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EMMANUEL
The Name | Part 4
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
December 22, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #emmanuel #thename #godwithus

Each of the names given to Christ reveal something special and unique about Who He is and Why He came. Appropriately, this Sunday before Christmas, we dive into the mystery of Emmanuel, which means, God with us. This name lets us know that there’s more to the Christmas story than we have ever imagined, hoped or dreamed. This name reminds us that we’re never alone. This name unleashes our worship of the One Who is always with us.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. The French writer André Breton said, “All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name.” C.S. Lewis concluded was if I find myself having a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most logical conclusion is I was made for something beyond this life. How does the God hunger manifest in people? What sort of things do people seek other than God to fill this hunger? Have you personally had experience with this truth positively or negatively? If so, what was that like?

2. Have you ever sensed God with you in a difficult, challenging or painful time in your life? How did God make you aware that He was with you? What did He do for you?
Or what did He say to you? Or what happened in your circumstances that ended up being a great comfort?
What would you say to someone who feels abandoned by God or all alone in whatever it is they are going through?

3. Take some time to discuss the following verse...
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.14-16

4. Pastor Keith mentioned two practical ways of illustrating the incarnation (God becoming human). One was Philip Yancey’s illustration about his salt-water aquarium and the other was the Christian author Dorothy Sayers who developed a character in her detective fiction novels that she fell in love with and then wrote herself into the story. What did these illustrations say to you? How are they similar to what God did for us? Can you think of any other ways of how or why God became human?

5. The story of the Bible is the record of God expressing His desire to be with us. The story begins in a Garden and walking together every day. From there, the story progresses to the pillar of a cloud and a fire by night that remains with the people and guides them daily. Once the Israelites settle down, God has them construct a dwelling place, first in the tabernacle and second in the temple, where He can dwell in the midst of His people. When Jesus arrives, He is Emmanuel – God with us. Then once He ascends back to the Father, Christ comes to dwell within every believer. God is with us is not just the message of Christmas but the message of Christianity. How is God with you today? Where is He leading you? How is He comforting you? In what ways has He corrected you? What is He saying to you? How is communion an opportunity to re-experience Christ in His nearness to us?

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KING
The Name | Part 3
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
December 15, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #king #thename

History, literature and fairytales are filled with the story of kings. Truth be told, most of the kings we’ve learned about were evil, corrupt or self-serving. Which means, when we identify Christ as King, this particular title comes with a certain amount of baggage attached to it. How is Christ a King unlike any other king we’ve ever known? In what ways is Christ’s Kingship different? And what does it mean to swear your allegiance to Him and make Him King over your life? That’s what this Sunday’s message is all about.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What bad kings do you know from history, movies or Scripture? What made them bad? What good kings do you know from history, movies or Scripture? What made them good? Take some time to read 1 Samuel 8.10-18. This is God’s warning, through the prophet Samuel, about Israel’s demand that God give them a king to be like other nations. What phrase occurs over and over in this passage? What does this warning say to you?

2. Today’s message centered on Matthew’s portrayal of Christ as King. Why is Christ a King like no other king? What makes Him unique? Why does the kingdom He rules over, operate so differently from the kingdoms of men?

3. The Magi brought gifts for the newborn king. What were the three gifts and what were their significance? Their gifts show a level of discernment about Who Christ was and what He came to do that many in Israel lacked. Why do you think the gospels constantly portray outsiders as more discerning and spiritually receptive than God’s own people?

4. Pastor Keith took some time to make a comparison between the history of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and Christ’s triumphal entry. What parallels stood out to you? Israel was primed for a political revolution, yet Christ brought a spiritual revolution. Why must the heart be changed before our circumstances can ever be changed?

5. Christ is King. Is He truly the King of your life? Does His sovereign choice always come first? Do you desire to follow Him in all you do? If not, what gets in the way? If so, how did you learn to submit to His will and His ways?

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CHRIST
The Name | Part 2
Dr. Jessica Fernandez
December 8, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #christ #thename

What’s in a name? In Scripture, names are more than just labels—they reveal identity, purpose, and destiny. The name Christ is no exception. Derived from the Greek Christos, meaning "Anointed One," it is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach or "Messiah". This name declares Jesus as the chosen and empowered Savior, Prophet, Priest, and King. In this message, we’ll explore the profound meaning of the name Christ and how it reveals Jesus’ mission and identity. Together, we’ll discover how understanding Him as the Anointed One can transform the way we see Him, love Him, and follow Him. This Christmas season let’s move beyond familiarity and embrace the depth of who Jesus truly is as the Christ—the fulfillment of God’s promises and the hope of the world.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does the name "Christ" reveal about Jesus' identity and mission?

2. How do titles like Prophet, Priest, and King deepen your understanding of Jesus?

3. What cultural or personal misconceptions about Jesus might you need to address?

4. How can Simeon and Anna’s faithfulness inspire your walk with God today?

5. In what ways does recognizing Jesus as Christ shape your daily life and decisions?

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JESUS
The Name – Part 1
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
December 1, 2024

#God #realspringcreekchurch #christmas #thename #jesus #hope

His name is, without a doubt, one of the most universally recognized names in all the world. Even now, 2000 years after His life, death and resurrection, Jesus occupies the place of central devotion in all His followers. But what is it about His name that is so unique? Why do Christians always pray in His name? What makes His name stand out above all other names?

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Pastor Keith mentioned in the introduction to the message that the Bible gives us 256 different names of Jesus. This series is only dealing with four of them. What other names does the Bible use to describe Jesus and what do those names mean to you?


2. Praying in Jesus’ name is not a tag line we attach to our prayers. What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? How does this affect the way you see prayer in His name? Have you ever been so in tune with the will of God, that when an opportunity presented itself, you knew what needed to be said, prayed for or done? What was that like? What was the result?


3. Unless we read Scripture through Jewish eyes, we will miss so many details that are important in the narrative we are reading. After seeing the connection between Joshua and Jesus, what were some of your key takeaways from those parallels? Had you made this connection before? In the gospels, what other things are you aware of that are connected in some significant way to the Jewishness of the writers and the story they are telling?


4. In the last section of the message, Pastor Keith talked about salvation that Christ has made available to all who call on His name. He also shared about His own conversion experience. In the time remaining, those of you who are comfortable doing so, share about your own experience of coming to know God. When did it happen? How did it happen? If someone asked you, “How can I be saved?” What would you tell them?

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THE FRUIT OF SELF-CONTROL
Fruit-Full – Part 9
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
November 24, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofselfcontrol #selfcontrol
https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

Self-control is something most all of us struggle with. Now you may exercise enviable control over your money, your schedule, your personal life, your eating, or any number of areas but still have one thing with which you constantly struggle. And that one thing becomes an endless source of discouragement. As we wrap up this series, let’s tune into what God has to say about self-control, what it is, what it isn’t, what works and what does not. This is a must hear message you don’t want to miss!
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. One of the defining characteristics of the flesh is its emptiness. It is empty and feels empty all the time. Which is why the flesh craves the overconsumption of anything and everything it desires. Can you give examples of this? Pastor Keith pointed out that in Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the flesh with the spirit. Take some time to read Galatians 5.13-26. What differences do you notice between the flesh and the Spirit? What characterizes the flesh? What characterizes the Spirit?

2. Unlike humans, God does not share in our fleshly desires (excessive or normal). He is not needy like us. But at the same time, He chose to have a human experience in Jesus Christ with all the normal needs that humans have. What sorts of needs do all humans share? Can you think of examples in Scripture that illustrate the humanness of Christ? How did Christ handle the temptations in the wilderness and what does it teach us about how to handle temptation (Read Matthew 4.1-11)?

3. What did you learn from this message about the inner civil war believers fight? It is not uncommon for believers to experience levels of victory in certain areas of their life in regards to self-control while at the same time experiencing defeat in other areas. Where have you experienced victory? Where have you struggled? What are you learning about the key to victory?

4. Willpower and Spirit power are two entirely different things. What are the limitations of willpower? Why does the Bible offer us cautions in regards to rule-keeping as a way to defeat sin?

5. How do we yield to the Holy Spirit? How do we nurture our life in God as opposed to feeding our fleshly appetites? What is your biggest takeaway from today’s message?

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THE FRUIT OF GENTLENESS
Fruit-Full – Part 8
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart

November 17, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofgentleness #gentleness

https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

It’s the one fruit nobody wants. To many, gentleness just sounds like a good way to get run over. I mean, let’s face it, you don’t climb the corporate ladder of gentleness. We think gentleness just can’t cut it in the real world. But what works for God works for life and works for us. When God is looking for the ones who are manifesting His presence, He looks for this quality more than any other. Discover this Sunday why gentleness is God’s way of transforming the world.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What do you think of or envision when you hear the word gentleness? Is it a positive or negative word for you—why? Recall a time when someone else’s gentleness was a blessing to you. What happened and what difference did it make?

2. Have you ever experienced harshness? Where did it happen? Who did it involve? How did it affect you? Does it still affect you?

3. Why do we tend to equate volume, bravado and threatening language with strength?

4. Would people who know you well say that they see gentleness in you? How do you feel about what their response might be?

5. Are you judgmental or gentle toward those who sin differently than you do?

6. Are my words building up others or are they bruising their sense of worth and dignity as a people created in the image of God?

7. How do you hear this word (gentleness) differently now? What Scriptures stood out to you most today? Isaiah and Matthew used the image of Christ as one who would not break a bent reed or snuff out a flickering lamp. How does that imagery speak to you? Can you think of any New Testament examples of Christ’s gentleness with people? If so, what are they?

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THE FRUIT OF FAITHFULNESS
Fruit-Full – Part 7
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
November 10, 2024

#realspringcreekchurch #god #fruitfull #thefruitoffaithfulness #faithfulness #faithfulhttps://www.springcreekchurch.org/

The writer of proverbs asks the question, “Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” (Proverbs 20.6). Did you know there are studies that indicate we replace half of our social network over a course of seven years and that the percentage of Americans who say that they don’t have a single close friend has quadrupled since 1990? Fidelity seems to be in short supply these days. But God promises a new reality to the believer fully yielded to Him. Faithfulness is a natural outgrowth of a life yielded to the One Who keeps every promise, is there for us when everyone else walks away, and remains faithful even when we’re faithless.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever been in a relationship where trust or promises were broken? What sort of effect did that have on you? Were you ever able to rebuild trust with that person? What do you think are the necessary steps in rebuilding trust?

2. God is a promise-making, promise-keeping God. Throughout Scripture, we are not just reminded of God’s promises but also of the faithfulness of God to keep each and every one of them. What are some of the promises that you see God making and keeping in Scripture? What are some of the promises that God made to all believers that you depend on in your own walk with Christ?

3. The Bible assures us that God is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. What does that tell you about God? How is that different or the same as what you were taught in prior church experiences? Why is disappointment something foreign to God?

4. What is some small way that you demonstrate faithfulness in your daily life? Has God ever asked you to serve Him in a way that would never be noticed by others? If so, what was that? Why does God insist on fidelity in small things before trusting us with greater things?

5. Robertson McQuilken’s story of his love and fidelity to his wife with Alzheimer’s disease is a truly touching and inspirational example of heart transformed by the faithfulness of God. Why are stories like this so rare today? How does this story effect you? In what ways would you like for God to do a similar work in you?

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THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS
Fruit-Full – Part 6
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
November 3, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofgoodness #goodness
https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

Goodness been called the most underrated of all the fruit of the Spirit. If you ask the average believer in which area do they most need to grow, many will say patience, self-control or even love. But goodness is hardly ever even mentioned. It seems unimportant. But what if I told you that the goodness of God is no minor league truth about God. Instead it’s literally the lens through which we see all the other attributes of God. Goodness is what you need in God to set you free and goodness is what He wants to pour through your life to transform the world.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Take some time to discuss what you learned about the word “good” and “goodness” today. What were your dominant associations with those words before hearing this message? What are they now? What qualities stood out most as it relates to the Old Testament Hebrew word (Tov) or the New Testament Greek word (Agathosune)?

2. Why is the goodness of God not a minor truth about God? How does God demonstrate His goodness to us? In what ways have you been a recipient of the goodness of God?

3. One practical suggestion to come out of today’s message was to make the phrase “God is as good as Jesus made Him out to be” a daily meditation. Since Jesus told us He was the clearest representation of God we have ever seen or known, how does that shift any misconceptions you may presently have of God? When you read the Bible, do you read through a Christo-centric filter (using Christ as the lens through which you read the rest of the Bible)? In Bible study, it is often taught that clear passages should govern our understanding of unclear passages. If Christ is the clearest representation of God we have ever had, then it is only fitting to see and understand the rest of Scripture through the lens of Christ. Have you ever tried to do this?

4. Pastor Keith clearly laid out God’s plan to support His workers through the generosity of God’s people in Scripture. In fact, goodness literally means to give generously for the good of others. One of the primary ways we do this is by supporting those who minister the Word to our souls. Do you think most people understand this aspect of giving? Why do you think people give to the church? Why has God throughout history placed His workers in a position of forced dependency on the people of God?

5. As with every fruit of the Spirit, all of them are evidence of the fullness of God’s presence in us. When God’s goodness fills our heart and overflows into our lives, people are blown away by the things they see in our life that can’t be credited to anything other than the presence of God. What do you think of the phrase, “Your life may be the only Bible some people read?” Have you ever witnessed that in someone? What were they like? What effect did it have on you? Is your life an example of something that attracts people to the family of God?