Fusion: week of 12/28

FAMILY THEME: CORRUPTION

ROTTEN TO THE CORE

1 Kings 16:29-33; 21:1-26

The kings of Israel continue their drift away from God.

1.  Corrupt Influences Can Lead Us Away From God

     (1 Kings 16:29-33)

     Ahab was already rebelling against God when he took

     a pagan wife.

 
2.  Corrupt Leaders Abuse Power and Oppress the Weak

     (1 Kings 21:1-16)

     Jezebel used her influence to have an innocent man

     murdered.

 
3.  Corrupt Actions Cannot be Hidden from God

     (1 Kings 21:17-26)

     It only appeared as though Jezebel and Ahab got away

     with their sin.

Fusion: week of 12/21

FAMILY THEME: THE PROMISE

JUST AS PROMISED

II Kings 16:1-5; Isaiah 7:1-14; Matthew 1:18-25

God promised and delivered a Savior.

1.  Human Wickedness Cannot Stop God's Promise

     (II Kings 16:1-5)

     Man's wickedness does not hinder God's ability to

     keep His promises and fulfill His purposes.

 
2.  Human Doubt Cannot Stop God's Promise

     (Isaiah 7:1-14)

     Isaiah tells us more of Ahaz's story. Incredibly, as

     enemy troops waited just outside of Jerusalem, God

     gave this unbelieving king one of the most beloved

     prophecies of all.

 
3.  Jesus is the Promised Savior

     (Matthew 1:18-25)

     Isaiah's prophecies were ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Fusion: week of 12/14

FAMILY THEME: IDOLATRY

MISDIRECTED WORSHIP

1 Kings 12:25-33; 13:33 - 14:20

King Jeroboam leads the people into idolatry.

1.  Selfishness is at the Heart of Idolatry

     (1 Kings 12:25-33)

     Jeroboam's sole concern was protecting his

     position of power.

 
2.  Refusing to Repent Makes Things Worse

     (1 Kings 13:33-34)

     Jeroboam's refusal to repent caused more

     (and ultimate) destruction for his house.

 
3.  Idolotry Can Have Far-Reaching Effects

     (1 Kings 14:1-20)

     As with all sin, the consequences of idolatry

     often affect many.

Fusion: week of 12/7

FAMILY THEME: PRIDE

PRIDE AND CONSEQUENCES

1 Kings 12:1-24; 14:21-31

Rehoboam learns the price of pride.

1.  Pride Leads to Foolish Decisions

     (1 Kings 12:1-15)

     Pride led Rehoboam to foolishly follow the young men's

     counsel, resulting in a divided kingdom.

 
2.  Pride Can Blind Us to God's Greater Plan

     (1 Kings 12:15-24)

     Rehoboam's pride led to the political equivalent of a

     divorce.

 
3.  Prideful Decisions Have Big Consequences

     (1 Kings 14:21-31)

     Rehoboam's pride negatively affected his leadership,

     and his leadership affected the entire nation.

Upcoming Activities

The Christmas tree is up for us to bring in winter things like gloves, hats, scarves & blankets for the homeless. Let's be a blessing! Check out the Dollar Tree for these items!

Dec 5th Ladies Tea-- Get your tickets now $10.

Dec 6th Bedlam Game in the gym

Dec 7th PM shower for Chris & Heather Lyliston

Dec 12 & 13 Dinner & 4 Tickets to Christmas $10.

Dec ? (prob 14th) Christmas Caroling

Jan - cruise--there is still time to book!

Oh, wait....not the right image...

Maybe not THIS particular one...

Just get ready to have the time of your life!!

Fusion: week of 11/30

FAMILY THEME: BROTHERLY LOVE

LOVE YOU LIKE A BROTHER

Philemon 1:1-25

Paul provides an example of brotherly love.

1.  Brotherly Love is Mutual Encouragement

     (Philemon 1:1-7)

     Paul greatly appreciated the encouragement he received

     from others and ecouraged others at every opportunity.

 
2.  Brotherly Love is Forgiveness and Acceptance

     (Philemon 1:8-16) 

     Paul wanted Philemon to forgive and accept Onesimus

     in spite of his past offenses.

 
3.  Brotherly Love Assumes the Risk

     (Philemon 1:17-25)

     Paul assured Philemon that he would make restitution

     for whatever losses that were suffered from Onesimus'

     past actions

Fusion: week of 11/23

FAMILY THEME: ALIVE WITH CHRIST

WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

Colossians  2:6 - 3:4

Paul teaches what it means to be alive with Christ.

1.  Believers Preach the Supremacy of Christ

     (Colossians 2:6-15)

     Our message is neither human tradition nor the basic

     principles of this world.

 
2.  Believers Refuse to Submit to Man-Made Religion

     and Philosophy

     (Colossians 2:16-23) 

     Man-made rules and regulations may appear wise but

     they lead one away from Christ.

 
3.  Believers Set Their Minds on Higher Things

     (Colossians 3:1-4)

     Since Jesus rose from the dead, believers focus on

     things above and not the temporary things of our earth.

Fusion: week of 11/10

FAMILY THEME: SUPREMACY OF CHRIST

NO ONE LIKE HIM

Colossians  1:9-29

Paul teaches about the preeminence of Christ.

1.  We Serve Jesus as Our King

     (Colossians 1:9-14)

     Those who believe in Jesus have been transferred

     from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of Christ.

 
2.  We Worship Jesus as Our Creator

     (Colossians 1:15-18) 

     The way Paul described Christ demonstrated His

     supremacy as our God.

 
3.  We Proclaim Jesus as Humanity's Means of Reconciliation

     (Colossians 1:19-29)

     The Colossians were once alienated from God, but

     Christ's death reconciled them to Him.

Fusion: week of 11/9

FAMILY THEME: CONTENTMENT

THE SECRETS OF CONTENTMENT

Phillipians  4:4-20

Paul teaches us the keys to contentment

1.  Contentment Comes From How We Pray 

     and How We Think

     (Phillipians 4:4-8)

     Praying and thinking are the basis for 

     peace and contentment.

 
2.  Contentment Does Not Depend on

     Our Circumstances

     (Phillipians 4:9-13) 

     Paul found contentment no matter his

     circumstances.

 
3.  Contentment Exists When Christians

     Share and Encourage

     (Phillipians 4:14-20)

     When we give and receive from each other,

     it is not likely that we will want for anything.

Fusion: week of 11/2

FAMILY THEME: CHRISTLIKENESS

NOTHING ELSE REALLY MATTERS

Phillipians  3:1-21

Paul explains what it is to live like Jesus.

1.  Place No Confidence in the Flesh

     (Phillipians 3:1-7)

     Paul refused to put his trust in works of the flesh

     and considered these seemingly impeccable

     credentials as worthless.

 
2.  Knowing Christ is Worth the Cost

     (Phillipians 3:8-11) 

     Paul was eager to trade all his religious 

     "accomplishments" for the joy of an intimate

     relationship with Christ.

 
3.  It's Never Time to Stop Growing

     (Phillipians 3:12-21)

     Paul recognized he had not reached the limit

     of his spiritual growth and called for the 

     Phillipians to follow him as he pursued Christ

     with all his strength.

Fusion: week of 10/26

FAMILY THEME: HUMILITY

TAKING OUR PROPER PLACE

Phillipians  1:1 - 2:11

Paul teaches us about humility

1.  Humility is Putting Jesus First

     (Phillipians 1:12-26)

     While uncertain as to whether he would live or die,

     Paul's desire was that Christ would be honored.

 
2.  Humility is Regarding Others Highly

     (Phillipians 1:27 - 2:4) 

     Paul wanted the Phillipians to stand firm in one

     spirit but he knew that meant they must regard

     others more highly than themselves.

 
3.  Humility is Following Christ's Example

     (Phillipians 2:5-11)

     Christ is our example in that He (in some sense)

     set part of His divine privilege to become like us.

Fusion: week of 10/19

FAMILY THEME: ARMOR OF GOD

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

Ephesians 6:10-20

Paul teaches us what we must do to prepare for spiritual

battles.

1.  We Battle Satanic Forces, Not Other Believers

     (Ephesians 6:10-12)

    Our battle is against Satan and his demons.

 
2.  We Must Fight Satan With God's Weapons

     (Ephesians 6:13-17) 

     Paul used military terminology that gave his audience

     a clear illustration of how spiritual warfare works.

 
3.  We Should Support Each Other With Prayer

     (Ephesians 6:18-20)

     Prayer is not an afterthought or something we do when

     nothing else works. Prayer is the primary source of 

     strength in the believer's battle with the evil one.

Party Time!

It's a Pirate Party!

Saturday, October 25th

Be there or walk the plank!

Fusion: week of 10/12

FAMILY THEME: SUBMISSION TO THE SPIRIT

GIVING UP CONTROL

Ephesians 5:15 - 6:4

Paul explains what a life of submission looks like.

1.  Submission is Part of Walking in Wisdom

     (Ephesians 5:15-21)

     Submission is a willingness to serve each other.

 
2.  Christ is the Model for Both Husbands and Wives

     (Ephesians 5:22-33) 

     Submission has nothing to do with inequality, but

     instead is a military term that simply meant to line

     up in order.

 
3.  Children Submit While Parents Lead

     (Ephesians 6:1-4)

     While children are to submit, it is the parents' role

     to lead and instruct them in the things of God.

Fusion: week of 10/5

FAMILY THEME: SPIRITUAL MATURITY

GROWING UP, NOT JUST OLDER

Ephesians 4:1-32

Paul explains what it means to be a spiritually mature 

Christian.

1.  Spiritual Maturity Maintains Church Unity

     (Ephesians 4:1-16)

     Christian unity is based on all that we have in 

     common through Christ.

 
2.  Our Behavior Differentiates Us From Unbelievers

     (Ephesians 4:17-24) 

     Believers should live radically different lives from

     unbelievers.

 
3.  Christian Living is Avoiding Wrong and Doing Right

     (Ephesians 4:25-32)

     Biblically, it is not enough to avoid evil. We must

     replace it with good.

Fusion: week of 9/28

FAMILY THEME: RECONCILIATION

RECONCILED WITH GOD AND MAN

Ephesians 2:1-22

Paul explains the power and importance of grace.

1.  Our Depravity Separates Us From God

     (Ephesians 2:1-3)

     The spiritual state of those without Christ is dark.

 
2.  God's Grace Provides Reconciliation for Us

     (Ephesians 2:4-10) 

     Salvation is by grace through faith, not as a result of

     man's works.

 
3.  Jesus Brings Jews and Gentiles Into One Household

     (Ephesians 2:11-22)

     Jews and Gentiles were intended to be one unified

     body as a result of Christ's redemptive death.

Fusion: week of 9/21

FAMILY THEME: ADOPTION

ADOPTED BY BLOOD

Ephesians 1:3 - 23

Paul explains that salvation involves our adoption as children of God.

1.  Our Adoption is Initiated by God

     (Ephesians 1:3-12)

     God wholly and entirely initiates the plan for our salvation and 

     spiritual adoption.

 
2.  We Join God's Family by Hearing the Truth and Responding in Faith

     (Ephesians 1:13-14) 

     While God initiates our adoption, our inclusion still requires a

     response on our part.

 
3.  We Must Grow Deeper in our Understanding of Salvation

     (Ephesians 1:15-23)

     Being adopted is the beginning of what should be an ever-deepening

     understanding of our inheritance in Christ.

Fusion: week of 9/14

FAMILY THEME: HOPE

NOT SO SMOOTH SAILING

Acts 27 - 28

Paul was finally going to Rome, but not as a tourist or even an

evangelist. He went to Rome as a prisoner. But that was only

one of the difficulties he encountered on the trip.

1.  We Can Trust God's Promises and Plans, Even in Detours

     (Acts 27:1-32)

     Paul had been imprisoned, beaten, chained, and shipwrecked

     but never abandoned.

 
2.  We Can Thank God for Provision and Protection, Even in Disasters

     (Acts 27:33-44) 

     God clearly fulfilled His promise to spare the lives of everyone

     aboard the vessel.

 
3.  We Can Find Strength in Community, Even in a Strange Land

     (Acts 28:1-16)

     Paul drew strength and encouragement from the fellowship of

     believers.

Fusion: week of 9/7

FAMILY THEME: COURAGE

LIVING ON THE EDGE

Acts 21 - 23

Paul set an example of courageous faithfulness to Jesus.

1.  Courage is Obeying God Over Your Friends

     (Acts 21:1-16)

     God's will was far more important to Paul than safety

     or security.

 
2.  Courage is Telling Your Story, Even When It's Not Appreciated

     (Acts 21:27 - 22:29) 

     Paul never missed an opportunity to tell people how

     Jesus had changed his life.

 
3.  Courage is Taking Wise Action, While Trusting God's Plan

     (Acts 22:30 - 23:11)

     Paul trusted God but still acted wisely in his dealings with others.

Fusion: week of 8/31

FAMILY THEME: STEWARDSHIP

BLESSED TO GIVE

II Corinthians 8 - 9

Paul used the occasion of a special offering being gathered

for the persecuted Judean believers to teach the Corinthians

the importance of generosity.

1.  Giving is an Act of Grace from Start to Finish

     (II Corinthians 8:1-15)

     God shows grace to us, enabling us to give generously.

 
2.  Good Stewardship Pays Attention to the Details

     (II Corinthians 8:16 - 9:5) 

     Paul ensured there was accountability in handling the gifts. 

 
3.  Giving Requires Us to Trust in God's Provision

     (II Corinthians 9:6-15)

     Giving should cost us something because we must trust

     God to take care of us.