Message Notes for January 28, 2024

Series: Access Granted

Title: Access is Messy Grace

· Messy grace looks like the cross.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

· The foundation of grace is grounded in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have

eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved

through him.

· The walk of grace is self-sacrifice.

Luke 9:23-24 And (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow

me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

· The heart of grace sounds like love.

Matthew 22:37-39 …love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great

and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

· The open door of grace puts others first.

Philippians 2:4-5 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among

yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

The rewards of messy grace.

· The banquet table starts looking like heaven.

Luke 14:21-23, Revelation 7:9-10,

· Seeds of access produce faith and forgiveness to eternity with our Heavenly Father.

Acts 8:26-39, Mark 4:3-9,

· Our world gets larger, and our hearts get softer.

John 15:10-11

· We start seeing ourselves and others as we were created to be.

Galatians 3:26-28

Family/Group Study Notes for the week of January 28, 2024

Series: Access Granted

Title: Access is Messy Grace

* Share with each other your experience with 21 days of prayer and fasting through CtK this year. What were the high points? What did you hear from God the most? What changes did you make because of this time with God? How will you continue to seek God daily, following this time of Scripture and prayer intention?

* As you think about this message series on “Access Granted”, what has stood out the most for you? What aspect caused you to stop and think or act differently?

* How would you describe opening access for all people to Jesus as “Messy Grace”? What makes it messy and why does it take grace? How is this different from your normal patterns?

* Read John 3:16-17. Considering this theme of access, what is this passage saying to do or not to do? How did Jesus make a way? What did He not do to make a way?

* Read Luke 14 15-23. What does verse 15 mean for you? What might this verse look like for anyone in the world given access to Jesus? What is the promise? Read the rest of the passage. What is going on in this passage? What does God want the most? Why do people not want to come and enjoy time with God and be blessed? What does God want us to do about the banquet table? What might be your role? If we did this in our own lives, what might change at church or even at our own tables, lives and community? How could our time on earth look like Revelation 7:9-10?

* Read Mark 4:3-9. How does this story reflect on giving access for people to come to Jesus? What is the role of the farmer? How is his role like our own What is the role of God? What happens to those who receive access and take Jesus into their hearts? Where do you need to be planting seeds that you have not before?

* Gather with each other and pray for God’s Kingdom increase to begin first in you and then through you.