Avoiding The Destruction Of Distraction

Introduction:

When We Are Distracted, Even By A Good Thing (Luke 10:38-42):

1. We try to Do it all ourselves . (Luke 10:40)
2. We Worry . (Luke 10:41)
3. We don't Dwell in His presence . (Luke 10:42)

Ways To Keep The Focus On Jesus:

1. FIND: Your Prayer Room . (Matt 6:6)

   Matthew 6:6 - "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

2. FIND: The real Reason behind the distraction.
3. FIND: Scripture with real answers. (Matt 6:24)

   Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

4. FIND: Who will Keep me accountable ? (John 17:21)

   John 17:21 - "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

How I will take action today?

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Small Group Discussion
Read Luke 10:38-42

1. What is one thing that God revealed to you personally during the sermon?
   

2. Have you identified what distracts you the most from seeking after the Lord daily?
   

3. Why do you think Jesus calls us to "shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret"? What does it mean to have Him as our reward when we do this?
   

4. Have you taken the time to memorize Scripture? If so, how do you feel it impacts how you live out your day?
   

5. What steps do you feel you need to take to not allow the things you enjoy (entertainment, social media, etc.) become idols and distractions?
   

6. Do you feel like you have the right amount of Christian accountability in your life? Are you that accountability partner in someone else's life? How have you seen that be effective?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Why Don't You Grow Up?

Introduction:

Why Don't You Grow Up?
(Philippians 3:12-4:1)

1. Growing up involves Exertion . (Phil 3:12-14)
   1. Why we must grow: Jesus has Ahold of us .
   2. How we must grow: By Forgetting and Striving .

2. Growing up involves right Thinking and careful Imitation. (Phil 3:15-18)

   See: Matthew 19:16, 17b-22   |   1 Corinthians 6:12   |   1 Corinthians 10:23

3. Growing up involves glorious Transformation . (Phil 3:18-21,4:1)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Philippians 3:12-4:1

1. What is one thing that God revealed to you personally during the sermon?
   

2. Do you pursue Jesus as zealously as you once pursued sin? Why is it difficult for us to do that?
   

3. What comes to mind when you think of maturity? What do you think of Jesus’s perspective on maturity (Matthew 19:22)?
   

4. It was said during the message that a good starting point for evaluating what we value is that “everything is crap” and “everything about us and our values is wrong.” What do you think about those statements?
   

5. What does the process of sorting through your values look like for you? (1 Corinthians 6:12 and 10:23)?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Finding Joy in Work

Introduction:

We Have Joy in Work Because...
(Ecclesiastes 3:9-15)

1. It is a Gift from God. (Eccl 3:13b)
2. We are Made for working. (Eccl 3:10-11a)
3. It leads us to the "Big Picture".
   (Eccl 3:11b,14-15)

3 Ways Eternity Changes Our Work:

1. It changes our Mindsets of why we work.
2. It keeps work in its Proper Perspective .
3. It helps us to Reevaluate our work.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-15

1. What is one thing that God revealed to you personally during the sermon?
   

2. How does God’s view of work allow you to be joyful in your toil?
   

3. Why do we not have total satisfaction in our earthy work? What about people who are seemingly closest to God’s work (pastors, missionaries, evangelists, etc.)?
   

4. Why should eternity have such a strong influence over our work?
   

5. What changes can you make, in your mindset or circumstances, to bring joy in all your work?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Do It Afraid

Introduction:

Do It Afraid: (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Isaiah 43:18-19 - "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way..."

God's timing is just as important as His direction.

Ezekiel 37:14b (NIV) - "Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!"

Matthew 6:26 (NIV) - "Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

When God guides, He will always provide.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Isaiah 43:18-19

1. What is one thing that God revealed to you personally during the sermon?
   

2. How are you going to obey what God revealed to you?
   

3. What is an example of something you’ve done afraid?
   

4. “God’s timing is just as important as His direction.” What does this statement mean to your and your current circumstances?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Build Yourself a Babel

Introduction:

What is a Babel?

Build Yourself a Babel in 3 Easy Steps: (Genesis 11:1-9)

1. Put God's Word Aside . (Gen 11:4,9:1,9:11)

   (Isaiah 30:1) - "Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord , "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;

2. Make it all about Me . (Gen 11:4)

   Genesis 11:4 - Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."

3. Seek the approval of Other People (Gen 11:6).

   Genesis 11:6 - "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do."

God's Response

DON'T Build Yourself a Babel in 3 Easy Steps:

1. Put God's Word First .

   Proverbs 18:10 - The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

   Proverbs 16:9 - The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

2. Make it all about Christ .

   Romans 10:9 - "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

   Acts 4:12 - "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

3. Seek the approval of God Alone .

   Matthew 25:21 - "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."

   1 Peter 2:5 - "You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read Genesis 11:1-9

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. What babels have you built before? Are you building any now?
   

3. What is one thing that you learned from this passage? And how will this change you?
   

4. Applying the revised 3 steps, what practical and specific steps can you take to ensure that you don't build a babel?

Breakout
Pray for one another.