07 Apr Above and Beyond Part 5 | “The Business of God”
I am away this week, if you have any technical issues, msg Michael McGary at michael@waterschurch.org. For other issues see your coach or Chris M. at chris@waterschurch.org. Have an awesome week!
Text ‘waterschurch’ to 41411 to keep updated on the latest information!
First Wednesday – April 3: 6 -7 prayer and 7:00p worship.
Egg Drop April 20!
Good Friday Services – April 19: 4:00p and 6:00p.
Hosting Interns: If anyone is interested in hosting interns from different colleges this summer, please let us know! We will have more information soon.
The Deep End Podcast: airs live Wednesdays @noon on Facebook @thedeependtv ! Text in your questions anonymously to (508) 316-9333 to have them addressed on the show. And you can catch up on past episodes anytime on our Deep End page or on our Youtube channel @ waterschurchmedia. If you subscribe to our Youtube channel you will receive notifications when our material is posted.
Looking for your testimonies! If you have group wins to share, please email them to me! maparsons@waterschurch.org
Coming Soon! – eFam Groups – for those who watch online only and are over 25 miles from any Waters Church location. If you have friends/relatives that watch our services online and are interested in becoming eFam Group Leaders, we will be rolling this out in the next couple of weeks! Stay tuned for more information on how they can register!
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We offer two types of classes. Please familiarize yourself with what these classes are about. Feel free to sign up for one so you can better explain what they are to your group members.
Starting Point: What is Christianity all about? Is the Bible really more than just a book? Who is Jesus? No matter where we are in life, we all have questions. Starting Point is a great place to explore the faith and have safe and open discussions about some of life’s toughest questions.
Growth Track: In this 3 part class; Discover, Deepen, & Dedicate; you will get answers to the most frequently asked questions about Waters Church and have an opportunity to ask your own. This is the perfect place to get to know the “Why” behind the “What” of who we are as a church.
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Key Verse Luke 19
WHAT IF GOD WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU DID THAN WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO.
The Gospel of Luke deals the most with money and how it can get in the way of our relationship with God. We fall into the trap of thinking God’s plan for us is to be poor. We think Christianity is about a set of rules, do’s and don’ts. We think what we don’t do makes us a ‘good’ Christian like going to the wrong places, wrong movies, saying the wrong things. Christianity is not about rules, it is not about do’s and don’ts. There are 10 big dont’s (Ten Commandments) but there are a lot of do’s before them.
WHEN IT COMES TO CHRISTIAN FAITH: DON’T LET THE DONT’S OVERSHADOW THE DO’S
Ice-breaker question:
Q. Have you ever thought of Christianity as a bunch of rules and why? What do you think makes a Christian a ‘good’ Christian?
God wants us to be doers not don’ters. God himself is a doer. The more we think about things we shouldn’t do, the more we want to do them. If we meditate on them long enough we figure out how to do them.
Q. What is something you thought about doing, that you knew you shouldn’t, and because you kept thinking and meditating on it, you ended up doing it?
We create Christian laws that are not in the Bible, like ‘don’t get ahead’ because being rich is bad and money is evil. Money is not evil, the love of money is evil (1 Timothy 6:10 ESV). Money is amoral. We, as Christians, should not be afraid to take risks. Thinking that getting ahead is from the devil, is a lie. Jesus found people he wanted to do life with. He found professionals in their trade – he found fisherman, tax collectors, a tent maker. Jesus himself spent 30 years building stuff working in his father’s carpentry business. God is a doer. ‘Idle hands are the devil’s playground.’
NOT ONE BOOK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN BY A RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONAL.
1. MY BUSINESS IS GOD’S BUSINESS.
We should work hard at our business. Whatever our business is, it matters to God.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He was rich. Being a tax collector was not sinful. Jesus challenges people’s hearts regarding money. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he couldn’t so he ran (in his robe) and climbed up a tree. Zacchaeus embarassed himself to get to Jesus. He did not care what others thought. He was already doing and continued to do good things with his money (Luke 19:8 ESV – “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods, I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”). People falsely accused him since he was rich but he was using his stuff for good. He was a doer and did good things with what God have him.
‘Put this money to work until I come back.’
Q. How are you putting God’s money to work? Do you consider yourself a good steward of the resources God has given you and why or why not?
2. GOD WANTS HIS BUSINESS TO INCREASE.
Our business is God’s business.
It is good to gain in business. This man earned one thousand percent of his investment. Christians should gain in business. It is better that the Jesus lovers have the money than the Jesus haters to have the money.
Genesis 9:7 ESV
Success is not a sin. God wants us to increase.
Q. Why does God want us to be successful? Have you ever thought that being a Christian meant you were not to be rich or successful and why?
3. GOD REWARDS GOOD BUSINESS.
Our business is His business.
The reward here is extravagant. Ten menas is three months salary.
Q. What are some ways that you do business well? If you are not performing good at your business, what are some ways you can improve?
(This can be business owners as well as employees, bosses etc – some examples might be do you treat your employees well, do you arrive early, stay late, go the extra mile).
“It seems to me like the more I give, the more I have. I have a moral and corporate compass to GLORIFY
God by being a FAITHFUL STEWARD. That means to give back a portion of God’s blessings to others, and to help the people we can come in contact with” – Truett Cathy, Chic Fil A Founder
Other successful Christian businesses are Hobby Lobby, Tyson
4. GOD REJECTS THOUGHTLESS BUSINESS.
This man despised what God had given him. He was afraid. He did not have a relationship with his Lord. Some fear God because they do not have a relationship with God. Some are convinced that God is going to take whatever money they have.
Q. Do you allow the amount of money you earn to affect your relationship with God and how (do you fear that what you have will be taken, do get upset because someone may make more than you etc.)?
Q.Are you afraid to invest (time, talent and treasure) what God has given you into His Kingdom and why?
Good BUSINESS INVESTS what God GIVES into what GOD LOVES and never knows LACK.
PRAYER FOR EACH OTHER, THE LOST, WOONSOCKET AND OTHER UPCOMING CAMPUSES, THE ABOVE & BEYOND CAMPAIGN, THE CHURCH, THE NATION AND LEADERS.
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