Builders Men’s Ministry for February 22, 2022
Hello, Mt Bethel Men:
Pastor Chris, the men from Builders Men’s Ministry night 1, and I look forward to being with you this Tuesday evening, February 22, 7-8:30pm in the Chapel at Mt Bethel Church. We looked into where men find hope – real hope, living hope. Hope you can join us for the Bible study and discussion (#2 of 9). You will find the passage we’ll study and the questions we will discuss below.
See you there,
Pastor Dave
(If you have time you may want to begin by re-reading last week’s verses and add this week’s for context: (1 Peter1:1-5 was last week’s focus passage.)
Passage: I Peter 1:6-12 — English Standard Version
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Read the article attached below:
Curious Enough to Check It Out?
Recently, Carol and I had the opportunity to visit our #8 (of 9) grandchild, daughter, and son-in-law in the cold northern midwest. This toddler we got to hold …briefly … was curious about almost everything. When he was free to roam, his curiosity led him on explorations of his toys, books, the cats, the steps, and especially the train clock that startled us at the top of every hour with its very loud train sounds including three sharp blasts of a train horn. Every top of the hour when that clock “struck”, he would get big-eyed, reach up to be carried by one of his adult entourage (since that was faster than his walking) and off we’d go to finish listening to the clock’s sound of the train rumbling down the track.
He lives in curious wonder and sleeps long enough to gather his strength, eats enough to give him energy, and off he goes again to explore all the way to the boundaries set up for his safety with which he rarely agrees. My question for us this week is “Are we curious?” I don’t mean are we strange. That’s a topic for another day! I mean what captures your attention and motivates you to look deeper and invest more time?
My guess is that you and I have shared some common topics of interest in our lives. Over the span of our lives we’ve “checked out” our share of people, places, things, and ideas. Early on we were captivated by our mom, dad, siblings, home, foods, outdoors, books, pets, then perhaps by sports, friends, trees, bicycles, games, new food, play, drama, more serious athletics, and maybe even making more money, science, creation, God, the Bible, church, Jesus Himself, Holy Spirit, heaven, hell, mercy, forgiveness, marriage, relationships, parenting, and I could go on. What did I leave off the list that captured your attention and merited your investment of time and resources to check it out?
In my teen and young adult years, girls captured my attention often to the point of displacing my curiousity about God, my faith, my studies, etc. I was so captivated by this creature – so different from myself – that I wanted to know more. After finding the love of my life, Carol, we married, and she continues to hold a position of high priority as my wife. But, you know what happens next. Right? Finishing our college degrees captured our time and attention; making a living, having children, rearing children, trying to maintain social life and other relationships, family issues, illnesses, aging parents, growing children, preparing for their launch from home, jobs, ministry, being empty-nesters, and again – I could go on, but that’s enough to remind us that life’s focus changes -with time.
Here’s my bottom line: We have some options about what interests we pursue? You may have 100 interests or 1 or none; but you and I can discover (re-discover) some things we must “check out” for ourselves. May I suggest a few as starting places? What about your relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you now or have you been curious enough to investigate Him for yourself to have the assurance that He loves you, died and rose again to have you in His forever family, wants the best for you, and eventually wants you to be with Him in heaven in a place He is preparing for you? Doesn’t He deserve to be a person of interest to you? Is He? Are you curious?
Here’s another possibility for a focus: “Are you still curious enough to investigate the heart and soul of your spouse, child, friends, family members, and – yes – even your own heart”? What occupies your time? Where are your interests and pursuits taking you?
What is your next adventure?
As a senior adult, I, catch myself investing time in things that are good to investigate but perhaps not best. I am searching for a healthy place to stay curious about the world and its politics, cultures, our history, entertainment, new technologies, and amazing discoveries; but I don’t want to neglect the most important relationships with Jesus, Carol, our children, neighbors, and friends. After all, the quality of our relationships is of utmost value to God and to those who love us and truly want to know us well. There may not be very many who take the time to initiate with you…making you a person of interest and curiosity; so you and I need to be the instigators, initiators, and curiosity-seekers. Where will you begin? …with Jesus? …..with spouse? … with child/grandchild? …with friend/co-worker/neighbor? You get to choose!
Review the FLOW Questions:
1. Lean In: What do people seem interested in these days? What occupies most of the time of most of the people you know? It has been said that to find a man’s priorities look at where he spends his money and how he spends his time. What do you say about it?
2. Look Down: In I Peter 1:6-12 who seems to be the most curious about the salvation and plan Jesus brought into the world? How do you deal with the concept of believing in someone you have never (probably) seen in person? How have you been curious about Jesus and faith?
3. Look Out: About what are men curious these days? What have you noticed in other men? How do men indicate or demonstrate what they are curious about? What seems to fascinate many of the men around you? Are the areas of interest of younger men / single men different from those of olders or married men? What happens when curiosity about life fades in a man?
4. Look In: What areas of curiosity occupied your life and interests? When have you been the most interested in Jesus and the salvation He offers? How did you “research” or “search” out Jesus and faith?
- Take It Outside: What could you and I do to help men be more curious about Jesus and His claims or at least know where to go for some answers? What could we do to help men/boys find the best things to pursue and search with their curiosity?
Passage from February 15 – Builders Men’s Ministry
1 Peter 1:1-5
New International Version
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hopethrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.