Extravagance (John 3:16-21)

"The very nature of God is extravagance." Oswald Chambers.

• Is God's nature extravagannt? Why? 

1. In John 3:16-21, what do the contrasting opposites of belief/reject, life/perish, light/darkness reveal about the human condition (Gen 2:16-17)?
2. What does it mean to "perish" (Jn 3:16; Isa 59:2)? To have "eternal life" (Jn 3:16; 10:10b)?

CONTINGENCY (Genesis 48:15)

See God in the Contingencies of Your Life.

• "..the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.." (Gen 48:15, NIV).
• "...the God who has looked after me all my life till this day..." (Robert Alter).

** Are you here today because every contingency throughout your life has led you to this very moment?

Contingency in every person's life:

Does Jesus See Your Faith? (Mark 2:1-12)

"When Jesus saw their faith...” (Mk 2:5).

1. What does the size and enthusiasm of the crowd tell about Jesus’ popularity (Mk 2:1-2; Jn 2:23)?
2. What does the 4 friend’s extreme steps reveal about their faith (Mk 2:3-4; Jas 2:18, 22, 26)? When Jesus saw "their faith" did he include the paralytic?

Preaching: Do's and Don'ts

1. Don’t be Clever.                   1a. Do be Careful. 
2. Don’t be Controversial.       2a. Do be Consecrated. 

3. Don’t be Conceited.             3a. Do be Concentrated.

• 
  The Gospel has to move men to do what they are dead-set against doing, namely, giving up the right to themselves.

• The central, difficult requirement of the Gospel is for individuals to stop claiming rights to their own lives, ambition, and self-direction.

• The core challenge of Christian discipleship is separating mere belief from actual transformation.

Is Jesus Worth It? (Luke 9:57-62; 14:25-27, 33)

"...those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples" (Lk 14:33). [Is Jesus too demanding? Worth the trouble?

1. To the 3 people who approached him or were called by him (Lk 9:57-58, 59, 61), why did Jesus respond so abruptly/bluntly/curtly (Jn 2:24-25)?