I Am Second Sermon Series Package

Featuring 3 sermons from the 6 week series

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Week 1 sermon
I am Second Group Introduction
Week 2 sermon
Second: Struggles
Week 3 sermon
Second: Relationships
Sermon 1
I am Second Group Introduction
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Sermon 1
I am Second Group
Introduction
At sometime during the service give the audience an introduction to the I
am Second groups you will be launching as part of this initiative. Be sure to
highlight:
Purpose of these groups: be inspired to share your story as you discuss
important life issues such as relationships, struggles, and success.
Tools: guide your audience to know how they can get the small group
discussion guides and books.
Next Steps: provide clear next steps on how your audience can join or start
an I am Second group for this initiative.
Use one or more of these Options to lead into sermon:
Option 1show Stephen Baldwin flm
Option 2show Stephen Baldwin teaser flm
Option 3have someone from your congregation do Live Second Story
monologue of the woman at the well (download suggested script at
iamsecond.com/churchkit)
Option 4have someone from your congregation share their own story of how
God has changed their life
*Visit iamsecond.com/churchkit for additional resources and ideas for
this six week church campaign.
Big Ideas Outline:
Big Idea: You have a story that people need to hear.
1. Stephen Baldwin or Woman at the Well monologue- God uses unexpected
people to spread his message.
2. Get in the Game- We all need to get out of the stands and off the bench and
into the game by sharing our story.
3. You have a story- What is your story? Are you ready to start sharing it?
4. Bible Story- God used an unexpected woman to impact her whole village
with her story.
5. Game Plan- We will spend the next six weeks learning our story and
preparing to share it with our world.
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The Power of Story
Text: John 4:4-47- The Woman at the Well (15-20 minutes)
Introduction: Get in the Game
Routines and Ruts
We all get in our ruts. Routines that start out healthy or helpful or normal but
end up something else. Maybe your routine has made you feel lazy or bored.
Or maybe you feel you no longer are accomplishing what you once did. Maybe
you feel your relationship with God has grown stale. Maybe you feel that your
training routine is just that, training. But you want to get out and actually play
the game.
Our place in the Game
When we go to a sporting event like basketball there are three groups of
people:
First there are the Players in the game. Thats what God designed us to
do. He designed you, yes you, to be a player in his game. We are all his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that we should walk in
them. I want to be a player. Doing what God wants me to do. But sometimes
I am like . . . .
The guys on the bench. They are on the Jesus team, but not playing. Just
watching. Theyve been to a lot of practices, but when it comes to the game,
they are sitting on the bench. What happens when we sit on the bench too
much? We become overly critical, lazy, or unproductive. We can forget that life
is about getting in the game, not watching others play it.
A third group are the spectators in the stands. Not on the team. Just
watching. I thank God I am no longer a spectator, because I have trusted
Jesus as my Savior. I am on the team. So my challenge is to put the ball in
play and get in the game.
Are you in the Game?
How about you? Where do you see yourself in this picture?
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(insert your own story) Maybe you are wondering if you even are on the team.
For 29 years I went to church dutifully, but I did not have a true relationship
with Jesus Christ. I was only religious. Then one day God got through my
pride. I knew he had died on the cross for my sins, but one day I put my trust
in him paying for my sins. I went from busy spectator to being on the team.
Maybe you are in that position today.
Maybe you have settled into your routines, and those routines have become
ruts. Do you feel like you are sitting on the bench? That all the awesome God
things are happening to others? That your Christian life has settled into a
busy, but pretty mundane, routine?
Do you want to get more in the game? Are you eager to be all that God
designed for you to be? If so, youre going to love what God shows us in a
story in John 4 about the woman at the well.
You Have a Story
One of the biggest plays that we often forget to implement as members of
Gods team is sharing our story. We sometimes forget that one of Gods
favorite plays is to have his players share their story. Few people realize the
power of their own story. We think our own story is too weak or too normal or
we think that our past somehow disqualifes us from sharing with the world.
Sometimes we become convinced that God can only use people that have
it all together or who know all the answers. But the truth is nobody has it
together and nobody but God has all the answers. Despite our defciency, God
wants to use each and every one of us. No matter our background, no matter
the mess in our past, and no matter the history of our lives, God has a plan to
make our story a testament to his greatness.
The question we must answer is not whether we have a story to tell, because
we all have one, but will we tell that story? Will we follow the coaches play?
Will we get in the game and make the play. Will we take the bold, scary, and
sometimes dangerous step to share our story? Will we take the chance that
some people will not believe us, some will not accept us, that not everyone
will identify with or understand us? Will we take that chance because we know
that God has someone who needs to hear our story, someone he has made
ready to hear the story of a changed life, the story of God still moving and still
acting in this world?
We dont know much about the woman at the well, but we do know she
understood the power of her story. She understood that Jesus wanted her in
the game. That he wanted her to go to her friends and family and the strangers
surrounding her and tell them all about her story. Her village knew who
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she was. They knew she was not a woman to be trusted or a woman to be
admired. But when she met Jesus, she knew her village needed to meet him
too. Telling her village was not up for debate, not a choice; meeting Jesus was
not a story that could be contained. So despite the risk, despite the ridicule
she knew could come, she ran to her village and told them the story about
how she met the man who knew everything about her. Her village was never
the same.
The Bible Story
The Meeting
Lets take a look at her story in John 4:4-47.
Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria
called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacobs well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat
down by the well. It was about noon.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, Will you
give me a drink? (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan
woman. How can you ask me for a drink? (For Jews do not associate with
Samaritans.)
John 4:4-9
Jews Hated Samaritans
It was bad enough for a Jew to talk with a Samaritan but for a Jewish teacher,
a rabbi like Jesus, to talk to a Samaritan was worse. And if that wasnt bad
enough, Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman and he talked with her alone.
Even the woman was surprised by Jesus bold move to speak with her.
To say that Jews didnt get along with Samaritans would be an
understatement. They hated each other. They avoided each other whenever
possible. The passage opens with a statement that Jesus had to go through
Samaria. Jews didnt go through Samaria. If they had to travel in this region
they would literally add hours or even days to their journey to go around the
land of Samaria in order to avoid contact with these people. Jesus didnt
have to go through Samaria because there was no way around; he had to go
through there because God had a plan, because he had a lesson to teach his
disciples.
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Jesus Loved Samaritans
While none of us have to worry about travelling through Samaritan lands or
running into Samaritan women that we arent supposed to talk with, many of
us have people we avoid, groups we dont understand or like. You may even
feel like you are one of these people, someone that is ignored or disliked; but
if this story tells us anything, it is that Jesus loves even the Samaritans of our
world. God believes everyone is special, everyone is unique, everyone has a
story God wants the world to hear. Rather than shirking opportunities to share
our story, we should seek them. Rather than viewing our stories as too plain,
or too embarrassing, or too controversial, we should be proud to share how
God has changed us.
Her Story
The woman at the well did not know much about Jesus, but she knew enough
to tell her story. She still had an experience worth sharing.

Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but
whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I
give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water so that I wont get thirsty
and have to keep coming here to draw water.
He told her, Go, call your husband and come back.
I have no husband, she replied.
John 4:13-18
Spiritual Conversation
Jesus used a mundane conversation about water to lead to profound spiritual
truths. We dont have to bring our friends and family to church to talk about
God. Talking about faith and God can and should be a regular feature in our
conversations. Notice that Jesus did not just live a good life and hope that
someone would ask him why he was different. He didnt try to live like a
Christian and then hope that someone would ask him about God. He didnt
just invite people to synagogue and hope the local rabbi would take care of
things. Jesus took the initiative. He started a conversation with a stranger and
quickly turned the focus of that conversation to spiritual realities.
The conversation started off with Jesus being thirsty and needy. Sometimes
we as believers give off the vibe that we have all the answers and do not have
any struggles or needs. Going needy into situations, admitting weaknesses,
being honest with doubts and struggles, or even just asking for peoples help
are often some of the best ways to start spiritual conversations, a lesson we
can learn from Jesus.
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Introducing spiritual conversations does not have to be an awkward or diffcult
thing. It can be as simple as asking someone if you can pray for them. You
could start with the weather and end by asking if they think God makes the
rain fall. You can wear an I am Second bracelet or T-shirt and watch as people
begin asking what it means. Whatever the conversation, there is always a way
to bring up spiritual topics to see if the person is interested in discussing God.
Telling Our Stories
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to
the people, Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could
this be the Messiah? They came out of the town and made their way
toward him.
John 4:28-30
The woman had a very simple story. She met Jesus and he told her everything
she ever did. That was her whole story in one sentence. Her town didnt
need her to preach a sermon on her life or write an autobiography about her
encounters with God. They just needed a short story of someones life who
had been affected by meeting Jesus. She could have spent weeks or even
years trying to change her life so that people would notice the change and ask
her about it, but the woman knew her town needed to hear her story not just
see it. Telling her story didnt need to be glamorous or long, just real.
We each have a story to tell. Some of our stories are fashy and dramatic.
Some are about meeting God for the frst time, others may be about a lifelong
journey. Some may be about God in the hard times or the good. Some are
about loss and pain, while others are about hope and joy. Some are about life
lessons God taught through divorce, job loss, health problems, peer pressure
or parenting. Whatever the story, it is your story. Your story God has given you
to tell the world. Your story that stands as a testament of Gods work in your
life. And it is these stories that God will use to move the hearts of our friends
and family.
Maybe you feel like the woman at the well. Maybe you feel you have done
terrible things. Sexual sins. Bad relationships. Things youve said. Bad habits
you cant kick. God still wants to use you. He wants you to get in the game, to
work through you.
What is your circle of infuence? If you had been at that well, and you had
immediately left to go back to your circle of infuence, your network, where
would you have gone? Your family? Your school? The sport team you play on?
Your neighborhood? What circles of infuence has God put you into? Where
has he planted you?
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The Power of Story
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the
womans testimony, He told me everything I ever did. So when the
Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed
two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
They said to the woman, We no longer believe just because of what you
said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is
the Savior of the world.
John 4:39-42
God used the simple story of a divorced relationally plagued woman to move
the hearts of a whole town. One womans story became the catalyst that
brought the whole town to Jesus, the tool that God used to bring his message
to a lost world. What will God use your story for? Who will God touch using
your story? It begins with you sharing that story. It begins with you taking the
chance to start those spiritual conversations and share your story, your journey
with God with a lost and dying world.
Game Plan
Over the course of the next several weeks we are going to walk through a
game plan to get all of us in the game. We are going to learn how to share
our stories, the story of Jesus, and how to invite our circles of infuence into
spiritual conversations and hopefully even into I am Second groups where they
can discover Gods plan for their life.
We will start here on the INSIDE. Together, we will walk through a six week
discussion guide in our small groups to learn to share our story, to be inspired
by others who have done the same. Here, in our services, you will hear the
stories of many of your fellow church goers and you, too, will be invited to
share your story with the church. All this so that we will each be equipped and
inspired to get in the game and share our stories with the world.
We will start INSIDE but only to inspire us to go OUTSIDE. After we fnish our
six week journey, we will all be encouraged to take what we have learned and
share it with our circles of infuence. We will be each need to consider who we
will share our story with and who we can invite to join us in an I am Second
group using the same six week discussion guide we will go through together
as a church. Maybe you will share your story with your neighbors or your
schoolmates or your co-workers but let us each consider where God wants us
to get in the game.
Sermon 2
Second: Struggles
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Sermon 2
Second: Struggles
Big Ideas Outline:
Big Idea: God heals and gives you strength through your
struggles.
1. Josh Hamilton or Possessed Man monologue- God can heal our struggles
and give us strength in our battles.
2. Everyone Struggles- Big and small, we all have our struggles.
3. Bible Story of Struggle- God healed the demon possessed man and used
his story to impact his world.
4. Start the Healing: Respond to Gods grace by committing to follow him and
tell the story of his grace.
5. Tell Your Story- What story has God given you to share?
Use one or more of these Options to lead into sermon:
Option 1show Josh Hamilton flm
Option 2show Josh Hamilton teaser flm
Option 3have someone from your congregation do Live Second Story
monologue of Possessed Man (download suggested script at iamsecond.com/
churchkit)
Option 4have someone from your congregation share their own story of how
God has changed their life
*Visit iamsecond.com/churchkit for additional resources and
ideas for this six week church campaign.
Sermon
Text: Mark 5:1-20- Second: Struggles (15-20 minutes)
Everyone Struggles
Introduction: Struggles
Everybody has struggles, situations that stress, habits that we cant kick,
fnances or relationships that seem impossible to fx. The story of Josh
Hamilton may differ from yours and mine in the details but his struggles are
not unusual. We all face the same struggles in varying degrees. While few of
us have played professional baseball all of us have struggled with balancing
our personal lives with our careers. While not all of us have faced debilitating
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addiction to the same degree as Josh Hamilton, we all struggle with habits and
thought patterns that hurt our families and relationships.
My Own Struggles
[Share an example of a struggle in your own life]
My own story of struggle is about...
God helped me through these struggles by...
I still battle these struggles but God makes the battle worth fghting...
Bible Story of Struggle
The Struggles of Life
The story of another man, from the Bible, may also seem foreign to us, at frst
glance. The Bible describes this man as a homeless outcast, terrorized by evil
spirits, not a position in which many of us fnd ourselves. But the practical
results of this mans life are much more familiar. His fnances were a mess. His
relationships broken. Addictions and unyielding habits surely riddled his life.
Issues we all fear and deal with. Lets read the story in Mark chapter fve.
When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the
tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind
him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand
and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No
one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs
and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
Mark 5:2-5
Think about this mans life. He wouldnt have just woken up one day a
homeless man living in a graveyard. We only get a snapshot of his life, a
picture of him at the bottom, a broken and ruined person. But what must have
started as a job loss, a health problem, a bad addiction, marital strife or family
tragedy eventually resulted in the state we see him in this story.
He has no way to make a living in a society with no social net, no food
programs, no government aid programs. He is a spiritual and moral mess.
We dont know what came frst, the spiritual problems and evil spirits or the
bad life choices, but like anything else in life it was likely a combination of the
two. Relationally we see this man is completely alone. He is abandoned to the
graveyard. No friends, no family, no hope. If he was married, the relationship
would certainly be in ruin. Any friendships would certainly be stretched and
broken beyond all repair. This man had all the struggles of life to the extreme.
He was broken.
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We are like him
The point of this story is not to show how different this man is from everyone
else but to show how similar he is. While few may share in the exact details
of his life, we can all relate to parts of his mess. We may not all be homeless
but many of us struggle with our fnances. We may not all have the same
addictions he probably had, we certainly all have our favorite bad habits. While
not everyone will have the same level of relationship discord that surely riddled
his life, we all have relationships that need healing. This man struggled with
it all. And because of that, we can all relate to him at least in part. We all can
share in his pain and learn from his story.
Only God can Heal
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons
begged Jesus, Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them. He
gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the
pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep
bank into the lake and were drowned.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and
countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When
they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the
legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they
were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened
to the demon-possessed manand told about the pigs as well. Then the
people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
Mark 5:11-17
Spiritual Dimension of Struggles
Jesus did what no one else could. He healed this crazed and demon
possessed man. But the struggles that this man had ahead of him would still
be many. He would still have old friends and old temptations waiting for him.
He would have bitter and hurt family members who wouldnt easily forget this
mans past life and past mistakes. He would have a lot of apologies to make,
doubts to overcome, and a life to rebuild.
But Jesus teaches us one important thing. Lifes struggles can never be truly
healed without Him. While a long journey still lay ahead for this man, Jesus
was the frst step. While many relationships would have to be rebuilt, Jesus
was the frst relationship that he needed. While many things would still need
changing in his life, Jesus gave him the power to make those changes.
While it may seem cheesy or cliche to say, Jesus really is the answer. I dont
mean to say that things wont still be complicated and diffcult, that lifes
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struggles wont still seem overwhelming, but Jesus is the only one who can
make those struggles possible. To struggle means there is a fght, a back and
forth, winning and losing. Without Jesus we dont have struggles, we just have
defeat, utter and hopeless defeat. Jesus gives us the power to fght. Jesus is
the power that makes lifes struggles possible, and eventual victory in eternity
sure.
Start the Healing
So what struggles do you face? Is your marriage in trouble? Is school or
making friends a daily battle? Do you have a past mistake or experience
that still haunts you? Do you have a secret that gnaws at your soul? Is it a
habit or addiction that seems unbeatable? Whatever your struggle, whatever
your issue, making Jesus frst is the only path towards healing. Jesus is not
interested in having more fans or more religious people. What he wants is you.
He wants your career and your family. He wants your heart and your mind. He
wants everything. He wants to be undeniably and unmistakably frst in your
life. Because it is only through him that your struggles can be faced, through
him that your past is forgiven, your mistakes washed clean.
Making Jesus First
So what does it look like to make Jesus frst in your life? Lets take a look at
what it looked like in this mans life.
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-
possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, Go
home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done
for you, and how he has had mercy on you. So the man went away and
began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.
Mark 5:18-20
Obedience
This man was radically and dramatically healed by Jesus, and his instant
response was to follow him. Making Jesus frst is radical obedience. It is
following Jesus to learn everything you can about him and obey everything
you learn. The man didnt just give Jesus a quick thank you and go about
his business. He didnt pretend God owed him this healing, this rescue from
his struggles. He responded to Gods grace with complete surrender and
complete obedience.
We often like to hide parts of our lives. Maybe its our money or our family life.
Maybe we are one person on the weekend and another at church, school,
or work. But Jesus doesnt want part of our lives, he wants all of them. This
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once crazed and possessed man begged to follow Jesus. He begged Jesus
for the opportunity to spend his life living for the One who healed him. How
excited are we about giving Jesus everything? How enthusiastic are we when
Jesus demands we open those secret closets and give up those deep hearted
desires for something greater, someone greater? How often do we hold back
on those things we hold so dear?
Telling Your Story
While this man wanted to follow Jesus by sitting at his feet and learning from
his lips, Jesus had another mission for this mans life, a mission we all share
and in which all have been commissioned to participate:
Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done
for you, and how he has had mercy on you.
Mark 5:19
This man had a story to tell and Jesus wanted him to tell it. God had taught
this man something profound, had done an amazing healing in his life. But that
healing came with responsibility, a duty to tell the story. And while this mans
life would still need a lot of rebuilding, a lot of work, part of that work would be
tell the story of Gods grace.
It is the story of Gods grace that we are bound to tell and retell. As much as
our culture may teach the importance of lifting ourselves up by our bootstraps,
God tells us we are lifted by his grace. It is his unearned, undeserved,
unbuyable, unbribable grace that gives us hope, that saves us from ourselves,
our sin, our mess, our total and complete lostness. Nothing but the grace of
God as demonstrated through Jesus and his eventual death and resurrection
gives us hope, offers us a way to healing and a path to freedom from our
struggles.
God has a story for each of us. He has a message he has written into each of
our lives. It may not be as dramatic or outlandish as the man in this story, but
it is no less powerful and no less important. We are called to share the story of
what God has done in our lives with the people around us.
And all the people were amazed.
Mark 5:20
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The man was commissioned to go to his friends and his family and tell his
story. But he didnt stop there. He went to the whole ten city region, all of
Decapolis. His story became a beacon of hope for the hopeless, a message of
grace to the lost people. The man did not know much about Jesus. He was not
a trained theologian. But he knew that Jesus healed him, that God showed him
grace, and that was the story he told. Are you telling that story? Are you letting
the people in your life be amazed at what God has done in you? If you have
yet to experience that story, then perhaps today is the day you allow Gods
grace to change your life.
Sermon 3
Second: Relationships
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Sermon 3
Second: Relationships
Big Ideas Outline:
Big Idea: Gods Forgiveness Restores Relationships.
1. Shannon Culpepper or Prodigal Son monologue- Forgiveness is the
foundation of every human relationship.
2. We all Need Forgiveness- We each need to learn both to confess our
wrongs and to grant forgiveness for the wrongs of others.
3. Bible Story- The father teaches us the power of forgiveness and the other
brother the destructiveness of unforgiveness.
4. Tell Your Story of Forgiveness- What areas of your life needs forgiveness?
How can forgiveness in your life impact your world?
Use one or more of these Options to lead into sermon:
Option 1show Shannon Culpepper flm
Option 2show Shannon Culpepper teaser flm
Option 3have someone from your congregation do Live Second Story
monologue of the Prodigal Son (download suggested script at iamsecond.
com/churchkit)
Option 4have someone from your congregation share their own story of how
God has changed their life
*Visit iamsecond.com/churchkit for additional resources and
ideas for this six week church campaign.
Sermon
Text: Luke 15:11-32- Second: Relationships (15-20 minutes)
We All Need Forgiveness
Introduction: Relationships
Relationships make life worth living. Love gets each of us up every morning.
It is love that drives us to succeed or sends men to war. Few things have
ever been done in this world that havent been motivated by love and the
relationships that embody that love. But in this world relationships are made
from broken and imperfect people. And so every relationship needs one thing
to survive: forgiveness.
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Forgiveness Affects Everything
In a world stained by sin, by mistakes, by broken promises and failed
expectations, forgiveness is the fuel that keeps love running. Shannon
Culpeppers story demonstrates how unforgiveness and brokenness in one
relationship spills over into the rest of our lives, one relationship affects the
others. But this simple truth also works in reverse. When God comes into
the picture, when we get our relationship right between us and God, our
other relationships change for the better. It brings healing into the rest of our
lives. And as the story of the prodigal son demonstrates, forgiveness is the
foundation not just for marriage relationships but for every relationship, for
parents and children, for siblings and for friends.
My Own Story of Forgiveness
[share a personal story about forgiveness]
I learned about the need for and power of forgiveness when...
God taught me to forgive/confess by...
I still need reminding to forgive...
Bible Story
Failures
Lets take a closer look at the story that Jesus tells about forgiveness and the
prodigal son.
There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father,
Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property
between them.
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a
distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he
had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country,
and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen
of that country, who sent him to his felds to feed pigs. He longed to fll
his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him
anything.
Luke 15:11-16
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Wild Living and Rock Bottom
The son in this story came from a good family. His father was a successful
businessman and most likely a respected fgure in his community. While
even today our families can be either a badge of honor or a source of
embarrassment, in that culture and in those days family honor took
precedence over everything. Nothing else was more important. One lived or
died for family honor.
Despite the value of his familys honor, the son takes his familys wealth and
squandered it on wild living. He openly disregarded the name of his family and
lived a wild and pleasure flled life. He wasted everything on alcohol, parties,
women, and fancy clothes. And if wasting his fathers money wasnt bad
enough, he then bottomed out by feeding pigs and sharing in their muck and
disgust. This son was a complete and utter embarrassment to his family, a
complete failure by any measure.
Modern-day Pigs
Maybe you really identify with this son. Maybe you too feel like your mistakes
have so embarrassed your family or so broken the relationships around you
that there seems no way out. Maybe youve had an affair, found yourself
locked in addiction, maybe your anger or your obsession with work has
devastated your family. Maybe you are on the other end of the equation.
Maybe you feel your indignation is righteous, that your anger is deserved. And
you would probably be right.
But whether you have the speck of dust or the log in your eye, we all have
something that has caused brokenness in the relationships around us. None of
us deserves the forgiveness that we so desperately need. But that is the power
of forgiveness. Forgiveness is never deserved, is never earned. By defnition,
forgiveness is the undeserved overlooking of error. We all have modern day
pigs in our lives, mistakes we would rather not admit. And we must all decide
whether we will grant and receive the undeserved forgiveness of those pigs or
forever suffer the effects of ruined relationships.
Forgiveness
The son in this story realized his error and admitted his mistakes and vowed to
return to his father to right what wrongs he could.

When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired
servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out
and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against
heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make
22
me like one of your hired servants. So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was flled with
compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and
kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on
him. Put a ring on his fnger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf
and kill it. Lets have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead
and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:17-21
Confession
Forgiveness is a two sided operation, the one who forgives and the one who
asks for forgiveness. Without both people fully engaging in the process,
the relationship will never fully heal. When we are abused, hurt, or wronged
in some way, we need to forgive regardless of whether the other person
confesses any wrong. This is essential if we are to ever move on with life, to
allow ourselves to heal from the damage that has been caused. But this type
of one-sided forgiveness cannot restore broken relationships. It only lets those
harmed move beyond and heal. But forgiveness that heals relationships starts
with confession.
The son came back to his father knowing two things. First, that he did wrong.
He had no excuses, no reasonings, no blaming, just honest and complete
confession. Second, he came with no expectations. He knew that forgiveness
was not something he could earn. He didnt expect or demand that his father
forgive him. He knew he did not deserve it. He hoped for it but did not demand
it.
Telling the Story of Forgiveness
Lessons on Confession
How good are you at confession? Do you confess, but only when you are
caught? Do you confess, but only with an excuse or reason? Do you confess,
but only after blaming part of it on someone else? Do you confess, but then
immediately demand complete forgiveness and absolution. These sorts of half-
hearted confessions hinder the healing process.
Reunion
The father in this story understood the power of forgiveness. He knew his son
had ruined his life and tarnished the family name. He knew that his son had
caused more harm and more damage than could ever be repaid or repaired.
The father knew that forgiveness was the only real option. He could stay
bitter or angry but no amount of bitterness, no amount of anger could ever fx
23
the relationship or the damage his son had caused. What is more, the father
truly and deeply loved his son, and love always welcomes forgiveness. In our
broken world, love cannot survive without it. Forgiveness and love are tied
together, two sides of one coin, two halves of one equation.
Letting Go
But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on
him. Put a ring on his fnger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf
and kill it. Lets have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead
and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:23-24
When confession comes, we have a choice. We can choose to act as the
father did and truly and completely forgive or we can live with bitterness.
Forgiveness is a funny thing. It doesnt even really need the other person to
confess. Forgiveness is when you have been wronged or hurt but refuse to
allow hatred and bitterness to engulf your mind. You let it go. Forgiveness
doesnt justify what the other person did. Forgiveness does not make evil turn
to good, or badness somehow OK. Forgiveness is a letting go, a release of that
emotional punishment we want to infict on those who hurt us. Forgiveness lets
the injured begin to heal.
But when confession and forgiveness merge, when both occur together, you
have something even more beautiful. You dont just have the injured begin to
heal, or the injurer begin to forgive themselves and change their behavior, you
have a restored relationship. The father and the son are able to actually leave
behind the ugly pain of the past and start afresh with their relationship, and in
many ways move forward even stronger and closer than before.
Bitterness
Without forgiveness the injury becomes a disability, the hurt becomes a
sickness and a disease. This is a lesson the brother never learned.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the feld. When he came near the house,
he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked
him what was going on. Your brother has come, he replied, and your
father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and
sound.
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went
out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look! All these
years Ive been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you
never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But
24
when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes
comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!
My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is
yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours
was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
Luke 15:25-32
The brother had a right to be angry. He had a right to feel hurt. His brother had
truly and deeply hurt him and his family. But he allowed this wound to stay
raw and this injury to forever cripple him. He never forgave his brother even
with his brothers heartfelt confession, he held to his anger and bitterness.
The result is a man still tormented by a past injury and still relationally
crippled. The relationship between him and his brother will not be allowed to
heal. Unforgiveness never stays contains; it spoils life itself, it infects other
relationships and other areas of life. The brothers unforgiveness even begins
wedging itself between him and his father. Unforgiveness festers and destroys
the person holding onto it and erodes the relationships it touches.
That is the power of forgiveness. It can bring broken families together,
damaged couples back together; but the lack of it can spoil not just one
relationship but all of them. It poisons and spreads. So the question we must
ask is not are we right to feel hurt or wronged, but will we allow this hurt to
color and ruin our lives.
You and God
And the same is true regarding our relationship with God. He sent his Son,
Jesus, to die for us, to extend his forgiveness to all of humanity. He sees our
wrongs, our failures, the sins weve done and the ones we are yet to commit
and he paid for them all. Forgiveness has been offered. But if we want the
relationship restored, if we want the pain and injury we have caused ourselves
and our relationship with God to be healed, we must confess. We must admit
our failures and confess our complete and utter inability to earn our way back
to God or to right all the wrongs we have done. We must ask for and accept
his forgiveness. Like the father, God is waiting and looking for our return.
Help Your Community Discover that
No One is Too Far From God to Find Him
IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 1 11/12/12 11:30 AM
2
Show Your Church These Powerful Stories,
Teach Them to Share Theirs
I am Second is meant to inspire people of all kinds
to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes.
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Study provide insight into dealing with typical
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This new six-week campaign features sermons
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Bring this intriguing new series to your church
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I am Second Topics Include:
Power of Story Struggles Relationships Success Who is First Share Your Story
1 2 3 4 5 6
Church Kit
Using a combination of stories from notable people
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Kit includes:
Campaign Planning Guide
Small Group DVD-Based study
with video lessons and conversation guide
Resource DVD/CD with sermons,
video illustrations and promotional tools
Sample invitation tools
Hardcover Book
And more!
CK1556871 $49.95
Featuring
Testimonial Films
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IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 2 11/12/12 11:30 AM
3
Visit Outreach.com or call 800.991.6011
I am Second Hardcover Book
Each story in this powerful book is raw and
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h uman experience . Along with each story,
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BK1556863 $13.95 each (List $19.99)
Save when you buy a pack
$129.50/pack of 10 (Only $12.95 each)
I am Second DVD-Based Study Kit
Great for churches seeking a fresh approach to
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Kit features:
6 inspiring videos featuring stories of those living
Second
Study dealing with topics including: relationships,
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Conversation Guide with Biblical lessons and
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KT1556873 $17.50 each (List $24.99)
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$165/pack of 10 (Only $16.50 each)
I am Second Conversation Guide
Small group members will encounter story after story
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Features include: Six Biblical lessons focused on Scripture
passages and stories of those living second, topical
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GG1556863 $6.99 each (List $7.99)
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IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 3 11/12/12 11:30 AM
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Oversized Postcard Invitations
Send an invitation to every home in your
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direct mail postcards. Every order is custom
designed to ft your needsadd your logo,
service information or a FREE QR code.
5000 for $495, plus postagecall for details.
Invite Your Community to Discover Who is First!
Real Stories. Changing Lives.
I am Second is a movement
meant to inspire people of
all kinds to live for God and for
others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians.
Business leaders. Drug addicts.
Your neighbor. You.
Join us at Church Name and
hear stories that are shocking
in their honesty and inspiring
in their courage. You will be
encouraged and reminded
that no one is too far from
God to fnd him.
Join us for a
Special Series
Beginning Sunday, Jan. 6
9 & 10:30 am
Upbeat Music
Friendly, Casual Atmosphere
Great classes for children & teens!
Go Deeper and Join an I am Second Small Group
Beginning Wednesday, January 9
Sign up this weekend!

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Visit Outreach.com or call 800.991.6011
I am Second Outreach Booklet
This simple, 8-page tract is a great take-away piece for visitors or give it to your
members to share with their friends and family. The booklet gives a clear gospel
message inviting the recipient to put Jesus frst and become a Second.
EB1556819 $12.50/pack of 25
Outdoor Banners
Like a mini-billboard outside your
church, these eye-catching photo
quality banners are custom
designed with your church
information! Choose from 5 sizes
in vinyl or 4 in adhesive StickUp
material. Starting at $129 each.
Two-sided A-Frame Banner
stand sold separatelymakes
displaying your banners even
easier! Starting at $149.
Mailer Postcards
These small 4.25" x 5.5" postcards are great as small
group invitations, reminders or as a thank you note from
the pastor. Mailers feature eye-catching graphics on the
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postcards4 cards per 8.5" x 11" sheet with micro-
perforations for easy separation. $14.99/pack of 200
InviteCards
These small folded invitations ft easily in a wallet and are a great
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copier. Pack of 200 InviteCards4 cards per 8.5" x 11" sheet with
micro-perforations for easy separation. $14.99/pack of 200
IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 5 11/12/12 11:30 AM
6
Bulletin Shells
Available in 3 sizes: 8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 14
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Starting at only $6.99/pack of 100.
RollUp Banner + Stand
This revolutionary 27 x 67 banner retracts
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Amazing adhesive banner sticks to any smooth, fat
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Build Excitement Around Your Church & Increase Participation!
Indoor Banners featuring:
IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 6 11/12/12 11:31 AM
7
Visit Outreach.com or call 800.991.6011
T-shirts
Create a movement in your church by
encouraging members to declare that they
are Second with these black cotton unisex
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address on back. Available in S-XL.
TS15568 $14.95/ shirt
Black Twill Hat
100% Cotton, unstructured low
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GF1556852 $17.99 each
Wristband
Something as simple as a wristband can
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its a great conversation starter.
GF1556856 $9.95/pack of 5
2 x 59 Vinyl Banner
This Banner is great for hallways, walls or doors
comes with free EZ Hang clips or add an optional
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Bumper Sticker
Grab a pack of bumper stickers and
help spread the movement. Give to
friends, families and strangers.
GF1556855 $9.95/pack of 10
3 x 5 Vinyl Banner
Wider 3 x 5 banners make a big statement with bright
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I Am Second New Testaments
NIV pocket sized New Testament are great
for church visitors or new believers.
BK15570 $24.95/pack of 10
$2.99 each or save when you buy in bulk
Start a conversation about being Second
with these resources your members will love!
IAS_Mailer_PRESS.indd 7 11/12/12 11:31 AM