Hope of the World

Week 1: Hope for the World

Hope for the World Notes

In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a hope that is alive. It is alive because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 NIRV)

Our Problem:
Thousands of the professing Christians in North America are not disciples according to the New Testament definition. One survey concludes that only 25% of Evangelicals meet the biblical standard for a disciple. In Growing True Disciples, researcher George Barna reports that the church in America is comprised of "many converts, but shockingly few disciples."
Winfield Bevins (2012-08-31T22:51:11+00:00). Grow: Reproducing Through Organic Discipleship (Kindle) (Kindle Locations 177-180). Exponential. Kindle Edition.

God's Solution:
A. Make disciples/followers of Jesus
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

B. What is a disciple?
1. CHANGED BY GOSPEL
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 NIV)

2. Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:1-5 NIV)

3. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:1-3, 17, 22-32 NIV)

C. MY PART:
Those who claim to belong to him must live just as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6 NIRV

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)
1. Learn: Your head is changed through the truth.
2. Pray: Your heart is change by God through prayer.
3. Serve: Your hands are changed by actions.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV)

APPLICATION:
If you don't change your world for the better, your world will likely change you for the worse.
Be an Example
Be a Coach

WEEK 2:

WEEK 2 NOTES

Our Hope:
In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a hope that is alive. It is alive because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 NIRV)

Our Call:
Do the work of an evangelist... 2 Tim. 4:5

B. Care:
"When he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matt. 9:36

C. Share: Share Stories, Answers, & Prayer.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

1. Stories: Yours Story & God’s Story

2. Answers: see www.bridgeofhopechurch.com/hope

3. Prayer: Forgive and lead me.

A. Prayer
One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison.

The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God...
When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town. (Acts 16:16-34, 40 NLT)

PRAY FOR…
* Pray for God to forgive my apathy
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. (Psalms 66:18, 19 NLT)

Prayer Application: Confess Failure
"Father, I'm sorry for my ineffectiveness and insensitivity to the people you are bringing into my life. Help me today to get into a meaningful spiritual conservation with someone you love and are drawing to yourself. In Jesus Name, Amen." http://garyrohrmayer.typepad.com/yourjourneyblog/2013/01/how-will-you-increase-your-spiritual-converstations-in-2013.html

* Pray for God to equip me and others.
"Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5)

"One thing more, the soul winner must be a master of the art of prayer. You cannot bring souls to God if you do not go to God yourself. You must get your battle ax and your weapons of war from the armory of sacred communication with Christ. If you are much alone with Jesus, you will catch His Spirit. You will be fired with the flame that burned in His breast and consumed His life. You will weep with the tears that fell upon Jerusalem when He saw it perishing. And if you cannot speak so eloquently as He did, yet shall there be about what you say somewhat of the same power which in Him thrilled the hearts and awoke the consciences of men. My dear hearers, especially you members of the church, I am always so anxious lest any of you should begin to lie upon your oars and take things easy in the matters of God's Kingdom. There are some of you, I bless you and I bless God at the remembrance of you who are in season and out of season in earnest for winning souls. And you are the truly wise. But I fear there are others whose hands are slack, who are satisfied to let me preach but do not themselves preach, who take these seats and occupy these pews and hope the cause goes well but that is all they do." HT

Prayer Application: Ask for Help
* Pray for God to open the hearts of others

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message… (Colossians 4:2, 3 NIV)

Prayer Application:
1. Create your prayer list
2. Call or text to tell them you are praying for them
3. Cry out for God to open hearts

Week 3

Notes: http://www.a.youversion.com/events/227608

WEEK 3 NOTES

Our Hope:
In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a hope that is alive. It is alive because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 NIRV)

Our Call:
Do the work of an evangelist... 2 Tim. 4:5

How… Prayer, Care, Share

A. Prayer:
John 15:5 "Apart from Me you can do nothing"?

* Pray for God to forgive my apathy
* Pray for God to equip me and others.
* Pray for God to open the hearts of others

B. Care:
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” (Mt 10:42).

Caring Acts
1. Bring food
2. Help with house repair & maintenance
3. Give a gift
4. Caring Conversations
         1. Ask other about their life
         (family, work, hobbies, challenges)
        2. Listen, listen, listen…
        3. Encourage without preaching
        4. Empathize without making it about you
        5. Offer to pray for them

C. Share: Share Stories, Answers, & Prayer.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

1. Share Answers: see www.bridgeofhopechurch.com

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
(1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

Track: Our Spiritual Journey
Book: The Case for Christ
Movie: Amazing Love
Bible: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NIV)

2. Share Stories: Yours Story & God’s Story

A. Your story
1. How God has helped story
Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. (Exodus 18:8-12 NIV)

2. Before & after Jesus story
Paul's Story: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” [In Aramaic, he shared about his life before Jesus and his encounter with Jesus.]...The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” (Acts 22:1, 22 NIV)

B. God's Story
(Acts 2 & 7)
I beg you to listen to me patiently… I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:3, 20, 22, 23, 28 NIV)

3. Share Prayer: Forgive and lead me.
a. Prayer for Salvation
Heavenly Father… I acknowledge that the separation between us… is because of my sin… I confess that I have sinned… and have fallen far short of Your glory… I thank You that You sent Your Son, Jesus… to pay the penalty for my sin… I believe that He died on the cross for me… I believe that You raised Him from the dead… I’m sorry for my sins… and I ask You to forgive and cleanse me… I want to turn away from everything the Bible calls sin… and receive You as my Lord, Master, and Savior… help me to love, serve, and obey You… for the rest of my life… in Jesus’ name. Amen!

b. Your Spiritual Journey
Jesus, I believe that you are the only Savior and risen Lord. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I want you to come into my life at this moment. As best as I know how, I turn my life over to your care and control. Amen

APPLICATION
Who needs hope most?

Response Card:
I will pray for...
I will bless...
I will invite...
I will go to...