I. Intro
II. Worship
III. Word - John 5:30 (Background verses: Mark 1:35;Luke 5:16; Mt.14:23)
One of the questions we've been focusing on in the last few weeks has been: How do we come to Jesus in the everyday? This is an all important question if we want to grow in our Christian life and not stay infants in Christ. In Hebrews 5 the author says, " In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!" We've talked about private prayer and intercessory prayer. Now we will explore Christian meditation.
One man said that Christian meditation is: "the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word." for a better understanding of ourselves and God (Foster, "Celebration of Discipline", p17).
Read background verses.
Read John 5:30
1. In v.30 Jesus says, "I judge only as I hear". What does this mean?
What is actually happening when Jesus "hears"?
2. Have you ever heard God's voice? How did it come to you? When did it come
to you?
Tea bag illustration
3. How and why do people meditate in a Christian way?
Joshua 1:8 - meditate on the pentateuch day and night to be prosperous
Ps. 1 esp v.2 - m. gives guidance for life by giving spiritual strength, growth
and prosperity.
Ps 73:12-22 esp 17 - light and understanding were given through spending time
in God's presence and finally God's perspective was obtained on a difficult
situation
Ps 119:11 - meditation on God's word has a purifying effect on our souls
Ps. 119:78 - as a guard against bitterness for the undeserved wrong done to
oneself
*Ps. 119: 97-99 - meditation gives wisdom and understanding and to help keep
us from wrong (v.104)
Ps 119:148 - one way to meditate is to meditate on the promises of God (eg. "Who
I am in Christ" bookmarks, Jer. 29:11; Ez. 36:26; Jer. 31:31).
Ps. 143:5 - meditate on the past works of God and all He has done
4. Write down one change you want to make in order to make Christian meditation
more a part of your life (eg. fast from TV watching this week and instead spend
that time reading and meditating on a Psalm - eg. 103, 104, 105; spend 10 mins.
each morning meditating on a Psalm; Give it to your neighbor on the right who
will intercede for you this week.
IV Witness