Fusion: week of 7/18

FAMILY THEME: FAITH CHOOSES GODLY CONDUCT

James 3:1 - 4:12

Godly conduct includes controlling our speech, living humbly and

wisely, and submitting to God's will.

✞   Living God's Way Includes Choosing Our Words Carefully

      (James 3:1-12)

      James emphasized the benefits of controlling the tongue

      as well as the destruction it can cause if not controlled.

✞   Living God's Way Includes Being Selfless and Humble

     (James 3:13 - 4:3)

     Godly wisdom involves treating others well, while worldly

     wisdom is characterized by selfishness.

✞   Living God's Way Includes Submitting to God and Rejecting

     Sinful Desires

     (James 4:4-12)

     God will be pleased with us when we make the hard

     choices to humbly submit to Him. We want to please 

     Him more than we want anything else.

Fusion: week of 7/11

 FAMILY THEME: FAITH RESULTS IN ACTION

James 1:22-27 ; 2:14-26

While works do not save us, genuine faith will result in good works.

✞   Genuine Faith Acts on God's Word

      (James 1:22-27)

      Simply hearing the Word of God is not enough. We must give

      evidence of our faith in the way we speak and in the way we

      treat others.

✞   Genuine Faith Produces Good Works

     (James 2:14-26)

     Serving God and others with our actions demonstrates our 

     faith. James pointed to the faithful deeds of Abraham and

     Rahab as examples of people acting on their faith.

Fusion: week of 7/4

FAMILY THEME: FAITH OVERCOMES TRIALS

James 1:1-18

Trials will come, but we can stand firm no matter what we

face, and our faith will grow as a result.

✞   God Can Bring Good from Trials and Difficulties

      (James 1:1-8)

      We can face trials with joy because God uses them

      to develop our perserverance and faith.

✞   Poverty and Wealth Bring Their Own Trials and Temptations

     (James 1:9-11)

     Both the rich and the poor should focus on loving and

     serving God rather than on how much or how little

     they have.

✞   Our Sinful Desires Entice Us to Sin

     (James 1:12-18)

     God is not the source of evil and temptation. We look

     to Him for strength and power to stand firm under

     trials and temptations.

Fusion: week of 6/27

FAMILY THEME: GOD MEETS WITH HIS PEOPLE

Exodus 40:1-38 

God instructed His people on how to build a dwelling for His

presence among them.

✞   God Requires Dedication from Those Who Serve Him

      (Exodus 40:1-15)

      God gave Moses specific instructions for consecrating

      the priests and furnishings of the Tabernacle.

✞   Obedience Pleases God

     (Exodus 40:16-33)

     Moses and a team of skilled workmen followed God's

     instructions for building until the task was completed.

✞   God's Presence is Glorious

     (Exodus 40:34-38)

     Once finished according to His direction, the Tabernacle

     became the dwelling place for God's glory.

Fusion: week of 6/20

FAMILY THEME: GOD IS HOLY

Exodus 15:11 ; Psalm 86:8-10 ; 1 Samuel 2:2 ; Isaiah 6:1-6

God has revealed Himself in creation and in His Word. Though we

cannot fully comprehend Him, we understand that His holiness is

one of His defining attributes - part of what makes God, God.

✞   God is Set Apart From All Others

      (Exodus 15:11 ; Psalm 86:8-10)

      God is unique; He is separate and distinct from everything

      else. He alone is worthy of worship.

✞   God is Pure and Completely Without Sin

     (1 Samuel 2:2-3 ; Isaiah 6:1-6)

     God's omniscience, purity, and flawless wisdom determine

     that He always does what is right. Our conduct and our

     worship should reflect the holiness of God.

Fusion: week of 6/13

FAMILY THEME: GOD ALONE DESERVES OUR WORSHIP

Exodus 32:1-35

When Moses was delayed and did not return from the mountain as

they expected, the people panicked. Even Aaron, their highest priest,

gave in to their demands for an idol.

✞   Idolatry Damages Our Relationship With God

      (Exodus 32:1-14)

      To say that God was displeased might be an understatement!

      The idolatry of God's people was an affront to Him and worthy

      of severe punishment.

✞   Idolatry Leads to Judgment

     (Exodus 32:15-35)

     Neither God, Moses, nor Aaron minimized the sin of the

     Israelites. Their idol worship deserved punishment. They

     suffered the execution of 3000 kinsmen and a plague. But

     even in judgment, God was merciful.

Fusion: week of 6/6

FAMILY THEME: GOD REQUIRES HOLY LIVING

Exodus 20:1-21

In the Ten Commandments God gave us instructions on the way

to promote a good relationship with Him and with others. These

foundational principles are the basis for law and order, government,

families, and personal peace.

✞   God's Commands Show Us How to Love and Respect God

     (Exodus 20:1-11)

     The first four commandments point us to the character of

     God and help us worship Him appropriately.

✞   God's Commands Show Us How to Love and Respect People

     (Exodus 20:12-17)

     The next six commandments (the second table of the Law)

     give us basic principles for our relationships with others, 

     both in our actions and our attitudes.

✞   Reverence for God Helps Keep Us from Sin

     (Exodus 20:18-21)

     God is concerned with our hearts, not merely with our 

     actions. Our motive for obedience is our deep love and

     respect for God.