NewDayvotional

From the pastor for the people

Growth Group Leader Communion Guide

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If you’re a growth group leader at New Day, here’s just one way you can lead your group through taking Communion…

When God brought about a great deliverance for the Israelites from their slavery to Egypt (through Moses), He instituted a commemorative ordinance called Passover.

In the same way, when God brought about an even greater deliverance for us from our slavery to sin (through Messiah), it was appropriate to institute another commemorative ordinance we now know as Communion.

In 1 Corinthians 11 the apostle Paul records the three things Jesus says we’re to remember when we take communion:

1. We’re to remember his body. We read in 1 Corinthians 11:24 that “…on the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In other words, Jesus was saying: When you eat this bread, remember that it represents my body. And remember what I endured in my body for you and for the forgiveness of your sins. Ok, #2…We’re not just to remember his body. Secondly…

2. We’re to remember his blood. We read in 1 Corinthians 11:25, In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” In other words, Jesus was saying: When you drink this wine, remember that it represents my blood. And remember that it was poured out for the forgiveness of your sins. Ok, #3. When we take communion we’re to remember his body, remember his blood, and now thirdly…

3. We’re to remember his return. Jesus also said, “For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) This means that when we take communion, we’re not just to remember Jesus’s first coming where he came to die for our sins, we’re also to remember that Jesus will one day come again! When Jesus came the first time he gave his body and his blood as God’s suffering servant. He came to die for the sins of the world. But when he comes again, it won’t be as God’s Suffering Servant, rather as God’s Conquering King. When Jesus comes he will rule over an eternal kingdom. This kingdom will begin on earth for 1,000 years and will then continue indefinitely into eternity. How do we find the strength to keep living for God in a culture so antagonistic towards him? We remember that one day Jesus is coming again to set things straight – to make things right – to rule with justice and mercy over his eternal kingdom, of which we are citizens forever.

Now according to 1 Corinthians 11:27 to fail to remember these three things (i.e. his body, his blood and his return) is to celebrate communion in an unworthy manner. So as often as we take communion, these thoughts ought to be at the forefront of our minds.

  1. So as we now partake of the bread, let’s remember what it represents – Jesus’ body which was given in service for us – for the forgiveness of our sins…Let’s take the bread with grateful hearts.
  2. And as we now partake of the drink, let’s remember what it represents – Jesus’ blood which was poured out on the cross for us. Jesus’ blood spiritually speaking covers our sins. When God looks down from heaven upon us, He doesn’t see our sin – the blood of Jesus covers our sins and in fact cleanses us from sin. So when God looks at us He sees us with the very righteousness of Christ…So as we take the cup – a symbol of Christ’s blood – let’s remember with grateful hearts what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us – the covering and cleansing of our sins.
  3. Finally, before we pray, let’s remember that one day Jesus is coming back again. At his first coming, he came to suffer and die. At his second coming, he’s coming to rule and to reign over an eternal kingdom, of which we are citizens. As hard as it is to live for Jesus at times, we must keep in mind that he’s coming back to set things right. So let’s not live for the temporary pleasures of sin, rather for the eternal joys of living in his kingdom forever.

Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, today we remember how Jesus surrendered his body to your will – even unto death – even unto death on a cross. Today we remember how he willingly shed his blood – so that we could be forgiven of our sins. And today we remember with great anticipation, that one day, Jesus is coming again. God, thank you for loving us so much, and thank you for all you have done for us and continue to do each and every day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Four Things You Can Do To Increase the Likelihood of Choosing a Mate Wisely, Part 4

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The first thing you can do to drastically increase the likelihood of choosing a mate wisely is this: PRACTICE THE LAW OF THREE. 

When hiring an employee, business owner Brian Tracy requires that each candidate pass three tests before being hired. He has three interviews with each taking place at a different location and different environment. Each interview is a test for the potential hire. If the candidate passes all three tests, they get the green light to be hired. By practicing this law of three, Tracy weeds out a lot of candidates that would be a poor fit for his company. If you’re dating, you need to practice the the law of three. Here’s three tests you can apply to weed out bad candidates:

Test #1 is this: Do friends and family approve? Proverbs 27:6 says “Wounds from a friend can be trusted…” That is, you might not like the advice a friend gives (it might hurt a little) but because they are your friend and love you and know you well – what they tell you can be trusted. You might say to a close friend or family member “What do you honestly think?” and they might say “Two thumbs down.” That might hurt a bit to hear, but you can usually trust (under normal circumstances) the input of family and friends. The Bible says to trust them. On the day I decided that I wanted to marry Kristin, the first thing I did was call my dad and ask him “What do you think?” He gave me two thumbs up! The second thing I did was call my mom to ask her “What do you think?” She also gave me two thumbs up! I also brought her home to meet Jon and Andrew, my two closest friends. The four of us went out to dinner together and my friends got to meet her. I got a thumbs up from them too. Now listen…If you don’t want to ask your parents or friends what they think of this person you’re getting serious with, what does that say about the relationship? Let me tell you what it says! It says that you know intuitively this person is no good for you, and you’re not asking others what they think because you already know what they think. If they don’t pass the friend and family test, dump them as quickly as possible!

Test #2 is this: Do we have compatible interests, goals and values? In 1 Corinthians 1:10 the apostle Paul said in reference to the unity of a church “…be perfectly united in mind and thought.” Being united in mind and thought is what keeps unity in a church and what keeps unity in a marriage. You have be united in mind and thought around your interests, your goals and your values. Let’s talk about each briefly. Common Interests: Most strong relationships include at least some common interests. If you live for the outdoors, you probably do not want to get serious with someone who hates going outside. People who have little in common will ultimately not spend a lot of time together, or if they do, they won’t be doing what they enjoy. Common Goals: Before you get serious with someone, you need to have a good idea of what direction you are going in, and you need to determine whether that person’s life is going in the same direction. If you want to be a missionary or inner-city worker living on a limited income, you must share that goal. Common Values: Search for character that shows the fruit of the Spirit – love, patience, kindness and so forth. You are initially attracted to a person’s outsides, but over time you will experience their insides. A person’s character is what you will experience long-term and be in relationship with over time. So make sure the other person shares your values too! If your common interests, goals and values don’t align, get out of that relationship before you waste even more time. Kristin and I didn’t have all the details of our future mapped out, but we both knew we wanted to be serving God in full-time ministry. We both knew we wanted a large family. And we both wanted the set up where I would work and she would stay home with the kids. You don’t need all the details of your future nailed down – you can figure the details out together along the way – but the big picture you each have in your head needs to be compatible.

Test #3 is this: Do they manage their money well? This might seem odd to you, but listen…George Gallup reports that 58% of all divorces today are due to money problems. Money problems are therefore the leading cause of divorce in America! Don’t set yourself up for trouble. 1 Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Someone with an unhealthy view on money can shipwreck both their faith and their marriage! An unhealthy view on money can separate God and man, and husband and wife. So find out their views on money before getting married! I read a book by Gary Chapman called Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married and one chapter in the book is entitled “I wish I had know…that we needed a plan for handling our money.” In this chapter he gives several tips for laying a solid financial foundation. These are things you can talk about before trying the knot. He says:

  1. After marriage, it will no longer be “my money” and “your money” but “our money.” Once married his and her debts become “our debts.” His savings and her savings become “our savings.” The Bible says that in marriage the two become one (Genesis 2:24) and this includes becoming “one” financially. So before getting too serious, ask the person you’re with if they agree with this. You’ve got to investigate this stuff ahead of time. Don’t wait till you’re married to find out! It’s too late then!
  2. Agree on a percentage of income that you will give away, save and spend. These are really the only three things you can do with money (give it away, save it and spend it). Based on biblical principles, I encourage couples to live by the 10-10-80 rule. Give 10% to God, save 10%, live wisely on the remaining 80%. Give 10, save 10, use the rest wisely. Find out how the person you’re with feels about this. If tithing is important to you, don’t marry someone that cringes at the thought of giving money to God through the local church. That would be foolish. If the person you’re thinking about marrying doesn’t see the value in saving, that’s a red flag. Look into this before you get married!
  3. Decide before marriage who will keep the books. So before you get married, find out who’s better with the money and agree that they will take the lead in this part of the marriage. I’m going to add a 4th thing to consider…
  4. See how they would feel about living off one person’s income prior to having children. This will set you up for success if mom wants to stay home with the kids, once they arrive. Many people choose a lifestyle that’s dependent upon two incomes. Then they have kids and mom wants to stay home with the kids but it’s not an option (because of the lifestyle they’ve chosen). This is what Kristin and I agreed to before we got married – that we would both work, but would live off my income only. We saved her income. When kids came along and she wanted to stay home with them, this is something we were able to do.

By practicing the law of three, like Tracy, you can weed out bad options and save yourself a lot of time, money and heartache.

The Best Place to Grow Your Faith

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You need to get into a group. You need to prioritize being in a group this year. Why? The best place in the world to grow your faith is in groups! Let me illustrate what I mean…

I read an article a couple weeks ago and was surprised to find out that northern Illinois contains some of the most fertile soil in the world. There are patches of farmland in Argentina, Ukraine and China that are comparable, but according to the article, there’s nothing better in all the world for growing corn and soybeans than the soil of northern Illinois. There’s three reasons why.

  • First, apparently glaciers used to cover northern Illinois. When the glaciers moved on, the soil was younger than the southern soil that wasn’t protected by the large sheet of ice.
  • Second, huge dust storms have blown mineral rich river basin soil all over northern Illinois.
  • Third, instead of forests, northern Illinois has prairie grasslands, which feed the soil crop friendly nutrients.

These three factors make it the best place in all the world to grow crops. Well the question begs: Is there a best place in the world to grow your faith? And the answer is a resounding YES! IN GROUPS! Like northern Illinois, there are certain factors that exist in groups that don’t exist anywhere else – or at least don’t exist in the same way they exist in group. Let me explain. Groups give us the opportunity to:

  • admonish one another (Colossians 3:16) If you’re thinking about buying your wife exercise equipment for your anniversary, no one can warn you (not to do that) on Sunday. But in groups all the men can scream “Don’t do it!” 😉
  • hold each other accountable (James 5:16) You’re not going to be able to ask about how someone’s New Year’s Resolutions are going in the middle of the sermon – but in groups you’ll have all the time you need.
  • be concerned for each other (1 Corinthians 12:25-26). You don’t have time to check in with each on Sunday, but groups provide the perfect time to do this.
  • instruct one another (Romans 15:14). The only person giving instruction on Sunday is the pastor, so Sunday isn’t the right time or place to instruct each other. But groups are the perfect time and place.
  • pray for each other (James 5:16). If I asked everyone on a Sunday to share their prayer requests and then took time to pray for each need, each service would last four hours. But in group, there’s more than enough time for every person to share their prayer request and be prayed for.
  • take Communion together (1 Corinthians 11:24). The Bible says in Acts 2:46 that the first century church “…met in homes for the Lord’s Supper…” The Lord’s Supper is another name for communion. In Bible times they celebrated communion in the home groups, not in the Temple. At New Day we do the same thing. We take communion, not on Sunday, but in our groups. Jesus said of communion in 1 Corinthians 11:24 “Do this in remembrance of me.” It’s a command, not a suggestion. So where are you taking communion if not in your group?

There are 28 unique “one anothers” or “each others” in the New Testament that are best fulfilled in the context of a group…And if you’re not in a group, you literally won’t have the opportunity to obey most of these commands. So for all these reasons and more your group is THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD to grow your faith. Your group simply offers opportunities to grow that you just can’t get anywhere else. As the northern fields of Illinois have THE BEST conditions for growing crops, so your group has THE BEST conditions for growing your faith!

Your next opportunity to sign up for groups is this Sunday January 17, 2016 at 6pm at newdaychurch.cc/groups.

How Should we Live in Light of the Reality of the Rapture?

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What we believe about the future will directly impact how we live in the present. The Bible teaches that in light of the reality of the rapture…

1. We ought to be hopeful. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13 says, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”

I’ll never forget the funeral of a good friend of mine who died a Christian. People were telling his mother “I’m sorry for your loss” and she replied right back with a smile on her face “My son is not lost. I known exactly where he is.” That’s the power of hope. It changes the way you both death and life.

As Christians (because of the reality of the rapture) we have a wonderful and glorious hope! You see, the Bible teaches a linear view of history. There was a beginning, a central event – the cross (and resurrection) – and there will be an end, in which God will bring His salvation plan to its glorious fulfillment. World events will not continue in an endless, unyielding procession. There is coming a moment when the present order will come to an end. In other words – the devastating consequences of sin will not continue to wreak havoc on us forever. Things will be restored to God’s original plan for us in due time. So when you see injustice, poverty, suffering, death, disease, war and pain….know that “this too shall pass”. Even in the midst of suffering and injustice we can be filled with joy because of the HOPE provided by the reality of the rapture. Before we know it, Jesus will return for us to be with him in heaven forever!

Secondly, the Bible says that in light of the reality of the resurrection…

2. We ought to be holy. 

The awareness that Jesus will return should stir those of us who are Christians to right living. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” The word picture given in Ephesians 5 is that we are the bride of Christ. Sin results in a filthy, defiled bride for Christ instead of a pure and radiant one.

On our wedding day Kristin woke up and spent most of the day making herself look beautiful. She had her hair and make up done and put on a beautiful white dress and jewelry. Knowing that I would see her soon, she made herself beautiful. Well, knowing that we will see Jesus soon, we ought to make ourselves beautiful in holiness. We want to present ourselves without stain, wrinkle or blemish when Christ returns.

So in light of the reality of the rapture, we ought to prepare ourselves for his return through holy living. Titus 2:11-14 says, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Jesus died to set us free from sin. When he returns he doesn’t want to find us entangled with it. This is why Hebrews 12:1 says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

Thirdly, the Bible says that in light of the reality of the resurrection…

3. We ought to be helpful. 

After Paul finishes teaching about the rapture of Christ’s church in 1 Corinthians 15 he ends his teaching in v.58 saying “Therefore [in light of the reality of the resurrection], my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” As we learned last week, Jesus is working through his church to bring salvation to people far from God. And He expects us to be helpful towards that end. In other words, in light of the reality of the rapture, we must give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. What’s the work of the Lord? According to Matthew 28:19-20 the work of the Lord is to make disciples – that is, help people become followers of Jesus. Leading people to Jesus is only something we can only do for a limited period of time. Once we’re raptured we can’t lead people to Christ anymore. This is why Jesus said in John 9:4, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” We don’t have forever to win people to Jesus – we have a limited window that we must take advantage of.

Let me explain it this way. I mentioned earlier that in the Old Testament God commanded the Jews to observe a holy festival called The Feast of Trumpets (also know as the Feast of Ingathering). Let me tell you a little more about this sacred festival. This was a fall feast and in the fall the Jews were working in their harvest field. At the proper time, the high priest would blow the trumpet to gather God’s faithful from the harvest fields to the Temple for worship. What does this have to do with us? Well, as the high priest called God’s faithful from the harvest fields to worship at the Temple, so Jesus, our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1), will one day call God’s faithful from the harvest field (this earth) to worship in the heavenly Temple.

The Israelites reaped a literal harvest, but the church reaps a spiritual harvest of souls. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38 that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. He commands therefore that we pray, asking the Lord of harvest to send workers into his harvest field. The Bible is clear: In the church age (the age we are now living in), Christians are workers in God’s harvest field (the world). And we’re to keep working to win people to Christ until the trumpet call of God signals us to gather to the Lord to worship him in his heavenly Temple.

Do you see and understand therefore, that until Jesus returns for us, we’re to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord – to winning people to Jesus. This is why God doesn’t take us directly to heaven when we get saved – because He wants us working in the harvest fields – that is, working in the world to harvest souls for Jesus.

So I ask you…

  • When is the last time you shared the good news about Jesus with a friend or family member?
  • When is the last time you invited someone to church so they could hear the good news about Jesus?
  • When’s the last time you heard a good salvation message and sent a link to the video to someone you know needs Jesus?
  • Who are you investing in relationally right now so that when an opportune time comes, you’ll have earned the right to share the gospel with them?
  • Do you have a My Circle Card in your wallet or purse so you can be reminded to pray for people far from God?
  • Have you participated in our New Day University group, where in Share 401 you learn how to effectively share your faith with your friends and loved ones?
  • Have you found a place to serve at New Day? (This by far is the most effective way to lead people to Jesus) The local church is the hope of the world! God is the one who decided that salvation and the message of the cross be brought through the local church. A healthy Christian partners together with their local church to advance the kingdom of God in this world. My question is “Are you contributing or just consuming?” Contributors faithful pray for their local church, they faithfully serve at their local church and they faithfully give to their local church, so that the work of God can advance. Jesus is coming back and God’s wrath will be poured out on those who remain after his coming. God showed his love for the lost world by sending Jesus, and we ought to show our love for the lost world by doing everything in our power to advance the cause of Christ. Are you contributing? Are you helping? Or are you just consuming?

What Will the Rapture Be Like?

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What will the rapture be like? The Bible gives us four things:

1. There will be a return. John 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16

The original “I’ll be back” came from Jesus, not Arnold Schwarzenegger. We’ve already seen in John 14:2-3 that Jesus told his disciples that he was going away, to the Father, to prepare a place for them and that when he was finished preparing the place, he would return for them. Well the rapture is the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to return. In fulfillment of His promise 1 Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that at the rapture “…the Lord himself will come down from heaven…” In other words, Jesus will return for us.

Everyday when I leave the house I say to the kids “Ok – I’ll see you in a bit.” When I run an errand I say to Kristin “Ok – I’ll see you in a bit.” I say this because I’m not going away forever – only temporarily. Jesus in effect told us before ascending to heaven, “Ok – I’ll see you in a bit.” So the first part of the rapture involves Jesus’ return (as promised).

Now don’t confuse this with Christ’s second coming. He’s returning for his church, but he’s not returning to the earth (at this time). When Jesus came to die – that’s what we refer to as his first coming. When Jesus comes to reign (for a thousand years) – that’s what we refer to as his second coming. You see, for it to count as one of Jesus’ comings, he has to actually touch down on the earth, which won’t happen during the rapture. First Thessalonians 4:17 is clear on this point when it says we will “…meet the Lord in the air…” At the rapture Jesus will return for his church, but he will not return to the earth at this time.

So we see that first there will be a return. Secondly we see that…

2. There will be a ruckus. 1 Thessalonians 4:16

When Jesus returns he’s going to make a great big commotion. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that when he returns it will be “…with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God…”

You must understand that in the Bible the trumpet call consistently was used to gather people together. For example, in the Old Testament…

  • In the Old Testament when the Israelites were wandering through the wilderness for 40 years, Numbers 10 tells us that it was trumpet that would gather them together, whether for worship or for war.
  • In the New Testament, the trumpet serves the same exact purpose. In Matthew 6:2 Jesus instructed the people that when they gave their tithes and offerings they weren’t to announce it with trumpets. The idea here is that they weren’t to gather everyone together to show off how generous they were.

As a kid my dad would whistle for us. Wee-Ooh-Weet! Wee-Ooh-Weet! It called us each night from the neighborhood to gather together for supper. I remember getting lost as a kid and listening for Dad’s whistle. It was the call “come gather over here!”

In the same way – all throughout the Bible the trumpet was used to gather people together. So it makes perfect sense that when Jesus returns, he will blow the trumpet, which is the call for the church to gather together to meet the Lord in the air.

So we see that secondly, during the rapture there will be a ruckus. Thirdly we see that…

3. There will be a resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

1 Corinthians 15:20 says “…Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Christ was the first to be raised from the dead, but not the last. Here’s how it will work at the rapture…

  • If you’ve already died when Christ returns you will resurrected first.
  • If you’re alive when Christ returns you will rise to meet the Lord in the air directly after the dead in Christ are raised.

The other day I was at Costco and the lines were backing up. A new cashier opened her register. Who got to get in this new line first? The ones who had been waiting in line the longest. In the same way, those who have been waiting the longest (those who have already died) will be the first to rise from the dead at the rapture. As 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 puts it “…the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up…”

So we see that thirdly there will be a resurrection. Fourthly we see that…

4. There will be a reunion. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

1 Thessalonians 4:17 says that when Jesus returns we “…will be caught up together with them [that is, with our deceased Christian loved ones].” I personally believe this will be the second most emotional experience humanity has ever had.

  • children will be reunited with their formerly deceased parents
  • a mother will finally meet the baby she miscarried
  • a father will be reunited with his son that he lost to Leukemia
  • friends who will have been separated for years will reunite

It’s going to be absolutely awesome! Now I say it’ll be the second most emotional experience because at this time we will meet our Savior for the very first time. As great as the reunion will be, it will be far better to finally see Jesus face to face! But I digress. My point is this: At the rapture, there will be a reunion.