Fusion: week of 4/28

FAMILY THEME: SEEKING THE SAVIOR

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus was a wee little man whose life was profoundly changed

when he met Jesus.

1.  The Spirit Draws All Kinds of People to Jesus

     (Luke 19:1-4)

     Zacchaeus would not have been a likely candidate to need

     or to want anything from Jesus, but the Spirit was at work.

 
2.  Jesus Responds to Those Who Seek Him

     (Luke 19:4-7)

     Jesus stopped at the tree where Zacchaeus was and

     invited Himself over to his home.

 
3.  Meeting Jesus Changes People's Lives

     (Luke 19:8-10)

     Jesus came to seek and save sinners, even sinners

     like Zacchaeus.

Fusion: week of 4/21

FAMILY THEME: FROM DEATH TO LIFE

Luke 23:26-46 ; 24:1-12

The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important 

events in human history.

1.  The Sinless Savior Paid the Penalty for Our Sins on the Cross

     (Luke 23:26-43)

     Jesus had experienced so much pain, blood loss, and 

     exhaustion that He couldn't carry His cross all the way

     to the place of crucifixion. He was nailed to a cross

     between two thieves, but even then He offered forgive-

     ness to others.

 
2.  Christ's Work on the Cross Removed the Sin Barrier That

     Separated Us From God

     (Luke 23:44-46)

     Everything that happened at Jesus' death demonstrated

     "it was finished".

 
3.  Jesus Conquered Death Just as He Said He Would

     (Luke 24:1-12)

     The women returned to the tomb to anoint Jesus'

     body for burial but found a surprise.

Fusion: week of 4/14

FAMILY THEME: SEEKING THE LOST

Luke 15:1-32

The religious leaders could not figure out why Jesus would be

willing to receive sinners. Jesus told a series of parables to

help them understand.

1.  The Lost Are Precious in God's Sight

     (Luke 15:1-10)

     While all sheep were important, the shepherd's priority

     was to rescue the one that was lost.

 
2.  The Lost Find Themselves Empty and Broken

     (Luke 15:11-19)

     While the world gives the lost some sinful pleasure, it

     takes far more than it gives.

 
3.  God Longs for Sinners to Repent and Come to Him

     (Luke 15:20-32)

     The father rejoiced to see his son come home.

Fusion: week of 4/7

FAMILY THEME: LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR

Luke 10:25-37

Christians are to love their neighbors, but who is our neighbor?

Jesus answers this in today's lesson.

1.  God Expects Us to Love Our Neighbors

     (Luke 10:25-28)

     While loving God is obvious, loving others is just as

     foundational in being a Christian.

 
2.  Our Neighbor is Anyone We Come in Contact With

     (Luke 10:29-32)

     The religious leaders of the day often looked for

     reasons not to consider someone a neighbor.

 
3.  Loving Our Neighbor is Demonstrated by Actions

     (Luke 10:33-37)

     While the Samaritan felt compassion for the man,

     he went beyond emotions and feelings; he acted

     on his compassion.

Fusion: week of 3/31

FAMILY THEME: THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:14

Is it possible to be "so heavenly minded that we are of no

earthly good"? We are to live with "eternity's values in view".

But know also that what we do now is meaningful and colors

the eternal future of other and ourselves.

1.  Live With Judgment in Mind

     (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

     Life is fresh. Opportunity abounds. Youthful idealism

     and enthusiasm, at the peak of our physical and mental

     energies, is good.

 
2.  Live with Accountability to God in Mind

     (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8)

     The pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness are tempered

     and enhanced by the truth that we are created in God's

     image for a special purpose.

 
3.  Have Proper Reverence for God and Obey His Word

     (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14)

     Solomon's observations and conclusions are trustworthy

     and foundational in constructing a life.

Fusion: week of 3/24

FAMILY THEME: THE VALUE OF WISDOM

Ecclesiastes 9:7-18

Wisdom is one of those abstract terms in our vocabulary

not so easily defined when you try to put it down on paper.

Undoubtedly, wisdom is better understood when we see it

actually applied in real life.

1.  Wisdom Helps Us Enjoy the Blessings God Gives

     (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10)

     Our lives are filled with many good and simple things

     that God gives to every human being for enjoyment.

     These pose no conflict with purpose in life or eternity's

     values from God's point of view.

 
2.  Wisdom Helps Us Recognize the Brevity of Life

     (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12)

     Two inescapable truths temper life and achievement.

     These are: (1) the law of cause and effect many be

     disrupted producing an entirely opposite result, and 

     (2) all good things in this earthly existence must come

     to a temporary end. 

 
3.  Wisdom Can Accomplish Much Good When People

     Are Willing to Heed It

     (Ecclesiastes 9:13-18)

     Even those who are materially poor may possess

     wisdom in great quantities, making them quite 

     wealthy from a biblical point of view.

Fusion: week of 3/17

FAMILY THEME: LIFE'S CONTRADICTIONS

Ecclesiastes 5:8 - 6:12

While there are countless good things God blesses us

with here, only those things connected to Him and His

purpose will last.

1.  The World Strives for Money and Possessions but

     Finds No Satisfaction

     (Ecclesiastes 5:8-17)

     While money and possessions are not inherently

     bad, they will never satisfy our deepest longings.

 
2.  The Ability to Enjoy the Fruits of Our Labor is a

     Gift from God

     (Ecclesiastes 5:18 - 6:2)

     As Christians, we can enjoy our work and its

     fruit because we know they ultimately come

     from God.

 
3.  Constantly Striving for More is Futile

     (Ecclesiastes 6:3-12)

     Striving without God will always leave us

     wanting more.