Twisted: Money and Greed - Luke 16:1-13

Money itself isn't bad. It can do great things when used correctly. It is when money is used incorrectly that problems start. When we recognize where money comes from and how it should be used, it can be a wonderful tool. When we think only of ourselves money gets twisted into greed and we get twisted in the process.

• Money is FROM God
• Money is FOR God
• Through Other People
  
• Through the Church
• Money becomes greed when we focus on US instead of GOD
  

Twisted - Genesis 3:1-6

Why do bad things happen? Where does evil come from?
Only God has the power to create something completely new. (Everything man has "created" is actually just rearranging the stuff that was already there.) Everything God created was good. So, where does the bad stuff come from. We read in the Bible that Satan (the accuser, the tempter, the adversary) is a liar. Some of his greatest lies are taking the good things God has created and twisting them (or our understanding of them) into something they are not. This has happened since the very beginning and it still happens today. Genesis 3:1-6 tells the story of the first twist.

• Doubt - "Did God Really Say?"
• Question God's word and His will
  
• Deceit - "You will not surely die."
• Remove or reduce the consequences
  
• Desire - "You will be like God."
• Focus on you, not on God
  

Fill 'er Up: The Solution - John 4:1-26

So, we've identified that we need to be filled only with Jesus and started to look at what it is that keeps each of us from being filled. Now, how do we bring all of this together? How do we keep from becoming like the Jerusalem crowds who welcomed Jesus into the city with palm branches and singing, then shouted for his crucifixion just a few days later? In order for this to happen, we have to take a good, solid look at ourselves and make some changes.

• Stop the Routine
  
• v9 "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan Woman"
  
• Yield to God's Way
• v19 ""I can see that you are a prophet"
  
• Go - Worship & Tell - v20 & 39
• v20 "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain..."
• v39 "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.
  

Fill 'er Up: The Problem - John 4:1-26

Americans are switching religions and churches at record rates. We are used to being given choices in everything in life, why should church be any different? The only time we don't keep choosing is when we've found something that works. So, what is the church's purpose? What is it meant to do? The answer can be found in the interaction Jesus has with a Samaritan woman he meets at a well. Here we find what the church is supposed to do and what keeps us individually from achieving that goal.

God's Goals: Mercy - Matthew 18:21-35

We all know we’re supposed to forgive, but why? And how much? And who? When Peter comes to Jesus with these questions, he responds with what can seem like a simple answer and with a parable. Together these answer the questions and show us that mercy is an attitude, not an account.

• An Attitude - v21-22
• We Give - v23-27
• We Receive - v28-31
• An Ultimatum - v32-35
  

Audio - 19 Years of Balance

Video - 19 Years of Balance

The church exists for a number of reasons, but they all focus on relationships - the relationship between God and his people, the relationship that exists between those people and the relationship they have with those outside the church. Jesus confirmed this when he was asked about the greatest commandment. In order for a church to survive, it must find a balance between and within these relationships. Who better to ask about these relationships than those people who live them out on a daily basis?

• Worship
• Sing and Serve - Matthew 4:10
  
• Edification
  
• Know and Do - 1 Peter 2:5
  
• Fellowship
• Work and Play - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
  
• Evangelism
  
• Reaping and Sowing - Matthew 13:1-30
  

God's Goals: Community - Matthew 18:12-20

Sin cuts. It divides us - people from God and people from people. One of God's Goals for us is to work to undo the damage that sin does. We have to look at how sin divides us and what we can do to pull people back together instead of pulling each other apart.

• Individual Importance - v12-14
  
• Everyone is the ONE
  
• Start Small, Stay Simple - v15-17
  
• Limit the Audience
• Divine Design - v18
  
• "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" - 6:10
• Stronger Together - v19-20
  

God's Goals: Humility - Matthew 18:1-10

Do you ever feel like you're fighting a losing battle? Like you keep trying and trying, but never get anywhere. There are times when we all feel that way. We see a goal and we try to get to it, but we can't ever seem to get there. Sometimes we set the wrong goals. Sometimes there are obstacles in our path that we just can't get past. And sometimes those obstacles are us. God gives us goals that we should all have for our lives, goals that we can all reach. But, we can only reach them if we learn not to get in the way.

• Welcome the Weaker - Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. v5
  
• Open Yourself
• Cut the Cause - If your hand or foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. - v8
  
• Sacrifice Yourself
• Don't look Down - See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. - v10
  
• Examine Yourself
  

Handling the Truth: Truth Stands For Real - John 8:32

We all have secrets, things that we are afraid to tell anyone for fear of what it would do to the relationship. So, we hide these things inside, we push them down and try to cover them up. But, in truth these secrets act like a wedge between us and other people. The more we push them down, the further we push people away. If these secrets are sins, they drive the same kind of wedge between us and God. We long to feel close to God and to live real, authentic lives, but in order to do so we have to face the truth for real.

• Inside
• True to Ourselves
  "You are the man!" - 2 Samuel 12
  
• True to God
  He will forgive us - 1 John 1:9
  
• Outside
• True to Others
  Confess your sins to EACH OTHER - James 5:16
  
• True to Life
  ...and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32