Intentional Spiritual Growth: REFLECT On the Why Questions Matthew 6:25-27

Look at (OBSERVE) the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26 Brief Review of last week: Intentional Spiritual growth: OBSERVE

Worry: to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be anxious, be (unduly) concerned. Greek Dictionary

God invites us to observe our worries from the new a new perspective – God pulls us up to a new perspective

Reflect on Jesus good news: He says this THREE times in ten verses because it’s SUPRA important: Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:21, 24, 34

Look at (REFLECT ON) the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26 This week: Intentional Spiritual growth REFLECT: Asking the why Questions

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, …..

…….will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. Matthew 6:28-32

Reflect For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. Matthew 6:32

Reflect Pagan (noun): An offensive term that deliberately insults somebody who does not acknowledge (live by) the God of the Bible, Torah, or Koran. Microsoft Word Dictionary Italics mine Pagan Definition reminders

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔ θνη 1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔ θνη 1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions 2.people groups foreign to another specific people group

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔ θνη 2.people groups foreign to another specific people group a. those who do not belong to groups professing faith in the God of Israel

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔ θνη b. non-Israelite Christians (Gentiles)… The word connotes Israelite allegations of religious and moral inferiority of gentiles Danker, Greek–English Dictionary

Reflect Pagans/ Gentiles (noun), Greek = ἔ θνη 1.a nation/ people united by kinship, culture, and common traditions 2.people groups foreign to another specific people group a. those who do not belong to groups professing faith in the God of Israel b. non-Israelite Christians (Gentiles)… The word connotes Israelite allegations of religious and moral inferiority of gentiles Danker, Greek–English Dictionary

Reflect Jesus said: “It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick.” Mark 2:17 Reflect on Jesus, God’s words that lead us to life…

1.How are we worrying like pagans? A couple hard questions Jesus is asking us to reflect on today, to lead us to abundant life, are:

2. Where are we we thinking and acting like Pagans? A couple hard questions Jesus is asking us to reflect on today, to lead us to abundant life, are:

Reflect Repentance is not about judgment It’s about a (positive) change of the mind that effects our actions, feelings and behaviors. It’s about believing that God can change us and help us and others, look more like Jesus over time and live in his kingdom today.. The Passionate Life, Breen and Kallestad Italics mine

Reflect We try to change the things we worry about, Jesus promises to change the person who worries, not the things we worry about. The Passionate Life Breen and Kallestad Italics mine

Reflect “Instead of looking back at the event to prevent circumstances from converging in the same way again, we need to look forward to see the growth that we can experience from it. Passionate Life, Breen and Kallestad

Reflect It’s about a heart that trusts a good God, so that he can be King in all and despite of our circumstances.

But (you) seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

The kingdom of God is the world the way God created it to be and intends it to be today. It is the rule of God in the hearts of people and lived out in society. Reflect on…

God’s righteousness is our hearts desire to live in HIS KINGDOM – doing our part by HIS SPIRIT – to re-create the world as he intended it today. This is living as the life-long learners being shaped by Jesus THE KING. (bottom of discipleship circle)

Matthew 5-7 Jesus Sermon on the Mount (Retelling of the Law or Ten Commandments) REFLECT in Context

Reflect For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of God (now or ever). Matthew 5:20 Reflect on Jesus, God’s words…

Matthew 5-7 Jesus Sermon on the Mount (Retelling of the Law or Ten Commandments) REFLECT in Context

Reflect Wow, that’s impossible, God please help me be lifelong learner of Jesus THE KING (The Sermon on the Mount starts with Blessed are those who know they need God to live in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:2) OR… We can’t do that today in our culture today What’s our first reflection after reading Jesus teachings? Is it:

As we reflect on this message today and wrestle with whether Jesus or the culture is our king, we’re having a Kairos moment.

Further clarity on Kairos time… Kairos moments impact us personally, positively or negatively Kairos moments involve emotions Kairos awareness always overrides chronos awareness. “The time is now!” (Mark 1:15).

Reflect on Jesus good news: He says this THREE times in ten verses because it’s SUPRA important: Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:21, 24, 34

A Disciple = Life-long learner of Jesus the King