Men’s Fellowship-April 3, 2004
Spring Forward
For us to press forward toward our goal, we may need to unclutter our lives, remove obstacles, and get into “spring training!”
1. Carrying Too Many Burdens—
Numbers 11
Vs. 11:10-15—Moses is upset with God for being responsible for so many complaining people. “I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me.” (Vs.14)
Vs. 18-20—God gets angry with his people for complaining and in spite gives them what they want as punishment.
Vs. 16-17 & 24-25—God gives Moses 70 elders to help him.
a. How do you identify with Moses’ burden of handling complaining people?
b. Name the burdens that you are carrying?
2. Cluttered Priorities—Luke 12:13-21
Vs. 16-19—The rich fool thought that since his barns were filled to capacity, he can “relax, eat, drink, be merry.”
Vs. 20-21—Jesus sees this as foolish since this kind of life is not rich toward God.
a. What do you have in your garage, attic, safe deposit box, investment portfolios that suggest to you that you can relax, eat, drink, be merry?”
b. How might you unclutter your life?
c. What are the very essential things to make life meaningful to you?
3. Breaking with the Past and Pressing toward the Goal—Philippians 3:1-16
Vs. 7-11—Paul left his past identity which he calls “rubbish” so that he may know Christ.
Vs. 12-16—Because Christ made us his own, we strain forward to the “prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
a. What are “old” things that you want to leave behind as rubbish?
b. In what ways during “spring training,” would you like to see your faith grow and deepen for the future (prayer, Bible study, meditation, relationship with others, giving, service, etc.)?