Killing Kryptonite | Week 4

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Week 4 | The Covenant

Weather | Warm and Muggy

Pax arrived at Adventure Park and Celery Fields at 6:15 for the fourth week of this 3rd F gathering. 

This was the third week for Killing Kryptonite. The reading assignment was chapters 8-9.

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.

The Covenant

  • How do you treat your relationship with God?
  • Known / Intentional Sin is Idolatry towards God.

We viewed the Justin and Angela video that married couple out on a date, and the wife’s ex-boyfriends showed up to eat with them. Now this is a ridiculous example, but serves well to demonstrate the marriage covenant and what it should mean to be completely comitted to one person.

  • Justin is her favorite! She spends most of her time with him. She’s a great wife!
  • Would you ever marry someone like Angela? Would marrying her break your heart?
  • What similarities do you see to how Christians treat their relationship with God?
  • How would you respond to someone you saw treating their spouse that way? God?
  • Is Jesus going to come back for a bride like Angela?
  • Known sin is spiritual Kryptonite.

Chapter 8 – A Marriage Covenant

  • Justin and Angela – Angela getting all dressed up, Justin not sure why. He feels he must have forgotten something.
  • “Soul Ties” – Even if not as direct as Angela, giving away your heart to many others, creates a soul tie with them.

Ephesians 5:31-32 (NIV)   “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

  •  Jesus is the groom and we are the bride of Christ.

James 4:3-9 (NLT)   And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

  • A Christian whose loyalty is divided between God and the world is an adulterer.
  • James says that being a spiritual adulterer, we make ourselves enemies of God.

Take Action

  • God is a jealous God, and we should want him to be jealous for us, not casual
  • How exclusive is your love for Jesus?

Chapter 9 – Adultery Against God

  • Adultery against God by non-believers is impossible. There is no covenant. have forgotten something..

Jeremiah 3:20 (NLT): But you have been unfaithful to me, you people of Israel! You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

  • Hosea married a prostitute: representative of Gods marriage to Israel (OT). Jesus’ marriage to The Church (NT).
  • Idolatry is Adultery
    • Jesus declared the people adulterous for asking to prove He was the Messiah.
    • James: discriminating against others, slandering, envy, greed, selfish ambition.

1 John 2:16 (NKJV): For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV): There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

  • Paths are different for each individual, they may seem right, good, beneficial. If they are contrary to scripture, then they result in death.

Take Action

  • Nobody enters a marriage planning to commit adultery, yet they fail.
  • What can you do to ensure you are giving God your all?
  • What’s your schedule like? Is there time set aside for God? Margin?
  • How can you work God more into your life?

Homework:

  • The next week’s reading assignment is Chapters 10-12.
  • Please read through Chapter 12 (no more than one chapter per day) by next Saturday 7/21.

Thought for the week:

Idolatry. Contentment vs Covetousness. Are you content with your life or do you live covetously? What is the difference between contentment and complacency?