Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Touching Base, Part 315

23 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 3
Knock Him Out To Wake Him Up!
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are into the third week of our series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text. Feel free to take pictures of various teaching slides that may help you with your discussion.

Text: Romans 3
Question: Why is it so hard to move inward?
Big Idea: Outward is our tendency, inward is His priority! (see V. 2:28,29)

Notes:
Come to terms with the human diagnosis 3:1-20
    How does Paul help them see the true diagnosis?
a.                  He lists a series of questions (v.1-9)



b.                  He googles (v.10-20)




What do we learn about the Gospel?

1.      The Gospel shifts our point of reference from others to God.





2.      The Gospel calls us to move from what we feel to what God knows.




3.      The Gospel includes the bad news so that we will want the Good News.



Discussion:

In addition to the questions you may come up with for group discussion here are a few more.

How at rest in the love of God can a believer be when they are not willing to allow God to do the deeper work in their heart?

What is it like to live with the tension of the big idea? Outward is our tendency, inward is His priority!

What is it like to come under the conviction of the word of God?

How has “comparrogance” affected your walk with God?

In what ways can trusting God’s Word over my feelings be difficult?

Discuss the role of feelings in our culture and how people create their own reality by their feelings not the facts.

How does understanding the bad news help one appreciate the Good News?

As a group read v.21-31 and take time to pray back all that God has done for humanity that is bankrupt of any righteousness.

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Touching Base - Part 314


  
16 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 2
Suppression, Recession, Obsession!
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are into our second week of our series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text. Feel free to take pictures of various teaching slides that may help you with your discussion.

Text: Romans 1:18- 2:29
Question: What happens when we reject God?
Big Idea: Suppression, Recession, Obsession!

Notes:
Suppression (1:18-20)



Recession (1:21-25)




Obsession (1:22-32)


In what ways do we see the same pattern (suppression, recession, and obsession) in Romans 2?



Discussion questions:

Here are the two points to ponder in light of what the text has raised.

1.                  This text will challenge your understanding of the nature of humanity.

Discuss how this text illustrates the nature of humanity.
Do you believe that mankind at the core is essentially good and upright, or sinful and broken and left on his own, may do great damage?
Is it a stretch to say that man, without God, is in trouble?
Is it illogical, irresponsible, and over-reacting to say that you and I have a dark side, the capacity to do great ill?


2.                  This text will challenge your understanding of freedom.

Do you agree that today’s culture would define freedom asfreedom is me doing whatever I want”? 
How does the text demonstrate that this is not true?
How does your own life demonstrate that this is not true?
Of all the examples that Paul gives of recession (remember they are just examples, generalizations illustrating a bigger truth) what ones are the most challenging in our culture?
How do you exercise grace and truth when engaging in conversation on some of these issues?

Finally, we noted that Romans 2 is a picture of Jews being hypocritical (2:1). But the real zinger is what Paul says in 2:24.
How do you think the church has been guilty of causing people to walk away from God?
What can the church do better to be a better messenger without compromising the message?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw





Touching Base - Part 314


  
16 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 2
Suppression, Recession, Obsession!
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are into our second week of our series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text. Feel free to take pictures of various teaching slides that may help you with your discussion.

Text: Romans 1:18- 2:29
Question: What happens when we reject God?
Big Idea: Suppression, Recession, Obsession!

Notes:
Suppression (1:18-20)



Recession (1:21-25)




Obsession (1:22-32)


In what ways do we see the same pattern (suppression, recession, and obsession) in Romans 2?



Discussion questions:

Here are the two points to ponder in light of what the text has raised.

1.                  This text will challenge your understanding of the nature of humanity.

Discuss how this text illustrates the nature of humanity.
Do you believe that mankind at the core is essentially good and upright, or sinful and broken and left on his own, may do great damage?
Is it a stretch to say that man, without God, is in trouble?
Is it illogical, irresponsible, and over-reacting to say that you and I have a dark side, the capacity to do great ill?


2.                  This text will challenge your understanding of freedom.

Do you agree that today’s culture would define freedom asfreedom is me doing whatever I want”? 
How does the text demonstrate that this is not true?
How does your own life demonstrate that this is not true?
Of all the examples that Paul gives of recession (remember they are just examples, generalizations illustrating a bigger truth) what ones are the most challenging in our culture?
How do you exercise grace and truth when engaging in conversation on some of these issues?

Finally, we noted that Romans 2 is a picture of Jews being hypocritical (2:1). But the real zinger is what Paul says in 2:24.
How do you think the church has been guilty of causing people to walk away from God?
What can the church do better to be a better messenger without compromising the message?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw





Touching Base - Part 314


  
16 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 2
Suppression, Recession, Obsession!
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are into our second week of our series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text. Feel free to take pictures of various teaching slides that may help you with your discussion.

Text: Romans 1:18- 2:29
Question: What happens when we reject God?
Big Idea: Suppression, Recession, Obsession!

Notes:
Suppression (1:18-20)



Recession (1:21-25)




Obsession (1:22-32)


In what ways do we see the same pattern (suppression, recession, and obsession) in Romans 2?



Discussion questions:

Here are the two points to ponder in light of what the text has raised.

1.                  This text will challenge your understanding of the nature of humanity.

Discuss how this text illustrates the nature of humanity.
Do you believe that mankind at the core is essentially good and upright, or sinful and broken and left on his own, may do great damage?
Is it a stretch to say that man, without God, is in trouble?
Is it illogical, irresponsible, and over-reacting to say that you and I have a dark side, the capacity to do great ill?


2.                  This text will challenge your understanding of freedom.

Do you agree that today’s culture would define freedom asfreedom is me doing whatever I want”? 
How does the text demonstrate that this is not true?
How does your own life demonstrate that this is not true?
Of all the examples that Paul gives of recession (remember they are just examples, generalizations illustrating a bigger truth) what ones are the most challenging in our culture?
How do you exercise grace and truth when engaging in conversation on some of these issues?

Finally, we noted that Romans 2 is a picture of Jews being hypocritical (2:1). But the real zinger is what Paul says in 2:24.
How do you think the church has been guilty of causing people to walk away from God?
What can the church do better to be a better messenger without compromising the message?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw





Touching Base - Part 314


  
16 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 2
Suppression, Recession, Obsession!
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are into our second week of our series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text. Feel free to take pictures of various teaching slides that may help you with your discussion.

Text: Romans 1:18- 2:29
Question: What happens when we reject God?
Big Idea: Suppression, Recession, Obsession!

Notes:
Suppression (1:18-20)



Recession (1:21-25)




Obsession (1:22-32)


In what ways do we see the same pattern (suppression, recession, and obsession) in Romans 2?



Discussion questions:

Here are the two points to ponder in light of what the text has raised.

1.                  This text will challenge your understanding of the nature of humanity.

Discuss how this text illustrates the nature of humanity.
Do you believe that mankind at the core is essentially good and upright, or sinful and broken and left on his own, may do great damage?
Is it a stretch to say that man, without God, is in trouble?
Is it illogical, irresponsible, and over-reacting to say that you and I have a dark side, the capacity to do great ill?


2.                  This text will challenge your understanding of freedom.

Do you agree that today’s culture would define freedom asfreedom is me doing whatever I want”? 
How does the text demonstrate that this is not true?
How does your own life demonstrate that this is not true?
Of all the examples that Paul gives of recession (remember they are just examples, generalizations illustrating a bigger truth) what ones are the most challenging in our culture?
How do you exercise grace and truth when engaging in conversation on some of these issues?

Finally, we noted that Romans 2 is a picture of Jews being hypocritical (2:1). But the real zinger is what Paul says in 2:24.
How do you think the church has been guilty of causing people to walk away from God?
What can the church do better to be a better messenger without compromising the message?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw





Thursday, October 6, 2016

Touching Base - Part 313

09 Oct 16
ROMANS SERIES, PART 1
“BIG GOD, BIG WORK, BIG WORLD!”
Mark Kotchapaw

You will note that the Touching Base is taking on a bit of a new format. In order to leverage this document for yourself personally or in a group, it will be necessary for you to take notes, even pictures of various PowerPoint slides, in order to capture key quotes in order to reflect on the text.  We encourage you to take notes, develop your own questions and engage with the text as you feed yourself and perhaps those you lead.

This morning we are starting a series in Romans. We will be covering the first 7 chapters this fall.

Series Title: Good News Bad News

Description:  From the moment we wake up to the moment our heads hit the pillow, we can be bombarded with bad news. Social media has made our world a lot smaller and exposed us 24/7 to the constant deluge of bad news. This fall we are starting a study in the book of Romans.  In the first 17 verses Paul talks about the good news, the good news that he will expand upon in his letter to the Romans. Join us as we unpack the good news, are challenged by it and anchored in it.

To best use this tool, listen to the message and take notes. If you are not able to join us on the Sunday, you can listen to the message on our website. It is posted by the following Tuesday.  The teaching will help you either as a facilitator of a group or for your own personal study to engage with the text.

Notes:

Big God (v.1-4)




Big Work (v.1-7)




Big World (v.5-17)




Text: Romans 1:1-17
Question: What is the Gospel?
Big Idea: Big God, Big Work, Big World.

Discussion questions:

1.     Big God

How does Paul “dwarf” himself in light of the main character of the gospel?
What does the word gospel” mean and note how many times Paul uses it in the first 17 verses.
What does Paul say that illustrates the bigness of Jesus?
What is going on in your life these days that says “I need a big God!”

2.     Big Work

Identify and discuss the key words that describe the big work God has done in Paul’s life and in the heart of his listeners.
Read Acts 8:1-3,Galatians 1:13  and contrast with Romans 1: 8-16. How does this contrast illustrate the big work God has done in Paul’s life?
What is going on in your life these days that says, “ I need God to do a big work in my life!”

3.     Big World

Note the use of the words “nations”, “Rome”, “Greeks” and “barbarians”.
What does the use of these terms indicate about the far-reaching scope of the Gospel?
How might this have created tension for the original audience?
How do our prejudices against people hinder us in offering the Gospel to all people?

Wrap

Note that Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel”. To be ashamed means “to be embarrassed”. What aspects of the gospel could be a cause of embarrassment today in our pluralistic culture?
What can happen when we are ashamed or embarrassed of the good news?

How does your reflection on this text encourage you to pray for the city, the nation and the world?

Mark Kotchapaw