Author Archives: brad

2012-02-19 Spiritual Siblings Galatians 6:1-5 Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt

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Spiritual Siblings

Galatians 6:1-5

1.  Share about a time when a fellow believer came alongside you and bore a significant burden you were carrying.  How did it make you feel?  What did it demonstrate to you?  Did it show anyone else in your life anything?

2.  Consider Genesis 4:1-16.  What led to Cain’s perception of his responsibility to Abel?  How would you describe Cain’s perception of God, Himself and his brother respectively?

3.  What makes for an accurate biblical perception of the self?  As you think about this consider terms like “sinner”, “saint”, “beloved” and texts like Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Peter 5:5-6.

4.  Look at the following texts and discuss what they teach you about your responsibility to others:

  • Romans 15:1
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14
  • James 5:19
  • 1 John 4:21

5.  What hinders us from bearing each other’s burdens?  What needs to be done about each hindrance that your group surfaces?

6.  Create your own question to share with the group.

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Pray for God to show you how you can help bear another’s burden.  Ask God to show you who he wants you to come alongside of.  Ask him to motivate you to act in love and gentleness toward this person.

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2012-2-12 Winning The Battle Within Galatians 5:16-26 Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt

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Winning the Battle Within

Galatians 5:16-26

  1. Discuss this quote: “The Christian is at the same time stage and object, battlefield and trophy of the contest between flesh and Spirit.”  How do you sense the truth of this quote in your own life?
  2. Read 1 John 3:4-10.  Discuss the balance and tension between being a “fruit inspector” and a “fruit ignorer.”  What are the errors of each?  How should we relate to people we know who are getting defeated by the flesh?
  3. What does it mean for your perspective in your spiritual life to understand that the virtues listed in vs. 22-23 are the natural fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit?  How is this different than focusing on each virtue in isolation?  What does it practically mean for how we live our Christian lives?
  4. According to the message what does it mean to have “crucified the flesh?”  As you consider this look up the other references in the NT that use the term referring to something other than the death of Christ.  They are:                                        Romans 6:6                 Galatians 2:20                         Galatians 6:1
  5. Look at vs. 25-26.  Discuss the progression from having a view of the world that resembles God’s to having a proper view of the self to having a proper view of others.  Where does the chain most often get broken in your life?  Can you have a right view of God and a faulty view of others?
  6. Create your own question to share with the group. ______________________________________________________________________________
  7. Pray for each other in the group to live by the Spirit.  Pray for that life in the Spirit to pour out in a right view of the self and a right view of others.

Galatians 5 16-26 – study guide

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2012-2-6 A Matter of Faith Hebrews 11:8-12 Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt

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A Matter of Faith

Hebrews 11:8-12

  1. Share about a time when you sensed God calling you to do something, and you responded.  What were the results?  How did you know it was God?
  2.  Do you find it difficult to make the Lord your object of confidence when the situation ahead is unknown?  Why?  Discuss the following texts together: Hebrews 13:6; Proverbs 3:26; Psalm 71:5.
  3. In lieu of vs. 9-10 read 1 Peter 1:17 and 2:11 in the ESV.  What does the language of “exile” and “sojourner” mean to you?  How does it apply to life in Utah?  What do these texts and our passage in Hebrews mean for you as a member of Lifeline?
  4. How has the concept of community with fellow believers in your local church aided you in your experience of “exile.”  How should the fact that you are a “sojourner” impact your life and relationships at the local church level?
  5. What can you learn to apply to your life from Hebrews 11:11-12?  Why is it sometimes difficult to receive from the Lord?  Can you think of a time that this was the case in your life?  Share it with the group and also share what you learned from it.
  6. Create a question to share with the group. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  7. Pray for our church to be unified as we move forward in making a greater impact on this valley.  Pray that the devil would be restrained in his efforts to destroy us.  Pray for your leadership to have wisdom.

 

 

 

 

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2012-1-29 Love the Lord with all your mind Mike Bell

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Love God With All Of Your Mind:
Leader’s Guide To Questions for further study
Read Isaiah 45:18-19 and John 17:17. How do these verses shape your
understanding about the truth and where it originates? (God is the
author of all truth and he’s been very clear about it by giving us the
scriptures to understand what is true about Him, us and all of
reality)
According to John 8:31-32, how can we know truth? (by listening to
and obeying the words of Jesus, which sets us free from error).
According the Galatians 4:3, what will the truth set us free from? (the
elemental or rudimentary teachings or principles of this world,
which do not come from God, but rather from spiritual forces of
darkness and the sinful heart of man…things opposite of Biblical
truth).
A worldview is a perception of reality that shapes cultural allegiances
and provides an interpretation of the world. Name some of the basic
components of a Biblical worldview (God created everything and is in
control of all reality, man is created in His image (endowed with
ambition, creativity and stewardship dominion over the earth…yet
exists in a fallen state due to sin and must be regenerated spiritually
by trusting in Christ), the universe is an open system of abundance,
time is moving towards the full expression of the Kingdom of God,
and the body of Christ is tasked with manifesting His Kingdom now
in truth, justice and beauty on the earth as they wait for His
return…there are many other elements to a Biblical worldview that
can be discussed).
As you think about the values of the culture we live in, what
unbiblical habits or practices in North America may be invading a
Biblical Worldview in your own life? (valuing activity, possessions,
comfort, security and pleasure over truth, justice and
beauty…valuing the things that God values often includes personal
sacrifice when you live in affluence, and persecution when you live
in an environment hostile to the truth).
What has “the god of this age” done according to 2 Corinthians 4:4
(blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they miss the truth of
Christ).
Animism is the belief that conscious spirits (or dead relatives, or gods)
and impersonal forces have sway over a person’s life, and that they
can be consulted, controlled or bribed to act in beneficial ways
towards individuals. Is there any aspect of Animism that you can
identify in your own belief system? What about the way you perceive
God to interact with you? Do you try and bribe Him? (belief in
Astrology, horoscopes the power of positive thinking to affect
reality, “spirit guides”, “the secret”, the prosperity “gospel” and
fortune tellers all fall into this category…people may fall into the
trap of thinking if they tithe or live a good life, God is obligated to do
something for them…He may choose to bless people spiritually or
materially due to their obedience in an area of life, but that is at His
discretion and there are no guarantees).
Read Deuteronomy 18:10-13. Why does God demand that these
practices be avoided? (because they are all demonic lies and
deceptions that take people away from trusting God and the truth of
God).
Read Ephesians 6:12. What do you think is our most effective strategy
against our foe? Are you engaged in it? (prayer, and lots of it. Most
of us are sadly mediocre in our prayer life generally, and specifically
against spiritual darkness…this is a product of our busy lives and
misplaced priorities).
Have you found yourself separating the spiritual from the physical in
your life? Have you ever looked at your work as your sacred calling?
How might your attitude about work change with this perspective?
(most of us make this separation to some degree, even church
workers. A correct view of work has the ability to bring more joy to
work, motivate us to excellence, and get us to think about how we
manifest the Kingdom of God in our work lives. Our spiritual life is
not just the 10% we spend at church and in small group. All of life is
to be lived before the face of God, so that His light shines in a dark
world through us).

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2012-1-15 Free To Love Galatians 5:13-15 Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt

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Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt
1-15-12

Free to Love

Galatians 5:13-15

I.                   The Purpose of Your Calling (13a)

1.      He knew me first
1 Corinthians 13:12 – For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

2.      He loved me first
1 Jn. 4:10 – In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

3.      He established me
1 Cor. 15:10 – But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

II.                 The Purpose of Your Freedom (13b-14)

A.      Improper Use (13b)

B.      Proper Use (13c)

What love doesn’t look like when it serves:

1.      It doesn’t look for a pat on the back

 

2.      It doesn’t keep records

 

3.      It doesn’t do things carelessly

 

4.      It doesn’t wait to be asked

5.      It doesn’t act begrudgingly

6.      It doesn’t mind being treated like a servant

III.              The Purposes Unfulfilled (15)

“Paul demonstrates from the result how destructive internal disputes are for the church…If only we always remembered, when the devil tempts us to disputes, that the disagreement of members within the church can lead to nothing but the ruin and consumption of the whole body”-  John Calvin

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2012-1-8 Fork in the Road Galatians 5:1-12

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Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt
1-8-12
A Fork in the Road
Galatians 5:1-12

  • The Fork (1)

The Reason
“Those whom the apostle had to oppose in Romans 6 also had the same idea about freedom, thinking that it meant they could do whatever they wanted to, whereas our freedom is one that does the things written in the law without constraint and without any thought of reward.” (Martin Luther, First Lectures on Galatians)
The Resolve
“Here we have to consider what this metaphor “stand” actually means.  Paul says, “Stand, then.”  The term is taken from those who can either stand firm and fight in the line of battle or else fall and perish in the struggle.  Therefore the opposite of standing is falling, being defeated and perishing.  Therefore the commander of the army constantly and urgently exhorts the soldiers whom he has in his regiment to stand their ground when it comes to fighting against the enemy, because if they fall or run away the whole thing will collapse.” (Wolfgang Musculus, Commentary on Galatians)

  • The Roads (2-6)

Law
1. Looking to circumcision nullifies the power of Christ and His cross.
2. Looking to circumcision makes one accountable for complete obedience to the Law.
Faith
1. The road of faith is built by the power of the Spirit.
2. The road of faith grants us a hopeful destination.
3. The road of faith brings with it the fragrance and fruit of love.

  • A Personal Appeal (7-12)

This stumble is going to turn into an all out, breakneck fall.
False teachers need to be dealt with directly and promptly.
God isn’t tripping you up in the race of faith.
Heed the message which the Apostle was persecuted for.

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2012-1-1 Religously Free Galatians 4:21-31 Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt

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Religiously Free
Galatians 4:21-31

I. A Question (21)

II. Historical Background (22-23)

III. Allegory (24-27)

Old Covenant New Covenant
Hagar Sarah
born of nature (vs. 23) born of promise (vs. 23)
Children in slavery Free children
Sinai (Zion) – implied
Earthly Jerusalem Heavenly Jerusalem

IV. Application (28-31)

1. We are children of the promise

2. As children we can expect persecution

3. There is a time to draw boundaries of fellowship

4. An inheritance awaits us

5. We need to live like free men or women

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2011-12-25 Christmas Isaiah 9:6

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What Child Is This? Isaiah 9:1-6

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