15 Oct Maranatha | Part 1 “Wisdom in a World Gone Mad”

Announcements:

ALL LOCATIONS: 

NOW ACCEPTING MONETARY DONATIONS FOR HARVEST HANDS (formerly Operation Thanksgiving).  A minimum of $50 will feed a family this Thanksgiving.  We are looking to pack 1000 care packages filled with a Thanksgiving meal and a $10 Stop n Shop Gift card for Apollo Beach, South Coast, and Woonsocket locations.

waterschurch.org/give and select your location, then select Harvest Hands.

Registrations for meals will open up this coming weekend as well as serve team registrations!

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OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD BOXES ARE IN THE LOBBY AT EACH LOCATION.  INSTRUCTIONS ARE INSIDE THE BOX AND THIS YEAR’S DONATION FOR SHIPPING REMAINS AT $10.  PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR LOCATION BY NOVEMBER 6

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Reminder:  Please check your planning center profiles for requests to join and also remove members from the list that no longer attend as well as add members not listed. Thank you.

 

LEADERS: WE HAVE CHANGED UP THE DISCOVER CLASS WHICH USED TO BE GROWTH TRACK AND ARE ASKING ALL LEADERS TO RE-TAKE THIS A SOME POINT.  BELOW IS THE CLASS SCHEDULE:

1st Sunday : Discover Waters – after 1st service

2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES

3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service

4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service

 

IMPORTANT***** Please add

Go to your email, add no-reply@churchcenter.com to your contacts (PLEASE ASK ME IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND) THANKS!

no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and have your members add it as well.  This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site.

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.org/events)

 

Location Text Alerts:

North Attleboro		Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300
Norwood		Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357
Apollo Beach		Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979
Woonsocket		Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837
Southcoast		Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490

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Key Verse: LUKE 17

Ice Breaker:

Q. If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would tell your teenage self?

It is a crazy time in a crazy world. 

We need to remember something about our Lord Jesus, He was a Jew, had Jewish parents, and His relatives were Jews.  Jesus was a Prophet to the Jewish people. 

Because of their sin and rejection, the Jewish people made it possible for anyone to come into the Kingdom of God.  They are God’s delivery system for salvation.

The Jewish people are not a perfect people, nor the most righteous.  None of us are, we all fall short.  But we are justified through the true Israel, the Son of God.  We are made right because of His sacrifice.

We need to pay attention to Israel they are God’s timepiece for what is going to happen in the last days.  We need to be ready for the return of Jesus, and He can come at any time.

We know something is up because we are seeing things now that make it possible for Jesus to come now. 

Jesus is coming again!

 Revelation 1:7(ESV)

He could come at any time.

 Luke 21:25 (ESV)

Anxiety today is through the roof.  People are worried about their future.

 Daniel 12:4 (ESV); Daniel 12:10 (ESV)

Travel will be expedited. We are seeing exponential knowledge available in our world right now that is astronomical.

We are not called to fear and Jesus is letting us know He is coming back. 

We need to get our minds off of this world.  We should not be shocked by what we see because we know what is going on.

Q. How can we maintain a balance between being informed and not being overwhelmed or fearful, especially in light of our belief in Jesus’ return?

Luke 17:20-22 (ESV)

The Pharisees were looking for a physical kingdom, a political kingdom.  They were subjected to Rome and to Caesar and they wanted to know when they could see Jesus show His power and overthrow the Romans.

Jesus does not tell them what they want to hear.  God speaks in ways we don’t expect (Luke 17:20).  There would be no physical kingdom of God on earth in that age.

The Kingdom of God is wherever God rules and reigns. As Christians, He reigns in our hearts.

In verse 22, Jesus is saying there are going to be some bad times ahead and we will long for Him to be there!  The world is messed up and we will long for him to show up.

Q. How do our own expectations of God and His work sometimes differ from His actual plans? Can you think of a time when God’s response or action in your life was different from what you anticipated?

The Wrong Approaches to the END TIMES.

A. PREDICTION.

Matthew 24:36 (ESV)

Matthew 24:42 (ESV)

We are not to predict the end times.  We have 2,000 years of Christian history and the batting average of those who have tried to predict Christ’s return is Zero.  No one has been right.  We cannot be duped by self-professing prophets of our age.

Jesus wants preparation from us not predictions

B. PANIC

2 Thessalonians 2:2 (NLT)

We are not to panic as God’s people.  People will say:  ‘The Lord told me.’  If the Lord did not put it in the Bible and it does not jive with the Bible, then He did not tell you.  He does not operate outside the bounds of His word.

C. DISREGARD.

2 Peter 3:3–4 (ESV)

We must get our hearts right before God.  We cannot live how we want, we need to live how God wants.  We need to look to His word not the mantras of this world.

Q. How have you seen these three approaches manifested in the world or in people around you?

How to long for His return in the RIGHT WAY.

1. Don’t be GULLIBLE.

Luke 17:23 (ESV)

Panic is a lucrative business.  People that can get us worried, scared, and nervous about the End Times, can sell us stuff.

Lots of people know how to use our fear to make money.  It happens a lot in the Church.  People have made tons of money off the End Times.  We cannot afford to follow self-proclaimed prophets.  We need to watch out for what we listen to and get a hold of God’s word.

Hebrews 13:7 (ESV)

We need to listen to our pastors.  We are blessed with amazing pastors, elders, and leaders in our church.

Matthew 24:45 (ESV)

The household of God is the Church. 

We have a brand new pastoral ministry (visit: waterschurch.org/help).  Pastor Jody is our pastor of marriage and families.   If you need spiritual wisdom, he will talk with you and lead you to one of our pastors, elders, or elder’s wives. Our pastors are here to help you where you are. 

The Church needs to be hands-on, not virtual.  We are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

Luke 17:24 (ESV)

Q.  What are some methods or practices we can employ to discern the voice of God and distinguish it from our own desires or external influences?

2. Don’t get CAUGHT UP in this WORLD.

Luke 17:26 (ESV)

Luke 17:28 (ESV)

Luke 17:27 (ESV)

As we see these things happen, we need to check our hearts before God.  This is a wake-up call for God’s people.

As we see in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, it was business as usual.  Life was going on normally but we know from scriptural records that both were in terrible and wicked times.  The world was exceedingly wicked and no one cared.  That is what Jesus wants us to see in this text.

The world will continue to get worse and no one will seem to worry about it except His Church.

You’re NOT READY for the RETURN of the Lord when this world’s WAYS don’t BOTHER you anymore.

We must see what the world is doing with children, marriage, and entertainment.  If we have no problem with it, we need to wake up, seek Holiness, get our hearts right, and get ready.

Half the Church is going to be foolish and go with the flow.  Dead fish flow downstream, we are Christians, and we are not dead.  We are alive in Christ!

Luke 17:31-32 (ESV)

Don’t get attached to this world.  Abraham had to yank Lot out of his house.  God needs to pull us away from our desire for money and for the world’s affection.

The Bible is fact, these stories are not fairy tails. It is a warning for us.

If you’re full of this WORLD, you’ll be full of the WORRIES of this WORLD.

The cure for anxiety is in Holy Scripture.  God’s word is God’s word.  We need to let go of what we want and let Him fill us with what He wants and He will fill us with peace.

Q. Reflecting on Luke 17:26-28, in what ways do you feel you might be getting “caught up” in the world? How do these verses speak to the current state of society and our engagement with worldly matters?

3. Don’t MISS God’s PLAN for your life.

In spite of everything we see, feel, and hear God still has a plan for us.

Luke 17:33 (ESV)

We need to let go of the life we think we want and let God take us where He wants us to be.  He has not forgotten any one of His children.  Our names are written in His book! (Psalm 139:16)

God has us in the palm of his hand and directs our steps.   He puts us where He wants us to be and makes us what He wants us to be.

That requires us to surrender.

Q. Reflecting on Luke 17:33 and the idea of letting go of the life we think we want, how has holding onto your own plans or desires potentially hindered you from experiencing God’s best? How can we cultivate a mindset that values God’s plan over our own, and what are the benefits of doing so?

Sermon in a Sentence:

If God has your life, He will INSTRUCT, PROTECT it, and DELIVER you.

Challenge: Throughout the week, be keenly aware of how worldly matters pull at your attention and influence your decisions. Whenever you find yourself distracted by them or prioritizing them over spiritual matters, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to help you refocus on God’s plan for you.