Fusion: week of 3/26

FAMILY THEME: COVENANT FAITH

Joshua 24:1-28

God provided for and fought for His people. In response, Joshua led the

people to make a covenant with God to serve and obey Him only.

1.  Reflect on God's Goodness in Your Life

     (Joshua 24:1-13)

     Joshua recounted to the people God's provision and protection

     throughout their history.

 
2.  Choose to Dedicate Your Life to God in Response to His Goodness

     (Joshua 24:14-18)

     The response of the people to God's goodness was a commitment

     to serve and obey Him alone and forsake other gods.

 
3.  Take Your Commitment to God Seriously, Worshiping and Serving

      Only Him

     (Joshua 24:19-28)

     Joshua reinforced to the Israelites that following God would require

     full and complete devotion to Him.

Fusion: week of 3/19

FAMILY THEME: MIRACULOUS FAITH

Joshua 10:1-27

With God's miraculous power the Israelites were able to defeat the five kings

and their armies in a single battle.

1.  We Will Sometimes Face Overwhelming Odds

     (Joshua 10:1-6)

     Having heard of Israel's victories, the king of Jerusalem formed

     an alliance to attack Israel's ally Gibeon.

 
2.  God Provides What is Needed for Victory

     (Joshua 10:7-15)

     The Lord settled Joshua's fears and let him know that He would

     provide the victory.

 
3.  We Can Be Strong and Courageous, Depending on God's Power

     to Do His Will

     (Joshua 10:16-27)

     The Lord allowed Joshua and his men to totally defeat their enemies,

     proving He could be trusted to provide victory no matter the challenge.

Fusion: week of 3/12

FAMILY THEME: OBEDIENT FAITH

Joshua 6:1-27

God provided the Israelites an unusual battle plan that required them to trust

Him for an incredible victory over Jericho.

1.  Go to God and His Word for Instruction

     (Joshua 6:1-5)

     God promised victory over the fortifications of Jericho if the Israelites

     would follow His instructions.

 
2.  God Gives Victory When We Follow His Word

     (Joshua 6:6-21)

     After they did exactly what He commanded them to do, God allowed

     the Israelites to take the seemingly impregnable city of Jericho.

 
3.  God Keeps His Promises, and So Should We

     (Joshua 6:22-27)

     God kept His promise to grant victory over the Israelites, and the

     Israelites kept their promist to save Rahab and her family because

     of her faith.

Fusion: week of 3/5

FAMILY THEME: ACTING IN FAITH

Joshua 2:1-24

Because of her faith in the God of Israel, Rahab hid the Israelite spies.

1.  Rahab's Faith Caused Her to Protect the Spies

     (Joshua 2:1-7)

     The two spies Joshua sent to gather intelligence about Jericho found

     refuge in the house of a prostitute named Rahab.

 
2.  Rahab's Faith Caused Her to Seek Protection for Herself and Her Family

     (Joshua 2:8-14)

     Rahab had heard of Israel and their God and asked in faith that her 

     family be spared.

 
3.  Rahab's Faith Led Her to Follow the Directions Given to Her

     (Joshua 2:15-24)

     The spies departed in secret, leaving Rahab with specific instructions

      to avoid being destroyed with the rest of Jericho.

Fusion: week of 2/26

FAMILY THEME: THE LAW OF LOVE

1 John 4:7  -  5:5

Love for other believers is a vital sign that proves we have been born of God.

1.  Love is the Evidence That We Know God, and the Motivation for

     Living Obediently

     (1 John 4:7-8;  Matthew 22:34-40;  Romans 13:8-10)

     Love is a critical test that reveals whether or not you really know God.

 
2.  God Demonstrated Real Love When He Gave His Son's Life for Us

     (1 John 4:9-10;  16b-18;  John 3:16)

    Jesus' death on the cross is the greatest demonstration of love.

 
3.  God's Divine Love Prompts Us to Love Others

     (1 John 4:11-12;  19-21;  5:1-5)

     God's love for us creates in us a love for others.

Fusion: week of 2/19

FAMILY THEME: GRACE-BASED RELATIONSHIPS

Romans 14:1-23

The salvation that comes through faith in Jesus revolutionizes our

relationships with others.

1.  Accept and Live in Harmony with Others No Matter Where They are

     on Their Journey of Faith

     (Romans 14:1-4)

     We are to accept others even when they disagree with us over

     secondary issues.

 
2.  We Are Part of an Interdependent Community Under the Lordship

     of Christ

     (Romans 14:5-9)

     Living under the Lordship of Christ allows for a graceful

     acceptance of differences.

 
3.  We are to Focus on Our Own Relationship with God and Leave

     Leave Judgment to Him

     (Romans 14:10-12)

     We must remember that God is the judge, not us.

4.  Be Careful Not to Harm Others as You Live in Freedom and Grace

     (Romans 14:13-23)

     It is wrong to exercise your liberty in a way that causes another 

     Christian to sin.

Fusion: week of 2/12

FAMILY THEME: FREEDOM FROM GUILT

Psalm 103:1-14

This psalm explains why believers should be eager to worship the Lord.

1.  Forgiveness Leads to Joy and Worship

     (Psalm 103:1-5;  Nehemiah 8:9-12)

     The forgiveness that God offers is meant to replace the pain of our

     fallen state with the satisfaction of a renewed state of being.

 
2.  Forgiveness is Based on God's Character, Not Ours

     (Psalm 103:6-10;  Exodus 34:1-10)

     All God does flows from His unchanging character. Forgiveness is

     about Who God is, not who we are.

 
3.  God Forgives Us in Spite of Our Weakness

     (Psalm 103:11-14;  Romans 5:6-11;  Hebrews 4:14-16)

     As a parent's concern for his child transcends that child's behavior,

     so does our Lord's care for us go beyond our actions.