Hey everyone,
Just wanted to update you with all that's going on here in Nashville. I'm just going to highlight some of our focuses throughout these first few weeks to catch some of you up that haven't received updates lately. I'm going to try to write a post at the end of each week from here on out. Even if it's short, I'm going to try to post something. Also, these first few weeks are just our morning sessions that we call RPM (Reading, Prayer, Memorization). There's other facets of Trek-X that I'll be letting you know about too, but as for now, this is just a catch-up post to summarize the main themes throughout this first month and a half of our morning sessions.
Week 1
After RPM was explained to us, we read about martyrs in the Faith from the book "Jesus Freaks" by D.C. Talk. It's always humbling to see the extremes of our faith. In our church language, we separate the the word witness and martyr, but they actually are the same thing. We use witness more as a verb meaning to share the gospel, but it actually means "martyr" or a witness unto death. It doesn't mean all witnesses will die (for their faith), but a true witness embraces death for the advancement of the Truth. Anyway, it's very easy to forget, ignore, and/or turn our minds away from the fact that right now someone in the world is probably dying for their faith in Christ. We also began reading and studying Acts in depth. If we are going to plant churches, then this made sense to study Acts.
Week 2
We hit Acts 2:42 in this week and we spent a few days on it too. The verse lays out exactly what the early church devoted itself to (which is probably what we need to do too... maybe???). There are four things they devoted themselves to: 1. Apostle's Teachings 2. Fellowship 3. Breaking of Bread 4. Prayer. SO.. let's break this down...
1) Apostle's Teachings= Scripture... These were not just words. This was a whole new way of thinking. It's the deprogramming of the Old Covenant life style where God existed inside a building or object to this New Covenant in which He indwells believers. Like, this was a major switch where God was explaining this New Covenant to His people through the Apostle's Teachings. Remember: They didn't have the New Testament scriptures. This represents the whole Bible for us. (Matt 4:4)
2) Fellowship= Sharing what Christ has done and is doing in your life with other believers (and non-believers)... Usually, we think of fellowship as eating together and shootin' the breeze or watching a ball game together. That's not the fellowship talked about here. This is simply sharing what God was doing and how He was moving in their lives so that they could know Him more. I imagine there was plenty of vulnerability here as well. (Phil 3:10)
3) Breaking of Bread=Community.... I'm not sure if we get Communion from community or if we get community from Communion, but this represents the bond and unity that is supposed to be within the Body of Christ. It's the kinda community that says, whatever it is you're going through, come Hell or high water, I got your back. Very close knit. (Eph 4)
4) Prayer= well... This is just prayer. Talking to God and bringing everything before Him. (Phil 4:6)
The last thing I want to point out is the definition of Devote: To give or apply (one's time, attention, or self) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person.
It is one thing to participate and do these things. It's another to be devoted.
Week 3
So.. week 2 was really good as you can see. In week 3, we met with Benny Proffitt from First Priority, which is a campus club on high school that is sort of like FCA in some ways. He talked to us about visions that God gives us (not like the vision you literally see), and how God's timing is not our timing. He shared a story of how 20 years after he had started First Priority, he asked God why it was taking so long, and he said that he could almost hear God laugh and tell him, "What's twenty years to me?" God is far outside of our minds and outside of our restraints (such as time). It's important to keep this in your mind. God's ways are far beyond and above ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9) His time table differs from our culture which promotes now now now. Heck, in America, we get upset if it takes longer than 10 seconds for a text message to send.
The other thing I took from Benny is that Jesus never once spoke about the gospel of salvation, but He spoke in terms of the gospel of the Kingdom. I'm not going to go into explanation on this because God is still revealing a lot to me about it, but I do encourage you to pray and ask God what's the significance here and what's the difference?
Week 4
This week brought about a whole different concept that is summed up in John 15:5, which says "I am the vine, you are the branches, whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" in the English Standard Version. I think it had gotten to the point this week that we were learning so much and taking in a lot, but we had forgotten the simple fact that we need God! It sounds silly I know, but it was refreshing to know that God is not asking us for results. He simply just wants us to abide in Him. When we TRULY abide and experience Him (not just knowledge about Him, but Jesus Himself), the results take care of themselves and we cannot help but speak the Truth of God. This is a hard concept for many hard workers to grip their mind around, but God does not need us nor does He need us to accomplish His work. He is sovereign and can get it done without us, but in His Grace, we have been chosen and included to experience Him and be a part in the eternal story of God and His Kingdom (John 15:16). So.. abide in Him, and see what He does. There will be an unnatural boldness that He puts in you that you cannot contain. (Acts 4:20)
Week 5
This week we covered martyrs in the faith and looked into how these people could be burned alive, watch their loved ones killed, and go through other things that are real life stories that I don't even want to think about AND do it in PURE JOY! How do they do it? The answer is because they were already dead. The Only way someone can experience these things in pure joy is to be holding on to nothing of this world or life. All these witnesses had this one thing in common. They had nothing to lose, but everything to gain. It's easy to read this and say ''Yea, that makes sense", but really... That's crazy... These people had considered everything apart from Christ as filthy rags. (which I found out what the literal filthy rags of the scripture means.. it's gross) This makes me think of Luke 14:26 and Matt 10:37. Check the verses out and think on what it really means to have nothing to lose! Is your wife, husband, child, mom, dad, job or your life nothing to you in comparison to Christ? What does God have to chisel away from you to present you with this love for God that Paul has? ck out (Phil 3:8) READ THIS ONE
Week 6
As we continue in Acts, we see that persecution has now set in on the Church of the living God. We covered Stephen's death, and looked closely into it, but I'm gonna skip the details here. Just know that Stephen shares the good news of Christ and they don't like it becomes it accuses them so they stone him. It's just fine though because Stephen had nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Look at Acts 7:60 and see that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. There is no other way that he makes the statement about forgiving the ones who were stoning him apart from God. ANYWAY.... the last point we were shown is that in the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20 and in Acts 1:8, God promises that the people would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Well.. As of Acts 7, they haven't left Jerusalem so.. what happens?... In Acts 8, Saul starts ravaging the church and the people got the heck out of town! Verse 4 says that those who were scattered went about preaching the word. SO... what does it all mean???
It means that God is sovereign. It means that just because we may disobey and not do what God is trying to let us take part in, that does not mean God's purposes will be hindered. He will accomplish His purposes with or without us. He allowed the persecution and scattered His people. Our God is in Control and Sovereign. Thanks be to God.
Thanks for reading. Hoping the rest of the blogs won't be as long, but this was an attempt to let you in on a small part of our discipleship. Hope you enjoyed. Sorry for any typos. Not really feeling like proofreading this.
Much Love,
Josh
No comments:
Post a Comment