home communities hope jesus, redemption, & family history · ephesians 4:11-16). the group...
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Home Communities
A Home Community is: a small group that meets regularly for the purpose of edification & evangelism (Acts 2:42-47; Ephesians 4:11-16).
The group functions as a mini-church to become a family of servant missionaries who make disciples that make disciples and multiply (Matt 28:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9).
Christmas Time: is the perfect time for your group to reach out by throwing a party and inviting non-Christians with no agenda other than to love your neighbor.
“From the core to the crowd.” – Joel Comiskey
Questions:
1) Read Gen. 38 – what character in the story do you identify with & why?
2) How do Genesis 38 and Matthew 1:3 fit together? In other words, why is this story from Genesis in Jesus’ genealogy? And what does this tell us about the Gospel and the purpose of Christmas?
3) Ideas for outreach this Christmas: one way you could reach people for Christ this Christmas is to throw a party as a Home Community and invite neighbors and friends you are trying to reach for Jesus. The party should have no agenda other than to get to know each other’s friends and neighbors. In the course of the night, it is likely that natural conversations will occur about Christmas. Keep in mind the value of all kinds of people according to Genesis 38 and Matt. 1:1-16. This is how your HC can intentionally become missional.
Hope – Jesus, Redemption, & Family History
What is Advent?
I. The genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-16)
Why a genealogy?
Genealogy = like a resume to prove he has lineage to be Christ
Son of David = in line of King aka Messiah/Christ (2 Sam. 7:11-16)
Son of Abraham = in line of father of our faith (Gen. 12:1-3)
Scandal surrounding the 5 mothers of Jesus:
Tamar (v. 3, see Genesis 38)
- Rahab (v. 5, see Joshua 2)
- Ruth (v. 5, see Ruth 3)
- Bathsheba (v. 6, see 2 Samuel 11)
- Mary (v. 16, see rest of Matthew 1)
Matthew didn’t have to include these women in Jesus’ genealogy:
1) To show that the origin of Jesus’ story is grounded in history.
2) These women represent the people Jesus came to redeem.
3) Jesus’ mission would extend to the gentile world.
BI: Jesus came to bring you Hope, to redeem you regardless of family history.
II. The story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38)
The backstory (Genesis 37) Jacob...AKA “Israel”...had 12 sons...
Genesis 38:1-5 – Judah married a Canaanite & problems that followed
Genesis 38:6-11 – Levirate Marriage (Hittite law #193; Det. 25:5-10)
Genesis 38:12-23 – Judah’s deception and Tamar’s trickery
- Cult Prostitution – symbolic of divine marriage of Ishtar & Ba’al
- Signet, cord, & staff – Driver’s License & Corporate Credit Card
Genesis 38:24-26 – “more in the right than I because...” = repentance
Genesis 38:27-30 – twins represent the power struggle for leadership –
which was resolved in Joseph story
Genesis 43:8-9 & 44:32-33 – Judah was a “type” of Christ – prophecy of Messiah was to come through his line (see Genesis 49:8-12)
Matthew 1:3 – Judah, Tamar, Perez, and Zerah are all mentioned –
“[O]ne may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to color and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover.” – C.S. Lewis, Miracles, 115-116.
GRACE CHURCH 10323 28TH AVE SW SEATTLE, WA 98146 (206) 937 -8400 GRACECHURCHSEATTLE.ORG
Pastor Ryan Faust - Senior Pastor [email protected] or his blog: prfaust.wordress.com
Pastor Lucas Fennell - Youth Pastor [email protected]
Pastor Jerry Buell - Admin Pastor [email protected]
Victoria Scott - Children’s Ed. Admin [email protected]
Kathie Varney - Exec Admin [email protected]
LOVE God & people by praying for: Margie Fry (constant nausea & vision loss), Judy Cole (chemo for
CMML(leukemia)), Jan Linville (bladder healing), Ken Stalling (stroke recovery), Kim Smith (healing from
seizures), staff & elders of Grace Church, safety during Sunday activities at Grace. And the ongoing
health needs of Bill Hall.
N o v e m b e r 2 6 , 2 0 1 7
LOOKING AHEAD
Nov 26 ..................... NO EVENING MINISTRIES
Dec 17 ..................... K-3rd Christmas Program during the corporate worship service
Dec 17 ..................... Children & Youth Christmas Party 5:30pm
Dec 24 ..................... Christmas Eve Service 5pm
Dec 25 ..................... Christmas Day
Dec 28-29 ................ Winter Youth High School Retreat - Jantzen Beach Portland
Feb 9-10 .................. CB Northwest Men’s Equip - Tacoma
Children & Middle School Youth,
come join us on December 17
from 5:30-7pm for a Kid’s & Youth
Christmas Party! It will be a joyful,
fun-filled evening of music, games
& ice cream! Bring a friend
and dressed for ACTIVE FUN!
PRE-K TEACHERS NEEDED Do you love preschoolers and have a
heart to serve? We are in need of
teachers for our Pre-K class on Sunday
mornings! Membership required,
monthly rotation. Please talk to Victoria
if the Lord leads, or contact her at (206)
937-8400 if you have any questions.
HOME COMMUNITY GROUPS If you’ve been searching for a place to
connect, join a Home Community!
Groups meet during the week. Contact
the church office at (206) 937-8400.
You’ll find info on HC’s in the Fall Booklet.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Would you be willing to minister to our
young families on the evening of Dec 24?
We need 4-5 people to spend time with
our babies through 3 year olds during
our 5pm Christmas Eve Service. If you’re
available, please talk to Victoria at the
church office at (206) 937- 8400 or
DEDICATING YOUR CHILDREN If you are interested in having your child
or baby dedicated here at Grace, Pastor
Lucas would LOVE to share with you our
heart about why we do this, and will
work with you on how to schedule this
whole family celebration. Feel free to call
the office at (206) 937-8400 or contact
Pastor Lucas or Pastor Ryan for info.
BAPTISM DEC 3
For anyone who would like further
information or would like to be baptized,
we have moved the date to Sunday, Dec
3rd. Please contact Pastor Ryan or the
church office (206) 937-8400.
THIS WEEK AT GRACE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26
7:00 am Prayer in the Upper Room
10:30 am WORSHIP CELEBRATION
K-5th dismissed to Kid’s Church downstairs
Kid’s bulletins available in the foyer
5:30 pm NO classes or evening activities
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
9:30 am Mama Tribe - Li l Bug Studio
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Church Office open 9 am to 4 pm
1:30 pm Women’s Bible Study- Faust House
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1
Church Office closed
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2
Church Office closed
10:00 am GriefShare - room 123
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3
7:00 am Prayer in the Upper Room
10:30 am WORSHIP CELEBRATION
5:30 pm Awana, Youth DNA & Adult Classes
7:00 pm High School Youth Group
GRACE CHURCH exists to LOVE God & people, PROCLAIM Christ, BUILD community,
EQUIP the saints, MULTIPLY ministers, and missionally SEND out followers of Christ to
be the Church wherever we are.
CONNECT Welcome to Grace! Thanks for joining
us today. Feel free to bring your coffee
into worship and make yourself
comfortable. Take a deep breath, clear
your head, and prepare your heart
and mind to worship our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Grace Church is committed to living
authentically in relationship with God
and others. Together we strive to meet
the needs here and around the world.
To learn more, grab a booklet from the
desk in the foyer.
If you would like us to follow up with
you, feel free to fill out this form, tear
it out and drop it at the Welcome
Center or in the offering plate.
today’s date
name
I am a guest of
address
phone
phone (cell)
How to begin a relationship with Jesus Want to know more about Grace
Interested in joining a Home Community
Interested in serving at Grace (if so where?) __________________
Address/info change Add me to the church email list
Interested in baptism
Interested in membership
K-5th CHRISTMAS PROGRAM Families of K-5th Graders, we will be
doing a lighthearted Christmas program
on December 17 during the worship
service. Kindergarten through 5th grade
practices will be during Children’s Church
with a final rehearsal on December 17 at
9:00am. Questions? See Pastor Lucas or
call the office (206) 937-8400.
4TH & 5TH GRADE STUDENTS From TODAY through Dec 17, 4th and 5th
graders are encouraged to join us for
Children’s Church downstairs. We will be
spending those weeks preparing for
Christmas, and practicing for a K-5th
Christmas program on Dec. 17.
HIGH SCHOOL WINTER YOUTH CELEBRATION DEC 27-30
Register NOW for ‘THREADS’ this year’s
High School Winter Youth celebration
Dec 28-30 (Thursday through Saturday)
at the Jantzen Beach Red Lion Hotel in
Portland, Oregon. Cost is $157 if
registered and paid by Sunday,
November 26 (Unless you participated in
the Youth Auction then it will be less).
We will meet at the church 7am on
Thursday Dec 27.You will need to bring
enough money for your own food and
$20 for organized dinners. Registration
covers the cost of housing at the Red
Lion Hotel, conference and booklets.
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY Sunday AM Security personnel needed!
This one Sunday a month ministry
opportunity is from prior to church time
through the church service. Please
contact William George for details at
BUDGET THRU 11/19/2017 We are -$13,771.24 below our anticipated YTD giving.
BUDGET YTD $ 226,137.24 GIVING YTD $ 212,365.93
We are at 94% of budget