Reflection Questions 1. Think of how our “character traits” have been tainted by sin (biologically / social up-bringing / wrong belief system). Which do you feel you have inherited from your parents; which are a result of your circumstances, past or present; which are a result of your choices? Share one positive and one negative character trait you have and where you think it originated. 2. When you think of a “character defect” you have been struggling with for a long time, which of the following seems to explain why you’re still struggling: “I’ve had this pattern a part of me for so long I don’t know how to act differently” “This is just who I am – this is a part of my identity” “I am still finding some benefit or temporary relief from acting this way” “I believe I’m just encountering a lot of discouragement & deception from Satan” 3. Read Romans 12:2 – Review the following 3 ways your thinking could change: Which one do you need God’s help with the most? Focus on feeding your mind what is good (what does this look like?). Focus on doing good, not feeling good (what does this look like?). Focus on people who help by being a part of a GOSPEL Community. Actions Steps: Do NOT skip these steps! 1) PRAY to God about it: “God, I am starving for personal righteousness & justice in this world. Lord, forgive me for not reading your word, through it lead me to right action, convict me when I feed my flesh, and give me your Spirit’s power when I do right so that my actions are effective for your glory. ” 2) WRITE about it: write down a Bible verse to help, refer to it morning noon & night. 3) SHARE about it: What is the “character defect” (sin issue) you are trusting God to transform? Share this with a spiritual friend, mentor, pastor, or spouse. GOSPEL Choices …Righteousness May06, 2012 I. Autopilot… II. The “Imago Dei” is tainted by sin : Biology – our Chromosomes “However, this predisposition doesn’t give you an excuse to act out inappropriately. You are responsible for your own behavior…they don’t provide us with excuses, they do provide some understanding.” – John Baker Socially – our Circumstances Theology – our Choices (belief system) “But you can, with God’s power, change the choices you make.” – John Baker Why is it so difficult to change? Because we develop patterns of behavior over the years... Because we confuse our identity with our sin nature… Because bad choices have a pay-off temporary relief… Because Satan tries to discourage us… We have a need to re-set the “autopilot” – but how?
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Reflection Questions
1. Think of how our “character traits” have been tainted by sin (biologically / social
up-bringing / wrong belief system). Which do you feel you have inherited from
your parents; which are a result of your circumstances, past or present; which
are a result of your choices? Share one positive and one negative character trait
you have and where you think it originated.
2. When you think of a “character defect” you have been struggling with for a long
time, which of the following seems to explain why you’re still struggling:
“I’ve had this pattern a part of me for so long I don’t know how to act differently”
“This is just who I am – this is a part of my identity”
“I am still finding some benefit or temporary relief from acting this way”
“I believe I’m just encountering a lot of discouragement & deception from Satan”
3. Read Romans 12:2 – Review the following 3 ways your thinking could change:
Which one do you need God’s help with the most?
Focus on feeding your mind what is good (what does this look like?).
Focus on doing good, not feeling good (what does this look like?).
Focus on people who help by being a part of a GOSPEL Community.
Actions Steps: Do NOT skip these steps!
1) PRAY to God about it: “God, I am starving for personal righteousness & justice in
this world. Lord, forgive me for not reading your word, through it lead me to
right action, convict me when I feed my flesh, and give me your Spirit’s power
when I do right so that my actions are effective for your glory.”
2) WRITE about it: write down a Bible verse to help, refer to it morning noon & night.
3) SHARE about it: What is the “character defect” (sin issue) you are trusting God
to transform? Share this with a spiritual friend, mentor, pastor, or spouse.
GOSPEL Choices…Righteousness May06, 2012
I. Autopilot…
II. The “Imago Dei” is tainted by sin:
Biology – our Chromosomes
“However, this predisposition doesn’t give you an excuse to act out inappropriately. You are responsible for your own behavior…they don’t provide us with excuses, they do provide some understanding.” – John Baker
Socially – our Circumstances
Theology – our Choices (belief system) “But you can, with God’s power, change the choices you make.” – John Baker
Why is it so difficult to change?
Because we develop patterns of behavior over the years...
Because we confuse our identity with our sin nature…
Because bad choices have a pay-off temporary relief…
Because Satan tries to discourage us…
We have a need to re-set the “autopilot” – but how?
III. The “Beatitude Attitude” of the GOSPEL Community (Matt. 5:6)
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed = happiness from God for rightly responding to the GOSPEL.
- Euangelion = Gospel = “Good news…so and so is King! The following are
His kingdom values we are all to live by.”
- Jesus is King – live by His Kingdom Values…
BI: The “Beatitude Attitude” starves for Righteousness TRANSFORMATION.
Hunger & Thirst – a continual state of seeking to be filled.
“…the deepest spiritual famine is hunger for the word of God…to thirst for God, the living God.” - D.A. Carson
For righteousness = two meanings:
- Personal Righteousness
- Justice
“These people hunger and thirst, not only that they may be righteous (i.e., that they may wholly do God’s will from the heart), but that justice may be done everywhere. All unrighteousness grieves them and makes them homesick for the new heaven and earth – the home of righteousness… Satisfied with neither personal righteousness alone nor social justice alone, they cry for both: in short, they long for the advent of the messianic kingdom. What they taste now whets their appetites for more.” – D.A. Carson “For the poor, ‘Righteousness’ would include having their basic needs for food met [justice], but it goes on to include a desire to see God’s standards established and obeyed in every area of life [personal righteousness].” – Craig Blomberg
“…for they shall be satisfied.” – This filling is by GOD. - GOD, the active agent, achieved righteousness all the way to the cross.
- Christians receives “Imputed Righteousness” by faith (Rom. 3:21-26).
This impassions Christians to do justice Personal Righteousness
This impassions Christians to starve for Justice by everyone
When does this “filling” or “satisfaction” from God come?
“Already, Not Yet!”
So what do we do in the mean time? IV. Reset your “autopilot” – be TRANSFORMED in your thinking:
Thoughts (theology) feelings actions
Romans 12:2
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(1) Focus on feeding your mind what is good – don’t get stuck in a rut:
(2) Focus on doing good not feeling good: The guiding work of the Holy
Spirit works in direct opposition to self-indulgence.” – John Baker
(3) Focus on people who help be a part of a GOSPEL Community.
V. GOSPEL Choices Recap – Choice 1 – Admitting NEED – Spiritual Beggar (Matt. 5:3)
Choice 2 – Getting HELP – Long for Jesus’ comfort (5:4)
Choice 3 – Letting GO – Yoke to Jesus in meekness (5:5)
Choice 4 – Be TRANSFORMED – Starve for Righteousness (5:6)
May 06, 2012
LOOKING AHEAD
May 11-12 ····· Youth Missions Retreat
May 13 ··········· Mother’s Day
May 16 ··········· Women’s Open House - Faust’s 10am-12 noon
May 25 ··········· Whirlyball
June 3 ············ Youth Servant Auction & Lunch
June 10 ·········· Graduation Sunday
June 24 ·········· Annual Meeting and Lunch
July 6-15 ········ Youth Mission Trip
July 16-19 ······ Community VBS at Lakewood Park
Aug 5-9 ·········· Grace Summer Camp
Flamingo Flocking Is Here! Sign up today to give your friends/neighbors the gift
of...pink. This is a fundraiser for the Youth Louisiana
Mission Trip this Summer. Find the Flamingo Table in
the Foyer to place your orders...or even to hire
protection! You’re never safe from being pink’d!
Righteousness
Mission Ft Lewis (Wounded Warri-ors) began when several women from the Grace Women's Bible Study were moved by stories of returning wounded vets to Ft Lewis. These women took action to combine their Christian Faith and knowledge of home cooking to lift these Wounded Warriors Spirits every Tuesday by providing a hot home cooked meal mixed with hugs and a listening ear. Our ladies have been going down to Ft Lewis faithfully for over two years. What started with four women has developed into a Grace Church Minis-try with over 29 people involved. Bak-ing at home, sending prepared foods in crock pots and prayer warriors. Our team truly welcomes Our Soldiers back home with love and understanding.
Let us LOVE GOD & PEOPLE BY
PRAYING FOR: Lorraine Schukar &
family (passing of Chuck Schukar), Gaye
Turner (mother of Bill Turner - pancreatic
cancer), Michael Davis (high blood
pressure), Sean McMonigle (surgery
recovery), Wilma Palmateer (health
issues), Cole Sonsteng (gastro paresis),
Kathy Setzer (lymphoma treatment), and
those with ongoing health needs:
Kimberly Smith (seizures), Martha Miller &
those unemployed. Please also pray for
our Elder Board: Larry Watson, Ron Sasaki,
Paul Lang, Josh Hanson, Ryan Faust, Kevin
Anway and Drayton Lemert.
YOUTH WHIRLYBALL OUTING! On Fri, May 25, the youth group will be
going up to Edmonds to play Whirlyball, a
crazy game that combines bumper cars,
track ball, and basketball backboards.
Deadline to sign up is Wed. May 9, so
make sure and talk to Nathan Schlaud
(206) 937-8400 ASAP if you want to join.
PRESERVE MARRIAGE If you would like to sign R74, it will be in
the church office Monday-Thursday from
9-4pm, or Sundays in the South foyer.
Please note that you must be a registered
voter for your signature to count and you
can only sign the petition one time. Over
90 people from Grace church have signed
the petitions. If you wish to gather
signatures yourself and need a green
petition form, please see Pastor Jerry.
CHILDREN’S VOLUNTEER
CELEBRATION
Sat, May 19, 5:30 to 7:30pm. If you have
volunteered in the Children’s department
on Sunday mornings since January 2011,
we really want you and your spouse to
join us for this special dinner event. We
will be celebrating what is happening in
Children’s Ministry. If you have children,
we plan to have them join you for dinner.
Games and a movie will be provided for
them downstairs while you enjoy a
program planned for you, our volun-
teers. Please, please RSVP to Pastor Jerry
so we can have plenty of food and
childcare workers. If you are not currently
a children’s Sunday volunteer and would
like to assist with childcare, please contact
Pastor Jerry (206) 937-8400.
SMALL CHANGE, CHANGES LIVES
Next week is Mother’s Day. What a better
time to kick off a Spring Baby Bottle Campaign
to support CareNet of Puget Sound; who
provides life-affirming resources to women
and families facing unplanned pregnancies. At
the close of service next week, be sure to pick
up a baby bottle to take home with you, fill it
with your spare change, cash, or a check, and
return it on Father’s Day, June 17! For more
information visit www.carenetps.org. CareNet
provides medical services, parenting support,
abortion recovery, perinatal hospice support.
and abstinence education.
Visiting Grace? If this is your first time of worshiping with us, we joyfully welcome and thank you for coming! Please visit the Welcome Center
in the foyer to learn a bit more about life at Grace. 10323 28th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98146-1202
Phone: (206) 937-8400 Fax: (206) 937-0881 [email protected] www.gracechurchseattle.org
THIS WEEK AT GRACE
SUNDAY, MAY 6
9:00 am Sunday School for Infants through Jr. High
9:00 am School of Theology - various classrooms downstairs
10:00 am Coffee & Fellowship
10:30 am WORSHIP CELEBRATION - sanctuary
Kids dismissed to Children’s Church - 1st-3rd grades - room 122
Kid’s bulletins are available for 4th and up at the Welcome Center
6:30 pm Youth Small Groups - various
MONDAY, MAY 7
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
TUESDAY, MAY 8
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
6:30-9:00 pm Celebrate Recovery - foyer, rooms 128 & 129
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
9:00 am Deaconess Meeting - conference room
7:00-8:30 pm Youth Group - the Shack
7:00 pm Elder Meeting - conference room
THURSDAY, MAY 10
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
8:30 pm College Group - Nathan & Megan Schlaud’s
FRIDAY, MAY 11
Church Office closed
SATURDAY, MAY 12
Church Office closed
10:00 am GriefShare - room 124
Pastor Ryan Faust, Senior Pastor [email protected] Pastor Jerry Buell, Children’s Ed & Family Ministry [email protected]
Pastor Nathan Schlaud, Youth & College Ministry [email protected] Janis Lemert, Director of Body Life [email protected] Kathie Varney, Executive Assistant [email protected] Sherry Croom, Bookkeeper [email protected]
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