Saturday, August 28, 2010

Lesson 6: Fear of God Getting Out Of My Box

Read Chapter 14 from Fearless and we'll discuss the questions below.

Memory Verse: “Arise, and do not be afraid.”
Matthew 17:7

Gracious and loving God, we are seeking Your Word and what You have to say about living fearlessly. We desire to listen, to talk, to love and to be loved. For whatever reason we find ourselves here, Lord, may we be open to You and to others around us so that we may experience Your love and Your will for our lives. Help us put aside all the burdens and distractions that burden us so that we may experience this lesson's gift. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

We need to view God in His earthly glory and get Him out of our do-me-a-favor and make-me-a-buck boxes. We need to see God’s radiance, because with a Messiah like Him, who can fear? This week we’ll take a look at the Transfiguration to see how the disciples’ images of Jesus were blown to bits when His glory was revealed on a hillside in the holy land.

A taxi driver in Brazil rubs the plastic miniature Jesus on his dashboard when he needs a parking space, calling on his do-me-a-favor Jesus. The late-night cable TV preacher asks for your money, trusting in the make-me-a-buck Jesus. Our sin tempts us to conjure different genie Jesuses when we need a favor or a good-luck charm, but it is devastating to our faith to reinforce a false view of God.

Question #1 - In what ways have you reduced Jesus down to a handful of doctrines, attempting to fit Him into boxes of your life?

Box-sized gods. You’ll find them in the tight grip of people who prefer a god they can manage, control, and predict. This topsy-turvy life requires a tame deity, doesn’t it? In a world out of control, we need a god we can control, a comforting presence akin to a lap dog or the kitchen cat. We call and he comes. We pet and he purrs. If we can just keep God in His place. . .


Question #2 - Many of us don’t want excessive amounts of responsibility – having the job of U.S. president, for example. Nevertheless, we try to control God. Why?

As Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus’ divine transfiguration, we can’t help but wonder about their frame of mind. Their friend and daily companion was radically transformed into something larger than life, something divine, something glorious. Don’t we half-expect them to repeat their Sea of Galilee question: “What kind of man is this?”

Question #3 - Do you think we have any chance of grasping Jesus’ glory without witnessing it firsthand? What has to happen before God will get out of the box you’ve created for Him?

Most of our fears are poisonous. They steal sleep and pillage peace. But fear of the Lord is different. As awe of Jesus expands, fears of life diminish. A big God translates into a big courage. A small view of God generates no courage.


Question #4 - How long has it been since a fresh understanding of Christ has buckled your knees and emptied your lungs with awe? When times get tough, how can you foster a correct view of God?

We need to know the transfigured Christ. The One who spits holy fires. Who convenes and commands historical figures. Who occupies the loftiest perch and wears only the true crown of the Universe. God’s beloved Son.

Question #5 - How do we get to know the transfigured Christ? What have you learned over the last six weeks about the connection between our relationship with God, our understanding of Him, and our fears

We made it! What a journey . . . I have really "enjoyed" blogging with you all! My prayer is that we are living less fearful than when we started this study. It's interesting - Max Lucado notes "there are 365 verses in the Bible that say, 'Fear not.' God provided us with one 'fear not' message for every day of the year! Do you think God is saying, 'Get the message. Don't be afraid!'"

Keep a look out for our next On-line discussion group on Paul's letter to the Ephesians starting next week!

Blessings!
Pastor Karen

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Lesson 5: Fear of Global Calamity

Read Chapter 13 from Fearless and we'll discuss the questions below.

Memory Verse: “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:3

God you are in control of all things. Help us to hear Your voice above the clamor of bad news reports, a diagnosis that we don’t want to receive, and anything else that tends shatter our peace. Grant us serenity, courage, and wisdom so that we are able to respond to You more fully. In the name of Your Son Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. Amen

This week we’ll explore one of the most prevalent fears around – the fear of global calamity. We hear about it on the news and online. Our friends and neighbors warn us of the latest disaster rumors. Life is a dangerous endeavor. We pass our days in the shadows of ominous realities. But God has diagnosed the pain of the world and written the book on its treatment. We can trust Him.

Pharmaceutical companies have invaded our nightly entertainment with their promises of renewed vitality, but they also warn against potential tragedy. There is something about that merger of happy faces with voice-over advisories of paralysis that just doesn’t work.

Question #1 - Are there paradoxes you see in life, or in the media, that bother you?


Sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus issued a “buckle your seat belt, no kidding, life can be fatal to your health” warning. He wanted his followers to know what they were facing, because life with Christ is not necessarily an easy journey. Christ promised He would be there for us on the way, though, and His burden is light because we get to walk step-by-step with Him. But He began His lecture with the unexpected words, “Watch out that no one deceives you.”

Question #2 - When you think of global disaster, do you fear being deceived? Why do you think Jesus mentioned deception first in His description of the end of the world?


Real courage embraces the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph. Christians should live somewhere between Pollyanna and Chicken Little, between blind denial and blatant panic. This world needs levelheaded, clear-thinking, and still-believing followers of Christ who will bring others to focus on God and His grace in a time of tragedy.

Question #3 - How does false or empty optimism hurt you more than a realistic evaluation of your situation? “The church” in America has a reputation for expecting Christians to always be positive, but Jesus was brutally honest in His description of terrible things to come. How did we lose that realistic perspective, and why?


The Titanic sank because contractors settled for cheap rivets and planned poorly. Rivets are the glue that hold the steel plates together. Facing a shortage of quality bolts, the builders used substandard ones that popped their heads upon impact with the iceberg. Because of this shortsighted construction, hundreds of people lost their lives in a matter of minutes in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.


Question #4 - How sturdy are the bolts of your belief? Take a look at what’s happening around the globe. Do you think you could handle the type of persecution that Christians face around the world?


All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of God and serve His good will. When the world appears to be out of control, it isn’t. We can trust that God is holy, good, loving, and in control. Our vision is limited: what looks like terror might actually be triumph. What looks like heartbreak might actually be healing. We must trust that God is who He says He is.


Question #5 - How can you remind yourself that God is on control?


Yes, sometimes life stinks. But it won’t forever. As one of Max Lucado's friends likes to say, “Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.” Write a prayer about the things that are not working out in your everyday life today. Take time each day this week to pray the prayer you wrote, and trust God to take care of the concerns you bring to Him.


"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more that all we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Lesson 4: Fear of Life's Final Moments

Read Chapter 10 from Fearless and we'll discuss the questions below.

Memory Verse: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:1-3

God, we thank You for drawing us to You as we journey through this on-line Fearless Bible Study. For we are pilgrims on a sojourn – a journey to understand our fears and where they come from. We do so desire to live our lives fearlessly and for Your glory. Help us to discover ways we can step out of fears so that we can serve You more fully. In the strong name of Jesus we pray. Amen

We desire to face death unafraid. Impossible? Not when you can view death as a new adventure in existence. Because of Christ, we can face our next life with peace. This week we’ll look at the reasons we fear dying and see that as we grow closer to Christ we will not fear death but may even look forward to it with anticipation.

Question #1 - Describe a scene from a movie or a book when a character dies peacefully – without fright or a fight. In what ways did that image move you?


Great philosophers throughout history have lamented the passage into death, calling it “the end of everything” and “the great Perhaps.” But suppose death is different than they thought, less a curse and more a passageway, not a crisis to be avoided but a corner to be turned? If we change the way we think about death, we will change the way we feel about death.

Question #2 - If you are able to remove your association of fear with death, how will your life be changed? Will you live differently?


Death is not to be feared. Your last moment is not your worst. Charon won’t ferry you into oblivion. How do we know? What is our proof? Five hundred witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection leave a still-resounding testimony: it’s safe to die.

Question #3 - How does Jesus’ resurrection make it safe for you to die? Do you find comfort in the proof of Jesus’ resurrection?


Our uncertainty about death – what the afterlife will really be like – generates a lot of fear about it. We dread the unknown rather than look at it as an opportunity for exploration. Charles Lindbergh wrote these words to be read aloud at his burial service: “Death is a new adventure in existence.” No need to dread it or ignore it. Because of Christ, we can face it.

Question #4 - We talked the first week about our tendency to worship safety. How does letting go of that desire for control influence your fears (or lack thereof) about death?


Comfort with the thought of death is born out of an intimate relationship with God. On the night before my heart surgery, God and I had the most honest of talks (see page 122 of Fearless). We began with a good review of my first half century. The details would bore you, but they entertained us. Ultimately, I went to sleep at peace, knowing that if it was my last night on earth, I’d be safe in the arms of my Father the next day.

Question #5 - How does enjoying your relationship with God reduce your fear of death and the life to come?


Live today in Christ’s presence, remembering He is near and will sustain you as you serve in His name. Amen