Resurrection Series Week 3： Part 4

In one paragraph

This was the third installment in a series on what the return of Jesus means for believers. Brian worked through two passages to show that reigning with Jesus and, surprisingly, refereeing angels are part of the assignment waiting for those who endure to the end. He also pushed hard on why keeping that future perspective matters for the ordinary Monday stuff, from squabbles at church to knowing...

Read together

1. Daniel 7:18 holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom and rule forever and ever
2. Daniel 7:21-22 the horn waging war against the saints until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given in favor of the saints
3. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 believers will judge the world and judge angels, used to correct squabbling among the Corinthians
4. James (unspecified verse) the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective
5. Proverbs (unspecified verse) the heart is wicked and deceitful above all things
6. Jeremiah 12:5 if you have raced with men on foot and worn out, how can you compete with horses, called the Wyoming verse
7. Romans 12:2 do not be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
8. John 1 (unspecified verse) in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, used to describe God's word as a plumb line
9. Psalms (unspecified verse) measuring life according to God's standards as a plumb line for right and wrong
10. Psalms (unspecified verse) he sent forth his word and healed them, used in closing prayer for healing
11. 2 Corinthians (unspecified verse) God's power works best in our weakness, referenced during the offering prayer

What was said

• Find one situation this week where you feel outmatched and try the pattern Brian described: tell Jesus you have nothing left, then ask him to act through you and just follow the next small step he gives you.
• If you have been carrying a grievance where you feel wronged, sit with the Daniel 7 passage and ask the Lord whether this is a battle he is asking you to fight or one he is asking you to hand to him.
• The next time a conflict with another believer flares up, pause and ask yourself whether the issue looks different when you hold it next to the picture Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 6 of believers one day judging angels.
• Pick one area of life where you have been avoiding a small, uncomfortable act of obedience and do it this week, treating it the way Brian talked about Jeremiah learning to run with men before God called him to race horses.
• If you have never been baptized as an adult and you felt that nudge during the service, reach out to someone at Tribe this week about the baptism conversation Brian mentioned for the first Sunday of the new year.

Talk about it

1. Brian talked about the idea that our current bodies are suited for our current assignment, and that we will get an upgrade for the assignment that comes with Jesus' return. How does thinking about that future assignment change the way you see what you are doing right now?
2. Paul corrects the Corinthians by zooming them out to the bigger picture of judging the world and even the angels, rather than squabbling over small disputes. When have you found that pulling back to a wider perspective actually changed how you handled a conflict or a grievance?
3. Brian shared a personal story about having opportunities to expose someone who he felt had wronged him, but sensing the Holy Spirit say to let it go and trust God to handle it. How do you personally discern when to stand up for yourself and when to let it go?
4. The Jeremiah verse about racing men versus racing horses came up as a picture of God preparing people for bigger things by being faithful in smaller ones. Where in your life right now does it feel like you are still running against men, and where do you sense God might be moving you toward horses?
5. Brian used the tent poles as an image for the return of Jesus giving shape and structure to the rest of his faith. What functions as that kind of structural anchor in your own walk with God, and what would it look like for the return of Jesus to fill that role more fully?