Build & Bless - Part 2
Hello Life Church! Welcome to part 2 of our vision series for 2022: Build & Bless. We are excited about what God is doing through our church and are expectant for all that is to come this year.
In this session we cover the 3 aspects of Build:
Build Right
Build Brave
Build to Last
Thank you for taking the time to go through this content with your group, we pray that it is a great blessing to you.
Notes:
Thank you for taking the time to go through this content. We are excited for the vision God has given us as a church this year, both for what it means corporately but also for us personally.
Vision needs to be more than just information, it must become revelation. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well that true worshippers will worship in Spirit and in Truth. We need to receive the truth - information. But more than that we need the Holy Spirit to take that truth and make it real in our lives - revelation.
In this session we will look at the 3 aspects of Build:
Build Right
Build Brave
Build to Last
Build Right
We know that if you want to build anything of significance, you have to build it right. A house or structure has to be built according to the plans and the blueprints if it is to stand the test of time. If there are shortcuts, things missing, or it’s simply just not done well. Then you might see some short-term gains in terms of the structure going up faster, but ultimately it will end in disaster and damage. It won’t last, and it won’t achieve everything that it could.
The same can be said for our lives, there are no shortcuts when it comes to our spiritual lives. There are no shortcuts when it comes to faith. We have to build our lives according to the plans that God has set out for us.
Matthew 6:33 says this:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33 NLT
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else. In other words the first priority in my life is kingdom business. Carl put it like this in his message: “my personal plan comes second to God’s purpose for my life.” Now the two are often intertwined as God loves to give us the desires of our hearts.
When Jesus is teaching this to his followers, it’s part of a series of teachings that are designed to help lift people’s perspectives off of just their natural circumstances, and on to greater things.
That our lives can be more than just temporary things, they can have eternal impact.
He’s assuring His followers that God will provide for our needs, He does care about those things, but we can’t let those things consume all of our lives and take the place that is reserved for faith and worship. It’s about having a correct perspective and the right pattern to build our lives with.
In all things I consider: “what does it look like to put God first here?”
So some discussion questions for you to chat about now in your group:
What temporary things are taking up too much of your focus?
Why is that, and how are you going to change it?
Discussion Time
Build Brave
Building the kingdom takes courage and faith. We are going to feel stretched and uncomfortable at times. Faith is spelled R.I.S.K, there will be some decisions we have to make and some steps that will take us outside of what’s comfortable for us. We will need to take some risks to see the kingdom expand.
Hebrews 11 which is often nicknamed the ‘Hall of Faith’, is an incredible chapter that goes back through the Old Testament and honours those who had to live courageously by faith.
By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith…
Hebrews 11:33-39 NLT
Now I pray that none of us have to experience anything like what these people went through, but what it shows is that building the kingdom requires faith. Faith is the requirement for building.
At the beginning of the chapter the writer says:
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
So the very nature of faith takes a degree of courage because we are placing our trust in something that we cannot see. We can’t see the outcome, we can’t always see what’s ahead. But we trust in God, and we keep pressing forward knowing that His hand will lead us and guide us.
So for your next discussion time I’d like you to share:
What was the last faith-risk you took?
Is there something God has been asking you to do, but fear has been holding you back?
Discussion Time
Build to Last
We as the church are only here today because of the legacy of those who have gone before. As each generation has built upon the legacy of the former, starting with the Apostles all the way though to us today.
Our lives are to have a much greater impact than just our small time on this earth. We have the privilege of being able to leave a legacy for another generation. To leave a legacy that will out last our lives.
Legacy speaks to the life that I live. What did I live my life for? What did I invest myself into?
Jesus told his disciples that he had appointed them to bear fruit.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…
John 15:16 NLT
Another way to think about this is teaching your child how to drive. You could buy your child a brand new car with all the bells and whistles (And there’s nothing wrong with that, if you can do that’s great).
But that car is worth nothing unless you’ve taught them how to drive it.
You’ve taken the time to invest in them, to teach them, to make sure they understand the road rules and can be careful while driving.
The car will age and one day become useless, but the lessons you taught them will last.
We have the ability to leave a legacy for another generation, and the best legacy is a life lived to bless others.
That’s why it’s so fantastic to be involved and be on team in a local church. When you serve, and give, when you help make things happen, you are a part of a legacy that will bless generations. Even if you’re not directly involved, you are still a part of that legacy.
Final Discussion Question:
What can you do today, that will bless a generation tomorrow?
As discussion wraps up take some time to pray for each other in relation to what has been shared.
Thank you and God bless!