Evergreen Christian Community

Walking With Jesus Week 2 “Our Birth: Supernatural” Big Idea: The Big Idea: We have been given new birth into a living hope that grows us up and secures our inheritance. 1 Peter 1:3-12 What happened to you? You were given NEW BIRTH Being born again spiritually is about a new LIFE-SOURCE and a new IDENTITY 2 Peter 1:4 ; Titus 3:5 Where does it happen to you? It happens to you in your HOPE HOPE is a DESIRE and an EXPECTATION How does it grow in you? It grows through SUFFERING How do you know this promise is for you? You know it is for you because of how it was ACCOMPLISHED

Walking With Jesus Week 1 - “Encountering the Risen Christ” April 23, 2017 Big Idea: A disruptive collision with the grace of God is what opens the door to the process of my restoration. Peter’s episodes with grace serve as a paradigm for us: Mark 14:27-31 Mark 16:1-8 Jesus already knows YOUR NEXT FAILURE. Jesus is focused on YOU, not your BEHAVIOR. John 21:1-17 Growth requires that you focus on JESUS, and HIS BEHAVIOR Jesus can trust you when you serve out of WEAKNESS rather than personal STRENGTH. Restoration is a LIFE-LONG process - a dynamic of repentance and faith. John 15 - The Secret is to ABIDE in JESUS Community Group Questions • Have you ever found yourself back in the boat fishing like Peter? Feeling like you so completely disappointed God that you believed Jesus would have nothing more to do with you. Tell the story of how Jesus met you in that place. • What does it do for you to believe that Jesus already knows your next failure? o How does this or how should this impact our

Easter Sunday April 16, 2017 Knowing Jesus, 4 Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, your future is certain and unimaginably wonderful. Luke 24:13-49 Three things we can learn from the resurrection: 1. The Resurrection is a PARADIGM-SHATTERING historical event Luke 1:1-4 Luke compiles evidence that this was a BODILY resurrection. Historical facts always shatter false PARADIGMS. 2. The resurrection is the proof that your FORGIVENESS has been accomplished. 3. The Resurrection is the strongest message of HOPE possible. Hope is about the FUTURE. The future is PERSONAL. The future is CERTAIN! The future is unimaginably WONDERFUL.

Knowing Jesus 3 - Worship Big Idea: You can’t know and understand Jesus unless you know Him as King! Luke 19:28-40 Palm Sunday means, “Jesus is KING” 1. He is the TRUE King 2. He is the HUMBLE King Zechariah 9:9 Isaiah 11:6-9 3. How can you make Him YOUR King? WORSHIP Him OBEY Him EXPECT GREAT THINGS from Him.

Knowing Jesus, 2 “Life With A Mission” April 2, 2017 Big Idea: When your purpose and mission are clear, life is far less complicated. Luke 5:1-25 1. Jesus calls you on mission in your VOCATION Do your work WITH GOD Colossians 3:23 Keep RESULTS and PROFITS where they belong 2. Jesus calls you on mission to the FRINGES 3. Jesus calls you on mission among your PEOPLE Mark 9 When you know the WHY of your life, the WHAT and the HOW are far less con-fusing and far more fulfilling. We were made to GLORIFY God and LOVE people. It really is that simple.

Knowing Jesus, 1 “Saturated in the Scriptures” Luke 4:1-13  Big Idea: Jesus shows us how engaging the Scriptures leads us to victory over the strategic, complicated and very real activity of Evil. The complexity of evil: Luke 22:3; Ephesians 4:27; Genesis 4:6-7; John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8 The Bible describes three enemies: the WORLD, the FLESH and the DEVIL  If you nurture spiritual DARKNESS, it gives an opportunity for evil to create an alliance in you and take you places you don’t want to go. The strategy of evil: Get something GOOD to become more important to you than HONORING God.   Two weapons he uses: TEMPTATION and ACCUSATION The way to defeat evil is the MEANS and the MESSAGE of Scripture. The Scriptures are your WEAPON: The power of your weapon is the MESSAGE: How to defeat & overcome evil: 1. Align your WORLD VIEW with the Bible. 2. Constantly behold the FINISHED work of Jesus.  3. If Jesus didn’t attempt to handle life without the SCRIPTURE. dominating his thoughts, what makes us think we

Seeing Jesus 8 – Lazarus John 11:18-44 Big Idea: Jesus knows no barriers in resurrecting life and restoring hope. Even in times of DOUBT Jesus is present and FAITHFUL. ““Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21 It’s possible to TRUST Jesus and still experience profound DISAPPOINTMENT. “Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”” John 11:23-24 Jesus is the RESURRECTION and the LIFE. Jesus doesn’t just have ACCESS to divine power but He himself IS divine power. “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. John 11:38

John 9:1-7; 35-38 Matthew 6:22-24 Misunderstanding SUFFERING can contribute to spiritual blindness. Three problems with attaching suffering to SIN 1. It creates tremendous pride and SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS in the heart of the blessed 2. It’s not TRUE to the FACTS. Luke 13:2-9 3. People suffering BEAT THEMSELVES UP even more. Romans 8:28 To experience life in Jesus we must gain SPIRITUAL SIGHT To see is to REALIZE. Moving From Spiritual Blindness to Spiritual Sight: 1. The people who are the most ADVANTAGED in the world are the most DISADVANTAGED in spiritual sight. Revelation 3:17 2. The deepest blindness is BLINDNESS to your own BLINDNESS. 3. Blindness is healed by SEEING Jesus. People who see well, WORSHIP well.

Seeing Jesus, Week 6 "Walking on Water In A Storm" The Big Idea: God refuses to allow us to control Him, yet uses His uncontrollable power to lovingly and sacrificially redeem us. John 6:16-25 The huge subject of this sign is our need for CONTROL There is a Universal Effort to CONTROL God. Jesus did not come, primarily, to deal with our POLITICAL, ECONOMIC and SOCIAL problems, as crucial as they are. We all experience the ILLUSION of control. Two times Jesus meets people in storms: once he CALMS THE STORM and the other time He gets them THROUGH THE STORM The Heart of the Uncontrollable God: 1. I am the UNCAUSED CAUSE 2. You need not be AFRAID 3. One greater than JONAH is here.   Matthew 16:4

The Big Idea: Jesus is, in Himself, the source and supply of the life you were created for. John 6:1-14; 27-35 The Bread: - SUSTENANCE - FRIENDSHIP - PROVISION from God - DEPENDENCE upon God Of Life: Two words for life - BIOS and ZOE Jesus: I am the TREATY with God The number one answer to every challenge you face is more of JESUS What About Us? v69 and 70 1. God already knows and sometimes TESTS you. v6 2. Jesus created the food but had the disciples DELIVER IT COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What difference would it make if Jesus had only said He would give them the bread of life rather than “I am the bread of life”? Have you seen Jesus’ ability to keep you going in your own life? If so, in what way? Have Jesus’ claims or statements ever caused you to get upset or be confused? Was your difficulty resolved? If so, how? If not, why not? The people asked Jesus to show them a sign. What do you think Jesus could have done to convince people of His claims? To convince you? Some people seek

Seeing Jesus, Week 4 “The Good Stuff” The Big Idea: Every human soul is searching for the good stuff and we find it in Jesus alone; not in people or in religion. John 5:1-18 Every human soul is searching for the GOOD STUFF. The Man and His Stuff: His first four words reveal his heart: “I HAVE NO ONE.” When confronted by the Pharisees he chooses his STRATEGY. Jesus urges him to stop looking to MEN. The Ugly Result of Religion: Man’s RULES trump God’s LOVE. The Bold Declaration of Jesus: I and the Father are ALWAYS WORKING. What this means to us: RELIGION subtly becomes the saboteur of the good stuff. The GOOD STUFF is ultimately found in Jesus alone. The gift of Jesus is profound REST. COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS When you are sick, what brings you comfort? What do you want besides getting better? How do you feel when you see people make wrong decisions even in the face of clear and compelling evidence? Read John 5:1-18 What does Jesus mean by his question in verse 6? How did the man

Seeing Jesus, 3 “The Development of Faith” The Big Idea: Out of his great love for us, Jesus oversees and designs much of our faith development journey. John 4:46-54; John 20:30-31 We learn 5 things about Faith 1. Belief systems begin with REASON and involve your REASONING. V45-47 2. Life-giving faith has to move beyond REASON to real TRUST. 3. Jesus will lovingly push you from REASON to life-saving personal TRUST. 4. Life-giving faith saves by its OBJECT not by its QUALITY. 5. Real life-giving faith comes to love Jesus for WHO HE IS, not WHAT HE CAN DO. He told his whole OIKOS and they believed!!! V53 COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Recall a time when your faith was challenged? What was it and how did you navigate through that time? Can you recall when your faith in Jesus moved from reason to trust? Explain that process and experience. Have you ever had to journey a length of time trusting in Jesus' word but not seeing or knowing a result? Explain the experience and what helped your jo

The Big Idea: Jesus is the One who carries away our guilt and shame so that we can experience joy - even in the face of suffering. John 2:1-11 John records very few miracles and calls them SIGNS 3 things help us understand what this sign points to: 1. The six stone jars “I have come to bring the reality that the Jewish rituals only POINT TO.” 2. The interesting exchange with his mom. Jesus is thinking about his own WEDDING DAY Revelation 21:1-5 Matthew 22:2 3. The Wine Jesus is the real Lord of the feast. He knows how to bring JOY. 5 things this means to us: 1. Any wine except this wine will RUN OUT. 2. Do whatever HE TELLS YOU. 3. Learn how to draw on your knowledge of what’s COMING IN THE FUTURE to help you deal with the troubles of the present. 4. Please don’t let MARRIAGE throw you. 5. Don’t settle for anything less than a rich PRAYER LIFE. COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • Can you remember an epiphany about Jesus that has changed your faith journey? Explain Read this week’s passage. John

Seeing Jesus, 1 “The Lamb of God” The Big Idea: Truly seeing Jesus changes the way you see every thing and every one. John 1:19-34 John is being asked, WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY? John could not see his own GREATNESS Matthew 11:7-15 John's View of Jesus: YAHWEH The One on whom the SPIRIT SAT His SANDALS I am not worthy to UNTIE John was great because he grasped the GREATNESS of Jesus. EGO keeps you afraid and bashful, or bold and arrogant. How can we remove my ego? - BEHOLD the LAMB of God Shocker - you are GREATER than JOHN If you see Jesus: 1. You’ll have an identity the doesn’t CRUSH you 2. You’ll have an identity that won’t crush other PEOPLE 3. You can become a VOICE COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • What would you say your identity is? How do you know this? What contributed to this belief? • What does or what would it do for you to completely grasp the greatness of Jesus? Explain • We are greater than John because we have witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Can you expla

Wisdom Week 3 “How to Live in Wisdom” January 15, 2017 Speaker - Jim Ladd The Big Idea: Living in wisdom is a process that will require focused pursuit. Proverbs 4:5-9, 14-27 Wisdom: Competence with regard to the REALITIES of life 1. A life of wisdom is a unavoidable FIGHT. V5-9 2. A life of wisdom is a guarded HEART. V23 Your heart is where you hold the beliefs about the things you MUST HAVE to receive life joyfully. What the heart chooses to BELIEVE, the mind perceives and finds reasonable, the emotions desire and find beautiful, the will does and finds practical. 3. A living WORD v20-22 John 5:39 Proverbs 8 and John 1 Jesus is the WISDOM of God because He is the WORD of God.

Wisdom, Week 2. “Where to Get It Speaker - Jim Ladd The Big Idea: Wisdom is acquired as character is developed over time, through the small, daily decisions of life. Proverbs 3:1-12 Wisdom: Competence with regard to the REALITIES of life Life is a PATHWAY The actions you take repeatedly in your life MAKE YOU SOMETHING How do I grow in Wisdom? KNOWING God “Let love and faithfulness never leave you...” TRUSTING God “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” Submitting to His WORD “And lean not on your own understanding...” Living in COMMUNITY V7 “do not be wise in your own eyes” Ruling over MONEY “Honor the Lord with the firstfruits ....” What is the Wisdom Catalyst? “Do not despise the Lord’s discipline....” Nobody gets wise without SUFFERING. The Key - Knowing the Lord DELIGHTS IN YOU. Hebrews 12:5-11, 1-2

Wisdom, part 1 “What is it?” January 1, 2017 Speaker - Jim Ladd The Big Idea: Let’s make 2017 the year of growing in Wisdom. Proverbs 1:1-9, 22, 32-33 What is Wisdom? Look at the synonyms: Insight: a Hebrew word that means “to NOTICE DIFFERENCES” Prudence - a Hebrew word that means “PRACTICAL” or “STRATEGIC” Instruction - “Depth of CHARACTER” Wisdom is competence with regard to the REALITIES OF LIFE. Why is wisdom important? V32 The waywardness of the simple will kill them - foolishness of fools will destroy them. Lack of wisdom isn’t just unfortunate - it will DESTROY you. Wisdom is a problem because we are all FOOLS by nature “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child” Proverbs 22:15 How do I find wisdom? V7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction” You find wisdom through positive FEAR and the freedom of GRACE. “Because y

John 1:1-5, 9-17

Luke Chapter 1-2 When God says He's going to MAKE A WAY, He makes a way. Favor is not the ABSENCE of struggles. God is OFFERING us a chance to be called favored.