Team Night - July 2nd 2024
Pastor David Jones
citywestchurch YouTube: https://youtu.be/y1Wsd7rBJZo
Main Text:
Jude 22-23
Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Objective:
Encourage people to share the good news of Jesus with others. To show mercy to others just as we have been shown mercy.
Leaders note:
Help people as they think about rescuing others to consider just one person. Sometimes as the church we have forgotten to keep evangelism as a priority.
Sir John Seeley
“When the power or reclaiming the lost dies out of the church, it ceases to be the Church”
Discussion
Question and discussion – What sort of Church do you see?
Do you see a church that changes a town, a city, a nation and beyond?
(leader: Ask people what they see regarding winning people to Jesus)
Read
Jude 22-23
Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Background
When Paul wrote to Jude there was so much going on, the world they lived in had become openly evil and was attacking the church. People were following their own ungodly desires, and some people began to bring a divide in the church. There were grumblers and faultfinders.
While Paul was encouraging them to deal with the issue at hand, he also reminded them to “save others by snatching them from the fire”. To look outward and rescue others.
Show Mercy To One Another
Mercy - World English Dictionary
Merciful: showing or giving mercy; compassionate
Synonyms: kind, clement, lenient, forgiving, tender, sympathetic.
Antonyms: cruel, relentless.
Question
Someone share about the mercy they received from someone else or from God that led you to salvation?
Read and Discuss One of the Scriptures below
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Keep the main thing the main thing
Read and discuss the story below
The Story of the Lifesaving Station
On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves, they went out day or night tirelessly searching for the lost. This wonderful little station saved many lives, so that it became famous.
Some of those saved and various others in the surrounding areas wanted to become associated with the station and give their time, money, and effort to support its work. They bought new boats and trained new crews. The little lifesaving station grew. Some of the new members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped.
They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in an enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a favourite gathering place for its members, and they redecorated it beautifully and furnished it as a sort of club.
A few of the members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The purpose of lifesaving was still discussed, but most of the team were too busy or lacked the necessary commitment to take part in the lifesaving activities personally. About this time, a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, and half-drowned people.
They were dirty and sick, some had skin of a different colour, some spoke a strange language, and the beautiful new club was considerably messed up. So, the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.
At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's lifesaving activities, as it was unpleasant and a hindrance to the club's regular pattern. But some members insisted that lifesaving was their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the lives of various kinds of people shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin another lifesaving station down the coast. They did.
As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that happened in the old station. They evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station began. If you visit the seacoast today, you will find many exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters, but now most of the people drown!
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
Conclusion
The arrowhead example:
The arrowhead or projectile point is the primary functional part of the arrow, it plays the largest role in determining its purpose. Some arrows may simply use a sharpened tip of the solid shaft, but it is far more common for separate arrowheads to be made, usually from metal, horn, or some other hard material. Arrowheads are usually separated by function.
Just like the arrowhead we the church must go for souls. It must be the main thing we do, and the church must be one big arrowhead for the glory of God. Yet sadly too many things the church participates in are more for members own gratification.
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