Want to Prep for Builders Men’s Ministry for February 22, 2022?
Hello, Mt Bethel Men:
If you would like to prepare for our discussion this coming Tuesday, February 22, at Builders Men’s Ministry gathering, you will find below a shortened version of the email sent Friday, 2/18/22.
(1 Peter1:1-5 was last week’s focus passage and is included following the 1 Peter 1:6-12 passage for this week and the list of Table Talk discussion questions.)
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.
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? The prophets and angels were curious about it!
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?
BTW: If you want to get to know your spouse more deeply and deepen your friendship and care in the years you have ahead, you might consider a marriage course Carol and I teach. The course is called Intimate Encounters. It deals with developing a growing friendship (intimacy) and healing from past experiences that have hurt you, your spouse, and your marriage. We may be offering this again in the summer of 2022. Let me know if interested: dave@mountbethelchurch.org
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 much of the time of many 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 shown that you are 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 significantly different from those of older or married men? What happens when curiosity about life fades in a man?
4. Look In: What areas of curiosity occupy or have 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? What made you change focus to deeper life issues than before?
- 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? May I offer a few suggestions to prime the pump of your thinking?
- Write letters or cards of encouragement or wisdom to a son, grandson, other younger men
- Take your son or grandson (other guys as appropriate) on Man to Man dinners, camping trips, hiking, etc. in order to know them
- Learn how to ask great questions in conversations
- Be willing to DO James 1:19 – Learn to listen to words and hearts
- Take a younger man or two on local trips to significant places to talk about the role of faith in the development of the USA
- Watch movies and documentaries to learn more about a topic especially if it interests the younger men in your sphere of influence
- Talk to young men about what you learned from mistakes and experiences that helped you grow up in faith or as a man
- With permission from the parents, allow your grandsons to as you questions about love, sex, life, marriage, dating….(counter misinformation)
- Don’t stop being curious about life and especially about God and the Bible
- Let other men know about your journey of faith
- Consider investing in your marriage or in relationships – Intimate Encounters study this summer; Basic Training course – coming?
- Leave as strong, loving a marriage or key relationships as possible for others to see and want to emulate
- What else could we do as men?
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 hope through 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.