Meeting: 3201 Sylvan Ave, Modesto, CA 95355
Mailing: 913 Floyd Ave, Modesto, CA 95350
Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe
Sept 11, 2011
“Everything Happens for a Reason”
Base your faith on the Bible, not spiritual urban legends. God loves you!
Hook – IBM and Bill Gates (5min)
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1980 – leader = IBM. Needed new OS – asked young Bill Gates. He sold it to IBM – but not the
copyright. Why would IBM do that? Assumed it was all about hardware – the hardware was
cloned by others – Microsoft became huge.
Brilliant engineers and business leaders – Wrong assumptions.
*Spiritual urban legends – Jesus had blonde hair and blue eyes. Some can really hurt you.
o Hard to refute them – deeply embedded, “We all know they are right.”
o “Christians shouldn’t judge”, “All dead people go to heaven”, “Let your conscience be
your guide”, “A godly home guarantees great kids” – “Everything happens for a reason”
o Acts 17:11 – group of people called the Bereans – check the Scripture.
o Base your faith on the Bible, not spiritual urban legends.
“Everything Happens for a Reason” (3min)
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Funeral – suicide of teenager. Why? But “everything happens for a reason”…right?
o Heard that one?
o Cancer, hurricanes, car accidents, divorce, betrayal – all for a reason?
Things people say – worse! “God must be up to something” “God has a plan through all of this”
*Romans 8:28 (p.863) (10min)
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*“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love
Him, who are called according to His purpose.”
*Translation – “works together” – partner, cooperation (not a puzzle). God is working!
o Does NOT mean everything is Good, or from God.
o Sin! Possible to break God’s will? Yes! Everything is God’s will? NO!
o God’s BIG PLAN – yes! God is good and in control – but everything is NOT from Him.
*Promise for…. those who love God, called to His purpose.
o Loving God and obedience matters.
o Your bad decisions you have made without Him – this verse is not about those!
 Girl pregnant in YG, then came back to church – mom saying, “I know this is
God’s will” – really? David made a wrong choice – paid for it with turmoil.
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*Context – see vv.35, 38-39
o V.35: Those things happened to Paul and the early Christians!
o Jesus promised persecutions (John 16:33; Mark 10:30)
o vv.38-39: Point – God loves and is working for His people!
“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”
Meeting: 3201 Sylvan Ave, Modesto, CA 95355
Mailing: 913 Floyd Ave, Modesto, CA 95350
Wrong Belief = Hurt (7min)
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What you believe matters!
o Person – something bad happened in his family – won’t believe in God now. Too hurt.
*Blame God
a. Anger at God – we expect there not to be the storm, but He promised it (John 16:33),
and He promised to be with us. SO MANY PEOPLE!
b. Misplaced hope – Romans 8:38-39 – Hope not in comfort, but in God who will be with
us. He will someday put it all right! (He is waiting for more to be reached.)
*Have an unrealistic (and unbiblical) view of life –
a. Bible stories – life was hard! Jesus’ too!
b. Take sin seriously – it is a big problem in our world!
*Make irresponsible decisions – God will just work it out.
a. Make godly choices – follow Him.
God Recycles (8min)
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Joseph story – Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He
brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
o Doesn’t say their actions were good or necessary, or that God made them do it.
o God took their bad thing and RECYCLED it – because Joseph OBEYED.
God recycles the trash.
a. Parents’ divorce – God didn’t want it and didn’t cause it. But I let Him heal me – and I
have an understanding as I talk to students going through it, and adults struggling.
Work for healing and justice. (“…so I could save…”)
a. Ok to question – but better to get down and help – hurricane Irene, human trafficking,
global hunger and poverty, etc.
b. People we know – reaching out to listen.
Hold on to Jesus in the storms. Walk with His people.
a. John 16:33 –
b. Pay all the bills? No, walk together – that is the church. Wheelchair, strong people.
Everything doesn’t happen for a (good) reason! But God is working in all things – and He is in control.
Walk with Him and obey Him – and base your beliefs on the Bible – not spiritual urban legends!
Punch (2min)
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Testimony – Michael? Susan? Brian E?
“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”
Meeting: 3201 Sylvan Ave, Modesto, CA 95355
Mailing: 913 Floyd Ave, Modesto, CA 95350
Life Group Questions (Sep 11-17)
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“Everything happens for a reason”. What do you think about that
statement?
Read Romans 8:28 (can go through 39 if you want).
Why is it important for us to know that God is not responsible for
every action or bad thing? (How does the lie/myth hurt us?)
Why do people often ignore the “conditions”? (who love God, called
to His purpose)
What percentage of the bad stuff in your life is from:
a. Result of other’s choices and sin __%
b. Result of your sin and choices __%
c. Result of living in a fallen world __%
d. God’s Plan for your life __% (can include hard times)
So what should we say and do when people (or we ourselves) are
going through hard times?
“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”