It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

11/8/2015 Edgewater Sermon – by Jonathan Woolner

Listen to Jonathan Woolner speak about the role of Jesus to advocate for those without an advocate.

Jon Woolner demonstrates traditional Rabbi apparel

Jesus calls the woman who put faith in Him “daughter”. She who had no advocate otherwise, is a daughter of the King.

In the kingdom of God nobody is a nobody.

People walking with Jesus moved from believing to knowing.

Identify your isolation and sources of shame, so you can begin healing.

Download the growth group worksheet Continue reading “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay”

Where Your Attention Goes Energy Flows

Listen to Jonathan Woolner speak about the patterns of Jesus & his ability to say “no” to things and “yes” to others, setting His face toward Jerusalem, even while people are begging Him to stay and help them solve their problems. Does your schedule reflect a person who has a well-defined Jerusalem, and who is desperate to hear the voice of the father?

Read along in

Luke 4:40-44

Luke 13:22

Luke 17

Luke 18:31

Luke 19:28

John 5:19-20

Genesis (we all have the divine breath inside of us)

Download the growth group question sheet.

The Other Side

Listen to Jonathan Woolner speak about the way Jesus pursued chaos and brought order and peace, to the astonishment of those around Him. Many asked, “Who is this…” and wondered if they could trust Jesus as LORD. Read:

You Are

Listen to Jonathan Woolner describe the strategy, introduced by Jesus, of changing the world with unschooled ordinary people: people just like us. You are the salt and  the light, Jesus doesn’t say you should be the salt and the light… Read along in
Matthew 5:13-16,
Matthew 5:3-12,
Matthew 15:13-16,
Mark 9:31-34,
Luke 8:1-2,
Luke 9:49-50,
Luke 9:52-56, and
Acts 4:13.

Chosen

Listen to Jonathan Woolner explain that Jesus was a rabbi. ‘Jewish to the bone’
Jewish disciples had to have three stages of education:

  1. Age 6-10: Memorize the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy)
  2. Age 10-13: Questioning and answering
  3. Age 13-16: Determined whether students would train for discipleship or for common trades.

Age 30: Students on the discipleship track look for rabbis to follow, rabbis observe students and discern whether or not they are capable of taking on their yoke.

Jesus was unique in that he surprisingly pursued people who were not on track to be disciples, and He pursues us in the same way. He believes you have the capacity to be like Him.

John 1 – “In the beginning was the word…” vs 14 – “…the word became flesh”
Luke 2:41-52 – vs 52 – “…grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and Man”
Matthew 11
Matthew 4:18-22 – “Come follow me, Jesus said…”
John 15:16 – “I chose you, you did not choose me”

The Power of Connection

Listen to Jonathan Woolner talk about Zacchaeus. “…In the absence of connection there is always suffering.” Jesus moved toward suffering while tradition held that a tax collector would not even be considered human. He also calls him (who lacked connection) by name (pure and innocent). Jesus makes the first move. He invites us to be who we really are. Read along in Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 5:8.