Respond to Sunday, January 13
“Progress in Giving” – Acts 4:32-35
Truth: Progress in giving is a result of unity in the body of Christ. Our unity as MacArthur Blvd Baptist Church impacts our gospel witness in the DFW area (Philippians 1:27-28), and our gospel witness impacts a real person’s ultimate destination. The unity of MacArthur Blvd Baptist Church is literally life and death. Unity matters! And one way you can tell if you’re contributing or disrupting that unity is your progress in giving.
Response: What does your progress in giving (or lack of) reveal: are you contributing or disrupting the unity of the church? Are you, perhaps unconsciously, impacting real people with real families toward life or toward death?
Truth:Progress in giving reflects the power of the gospel.
Response: Does your giving reflect your financial situation or does it reflect the power of the gospel? Does your giving speak of a God who is lavish in His giving or a God who is stingy and self-serving?
Truth: Progress in giving is a response to the great grace of God. In all of our inconsistency, hypocrisy, and self-supremacy, God withheld nothing from us, not heaven, not any spiritual blessing, not even the life of His only Son. That is lavish, extravagant, and voluminous grace!
Response: Church talk is easy, but does your giving reflect a heart that is genuinely grateful? Does your giving tell you that you take this grace for granted or that you truly think that you are undeserving of it?
Family Response
Truth: Let’s look at how to connect a couple of Pastor Bob’s observations to our children for the purpose of shaping their view of money and shaping their hearts toward faith in God. First, our children need to learn that God is the source of everything. Giving from what we have is a way to express thanksgiving to God for all that He has given us, and it is a way for us to practice trusting Him to provide what we will need next.
Truth: Second, giving is a way to be a part of God’s miraculous Gospel works here and around the world. Sometimes we give because we care about something, but sometimes we care about something because we’ve been giving.
Response: So how do jobless kids practice giving when they don’t have an income to give from? I recommend starting with conversations about your own giving. When Jesus says, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” He is correcting religious looking behaviors that have done for people’s approval instead of God’s pleasure. You don’t have to give amounts, but tell them clearly what you are giving toward and how God is working in those ministries. Then, provide ways for your children to give out of the limited assets they do have. This could include quality donations, birthday money, or time and effort.
Prepare for Sunday, January 20
Pray for the Church
- Leaders in worship: Darrin Mechling, Brandon Ramey & the Worship Ministry.
- God will meet with us through His word and by His Spirit, lead us to worship Christ and grow in Christ-likeness.
- God will help us to be a church of zeal and hope, passionate about ministry and confident in His promises.
- God will make us more passionate about and obedient to His mission of leading people to trust and follow Christ
Prepare for the Message
Progress in Evangelism – John 20:19-23 | Pastor Darrin Mechling
There are passages that we read and study in scripture that over time give us the opportunity to grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ. But there are other passages we read that are not up for debate; it’s about living a life of obedience. Prepare for Sunday by focusing on John 20:19-23.
This is the first appearance of Jesus with His disciples as a group after His resurrection. You would think that this encounter would be critical. What would Jesus say and talk about? What would be the topic of conversation? In verse 21, John tells us that we have been sent by Jesus in the same way that He was sent by the Father. Don’t miss out on the great honor God has given you as His ambassador.
Music for Sunday
You Are Good
Israel Houghton
New Doxology
Thomas Ken and Thomas Miller
Everlasting God
William Murphy
Psalm 67 (Let The Nations Be Glad)
Brandon Ramey & The Prayer Time Band
When I Think About the Lord
James Huey