Intentional Spiritual Growth: REFLECT On the Why Questions

  

Matthew 6:25-27

  

Look at (OBSERVE) the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store

away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much

more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

Brief Review of last week:

Intentional Spiritual growth: OBSERVE

  

Worry: to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be anxious, be (unduly)

concerned.

Greek Dictionary

God invites us to observe our worries from the new a new

perspective – God pulls us up to a new

perspective

Reflect on Jesus good news: He says this THREE times in ten verses because

it’s SUPRA important:

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry

about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its

own.

Matthew 6:21, 24, 34

  

Look at (REFLECT ON) the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much

more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

This week: Intentional Spiritual growth

REFLECT: Asking the why Questions

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how

the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor

or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was

dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the

field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, …..

…….will he not much more clothe you, O you of

little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we

wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and

your heavenly Father knows that you need

them. Matthew 6:28-32

  

Reflect

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Matthew 6:32

  

Reflect

Pagan (noun): An offensive term that deliberately insults somebody who does not acknowledge (live by) the God of the

Bible, Torah, or Koran.

Microsoft Word DictionaryItalics mine

Pagan Definition reminders

  

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔθνη

1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions

  

Reflect

Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔθνη

1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions

2.people groups foreign to another specific people group

  

Reflect

Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔθνη

2.people groups foreign to another specific people group

a. those who do not belong to groups professing faith in the God of Israel

  

Reflect

Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔθνη

b. non-Israelite Christians (Gentiles)… The word connotes Israelite allegations of religious and moral inferiority of gentiles

Danker, Greek–English Dictionary

  

Reflect

Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔθνη

1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions2.people groups foreign to another specific people group

a. those who do not belong to groups professing faith in the God of Israelb. non-Israelite Christians (Gentiles)… The word connotes Israelite allegations of religious and moral inferiority of gentiles

Danker, Greek–English Dictionary

  

Reflect

Jesus said:

“It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick.”

Mark 2:17

Reflect on Jesus, God’s words that lead us to life…

  1. How are we worrying like pagans?

A couple hard questions Jesus is asking us to reflect on today, to lead us to abundant life, are:

  

2. Where are we we thinking and acting like Pagans?

A couple hard questions Jesus is asking us to reflect on today, to lead us to abundant life, are:

  

Reflect

Repentance is not about judgment It’s about a (positive) change of the mind that effects our actions, feelings and behaviors. It’s about believing that God can change us and help us and others, look more like Jesus over time and live in his kingdom today.

.

The Passionate Life, Breen and Kallestad

Italics mine

  

Reflect

We try to change the things we worry about, Jesus promises to change the person who worries, not the things

we worry about.

The Passionate LifeBreen and Kallestad

Italics mine

  

Reflect

“Instead of looking back at the event to prevent circumstances from converging in the same way again, we need to look forward to see the growth

that we can experience from it. Passionate Life, Breen and Kallestad

  

Reflect

It’s about a heart that trusts a good God, so that he can be King in

all and despite of our circumstances.

But (you) seek first his kingdom and his

righteousness, and all these things will be given

to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

  

The kingdom of God is the world the way God created it to be and intends it to be today. It is the rule of God in the hearts of people and lived out in society.

Reflect on…

  

God’s righteousness is our hearts desire to live in HIS KINGDOM – doing our part by HIS SPIRIT – to re-create the world as he intended it today. This is living as the life-long learners being shaped by Jesus THE KING.

(bottom of discipleship circle)

  

 Matthew 5-7

 Jesus Sermon on the Mount

 (Retelling of the Law or Ten

Commandments)

REFLECT in Context

  

Reflect

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of

the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the

kingdom of God (now or ever).

Matthew 5:20

Reflect on Jesus, God’s words…

  

 Matthew 5-7

 Jesus Sermon on the Mount

 (Retelling of the Law or Ten

Commandments)

REFLECT in Context

  

Reflect

Wow, that’s impossible, God please help me be lifelong learner of Jesus THE KING

(The Sermon on the Mount starts with Blessed are those who know they need God to live in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:2)

OR…We can’t do that today in our culture

today

What’s our first reflection after reading

Jesus teachings?

Is it:

As we reflect on this message today and wrestle with whether Jesus or the culture is our king, we’re having a Kairos moment.

Further clarity on Kairos time…

Kairos moments impact us personally, positively or negatively

Kairos moments involve emotions

Kairos awareness always overrides chronos awareness.

“The time is now!” (Mark 1:15).

Reflect on Jesus good news: He says this THREE times in ten verses because

it’s SUPRA important:

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry

about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its

own.

Matthew 6:21, 24, 34

A Disciple = Life-long learner of Jesus the King