Bless (Genesis 12:1-3; Matthew 22:34-40)

Listen to this weeks sermon

Genesis 12​
​The Call of Abram
1The Lordhad said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

​Matthew 22
The Greatest Commandment
34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

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• Big Idea: We can bless our neighbors because Christ has blessed us.
• Context                                                                                                                                  
  • God blessed Abram physically, spiritually, and relationally. Genesis 12:1-3  
  • Where we can get in trouble as followers of Jesus is that we think the promises of the Old Testament apply directly to us.  Luke 12:15                                                                                                          
  • In Christ we are greatly blessed, so that we can bless others.  Ephesians 1:3;  Romans 4:8-9; 1 Peter 4:14   
• God's Kingdom Come                                                                                                                 
  • The amazing thing about Jesus' calling is that it opens our eyes to the reality of his kingdom as we reach out to others.  Mark 10:45
  • What would Christ-centered unity look like in your neighborhood?
• Five Ways to Bless                                                                                                                  
  • So here are five ways to BLESS our neighbors…
    1. Be praying.
    2. listen.
    3. eat.  
    4. serve.
    5. share.                                                                                                                                                 
  •  Try this: Do one of these a day.
• Perceptive                                                                                                                                                 
  • To know how to love our neighbors we must keep our eyes on Jesus.  Matthew 22:34-40                                                                                                                     
  • Making complete disciples is process.
• The Next Step                                                                                      
  • What's one of your favorite things about autumn?
  • What was one of your high points this summer?  How about a low?
  • What's something you hope we talk about concerning Sunday's message?
  • Why is it so easy for Christians to lose sight of our calling to love our neighbors?
  • What can happen when we lose sight of this command?
  • What's a way you've been blessed when you've taken a chance to bless a neighbor?
  • Which one of the five ways to bless our neighbors do you find easiest? Most difficult?
  • Did you try to bless a neighbor this week?  How did that go?
  • What's a specific way you can respond to what we've discussed this week? Pray for one another.