September 13, 2009 - A Front Porch People:

Connecting People to My Spiritual Family (Luke 5:27-32)

Key Focus:

• This will focus on connecting our church friends with our non-churched friends. This begins with us, with me! But a great example of what this means can be found with Matthew, the tax collector!

Background Ideas:

• Being people who care about those around us and live with integrity among them (Luke 5:27-32: Colossians 4:6; 1 Timothy 3:7; cf. Matthew 5:13-16; John 17:15-18).
• Building a community of genuine care for each other (Acts 2:47; 4:32-37; 6:1-7)
• Connecting folks to this community: notice in 1 Corinthians 14, as Paul talks about the nature of our worship gatherings that there are 3 distinct groups of people:
  1. unbelievers (6:6; 7:15; 10:27; 14:22, 23, 24)
  2. inquirers (14:16, 23, 24, 35)
  3. brothers and sisters or the church (used throughout 1 Corinthians also chapter 14).
  The goal is for both unbelievers and inquirers to become family -- to leave what they are and to let Jesus' power redeem them (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) and come to Christ and be added to His family (Acts 2:40 & 47).

• Overview Idea: Matthew's Party (Luke 5:27-32): Core Message
  • Jesus' interesting entourage
    • Tax Collector and the fishermen he would have taxed
    • Tax Collector and the zealot who would have killed him, or at least hated him
    • Tax Collector and the followers of John, those hungering for spiritual renewal
  • They would have stuck out in a crowd.
    • Like a cat in a rocking chair factory, a balloon in a porcupine convention, like ham at a kosher deli
    • [old dude at a Delirious Concert - U2 Concert?]
• Connecting People to Spiritual Family: Isn't this what Jesus did? (Look at His language: your Father, our Father, family language in His teaching)
  • Matthew's unique way to reminding us! Matthew 28:18-20
    • Circles of Relationship are the ingredients, the necessary spices, that God gives us for the recipes of our lives.
    • Next door Savior chapter 3: Friend of Flops
    • Notice how many people Jesus saves twice! Cures their disease and also their alienation from community!

    1. Leper - go show yourself to the priest
    2. Demoniac -- go tell your family
    3. Matthew -- sure I'll come to your party
    4. Woman with Flow of Blood -- blessing to put her back into community
    5. Woman former prostitute -- validated her before the religious hierarchy

    All of this is to do more than "save souls": it's to give people a taste of Kingdom Come today, in family today!

    • Isn't this what we do with Dry Bones?
    • Aren't there Dry Bones in Abilene?
    • This is crucial to our vision: We've got to Include in the family of Jesus!
  • Then Peter's challenge -- 1 Peter 3:15 -- makes sense. We are bringing people in. They are seeing our lives and our hope and our community. They want to know where it comes from. So we share it with them.!
• Specific Exercise:
  • Learning to share "my story" with others (1 Peter 3:15): assignments would need to come out of Bible class assignments and mentioned during the sermon.
  • Or we can challenge folks to look for specific people to share with specific friends in God's family.

• Back to School: Gaining momentum, looking for visitors, inviting friends
• Cordinated Emphasis with Adult Classes on Being the Front Porch People of God
• Preparing for our Front Porch Outreach Effort

• Acts 2:36-47 tniv

• Colossians 4:6 & 1 Timothy 3:7 tniv
• Matthew 5:13-16 tniv
• John 17:15-18 tniv
• 1 Peter 3:15 tniv
• 1 Corinthians 14 tniv
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tniv

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

• Pre-video:
• Video Piece: Video Link
  • Direction
• Scripture readings
  • Scripture Directions
    1. Ref - Thoughts about use
       

Time in the Word Focus:

• Key focus of the Time in the Word
  • Key Ideas
    • Point

Daybreak Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - Names)

Refresh Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - Names)