Friday, April 30, 2010

Pray For An Awakening In Your Church

Thanks to Justin Taylor for this post...

Want to pray for your church?

Here's a great way to start...

Let pray for:
  • hundreds of people coming to Christ,
  • old animosities being removed,
  • marriages being reconciled and renewed,
  • wayward children coming home,
  • long-standing slavery to sin being conquered,
  • spiritual dullness being replaced by vibrant joy,
  • weak faith being replaced by bold witness,
  • disinterest in prayer being replaced by fervent intercession,
  • boring Bible reading being replaced by passion for the Word,
  • disinterest in global missions being replaced by energy for Christ’s name among the nations, and
  • lukewarm worship being replaced by zeal for the greatness of God’s glory.
Ready. Set. Pray!!!~

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?

Thanks to Michael Hyatt for posting this amazing video... Meet Patrick Henry Hughes... Check out his story in the video posted below... "So, what's your excuse?"

Monday, April 26, 2010

N.O.W. Hits a2 Church This Sunday Night!

This Sunday, May 2, 6 pm
a2 Church

600 Montgomery Highway, Suite 208
Vestavia City Center (Just above Pet Supermarket)
www.a2church.org

"From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.

All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping!"
~ Psalm 22:27-31 (MSG)

Don't miss an incredible evening of praise, worship, Scripture, prayer and Holy Communion. Join Janet Goins, Micah Massey and the entire a2 Worship crew as they lead us in raising the roof and making a joyful noise to the God of our salvation!

Child care will be provided for children age 6 weeks - age5. Children Grades 1 and up are invited to join their parents in the worship room for an incredible evening of ALL CHURCH / ALL IN / ALL OUT Night of Worship!

Join the gathering of worshipers this Sunday night @ a2 Church!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

BOY MEETS GIRL... MOSAIC - Part 2 Extended Notes

Once again, here are the extended notes from the second message in our series on Ruth titled, MOSAIC: Loss, Romance, Sex, Race and the Sovereignty of God.

For those desiring to "dig deeper," Carolyn Curtis James' excellent commentary / book on the book of Ruth titled The Gospel of Ruth is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it.

Here are the extended notes... As always, you can download the mp3 of the message by clicking here.


BOY MEETS GIRL
MOSAIC - Part 2
The Gospel According to Ruth

Ruth 2:1-13

The book of Ruth is a book for our time, because the book revolves around the lives of three single adults who successfully navigated the challenges of being single.

According to the most recent stats, there are almost 96 million single adults in America. That means that 43% of the adults in America over the age of 18 are single… The United States has more singles than any other country in the world with the exception of China and India.


Three Kinds of Single Adults

1. Single Because of Circumstance.


Some people in this room are single because of the death of a spouse or because they've experienced the pain of divorce.

Having experienced the deaths of their husbands, Ruth and Naomi were single because circumstance.

2. Single and Waiting…

Others are single and have never been married (according to the U.S. Census Burea that about 60% of the adult population), but you would like to get married in the future…

Somehow Boaz had made it into his forties, and he was single and waiting...

3. Single By Choice or Design.

Then, some people have deliberately chosen the “single life” so that they can devote themselves more fully to their career or to ministry.

Matthew 19:11-12 (MSG), (Jesus) “Marriage isn’t for everyone. 12 Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons.”

What do the three greatest men in the New Testament all have in common? They were all single by choice: Jesus, Paul and John the Baptist.


PRINCIPLES FOR EXPERIENCING GOD’S BEST
AS A SINGLE ADULT


1. Trust God and Take the Initiative for a New Start.

Ruth 2:1-3 (ESV), Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."

THOUGHT: We’re not certain how much time has lapsed since Ruth and Naomi made the treacherous journey from Moab back to Bethlehem. But Ruth took initiative. She refused to live in denial. She refused to give in to depression and self-pity. She refused to allow resentment and bitterness to determine the course of her life. She was willing to work, not only to feed herself, but to also feed her mother in law… In Ruth 2, Ruth TRUSTS GOD by taking another bold, audacious and courageous step of faith…


Ruth 2:3 (ESV), So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

The NIV reads, “As it turned out, she found herself working in a field…”

The NLT reads, “…as it happened…”

The NCV reads, “…It just so happened…”

THOUGHT: This was no accident! The Bible says it this way because God wants to get our attention! The author knows, this wasn’t happenstance, circumstance, luck or chance – this was PROVIDENCE!

Providence means that even when I can’t sense or feel God’s presence, God is present and God is working WITH us, IN us and FOR us to accomplish His plan and purpose.

Proverbs 16:9 (NAS), The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.


2. Instead of “Looking” for the Right Person, “Become” The Right Person.

"If you try to find intimacy with another person before achieving a sense of identity on your own… If you try to experience a relationship with another person before you do the hard work of becoming a whole and healthy person yourself… all your relationships will become an attempt to complete yourself and they will end in disaster." ~ Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott


Ruth 2:1 (ESV), Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

The description of Boaz contained in Verse 1 is loaded:

* Boaz was a "worthy man." That means he was a guy worthy of respect, trust and respect. He was an admirable man.

* The phrase “worthy man” was also an expression that was sometimes used to describe a warrior, mighty man, man of valor or man of war… In other words, this dude could fight…

* The phrase “worthy man” could also be translated, "man of wealth."

* The phrase “worthy man” also means “very able.” In other words, Boaz was the kind of guy who got stuff done and made stuff happen. He was a self-starter. He was a guy who took initiative.

* More important than any of that, Verse 4 is going to let us know that at the core of who he was, Boaz was a GOD-SATURATED MAN

Ruth 2:4 (ESV), And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, "The LORD be with you!" And they answered, "The LORD bless you."

“If you want to know a man’s relation to God, it helps to find out how far God has saturated him down to the details of everyday life. Evidently, Boaz was such a God-saturated man that his farming business and his relationships to his employees was shot through with God. He greeted them with God.” ~ John Piper


Ruth 2:3-5 (NLT), So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz…
While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The LORD be with you!” he said.
“The LORD bless you!” the harvesters replied.
5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that girl over there?”



Ruth 2:6-7 (ESV), And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.


3. Establish A High Standard For The Kind of Person You Will Date.

• Look for someone who encourages community…

Ruth 2:8 (ESV), Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.

• Look for someone who wants to protect you.

Ruth 2:9 (ESV), Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you?

1 Timothy 5:2 (NLT), Treat the older women as you would your mother, and treat the younger women with all purity as your own sisters.

• Look for someone who wants to provide for you.

Ruth 2:9b (ESV), And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.

• Look for spiritual alignment. It is absolutely crucial.

Ruth 2:10 (ESV), Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? 11 But Boaz answered her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge! 13 Then she said, "I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants."


4. Always keep your eyes open to God’s grace.

Matthew 1:5 (NLT), Salmon was the father of Boaz (his mother was Rahab).

Boaz was the son of Salmon and a Gentile girl named, Rahab. Boaz knew up close and personal about God’s power to change a person’s past and give a person a second chance.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

GRACE HAPPENS... MOSAIC - Part 1 Extended Notes

Here are the extended notes from the first message in our current series, MOSAIC. If you're looking to dig deeper, here are a few of the commentaries / sources on the book of Ruth I've found especially helpful.

The Gospel of Ruth, Carolyn Curtis James
A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper
Faithful God, Sinclair Ferguson
Redeeming Ruth (MP3 Downloads), Mark Driscoll

Here are the extended notes from today's message.


Grace Happens
MOSAIC – Part 1



Some Thoughts About The Book of Ruth:

• It’s a love story…

• It’s a book about manhood and womanhood… It gives us a great picture of what a godly man and a godly woman look like.

• It’s a book about racial tension and reconciliation…


NOTE: Ruth is an “unclean Moabite.” She was a member of a doomed race… According to Genesis 19:37, the Moabites were the descendants of an act of incest that took place between a guy named Lot and his own daughter… Furthermore, the Moabites worshiped a god by the name of Chemosh, that actually involved child sacrifice (Numbers 21:29; 1 Kings 11:7, 33; Jeremiah 48:7). Ruth had the kind of past people like to sweep under a rug…

Boaz, on the other hand, was a God-fearing Jew… When the sparks fly and Ruth and Boaz become an “item,” their relationship is going to be an interracial relationship with all the challenges that involves… But it’s also going to be a relationship saturated with grace…

• Finally, the book of Ruth is a book about the sovereignty of God…

The book doesn’t describe any mind-boggling miracles… The Red Sea doesn’t part… The walls of Jericho don’t come crashing down… The sun doesn’t stand still… But God is still at work, guiding the lives or an ordinary man and an ordinary woman towards an extraordinary destiny…


Background: The book of Ruth is set against the historical backdrop of the book of Judges - that period of time between the death of Joshua and the coronation of saul.


Judges 2:10 (MSG), Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.

Judges 21:25 (NLT), In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. (Cf. Judges 2:10; 17:6)


Ruth 1:1-5 (NLT), In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.
 3 Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 4 The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.


Meanings:
Bethlehem – “house of bread”
Moabite – a descendant of Lot through an incestuous union with his own daughter (Genesis 19:30-38)
Elimilech – “God is my King”
Mahlon – “sickness”
Kilion – “failing or dying”
Naomi – “pleasant, sweet or lovely”
Mara – “bitter”


Ruth 1:6-7 (NLT), Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah.

Note: The Hebrew word “shub” appears 12 times in Ruth 1. It gets translated “turn,” “return,” “go,” or “back” (vv. 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15 [twice], 16, 21, 22 [twice]). It’s the Old Testament’s main word for turning back to God’s covenant grace and mercy. It’s a word used for repentance or conversion.

Ultimately, the book of Ruth is the story of one little family turning back to God…


Ruth 1:8-15 (NLT), But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mothers' homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage." Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept."

Note: Naomi offers the first of several prayers that appear in the book, and asks God to give them a great husband (1:8-9; 2:12, 20; 3:10; 4:11-12, 14). She prays that God will "be kind" to these women… The word "kind" is a dominant word in the book of Ruth… It’s the Hebrew word "hesed"

The word often gets translated “loving kindness” in the Bible. But it’s a word that describes totality of God’s nature and actually means: “the consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, furious love of our Father God!”


Ruth 1:10-15 (NLT), "No," they said. "We want to go with you to your people."

11 But Naomi replied, "Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? 12 No, my daughters, return to your parents' homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 13 Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me."


“I would take Naomi’s theology any day over the sentimental views of god that permeate so many churches today. Endless excuses are made for God’s sovereignty. Naomi is unshaken and sure about three things: God exists, God is sovereign, and God has afflicted her.” ~ John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence


Ruth 1:14-15 (NLT), And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 "Look," Naomi said to her, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."


In Ruth’s mind, these are the alternatives:

Jehovah plus nothing in Bethlehem

or

Everything minus Jehovah in Moab


Ruth decides, “It’s not even close… I would rather have Jehovah… I’m going with God…”


Ruth 1:16-18 (NLT), But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!" 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.

Note: This is more than a statement about friendship and loyalty… This is Ruth’s statement of faith…


Ruth 1:19-21 (NLT), So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. "Is it really Naomi?" the women asked.

20 "Don't call me Naomi," she responded. "Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?"
22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.



Five Mega-Themes in The Book of Ruth:

1. Faithfulness, devotion and loyalty matter. BIG TIME!


2. Redemption really is possible.

Redemption is the central theme of this little book. In fact, the theme of redemption is so important that the word “redemption,” “redeem” or “redeemer “ show up no less than twenty-three times in four brief chapters.


3. Grace happens, when and where you least expect it (Genesis 19:30-38; Deuteronomy 23:3; Romans 5:20).


4. God is present and active, even when life rips you off. Christians don’t believe in luck, we believe in providence (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28; Jer 29:11).

• God is Sovereign.

• God is Good.



“Nothing – from toothpicks to tyrants – is ultimately self-determining. Everything serves (willingly or not) the ‘purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will’ (Ephesians 1:11). God is the all-encompassing, all-pervading, all-governing reality.” ~ John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence


Genesis 50:20 (NCV), You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.

Romans 8:28 (NLT), And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

“[God's] design for your life pulls together every thread of your existence into a magnificent work of art. Every thread matters and has a specific purpose.” ~ Ravi Zacharias, The Grand Weaver

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV),For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


5. Sometimes transformational change comes down to the faith and courage to risk everything on one giant, radical leap of faith.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

MOSAIC: Loss, Romance, Sex, Race and the Sovereignty of God





New Series Launches
This Sunday
April 11, 9:45 am
a2 Church

Naomi was an older woman who endured the worst life could possibly throw at her... Ruth was a desperate, young, single, immigrant worker who stood over the grave of her young husband. Boaz was a wealthy, middle-aged landowner who had never been married...

The Book of Ruth is a story for our time. It's a story about single adults - young, middle-aged and senior - who know the importance of building life-giving friendships. It's the story of a single man and woman who discover romance amid the ruins of a broken life, and make a decision to honor God with their sexuality despite the obvious attraction. It's a story about loss, relationships, romance, race and the sovereignty of God. It's a a story about faith, hope and love in the middle of desperate times...

The new series kicks off this Sunday. Don't miss the opening message.

Top Ten Reasons You Can't Afford To Miss a2 Church The Sunday After Easter

10. Elvis got his start singing in church... So can you...

9. Goodness and mercy will follow you the rest of your life, which is a lot better than the IRS or FBI...

8. In this economy, it might be good to get hooked up with SOMEONE who can turn water into wine...

7. You can walk down an aisle and get close to an altar without having to walk away with a Mother-in-Law.

6. Friends, if you don't have them, you'll make some...

5. Hard times? Kids getting on your nerves? Free coffee and donuts, and someone else to watch the kids for an hour and a half...

4. With April 15 just around the corner, it's important to remember that man does not live by Turbotax alone...

3. The band is going to rock! If life has been good, you need to sing! If life stinks, maybe you just need to listen and to pray...

2. You could use a little HOPE... This week a2 kicks off a brand new series about hope, loss, romance, love, sex, race and God's total control - even in the worst of times...

And the number one reason to go to church
the Sunday after Easter...


1. You can experience God! He loves seeing you in His "house" at Easter. He would love it if He got to see you there more often...

See you this Sunday at a2 Church!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Proper Easter Attire @ a2 Church this Easter

Thanks to Shawn Lovejoy for the reminder... See you tomorrow at 9:30 or 11 am. Visit a2's website at a2church.org for more info.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

What you MUST KNOW before this weekend!


Easter Weekend @ a2 Church
"Picture This"

Broken and repaired. Damaged and restored. Sometimes, it's not about what you can do. It's about what's already been done. You're invited to an incredible weekend featuring two different illustrated messages about being made whole again.

GOOD FRIDAY Worship Experience
Picture This..."Broken"
featuring a special illustrated message and Holy Communion... Childcare is provided for children age 6 weeks - age 5 on Friday evening.
Friday, April 2, 6:30 pm

EASTER Celebration (Two "Identical" Experiences)
Picture This..."Restored"
Snapshots from lives that have been restored...
Sunday, April 4
Special Worship Times: 9:30 and 11 am
  • a2 Kids provides a loving Nursery, fun Preschool, and excellent Elementary experience for kids age 6 weeks - Grade 5... a2 Kids will begin receiving children at 9:10 am on Sunday.
  • For additional information about a2 Church, check out our website at a2church.org.