Week 2 | Power of One
Weather | Muggy and Cooler for June in FL (82° F)
Pax arrived at 6:15 for the second week of this 3rd F gathering. Celery Fields posted more than Adventure Park. Thank you Kotter!
This was the third week for Killing Kryptonite. The reading assignment was chapters 3-5. If you missed this week, it is not too late to start. We will do a quick review next week. All Pax are still welcome to attend. I still have 1 more book for sale.
We opened in a prayer for this book study and to ask God to open our hearts, ears and minds for what he is going to accomplish.
Purpose of this book:
- Learn to Identify our Spiritual Kryptonite
- Learn how to eliminate it from our lives and destroy it forever
- WHY? – So that we can live in complete freedom and live up to our full potential in Christ
The Power of One
Can the actions of one person affect many others? How about within your family? Workplace? Church? What are some examples from the bible when the actions of a few affected many?
- The church is like the human body, when one part gets hurt, it can affect the whole body. When one part gets relief, the whole body can feel better.
- Biblical Examples:
- Israelites wandering around the wilderness
- Battle of Jericho (0 casualties) vs Battle of Ai (36 casualties, Achan’s Offense)
- Paul to Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5): Remove this man (4 times).
- Without the strong presence of God, there is more room for sickness and weakness to take over. However, this is not the only reason that Christians get sick and weak.
- Dealing with these liberating truths, can seem like such a negative endeavor. However, it is through these revelations that we are set free.
John 8:32 (NIV): Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Chapter 3 – One
- We have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but we are all one in Christ.
- Israel’s wilderness experience:
- All led by Spirit of God (cloud)
- All delivered from Egypt (their world)
- All were baptized (into one body)
- All ate same food, drank same water.
- Coveting, Worshiping Idols, Sexual Immorality, Testing God, Complaining
- God was not pleased with some of them, they were all scattered in the wilderness.
- United in one body.
- Jericho | 0 Casualties
- “Israel (one man Achan) violated the instructions.”
- Ai | 36 Casualties
- After dealing with Achan’s offense, the Lord was no longer angry.
- Take Action
- Gladiator: Stay together as One.
- God wants our whole lives. Not just Sunday mornings. Work, Family, F3 etc…
Matthew 12:25 (NIV): Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
Chapter 4 – Contagious Kryptonite
In a human body, if one part hurts, all parts suffer. One part gets massage, other parts relief.
Paul addresses this in his letter to the Corinthians. There was a professed follower of Jesus living in sin, sexual immorality. Paul addresses all of them for the sin (1 Corinthians 5.). Why are they acknowledging him as a brother but continuing to look the other way?Are they afraid of confrontation? Is this man popular?, famous?, wealthy? Perhaps they are afraid of scaring him away and then he won’t be getting any time in the presence of God? Nevertheless Paul commands that they remove this man. This man is contagious and will spread and affect the church like yeast does through bread dough.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT): Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.
This sinner is in grave danger of being lost forever. If allowed to remain in the community then he will assume right standing with God and will only discover his lost state after it is too late. However, the hardships this person will face outside of God’s protection will most likely cause him to come to his senses and return to Jesus with all his heart, soul and mind.
Take Action
- We are called to live free from sin, entirely given to Him.
- Our sinful actions not only affect us but others.
- Are you bringing down, or raising up those that you are in community with?
Chapter 5 – Be The Change
- “The last person a SEAL thinks of his himself.”
- Is that how you live your life?
- What kind of community would this produce if everyone lived this way?
- The armor of God is all forward facing. Ephesians 6:13-17. God intends us to cover each other’s backs.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NLT): You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV): Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
- We are called to be the change.
- Like Phinehas who intervened in the sin taking place, we are also called to step in (although not with a physical spear)
- We are called to boldly stand up and speak the truth, even though the more we Love others, the less they may love us.
- We are promised a covenant of peace (and our descendants) when we are the voice of truth and zealous for God when others are not.
Numbers 25:12-13 (NKJV): “Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”.
Psalm 106:30-31 (NKJV): Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped. 31 And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore.
- Take Action
- What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
- How do you want to be remembered on earth? Known in Heaven?
Homework:
- The next week’s reading assignment is Chapters 6-7.
- Please read through Chapter 7 (no more than one chapter per day) by next Saturday 7/7.
Thought for the week:
Motivation. What is your vision for the community? Your vision for your family? Your vision for F3? Are you being driven by the right motivations?