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December 9, 2018

Matthew 1: 18-25

December 9, 2018 • Pastor Josh Kee

Summary: God initiated, in his love and by his grace, to extend mercy to humanity through Christ in order to redeem us, but his means of salvation involved real, normal people. The proclamation of Christ's birth wrecked the "normalcy" of their lives and required tremendous faith, but through these humble and faithful ones, God lavished the glory of his grace on humanity. Join us this week as we look at Joseph's response to Christ's coming.

Outline:
I. Joseph's Dilemma (v. 18)
a. The significance of betrothal
b. The problem of a pregnancy

II. Joseph's Plan (v. 19)
a. Joseph is Righteous
b. Joseph is Kind

III. Joseph's Dream and God's Plan (vv. 20-21)
a. A supernatural conception
b. A relentless zeal for redemption
c. An ordinary man

IV. Prophecy Fulfilled (vv. 22-23)
a. The faithfulness of God to keep his promises
b. The precision with which God works

V. Joseph's Response (vv. 24-25)
a. Humble faith
b. Bold obedience

POINT: Obedience is the evidence that our hearts are gripped by God's glory. God chooses to make his glory known through the humble who will trust him. His salvation comes through the most extraordinary act, carried out through the least extraordinary of circumstances and people.

Discusion Q's:
1. How seriously do you take God's commands? Is there an expectation of aligning your life to what God says?

2. How is your desire for what pleases God? Are you living righteously?

3. Does your righteousness make you kind? Do you delight to shame others or spare them with compassion? (Your spouse, children, coworkers, neighbors, people online, etc.)

4. What do you base your obedience to God's word on? Is it Human logic, rationality, convenience, consequences, or faith?

5. Obedience is the evidence that your heart is gripped by God's glory and is replacing the glory of lesser things. What areas do you struggle to obey God? Make these areas points of prayer and confession, and ask God to displace their glory with his own in your heart.

January 27, 2019

January 27, 2019 • Pastor Phil Burggraff

Passage: Ezekiel 43: 1-11 Theme: God’s Glory Restored How God restores his glory: God accomplishes all that is necessary to bring his people back into right relationship with himself (Ezek. 37:15–28). God reestablishes the presence of his glory among his people (Ezek. 43:1–11; cf. John 1:14; 2:19-21). God places his glory as a permanent dwelling in the midst of his faithful people (Ezek. 48:35; 1 Cor. 3:16–17; 6:19; Rev. 21:3, 21). Main Idea: God restores his glory among a chosen people so that all might know who he is and what he has done. List all the actions and results that God accomplishes for his people in Ezekiel 37:15–28. How do these provide you with assurance and confidence in God? What response does God expect from his people in regards to his work and reestablishment of his glory according to Ezek. 37:15–28 and 43:1–11? What should this look like in your life today? How does the NT identify the fulfillment of these promises by God to Ezekiel in the following passages: John 1:14–18; 2:18–22; 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19–20; Rev. 21:1–21)? From these texts, where is the glory of God dwelling today? How should this affect the way we live individually and what we do corporately?

January 20, 2019

January 20, 2019 • Pastor Phil Burggraff

Passage: Ezekiel 10–11 Theme: The Glory of the God Departed Notice the themes concerning God’s glory that emerge from Ezekiel 10–11: 1. God’s glory requires that he judge sin (10:1–22). 2. Life’s circumstances don’t serve as a barometer for the glory of God (11:1–13). 3. God removes his glory from sinful people (10:4, 18–19; 11:22–24) 4. God displays his glory by transforming abandoned sinners into his faithful people (11:14–21). Main Idea: God’s glory takes up residence among those whom he has transformed to become his people. Application Questions: • This text marks the end of the vision that began back in chapter 8. In Ezekiel 8–11, what specific actions or attitudes led to the departure of God from Jerusalem? • How might there be both similarity and difference between the abandonment of his people in this OT era and what the church experiences now in relation to God? Can we experience this kind of abandonment today? • Describe the attitude of the people in 11:1–13. What is it that they are presuming concerning God? How does this differ from God’s evaluation of them? Do we misinterpret how God sees us today? How so? • In what ways do you see the Gospel in Ezekiel 11:14–21? What should our response be according to this passage?

January 13, 2019

January 13, 2019 • Pastor Phil Burggraff

Theme: The Glory of God Offended Passage: Ezekiel 8–9 1. The glory of God is offended by our sin (chapter 8). a. Types of Sin i. Sin of False Worship: Worshipping God according to our standards and ideas rather than who he is and what he has done ii. Sin of Immoral Behavior: Violent treatment of others and degeneration of personal character b. Offense to God i. Sin provides us with false security that we are getting away with it without God seeing or caring. ii. Sin arouses God’s anger. 2. The glory of God requires the judgment of sin (chapter 9). a. God treats all of humanity fairly for their committing sin and rejecting the truth of his word. b. God will ultimately destroy those who reject him by going their own way. c. God will chasten and discipline his own people for their sin as well. d. God saves those who faithfully commit themselves to him. Main Idea: We need to understand that our sin stands diametrically opposed to God’s glory. Application Questions: • From the description in chapter 8, what were the sins that the people were committing that grabbed God’s attention? How might we commit similar sins today? • While the people had a false sense of security that God wasn’t seeing what they were doing and had abandoned the land, why do you think that God had waited as long as he did to bring judgment for their idolatry and violence? • What do you learn about God from his interaction with the prophet and his response to the people’s sin in chapters 8 and 9? How does this affect your understanding of him? • How would you respond to someone who was offended by what God does in bringing judgment the way he did in chapter 9? • What do these two chapters challenge you to do?