Lesson 12: Praise & Sacrifice to the One we Love: Chapter 8 Crazy Love

Lesson 13: Praise & Sacrifice to the One we Love: Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Profile of the Obsessed –  This chapter brings us into a better understanding of 2 main ideas: (1) Sacrificial love and (2) Sacrificial praise and acknowledgment of the mercy and grace of God.

Discuss 7 Things to know about someone you want to teach God’s plan for man.  As soon as you understand the answer is "no" to one of these questions, stop there and deal with it. Start where they are.

1. Do they believe in God? If no, then help them to understand why you believe in God.

• ·         Internal Evidences (proclamations, prophecies, precision, and practicality)
• ·         External Evidences (power, preservation, protection, price/sacrifice of writers, proliferation, pre-scientific discovery)
• ·         Scientific Theory http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookener1.html 
• ·         Logic & Apologetics - Pascal

2. Do they believe in Eternity? If no, then help them understand the concept of Eternity (1 divided by 3)

3. Do they believe one day we will be judged by that God? If no, then discuss why you believe in judgment, restitution, accountability, justice.

4. Do they believe that the Bible is the true Word from God…a plan for man? If no, turn back to Internal Evidences and discuss the beauty of God’s Word

5. Do they believe that Jesus came from God to show us God’s Will for our lives? If no, then He was a lunatic, not a “good teachers”.

6. Do they believe that Jesus is the Son of God?  See number 5

7. Do they believe that they are “in Christ”, saved by the blood of the cross? If no, then help them understand how to “get into Christ”. If yes, then examine Scripture as to how salvation takes place for the sin condition. Francis Chan on Baptism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXuIvievIA0 

If we are truly obsessed with Christ then, according to Crazy Love, we will be obsessed with two responses: (1) Sacrificial Love and (2) Sacrificial Praise for the One who has granted us life. 

I. SACRIFICIAL LOVE: Jesus said that we would be no better than Pharisees if we only showed support and love towards those who already love us.  If we walk in the foot prints of Jesus, our love must go beyond our friends and family to reach the meanest and lowliest.

Quotes from Chapter 8

• ·         People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back. OUCH!
• ·         People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom spreading throughout the earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress. OUCH!!!
• ·         People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him (1John 2:4-6; Matt 16:24-26)
• ·         Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.  (Luke 14:25-35; Matt 7:13-23; 8:18-22; Rev. 3:1-6)
• ·         A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be “humble enough, “ and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known (Matthew 5:16)
• ·         People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people (Matt 13:44; John 15:8).
• ·         Obsessed people are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world (James 2:14-26)
• ·         A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.
• ·         A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.
• ·         People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don’t put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
• ·         People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God’s Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
• ·         A Person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn’t depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God (James 1:2-4).

2. SACRIFICIAL PRAISE: If you truly love someone you spend time talking to them, edifying them, building them up and supporting their life. 

• ·         A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying, “Thank You!” to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.
• ·         Obsessed people praise God and acknowledge His movement in their lives moment by moment and step by step.
• ·         Obsessed people can praise God by telling the story of Jesus -- relating His mercy and grace to their own lives.

Audio File--Listen to: “The most important question”

Group Activity:  Sitting in a circle, each person will have 15 seconds to tell a part of the Story of Jesus. The first person who starts will begin with "God loved us so much that He made the world to be a paradise". Each person will add to the story and may go back to add a little more to the person in the circle directly next to them. This is OUR story and should be presented with more than just mere facts, but with an obsessed heart for Jesus. 

FINAL NOTES: Falling in love with Jesus and yearning for His presence in our hearts  is the epitome of the Christian walk. With Jesus on the throne, His Mission will be done in all things.

What is the difference between raising children who “act nice” and raising children who are in love with Christ? Telling the story of Christ in such a way that children will desire to have:  (1) Sacrificial Love for God through obedience and (2) Sacrificial and unconditional Praise for God.

READ “How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home”: http://infoforfamilies.com/blog/2013/11/13/how-to-raise-a-pagan-kid-in-a-christian-home#.UouE7sSmiSo

The jest of this article is that folks try to put a band aid on cancer to cover and hide its wretched appearance, but the disease is still eating away at our very being. Helping children to “be nice” and to follow a moral code without sacrificing self on the cross and taking up the mission of Christ is like hiding behind a white-washed tomb.  “The Gospel is not about making bad people moral. It’s about making dead people alive!

“If we teach children to act nice without the transforming power of the Gospel and the necessity of a life fully surrendered to God’s will, then we are raising moral pagans.” Transformation is the key. Not trying harder, but letting Him in! Those who are transformed by the Spirit will follow sacrificially in the footsteps of Jesus and will bear MUCH fruit.

How do you Raise Christian Children in a Christian Home? (Meditate! on this)

LOVING the UNLOVABLE and LIVING in the PRAISE & PRESENCE of God.

This week the Devil knew I was teaching this topic so he hit me really hard. A very difficult situation arose at work for not only for me but my whole tech crew. We had some disappointing news and some misunderstandings and some hurt feelings and some disgusted folks (myself included.) 

But instead of chewing on my anger, I began to praise God. I didn't like how it felt at first, but I remembered one of my favorite verses:  

Ps 22:3 “You are Holy, You inhabit (are married to, abide in) the praises of (Israel) your people.”

Feeling lonely? Feeling defeated? Praise Him! ….and there He is!  ;-)

God was with me! He supported me because I refused to succumb to "a natural man" reaction. In the following day, He showed me His power by setting everything "right" and calming fears and healing wounds. God is great! 

Homework:

Our homework this week is to study the little paragraph below and to follow its guidelines for producing a testimony of praise. If God lives in the praise of His people, then we need to make sure we are well versed in praising Him among the nations (heathens). These guidelines are taken from the blog post “How to Give a Testimony (of Praise) the RIGHT Way” by Bobby Gilles

“The Psalms provide the pattern for people to express their own thanksgiving, and the structure … is not complicated. The opening declaration (“I will give thanks to the Lord”) contains the reason for the praise (“because he is faithful”); then there is a report of the dilemma that was faced (“I was surrounded by enemies”) and the deliverance (“he heard my prayer” and “he delivered me”); this is followed by the full declaration of praise (“God is faithful to those who love him”); and finally, the conclusion offers a word of encouragement to others (“Seek the LORD while he may be found”). It is not difficult to train folks to construct their own thanksgiving with such a pattern.”
Many people feel uncomfortable giving a testimony. They say, “The minute I open my mouth, I forget what to say. I either ramble on for too long or I don’t say anything.

Teach them how to give an effective, but short, testimony using the psalmic template described above. 

See Psalms 57 and Psalms 136

For example:

1.Opening declaration: “I want to thank the Lord today.” Reason for the praise: “He is so good to me.”
2. Dilemma that was faced: “I had open-heart surgery to unblock three arteries.”
3. Deliverance: “God guided the hand of the doctor. It was a long surgery, but I came through.”
4. Full declaration of praise: “God has kept me all these years. He’s prolonged my days here, and I want to use whatever time I have left to magnify His name.”
5. Word of encouragement: “Don’t waste your life on foolish things. You don’t know how much time you have. Seek the Lord’s will for your life, and tell everyone you know about Him.”

HOMEWORK Read below

I. Practice your testimony

II. Practice Sacrificial Love this season

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT SACRIFICIAL LOVE

Ok, if you are a Christian and you believe in the birth of Christ, then let's talk seriously about Christmas and how we can imitate God's gift of our Savior.

1. Let's get the first argument out of the way: Whether or not Christ was born in December is of little importance here. Paul says we can hold special days as holy to ourselves (Romans 14:5-6) End of
argument.

2. Christmas is not "a magical time of the year". Magic is condemned as evil. Throughout Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, all forms of witchcraft and magic are in violation of God's law and are condemned. (Deuteronomy 18:10-16; Leviticus 19:26, 31, 20:27; Acts 13:8-10).

However, Christmas CAN be a time of great blessings and joy with family, friends, and the needy.

3. Moving on: Jesus is no longer a baby and must be remembered (according to Scripture) for His great sacrifice, not the day of His birth. So during the Christmas Holidays, let's become sacrificial instead of greedy consumers. Who NEEDS more "stuff"?

Can we not practice true Christianity and organize our family events around sacrificial love for those who are truly in need? Serving sacrificially brings deep and lasting "joy" to our lives.

Parents, teach your children to look for things that are truly needed by others instead of looking in online catalogs for more "junk" they will not want in 2 weeks.

Let's challenge ourselves, our family members, and our Christian brothers & sisters to kick the materialistic and consumeristic addictions this year.

Sacrificial giving should be the habit of Christ followers if we truly see the Vision of God. Share the Light and share the necessities of life this season. Compassionately look for those who are truly in need.  Become a blessing to others in the Name of the One who blessed us (Matthew 10:42) Resource: Praise:

Resources:

The Consummation of Joy: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/praise-the-consummation-of-joy

Crazy Love by Francis Chan,

Multiply by Francis Chan & Mark Beuving

 Transcend by Matt Smay