Campaigners – Golden Triangle – Ordinary Events of Life/Temptations (Steve)

1.       One of the bottom corners of the triangle is the “ordinary events of life”

a.        Life presents itself as a series of tasks

                                                               i.      The things we do mindlessly are just “things that happen”

                                                              ii.      The things that are hard we call trials or temptations

1.       For some people the first trial of the day is just getting out of bed

2.       Taking care of ourselves, commuting, work and school, other people

3.       Really hard things like being betrayed, loss, death

2.       A lot of times we look at our life and complain about the thing we are going though

a.        The hard things in life we have to deal with

b.       The temptations that are too strong

Campaigners – Golden Triangle – The Action of the Holy Spirit (Steve)

1.       At the apex of the triangle is the action of the Holy Spirit

a.       His role is the key to the entire process

2.       The function of the holy spirit

a.       First: To move in our minds and our souls to present Jesus and the reality of his kingdom

                                                               i.      Through the gospel in contrast to the realities life without God

                                                             ii.      Only able to believe Jesus is the one by the spiritual movements of God

1.       1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”

2.       John 3:5 “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’”

Campaigners – Golden Triangle – Christ Binds it All Together (Steve)

1.       Going to talk about spiritual growth

a.       That is why we are here

                                                               i.      Be together in community (encouragement, accountability, love)

                                                             ii.      Grow closer to Christ personally

b.      Hopefully that is why you are here

2.       Need a model for spiritual growth

a.       The Golden Triangle – “Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard

b.      Different parts that have to work together for spiritual growth

                                                               i.      The Action of the Holy Spirit

                                                             ii.      Ordinary Events of Life

                                                            iii.      Planned Disciplines to put on a New Heart

Campaigners – John 4:1-42 (Jenna)

Read: John 4:1-42

Background: In Jesus’ time, Jews and Samaritans did not like each other to the extent of having no interaction whatsoever. If a Jew interacted with a Samaritan, they were considered “unclean”.

 

There were three different routes Jesus could have taken from Judea to Galilee. (Judea was a land where Jews lived and Galilee where Gentiles lived so in Jesus’ going from one to the other he was bringing the news to gentiles since the Jews rejected his teaching) only one road went through Samaria, and it was the shortest route, but no Jew would ever go through Samaria, so the Lord going through there meant He knew the woman would be there and believe.

 

It was very uncommon for a woman to go get water so late in the afternoon, but she lived a sinful life and went at that time to avoid judgment from others.

 

Campaigners – Philippians 4:1-23 (Randi)

Review of Philippians

1. Chapter 1 talks about Paul’s situation. Though he is in prison, he is still doing his best to be faithful to his calling.
2. Beginning of Chapter 2 Paul talks about imitating Christ humility.
   1. Humility – A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God’s sake.”
3. Middle of Chapter 2 Paul talks about working out your faith and also standing out like stars in the dark sky because   of the life we choose to live.
4. The end of chapter 2 discusses the character of Epaphroditus and how he was Paul’s brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, and messenger. He had a servant’s heart and was one of the only ones who stood by Paul’s side till the end.
5. The beginning of Chapter 3 talks about the difference between having “confidence in the flesh” and confidence in Christ no matter the obstacles and hardships because life with Christ is always better than life without Him.
6. The end of Chapter 3 talks about “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” as we seek to draw closer to God and serve him and people.

Read Philippians 4:1-23

Campaigners – Philippians 3:12-21 (Jenna)

Read Philippians 3:12-21

Questions:
1) What significance does verse 12 have? How does it make you feel?
2) Why is it important to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead (v13)?
3) What does Paul mean in verse 16? Do you do a good job of this? Read Luke 8:18, how does this verse relate?
4) Do you have people in your life like Paul talks about in verse 17? If so, do you follow their example?
5) Why does it make a difference where we consider our citizenship to be? (verse 20)
6) Did anything else stand out to you when you read it? What did?

Campaigners – Philippians 3:1-11 (Megan)

Read through Philippians 3:1-11

1.      Where are some areas of my life where I have “confidence in the flesh,” or can think I am better than someone else?

2.      Read verse 8.  What would it look like to consider everything a loss for Christ? In what ways would my life be different?

3.      Read verse 10.  What did it mean for Paul to share in Christ’s sufferings? (What are some ways that Paul suffered for the Gospel?)

4.      What does it mean for me today to suffer for the Gospel?

5.      What else stuck out to you in these verses?

Campaigners – Philippians 2:19-30 (Steve)

Review of Philippians

1.        Chapter 1 talks about Paul’s situation. Though he is in prison, he is still doing his best to be faithful to his calling.

2.        Beginning of Chapter 2 Paul talks about imitating Christ humility.

a.        Humility – A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God’s sake.”

3.        Middle of Chapter 2 Paul talks about working out your faith and also standing out like stars in the dark sky because of the life we choose to live.

Read Philippians 2:19-30

Now, after some really deep teaching, Paul gives us the travel plans of two of his friends. Why would he stick this right in the middle of some really deep theological teaching? Why can’t we just skip this and go on to the really good stuff?

Campaigners – Philippians 2:12-18 (Steve)

Read Philippians 2:12-18

a.       What does it mean to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling?”

b.      Why is it important to remember that “it is God who works” in us?

c.       How does being “blameless and pure” make you “shine like stars?”

                                                               i.      What kind of life is he calling us to?

                                                             ii.      What does he ask us to hold out?

                                                            iii.      How do we do this in our daily lives?

Campaigners – Phillipians 2:1-11 (Randi)

last week we covered phil. 1:12-30—what did we learn? what do you remember talking about?
 (glorifying God even in hard situations by not complaining or being bitter because it will make people wonder and ask questions)

Read Phillipians 2:1-11