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OneLife Church
Christian Worldview: Part 5 - Whatever Works
Locations & Times
Ball Road Campus
7421 Ball Rd, Knoxville, TN 37931, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
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The Bible teaches us to give the first 10% of our income to the "storehouse." God says we can test Him by doing this and watching Him take care of us in return. This may sound like a stretch to you! Just take a step toward toward that goal. If you currently give nothing, start giving something. If you give something, try increasing it a step toward the 10% goal. Trust God! Give Him your first before anything else by setting up a recurring, automated donation online. You will then receive quarterly updates about how your giving is making a difference and how your donations are being used.
http://www.onelifeknox.com/givePragmatism: belief that the value of an idea is determined by whether it works rather than whether it is true.
Evaluates actions by results instead of principles.
If it gets the outcome I want, it must be the right thing to do.
Evaluates actions by results instead of principles.
If it gets the outcome I want, it must be the right thing to do.
The Lie of Pragmatism:
Do whatever works for you.
The Bottom Line Truth:
When success becomes my standard, obedience becomes optional.
Do whatever works for you.
The Bottom Line Truth:
When success becomes my standard, obedience becomes optional.
1. Pragmatism edits God’s commands when they don’t seem practical.
2. Pragmatism confuses success with God’s approval.
3. Pragmatism makes me the authority instead of God.
The Christian Worldview Alternative: Trust over results.
1. Ask a better question: Not will this work but will this honor God?
2. Measure faithfulness before fruitfulness.
3. Trust God’s long-term wisdom over short-term success.
START TALKING:
When have you taken a short cut or the easy way to do something because it seemed to work at first, only to find out it didn't work out in the end?
When have you seen someone make a terrible decision to get the result they wanted, ignoring all that seemed right or to really make sense?
When have you taken a short cut or the easy way to do something because it seemed to work at first, only to find out it didn't work out in the end?
When have you seen someone make a terrible decision to get the result they wanted, ignoring all that seemed right or to really make sense?
START THINKING:
Read 1 Samuel 15:2-3. This is a tough passage! However, now read Exodus 17:8–16 and Deuteronomy 25:17–19. These were 400 and 350 years before 1 Samuel 15. What do you read about the Amalekites that make it clear judgement was necessary?
Now read this list of verses: Exodus 34:6–7, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 103:8 and Joel 2:13. These are just a few of the verses that address this aspect of God's character. How is this actually what is seen in the story of the Amalekites when looking over the entire course of history?
Read 1 Samuel 15:13-21. What excuses are made by Saul throughout this passage? Where do you see him justifying his decisions by what he thought was worth the most and deciding for himself what was considered success?
Read 1 Samuel 15:2-3. This is a tough passage! However, now read Exodus 17:8–16 and Deuteronomy 25:17–19. These were 400 and 350 years before 1 Samuel 15. What do you read about the Amalekites that make it clear judgement was necessary?
Now read this list of verses: Exodus 34:6–7, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 103:8 and Joel 2:13. These are just a few of the verses that address this aspect of God's character. How is this actually what is seen in the story of the Amalekites when looking over the entire course of history?
Read 1 Samuel 15:13-21. What excuses are made by Saul throughout this passage? Where do you see him justifying his decisions by what he thought was worth the most and deciding for himself what was considered success?
START SHARING:
What are some of God's commands that most easily get edited because they don't seem practical? What are some that even produce results or success at face value if we don't do exactly what God says to do?
Read Matthew 7:21-23. How is this an example of confusing apparent success with God's approval? What are ways that you have struggled with what might look like success and assuming that it meant you had God's approval?
When a desired outcome determines if I do or keep doing something opposed to God's plan, how does it make me the lord of my own life? Who is determining "success" at that point? With that in mind, when have you had to give up apparent success or results and maybe even experienced short-term pain to trust God's long-term wisdom?
What are some of God's commands that most easily get edited because they don't seem practical? What are some that even produce results or success at face value if we don't do exactly what God says to do?
Read Matthew 7:21-23. How is this an example of confusing apparent success with God's approval? What are ways that you have struggled with what might look like success and assuming that it meant you had God's approval?
When a desired outcome determines if I do or keep doing something opposed to God's plan, how does it make me the lord of my own life? Who is determining "success" at that point? With that in mind, when have you had to give up apparent success or results and maybe even experienced short-term pain to trust God's long-term wisdom?
START DOING:
Discuss how you can do each of the following this week to begin looking through the biblical lens rather than the lens of pragmatism. Share something that you believe the Spirit has brought to your mind, a specific situation, circumstance, or decision that you are facing, and share how you will use these three steps with that this week:
THE ALTERNATIVE: TRUST OVER RESULTS
1. Ask a different question: Not will this work but will this honor God?
2. Measure faithfulness before fruitfulness.
3. Trust God’s long-term wisdom over short-term success.
Who is your "one" that you are intentionally investing in, building trust with, looking for opportunities to share your faith story with, and inviting to experience Jesus with you? How will adopting the Christian worldview over the worldview of pragmatism help you to live on mission?
Discuss how you can do each of the following this week to begin looking through the biblical lens rather than the lens of pragmatism. Share something that you believe the Spirit has brought to your mind, a specific situation, circumstance, or decision that you are facing, and share how you will use these three steps with that this week:
THE ALTERNATIVE: TRUST OVER RESULTS
1. Ask a different question: Not will this work but will this honor God?
2. Measure faithfulness before fruitfulness.
3. Trust God’s long-term wisdom over short-term success.
Who is your "one" that you are intentionally investing in, building trust with, looking for opportunities to share your faith story with, and inviting to experience Jesus with you? How will adopting the Christian worldview over the worldview of pragmatism help you to live on mission?
START PRAYING:
Pray for each. person in the microchurch and what they shared in the last section. Pray that each of us follow the example of Jesus, who could have looked through the lens of pragmatism and seen that the cross would not bring much success or great results for him. But he trusted his Father, endured pain, and now offers eternity as the better result. Pray that each of us would trust the Father in the same way, and be an example to those around us more than absorbing the world's ways of seeing life.
Pray for each. person in the microchurch and what they shared in the last section. Pray that each of us follow the example of Jesus, who could have looked through the lens of pragmatism and seen that the cross would not bring much success or great results for him. But he trusted his Father, endured pain, and now offers eternity as the better result. Pray that each of us would trust the Father in the same way, and be an example to those around us more than absorbing the world's ways of seeing life.
We want your experience with Jesus and this community of faith called OneLife to be so much more than an hour on Sundays
Take a Next Step!
Don't just attend church for an hour a week. Take a step! What step should you take?
1. Follow Jesus! If you have followed Jesus...
2. Get baptized! If you are following Jesus, then that's all you need to be "ready" to take this step.
3. Volunteer! Don't simply be a consumer, but be part of making a difference in the lives of those who come to OneLife to experience Jesus. There are weekday and Sunday opportunities. Get info about what opportunities there are for you!
4. Join a micro church! You can't have true community sitting in rows with a large crowd. That's not the church - it's an event! Micro churches are small "churches" of 10-12 adults that meet in homes throughout the week to learn together, pray together, serve the community together, and care for each other together.
Get more information about any of the above, send us your prayer requests so we can pray with you, or ask any question we can help you with by filling out the online connection card!
http://www.onelifeknox.com/connect1. Follow Jesus! If you have followed Jesus...
2. Get baptized! If you are following Jesus, then that's all you need to be "ready" to take this step.
3. Volunteer! Don't simply be a consumer, but be part of making a difference in the lives of those who come to OneLife to experience Jesus. There are weekday and Sunday opportunities. Get info about what opportunities there are for you!
4. Join a micro church! You can't have true community sitting in rows with a large crowd. That's not the church - it's an event! Micro churches are small "churches" of 10-12 adults that meet in homes throughout the week to learn together, pray together, serve the community together, and care for each other together.
Get more information about any of the above, send us your prayer requests so we can pray with you, or ask any question we can help you with by filling out the online connection card!