Why Christianity Fails Us A recipe for Christian failure: 1 John 4:7-21 Try to love God with all your , , . Work on being a . Start loving and caring . How to correct the problem: 1 John 4:7-21, 3:1, Genesis 1 & 2, Deuteronomy 5 & 6, Exodus 19 & 20, Joshua 24 John has been teaching us that if we really , we would , and God would be . If that is true, then we would: Know His and give His . Know His and give His . Know His and give His . Know His and give His . How to start the process: 1 John 4:7-21, 3:1, John 15:1-12, Galatians 2:20, Romans 5:6-11, Psalm 139 I need to know and learn what God has already . I then accept and apply what He has already . I then walk in and reflect on what He has already . ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Support Our Ministry If you found this message beneficial and you would like to help continue our ministries, we would be grateful for your support. Go to northcoastchurch.com/give ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The best way to connect with us is the Connection Card in the bulletin. For the Digital Bulletin, visit myncc.info. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Life Group Study Questions For the week of March 3, 2024 This week is your last meeting of the Winter Quarter. We hope you’ve found your time over these past eight weeks to be spiritually and relationally encouraging. The questions have been shortened to allow you time to take Communion. We’ll take a two-week break, then the Spring Quarter begins the week of March 24 and runs through May 25. Please be sure to confirm your plans for the Spring Quarter with your leader. THE LOVE OUR GOD HAS LAVISHED UPON US This weekend’s message started with a surprising heading: “A recipe for Christian failure.” What was your first response when you heard it? This quote reaffirms much of what we heard this weekend about understanding God’s love for us. Can you think of any examples in your own life of how you’ve seen this occur? “The more we know Him, the more we will desire to know Him. As love increases with knowledge, the more we know God, the more we will truly love Him. We will learn to love Him equally in times of distress or in times of great joy.” – Brother Lawrence The great news we heard this weekend is that our commitment to follow Jesus does not start with what we can do for God but rather what He has done for us. Psalm 103 is literally a reminder list of how much God loves us! It flips our perspective from focusing on our guilt and shame to the incredible love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness God offers us through Jesus. Before you start reading it, take a moment to ask God to speak to you as you read through the verses. Underline anything that speaks to you about how much God loves you and what He has done for us. Then, go back and circle your top two or three and be ready to share with your group. Psalm 103 New International Version (NIV) 1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. 19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul. REMEMBERING WHAT JESUS ACCOMPLISHED An authentic faith puts its hope and trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. Yet our busyness, challenges, and selfish distractions can cause us to forget this. As you read the verses below, jot down the highlights of what Jesus has accomplished for you. Romans 5:1-2, 6-8 New International Version (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Can you think of any ways your Life Group has helped you practice the presence of God and remember what Jesus has done for you? This week in your Life Group, you will be taking Communion to remember what Jesus has done for us. Communion is the very symbol and reminder of our need for God and all that He has done for us— forgiveness, a costly sacrifice through His son Jesus, a new life, and a new relationship with our almighty God. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 New International Version (NIV) *23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. * PRAYER REQUESTS