Main Text: Matthew 20:1–16 (ESV) 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Preaching Point: God’s kids must recognize God’s sovereign right to dispense grace as he chooses, while celebrating his generosity toward others rather than resenting those who receive his favor.

Teaching Points:

1. Recognize God’s Willingness to Give Grace (vv. 1-16)
2. Kill the Attitude of Entitlement (vv. 10-16)
3. Celebrate God’s Grace Toward Others (vv. 1-16)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon. Why did it stand out to you?
2. Read Titus 3:4-7, Romans 5:20-21, and Psalm 103:8-12. What does God’s readiness to show grace teach you about the character of God?
3. Read Philippians 2:3-4 and Luke 14:8-11. In what ways can you be guilty of an attitude of entitlement, especially regarding what God chooses to do or not to do with his grace?
4. How does an entitlement mindset reveal a misunderstanding of God’s grace? How can you practically kill this unbiblical attitude?
5. Read Luke 15:11-32. In what ways can you be more like the older brother than the father or the servants in this parable?
6. How can you grow in celebrating God’s grace toward others while guarding against resentment?

Main Text: Galatians 5:16–26 (ESV)16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Preaching Point: Spirit-empowered gentleness should produce a lifestyle of strength under restraint in every arena of your life.

Teaching Points:

1. Consider God’s Gentleness Toward You
2. Exercise Strength Under Restraint
3. Toward Christians
4. Toward Non-Christians

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon.
2. Read Isaiah 40:10-11 and Matthew 11:28-30. How does God’s gentleness help you see the necessity of gentleness, especially when it comes to his dealings with you?
3. How does the world’s views of gentleness contrast the biblical understanding of gentleness?
4. How has the Bible helped correct or refine your understanding of gentleness?
5. Read 2 Timothy 1:7 and Galatians 6:1. How can a distorted view of gentleness excuse and promote fear, passivity, or inaction? According to these passages, what does exercising strength under restraint entail, i.e., gentleness?
6. Read Ephesians 4:2 and Colossians 3:12. How can you practically show gentleness in your interactions with your brothers and sisters in Christ?
7. Read Titus 3:2. What challenges do you face in responding with gentleness toward non-Christians who reject your beliefs, and how does Paul’s instruction to Titus shape the way you should practically engage unbelievers?

Main Text: Ephesians 4:11-16 (ESV) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Preaching Point: Christ expects each of us to take the corporate pursuit of spiritual growth seriously through training that equips us to use the giftings he provides, under the leaders he appoints, to build up his church.

Teaching Points:

1. Train for Your Spiritual Duties (vv. 11-12)
2. Honestly Evaluate Your Continued Need for Training (v. 13)
3. Train for Ongoing Protection (v. 14)
4. Train for Progressive Christlikeness (vv. 15-16a)
5. Train for Church Growth (v. 16b)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon.
2. Read Ephesians 4:11-12 and Matthew 28:19-20. How are you doing at training for the work of ministry and building up the body of Christ?
3. Where do you need to step it up in your training and participation to more effectively partner with your church family to make disciples?
4. Read Ephesians 4:12-14 and Ephesians 6:10-18. According to these verses what is at stake if you lack or neglect training for spiritual maturity?
5. On the other hand, how can you envision yourself advancing and persevering in your faith through ongoing training in your spiritual life?
6. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 4:7-10 and Philippians 1:6. How does understanding the synergistic relationship between you and the Holy Spirit empower you to train hard for progressive Christlikeness?
7. Read 2 Timothy 2:2 and Acts 9:31. God expects his church to grow and multiply. How are you partnering with your church to grow and multiply the ministry of Christ?
8. Our 8th distinctive is, “We are always working to plant new churches.” Multiplying leaders is essential to this mission. Where are you currently serving, and how can you take your next step in leadership, so we can equip someone to replace you, as you replace those we prepare to plant new churches?