ON THE FLIP SIDE | 4 WEEKS ON JUSTICE + GOD’S DESIGN
SERIES OVERVIEW (DOWNLOAD OVERVIEW)
Jesus isn’t known for telling people what they wanted to hear. Jesus’ message was unlike any message people had ever heard before. He didn’t give shallow motivational speeches or feel-good sermons. He didn’t recycle the same messages other religious leaders were teaching. He flipped people’s ideas about God, the world, and themselves completely upside down — usually in uncomfortable ways. God created the world and each of us with intentional and wonderful design. When our perspectives are flipped to see as God sees we can chase after God’s best for our lives. In this four-week series, we’ll compare Jesus’ words in the Gospels with the words of the Old Testament prophets to see how God’s words have always challenged our understanding of what’s wrong or right, good or bad, and just or unjust. We’ll talk about how, both then and now, God flips our assumptions about who God values, our definition of righteousness, our understanding of what’s good enough, and our definition of justice.
SERIES MEMORY VERSE
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3
WEEK 1 – October 1
This week we’ll see how both Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the prophet Micah challenge us to value people the world often overlooks.
BIG IDEA: Jesus flipped our assumptions about who God values.
Secondary: God values people the world often overlooks.
BIBLE: Matthew 5:1-12; Micah 6:8; Psalm 139:13-14
WEEK 2 – October 8
This week we’ll see how both the prophet Isaiah and Jesus call us to focus on loving others instead of just ourselves.
BIG IDEA: God flips our definition of righteousness.
DEFINITION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: 1) Loving God well 2) Loving others well
BIBLE: Isaiah 58:1-9; Matthew 22:36-40; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
WEEK 3 – October 15
This week we’ll see how Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the apostle Paul invite us to go above and beyond for God and others.
BIG IDEA: Jesus flipped our understanding of what’s good enough.
Secondary: God wants our hearts.
BIBLE: Matthew 5:38-48; Ephesians 2:4-7; Colossians 3:12-13
GOSPEL INVITATION + RESPONSE WEEK
*A DISCLAIMER ABOUT ABUSE included in Teaching Guide
WEEK 4 – October 22
This week we’ll see how both the Old and New Testaments reveal God as a God of justice — but justice that desires to restore, rather than condemn.
BIG IDEA: God flips our definition of justice.
DEFINITION OF JUSTICE: Making wrong things right.
BIBLE: Psalm 99:1-9; Zechariah 7:9; Romans 5:6-11, 12 :19 -21
*GIVE SOME EXTRA TIME FOR INTERACTIVE AT END
In November we will start a new series.
Devotionals
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