Dear 101,

Big weekend coming up:) My heart is really encouraged to see so many of you participating in our Crossroads Volleyball tourney as we seek to support our wonderful missionaries and enjoy the company of one another. Thank you:)

This Friday we will meet up for Galatians 3:1-5 but we will end early so you can all rest up for the full day Saturday.

Also, as most of you heard last Friday, we will be providing free housing and food for the Resolved conference the whole time but we need you to let me or Alex Yee know if you plan to be staying at the luxurious home we have for you or if you’re even thinking about it. The deadline is April 30th so please let us know by then. This will help us secure the right house with the right number of occupancy (those of you who talked to me already please email me or Alex again). Thanks.

Here are this week’s study questions:

1) Do you think Paul is upset in verses 1-5? Why do you think that? Why is he so upset?
2) Notice anything interesting in verses 2 and 3?
3) Do you think the Galatians misunderstood the gospel when it was first preached to them?

Hope to see you all Friday!!!

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

Just a few more announcements fyi:

1) No 101 this Friday.
2) Good Friday Service this Friday. Service starts at 7:30pm at Grace Church. We’ll meet after (meet there) at Norm’s for a late dinner/dessert/fellowship (address: 13640 Sherman Way; cross-street Woodman).
3) Crossroads Volleyball Tourney. This all about supporting our missionaries abroad indirectly by supporting our STMers directly. All proceeds go to the STMers. There will also be a gospel presentation so please bring your unbelieving friends who can participate for free. The cost is $100 dollars that can be contributed on your own or through donors. We will be in the non-competitive league so it really doesn’t matter if you can play or not. Lastly, we need sisters to sign up. Please sign up:)
4) Memorize Isaiah 52:13-53:12. Our Pastor exhorted us last Sunday to memorize this portion of Scripture. Wouldn’t be wonderful if we all memorized this passage together??!!

Have a good rest of the week. Hope to see all of you at the Good Friday Service!!

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

Sorry these questions are late. Tomorrow we will be studying Galatians 2:2:15-21 which is really the mountainpeak of Galatians, the main theme of this letter. You really don’t want to miss this part.

Here are the questions if we want to get your feet weet:

1. What does it mean to be "justified"?
2. What were "the works of the Law" that Jews were trusting in?
3. How does one become "justified"? Also, can you give a Biblical example?
4. What is the theme of verses 15-21?
5. Is it our faith in Christ that saves us? Or is it Christ righteous life that saves us?

See you all tomorrow.

George
"to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Eph. 3:21)

When God is Irrelevant by Ed Welch

Sometimes the Creator God, Father of all, from whom we receive all things that are good—becomes irrelevant to us.

When I was in high school I told my parents very little about my dating relationships, though they probably knew more than I realized. One evening, after I was dumped by a girl I had been seeing, my disappointment must have been obvious.
My mother was very kind.
“Eddie, we really love you.” She knew something was up.
And at that moment—I had an epiphany. I realized that all the love my mother could muster was irrelevant because I wanted someone else’s love—not hers. I knew parental love was a good thing. But, on that evening and for the next week or two, I didn’t care.
Sometimes, when God says He loves us, we have a similar response. “Well, I guess that it is better that you love me rather than hate me, but right now it doesn’t make any difference to me, because I want ________.”

…someone else’s love
…a job
…respect
…appreciation
…more money

When your desires are more important to you than God, confess them down to size. Some desires are just plain wrong, such as adulterous desires. You don’t confess these down to size; you confess them, turn and run. But most desires have a seed of something good in them. Being loved or appreciated is good. Having a job is good. But when your Father God is irrelevant to you, assume that these good desires have morphed into enslaving giants that must be must be shrunk down to their intended size.
Confession is an essential part of this miniaturization.

“Lord, forgive me. I want more for me. My interests and desires are at the center of the universe. I am undone and unworthy.”

Then a funny thing happens. God’s love begins to make a difference again. It is meaningful, comforting. God’s love was never intended to satisfy desires that have run amok. Instead, His love intends to bring those desires down to size and then fill us to overflowing with his expansive and unlimited blessings.

Amen:)

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

Hope you are all persevering in the Lord this week. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

This Friday we will be doing a little excursus from our Galatians study to get to know Paul a little more. Who is the person that is writing Galatians and how does this help us understand Galatians more? Well, this upcoming 101 will be looking at Philippians 3:1-11 to answer that question. If you have some spare time in the next couple of days, here are a few questions to help you get better acquainted with the text:

1. Where else does Paul discuss the concept of “true circumcision?” What does Paul say concerning this topic?
2. Where are some notable facts regarding the tribe of Benjamin?
3. How is the term “righteousness” used in v. 9?

Also, just a reminder we have a prayer meeting every Friday at 7:15pm at Midori’s in the side room. Please come out and pray. The Lord answers prayer!!

Have a good week!

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

I hope some of you got to enjoy the messages at Shepherd’s Conference and were encouraged. I thank the Lord also for those of you who were able to serve during that time as well. Thank you!!

I have a couple of things to announce:

1) Hospital Outreach: Every month a different Crossroads Bible Study is responsible to hold an outreach service at the USC hospital and this month it’s our turn. Basically, we are responsible for going around the hospital and asking patients if they would be interested in going to our service in the hospitial chapel. After the service, we break up into prayer groups and try to share the gospel with them. If you are interested in going, it will be this Sunday, 3/18 at 2pm-6pm (we meet right in front of the fountain in the main courtyard). Please consider coming and e-mail me if you’re planning on coming.

2) Galatians Study Questions: This Friday, we’ll be going through Galatians 2:11-14 and here are the following discussion questions:

a) Where is Antioch? What other places in Acts do you find Antioch? What was it known for?
b) Why do you think Peter vacillated when the ‘men from James’ came to Antioch?
c) Why was Paul against compelling the Gentiles to live like Jews?
d) How does this incident prove Paul’s indepedence from human authority?

See you all Friday!!

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

Quick correction on my last email. We’ll be going to Norm’s diner after the evening session tomorrow. Please consider coming out. What a great sermon by Al Mohler tonight though. It’s all about Him!

I’ve also included a great little exhortation by our good buddy Ed Welch. Enjoy and be strengthened to fight sin 101!!

“Fighting Sin Hurts”-Ed Welch

Doesn’t it seem good and right to fight against sin in such a way that it physically hurts? To say “no” when everything inside us wants to say “yes”?
And the last time that happened was . . .
Sin takes different forms such as pride, unbelief and lust. It is lust in particular— reckless desire, covetousness, I WANT!—that hurts when taken to task.
Desires that exceed God’s boundaries exist in every human heart. There is always an I WANT! that stalks us. Sex, gluttony, addictions are common ones. Look for anger and you’ll find it. Search your imagination—I WANT is there.
Now imagine saying “no” to these desires in such a way that you would feel something close to actual pain. It hurts but it’s also good. But let’s not stop there.
Imagine something even better. You say “no” and it hurts—then temptation fights back—and you say “no” again. This puts you among the spiritual elite though it is what we expect in the normal Christian life. Jesus went into the desert and said “no” to the tempter in order to demonstrate his messianic credentials and to succeed where we failed. His success grants us new power to fight as, by faith, we are joined to him.
There is a beauty in saying “no” and using those dormant muscles of self-control. And, because it is the Spirit’s power in you, you don’t become a dour ascetic, but discover hints of contentment and satisfaction. These are marks of the Spirit. And with the Spirit’s power, you have undeniable evidence that you belong to your Father. No mere mortal can persevere in a painful battle with renegade desires.

As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” (Acts 24:25)

Righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. We don’t know what pushed Felix over the edge; it might have been the judgment. We do know that Paul placed self-control among the central features of our human dilemma, and he proclaimed a gospel that offered compelling answers. He argued that self-control was a great gift and was now available to us in Jesus. No doubt he would have emphasized self-control if most of us were sitting next to him too.
Anybody hurting?
If so, no wonder Scripture calls you a holy one, beloved and mighty—you are a delight to your Father.
If so, you have made the power of God known to rulers and authorities in heavenly realms—you are a menace to the Devil.
If so, you are blessed. The battle is worth it.
If so, pray that the rest of us would have that same power.
And tell your story.

Just wanted to remind all of you that there will be no 101 this Friday in lieu of the Shepherd’s Conference. Please consider coming out for the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday sessions at 7pm in the Crossroads Gymnasium. It’s a real blessing and encouragement to be a part of so you don’t want to miss out on the excitement. After the Friday session, we’ll meet at the back end of the gym and go to Mel’s Diner for some dessert/late dinner/etc. afterward.

Also, please continue to pray that in the next few days, the Lord would build up His church in mighty ways!!!

Hope to see you all there.

George
“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)

This Friday we will continue with our study of Galatians and will be covering Galatians 2:1-10. Please take a look at the verses and if you have time answer the following questions:

1) Please read Acts 15:1-29 and compare the 2 passages together. Where in Acts 15 do you think the private meeting that happens in Galatians 2:1-6 fits in?

2) What sort of ‘liberty’ is Paul referring to in 1:4?

3) What kind of ‘bondage’ is Paul referring to in 1:4?

4) How is Paul defending himself against the charge of the Judaizers in this passage? By his independence from the apostles or by his dependence on the apostles?

5) How does this passage legitimize the gospel and Paul’s ministry to the Galatians churches?

That’s all folks. Please continue pray for one another and for me too.

Grace and peace to you in the Lord Jesus Christ,

George
"to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Eph. 3:21)