There was something about the words that Jesus spoke. He ministered with authority and the word on the street was this man could literally heal the sick, work miracles and drive out demons. One man in the crowd needed a touch from Jesus, but it didn’t look like he could even get to him because of the multitude.
Desperation will drive you to do what you would not normally do. So four friends had the vision and passion to bypass protocol and courtesy because their friend needed to be close to this man who was known to heal the sick and restore the broken.
So, off came the roof. Whatever it might take, they were determined to get their friend into the presence of the One who gave hope to so many. They must have looked ridiculous scaling the roof and tearing it off piece by piece in a flurry of hope, promise and expectation.
Then their out of the box exercise caught the attention of Jesus. Something amazing was about to happen and I’m sure the friends held their breath as they laid it all on the line. Jesus responded to their belief and saw their faith. Their friend walked out of the house with the hole in the roof. The roof was destroyed but the man was now whole.
Prayer:Abba Father, thank you for including out-of-the-box stories like this in the scriptures. You teach us that the call to follow Jesus is a call to an unusual and extraordinary life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I always thought the popular children’s story, Chicken Little, said much more about me as an adult than as a child. We are prone to react at the first hint that something isn’t working out quite like we planned. Our first move is to cry out, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”
The disciples of Jesus weren’t any different. As water began to come over the sides of their boat, their first reaction was to cry out, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” A clever translator might say this is greek for, “The sky is falling!” The point is they forgot who was in the boat with them. How quickly we forget that Jesus is in our boat too.
It is then that we default to life-before-Jesus i.e. panic mode. We assume that Jesus is asleep and we hear in our head, “Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus has left the building.” We recoil in fear and mentally run a hundred worst case scenarios.
The good news is Jesus is still in your boat and he’s asleep because he has no fear of what’s to come. He knows the end from the beginning. Like the bumper sticker says, “IGBOK… It’s Gonna Be Okay.” The lesson is simple. Trust that Jesus is in your boat and has your situation under control. There’s no need to wake him up.
Prayer: Abba Father, I am prone to panic. Would you gently remind me the next time I am tempted to react in the moment that Jesus is occupying space in my boat? May I grow in the truth that Jesus is abiding in me and if he’s asleep that’s a good sign that it’s all gonna be okay. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
It’s common in the world of social media to “follow” another person. There’s no real commitment required, just the click of a mouse and now you are virtual “friends.” This is not what Jesus was alluding to when he said, “Follow me.” The cost would be high. However, the reward even higher.
Have you stopped to count the cost of what it really means to follow Jesus? It may mean that friends, co-workers and even family may not understand that you are willing to lay everything down in order to live for Jesus. It’s not uncommon for those closest to you to be the most critical or “concerned” about your commitment to Christ.
Jesus drew a line in the sand when he responded to the wishes of one disciple to take care of some unfinished business, “And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.'” Shocking? Demanding? Defining. Jesus left no room for a person to remain invested in the affairs of their old life. Will you take the next step to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus?
Prayer: Abba Father, it is clear to me that what You require is all of me and not just a part of me. I commit to come closer to you and give my utmost for Your highest. I am all in with Jesus, whatever that means and whatever it may cost me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
All of us have been faced with uncertainty, indecision and confusion. It was no different in the first century. This man, a government official, was devastated by the fact that his young son was dying. It’s the greatest fear any parent will ever face. He was desperate and he knew who to call upon for help.
There are several places throughout the Bible that indicate the power of movement. James 4:8 tells us that when we draw near to God, he responds by coming close to us. It was no different in this case. This man sought out Jesus and brought his need to the One who could potentially rise above the natural realm and touch heaven and bring the miraculous.
Jesus responded to man’s plea to come and help his son by simply saying “Go home. Your son will live.” That’s all it took. Just a word from Jesus that changed everything for this man, his son and ultimately his whole family. One word from Jesus can change your life forever.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 NIV
Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for inviting us to come to you in our time of need and by drawing near to you, we find hope, mercy and help. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
It’s commonplace to hear people say, “Hey, don’t judge me!” I understand our reluctance to pass unrighteous judgement on others. On the other hand, we can overreact and not walk in wisdom when it comes to those we allow into our relational orbit.
Jesus was giving us a baseline on how to determine if those that are speaking into our lives are good or bad. He gives us the wisdom and grace to become fruit inspectors. We have a “Helper” who assists us in discerning good or bad fruit in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t give in to our culture calling “foul” whenever you choose to walk in godly biblical wisdom. Simply be a fruit inspector and weed out those who do not bear godly fruit through their words and actions.
Prayer:Abba Father, thank you for giving me the ability to judge rightly concerning who I allow to speak into and influence my life. I’m grateful that I have a Helper who gives me wisdom, insight and discernment as I continue my journey in faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
I remember a time as a kid that I became fixated on a lime green Schwinn Stingray bicycle. I was consumed. I imagined that bike taking me on adventures all over our community. I went to bed thinking about it and woke up seeing myself riding it.
I approached both of my parents on different occasions and was met with little enthusiasm on their part. I approached my Dad many times with information and specifics about “my” bike.
Weeks and months passed with little to no hint regarding my obsession from my parents. I’ll never forget getting up early on Christmas morning and running into our living room. There it was in all it’s glory! A lime green Schwinn Stingray! That bike brought me years of delight and took me on many adventures.
My parents never said, “No.” It was just not the right time. In this passage, Jesus is teaching us about persistence in prayer and about the Father’s good nature to bring what is needed. The key is timing. Trust that God loves you enough to answer your requests in His own good timing. He is a God of timing, sequence and order… and He is a good Father.
Prayer:Abba Father, thank you for loving me enough to give me what I request at the right time. Your timing is perfect. Mine is not. I trust Your timing over mine and rest in Your wisdom and goodness toward me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
One day my wife was driving our car and she ran over a curb while pulling into a shopping center driveway. I was short with her and barked out my disapproval. It was not one of my finer moments.
About a week after my “moment,” I was driving and was going too fast to make a turn into a store parking lot. You guessed it, I skidded over the curb and bounced our car into the lot. Again, not one of my finer moments.
I was quick to show my disapproval over her small infraction while on the way to destroying the front end of my own car. Isn’t that just like us? We’re quick to fire off criticism, judgement and disapproval and completely miss the fact that we are fully human and capable of colossal failures.
In today’s passage we read that we will be judged with the measure we use toward others. Ouch! It is imperative that we extend the same grace to others that God has given to us. Be quick to encourage and provide lift for others when you’re tempted to judge.
Prayer: Father, thank you for extending grace, mercy and forgiveness to me over and over. I’m humbled and blessed beyond what my mind can comprehend. Holy Spirit, would you help me to be quick to bless and not quick to judge? I’m submitted to your leading and direction in this matter. My heart is to love others well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
My Dad was in the military. He told me stories about boot camp and the concept of turning a “me” into a “we.” It is arduous, intense and life altering, but necessary in order to turn an average man or woman into a great soldier who would willingly lay down their life for the mission.
It’s not a stretch to see this passage as Jesus’ boot camp for his closest disciples. He was preparing them to go out and preach the good news of the kingdom. It was no small assignment and the preparation was necessary for what they were about to face on the journey.
As you read this passage keep in mind that Jesus was qualifying them to face persecution, betrayal, hostility and demonic forces set against any attempt to advance the gospel. Jesus’ words are strong and sobering. Are you prepared to face resistance regarding your faith in Jesus? Perhaps boot camp is necessary for you too.
Prayer: Father, as You prepare me for my mission on this earth, grant me the grace needed to absorb all I need to know in order to fulfill Your assignment and Your mandate for my life. I willingly submit to the process, trusting You as You teach and prepare me to declare and live out the kingdom in a resistant culture. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
In the E3 App you will find the following content;
Key Scriptures: The key scripture in each section follows along the life of Jesus through his ministry, teachings, fulfillment of the OT scriptures, death, burial, and resurrection. The stories are broken into 20 story blocks. The scriptures follow a chronological harmony of all four gospel accounts including Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Sometimes, to understand the context for a particular story you may need to read a bit before and a bit after. Our groups will be going through one story a week, but you could easily do this as a daily study as well with your group, family, or at work with a few friends.
Group Questions: The Group questions are designed for any small group fellowship from your Church. The first question every week is about what everyone is learning and applying from the sermon they most recently heard. This is a great way to answer questions, clarify meanings, and gather applications that you never thought of. You may find that some weeks this will take the entire night. That is ok! Next week, just go right back to the # you were on and go from there. You do not have to hold strictly to any timeline to finish the materials. If your group includes people that do not attend your Church (depending on the topic) you may choose to skip the first question about what you learned from the sermon. After you finish discussing the sermon have everyone get out their Bibles (or their App) and follow along. The rest of the questions are going to dig into the life and teaching of Jesus. The questions follow a methodology that assumes that every member in the group is sharing Christ with someone. Periodically the question will be asked; “who did you share this story with?” It is very important that you not “shame” everyone that has not shared it. However, there also needs to be a clear expectation that this is normal for a Christian to do. When most people hear this they will assume that you mean “get people to put their faith in Christ.” That is not the intention. How can someone trust and follow someone they do not really know about? Your role as leader is to help people listen to each other, apply the ministry and teachings of Jesus to themselves, but also share what God is doing in their hearts with others. This is the essence of the word “testimony.” It is sharing with others about the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. It may sound like; “can I tell you something that I learned this week?” Or, “that reminds me of something I just learned about Jesus…” It should be as natural as talking about your kids. Remember, Jesus has authorized all his disciples to go into the entire world to share about Christ, baptize, and teach them to obey everything that he did. (Matthew 28) There are many things about Jesus you will never understand until you begin to teach them to someone else.
Family Questions: The family questions are designed to include all different age groups. The questions follow the particular stages of classical learning. (What, Why, How) These questions would also work well in any setting because they are general questions that teach us how to think. I recommend sticking to a shorter timeline than you would with an adult group between 15-30 minutes max. You could plan to have your family group meet over a meal once a week, or choose a different time or format. (Bedtime, Drive to School, Breakfast) The important thing is that you remain consistent when you do it. If you get off track- just go back to whatever # you are on- and get back on track! Remember, a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.
In the App you will see 5 Tabs: Don’t miss the 5 tabs at the bottom of the App!
There is a complete ESV Bible built in. The reading plan feature does not correspond with the E3 Challenge.
There is a BLOG where various trainings, encouragements, and devotionals will be written by a variety of different authors.
There is a Podcast where we will take each story, and discuss it for about 15 minutes. This is meant to help you prepare for your group so that you can think about the various aspects of a story.
The is an ABOUT tab where you can link to the E3 Facebook page, the E3 website, etc. Please share testimonials from your group on the E3 Facebook page!
E3 App
Example;
#1. Matthew 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”Then John consented.16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Life Group Questions
1. What did Jesus teach you during the sermon this week?
2. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?
3. Why did Jesus get baptized?
4. What is the purpose of God’s response?
5. Has anyone in this group been baptized? Tell your story. Why were you baptized?
6. What does this story teach us about baptism?
7. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week?
8. Who do you know that is curious to learn more about Jesus?
E3 Challenge 