Take 5: Entering the World of the Unknown, Part 2
The wisdom of God is counter-intuitive to the fallen mind, so we must teach our people to be wise in the Scriptures.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Entering the World of the Unknown, Part 1
When you open the Bible, you are entering the world of the unknown. The “sixth sense” of biblical revelation allows us and the people we teach to think rightly.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 5
In the final session of Making Jesus the Hero, Pastor Mike shares two visual illustrations that can help people grasp the gospel and all its implications.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
TRAIL GUIDE: Soul Mate
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Section 2, Lesson 2: Soul Mate
Who is your favorite person to be with? Who is your soul mate? If you could, would you spend every free moment with that person? I have often asked my children, usually when I am frustrated by their lack of time in the Word, if they truly love God. Of course their answer is “yes.” I usually follow up that question with something like this, “Do you find it strange that you spend so little time with someone who you claim to love above all others?” It’s a great question, but one that rightly should be turned back on myself. David wrote, “My soul thirsts for you, the living God.” Wow! What makes David different from many of us? Is it that we don’t thirst? I don’t believe so. Our souls do thirst and so do the souls of the children we minister to. What made David a man after God’s own heart was that he recognized what – or better, Who – would quench his thirst.
Our problem is that often we don’t recognize what we are thirsting for, so we try to quench our thirst with other things. It could be work, relationships, recreation, television, or video games. Does my soul thirst for God as the deer pants for streams of water? It sure does. The question is whether I choose to go to the Source of living water or something else. This isn’t a guilt trip, but it should be a call to each of us to examine our souls and ask the hard questions, then cry out to God for a soul makeover. Let’s try to help the children understand the depths of God’s love, that by Jesus’ death He purchased for us a front row seat in the Father’s presence now and forever. God wants to be our soul mate and Jesus died to make that possible. Don’t miss out on the gift of the gospel, God’s presence, which is living water for our soul.
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress – I will never be shaken.” -Psalm 62:1-2
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Psalm 63 | Psalm 143 | Psalm 42:2 | Psalm 23:1-3 | Psalm 107:9 | Luke 1:46-47
Sunday Rewind | 10.12.2014
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
How Great Thou Art (Psalm 145:3) – Hymns Ancient $ Modern by Charlie Hall (Passion)
Hosanna (Mark 11:9-10) – Savior King by Hillsong
Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Psalm 47:1-2) – See The Morning by Chris Tomlin
Unending Love (Romans 8:38-39) – God Is Able by Hillsong
I Lift My Hands (Psalm 46:10) – And If Our God Is For Us… by Chris Tomlin
TEACHING: Take Refuge
Chris Anderson teaches from Psalm 1 & 2 on life as it ought to be, the vain rebellion of man, the coming judgement, and God as the ultimate place of refuge. We cannot take refuge from God, but we can take refuge in God.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- What things/places/events tend to regularly remind you that the world in which we live is not safe? How do you tend to react when you are reminded of the dangers around us?
- Read through and discuss Psalm 1 & 2. What do you note about the nature of man? What do you see about the nature of God?
- “We cannot take refuge from God, but we can take refuge in God.” How do Psalm 1 & 2 support this statement? What other scriptures can you think of that teach us this?
- What does it mean to take refuge in God? Why is this easier said than done?
- Are there areas of your life where you try to take refuge from God?
- In the sermon, Chris gives this breakdown of the first two Psalms: Life as it ought to be – The vain rebellion – The coming judgement – The place of refuge. Where do you find these in Psalm 1 & 2? What are the implications of each?
- What is “the good life”? How does Psalm 1 define the good life for us? How does the gospel provide this good life?
- Can you think of someone in your life who is hurting or afraid? How can you reach out to them this week to serve them or encourage them to take refuge in the Lord?
- Spend some time praying for the things you have discussed. Give thanks to God that He is our great refuge using Psalm 1 & 2 as a guide.
First Fruits: Beyond the Leaves
Did you know that if you rake leaves for First Fruits, or provide a job for volunteers to do, or donate to First Fruits – you are also helping high school students achieve their dream of going to college? Over the past three years, thanks to the blessings of First Fruits, RBC has helped 18 students realize their dream of going to college by awarding Perseverance Scholarships (totaling over $19K) to graduating seniors at several local high schools (including Herndon, Parkview, Dominion, and Potomac Falls). The scholarship celebrates not the success that may come from persevering, but more importantly the proven character of the person who has persevered and in the process become a positive example and source of encouragement for their peers.
The scholarship recipients have had to overcome (and continue to endure, in some cases) a wide array of challenges – from financial hardships, language barriers, bullying, depression, family illness and severe debilitating injuries, to unstable homes, abuse, homelessness, divorce, and immigrating alone to the United States. Each recipient has demonstrated remarkable courage and strength of character in how they have chosen to persevere. Keep reading to learn more about two of the 2014 inspiring scholarship recipients.
ASHLYN’S STORY: Ashlyn, in the process of dealing with financial hardships, abuse, and mental illness at home, became not only an exceptional student with a 4.1 GPA, but also helped others to gain their voice and develop their talents. As a tutor she helped peers overcome academic challenges and as President of the Freethinkers Club, she encouraged others to speak freely and openly in a safe environment. Her great love for literature and music includes looking beyond the text or words for the deeper, unspoken meaning. She is much like the music she loves. As she quoted Victor Hugo in her scholarship application, “music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” Thankfully, Ashlyn did not remain silent. She reached out for help and has started sharing her story and is encouraging others to reach out and have hope. A year ago, Ashlyn didn’t think college would be an option. She is now in her first year at George Mason in the honors program and plans to major in English Literature and Music. (To learn more about Ashlyn in her own words, click here.)
JUAN’S STORY: Juan is another 2014 scholarship recipient who has overcome early setbacks in life, five years in the foster care system and difficulties at home and school. But, instead of giving up and dropping out as he had seen so many friends and family members do, he took the radical step at the end of his Junior year in high school of turning away from the poor influences in his life. In one short year, he had an extensive impact on his football team, his school community, and his youth group. He is now known by his peers for his moral fiber, leading not only with words but also his actions. He is widely respected for always encouraging others on and off the playing field and for his positive attitude. He is a true team player. On his high school football team – he played every position except line and was unanimously selected as captain and MVP. He has great compassion for others enduring hard times and looks for opportunities to come alongside to help and encourage others to not give up. In his senior year, he even packed two lunches – one for himself and one to give away. He also takes great pride in a job well done – learning that “that regardless of the job assigned you should always do it to the best of your ability.” Juan is also known for his faith and desire to share the truth of Jesus Christ with those that are struggling. He speaks from experience and gives the glory to Christ in his key verses “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) and “sanctify them in your truth Lord. Your word is truth.” Juan is an exceptional leader and is currently studying business.
If you are interested in partnering with us in First Fruits, get more information or sign up at www.restonbible.org/firstfruits
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 4
The gospel isn’t a formula – it’s a Person. It’s not an add-on – the gospel must be the solution to whatever tension you’ve presented in your message.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
First Fruits: Ashlyn’s Story
First Fruits is a service project that has rallied the RBC church body for over 25 years. It is a unique serving opportunity for families, shepherd groups, and individuals to come together and make a difference in the lives and families in our area who are in need of help and encouragement. In addition to providing food and support to local families, a portion of the funds raised goes to what we call the Perseverance Scholarship. This is a scholarship we offer in several local high schools to seniors who desire to further their education. The scholarship celebrates not only the success that may come from persevering, but more importantly the proven character of the person who has persevered and in the process become a positive example and source of encouragement for their peers. This year, Ashlyn was one of the recipients of the Perseverance Scholarship. This is her story.
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I want to say thank you to Reston Bible Church for helping me go to college by giving me a Perseverance Scholarship. I am now a freshman in the Honors College at George Mason University. One year ago I never thought it would be possible to go to college. After my junior year all my friends were starting to visit colleges and were asking where I wanted to go. All I could think was “there is no way that this is ever going to happen” for me. Things were too complicated in my life to consider the idea of going to college – I had no hope that I would be able to go.
For much of the past nine years, I’ve felt like my life was a tornado of devastation. From my father losing his job, to family bankruptcy, to losing our house, to moving from state to state, to growing tension between my parents, to my sister suffering from severe depression and an eating disorder… the list goes on. Watching all this and seeing the impact on my family as a whole left me feeling like I had to be the rock for my family. I had to be strong and supportive- hide my own anxiety and misery and fears to be there for them. I felt so brittle, so alone and weak.
In all of this the toughest challenge was living with my father. Ever since I was a child, my father controlled every living aspect of my sister’s, mother’s, and my life. He was an alcoholic and had been clinically diagnosed with major depression and a personality disorder. He took his medication with scotch and sometimes with a sleeping pill and was abusive toward us. He was incredibly manipulative and gained control over us through “mind games” which included taking guns and knives out and threatening to use them to get his way. Countless times I had to confront him- once lying on top of a rifle to stop my father from loading it. My father’s controlling behavior isolated us and as a result, we never knew how dysfunctional our family was until we finally reached out for help.
After many months of planning and many years of contemplation, this past Mother’s Day my mother moved my sister and me to another place – taking our first steps towards freedom and independence. Even though our future is still questionable and slightly daunting due to our current financial difficulties and present circumstances, moving away from my father has proven to be the catalyst for hope and new beginnings. And I am certain that any future challenges ahead will not be nearly as hard as what we have already overcome.
I couldn’t have done it without all of the support I received from people around my community. Organizations such as Child Protective and especially Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS). My friends and teachers have all been supportive of me. And, I am so grateful for the generosity and kindness of my drama teacher, Mrs. Young, and her family. All these people supported me through all of my adversity and have honestly saved my life.
One example I experienced that showed me how things can change for the better is, I remember, sitting down at the dinner table with my drama teacher’s family and being absolutely stunned – there was no screaming, no yelling, tension, crying, negative energy. Everyone was talking pleasantly and eating together. I had never experienced anything like this before. It was so simple, such a day-to-day activity this family had with each other, but to me it was so much more. It gave me hope that real happy, loving families exist. It was an experience I will never forget.
During the early and middle stages of my situation, I was hesitant to reach out for help because I thought it showed weakness. However, I found it is really the most important thing you can do. It shows strength in that you are brave enough to ask for help. At first it is hard to reveal your weaknesses to others, but later you realize it is better to get help then struggle on your own. It is quintessential to seek help when you are in a difficult situation; hiding that pain, anxiety, and stress only lets it fester and build up until you explode. There is always someone out there to help, and there is always hope for better days, no matter what. My counselor and others have helped me realize that the past does not define you- you do not have to be held back something you are not able to change or control. You can move past it and grow from it. The tough times and downfalls I’ve experienced have made me a stronger and wiser individual, and ultimately has taught me to persevere and never give up.
I hope sharing my story will encourage others to reach out for help in order to start a better future for their lives. Starting my new chapter in life at George Mason as part of the Honors College is a dream come true. Thank you to all those that have contributed to First Fruits in any way that made the Perseverance Scholarship possible in order for me to attain my dream of going to college and to know that nothing is impossible.
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For more information on First Fruits and how you can get involved, check out www.restonbible.org/firstfruits.
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 3
In the 3rd part of the “Making Jesus the Hero” session, Pastor Mike shows how Jesus rescues us from having to keep the righteous demands of the law.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Making Jesus the Hero, Part 2
If Jesus is not the hero of your message, who is? In this session, Pastor Mike discusses the importance of bringing to bear the fact that Jesus is the gospel.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.