Perfect power in weakness

11 July 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Song:

His Name is higher, above other names

His Name is Jesus, His Name is Lord (3X)

We lift You higher, above other names

Your name is Jesus, Your Name is Lord (3X)

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Perfect power in weakness

Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.³And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—⁴was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.⁶But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,⁷even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep^* me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.^*8Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,⁹but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power^* is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.¹⁰Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Introduction

One fascinating and awesome feature of being a Christian is that it is God Himself who called and chose us as His own. We did not choose Him, for the Scripture says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All we had to do was answer the call and say yes to Jesus. Yes to His call, work and life- to be His ambassadors here on earth. Knowing Him and making Him known to everyone around us. Whatever we do for Him, others or for ourselves is by His power dwelling in us. Without Christ, we can do nothing. In our weakness, God’s awesome power becomes even more evident, that everyone will know that He is the sole source of our strength. As Christians, we should always remember that it is the Holy Spirit in our lives that empowers us to live for Christ and to be His witness in the world. Even when circumstances seem tough, unbearable and against us, we must never forget that God is for us. And if God be for us, who can be against us? Nothing and no one can prevail against us.

Questions/Discussion

1.  What are some of the things that make us appear to be weak?

Matthew 26:36-45

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’³⁷He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.³⁸Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’³⁹And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’⁴⁰Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?⁴¹Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;^* the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’⁴²Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’⁴³Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.⁴⁴So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.⁴⁵Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

2 Corinthians 12:7-8 (KJV)

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

2.  How will you explain God’s sufficient grace and perfect power in our lives even in the face of apparent weaknesses?

Mark 6:1-13

He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him.²On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary^* and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence^* at him.⁴Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’⁵And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.⁶And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.⁷He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.⁸He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;⁹but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.¹⁰He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.¹¹If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’¹²So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.¹³They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

2 Corinthians 4:1-12, 16-18, 12:9-10

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.²We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.⁶For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.¹¹For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.¹²So death is at work in us, but life in you.

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.¹⁷For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,¹⁸because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.⁹but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power^* is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.¹⁰Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

3.  How does God make His power perfect in our lives despite our weaknesses?

John 15:1-8

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower.²He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes^* to make it bear more fruit.³You have already been cleansed^* by the word that I have spoken to you.⁴Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become^* my disciples.

Romans 8:12-39 

So then, brothers and sisters,^* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—¹³for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!^* Father!’¹⁶it is that very Spirit bearing witness^* with our spirit that we are children of God,¹⁷and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

¹⁸ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;²⁰for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now;²³and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.²⁴For in^* hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes^* for what is seen?²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes^* with sighs too deep for words.²⁷And God,^* who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit^* intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.^*

²⁸ We know that all things work together for good^* for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.²⁹For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.^*30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

³¹ What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?³²He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?³³Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.³⁴Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.^*35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or

famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,³⁹nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

We are the children of God- called and chosen by Him to be His own. May we live our lives confident that the Holy Spirit is with us- guiding, teaching, loving and protecting us at all times.

Closing Prayer

Lord we are so grateful for Your Power working in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We yield our hearts to You Lord, asking You to fill us with Your Spirit now and always. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Touching Christ through the Spirit

4 July 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Chorus: He touched me

 

Theme: Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Topic: Touching Christ through the Spirit

Reading: Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat^* to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake.²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet²³and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’²⁴So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years.²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,²⁸for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’²⁹Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’³¹And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’³²He looked all round to see who had done it.³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.³⁴He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ ³⁵ While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’³⁶But overhearing^* what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’⁴⁰And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Introduction

In today’s study, we will take a close look at the story of the woman with issue of blood who touched the cloak of Jesus and was healed. There are several lessons in this story and we shall discuss as many as we can, and how they apply to us today. The lessons include 1) the woman’s healing occurred in the middle of another developing miracle (raising of Jairus’ daughter to life); 2) this same woman’s miracle occurred within a crowd that could have potentially hindered her from reaching and touching Jesus; 3) she was neither discouraged by how long the problem has lasted nor the number of unsuccessful attempts to restore her health- she had faith; 4) she believed that Christ will not discriminate against her because of ‘uncleanness’; 5) although she touched Christ in the physical, the miracle that changed her life occurred in the spiritual through faith before manifesting physically. Just like the woman in this story, no matter how grim the circumstance we face may be, if we can reach out and touch Christ in faith through the Holy Spirit living in us, He will heal and make us whole, and our lives will not be the same. But how?

Questions/Discussion

1. How did the woman with the issue of blood muster such courage and faith to touch Jesus despite the crowd and her ‘uncleanness’?

     Could it be that the crowd was to her advantage?

Leviticus 15:25-30

If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, for all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean.²⁶Every bed on which she lies during all the days of her discharge shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity.²⁷Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.²⁸If she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count seven days, and after that she shall be clean.²⁹On the eighth day she shall take two turtle-doves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting.³⁰The priest shall offer one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord for her unclean discharge.

Matthew 17:17-20

Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’¹⁸And Jesus rebuked the demon,^* and it^* came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’²⁰He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a^* mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’^*

Mark 5:24-29

So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years.²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,²⁸for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’²⁹Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

Luke 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’⁶The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a^* mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

2.  What are some of the things that hinder us from reaching out and touching Christ and having Him heal us daily?

Proverbs 6:16-19

¹⁶ There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
¹⁹ a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.

Mark 9:14-29

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.¹⁵When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.¹⁶He asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’¹⁷Someone from the crowd answered him, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;¹⁸and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.’¹⁹He answered them, ‘You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’²⁰And they brought the boy^* to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it threw the boy^* into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.²¹Jesus^* asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood.²²It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.’²³Jesus said to him, ‘If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.’²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out,^* ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You spirit that keep this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!’²⁶After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand.²⁸When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’²⁹He said to them, ‘This kind can come out only through prayer.’^*

Luke 16:10-15

‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.¹¹If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth,^* who will entrust to you the true riches?¹²And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?¹³No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’ ^*14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him.¹⁵So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

James 5:13-18

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.¹⁴Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.¹⁵The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.¹⁷Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.¹⁸Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment;⁷for we brought nothing into the world, so that^* we can take nothing out of it;⁸but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.⁹But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

3.  How can we touch Christ through the help of the Holy Spirit?

2 Corinthians 8:7-9, 13-14

Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you^*—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. ^*8 I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others.⁹For you know the generous act^* of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.¹³I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between¹⁴your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^* to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you;¹³esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.¹⁴And we urge you, beloved,^* to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.¹⁵See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.¹⁶Rejoice always,¹⁷pray without ceasing,¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit.²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets,^*21but test everything; hold fast to what is good;²²abstain from every form of evil. ²³ May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound^* and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

James 5:7-11

Be patient, therefore, beloved,^* until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.⁸You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.^*9Beloved,^* do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!¹⁰As an example of suffering and patience, beloved,^* take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.¹¹Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

God first touched us by giving us His Son as a ransom for our sins. Let us avail ourselves of this gift by living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then we will be in constant touch with Christ and He will heal us continually and make us whole.

Closing Prayer

Thank You Lord for Your healing mercies upon our lives. We pray that You fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may be connected with You at all times. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.