For the sermon on February 22-23, 2014 “The Invitation”

Welcome to Beyond the Weekend! The experiences below are designed to connect with the weekend message and fit a variety of learning styles. They provide additional readings from other sections of Scripture such as the , Psalms, Gospels, and Epistles (letters). Take 20-30 minutes each day and enjoy your pursuit of God!

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Day 1 Deuteronomy 8.10-18 | Forgetting God

Soon after leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God took them to a place of humiliation and a period of testing in the wilderness. Their needs, desires, and discontentment quickly became apparent as they complained about the lack of food, displeasure with their clothes, and dissatisfaction with the people around them. It was during this time of testing that God told them of all the good things awaiting them in the Promised Land.

However, a stern warning follows God’s promise: “Be careful that… when you eat and are satisfied [and your life is materially and monetarily full again]… your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 8.10-14). This warning is for everyone: whether we’re in the “wilderness” and praying for every meal or enjoying a warm home and money in the bank, we’re all prone to wander.

Any financial gain can create a trajectory toward spiritual drift because we’re easily tempted to take credit and become self-reliant. If we’re not proactively moving toward God, we can forget the One who gives us the very breath and strength we need to have any success in the first place. Today, recognize and honor the God who gives us everything we need for godly living (2 Peter 1.3-4). Let your heart resonate with the lyrics of Come Thou Fount by All Sons and Daughters (search youtube.com).

Day 2 .7-9 | , our Daily Bread

Old Testament wise man Agur, author of some of the Proverbs, spoke to the extremes of wealth and poverty: increasing wealth tempts us to forget God while a life of poverty brings temptation to steal and dishonor God. Knowing these extremes, Agur pleaded with God to provide only what he needs, his “daily bread,” the same phrase Jesus uses in Matthew 6.11 as he teaches the disciples to pray.

Throughout history God has provided “daily bread” for his people: the Israelites received manna every morning (Exodus 16), ’s jar of flour miraculously kept giving (1 Kings 17), and Jesus used a few loaves and fish to feed the masses (Mark 6 and 8). While God clearly shows his love for us by meeting our daily needs, these stories also point us to an even greater provision: Jesus as “the bread of life” (John 6.35) and the bread that “comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6.33).

God always provides what we need, sometimes with physical provisions and sometimes with just himself. We must fall in love with Jesus for himself not for what he gives us. Today, take a few extra minutes to meditate on the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6.9-13. Pray through the passage slowly and let God realign your prayer with what Jesus desires and provides. Day 3 Revelation 3.14-22 | Warning, an Act of Love

In his message to the Church of Laodicea, Jesus gives great caution regarding wealth. He firmly reprimands the believers who claim to have life figured out because they are rich. With five adjectives (Revelation 3.17), Jesus strips these individuals down to nothing, suggesting they should be pitied because they’re poor and blind to their spiritual reality.

If these words seem harsh coming from Jesus, it’s because they are. However, after giving such a stern admonition, he gently says, “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline” (Revelation 3.19). The God who first loved us gives us this warning so our hearts remain ignited for him! God is knocking on the door of your heart and wants to enter, teach you his ways, and avoid a lukewarm faith. Today, remember this truth by memorizing Revelation 3.20.

Day 4 Matthew 9.9-13 | Go and Learn Mercy

Imbedded in the middle of miraculous stories of healing, Matthew decides to include his personal testimony. Healing the paralyzed, the demon- possessed, the sick, blind, and mute, Jesus’ invitation to Matthew comes as a surprise. Jesus approaches him, a lover of money, and compares him to those who were sick.

Jesus said, “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9.13). That day Matthew realized his need for spiritual forgiveness and accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow. In response, Matthew had to loosen his grip on money in order to go and to learn a new way of mercy. Jesus invites you to do the same: identify what you’re gripping onto, confess your need for forgiveness, and surrender your heart to learn Jesus’ mercy. Now go and demonstrate that kind of mercy to others.

Day 5 1 Peter 1.3-9 | Embrace Refinement

Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul” (Mark 8.36)? In today’s reading, Peter concludes his point by stating that the end result of our faith is the salvation of our soul. He never says the result is to gain more, to be happier, to live comfortably or even to give generously. Instead, Peter says we can embrace hardships, and actually rejoice in times of suffering and grief, because in the end our faith will be refined and our souls will be saved.

Yet, hardship is just that—it’s hard. That’s why Peter reminds Jesus followers of the abundance they’d already received. Through Christ we have great mercy, new birth, living hope, and an inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade. Shielded by God’s power, we can embrace great and small hardships. When our faith is tested, the genuineness of our faith will result in the worship of Jesus—the object of our faith. In response to your current trials, boldly pray for the truth of these blessings to shield you and for your faith to be refined.

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