|
|
Listen - "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock" as told by J. O. Terry ( 4:48 ) Living in the Family of Jesus - Confirms the faith of the new believer’s conversion experience through Bible stories of following Jesus as a new disciple. Module also exposes the believer to the Disciples’ Cross discipling model and shows how to begin and nurture church-planting movements. Includes “Christian Learns to Story” radio play and video model storying to Indonesians. (10 CDs). Excerpts PRE-STORY DIALOGUE: We've heard an earlier story about how Adam and Eve heard the words of God and how they disobeyed those or they did not put into practice what God had said for them to do. Today, we want to continue talking about relationships. And our lesson today, we might call it, “If you call me Lord, put My words into practice.” Or we might say our relationship depends upon putting God's words into practice. Once when Jesus was teaching, He said, “My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me.” And another time Jesus said, “He who sent me is reliable and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” Now let's think for a moment: Who do you listen to when you need instruction? Who do you listen to when you need direction or correction? Whose words are reliable? Always true, never false? What would think of a person who heard true words but then ignored them and failed to take them into account? What kind of a relationship would you have with a person who came to you for advice and instruction but then failed to heed your words? Would you have a good relationship? What would you think about such a person? Our story today is about a relationship with Jesus and what we do after hearing His words to us. Listen to the story and see what you can learn from the words of Jesus. STORYER'S NOTE: Now these items that I have just introduced here before telling the story are to sensitize the listeners to things that are in the story that they should listen for. The questions that we ask before we tell the story are not so much looking for a correct answer, they can answer if they [want], [but] to get people to [begin active listening and avoid becoming passive]. [The idea is to help them focus] along the lines of the themes or the truths that will be in the story. So I would tell the story and it might be something like this. Matthew 7:21-27: One day Jesus stood in a place where a large crowd of His disciples had gathered. Also there was a great number of people from all over the region and from Jerusalem and even distant places, who had come to hear Him teach and to be healed of their diseases. Jesus taught the people many things. Then looking at His disciples, Jesus said to them, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and no do what I say? I'll show you what the person is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice.” And so Jesus told this story about two builders. He said, “Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid a foundation on rock. When the rains came and the floods rose and the wind blew and beat against the house, it did not fall, it was not destroyed, because it was well built and had its foundation on rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on sand. The rains came, the floods rose, the wind blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash.” At another time Jesus said to those who believed in Him, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” So that would be the story. POST STORY DISCUSSION: Following the story, some of the things that I might ask of people, to open their hearts, first of all might [be to] ask someone to retell the story just to see if they heard it. If they could not retell it or the if re-telling is not good, then I might ask another person, “Who else could retell the story?” That is to get them, in their own words, to tell the story and to see if they heard everything that was in the story. Now, I'd begin with some questions that would be factual: Why do you think many people came to hear the words of Jesus? What question did Jesus ask His disciples? Why do you think Jesus asked His followers the particular question, ‘Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say?' What did Jesus say about the man who comes to Him and hears His words and puts them into practice? Doesn't put them into practice? What do you think the house that each man built represents? What do you think the rain and the floods and the winds represent? What would you say about the rock the wise man built his house on? [And] the sand the foolish man built his house on? What happened to the two houses? What if you were Jesus [and] had spoken to those who followed you? Who would be your true followers? Who would not be? What would be your relationship with those who obeyed or practiced your words, your teachings? What would be your relationship with those who heard your words, who heard your teachings and yet did not put them into practice? Through God's word, Jesus speaks to His disciples today; What do you think we ought to do? If we do, that is put into practice what Jesus teaches us to do, which man in the story would we be like? Which man in the story had a good relationship with Jesus? Do you have a good relationship with Jesus? If not, what should you begin to do? As a group of disciples, how can you help one another to put into practice the words of Jesus? Can you think of someone who needs to hear this story about the wise and foolish builders? Could you tell them this story about the two builders and encourage them to be a wise builder, putting into practice the words of Jesus? [Remember this verse:] “The man who says I know Him but does not do what He commands is a liar, the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. And this is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in Him, must walk as Jesus did.” I John 2:3-6 Inquiries should be made to info@fjseries.org Additional information may be obtained online at http://FJseries.org or by writing: Mr. Mark Snowden
|
