Please read Romans 8:18-27

1. (v.16) How might the Spirit “testify” with your Spirit that you belong to him?

2. (v.19-22) What all are we told about nature here? How does this guide Christians into a unique approach to nature?

3. (v.18-23) a) What does Paul say is in store for us as children of God? (Make a list) b) What assurance does Paul give in the present time that we will come into glory?

4. (v.23-27) How does the Spirit help in prayer? Have you experienced this? Describe.

5. Discuss the following quote, “Hope is hearing the music of the future and faith is having the courage to dance to it.” As you think about the future what is your hope in and what are you hoping for?

Thanks to Tim Keller for these questions.

Please read Romans 7:14-8:6

1. (v.7, 8, 13) It is the purpose of the law to show us something. a) What is it and b) in what ways does it do this?

2. (v.8-9) How, do you think, does the law actually aggravate or stir up the sin in our hearts (cf. v.5)? [Consult your own experience.]

3. (v.8-9) What do you think Paul meant when he said, “I was alive apart from the law”? And what do you think he meant when he says “Sin came and I died?”

4. (v.7-8) Which Biblical commandment seems to have “slain” Paul? Why, do you think would a Pharisee like Paul be so convicted by it?

5. (v.14-25) Is Paul speaking in these verses of an unbeliever’s struggle with sin, or is he talking about a believer’s struggle with sin? What is the evidence (in the text) for your answer?

6. (vv.14-25) What does Paul tell us here about a) what has changed b) what has not changed, c) what our need is, d) what our hope is as Christians?

7. If this is the Apostle’s present experience, how does this both warn and comfort us?

During the rest of this week, please keep the following “tongue assignment”. (These prescriptions come from various places in the New Testament.)

1. Do not complain or grumble.

2. Do not boast about anything.

3. Do not gossip or a repeat a matter.

4. Do not run someone down — even a little bit.

5. Do not defend or excuse yourself, no matter what.

6. Do continually affirm others.

The purpose of this assignment is to reveal your own heart to you. Most people will have trouble lasting more than 3 or 4 hours without breaking it. (Of course, if you do last longer, you can’t brag to anyone of it!) This is a practical way to see the purpose of the law as Paul describes it.

8. (Romans 8 v.1) What does the phrase ‘no condemnation’ mean? Paraphrase it several ways. Does ‘no condemnation’ refer only to our past, or also to our present and future?

9. (v.1-2) What two great benefits have been given to us who are in Christ Jesus? (v.3-4) How did we get each of the two benefits come to us? What is the final purpose of both of them (v.4)?

10. (v.5-6) What does Paul say here is the connection between “minding” and “living”? What do you think it means to ‘set the mind’ on the Spirit in light of the rest of Romans 8?

11. (v.6) Write down some very practical ways in which ‘minding the Spirit’ leads to peace, but to forget the things of the Spirit leads to death?

Thanks to Timothy Keller for these questions

By Kolby Milton

In our Staff meetings at Parkland Fellowship Church we have been discussing a book by Ed Stetzer called, ” BREAKING THE MISSIONAL CODE: WHEN CHURCHES BECOME MISSIONARIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES“. We are going to look at a chapter each week and have a discussion about it. You can click on the link above and buy the book if you want.

Chapter 4: The Missional Church Shift

Ed Stetzer states how the church can shift to a missional mindset, “The church is one of the few organizations in the world that does not exist for the benefit of its members.  The church exists because God, in his infinite wisdom and infinite mercy, chose the church has his instrument to make known his manifold wisdom in the world.”  The chapter then goes on to lay out three distinct church cultures, Church Growth, Church Health, and Missional Church.

Church Growth focuses on People being reached.  It is about methods of how to reach people.

Church Health is about building a church around key values, and a passion for the lost.

Missional Church is not just another phase of church life but a full expression of who the church is and what it is called to be and do.  Stetzer states it best, ” To be missional means to move beyond our church preferences and make missional decisions locally as well as globally.

1. Where in the three models of church does parkland fit?

2. What are some steps that would make parkland more missional?

By Kolby Milton

In our Staff meetings at Parkland Fellowship Church we have been discussing a book by Ed Stetzer called, “ BREAKING THE MISSIONAL CODE: WHEN CHURCHES BECOME MISSIONARIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES“.  We are going to look at a chapter each week and have a discussion about it.  You can click on the link above and buy the book if you want.

Chapter 3 – Responding to the Commissions of Jesus

The commission that Ed Stetzer is talking about is Matt 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The great commission is a critical mission that a lot of churches forget or miss.  We are comfortable with the way church is in our setting, and it is hard for people to change to reach the people around them.  Stetzer states, “Many churches are struggling to break the code: they seem simply to be trying to satisfy their own preferences.  This is a long way from jesus’ intent.”

Breaking the Missional code in the city of surrey we need to know a few things.  Here is how Ed Stetzer breaks it down.

1. We are sent (John 20:19-21) – As Christians we are missionaries in our work, and school.

2. To all kinds of people- We are sent out in the world to reach as many people as possible.

3. With a Message – Ed Stetzer states it best, “God has always sought to gather people who would wholeheartedly give themselves to him, be his witnesses, and proclaim his message.”

4. Empowered by the Spirit (Acts 1:6-8) – As a church we need to be desperate and passionate about reaching people who are lost.

Questions:

1. In order to be sent what are some personal preferences you must overcome?

2. How can you help those you lead to see the divots in your community?

3. What does it mean for your church to be the missionary in your community?

Read Romans 5:12-21

1. (v.12) Why the “therefore” in v.12? What is the link to the previous passage

2. (v.12) What do you learn about the relationship of sin and death in this one verse?

3. Read the following note.

The verb in v.12 “because all sinned” is an “aorist” tense. A Greek aorist tense is a past perfect even more definite and strong than our English perfect tense. The aorist always points to a single past action. It says that the whole race sinned in one single past action. To use a large collective noun “all” with such a specific verb tense is so awkward that it must be deliberate. If Paul meant “all sinned continually and individually” he would have used the present or the imperfect tense. One author put it this way: “if we are to give the aorist tense its full value [here], and in this argument we must do so, the more precise meaning will be that sin and death entered into the world because all men were guilty of one act of sin.” (William Barclay, Expository Times, LXX (1958-59), p. 192.

How does v.13-14 demonstrate that all die not because they sinned like Adam, but in Adam?

4. (v.12-14) Why is this teaching so repugnant to modern people and especially those in the West? Offer and discuss analogies that make it more understandable.

5. What is the similarity between Adam and Christ of which Paul speaks in v.14?

6. What are the dissimilarities between Adam and Christ that Paul mentions in v.15-21?

7. “This passage teaches us that, if Christ is our representative, whatever is true of him in God’s eyes is true of us” Do you agree with this statement? If it is true, how would it make a difference to your practical daily life?

8. How are you actively partnering with God to let people know about the Good News of the Gospel?

What kinds of things hold you back from freely sharing this message with more people?

After reading 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, pray for each other regarding your role as ambassadors, representatives of Christ.

Thanks to Timothy Keller for this study guide in Romans.

By Kolby Milton

In our Staff meetings at Parkland Fellowship Church we have been discussing a book by Ed Stetzer called, “ BREAKING THE MISSIONAL CODE: WHEN CHURCHES BECOME MISSIONARIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES“.  We are going to look at a chapter each week and have a discussion about it.  You can click on the link above and buy the book if you want.

Chapter 2- Breaking the Missional Code

Ed Stetzer sums up what it means to break the mission code stating, “They (pastors who are breaking the missional code) have the ability to read the culture and translate ministry into a biblically faithful and culturally appropriate expression of the church”.  The method’s and models that we use to reach people will be different because of our unique city. Stetzer lays out a process that helps churches figure out how to reach people around them.

Here is the process:

1. Calling from God

2. Exegeting the Community

looking at our community (values, needs, and preferences) and asking the question why aren’t they coming to church?

3. Examining ways God is working in similar communites

How are other churches reaching people that are similar to surrey?

4. Finding God’s unique vision for you church

5. Adjusting that vision as you learn the context

The process is helpful for churches to get a passion for their community.  Who has God called parkland to?  who are we trying to reach?  Parkland Church has a new slogan, Growing to see our city transformed.  Growth involves reaching our city, and our neighborhoods.  Here are some questions to think about.

Questions:

1. Describe the specific people that God has called you to reach.

2. Identifiy other churches that are being used by God to reach similar people.

3. Write down what Parkland Church would look like if we broke the code in our city.

4. Identify the adjustments you need to make in light of what you are learning.

Read Romans 5:1-12

Note: Please don’t read or do the attached exercise until reading the passage and answering the questions.

1. (v.1-2) List all the benefits which justification brings for us to enjoy?

2. (v.9-10) How secure is the future for a Christian, and why?

3. (v.3-4) How does Paul answer the question: “What good is all this if we suffer?” Why does he say we should rejoice in our suffering, not for them? How can we rejoice in suffering?

4. (v. 5-8) By what two ways can we know that God loves us?

5. (v.12) What are the signs that you are rejoicing in your reconciliation?

EXERCISE

Read the following questions and answers.

Trials and the Gospel

1. (v.3-5) How does Paul tell us suffering can change us?

Remember that Paul is telling us how suffering affects a person who knows he or she is justified strictly by grace, not works. In that case, Paul says suffering begins a chain reaction:

1. Suffering leads to “perseverance” (v.3). This is a word that really means single-mindedness. Suffering makes us “focus” — it helps us focus on what is really important. It makes us remember what really is lasting, helps us to re-align priorities, and so on. It removes distractions.

2. “Perseverance” leads to “character”. This is a word that really means “testedness”. It is a quality of confidence that comes from having been through an experience. It only comes from following through, and doing your duty despite it all. But the result is a growing poise only comes from the experience. For example, a sports team new to the championship playoffs may play poorly because they have not been in the position before. But a “tested” team will have no jitters. They perform well because they have been there before. Notice that without the first step, the second step won’t happen. Suffering, if it first leads you to focus on God and proper priorities, will lead to greater confidence as you come through it.

3. All this leads to growth in “hope”, which is a stronger assurance of one’s peace, access and future glory. Paul’s addition of v.5 right after v.3-4 seems to mean that Christians who a) focus single-mindedly on prayer and obedience to God, and who b) grow in confidence, will c) experience more of his love during suffering. “Poured out his love into our hearts.” Many Christians testify that they feel more of God’s presence and love during suffering, because it makes them focus and trust in him more. Here’s the amazing assertion of Paul. When he shows that suffering starts a chain reaction that leads to hope, which is one of the fruits of justification, he is saying that the benefits of justification are self-propagating. They are not only not diminished by suffering, but they are enlarged by suffering. In other words, if you face suffering with a clear grasp of justification by grace alone, your joy in that grace will deepen, but (as he implies) if you face suffering with a mindset of justification by works, the suffering will break you, not make you.

Consider how persons takes suffering who are trying to be justified by works. Selfjustifiers are always insecure at a deep level because they know they aren’t living up to their standards, but cannot admit it. So when suffering hits, they immediately feel they are being punished for their sins. They cannot take confidence in God’s love (v.5). Since their belief God loved them was inadequately based anyway, now suffering shatters them. Suffering drives them away from God rather than toward him.

2. Now consider some specific difficulty or trial you have experienced as a Christian. Did you see it doing in you what Paul describes? Why or why not? Here are some things to consider as you are analyzing your own “case study”.

A. Did it lead you to focus — to single-mindedness? Did it help you sift out the unimportant from the important? Did it help you focus attention more on prayer and on what God has done for you?

B. Has your sufferings produced testedness? Did you follow through despite fears? In other words, did it bring a kind of maturity and confidence that comes from having been through it all? Are you a less jittery person, a less fearful person?

C. Did it lead you to actual deeper experience of his presence and his love? Did you find a greater closeness, a sense of nearness? If your sufferings did not lead to this, analyze why:

1. Was it failures of the will? Did you simply fail to spend time with God in worship and reflection? Or did you disobey him in some way to escape the hardness of the situation?

2. Was it a failure of understanding the gospel? Did the suffering make you doubt God’s love? That is a natural response, but did you eventually shake that off? The speed with which you do that is an indication of the degree of your understanding of justification. Remember that God can use suffering to “awaken” a person to some sin — as a kind of “intervention”. But interventions are only done by people out of love. God can and will treat you roughly if you need it, like a loving parent will do with wayward child — but all out of deep concern. If you are a Christian, God has sent all your punishment on to Christ. All his wrath for you fell into the heart of Jesus and was swallowed up and absorbed there — it disappeared

Copyright © Timothy J. Keller, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church 2003

By Kolby Milton

In our Staff meetings at Parkland Fellowship Church we have been discussing a book by Ed Stetzer called, ” BREAKING THE MISSIONAL CODE: WHEN CHURCHES BECOME MISSIONARIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES“.  We are going to look at a chapter each week and have a discussion about it.  You can click on the link above and buy the book if you want.

Chapter 1 – The Emerging Glocal Context

There are cultural barriers that prevent people from accepting the Gospel.  If you spend time in the community with your friends you will see this barrier.  As a church we need to start thinking like missionaries that we send out.  We send out people to mexico, south africa, and to esperanza.  They go there and learn the culture in order to reach people.  Ed Stetzer states one of the barriers that we face when we are trying to reach our friends, ” One of the biggest cultural barriers we face is the emerging “glocal” context.  We use this term to refer to the convergence of the global reality with our local reality.  North America has become a “glocal community” requiring new strategics for effective ministry.”

For Parkland Church we need to know a few things about our community before we try to break the missional code.

The first thing is that we live in an unchurched culture.  Stats say that 5 percent of British Columbians are Christians.  This is the essential when we think about people that live next to us, or our friends.  Breaking the missional code is about seeing the unchurched through three different sets of lenses that include people groups, population segments, and cultural environments.

People groups- What is the ethnic makeup of the people in surrey?  This is the demographics of surrey.

Population segments-  ”It’s like demographics but instead of counting age, gender, race, ect., it counts psychological information (opionions on abortion, religious beliefs, music tastes, personality traits, ect.). ”  What are our friends like?

Cultural Environments – Language and experience can define one’s cultural experience.  Geographical environments can serve as the common bond that brings people together.  Where are people in surrey from?

Questions:

1. Describe the specific people groups, population segments, and/or cultural environment that make up your geographical context.

2. What are some practical ways you can begin to expose those you minister with to opportunities to break the code?

3.  How would you define success when it comes to the Great Commission (Matt 28:20) in your given context?

We are not converted only once in our lives but many times, and this endless series of large and small conversions, inner revolutions, leads to our transformation in Christ.  –Thomas Merton

“What are you giving up for Lent?”

This long-established custom of giving up treats, chocolates, caffeinated or sugary beverages, alcohol, or tobacco is perhaps the way we most often think of Lenten discipline. And it makes good conversation in casual situations. But we know it is surface stuff. Choosing to give up something good for something a bit less is a play-it-safe strategy. Something tells us there is more to spiritual transformation than this. We suspect that playing it safe is not what Christ lived and died for.

Thomas Merton’s view, that we must undergo a series of large and small inner revolutions, is a truer picture of Christian transformation. When we choose some exercise for Lent, daily worship, daily prayer, abstinence from one thing or another, it is not so much the practice that transforms us. It is our willingness to change. And Merton says the process is endless. It’s not about getting there, it’s about being on the way.

Lent is our chance for a fresh start, a new page. We consciously let down our defenses against the grace of God. We admit to ourselves our need for improvement. We notice how hopeless we are. We tell God we’re doing our best but we wish we could do better. We put ourselves in God’s hands.

That is what Jesus does when he goes into the desert. He puts himself completely in God’s hands. In Matthew’s Gospel we read: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. (My first thought: don’t try this at home.) By exposing himself to hunger Jesus opens himself up to assaults from the Devil. But he isn’t just performing daredevil stunts. He makes a deliberate surrender of the will, a spiritual exercise. Jesus is placing himself in the Father’s hands.

The time Jesus spends in the wilderness is a time of preparation. It is a kind of training. Jesus has a larger mission to fulfill, a ministry, a life’s work. He is preparing himself for a larger call. When we go into the wilderness with Jesus our motive is similar, surrendering ourselves as a kind of preparation.

But how can we compare our little Lents to the walk Jesus takes in the wilderness? Of course the gap is huge between our holiness and his. We can hardly say our own names in his presence. But Jesus doesn’t notice this gap, or he seems to overlook it.

The huge divide between our lives and his is a gap he is constantly closing. He wants us to come into the wilderness with him, if only just to observe at first. “Watch how I do this,” he seems to be saying. “Notice these steps, this maneuver.” Practice, he is telling is. Practice and you’ll improve, without even knowing it. Practice.

One thing we can learn from Jesus in the desert is to fortify ourselves with God’s word. When the Devil tries to goad him into turning stones to bread, as a kind of power play, Jesus answers with words from Deuteronomy, Scriptures he knows by heart: It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The Devil wants him to break his fast. More important, he wants to weaken Jesus’ allegiance.

What can we learn from just this little visit with Jesus in the wilderness? From watching him resist the Evil One?

We know, by watching Jesus, that emptiness is the beginning of holiness.

We know that we are blessed when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. We know we will be filled.

We walk with Jesus to be purified. We walk with him to be fortified. Nourished by sacrament and word, we walk through desert places more easily. We learn to deal with our own gaps, our lapses. We find that we can tolerate our hunger and our thirst.

We are converted not only once in our lives but many times. And the conversion is little by little. Sometimes it is as imperceptible as grass growing. But Lent gives us a time to move the process along. Intentionally. By small surrenders.

Merton says we “may have the generosity to undergo one or two such upheavals, (but) we cannot face the necessity of further and greater rendings of our inner self….”

Merton says we cannot. But I think he knows we can. That is how our holiness grows, by small surrenders, without which we cannot finally become free.

Excerpt from  Small Surrenders: A Lenten Journey by Emilie Griffin

Read Romans 4: 1-25

1. Look at each place the word “credited” is used. Put the meaning of the term in your own words.

2. The Jews of the time thought faith = obedience of the law. How does Paul in vv.2-4 show that saving faith is no that?

3. Name the two parts of real saving faith according to v.5. Guiding Question: Paul says a Christian is one who “does not work.” (v.5) What does that mean?

4. How does this definition of faith differ from what so many churchgoers and religious people think faith is?

5. Paul talks in v.6 of “credited righteousness.” Define “credited righteousness” from v.5 and v.8.

6. How does Paul make his case in vv. 9-17 that salvation is not just for Jews, but for all?

7. How does the case of Abraham (vv.18-25) illustrate the difference between only believing in God, and believing God (v.3)? How can his example help you strengthen your faith (v.19)?

Thanks to  Timothy J. Keller for these questions.