GCN Legacy Shift Purpose 1 Connecting APPRECIATION 2022

LEGACYSHIFT

Legacy Shift

Finding Purpose in Connecting
APPRECIATION

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Session 5—Appreciation Legacy Shift

How am I connecting and showing
Appreciation?—Biblical Perspective

Legacy Shift-Finding Purpose in Connecting-APPRECIATION © Great Commandment Network 2511 South Lakeline Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613 1

Session 5—APPRECIATION Teacher Lesson Plan

I. Introduction: How does God Meet Our need for Appreciation?

Jesus frequently ministered to others through physical demonstrations of Appreciation. During His
earthly ministry, Jesus expressed His Appreciation for various individuals, including the Gentile centurion
(Luke 7:9), the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:28), the generous widow (Mark 12:41–44), and the woman
who anointed Him with costly perfume (Mark 14:6). God has also promised that He will show Appreciation
to those who are faithful to Him (2 Timothy 4:8; Luke 6:35; Ephesians 6:8).

II. Engage in Community—You Can’t Grow Yourself By Yourself: Doing life with others helps
free us to grow.

Hebrews 10:25 “…not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Spirit Empowered Faith Outcomes:

P2. “Startling people” with loving initiatives to “give first”
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down,
shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in
return” (Luke 6:38). “But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are
doing.” (Luke 23:34). See also Luke 23:43 and John 19:27.
P3. Discerning the relational needs of others with a heart to give of His love
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification
according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29). “And
my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). See also
Luke 6:30.

Key Bible Passages

Jesus encounters a Pharisee and Prostitute
Read Luke 7:36–50.
First, let’s consider the prostitute who encountered Jesus. During the course of the meal, she (a person of bad
character and reputation, possibly a prostitute), a woman of considerable notoriety, entered the house of Simon
uninvited.
Simon, the host for this gathering, was the most important Pharisee in the village. Ceremoniously, he followed
the visiting Teacher into the room, quickly scanning around to make sure that all was in order. His eyes quickly
locked on the woman – what was SHE doing here?
Her behavior: She fell at the feet of Jesus and washed his feet with her tears and hair.
Her feelings: Grateful that he saw past her sins to her real identity, loved and valued.
Her thoughts: “I have been forgiven!”“How can I ever repay him for his appreciation?”“It is possible for me to do
good things.”
Her needs: Appreciation, Acceptance and Comfort.
How did Jesus minister to her? “Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48).
Jesus did not treat the woman like the rest of Simon’s guests did. Instead, he gave her appreciation by acknowl-
edging her for washing his feet. “Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I
entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and wiped
them with the hair of her head’” (Luke 9:44).

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Session 5—APPRECIATION Teacher Lesson Plan Continued

Discussion Questions

1. Read the passage from Luke 7 about the sinful woman who encountered Jesus. Why did Simon’s guests feel
they were better than the woman? Rather than criticize her past behavior, what did Jesus do?

2. How does Jesus’ response to the sinful woman serve as a model for us as we seek to respond to those who put
in effort to do good deeds?

3. After this encounter with Jesus, how might her thoughts, feelings and behaviors have changed?

4. How is your own behavior positively affected when your relational need for Appreciation is met?

5. How can we become more sensitive to people’s verbal and non-verbal expressions of their unmet needs?
How can we resist the temptation to criticize others’action, acknowledge their efforts and show Appreciation?

6. Reflect on what Jesus said or did not say that helped meet the need of Appreciation.

7. Reflect on what Jesus did or did not do that helped meet the need of Appreciation.

Prayers to “become:”

Privately, with a partner, or in a small group­—

• Thank God that He Appreciates you and loves you.

• With a prayer partner, ask God to birth Appreciation and love for others in your heart, and to help you find ways to
be grateful to Him and others and give Appreciation to Him and others.

• Talk with God about those people you can show Appreciation to.

III. Encounter Gratitude—Gratefulness empowers our motivation to grow:
Spirit Empowered Faith Outcomes:

L3. Experiencing God as He really is through deepened intimacy with Him
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:4–5). “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore
He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice” (Is. 30:18). See also John 14:9.

W1. Frequently being led by the Spirit into deeper love for the One who wrote the Word
“Love the Lord thy God—love thy neighbor; upon these two commandments deepens all the law and
prophets” (Mt. 22:37–40). “I delight in Your commands because I love them.” (Ps. 119:47). “The ordinances
of the Lord are pure—they are more precious than gold—sweeter than honey” (Ps. 19:9–10).

Now put yourself in the story of Jesus’ encounter with Simon and prostitute. The woman’s pocket held a small
vial of perfume. She opened it, filling the air with a sweet aroma, and anointed the feet of the Jesus. Simon was
filled with indignation. Jesus’ love compelled this woman to weep, to worship, to minister, to witness. It pro-
duced in her a deep, loving response. Jesus Appreciated the woman publicly in spite of her sin.

What does it do to your heart to consider Jesus’ Appreciation, love and forgiveness for you?

• Jesus, as I reflect on Your Appreciation, forgiveness, and love of me, my heart is moved with …
• I want to respond to You by …
Allow your heart to experience gratitude for the Appreciation from Jesus—and privately tell Him:
“I am especially grateful that You _________________________________________. “ “Thank you Jesus for
continuing to Appreciate and love me—and for giving me the gifts to be able to share with others.” “I want to
respond to others by offering them the same Appreciation, forgiveness and love as You have given to me.”

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Session 5—APPRECIATION Teacher Lesson Plan Continued

IV. Experience“Becoming”— Dailylivingoutofrelationalprinciplesdevelopsouradequacytogrow:
Spirit Empowered Faith Outcomes:

M1. Imparting the gospel and one’s very life in daily activities and relationships, vocation and community
“Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God
but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us“ (1 Thess. 2:8–9). See also Eph. 6:19.

How Might God Use Us to Meet Others’ Need for Appreciation?
Answer: Experience I Corinthians 11:2 as a lifestyle of being grateful and showing Appreciation
1 Corinthians 11:2 “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just
as I passed them on to you.”

Give Appreciation
„ Make it a point to praise people verbally. When someone performs a positive deed, makes a
significant contribution, or simply tries hard, commend that person.

For many people, such verbal praise is particularly effective when given publicly.
„ Focus on the things that people do right, not just on the things that they do wrong. Your family
and friends will almost certainly be more motivated by positive affirmation than by negative
critiques. The apostle Paul provides us with a helpful model of this approach in his first epistle to
the Corinthians. The church at Corinth was plagued by a number of serious problems, including
factionalism (1 Corinthians 1:10–12), sexual immorality (6:12–20), and even drunkenness during the
Lord’s Supper (11:20–22). Yet Paul paused in the midst of his admonishments to them in order to
express his Appreciation for their faithfulness in other matters (11:2).
„ Generously give physical tokens of Appreciation, such as cards, trophies, plaques, and special gifts
that reflect a knowledge of the recipient’s unique interests.

V. Sharing the Good News
Spirit Empowered Faith Outcomes:

M8. Attentive listening to others’ story, vulnerably sharing of your story, and a sensitive witness
of Jesus’ story as life’s ultimate hope; developing your story of prodigal, pre-occupied and
pain-filled living; listening for other’s story and sharing Jesus’ story
“…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone
who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
(1 Pet. 3:15). “…because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again” (Luke 11:24).
(Mark 5:21–42). (John 9:1–35).
Given that we are to impart not only the gospel but our very life (I Thessalonians 2:7-8), often times our
best witness is to:
„ Impart life to others through sharing a specific needed dimension of His grace (i.e.: meeting a
relational need for acceptance, Appreciation, attention, encouragement, approval).
„ Allowing the Holy Spirit to prompt in the recipient of this grace, the Pentecost response “what is
this?” “they were amazed and marveled...” (See Acts 2: 7-16).

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Session 5—APPRECIATION Teacher Lesson Plan Continued

„ To which we are ready to give an account of the hope we have within us - (I Peter 3:15) by bridging
the conversations back to Jesus...who is our HOPE!

Listen for Their Story
Listen to these sentences that people may say if they need Appreciation:
“Look what I did.”
“What do you think of my haircut?”
Share Your Story
Complete the following sentences:
I remember missing Appreciation when ___________________________________________________.
I remember receiving Appreciation when __________________________________________________.
Re-Tell the Jesus Story
Finish this story:
“That reminds me of the time when Jesus showed Appreciation to the Prostitute…”

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