breakfast (on your own)
9:00 Quiet times
9:30-11:00 Session 2 Worship/Message
11-12:15 Missions Sharing from Danny and Lillian
12:15-5:15 FREE TIME (Lunch on your own)
5:15 Dinner (TOGETHER)
6:45-8:15 Session 3 Worship/Message

Saturday August 9th
7:30 Wake Up
8:30 Breakfast (on your own)
9:00 Quiet times
9:30-11:00 Session 4 Worship/Message
11:00-5:00 Free Time (Lunch on your own)
5:00 Dinner (TOGETHER) and then free time

Sunday August 10th
8:00-10:00 Wake Up/Pack Up/Check out
10:30-11:15 Session 5 Worship/Message