Beyond Sunday - Good In Tension - Week 6

Beyond Sunday, Week of November 17, 2024
Good in Tension” Week 6 Daniel 7-12

Thoughts: One might think of Sunday’s sermon as an example of trying to take a drink from a firehose. Pastor Troy did cover a lot of ground, and it would be easy to get lost in the weeds so to speak. But he did a great job of boiling it all down to the essentials. We
know from Scripture what the future holds for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The future for Christ followers is full of joy and peace, living for all eternity in God’s presence, where God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more
death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) That should motivate how we live in the present. Rather than get bogged down in trying to discern the what, when, where, why, and how of that future, we need
to focus on this basic question: How should we live while we wait for all those future promises to be fulfilled?

• Daniel’s story exemplifies step one, leading a disciplined prayer life. Jesus himself gave us the ultimate example, and the Apostle Paul gave sound advice on prayer. Read: Matthew 6:5-13, Acts 2:42, Luke 5:16, 6:12-13, 22:39-46, Philippians 4:6-7 
o How would your prayer life be enhanced by frequently seeking solitude to pray?
o Conversely, what benefit do you find in praying with a group of fellow believers?
o Jesus prayed all night before making one of the most important decisions of His earthly ministry. Describe a decision you made based on earnest prayer.
o How does prayer help you fight temptation?

• Another important practice for living hopefully in the present is diligently studying Scriptures. Read: 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Peter 3:15 
o How do you become a worker who correctly handles the word of truth? Specifically, what habits or practices have you found helpful? What others might you try out to improve your knowledge of Scripture?
o How would you explain that the Word is alive and active? Describe an instance where you gained fresh insight into a familiar passage.

• A disciplined and consistent prayer life, based on a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures helps us. To help others find the hope we have found therein, we must live on mission. Read: Matthew 28:18-20, John 4:34, 9:4, 12:49-50, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Hebrews 10:23-25 
o Jesus gave us a mission, to make disciples. Why does He precede that commission with stating His authority; what does that have to do with us?
o How does doing the work God assigns to us “feed” us?
o Why does Jesus say “Night is coming, when no one can work”? How should that motivate us?
o How have/could you apply in your own life what the Apostle Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 9?
o How do we go about encouraging one another to live on mission?

• I got to thinking about Troy’s statement that he believes in Jesus' teaching in Scripture because of what Jesus did for us through His Resurrection. People are more likely to believe what we say to them if what we do lines up with what we say we believe. We must live lives that glorify God and point to Jesus. Read: 2 Corinthians 5:15, Ephesians 1:11-12, 1 Peter 2:12 
o What would you say are the top three, or five, or… things we can do—how we can live in relation to non-believers, that brings glory to God and makes them want what we have?

Pray: This might be a good time to revisit and use that A.C.T.S. prayer model (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication) in your prayer time. Praise God for who He is; confess any areas where you still battle against sin; thank God for all He has done for you; ask Him for what you and/or others need. You can learn more about the model here. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to do all that God would have you do while you wait in hopeful expectancy of the future He promises.

Next Steps:
• The best way to follow that advice in Hebrews 10:23-25 is to join a community of others who want to think and act like Jesus. If you are not already in a RHC Small Group, join one today by going to the website or the RHC App.
• One way to live on mission and to glorify God with your life is to serve. If you have not yet completed Rock Hills’ Growth Track, learn more and sign up here. If you have completed Growth Track and are ready to serve, reach out to the church by calling (785) 775-0012, or email to info@myrockhillschurch.com, and you will be put in touch with the right people.

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