Discussion 6

Connecting with God and the Church

God created you with purpose! Your connection to God and other Christians keeps you in that purpose and that is where you will feel most fulfilled.

Connecting With God

1. God connects with us. He is our Shepherd. God reaches down to us, hangs on and won’t let go once we grasp His hand.

^“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10-29).

a) In what ways do you hear God’s voice? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) In what ways do you need to listen or respond to God’s voice better?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c) What is true of the Shepherd’s hand? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d) What is the significance of the “interlocking hands?”

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2. We connect with God.

We have a choice. We can choose to follow Jesus or we can choose to go our own independent way. We’ve been talking about the spiritual battle we are in and ways to fight that battle. What are you going to do with the truth you’ve learned? We must begin by choosing to be obedient. Listen to what Jesus has to say in the parable of the soils.

“Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:3-8).

Jesus often spoke in parables, stories about everyday situations with heavenly meanings. This is how he explained the parable of the four soils. See if you recognize yourself in these soil types.

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matthew 13:18-23)

a) What does the soil beside the path represent? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) What does the rocky soil represent? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c) What does the thorny soil represent? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d) What type of soil are you? How can you determine to be the good soil? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Connecting with the Church

1. Our part in the Body of Christ.

Each person has an important part in the Body of Christ that is God-given and significant. It is unique to us and to the Body. The Body as a whole does not function the same without us.

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” (Romans 12:4-8)

a) What are some of the gifts mentioned in these verses? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) Describe how the body uses each of its parts and how each part is dependent on each other. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Our role in the Body of Christ.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

a) What must we do to be saved? ____________________________________________________

b) Are we saved through our own efforts? _____________________________________________

c) What does it mean to be God’s workmanship? ______________________________________________________________________________

d) What did God prepare us to do? When did He do this? ______________________________________________________________________________

e) How do we know what His plan for us is? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A ship that is docked in the harbor cannot be guided but a moving vessel can be led. As you pursue God’s purposes for your life, let the ministry staff of your local church help you to find your place and to equip you for the work of the ministry.

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its wor.k” (Ephesians 4:11-16).

a) List the six roles that are mentioned in Ephesians 4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) Why is the church organized with these roles? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. God equips us to do His work.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11).

a) What should we do with the gifts God has given us? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).

Read Matthew 25:14-30

i. Each of us is given responsibilities according to our specific abilities.

ii. Do not focus on God’s plan for others. Consider what the Lord has given to you.

iii. God wants us to work hard and use what we have to accomplish great things for Him. We are not to be lazy.

iv. God will hold us accountable for what we do with our abilities.

a) How can you connect with the local body at Res Life Rockford? What areas of service is the Lord calling you to “by the mercies of God?” List all of the areas that come to your mind and make an appointment with Pastor Duane to find out how you can “connect” with Res Life, the body of which you are an integral part. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) Appointment Date and Time: _____________________________________________________

Summary: This is the beginning of your Christian life and there is much more to understand than just these six discussions. The church is God’s appointed place for Christians to learn and grow. Take the initiative today to connect with what God is doing in His church and plan on attending on a regular basis.

Key Question: What else can I do to continue to grow in my relationship with God? Make a habit of reading God’s Word every day.

Suggestion for Further Growth: Set aside time and a place for daily personal Bible study and prayer. A good place to start is in the Book of John in the New Testament. Pray and ask God to show you who He is and how you can respond to Him. As you read, underline particularly meaningful verses. Sometimes it is helpful to keep a journal of your thoughts and insights.