Not Your Average Separation Anxiety

Why do relationships take so much work? We are tempted to believe that relationship work is a result of sin, but what if God always intended for us to work on relationships just like He always intended for us to work in the Garden?

What if the real question isn’t “why do relationships take work,” but “Why is relationship work so hard and painful?” Why can’t I manage to treat people the way I want to be treated, and vice versa? Why is loving God with my whole heart and loving my neighbor as myself a complete impossibility on my own, no matter how much I want it?

Well, the quick answer is “sin,” but we are diving deeper into what that means in our discussion today. We are walking through Genesis 1-3 and marveling at the miracle of life. Then we will witness the moment when all confidence in God disintegrated with a single bite.

We were made for relationship—with God, with each other, and with the world around us. But for now, let’s stick with the relationship that literally started it all. Thanks for joining us.

ALSO:

• Reading Martin Luther
• Talking about being naked
• Going to bed angry
• Sanctification in community
• Hard people remind us we are hard people
• Blaming God and running away

References:

• Martin Luther’s commentary on Genesis Volume 1
• Genesis 1-3
• Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org
• Ted Dekker Circle Series
• Malcolm in the Middle

He’s Here!!!

Our everyday choices may seem simple and logical. “Of course I would say that.” “Of course I would go there.” “Of course I would help them.”

But the truth is, most of these choices are highly dependent on what we believe in our hearts: what we believe about God, what we believe about ourselves, and what we believe about how God feels about us.

So when we meet the Samaritan woman in John, chapter 4 and she is going to the well in the middle of the day and acting defensively toward Jesus, we know there is more going on below the surface.

And Jesus goes there. He jumps into the deep end, confronting the lies and pain that have led to choices that have separated her from others. He calls out the shame that has been her companion, and He offers Himself instead. He reveals that He is the Messiah that everyone has been waiting for—that she has been waiting for.

Jesus still does this. He dives in and meets us in our shame. He finds us in the places where we search for sustenance. He shifts our perspective and reveals the truth about how God feels about us. For God so loved YOU that He gave His one and only Son.

As we approach Christmas and the New Year and the aftermath of it all, let us drink deeply from the living water Jesus offers and remember that the True Light in our corner is here.

ALSO:

-Jesus is the point

-Don’t be married to the results

-Freedom in confession

-Steak for Christmas

-The purpose of stars

-Being a well for the living water

References:

John 4

Ephesians 4

Genesis 1:14-15

“Garden in Manhattan” by Josiah Queen

Downton Abbey

“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Prattville’s Artesian Well: https://fromthealdergrove.com/2023/07/16/artesian-well-potd/

#lightinyourcorner #livingwater #Jesus #HolySpirit #freedom #Gospel

Everything We Need

Every self-help guru, every modern-day motivational speaker will tell you something similar, even if the packaging looks a little different. All of them will say this: “I have figured it out. Want a better job? Better position? Better relationships? Better finances? Let me share what I have learned and all you have to do is follow the way.”

It’s not a new message. There are a lot of Christian leaders out there who say the same thing and there is nothing inherently bad about it.

The trouble comes when we start to strip Jesus down into simply another key point that will make our life here better. We might not be expecting him to show up at our cookout and miraculously feed us and 5,000 of our closest friends, but we can be easily tempted to love Jesus for what He gives instead of who He is.

Thankfully, He refuses to accept that. So instead of “this is the way,” He says “I am the way.” Instead of “Eat this, not that,” He says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Today we are going to dive into some hard but life-giving words from Jesus, who loves us so much that He refuses to be anything less than our Savior. He really is all we need, every day.

ALSO:

-Who’s on your zombie apocalypse team?

-Little Worship Factories

-God can make it make sense

-When your community reminds you that you’re not enough, but Jesus is

-Your genealogy can’t do it for you

-Simon Peter coming in clutch with his confession

References:

-John 6:22-71

-Blurry Creatures

-John Mark Comer Podcast: “Stay Together to Grow/Community Ep. 4”

-“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer