Follow Along with the Message

What Did You Expect (part 2)

Pastor Tom Lundeen

Note Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:15; 1 Timothy 6:6-10

The real version of what everyone wants more of in their lives (i.e., meaning, purpose, transformation) happens when knowing, loving and following Jesus is our first priority and  focus. 

Note 1 Timothy 6:19b

1. Come  Sunday

For the first time ever in church history, nearly every Jesus follower around the world got out of the habit of attending .

Note Acts 2:42a, 46a; Psalm 27:4; 84:2, 10; 42:4

Starting each week by connecting together to actively engage in worship, to embrace personally biblical teaching is intended to help us center, refocus and  our week. 

Jesus modeled  engagement in worship... (note Luke 4:16). 

Research by Tyler VanderWeele and Brenda Case (Harvard University) showed the following reduced health risks to regular worship attenders compared to never attenders:

• % reduced risk of death
• % reduced risk of suicide
• % reduced risk of depression.
• Healthcare professionals who attend weekly worship % less likely to die (over a 16 year follow-up period).
• % reduced risk of divorce
• % reduced risk of deaths of despair (suicide, drug, or alcohol overdoses) for women
• % reduced risk of deaths of despair (suicide, drug, or alcohol overdoses) for men
• % reduced risk of adolescent illegal drug use. 
• % reduced risk of adolescent depression

2. Be Part of a  

Small groups are  to making a larger church feel smaller. 

 unique one another's in Scripture...most can only be done and are best done in a small group. 

Positive friendships have been shown in studies to produce: 

• Stronger    
• Lower  
•  self-confidence
• Increased happiness
• Better overall health (mental and  as well as physical).

3. Serve on a  

Serving Jesus and His church is a major  to spiritual growth.

Note Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 5:13; Romans 12:11

There is no concept in the Scriptures of a non-engaged, non- follower of Jesus (genuine faith is never , but always serves; note James 2:14-16).

Jesus  modeled servanthood (note Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:5-7).

• A new review of the health effects of volunteering found that helping others on a regular basis...can reduce early mortality rates by % compared to those in people who don't participate in such activities.
• The , which included  studies and was published in BMC Public Health, also revealed that volunteers benefit from reduced rates of  and an increased sense of life satisfaction and well-being - doing good, it seems, made them feel good. "Our systematic review shows that volunteering is associated with improvements in health." (Lead author Dr. Suzanne Richards, University of Exeter Medical School, England)
• Serving Others: gives you ; gives you more ; reduces stress; leads to a longer ; connects you to others; shows  what following Jesus is about; allows you to join in what God is doing; gives you an  to use your gifts; gets your focus off yourself; teaches you ; allows you to make a true difference in another person's life;  the Kingdom of God.

MYTHUNDERSTANDING:

• ...making Jesus your #1 priority and practicing the BIG3 has been  proven to increase the odds that despite living in a broken world filled with people who have spiritually defective DNA just like us, we can be healthier, more content, have better relationships, and live longer.
• Note John 10:10b
• Our research suggests that those who neglect to meet together...
• Note Hebrews 10:24-25
• ...likely miss something of the religious experience that is  both for health and for much else as well. The data are clear: Going to church remains central to true human . (VanderWeele and Case)

Tell someone about the next step you took today in your spiritual journey! 

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