CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 63:1-8 (GNT)
Longing for God
1O God, you are my God,
and I long for you.
My whole being desires you;
like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land,
my soul is thirsty for you.
2 Let me see you in the sanctuary;
let me see how mighty and glorious you are.
3 Your constant love is better than life itself,
and so I will praise you.
4 I will give you thanks as long as I live;
I will raise my hands to you in prayer.
5 My soul will feast and be satisfied,
and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
6 As I lie in bed, I remember you;
all night long I think of you,
7 because you have always been my help.
In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8 I cling to you,
and your hand keeps me safe.
Good News Translation (GNT) Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
READING: LUKE 13:1-9 (GNT)
Turn from Your Sins or Die
1At that time some people were there who told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices to God. 2 Jesus answered them, “Because those Galileans were killed in that way, do you think it proves that they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did. 4 What about those eighteen people in Siloam who were killed when the tower fell on them? Do you suppose this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did.”
The Parable of the Unfruitful Fig Tree
6 Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was once a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went looking for figs on it but found none. 7 So he said to his gardener, ‘Look, for three years I have been coming here looking for figs on this fig tree, and I haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it go on using up the soil?’ 8 But the gardener answered, ‘Leave it alone, sir, just one more year; I will dig around it and put in some fertilizer. 9 Then if the tree bears figs next year, so much the better; if not, then you can have it cut down.’”
Good News Translation (GNT) Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
THE THEME THIS WEEK: BEAR FRUIT
The author Trevor Hudson in his book “Invitations to Abundant Life” writes that perhaps we all ask the question “Yes But How?” when it comes to instructions for spiritual growth. Perhaps you have asked a similar question of yourself at times? “I ought to know how to take better care of myself, but how?” “I know I ought to spend more time in scripture reading and prayer, but how?” “I know I ought to be more sensitive to others, more loving of my spouse, more understanding of the weaknesses of others, but how?” “Bear fruit for the Lord”… but how? As Christ Followers we know the kind of life we ought to live, and most of us have the best of intentions to do so, but how?
- Can you identify with this sentiment? If so, what challenge(s) were you facing at the time? _________________________________________________________________________
- The first step in beginning to live a Christian life and the starting point for a healthy and spirit filled spirituality is according to Jesus – “Repentance”, which is your need to “acknowledge your sinfulness”. What do you need to repent from? _________________________________________________________________________
- Do you find it difficult to admit your faults, and to own up to them? _________________________________________________________________________
Interesting quotes:
Whoever we are, whatever we do, we all share one thing in common and that is that we are sinful. Saint Augustine once wrote, “Whatever we are, we are not what we ought to be.” Mark Twain wrote, “Man was made at the end of the week, when God was tired.”
- Do you agree/disagree with the saying “Confession is good for the soul”? _________________________________________________________________________
- Have you ever “confessed” your sins and faults? If so, did that moment help bring about spiritual and emotional healing? _________________________________________________________________________
- What do you think Jesus is getting at with the following story, and what is your reaction to it?
Luke 18:13-14
13 But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home.
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- Do you think my following statement, along with the quote from Isaiah is too harsh, or is it a relevant challenge to your personal spiritual life and the life of our church? Why?
- Mission Month challenges us to own up – to our neglect of the poor, to our passive acceptance of injustice toward others, to our silence in the face of hurtful gossip, and to our failure to worship God as we ought to. When we look at our lives in the light of Jesus’ love, even our best, our righteousness is, as the Scriptures tell us, like “filthy rags.”
- Isaiah 64:6
All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.
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- Is Jesus in control of your life? If so, how is that evident in the way that you live out your life? If Jesus is not in control of your life, then, “Why not?”
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God bless,
Rev. Tim