The Historical Christmas Story

That's Christmas (Short Film) HD from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

Review of Mark 3.7-35 with application questions

4 minute video summary with the outline and applications below:

Review of Mark 3.7-35 from CrossView Church on Vimeo.

Outline: 4 characteristics of the family of Jesus - (1) Jesus' family is not just a crowd who receives some blessings from him, (2) Jesus' family are those who make church's mission the mission of their lives, (3) Jesus' family receives the testimony of the Holy Spirit about Jesus, and (4) Jesus' family does the will of God habitually and not just says, "I believe in Jesus." (If you prefer my sermon notes that are a bit more full email me at pj@crossviewchurchla.org)

Application questions for use in Mission Small Groups or personal use:

1. Do you assume you are a Christian just because you've been blessed by God and are part of a crowd that gathers around Jesus?
2. Who is God prompting you to explain the gospel to at this season in your life? Who are you teaming up with other CrossViewers? How will you do it?
3. Do you understand the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? What does fear of falling away or not being forgiven do to you? How should that truth shape your following of Jesus?
4. How do you continue to increase in receiving the Holy Spirit's testimony of Jesus Christ?
   
5. Are you part of Jesus' family? How is your life characterized by a habitual doing of the will of God?
   
6. How can you grow in doing the will of God according to Romans 12.1-2 and Colossians 4.12?
   

Application questions for Mark 2.18-3.6

Use this in personal meditation or in Mission Small Group discussions or in personal conversations. You should talk about it with someone though.

1. How do you plan on making the absence and second coming of Jesus more prominent in your life, words, thoughts, family, relationships, and work?
   
2. How will you fast for the absence and return of Jesus? Do you plan on intentionally doing this regularly or randomly? When's the next time you're going to fast from something for Jesus' absence and return? John Piper was asked:
   

   You speak of fasting for the King's coming. How do you mean for that to happen?

   1. Out right fasts for the coming of Jesus.

   2. More commonly we are to pray for the coming of the kingdom all the time. Matt. 6:9; Maranatha! And we are to evangelize to hasten the day of God (Matthew 24:14; 2 Peter 3:12). Fast to intensify prayer and evangelism.

3. What religious practices or routines have you been doing that have not been about Jesus in your life or in the church's life lately?
4. How do you plan on using the Lord's Day as a Sabbath rest to enjoy God, refocus, and recharge for another week of mission in the home, workplace, school, and neighborhood?
5. What commands of God do you need help seeing as good for you to enjoy the Lord Jesus?
6. How is your response to Jesus lately? Is it indifference? Is it joy? Is it trembling? The Pharisees were indifferent and hardened to Jesus and this happened to the disciples too.
   
7. Why should we celebrate the cross of Jesus Christ in light of the discussion on 3.1-6? How can we make the cross more central to our community life and personal lives?
   

12/6/09 sermon posted and sermon summary video

You can download the whole sermon here or subscribe to our CrossView Church podcast on iTunes.

Here's a video summarizing the sermon and text's main point (sorry for the background, but it's one of my favorite dishes at The Cheesecake Factory):

Jesus came for sinners, not the righteous (Mark 2.13-17) - 12/6/09 from CrossView Church on Vimeo.