asu bible study blog

Romans Class Session Three

2010-02-27T09:44:00.001-08:00

We're going to discuss Romans 6 and 7 today.
Some terms and concepts that help to understand this section:
Grace = Life
Chapters 3-5 talk about that well
Chapter 7 talks about how grace = life because of law
Grace does not = increase of sin
Chapter 6 is about death to sin and chapter 7 is death to law
People argued that his teaching on grace was giving people a license to sin. A lot of people have gone to that extent today.
On the basis of what principle? We've died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?
We have to understand faith and grace in the context of death and life
Jesus introduced the principles of death and life
John 12 is recorded talking about a kernel of wheat and the principle of death and life, where His death is going to bring life to many.
There is a death to us so that we can have His life in us, so we grow spiritually, and so other people can come to God through us (Luke 9:23-26) – core to following Christ.
Denying self is not denying candy during lint but renouncing self
John 3 born again = death to life
John 10:10 have life and have it to the full
Two realities are physical and spiritual
Jesus' death on the cross is both physical and spiritual, being a very real event and yet having so much spiritual implication, where Jesus' death becomes are death as well
Baptism has a spiritual reality and a physical reality because it is physically realized in immersion (in water) and what God is doing spiritually is just as real
Our death is not physically real in the sense that we also die physically but the spiritual reality is just as real
Jesus actually physically died and then the lifeless body physically rose from death, and the same thing transpires with us spiritually—our life in Jesus is just as real has His life after resurrection is real.
Some Scripture that depicts this physical and spiritual reality connection:
Galatians 2:20
Has Paul literally been physically crucified? He is talking about a spiritual reality
2Corinthians 5:14-15
The physical reality has spiritual implications for all of us, where all died.
The practical implications of this death is that we stop living for self and start living for Jesus
Galatians 3:26-27
You continually “put on Christ”
Romans 6:1-13
Baptism is a symbol but not just a symbol.
Dying with Jesus frees us from sin. What are the consequences of sin? We are freed from the power of sin in our lives and freed from the ultimate power of sin. Therefore there is a decrease and end of the choice on our part to sin.
Verse 11 here is how we are to view ourselves, which is another way of saying Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Therefore we offer the parts of our body to not sin. For example, in some parts of the world a thief gets his hand cut off. You can still sin without your hand. Where you offered the parts of your body to do God's work. When is a thief not a thief? A thief took from others before, whereas the transformation happens when he becomes someone who produces and gives.
Thief: what's yours is mine.
Selfish person: what's mine is mine.
Christlike: what is mine is God's, therefore given freely.
Two principles here. One is how you view yourself. In Christ I view my life is the life of Jesus. Secondly more physically practical in how the parts of my body are offered: no longer for sin but for doing the will of God.
A lot of people think you earn your salvation by obeying law. Although that is not the way, that does not mean you do not obey God. It is hard to understand right away. It is something you understand relationally. If your mindset is just some adherence to a set of right things, a law, then you'll never attain the kind of relationship it is all about. These principles need to be seen within the context of that relationship.
Jesus never said, nor does it appear, where you pray and Jesus comes into your life. The word says Jesus comes into your life at baptism. That is where He tells us He comes into our life. At that point we don't have an attitude of “I'm now good, and I now get into heaven,” but that is the time when Jesus comes into your life. Both baptism and inviting Jesus into your heart can be falsly perceived as a ticket to get to heaven. Salvation is a relationship with Jesus. It is not about just going to heaven!
Romans 6:14-
It makes sense the Jews had such a hard time breaking free of a legalistic view on righteousness. They had it for hundreds of years.
The only way to escape the authority of law is death.
You have died to the law...so that you can do whatever you want???...no, the purpose of dying to the law is to make a legal contract to belong to God. Romans 7:4 we died to law to be married to Jesus!
Paul never uses the term disciple and discipleship. How does Jesus mention the concept and term so much and Paul never does? Paul talks about discipleship without even using the word by talking about it within the context of the marriage relationship.
Both men and women need to embrace this concept.
Bearing fruit for God sounds a lot like having a baby. How did God view Israel? (Ref many of the prophets) God views Israel as His wife. Hosea is a prime example of God in this relationship.
What components go into a healthy marriage? Not a bunch of legal terms! Love, Respect, Faithfulness, Communication, Joy, Pleasure, Sharing, Compassion, Comfort, Growth, etc. (and all the components that make a healthy friendship)
Jesus does not want to give us a bunch of rules but a loving relationship. You need to understand what is taking place in order to have that level of relationship. No one really understands fully until you get into. You count the cost but the relational dynamics work themselves out when you start.
How do you become a member of God's eternal household—go to heaven?
Cheap grace view and legalistic view on two wrong sides of the pendulum. Rather the right view in the word of God is walking with God.
So many older people married for a long time experience facing the challenge of one dying before the other. It is a very difficult thing to face when you are in a very close relationship. Yet with Jesus, you and Him walk through life and just go on home.
The fault of the law being able to save is not the law. The fault is that we're not perfect. Romans 7:13-25 is Paul expressing this struggle to come to realize our imperfection. We get to that point of crying out for mercy.
There is a link between justification by faith and the things we've been talking about is understanding it relationally not doctrinally with a bunch of doctrinal terms.
Colossians 1:9-14
Jesus' blood (the cross) takes down the wall of separation (Isaiah 59). What qualifies us is not our faith but Jesus' sacrifice? Jesus' blood makes us worthy or holy for the relationship.
At a point it hits the apostle Peter, when Jesus makes the big catch when he lacked faith, that he was not worthy. When you have a conviction of sin you will eventually feel that way. Similar to Isaiah. Anyone who think they can just walk in and think they can have a relationship with the Holy God is an arrogant fool. There will come a sense of “I'm not worthy.”
Father says to the perspective son in law, “sorry, you're not worthy of my daughter.” That would be a hard reality when you must have the father's permission. We're not qualified for the relationship with Jesus. Only Jesus' blood qualifies us for the relationship.
Baptism is the wedding and consummation of the relationship. The initial stages of discipleship are like courtship. You are not saved until you are united with Jesus and come in contact with His blood.
Assignment: In 100-200 words. What is your understanding of the integration of between Paul and Jesus in discipleship? We can see a difference that clashes yet they do not clash. That is a confusion in the religious world.

Reflective Glory

2010-02-25T01:48:00.000-08:00

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. – Colossians 1:27

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. – Hebrews 1:3-4

One of the most amazing thoughts is how God is after glory in us! His purpose for us is beholding His glorious image. The sun and moon illustrates this mystery. We understand that the moon is simply a reflector. The glory of the moon is the radiance of the sun. The moon's shine is a reflective glory. Similarly, Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, and the image of God is perfectly clear in Him. Further still, Jesus coming into us not only means purification of sin, a cleaning up, but being that reflector of glory in us. The good news message is where God is communicating, “I want my glory to shine in you.”

Through the covenant of Christ we are being brought from one stage of glory to another (2Cor. 3:18). Like it says, it is a transformation process that is ever increasing. We have the ideal man, Jesus ever before us. In Him we're not simply followers; we're reflectors—image bearers. A real man will keep himself pure in the holiest sense. Getting specific and practical has value beyond being effective because it all comes in terms of being reflective.

Peter Heins

(an article from my site on the study of manhood: www.idealman.wordpress.com)

The Holy Spirit

2010-02-24T19:53:00.000-08:00

2Timothy 3:16-17
We want to be a “man of God who is thoroughly equipped”
In order to do that we need to get into the meat and potatoes of the Word
The Unlimited Measure of the Holy Spirit
Jesus was the only One given the Spirit without limit (John 3:31)
We will see different manifestations of the Spirit and it can be difficult to understand what that all means—we will deal with some of these questions
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Occurred two times (Poured out to Jews and Gentiles—Acts 2 and Acts 10)
Characteristics of the Holy Spirit:
Joel 2:16-21 is a prediction by the prophet—Baptism of the Holy predicted
Luke 24:45-49 we see Jesus confirming that God will send what He promised—A distinction between the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was promised, not commanded for all.
It came without warning. People were not praying and asking for it when it happened (Acts 2:1-6). People were blown away when it happened.
They were speaking in other languages (Acts 2:4), which was a sign of the outpouring.
We see in Acts 10:1-23 that Peter came to the realization through God that the Gentiles were also able to receive salvation, and verse 44-48 shows the Baptism of the HS, like Acts 2, making that reality apparent to all.
Baptism of Repentance
Mark 1:4-5 we see a baptism (with repentance) for forgiveness of sins, under the Old Covenant, as a buffer to usher in the New Covenant.
Acts 19:1- makes it obvious that John's Baptism was obsolete at that time because there was another covenant at that point.
We see a before and after revealed in the Scriptures, where there was a time when the Holy Spirit was not with everyone under the OT, then He was present under the NT.
Indwelling Distinction
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus mentions baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit
1Peter 3:18-21 baptism is not just getting a bath, but you are getting connected with the very resurrection of Christ through baptism
Reference written about 62AD, similar time as Ephesians 4:1-6, which states that at that time there is only one baptism—which one was the one at that point?
It is pretty easy in context to see the one that is left
Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Acts 8:14-23 gifts were received through the laying on of hands by the apostles
Philip was an amazing evangelist, spiritual leader, yet he could not impart those gifts
Acts 19:-7 Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, so he had the ability also to pass on the gifts
What is the purpose of the miraculous gifts?
Mark 16:15-20 to confirm the message of the gospel and get the word out!
Hebrews 2:1-4 purpose stated again, yet here stated in the past tense. What does that mean? Does it mean that it doesn't happen anymore (approximately 68AD)? That is what we have to assume.
1Corinthians 13:8-13 evidence that the gifts pass and we have faith, hope, and love—the more important things remain!
New Covenant Role of Holy Spirit
Acts 2:38 receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
2Corinthians 1:21- God's seal of ownership
2Corinthians 5:5
Ephesians 1:13-14
John 14:15-17 promised by Jesus
It is awesome how Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as a person
It is important not to neglect understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives
How much do we really know about Him, think about Him, experience Him?
What if someone randomly asked you about the Holy Spirit, could you describe who He is and what role He plays in your life?
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born (verse). Yet he never spoke in tongues or did a miraculous sign. He was simply a godly man who lifted up Jesus.
Genesis 1:2 beginning
Revelation 22:17 end
He can be grieved, fanned into flame, and quenched.
It is kind of a matter of what are you feeding. How much you feed the Spirit, fanning into flame, is how much you're filled.
Romans 8:15-17 the Holy Spirit makes us God's sons. Any man who is a man at all is a man of God. We are sons of God because we have a Spirit of son-ship. It should give us a godly confidence where we don't fear anything because of this reality.
There are many great resources to take it further. Douglas Jacoby's The Spirit. Andy Fleming's series called The Old Testament Holy Spirit.

Romans Session Two

2010-02-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

Romans Class—Session Two—Romans 3:20-5:21
If you are facing judgment and if God were to say, “why should I let you into heaven?”
In this section Paul will tell us what are the main
The first (maybe the whole) issue is dealing with the sin issue.
Isaiah 59 your sins have caused separation between you and God. A holy God cannot have fellowship with sin.
3:20 Once you are a lawbreaker, the law is not your friend. If you do the crime you got to do the time. That is justice—condemning the guilty.
We are in this situation of how do we get right with God when we stand before Him guilty. Most religions say you got to do the time. Even in “christian history” there are doctrines of penance. The Bible does not teach penance.
The main thing to understand, where the Jews misunderstood, is that once you break the law it will not help you. It stands to condemn you.
There is a qualifier to the kind of sin the Jews would say falls within the justification of the law. Those are “unwitting sins,” whereas deliberate sins have not atonement under the law. Romans teaches that all sin is punishable by death (Romans 6:23). Consequently, the solution has to come from God. That is the good news!
Romans 3:21...righteousness comes from God, not supposed by man but given over by God Himself.
What does he mean by “faith in Jesus Christ”? That is very important because that is how this righteousness is acquired.
The gospel of John emphasizes “faith in Jesus” really well. Faith in Jesus is about relationship. Jesus and God are One, and faith in Jesus is being one with Him who is One with God.
We are not talking about a doctrinal quiz when we're standing before God. Nor are we talking about a mystical thing, “I believe in Jesus” (intellectually/emotionally speaking), but we're talking about a relational mix.
We cannot get caught practicing “one verse theology” because it is such an insecure foundation to base our faith. A lot of people do not grab hold of a collection of Scripture but a very small portion and miss the faith God wants us to have.
3:24 Justified—Galatians 2:15-16
Redemption—literally means to buy back or purchase out of bondage. Like a house going into foreclosure and you get a right of redemption. You can go in and buy back your property. It is kind of like us because we've sinned and we have nothing to buy back.
Hebrews says without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22)
Colossians 1:13 redemption
Galatians 3:13 why was the law there in the first place. The law is a custodian/guardian that looks after us before we reached an age where we could inherit the trust. Under the Old Testament there is a right to the redemption without the ability to inherit it.
Expiation—sacrifice of atonement. This brings to view the mercy seat—reminds of an old song about the mercy seat.
Atonement can be seen as at-one-ment.
Romans 5:6-11 reconciliation means restoring relationship. This shows up a lot in the marriage relationship. It is a very hard thing in the legal context when a couple is headed for divorce. Most end up in divorce not reconciled. Reconciliation is about restoring relationship with God. You are forgiven, not so you can simply go to heaven but relationship. You will not stand before God with proper doctrinal responses and getting the blessings but “Dad!” The joy of it all is that you are being reconciled now not later.
Why did Jesus have to die...why is it set-up this way?
God had to find a way to solve an inherent dilemma in His nature. Like in Isiah where God is depicted as Awesomely Holy. God is Holy and Just, therefore man in his sin is in trouble. God is also loving and wants reconciliation. God is always true to His nature. David depicts the dilemma in Psalm 51. David was in a tough situation with his sin. The penalty with not sacrifice but death. There was no hope in redemption at that point. God was in a dilemma. It can make it look like, even with God the rich and powerful get off. Instead God said, “I will be your sacrifice.” Why can't you be saved by being a good, devoted...(budest, Muslim, Jew, christian)? Because we all sin and redemption does not come through good works.
4:1 Abraham came before the law, so what happens with him? He didn't have the law to justify him.
4:6-8 David
4:9-12 Here is where a lot of Protestants get misunderstandings. Circumcision was a sign of the faith, which was the basis of righteousness. Baptism is not the sign. The Holy Spirit is the sign of our relationship.
God established a relationship with people before the law. Abraham, Enoch, Noah, Job, etc. We see many examples and can assume there were many more not recorded. The basis of the relationship was trust.
Abraham believed God had the ability to do what He promised. Do you believe God will do what He promised?
Galatians 5:6
Ephesians 2 saved by grace not works the Calvinist will use to argue against baptism, which is something the authors would not do. Distinguishing between works of faith and works of law is making the understanding of Romans 4 and James 2. A saving faith is about having a relationship with Jesus that has an expression of that faith through loving works. If nothing comes out, as James says, you really have no faith. Faith expresses itself through love!
5:1 In relationships you want peace. We will have conflicts but we really want peace.
We all die physically because of Adam's sin.
Jesus died on the cross so that everyone would be made righteous but you still have to respond in faith. This means it is not universal whether excepted or not.
The law was added so that sin may increase. We see how utterly sinful we are and how much we need God's grace. God's grace shows great enough though!
Practical Problems—
We still face legalism—there is an inherit lean toward legalism. “Just tell me what I got to do!”
Catholic—system that went from bad to worse
Protestants—a reaction to a corrupt system that didn't clear up all the dilemmas and created some of its own
Mormons—gone back to the point of blending so much of the OT in “another testament of Jesus Christ”
We have lazy, one verse theology today
Any of us can do that, total subjective, and we get a big mess
Easy Believism
Type it into the word search “pray Jesus into your heart” and you get a whole mess of stuff
Bonhoffer wrote in the 30s about cheap grace. He saw the country fall apart spiritually, where cheap grace runs amoke. “When Jesus bids a man 'come follow,' he bids him to come and die” (find quote). Jesus' death has already taken place, so guess whose death comes next.
You don't show up with your ticket and get in because it is a relationship. We become a son/daughter of God, becoming collectively the bride of Jesus.

The Gospel: Jesus Making God Known

2010-02-11T01:35:00.001-08:00

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? John 14:9

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:25-26

Another way of saying the gospel is Jesus Making God Known

Bryan Baylon

1. Jesus Reveals God's Perfection

Jesus lived a perfect life, and He shows it through the challenges He faced

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus portrayed perfection in tough times

God did some great things to get the Israelites' attention, yet they sinned

Jesus was tested in ways like we are but so much more intense, yet never sinned

We see the only one qualified to make us perfect and consequently Jesus wins our whole-hearted allegiance too.

Steven Gomez

2. Jesus Reveals the Strength of God

Matthew 26:36-46

This can seem like one of Jesus' low points yet it is one of the times He shines the most

Strength is not dominating someone. Strength is doing what is right at the most challenging times.

Evan Grimes

3. Jesus Reveals that God Shares His Love with us

John 10:1-18

Jesus intimately knows His sheep (Luke 15 shepherd picking out the one), while His sheep know Him

Sheep are dumb in a way and need protection. We also need leadership, primarily of the Shepherd. Yet sometimes we think we have it all figured out, like we are just fine leading ourselves. He promises life to the full—completeness--when we choose to be led by Him.

He is willing to go to a great extent to show His love. Contrasting the hired hand we see how much Jesus cares personally. Jesus' love it deliberate, where He lays down His life for each one of His sheep. Jesus not only saved us once but for all, where He fights off the one trying to harm His sheep.

Jeremy Melcher-Post

4. Jesus Reveals God's Power

God is powerful. Mark 4:35-41 is a great demonstration of this power. It is similar to the movie "The Perfect Storm," where the waves are huge and overwhelming the ship. The disciples were in shock by how Jesus powerfully rebuked the wind and waves! It is a lesson in trusting fully in God.

Philippians 2:10 all will bow down to Jesus! God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36)

Are you personally connecting with how much God is in control, where you're trusting fully in Him? Are you trusting that God will get you through your storms?

Romans Class Session One

2010-01-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

(Notes from Peter Heins on a 5 session class taught by Ken Burford)

Background--
Paul wrote Romans when he had never been to Rome, which was unlike his other writings, although he talks about his plans to go there
Paul had nothing to do with starting the church in Rome—Acts 2:10 some were there from Rome, so it is conceivable that they found their way back there at some point
Romans is a treatise on the gospel of Christ with Galatians in the background. Romans is an extension of Galatians, so we need to read Galatians to understand Romans better.
Romans can be viewed as “deep stuff” and it can be virtually ignored to our detriment

Hebrews 5:11—6:3
Typically people view Romans as for the mature, yet Romans is foundational, and if you don't get it you will not ever get mature—it is the milk!
Romans deals with these foundational things mentioned here: repentance from dead works and faith in God

Casey Moser (scholar who died in mid 70s) had a saying, “if you get Romans, God gets you.” You got to get these things to get the gospel.

(It is good to read Romans in a more literal version, like ESV or NASB)

Romans 1:1-17
Here is Paul's thesis statement
The basis of the gospel
◦ Revealed from God—Scripture
◦ Rooted in history, in a man: Jesus (vs.3), and His resurrection (Morrison's book Who Moved the Stone)
◦ What is the faith?
▪ The obedience that comes from faith
▪ Faith is focused on the believer, and “the faith” is referring to the content of the gospel
▪ Does it matter what you believe or is it good to just believe in something? According to the gospel it does.
▪ What you trust matters, and whether you trust, matters more than the degree—Jesus mentioning the example of the mustard seed
· Example: weak faith in a strong bridge or strong faith in a weak bridge
· You don't need to have great faith as much as needed to trust in the right thing—like the example, enough faith to put one foot in front of the other.
· Faith grows with experience, where we trust God and continue to believe with the next step—if you are not willing to take the step you have no faith!
▪ Verse 6 faith is belonging to Jesus
· “I got saved...” really?! From what?
· From what and for what purpose have you been saved?
◦ Romans answers those questions
▪ Vs.17 righteousness of God—Romans is about understanding righteousness, and it is not something you should understand after many years of becoming a Christian but very early on.
· Righteousness of God
◦ “Self-Righteousness” – a negative connotation because we use it of people who are arrogant
◦ Yet most people can have a self-righteous concept of righteousness because we don't understand that righteousness comes from God
· Habakkuk 2:4 quote
· Habakkuk 3:17-19 is the faith Paul is talking about
◦ It is easy to have faith when everything is fine and dandy, but what happens when it is all taken away.
◦ Like our three heroes thrown into the fire: it takes faith to go into the fire, but even more to trust God even if He does not save you from the fire.
Vs.18-32
“wrath of God” – right away we see what we're saved from
Paul will talk about three groups of people
◦ Here talking about people without the revealed, inspired word of God—relating to God through nature, much like any native religion. We can relate this back to Paul's speech in Athens (Acts 17).
▪ What does God expect us to figure out about Him, even without the Bible?
· That there is a God, that He exists
· That God is powerful, merciful, loving, creative, generous
· You learn about the unpredictable calamities
· God expects us to seek Him, to acknowledge Him, and give thanks to Him
▪ What are the fundamental issues here?
· 1. Honor/Respect (fear—Proverbs 1:7) and 2. Be thankful
· You find someone without those two things you find a lot of other things messed up
· God expects us to get those two things, and people can figure out that without the Bible
▪ God only gave Adam and Eve one command and they blew it.
▪ If you acknowledge the creator of the universe, and you realize what He has given you, you become grateful and want to say thank you however you can
▪ So God holds us responsible

Romans 2:1-12
Here we have God, man, and their own sense of a moral code
We make moral judgments all the time, and even if you don't keep the Bible, you have that code
Will anyone match up with their own moral code?
We can forget the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and we will be condemned by our own moral code
If God were to send us to hell, would He be fair? Yes, because we have not kept even our own moral code.
Vs,13--20
Vs.24 just like the name of Jesus is blasphemed among those who do not believe in him because of those who say they do
God, man, revealed law God expects us to obey—man has not been able to keep that either
In all cases man falls short
Today innocent people even go to jail, even guilty people can get off, yet with God you will be brought to judgment, and you will not get off if He finds you responsible!

Dating Devotional 1/27/2010

2010-01-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

Gary and Gail Sciascia
1. No Rules Just Righteousness
a. Why do you think the Bible does not talk about dating?
i. Because they did not do it like we do it
b. We can either say one of the two things
i. The Bible does not say anything on it, therefore we should not do it
ii. The Bible does not say anything on it, therefore we need to have guidelines
c. Appreciate the people in your life that ask you about your purity and help you establish and follow guidelines in your dating
2. Whining or Shinning
a. Philippians 2:14-16
i. Dating is an area that we need to stand out from the world—the world is very corrupt in how they do dating
ii. When you see a couple that does well, a lot of advice is sought and taken—it takes a lot of conscious effort and humility
b. Absolute Purity Principle—if you are going to have a rule, here is the one to have
i. Matthew 5:8
ii. Mark 9:42-50
1. Most people live in such a way asking, “Where is the line of sin?”
2. Whereas Jesus calls us to get way away from that line!
3. Another reason why we practice in this church, disciples dating other disciples (1Cor. 7:39)
iii. Ephesians 5:3
1. Not only not sinning but don’t even get close to giving off a bad example
iv. Gail shared how women are emotional creatures and how technology can get someone’s heart out of control—Song of Songs 2:7; 3:5; 8:4
v. 2Corinthians 5:16-17
1. We need to do a reboot and get a totally new perspective on dating because we come in with such a worldly view
2. We need to change our view of how we view the opposite sex
a. Not there for your pleasure, but they are God’s daughter
vi. 1Corinthians 13:4-8
1. A big one here to get on straight when we talk about dating is “love always protects”
2. We need to protect one another’s purity
a. Women dressing immodestly
b. Talking in flirty ways
3. Do I give off a sexual vibe?
vii. Analogy about a train getting going, we do not protect the purity if we do not think maturity about not even allowing it to get going
1. Right and wrong ways to show affection
viii. The world will say we’re crazy but look at what the world is producing. When people get in trouble is when they leave guidelines
3. Practical Dos and Don’ts of Dating
a. Seek to build a great friendship because it serves as the best foundation anyhow
i. Worldly dating says, “I am attracted to you therefore I want to be with you,” whereas disciple dating says, “Let me get to know you as a friend and maybe we find out from God there is something more.”
b. Don’t waste your single years
i. Your ability for free time is unprecedented…and you can glorify God so much with it.
ii. Don’t bemoaned about being single
c. Do plan out your dates
i. If you plan it out verses not planning it out will make the difference in a date being special or not
ii. Find out what they like to do, get creative ideas
d. Don’t get overly intense or heavy
i. A date is not a time to go into discipling mode
ii. Keep the spirit light not heavy
e. Do be chivalrous
i. Get the door, don’t be sarcastic and make stupid jokes
ii. Have them in at a decent time because few good things go on well after midnight
f. Don’t rely on hormones
i. That infatuation feeling has a tendency to wyen, and it takes work to recreate it
ii. A lot of people are not willing to put in that work
iii. That is the time you see whether true love comes out or not
g. Do be a good date—encouraging
i. Does the sister say AMEN when you pick her up or when you drop her off
h. Encourage all the brothers /sisters not selective about it
i. We are brothers and sisters in a body, and we don’t want anyone to feel like an outsiders, like not on the in with people
ii. Everyone needs encouragement and so we need to have a giving ministry
i. Don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a date special
i. Would a brother feel secure taking you out on a low budget date?
j. Do show appreciation for the date
k. Getting Serious—
i. Proceed with a lot more advice than even when you are friendship dating
ii. Emotional progression before it’s time is dangerous
iii. Philippians 1:9 Message Interpretation
iv. Women get secure when the guy takes the lead, leading it in a godly way
v. Avoid weasel dates—just randomly meeting up
vi. Avoid black holes in the fellowship—gravitating toward one another too much
l. Who has the gift?
i. Based off 1Corinthians 7
ii. Not all gifts are permanent—so right now everyone in the ministry has the gift of singleness—take advantage of it right now
iii. The purposes of friendship dating are far reaching and have so much benefit
1. Thinking of friendship dates from a spiritual point of view calls you to even ask, “who am I least attracted to?”
a. We need to have the attitude to meet one another’s emotional needs even when it is not “natural”
b. If you remain selfish you will look back and wish you would have done it different.
4. Q/A Time Split Between Men and Women
a. What do you think about dating in other ministries—Campus dating people in the singles?
b. What about going to Singles Conferences?
c. What do you think about dating websites like DT Space?
d. Is it better to the idea of “building friendship” to interact with people in a group?
e. What about the issue of struggling with the fear of being single for the rest of my life?
i. It is not a dating issue but a trusting God issue
ii. The worst thing in the world is not being single but marrying the wrong person
f. What is a healthy attitude of finding the one at a young age?
g. How do you get back into dating after breaking up?
h. At what point should you get advice to start dating steady?It is a good thing to run it by someone mature as soon as feelin

A Real Man of Jesus

2009-10-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

We gotta appreciate that we can talk a little different when the women aren't around.

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item she doesn't want.
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A husband never starts worrying about his future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
He does not “talks a lot about cars,” he has vehicular addiction.
To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must lover her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
A man is not quiet, he is a conversational minimalist.
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting she won't change and she does

(Hopefully you all know I am only joking)

Tonight I want to talk about being a man

A lot of this can apply to being a woman—man in the general sense (mankind)
But after grasping that we can get specific about our masculine gender
Tonight's lesson is a Bible study

What is a man?

That philosophical question is more relevant today than any othe
And today, more than any other time, there are “forces that tend to depersonalize humanity...”

For example, adjusting to technology (cell phone, Internet, increased mass production, global markets, growing impact of mass media)

Sources outside the Bible have failed to fully describe man

Ancient Greek view – idealistic emphasizing the spirit
Marxist view – emphasizing the physical, how the person is only important based on how he/she fits in with society
Skinner materialistic view – a person is conditioned by their environment. Study a person's environment and you will be able to accurately predict the person

They fail to fully describe man by only considering “one aspect of the human being to be ultimate...

We know of Romans 1 that leaving God out of the picture brings idolatry of man

For a Biblical perspective we turn to Genesis 1:27

We were “created in God's image”
What does that mea
It certainly means a Creature/Person balance

Acts 17:25, 28 Paul to Athens, makes it clear we cannot lift a finger apart from God—we are a creature totally dependent on His

Life apart from God was never meant to be and will always be shown faulty

Yet man also has relative independence or free-will—man is a person

It can be challenging to fully grasp this mystery—

We are creature means God is the potter and we are the clay (Romans 9:21), while we are a person means we fashion our lives by our own decisions (Galatians 6:7-8)

It takes thinking spiritual and loving God to fully appreciate the way He has created us in His image—completely dependent yet completely endowed with choice

Praise God it is not a salvation issue for us to fully grasp deep theological principles..

But we can simply know that being created in the image of God means being A Real Man of Jesus
Not the beer commercial “Real Man of Genius” but “Real Man of Jesus”
What do we mean when we think of being a “man”?

No longer a boy, incapable of making decisions, immature, weak, childish
Rather: strong, capable, hard-working, perhaps independent (not relying others in a bad sense)

But being A Real Man of Jesus means a lot of things...

Jesus is the Perfect Image of God

Let “us”

Ref. John 1:1 We can look back—hindsight can get us closer to 20/20—and see how Jesus is there all along—hints of the Trinit

Many passage state it directly or with similar wording

2Corinthians 4:4
Colossians 1:15
John 14:8-9 In Jesus' own words, a restatement of John 1:18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Hebrews 1:3 exact representation

Of course we as Christians fundamentally believe, Jesus is without sin (Heb. 4:15) and there is no better way to see the image of God than to look to Jesus—

Jesus is the perfect man!
He is God's intention, God's perfection when He created man and said, “It is good!”

He is the main point yet we can so easily miss Him as the main point!

Hebrews 12:1-2 fix your eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith

Jesus Restores God's Image in Us

We are Conformed and Transformed into the Perfect Image of Jesus, who is the perfect image of God.
Obviously sin corrupts God's image in us, but Christ restores God's image in us

Romans 8:29 this is God's aim for us
2Corinthians 3:7-18

There is a play on words in this passage
The old ministry or the old covenant had a fading glory = like Mose's glow it would no longer remain

One of the main purposes of the law is to show our distorted image—sinfulness (verse 7 and 1Corinthians 15:56 the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law)
By extension the distorted image is fading—we become less and less like God over time as we get more engulfed in sin
Also by extension we don't have to live in darkness—veiled fading glory
We turn to Jesus, come out of darkness, and Jesus shines ever brighter through us

Even throughout this life we are being transformed into the perfect image—Jesus
This is all done, not by our own strength, but by the working of the Holy Spirit
It is happening—in what may seem to be a snails pace—but it is happening still
This transformation happens out of freedom, not rules—“have tos” or “ought”

We are created as persons, able to freely make the choice to participate in this awesome thing, where God is totally restoring His image in us

Death to Old Self/Life to New Self

Colossians 3:9-10 (Ephesians 4:22-24 is a very similar passage that describes the process)

Once and for all time taken off the old self and once and for all time put on the new self.
This simply means we no longer look at ourselves (because God no longer sees us) as slaves to our sin—to the old selves
Yet, since we're not in heaven, this new self that has been put on is being renewed in knowledge

Not knowledge like a textbook or just learning something new
Knowledge on a deeper level—to know someone in a relationship or “to know” in the sense of experiencing a relationship
It renews us in our new self to connect and reconnect with that image

Practically speaking: That is why it is so important to deepen our appetite for deep things

Life of Imitation

Imitation is copying the perfect image
of God—Ephesians 5:1
of Christ—John 13:14-15; Philippians 2:5-11
in leaders—1Corinthians 11:1

Paul is not saying he is perfect or that you have to be perfect to be worthy of imitation
Not at all talking about a hierarchy—power structure
Rather “Follow me as I follow Christ”
We can put it all together quite simply: It is all about being as much like Christ as we can be!

If we have that attitude—that new attitude of that new self—we will eagerly embrace discipling!
We won't be concerned with our worldly, unholy, unspiritual, prideful attitude, which says, “who are you to assume you can help me be more like Christ.”
Who is discipling who? Issue—it is all about best helping

Not one of us is going to claim to reflect God perfectly or to have the pride to say, “I am more like Christ than you,” but we all have strengths and weaknesses.

Perhaps, if we're humble, we have more to grow in than that we have already attained because we are relatively young and inexperienced in the process of becoming like Christ
For the prideful among us:

I eagerly desire to raise up leaders and give people the opportunity to preach
One thing that scares me is a person's pride to assume Christlikeness without going through the process—

To assume a level of maturity, to be able to disciple people, without being discipled (trained, raised up) into a greater degree of Christlikeness
There is an evil spirit, called pride, which assumes a greater degree of Christlikeness without going through the growing process

For the too often discouraged among us:

First off, it is so encouraging to think about the body together—we are like a diamond, having many facets of Christlikeness when we come together. The church is much more like Christ as a whole than looking at its parts. We feel this more than any in our Campus Ministry.
1John 3:1-3

From this passage we realize the blessing promised to us is perfect and total likeness to Jesus at His coming
We who are being made like Him are also longing to see Him, and we will see Him as He is because we are being made like Him!

Conclusion—
God created us in His Image, aka to be “A Real Man of Jesus” because...

1. Jesus is the Perfect Image of God
2. Jesus Restores God's Image in Us
3. It is a complete...Death to Old (distorted) Image/Life to New (Perfect) Image
4. We are called to a Life of Imitation

The Called Out

2009-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks I’ve been talking about some very important concepts: God’s Grace, Our Walk with God, and Repentance. Tonight I want to talk about another very important concept. Let me say, this lesson challenges my socks off!

Ekklesia—refers to a group of people in the New Testament—the group is “the church” –It literally means the CALLED OUT – If you do the church study, you put two and two together, it is a spiritual body that has been CALLED OUT of and added into a saved relationship in Christ.

Being a Disciple of Jesus is Not Part of your life, it is your new life in Christ. The American version of “Christianity” makes it a slice of your life, but that is absolutely unbiblical!

Every Disciple of Jesus is CALLED OUT

Mark 1:14-20 – what do we learn about the calling?

A CALL OUT of living for self and of following mere men, an invitation to follow Jesus
It is a personal commitment by Jesus Himself to a relationship where you are being trained by Jesus
CALLED OUT to an existence with a heavenly purpose, to live to save souls!

1 Peter 2:9-10

Called out of the world, darkness, and sin
Called out into a saved relationship with God

1 Cor. 1:9; Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:28-30

To fellowship with Christ—“brother!”
To be made into the likeness of Jesus
CALLED OUT to a very glorious process!

CALLED OUT Into the Family Business

Romans 9:24-26; 1John 3:1

Hallelujah it makes no difference what race/cultural background we are, whether we’re male/female, how much talent we do/do not have, what we look like, what financial status we have, what sins we have committed…

God loves us the same and all the same calls us out of lost-ness and to be His children!

Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:10; 2:19-22

Jesus reigns on behalf of the called out (Eph. 1:22-23)
God has called us out and adopted us into His spiritual family (2:1-10)
He has given us a place in the family (2:10, 19-22)

Specifically He has given us a work prepared in advance for us!

Further on Paul’s faith in God’s calling (Galatians 1:15-17)

Set-apart from your mother’s womb—God created you with a dream in His heart, hoping it would become a dream in your heart that you live out.
Paul began to realize this and it got him so excited and driven to walk in that dream!
Are you inspired to rely on God to live out the purpose He created you for?

The Walk of the CALLED OUT

Ephesians 4:1; 1Thessalonians 2:10-12

As we’ve begun to think about the greatness of His calling, and we think about our forgetfulness, we see the need for the urging!
Paul urged this because our Lord is urging this

2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:13-16

Called by the Holy to live holy!

What does that mean?

1 Peter 2:18-25

We are called to what purpose?

Live in a manner worthy of Christ
Walk worthy of the calling in the face of unjust suffering

AKA “Fellowship of His suffering” – Philippians 3

1 Peter 5:10

We walk worthy in the face of whatever circumstance because we are called by the God of all grace to His eternal glory!
We are not glorifying ourselves or our country or any great earthly cause—we are called to be all about the eternal glory of God!

Revelation 19:9, 11-13

9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." …11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Let’s just get down to the fundamental struggle we all have:

So often, to one degree or another, we all struggle in our faith—to believe in the nature and depth of His Calling!
We’re not sure if God has really said what He said—if God means what He means

We’ve got to see our belief/unbelief for what it is!

God has called it as He has called it—God has called us as He has called us!
Jesus is called Faithful and True, His name is called the Word of God

He is the Almighty—holding all power, all rule, authority
He reigns for those He has His called (“He will shepherd them with an iron scepter!”) – “He is the Guardian of our Souls!”

When we believe it as He called it—we believe we are called as He called us…

His disciples, called out into the family business
Called to a specific, unique work—He is our Father who looked at us while we were in the womb and designed us for His dream
When we believe it is as He said…we believe we are ultimately called to walk in a worthy manner, to be all about His eternal glory!

Treasures reflective of His eternal glory!
To God be the glory!

Peter Heins
Campus Ministry Leader

Quiet Time by Ariana Henkel

2009-05-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Starting with: Ecclesiastes 5:1-8 → discusses a time for everything

-These events are purposefully executed.

Q: Think about the activities we do, independently, as a campus, etc. What are their purposes?
A: Many independent activities are either to sustain ourselves or for enjoyment. While many campus activities are to unite, reach out, or worship God. Yet all are to glorify God.

Continuing to: 1 Corinthians 12 → discusses the parts of the body

-The parts are also arranged purposefully; talents are allocated purposefully.

Q: How can we use our personal talents to help fulfill the purpose of the events of life? (behaviors, attitudes, etc.)
A (few examples of many possibilities): First it is helpful to think about the purpose of the event. For example, devotional serves a few purposes: to worship God, unite us, reach out to the lost. So if you have the talent of encouragement, it can be used to unite people as well as reach out to visitors. Or if your talent is leadership, it can be used to direct everyone’s thoughts during the worship. A second example, the purpose of a campus hangout/ activity is to unite us or reach out to people. Here encouragement again can be used to unite people and connect with them.

With love to my bothers and sisters,

Ariana

Summer Cleaning

2009-05-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

Quiet Time by Bryan Baylon and Peter Heins
5/16/09

Matthew 12:33-37
(12:33) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. (12:34) Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. (12:35) A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. (12:36) I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. (12:37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." HCSB

This passage makes us want to be "slow to speak and quick to listen," as the book of James states-being above reproach in the thinga we say.

It doesn't say not to speak or be shy to speak, rather it even encourages you to speak in that your words acquit you.

How well or strong you are spiritually shows by the very words you are speaking.
If you speak bitter, negative words about others you show what is in your heart.
There are two storerooms within: one good and one evil
What kinds of things are you storing up inside? What are you taking in through your eyes and ears?

What comes out of your mouth shows what's within you.

The Pharisees, "brood of vipers," were also the ones who cleaned the outside of the cup but not the inside (Matthew 23:25-26) and were like whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27-28), and both relate with what he says here.

Matthew 15:11 "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

Quiet Time by Jeremy Melcher-Post

2009-05-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

Jonah

Day 1

1. Background: Read Jonah chapters 1-2.
2. What was Jonah called to do by the Lord and what did he do instead?(Jonah:1-3)

3. Re-read Jonah 1:15-17 and Jonah 2:1-10. What great quality of the Lord is demonstrated in these passages?

4. God’s grace is so great that even though Jonah disobeyed a direct command from the Lord, God saved Jonah from certain death. What does this display about God’s love?

Fasting Verses

2009-03-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

2Chronicles 20

2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, [b] from the other side of the Sea. [c] It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him... 14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's...Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Nehemiah 1:4-6

(1:4) When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (1:5) I said, “LORD God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands,° (1:6) let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant's prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins° we have committed against You...”

Nehemiah 9:1-3 On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads. (9:2) Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the guilt of their fathers. (9:3) While they stood in their places, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day and spent another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

Esther 9:31 ...just as they had committed themselves and their descendants to the practices of fasting and lamentation.

Psalm 35:13 Yet when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

and my prayer was genuine.

Daniel (9:3) So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

(9:4) I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord — the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments° - (9:5) we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commandments and ordinances...

Joel

(2:12) Even now-

this is the LORD's declaration-

turn to Me with all your heart,°with fasting, weeping, and mourning.°

(2:13) Tear your hearts,

not just your clothes,

and return to the LORD your God.

For He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger, rich in faithful love,

and He relents from sending disaster.°

(2:14) Who knows? He may turn and relent°

Matthew 6

(6:16) "Whenever you fast, don't be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive° so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They've got their reward! (6:17) But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, (6:18) so that you don't show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Mark 2

(2:18) Now John's disciples and the Pharisees° were fasting. People came and asked Him, "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisees' disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

(2:19) Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests° cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. (2:20) But the time will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. (2:21) No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth, and a worse tear is made. (2:22) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins.° But new wine is for fresh wineskins."

Acts 13 (13:2) As they were ministering to° the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to." (13:3) Then, after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them,° they sent them off.

Acts 14 (14:23) When they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Preaching Guidance

2009-03-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Preparation (study)—
The following are the steps to take in developing a lesson:
Read the passage and surrounding context in your favorite translation
If it is a letter, read the whole letter in one sitting because that is how letters are read
Read the passage and context in other good translations (NIV, HCSB, NASB, NRSV). Sometimes reading it only in one translation causes the reader to have a “unique” but not good interpretation that is cleared up by reading a couple of translations.
Make personal notes (as you read) where you see the author's themes and divisions of logic. This will help you get at the literary context.
After you do this consult outside sources (Bible dictionary, Greek Lexicon, good commentary) to get cultural, historical context. If you go straight to sources, it can be a form of laziness, not thinking for yourself, and it can hurt you when you don't really understand the passage well.
After all this write a paragraph that puts the principles into your own words.
All this work should take you a couple of hours, but it is necessary to interpret the Bible well, and it will actually save you time and make your preaching better in the long run

Developing an Introduction—
Catch the attention of the audience and draw them into the subject
The intro should also let the audience know why the subject is important
Clearly introduce the subject, which is where your title is introduced
This should be no more than 5 minutes, preferably less

Main Points—
This will be your longest section
The whole speech will go too long if your intro is more than 5 minutes because that will already put you in a rush to make the point clear
From your study of the subject, form logical divisions of the subject, which become your main points
You can use the divisions of the passage if it is a contextual sermon (For example, 1Corinthians 3 uses the divisions: plant, water, and God makes it grow).
Use an illustration at each main point to help the listener connect to each point
An illustration is not limited to one type: story personal experience, humorous story, analogy, poem, quote, parable, etc.
Give practicals at each main point
Some practicals to the Word Study, for example, are to read the Bible every day, make it your standard, start putting it into practice, use it to deal with sin, and tradition needs to be challenged with God's Word.
Use a few select questions throughout to help people think for themselves and relate it to their own lives

Conclusion—
Sum up your main points
Make the connection with the title in a succinct statement
Leave them on a good note

Grounded.

2009-02-21T20:18:00.000-08:00

I was without truth
from all that you are
the form of your beauty before me!
how passionate, grace, YOU are IT!
Heaven sent…
a bliss,
an attempt,
You are grounded.
If once I could gaze,
just gaze at your beauty
would I then float away
from the powers that be?
Rescue me
from my pit,
I dig deep when without you…
I am buried,
no hope-
STILL you’re grounded.
I was without truth
so a part from “I AM”
I once could not see,
now I got it.

V.H.

In the Know

2009-02-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

Introduction—

Briefly explain being in the know.
Are you in the know? What are you in the know about?

But what are you in the know about Jesus?

Matthew 11:20-30

Keeping them out of the know
1. Jesus is praising God for keeping His all-important gospel message hidden from “the wise and intelligent,” while revealing it to infants. What does that mean?
  1. Becoming a newborn spiritually
  2. We grow up in this world, and even as young, rather inexperienced, we can think we know it all—we so easily become wise in our own eyes!
  3. Personal Testimony—I grew up thinking I was a Christian and thinking I was saved. Everyone wants to believe they're saved and in the know! No “I'm in the know,” even if we have to fake it! I got this assumption I was saved and in the know from people not from what I saw and understood in the bible. My faith wasn't based on God's promises but other people's version. My parents were religious and raised me to think I was a Christian. They read the bible but were not in the know about repentance and living out God's word. So because the people around me were religious “Christians” by title and not by heart and action, I knew very little about living word of God! Sure I had a King James version and tried to read it. It was so hard to understand without someone to explain it to me. On top of the fact that I was not very literate. But I still thought and made others around me think I was in the know!
2. Here we see how Jesus feels about our repentance!
  1. We know repentance means transformation—from the inside out—complete change.
  2. Powerful works had been done and their hearts were not moved!
  3. Look up Tyre, Sidon and Sodom
3. Here we also see God's judgment is a very serious thing.
  1. I've heard people say, “You don't know my heart! God knows my heart!”
  2. That person was right, yet it was often said in pride or self-defense.
  3. The fact that God knows our hearts (all our inmost thoughts, desires, and secrets—what is hidden will be exposed) makes Him the only One fit to judge.
    1. That is actually one of the most humbling things to realize!
    2. It even helps you realize His love—that He knows you and wants a relationship with you.
4. Practicals: Do you know what repentance is biblically? Are you in the know about your sin and how God feels about sin? Have you studied it out in the bible? I know mom, dad, grandma, youth pastor growing up are good people, but you'll never hear it from God unless you look at the Scriptures and see for yourself! They are there speaking even if we don't listen! So I want to encourage you to take a good look at yourself and the Scriptures

Bringing us in the know
1. Jesus has a special relationship with the God Father.
  1. We can think we know God—most human beings think they are in the know about God and that is the problem!
  2. We may think we know God, but Jesus says no one knows the Father except the Son
  3. Jesus had this relationship before any of us were ever able to—think of Enoch, Abraham, Israel, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist—no one knows God unless Jesus makes Him known to them!
2. We can know for certain He wants to personally invite as many as possible into this special relationship of knowing God.
  1. But He has to choose to reveal it to us!
3. There is something we learn here that we cannot miss or we will never come into the know—we will remain in the dark and it will be kept hidden.
  1. What do you think is so important for us to realize from this passage?
4. Practicals: Do you really know the Bible? Can you even teach the basic things? Humble yourself to learn from someone else (if you're new we're going to ask you to study the bible).

To know His rest
1. It says He has a yoke—
  1. What is a yoke?
  2. It illustrates that you are bound to Christ
  3. He says it is easy though
    1. Sometimes it doesn't feel so easy to be bound to Christ—can you relate?
      - We want to be cool—the need to feel important perhaps?
      - So many of our sinful desires can be so easy to fulfill
2. He has a burden—
  1. What is a burden?
  2. It illustrates a load that needs to be carried--work that He has to be done.
  3. It is light though
  4. Sometimes this work does not seem light though--can you relate?
3. Although sometimes the yoke may not seem easy and the burden may not seem light, what makes His yoke easy and burden light?
  1. The constant refreshment we now have being in the know!

Conclusion—

Summed up: God has a way for us to be in the know, and He keeps us out of the know if we don't come His way, but the know is what life is all about—where we know God

Prayer:

Praise you God for keeping your message hidden from us when we're prideful.

Thank you God for being our Father too.

You humble us and bring us to repentance—a childlike heart.

Thank you for all the ways you lead us to repentance because that is where have a relationship with you. That is where we become and stay close to you as your children. We get adopted through repentance and the blood of Jesus.

Praise you God for the never ending fountain of refreshment to our soul in you!

We want to totally surrender to your awesome and loving hands.

We want to have hearts that totally embrace your

Fear Biblically

2009-02-11T19:33:00.001-08:00

2/11/09

By Bob Wedin

There are many rational fears? 1. Being eaten by sharks, 2. being burned alive, 3. fear of heights

Whatever you fear

Guys are pridefully insecure—putting on a front, shell, but you won't show anyone.

What are some of the things that make you afraid?

Some shared: birds, being static shocked, cockroaches, being home alone, people under the bed or hiding in some part of your house (maybe turn the lights on to help overcome fear?), drowning, spiders,

Fear is mentioned so many times in the bible—it is a really big thing that applies to all of us. It is mentioned in the bible 326 and afraid is mentioned over 200 times.

Definition of fear-a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid (www.dictionary.com).

There are so many phobias.

"Have no fear God is here."

The fear of being without God is the greatest fear the bible talks about.
- Example, we experience this when we fear being separated from our parents.
- When we are young we can think we're indestructible.

Psalm 34:4-11

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

David represents the fearless person. He didn't fear man or animals but he did fear God.
The Psalms are so real when you read them—we feel what he says here so often and he talks a lot about trusting in God and not fearing

Proverbs 9:10-11

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom

Isaiah 51

Why God takes people from this earth

Proverbs 22:4

4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

When you fear God, you stop trying to do wrong and you start trying to do right.
- Your life has integrity and integrity has many rewards in the long run reward

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

13 Now all has been heard;
       here is the conclusion of the matter:
       Fear God and keep his commandments,
       for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

He tested all things, had wealth, pleasure, fame, and found it wanting—in the end it was fearing God that mattered most.

We realize that God wants to help us overcome fear in a relationship with Him. He wants to bring security where life has beaten us down. We need to start with fearing God.

Response: James 1 says if anyone lacks wisdom he should ask God.

Give it to the Lord

2009-02-09T11:17:00.000-08:00

As the Campus4Christ I'd like to focus on one of our four-fold purposes
As a review, the four-fold purposes are:
Connecting to God
Connecting to one another
Connecting the lost to God
Connecting to the poor and needy
Would like to focus on the last purpose tonight: Connecting to the poor and needy
As you know, we in the Campus Ministry are held to a higher standard to serve because most of us do not have a full-time job, or kids to feed or kids to take to golf practice
If you are visiting tonight, some of the things that we do together as both a Campus Ministry and also collectively as a church are:
Serve the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul
Serve the elderly at Villa Ocotillo, which was this past Sunday
Great time to reach out and talk to those who have lived their life fully and can tell great stories about what life was like when they were young
Noblesse Oblige
High school motto
Etymology is French, and the literal meaning is "Nobility Obligates"
If born of a higher social class, you were expected to act with honor, generosity, and other attributes of that nature
The interpretation that my school made out of it was "To whom much is given, much is expected"
Sometimes difficult to see how we were given much
School has been around since 1927 and we never had a gym
We often wondered where all of our tuition money went, because it wasn't cheap
We were giving much, so we expected a gym
Finally after all these years we are getting a gym
Scheduled to be completed in May of this year
Looking back on it, we realized that we lost sight of all the things that we did have
In the Campus Ministry, sometimes we focus so much on what we don't have, that we don't see how much we have to give
Proverbs 19:17

Point #1: We Are Given Much

Let's look at an instance in the Bible when a woman who does not have much gives much more than is expected of her
Mark 12:41-44
As college students we are relatively poor
We have same struggles as this woman - always being in need/tight budget
Parallel that can be drawn in Western society is that time = money
We are all extremely busy, but if we were called to do so, would we be able to drop all we were doing to follow Jesus? Would we be able to drop all we were doing to serve God's kingdom?
This past week we saw an excellent example of three brothers who did just this
Reminds me of what a wise man once said, "An ounce of gold is not worth an ounce of time"
Dropped everything that was going on in their lives to help serve Campus ministries across the country for a year
This is truly inspiring, and has caused me to reflect on my bucket list
I'm sure many of you have a bucket list as well, and some of my goals are to:
Get a hole-in-one in golf
Bowl a 300 (perfect game)
Go skydiving/base jumping
But these are superficial and worldly ambitions
One of my major goals is to go to the Philippines, which is where my heritage lies, and help build the church and Campus Ministry there

Point #2: Much is Expected of Us

1 Peter 4:8-11
Romans 12:4-8
I really like this passage because it calls each and every one of us to use the gifts that God gave us to serve others
Relates to our four-fold purpose
Some of us are really good at praying to God and leading others in prayer
Others of us promote unity and can relate or connect with everyone in the ministry
There are also the evangelists, who are extremely bold and can go up to anyone and everyone to share their faith
Still others of us have a heart that rejoices in serving others, especially those who need it most such as the poor and elderly
As many of you know, I have gone on three medical missions to Mexico with a Christian Medical Organization, which got me interested in going into the field of Nursing
A group of surgeons, nurses, and general helpers (of which I was one) go down to Mexico to help the poorest of the poor
We perform surgeries that would cost tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands of dollars in the United States at no cost to the patients
There's nothing like the feeling at the end of the week when we review the numbers to see how many people's lives we have touched
We not only help improve the quality of life for the patients, but also relieve a burden from the patient's families
Something that I have learned on these trips is that God will always provide because He never has failed us when we asked Him of things during the trips
Before the missions we have had times where we needed supplies, and the medical supply companies Air-Mailed it to us overnight completely free of charge
We have also had a few patients who should have died during the surgeries, but I believe it is by the grace of God that they survived
I am very excited about going to the Philippines this summer
Isaiah 6:8
Are we this eager to serve?
It’s a great thing for our hearts to serve those in a Third World Country
It also really helps those that are on the mission to see just how blessed we are to live in the United States
We will be helping the Campus Ministry there grow
According to an old Chinese proverb: "Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
This relates to our trip because instead of just giving money to the Philippines, we will be going there to help lead them
Full days
Evangelism
Getting to know what Campus Ministry life is like in the PI
Much like what Nick and Derek were doing
Visit HOPE sites
The trip is going to cost roughly $2,000
However, it includes:
Airfare
Hotels which are much nicer than you would expect
Transportation while we're there
We will need to start fundraising soon to lower the cost of the trip
Please be thinking of fundraising ideas, even if you don't plan on going
If you are interested in going on this trip, please see Peter or Vanessa
Let us all keep in mind the things that we have been blessed with as we consider going on the mission trip to the Philippines this summer

Summary

1) Much has been given - We have been given so much, it is worldly of us to complain about what we don't have and not see that we are blessed with what we have been given
2) Much is expected - Out of His love, God expects us to have the kind of heart that is eager to give back to those in need

Mentoring underprivileged teens, connecting to the Third World, all these causes are calling out at us and we need to connect with them.
When we give, we are giving to the Lord because we are giving to Him - they are His causes. Whatever you do for the least of these, you also do for me. I truly believe that we must give as though we are giving to the Lord.

The UNITY that is important to Christ

2009-02-07T23:48:00.001-08:00

Intro—

John 17 (vs.11, 20-21 here) Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one...I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
God is using this Campus Ministry to reach the lost souls of the Phoenix Valley and the world!
We've grown so much in our unity—5 highlights
- Household and dorm hospitality has stepped it up!
- Radical Random Hangout times (football and games into the late evening)
- Super Spiritually focused times
  - Quiet times
  - Evangelizing together
- Incredible Encouragements
  - Appreciating one another
  - Teaming up to go on dates together
I'm confident there is no doubt God is building this Campus Ministry!
Ephesians 2: 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
But the foundation of this Campus Ministry is still being laid!
Tonight I want to talk about the foundational glue—that which "builds us together": The UNITY that is important to Christ

Body—

Main Text: Ephesians 4

Unity of the Spirit (read vs.1-3)
1. Not man made unity—not formed by a special organizational structure
  1. Putting people in Bts can serve to many ends
  2. Not worldly unity—not clicks, "just who I get along with or what feels natural"
2. Not feel good unity—not a unity just with those I feel good towards (vs.2 refutes that practice)
3. Not a gimmick unity—not formed by slogans, creeds, hype of the time
  1. For example, we have a 4-fold focus as a ministry, but we're not unified because we have it, rather we have it because we are unified in Christ!
4. Our unity is of the Spirit!
  1. The bond is so exceptional that its almost unexplainable
  2. The Bible's illustration of the Spirit—He moves like the wind, power felt but not seen
  3. Our unity is formed with a bond of peace that is done by the Holy Spirit!

Needing one another (read vs.11-16)
1. Jesus allocates roles within His body where we best function together
2. Just like the toe can't say to the foot, "I don't need you," we need to realize that we cannot function nearly the same without one another—we do need one another to mature, to grow, to glorify God!
3. Rather, without one another we will not grow and glorify God!
4. Really think about verse 16 and how you factor in as part of the body

Immunity (read vs.32)
1. Noble thought: Forgive as Christ forgave you!
2. You can't be forgiven if you will not forgive (Matthew 6:14-15)
  1. Oftentimes we can be blinded by our pride—I know from experience
  2. Believe it or not, we can think highly of ourselves in the way we're resolved with a person and yet still have an unforgiving attitude about them not being resolved.

Truth (sum up the parts because there are so many)
1. vs.15 speaking the truth in love
  1. Two huge false assumptions that hurt truth-seeking and hurt unity:
    1. I'm surely being attacked! (and)
    2. I must always defend myself!

Examples: Fred saying to Suzy, "Oh, look, there's a rare bird in our backyard!" Suzy snaps back, "I know, it's an oriole, you don't have to show off to me!"
We can respond defensively in the most ridiculous situations, which shows our problem.
Instead it is Christlike to practice responding in loving truth even if you are attacked.

I've done a whole lesson just on this point because it is so important to our unity
It is really an ongoing lesson—for me—on how to be a better disciple in communicating love over hostility

vs.17-19 "ignorance rule within" the ungodly—we can't let ignorance rule in us!
1. I love this saying, "Be angry! But don't sin!"
vs.25-29 tells us to put away lying, falsehood, speaking unwholesome
1. I know it is so easy to be conformed to the world in this way, but we need to be a spiritual ministry that fights the world off here!
vs.20-24 says the truth is in Jesus—in the new way of life He gives us!

You took off, You put on (read vs.20-24 emphasizing words took off, put on)
1. We have a new life—re-created—to be like God in righteousness and holiness
  1. That says a lot about our unity—unity with God which brings radical unity with others!
2. Starts with a new attitude in our your minds—
  1. In any particular situation that seems to challenge our relationships with others, a lot of times the bond of peace comes with surrender
  2. When by God's grace, we realize, "that was the old Peter, and now is the new Peter"
3. Repentance is when change (from the inside-out) is taking place
  1. It is (by God's grace) our opportunity to take off the sin and put on Christlikeness
4. We can practice this repentance when our apologizing includes something along these lines: "I'm sorry, that was wrong. It was something the past me would do. I want to change. Please pray for me and help me change for God."

Conclusion—

Why is unity important to Christ?
- Because being one as He and the Father are one:
  - Brings God glory (and)
  - It is how the world will know and believe in Him!
God wants all of us in His Campus4Christ Ministry to continue to develop deeper convictions on becoming more unified
- To know the glue that builds us together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit
- Just like each of these points comes together to spell UNITY—These things and more come together to bring unity
- Our Unity is the kind that is of the Spirit; our unity is based on having a Need for one-another; our unity also comes out of giving one-another Immunity; our unity comes from speaking the Truth in love; all this unity is yours because You've put off sin, and You have put on a Christlikeness!

We LOVE Because He First Loved Us

2009-01-31T13:50:00.001-08:00

1John 4:19

Introduction--

God's Love (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8)
- Train with two tracks illustration
  - Utilitarian moral philosophy uses this illustration to show we need to act for the greater good.
  - The argument against asks the question: Can such a sacrifice be expected of us?
    - I think the most persuasive answer when you think about it is "yes" but what a challenging situation.
  - God's love is different and on a much greater level
    - God didn't do it out of obligation, compulsion, following some moral standard
    - God didn't even have to do it and He would have been perfectly righteous if He didn't—because we sin and thus deserve spiritual death
      - If we misunderstand this we misunderstand God: He is most gracious and compassionate, loving on a level we stand in awe of!
    - Some other Theological Challenges to understanding God:
      - Humans ask the questions, "Would a loving God send souls to hell? Would someone be eternally separated from God (hell) if they sinned in ignorance—trying their best to be a good person but not knowing any better?"
      - Some of the questions the Scriptures might ask us: "Does God send people to hell or (when we break it down) is it our choice? Is it not a humanistic argument to a spiritual issue we do not understand? Are we spiritually enlightened to the nature of sin, what is sin and how does it affect our relationship to God?"
    - The lights must come on spiritually to begin to understand our loving God
      - God's saving, train and two tracks, is spiritual—involving the deepest, most important issue: dealing with our sin!
      - God is our hero, dealing with our sin by putting it's deserved punishment on His perfect Son!
      - We get to stand in awe of how is saving sacrifice shows the glory of His love!
      - We're also most grateful—a dying to self to become more increasingly grateful—for how He has loved us, choosing us to hear the good news, to have a new birth spiritually, and to come into a relationship with Him!

We LOVE
- L for Lord First
  - He takes supremacy
  - His will now trumps ours
  - This doesn't happen without sacrifice, without us denying ourself—putting to death the sinful flesh with the help of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13)
- O for Others Focused
  - Your salvation is welling up in you to preach the good news
  - Paul saying, "Woe to me if I don't preach!"
  - The impact of His love is that you can't keep it to yourself
- V for Volunteering
  - No one has to run after you because you volunteer
- E for Enthusiastic
  - Rhetorical: Does that mean we're always hopped up on energy drinks or starbucks?
  - Colossians 3:23

Conclusion
- Sum it up:
  - We LOVE because He first loved us
    - We put the Lord First because He first loved us
    - We are Others Focused because He first loved us
    - We Volunteer because He first loved us
    - We are Enthusiastic because He first loved us
- Practical statement that ties it in to a more practical focus for our Semester:
  - We, as the Campus4Christ Campus Ministry, know our 4 points of focus is all out of a heart for God and a response to His love:
    - Connecting to God—Our deepest conviction as disciples is our first love
    - Connecting to one-another—John 13:34-35
    - Connecting the lost to God—It is our Lord's mission statement and therefore ours
    - Connecting to the poor and needy—James 1:27
- Thanks for coming!
- Let's have a prayer, a final song, and dismiss for some great fellowship

Harmony With Others

2009-01-31T13:39:00.001-08:00

This lesson is my notes of a lesson done by Brian Craig last November

Harmony is two notes that sound good together
Think why some notes do not sound good played together?
God gave us music for our enjoyment but mostly for His glorification

Isaiah 2:1-4
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

2 In the last days
       the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
       as chief among the mountains;
       it will be raised above the hills,
       and all nations will stream to it.

3 Many peoples will come and say,
       "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
       to the house of the God of Jacob.
       He will teach us his ways,
       so that we may walk in his paths."
       The law will go out from Zion,
       the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He will judge between the nations
       and will settle disputes for many peoples.
       They will beat their swords into plowshares
       and their spears into pruning hooks.
       Nation will not take up sword against nation,
       nor will they train for war anymore.

Living in harmony is living well together with others
It is aspired to by so many and yet it is so difficult to live in harmony with others
God has provided a way for us to do so
This passage is about 750 years before Jesus and it reveals how He wanted His kingdom to be

Isaiah 11:6-9

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
       the leopard will lie down with the goat,
       the calf and the lion and the yearling ^[a] together;
       and a little child will lead them.

7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy
       on all my holy mountain,
       for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
       as the waters cover the sea.

Word Nazareth is very similar to the word for "branch"
What did God have in mind if not relationships, people who would not ordinarily get along do in His kingdom?
This we see only happening by God and His gospel!

Mark 3:13-18
13Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons. 16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Zealot with a Tax Collector is like a lion and ox eating together!
If these are Jesus' close twelve, and they were to lead the way, can you imagine the kind of relationships that forge?
What are you arguing about?
Jesus makes this possible--He is the conductor that pulls us all together.
What must we do in order to have harmony?

1. Learn the song

Jesus has so much teaching on relationships
Most of Jesus' teachings are practicals on relationships, how you treat people and how you respond to certain situations
Jesus not only taught the principles but He was the greatest example of living them out
And He was killed for it!
We need to sing the same song together to have harmony, just like we need to be unified as brothers and sisters (Acts 4:32-35)

2. We got to stay in tune

Cornerstone--everything aligns itself with that stone
We need to tune and retune with one-another
Are you in tune and or retuning yourself with Jesus and His teachings?
Illustration: a couple of keys out of tune put the whole song out of whack
Don't take the kingdom for granted
Protect the unity and the congregation
Jesus prays for our unity (John 17) because that is the key way Satan preys

Conclusion
What are you doing to promote unity in the body of Christ? Are you a person who creates disharmony or harmony? Do you cause disruption in the harmony within the body of Christ? What needs to change so you can get more in harmony with others in the body of Christ?

Reverse the Curse

2008-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

Is it safe to say we all procrastinate a little? Some maybe a lot?

I've never met anyone who never procrastinated

We all know the consequences, some more than others, and we regret being like this—It is a curse!

Tonight I want to talk about how we Reverse the Curse!

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 This is what the LORD says:
       "Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
       who depends on flesh for his strength
       and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
       he will not see prosperity when it comes.
       He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
       in a salt land where no one lives.

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
       that sends out its roots by the stream.
       It does not fear when heat comes;
       its leaves are always green.
       It has no worries in a year of drought
       and never fails to bear fruit."

The Curse (Verses 5-6)
1. Although the pitfalls of laziness can reveal it, the bigger curse is relying on human effort as your strength!
  1. Maybe your feeling regret for how you could have done better in school—or in some other area this past Semester?
  2. Yes, we should strive to do everything for the Lord and with all our heart (Colossians 3:23)!
  3. But now is not a time to feel bad about it—
    1. You're in the midst of the final battle of the Semester!
    2. We need to rely on the grace all the way through and be forward thinkers!
    3. We need to learn to have godly sorrow that produces change rather than just feeling bad!
2. I'll admit laziness is and has been one of my deepest character sins—For me, I'm convinced it is the kind that Jesus said can only come out with prayer and fasting!
3. However, I know my laziness is most often rooted in an even uglier and deeper sin: pride!
  1. I have in me an independent spirit!
  2. On far too many occasions I lose touch with God and think I can do it on my own!
  3. That is why I've been convicted by this passage and need to stay convicted by it
    1. Brothers and sisters, we can't make light of this horrible condition—it needs to be put to death!
    2. For in it you cannot even see when prosperity comes!
4. And look at how it causes God's heart to break (Jeremiah 2:13):
  1. 13 "My people have committed two sins:
           They have forsaken me,
           the spring of living water,
           and have dug their own cisterns,
           broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Reverse the Curse (Vs.7-8)
1. Personal testimony: I've been gifted in sports, specifically baseball. It was all I did and thought about growing up. In fact, in some ways because of it I didn't learn how to read well. Probably pretty close to classified as illiterate through 11^th grade. Then I studied the Bible and started to get inspired by it. A year later I went into college, struggled at first, then chose a double major in two of the hardest reading degrees—Philosophy and Political Science. It was by the inspiration of God's Word, memorizing it and relying on it for strength that I not only learned how to read but got a degree. But my knowledge of the Scriptures is far more important to me than my B.A.
2. You will always flourish when your confidence is in God
  1. Not fear the heat – you don't flinch at life's stresses and pressures
  2. Leaves always green – stay spiritual, faithful, zealous
  3. No worries in a year of drought – you're still inspired at the times where things seem less inspiring
  4. Never fail to bear fruit – It is to God's pleasure and honor that we bear fruit (John 15), staying spiritually productive

Conclusion-

I share this Scripture and it's message in my life to encourage you to have God as your confidence and strength--
That you would not be shooting for purly human aims--what is of human effort--but that you would only shoot for the excellency of a God reliant life!

Ending the Year Spiritually

2008-12-04T11:41:00.001-08:00

Introduce the idea of ending the year spiritually.

I'm going to read a very challenging passage—hard to understand—and make some points. Hopefully you can get familiar with this passage and be inspired by the things Jesus taught.

Two things I thought we need right now:

Perseverance
1. Finishing the Semester well
2. Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically (literally 'from the soul'), as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord—you serve the Lord Christ.
3. Maybe tonight can remind you of who you're living for?
Godliness
1. Preparing to be faithful over the Christmas break
2. What are going to be some challenges, obstacles, trials?
3. What are going to be some opportunities?
  1. For spiritual growth and just for enjoyment

I thought of this passage because Jesus talks about Ending Spiritually, so I think it is a helpful thought to Ending Your Year Spiritually

Text: Luke 21:1-36

Jesus has awesome spiritual vision

2Peter 1:8-9 talks about being "nearsighted and blind" when we're not growing
There is more predicted than we can possibly be totally sure about; we know:
1. Destruction of Jerusalem (predicted by Jesus because the order of Luke and then Acts)
2. Prediction of the Christians escaping (vs.20)
3. Great persecutions (which started after this book, and after the book of Acts—see Foxes Book of Martyrs for more detail)
4. Second Coming and Redemption
  1. What did "the day of the LORD mean to the Jews"?
Jesus made connections—to a first-century Jew mindset
1. They had all kinds of imagery of a heroic savior—probably like Super Man--
  1. A Messiah leading them into an age of glory for God's people, where it was a Utopian empire
  2. These images related to them in more ways than us
Jesus connects with us in some ways more with vss.33-36
1. These are the words we trust in!
2. This more than anything helps us persevere!

Jesus speaks honestly
1. There will be challenges if you follow me—there is a cross we must bear!
2. But we have such an opportunity to be useful for His glory and the salvation of many others
3. Vs.19 by endurance you will gain life!
Jesus promises to be there with us
1. Verses 13-19
2. Give you exactly what you need to say—
  1. Use it as a testimony—opportunity to witness!
  2. Make connection with them being with family members
3. Why did disciples die so heroically and even at times joyfully?
  1. I believe it was because Jesus was right there with them!
Jesus promises redemption
1. Vs.13 – I just love that expression of safety—it is like a Dad would say
2. Vs.27 has a connection with the apocalyptic imagery of Revelation 1:7 and Daniel 7:13
3. What a glorious statement in vs.36 "stand before the Son of Man"

In prayer today I thought through Ending the Year spiritually. I'm going to need to devote much more prayer to it. One thing I thought was how far our Campus Ministry has come over the last year. I just thought how much I love you all! It is such a joy being together and sharing in one another's lives! It's not over, but it has been a great year! I thought: where will we be a year from now? I think life is special when you look forward to growing together with people.

I was a little emotional thinking of God's joy to want to spend time with us. God longs to purify our hearts so we can enjoy our relationships with Him. God is looking forward to the next 1, 2...5, 10, 20 (not years) but millennium!

Let's not be like the world, but let's gain a more perseverance and a more godly focus going into the New Year!

Joking Around

2008-11-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

Who likes laughing and joking? Anyone hear anything funny?

A man goes on a 2-month business trip to Europe and leaves his cat with his brother. Three days before his return he calls his brother.
Brother 1: So how is my cat doing?
Brother 2: He's Dead
Brother 1: He's Dead! What do you mean He's Dead! I loved that cat. Couldn't you think of a nicer way to tell me! I'm leaving in 3 days. You could of broke me to the news easier. You could of told me today that she got out of the house or something. Then when I called before I left you could of told me, Well, we found her but she is up on the roof and we're having trouble getting her down. Then when I call you from the airport you could of told me, The Fire Department was there and scared her off the roof and the cat died when it hit the ground.
Brother 2: I'm sorry...you're right...that was insensitive I won't let it happen again.
Brother 1: Alright, alright, forget about it. Anyway, how is Mom doing?
Brother 2: She's up on the roof and we're having trouble getting her down.

Humor is very good—It can be hard to see because we speak a different language in a different culture, but Jesus used humor appropriately, even in His teaching.

When is joking not appropriate?
Funerals, not taking a foreign culture into mind,

Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Proverbs 8:12-14
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
Proverbs 12:8
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.

Let's read a few proverbs that direct our speech in good ways...
Proverbs 2:12
Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 12:6
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

Proverbs 16:21
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 17:27
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

Proverbs 18:4
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

Proverbs 22:12
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

Not to make us uptight and lacking humor, but God uses the Bible to help us see the importance of our words, and here is just a sampling of how He leads us to be wise with them.

God is with us when our hearts are with Him

2008-09-08T11:25:00.001-07:00

Introduction

We're going to spend less time in here than we normally do because while the principle here is important, even sobering and convicting, but I am convinced we would run the risk of communicating something entirely different with overemphasis.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, "I will be with you always"...but will He be with us the same if we do not obey His Great Commission? Is God with us if we're not with Him?
- God is all-present, Spirit who fills the whole universe, so in that sense He is with everyone--Is that the sense Jesus is talking about?
- Jesus is talking about an intimate-saving relationship with God, where His spiritual-saving power is with you
- Principle the Bible shows: God is with us when hearts are with Him
- Note: I don't want to overemphasize this because I think our problem more often is being confident in the promises we have from God that He will be with us always.
- Perhaps though the insecurity comes from our conscience??--perhaps too bogged down by guilt??--where it is known deep down that God is not always with us unconditionally, on our terms??? because He is totally Holy, Righteous, and Just!

2Chronicles 15:2

This verse is probably the clearest of this principle in the whole Bible.
God will not be with you if you're heart is not with Him--where your heart is directed opposite Him--you've forsaken God

1Chronicles 28:9

In David's farewell address he gives this charge to his son Solomon,
- who would take over as king and have the responsibility to build the very place where God would dwell with man—the Holy of holies
- It says that David wasn't holy enough because he shed too much blood!
David finds the need to remind his son Solomon about God
- God sees everything—"every intent of your thoughts"
- Solomon grew up around God—it was probably easy to take God for granted
- David is reminding him how holy God is and how important it is to be whole hearted and willing!

Jeremiah 29:13

We'll find this condition attached to God's promise: God requires that we seek Him with all our heart!

Walking with God

2008-05-28T16:47:00.001-07:00

Introduction—

Relationship with God not a sprint but a marathon.
1. Maybe not a marathon as much as a walk.
Talk about biblical figures who walked with God.
1. Enoch—Genesis 5:22-24
2. Noah—Genesis 6:9
I'm going to read The Greatest Commandment in Deuteronomy 10:12, which is reiterated in many places, And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Godly men and women aspire to having a great walk with God.
Psalm 84:11 (is inspiring) For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
The following will be some important principles to strengthen your walk with God.

Main Points—

Prayer Life
1. Approach God with confidence
  1. Think of someone in your life whom you can go to with confidence in any type of situation. How does that make you feel?
  2. Let's see how two verses use the word confidence: Ephesians 3:10-12 and Hebrews 4:14-16
    1. Both these passages use the word "confidence" for how we approach God
    2. What does this mean to you?
2. Learning process
  1. Luke 11:1-4 shows us that prayer had to be learned by Jesus' apostles
    1. It is not a natural thing you just innately do
    2. Like any other training, you need to develop a structure that helps grow
3. Hindrances to our prayer life
  1. Lack of concentration—1Peter 4:7
  2. Lack of personal righteousness—Psalms 66:18 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;
  3. Lack of persistence—Luke 18:1-8 persistent widow—many times God is testing us to go the extra bit in our hearts
  4. Praying contrary to God's will—1John 5:14 according to His will He hears us
  5. Lack of faith—Mark 11:24 NEED I GIVE A VERSE
  6. Other verses on prayer look on these notes on our biblestudy blog: Matthew 6:5; John 9:31; 14:13-14; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2-4; James 5:16-17.
4. Have a goal to spend time with God before you start every day

Read Psalms 5:1-3
Example of Jesus—Luke 5:15-16; 6:12-13; 9:18; 11:1; Mark 1:32-36; and Hebrews 5:7-10 -- "Prayer was the atmosphere in which he lived. It was the air he breathed" (G.S. Thomas).
How does Jesus' example of prayer inspire you?

Rely on God throughout your day
1. Like Paul praying for the Philippians in chapter one, our prayer life should bring us joy
2. Philippians 4 prayer melts worries away
3. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 "16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Fasting—Matthew 6:17-18 when you fast

Studying God's Word
1. Ephesians 6:18 – strengthening your sword is a key way to fight spiritually
2. Matthew 4:4 importance of staying in the word—like food, if you don't stay in it you won't stay spiritually nourished + you could die spiritually
3. We know 2Timothy 3:16-17 and Hebrews 4:12-13 (quote them)--can you make a list of all the areas God's word equips you?
4. James 1:22-25 shows us that it is not only important to know God's word, but it is important to do what it says
  1. What happens to the man who does not put God's word into practice?
  2. Write down some things you know that are right and that you intend on putting consistently into practice
  3. We know holding to the truth is how you know the truth and be set free (John 8:31-32)
  4. Further convicting Scripture: Ezekiel 33:30-33
5. So the charge to Timothy is also to all of us: 2Timothy 2:15
  1. 1Peter 3:15 ...be prepared to give an answer to everyone for the hope you profess...
    1. The urgency of knowing your bible is our lost world
6. Main motivation for deepening our knowledge of God's word...
  1. Is deepening our knowledge of God
    1. God is eager to be known by us, but how eager are we to get to know God?
  2. Psalms 1:1-3 delightful to a man or women of God
Dependence on God
1. Effectiveness for life--
  1. Business principles and humanism will teach you that becoming independent is most effective.
  2. Humanism will also teach you interdependence—working effectively with people is most effective.
  3. Really, dependence on God is the most effective life—the one Jesus lived.
2. Balance of faith, works, and grace
  1. Faith
    1. Hebrews 11:6 says we need faith to please God
    2. James 2:14-16 and John 8:30-32 show that faith is more than intellectual belief, but also about your actions.
      - Thus, we'll understand the importance of works of faith.
  2. Works
    1. Ephesians 2:8-10 our salvation is not by our doing—WE MESSED IT UP!
      - That does not mean what we do is unimportant!
      - It also doesn't mean that God doesn't expect anything from us!
      - Like Naaman healed of leprosy in 2Kings 5, salvation is an unearned gift conditioned on our obedience.
      - We need to understand the balance of faith and works—understanding grace is the connector
  3. Grace
    1. Titus 3:5
    2. Jude 4
    3. 1Corinthians 15:10 getting grace will have its effect
    4. Titus 2:11-14
      - Walking with God is about growing in that grace
      - God has provided ample grace for the biggest sinner to grow
        
        Net illustration
      - Likewise, 2Timothy 2:1 charge to Timothy is also for us: be strong in the grace
    5. We don't confess our sins to get God's grace, but we confess our sins because we already have it and we love it!
      - As we confess our sins...(we can be sure, have confidence)...God is faithful and just, and will forgive us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9).

Applications—

Different things will go on this Summer, but know that your walk with God is always the constant—"Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

Taking our walk with God to different places, heights, strength, succinctness, will be the main challenge of us all. Above any goal of mine, I want to be more faithful and courageous in my walk with God.

Close with the promise in Jeremiah 7:23 ...that it may go well with you

God wants it to go well with us, so let's trust more fully in Him by growing in these key areas:

Prayer life—pray continually
God's word—learn new things this Summer
Depend on God—strike the balance in your life-style

Greatness through Service

2008-05-25T01:32:00.000-07:00

Introduction-

I. We all want to be great!

1. We want to hear, "Well done...son...daughter."

2. We want to find the career where we will be at our best

3. We want to be excelling at a high potential—be it business, social, family, and spiritual

II. As we've been reading in Mark, our Lord achieved lasting impact—greatness far beyond any measurement of greatness

1. Paying the greatest price—a level of sacrifice no one could

2. Redeeming us out of spiritual death

3. Great enough to call His followers to give up everything

III. Jesus shows us the only greatness worth our greatest aim is Greatness through Service

Text: Mark 10:35-45

I. Greatness of the world

A. These guys (aka "Sons of Thunder") desired the seats of honor so much that they had the gall to approach Jesus with their request!

i. Their thinking was most definitely worldly not spiritual

ii. It took the all the disciples until after the resurrection and the Holy Spirit's light before they connected the dots with the spiritual kingdom of Christ

iii. They desired "greatness of the world"

B. They wanted to be great before putting in the level of sacrifice necessary

i. Jesus confirmed that they would eventually get there and be great (sum James and John's life)

ii. Can't we be like that too—wanting honor before doing anything?

iii. There are so many works of service in Christ that we have no clue about because we're so consumed by our self being great!

C. Vs.42 Isn't that how we see greatness in our world today?

i. "Lording over" -- "I'm the boss" mentality

ii. We might not be in touch with it, but we all want respect—it can be something we crave more than physical food

iii. I think in some ways it is a basic human need

iv. Philippians 2:5ff puts us to shame—greatly reveals my pride and how much I am more like Satan than God

v. I need to become nothing <transition with first point of next point>

II. Greatness with God

A. There is greatness in the world—follow those principles and you will achieve some level of worldly greatness.

B. What does God honor as being great?

i. God does not merit greatness like the world does!

ii. Not to say the world's idea is totally void of godly greatness (examples of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King JR, etc.)

iii. Jesus isn't giving us principles of successful living—not pragmatism or humanism—all about advancing His Kingdom.

C. When Jesus used the term "servant," it was a synonym with greatness. And it was a revolutionary idea at the time.

III. Greatness of Jesus

A. His example is the thrust of this passage: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

B. How can we be served by His blood, cleansed by His sacrifice, served by the power of His mighty strength—then not give Him our everything?

i. My example of being lazy and selfish growing up with my mom doing so much for me

a) She is still an amazing servant, where I can go over to her place and take it easy

b) I'm convinced maturing is starting to serve her

· It is how I appreciate all the ways she has served me

c) Whereas I fail to appreciate her when I just sit back and selfishly let her serve me

ii. We can be like that with Jesus

C. Truth is that we can't out serve Jesus

i. But if I don't grow in my service than I'll fail to appreciate what He has done and does for me

ii. We never want to take Him for granted

IV. Great Summer

i. Let's make this a great Summer by serving one another more

ii. The activity we're going to do is a way to get the ball rolling in those efforts

a) Write down three things you would like to see us do together this Summer.

b) Also write down three disciples in our ministry (not Cahills' or Heins') who you think could "serve" as a club officers.

c) Lastly, put a star by the activity in which you would like to serve.

Check out my Facebook profile

2008-05-12T15:29:00.001-07:00

facebook

Vanessa Heins has:

32 friends
2 photos
12 wall posts

Check out my Facebook profile

I set up a Facebook profile where I can post my pictures, videos and events and I want to add you as a friend so you can see it. First, you need to join Facebook! Once you join, you can also create your own profile.

Thanks,
Vanessa

Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=560053184&k=Z2CU3Z5XQ65M51BEUE43TQ&r&v=2

This e-mail may contain promotional materials. If you do not wish to receive future commercial mailings from Facebook, please opt out. Facebook's offices are located at 156 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Lesson 3: Impact is about being moved and moving others

2008-04-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

Moved by the Mission
1. Mark 1:21-39
2. From Mark 1:21 through 34 we see a whole day of Jesus
3. Mark 1:35 is Jesus' start to the next day right after this intense day
4. Mark 1:38-39 shows Jesus' headstrong attitude
5. Why did Jesus have such an intense drive?
  1. We see that Jesus was moved by His Mission—to save souls!
  2. The mark of a disciple of Jesus is being moved by His mission also!
Moved by Compassion
1. Mark 1:40-45
  1. How did Jesus have powerful and lasting impact here?
  2. Can you describe Jesus' emotional state?
    1. The word is actually pretty intense, literally meaning "his guts went out"
  3. What does compassion have to do with having lasting impact?
  4. Jesus acted on His emotions for the good of others
2. Galatians 5:6
  1. faith expressing itself through love
3. John 13:34-35
  1. By this love they will know that your are my disciples
  2. Are we afraid of being too emotional? Why?
4. Why did Jesus warn this guy?
Moved by Great Faith
1. The things that moved Jesus...
  1. Jesus saw the faith of the people—plural
  2. He saw their resilient actions
  3. Their faith wasn't shaky
  4. He was also moved by a lack of faith
  5. He was even moved by their thoughts and attitudes
2. Jesus moved the people...
  1. Speaking with authority
  2. The faith changed the man. Obvious faith changes people.
  3. He met the spiritual needs of the man first.
    1. He could have healed the man physically and then got to the spiritual.
    2. The spiritual need was more important to Jesus.
    3. Do you see people mostly from a spiritual or worldly point of view?
Moving Others with His Words
1. How did Jesus move people?
  1. This was a time where Jesus didn't have to perform a miracle for the crowd to come around Him...It was by the power of His teaching.
  2. We see here that there was no class structure that Jesus was trying to reach.
  3. Jesus didn't show favoritism, which was even more significant in this culture.
2. Levi was responding in a respectful way, so Jesus was moved by Him. The Pharisees were disrespectful, so Jesus spoke convicting words to them that must of built up the faith of these people
  1. If we try really hard to please everyone, the odds are really good that we will have little to know impact on anyone!
3. Imagine how Jesus' words must have been felt by these people
  1. He commanded exceedingly more authority
  2. He lifts these people up by saying, "I am here for those like them, not those like you!"
  3. They must of felt very honored at that moment

Conclusion

From these Scriptures we see the way Jesus was moved and how He moved others
We cannot have impact if we're not easily moved
- If we constantly need someone to move us
- We cannot have impact if we're not moved by God

Select "one-another" passages

2008-04-23T11:09:00.001-07:00

Romans 12:10 − Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 15:7 − Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 15:14 − I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in
knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
1 Corinthians 1:10 − I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree
with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in
mind and thought.
1 Corinthians 12:25 − so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal
concern for each other.
Galatians 5:13 − You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful
nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2 − Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:32 − Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.
Ephesians 5:21 − Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Colossians 3:16 − Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with
all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 − May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for
everyone else, just as ours does for you.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 − Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have
been taught by God to love each other.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 − Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 − Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to
each other and to everyone else.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 − We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith
is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
Hebrews 3:13 − But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may
be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 10:24 − And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:25 − Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us
encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
James 4:11 − Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him
speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in
judgment on it.
James 5:16 − Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
1 Peter 3:8 − Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be
compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 4:8 − Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:9 − Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 5:5 − Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe
yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble."
1 John 3:23 − And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one
another as he commanded us.
1 John 4:7 − Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has
been born of God and knows God.

Passover Lesson

2008-04-19T01:40:00.001-07:00

Resource: Oakes, John. From Shadow to Reality. Illuminations Publishers International. 2005

Passover is the second most important festival to the Jews—after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
- During this time of year, this meal is celebrated by Jews throughout the world
- I will show you how every single detail has incredible significance for the New Covenant—salvation by the blood of Jesus!
- We will see that God intended this grace long ago, for everyone, not just for the Jews to remember the passover happening in Egypt.

Background to the Passover--

Summarizing God's deliverance from the Egyptians in Exodus: The Israelites were crying out to God because of the harsh treatment and bondage in Egypt. God speaks to Pharaoh through Moses, saying "Let my people go."
Ten times Pharaoh agreed and then changed his mind, so God brought unnatural disasters (plagues).
The 10^th and final is killing of the first born—God provides a way for the Israelites to avoid the plague.

4 So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt 5 and every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the servant girl who is behind the millstones, as well as every firstborn of the livestock. -- Exodus 11:4-5 HCSB
- Slaughter a lamb without defect
- Put blood on the whole wooden door frame
- Do not break any of the lamb's bones (Exodus 12:11)

The Parts of the Meal--

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 "This month is to be the beginning of months for you; it is the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to [their] fathers' households, one animal per household. 4 If the household is too small for a [whole] animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each person will eat. 5 You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. 7 They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them. 8 They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs. 10 Do not let any of it remain until morning; you must burn up any part of it that does remain until morning. 11 Here is how you must eat it: dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the LORD's Passover. -- Exodus 12:1-11 HCSB

Eat roasted lamb
Eat unleavened bread and bitter herbs
Eat in haste

Order of the Passover--

The Jews start Passover with a ritual cleansing of all the yeast from their houses
The family gathers for the meal, assembling each part:
1. Lamb
2. Unleavened bread
3. Bitter herbs
The Patriarch of the family will read sections of Exodus
A young boy will ask the four questions
1. Exodus 13:14—what does this mean?
  1. Read the rest of vs.14 through 16
2. Why is this night different from all other nights?
  1. It is a special night of worshiping God for the way He brought deliverance
3. Why on this night do we only eat unleavened bread?
  1. The unleavened bread is to remember the haste in the escape from slavery
4. Why eat bitter herbs?
  1. Remember the bitterness of slavery under Pharaoh
The bread is in three pieces, and one of the pieces is put away

Significance for us in the New Covenant--

1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was drawing near. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death, because they were afraid of the people.

3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the Twelve. 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police how he could hand Him over to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him silver. 6 So he accepted [the offer] and started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him to them when the crowd was not present.

7 Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it."

9 "Where do You want us to prepare it?" they asked Him.

10 "Listen," He said to them, "when you've entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there."

13 So they went and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

14 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, "I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." -- Luke 22:1-18 HCSB

"The essence of the Passover is that of the Lord's Supper. It is all about remembering where we have come from, the bitterness of our enslavement (to sin), and the price of our deliverance by the blood of the Lamb" (Philip Lester quote in Shadow to Reality, by John Oakes).
"Because of the blood of the Passover lamb, God "passed over" the houses of the Jews. Because of the blood of the Lamb of God, "slain from the creation of the world," God will pass over the sin in our own personal house—our lives" (Shadow p.174).
Explain the correlation between the wooden door frame and the wooden cross beam
"Do not break any of the bones" (Exodus 12:46) & Psalm 22:17 messianic prophecy
1. This command would seem obscure to the Jews but has fulfillment with Jesus
2. The soldiers did not break His legs, but did the other two (John 19:31-32)
Unleavened bread—the Jews had to leave too quick to put leaven in their bread.
1. Leaven in the Old and New Testament represents sin.
  1. Luke 9:62 shows that Jesus expected us to immediately leave our life of sin and not look back.
2. As stated before, the Jews searched the house before passover, in order to make sure there was no leaven.
  1. Similarly for us, God expects us to search our hearts before we partake in the communion with our Lord.

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. -- 1Corinthians 11:28 NIV

6Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. -- 1Corinthians 5:6-8 NIV

Two things – 1.getting rid of the sin, and 2. being without sin
1. The blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, causes God to passover our sins
2. However, this makes us urgent to deal with our sin that we confront in our hearts

Bitter Herbs—the Jews were to remember the awful, bitter slavery in Egypt.
1. Maybe you think this was easy for them to remember how awful it was, especially when compared to the great freedom God gave them?
2. However, they're longing to go back there a relatively short time later (Numbers 20).
3. What a great lesson for us to always remember the bitter slavery of bondage to sin.
They also had three loaves of bread and four cups of wine
1. The third loaf is broken into pieces and hidden around the house. Once we find the pieces, we share them together.
2. The third cup of wine is traditionally known as the cup of redemption.
  1. They drink it right after the meal.
  2. It is the cup Jesus took and said: "This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20).

New Testament Fasting Scripture

2008-04-16T12:52:00.001-07:00

Matthew 4:2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Matthew 6:16-18 16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 9:14-17 (Compare with Mark 2:18ff and Luke 5:33ff) 14Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

15Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

16"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

Luke 2 36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Acts 13:1-3 1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 14 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders^[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,

Second Lesson: How You Begin to Impact

2008-04-09T12:10:00.001-07:00

Mark 1:12-28

Introduction--

I want this time to spur on your personal bible study—hopefully you've already received some insights that have helped you!

Last week we began our study of Mark by looking at 3 ways Jesus was introduced
This week we're going to look at How Jesus Began His Life of Impact
- Note: We're going to be in Mark 1 for a couple more lessons because I want you to see studying contextually with a reasonable amount of depth and breadth. We're going to increase the amount of verses we look at as we go forward.

To have eternal impact, Jesus was first prepared (vss12-13)
1. Lets take a quick stab, why did Jesus go through these trials?
2. Look ahead to the next couple of verses: it was right before His ministry began.
3. Also read a parallel passage to show the bigger picture: Hebrews 2:14-18
  1. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
  2. God saw it necessary that Jesus first suffer 40 days of extreme trial—like going to boot camp before the war
  3. Here we see the process God has for developing His leaders, starting with the top leader—Jesus, the One we do all things through!
4. So, what is the benefit of going through trials and temptations?
  1. Jesus went through intense and focused self-denial.
  2. We can't overcome anything till we overcome ourselves.
  3. Jesus first overcame self in order that He could overcome the world!
5. How many of us rejoice when we go through trials?
6. But that is exactly what God calls us to do: James 1:2-4
7. We should rejoice in preparation, but why don't we?
8. Illustration: How much sense would it make for an athlete to make a significant contribution to the team without practicing with the team? Similarly, or how useful would a soldier be to his commanding officer if he never went through boot camp? Wouldn't you be insecure about visiting a doctor who never went through a rigorous and reputable training institution?
  1. With these kinds of things we understand the need for preparation for a person to have impact in those areas.
  2. Why then do we set off to accomplish great feats without the training it takes to prepare?
9. If Jesus needed to prepare for His great feats through intense focus and self-denial, can we expect to reach our goals without preparation?
10. I know the temptation to think highly of ourselves, but we got to think sober—we may think we're standing strong (I'm proud of you who have gone after your physical and academic training), but are you taking seriously your spiritual training.
11. Juma Ikanga, a long-distance runner whose weekly regimen includes 140 miles of high-altitude training: "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare."
12. Jesus went through this intense trial, and as we'll see, it developed a tough attitude in Him toward the spiritual battle
  1. The spiritual war is waging, and all of us must get a tougher attitude—so we too might need to fast a pray.
The person of impact has a message of good news (vss14-15)
1. Is there any greater message than the one Jesus brought?
2. Here is the good news of Jesus' message: "The opportunity of entering God's kingdom is laid before you...change your minds and believe this good news!"
3. What an attractive message that an intimate relationship with God is within everyone's reach!
4. What if Jesus came saying, "Now listen to me! None of you are going to heaven because of your sins. The kingdom of God is close, but none of you are in it yet because of the sin in your life!"
5. Instead Jesus speaks what was clearly on the positive side, an opportunity
6. Although He is upfront that it will come at a cost—what two things are needed from us?
  1. Repentance—literally to change one's mind ("be transformed in the renewing of your minds" -- Romans 12:3)
  2. Belief—holding on to the unseen promises with actions of obedience (James 2)
7. From what He says, and how He said it, what do you think are Jesus' expectations?
  1. Jesus expected people to would respond positively and immediately!
8. God wants us to inspire people to follow Him the same way Jesus did.
  1. Not forcefully jamming the message down people's throats—being forcefully insensitive!
  2. But being forcefully urgent is good—people are inspired to take the first step because they see the way we're going after God. How can we inspire people to be urgent if we ourselves are not urgent?
    1. I don't think God wants any one of us feeling overburdened or else He wouldn't of said "cast all your anxieties on me...My burden is easy and My Yoke is light" (Matthew 10:28-30).
    2. Here we do see Jesus' urgency—I don't gather that Jesus was so laid back about people being saved.
      - He knew "life was like a mist" and "seek God while you have the chance" because the truth is that it may be their last chance or only opportunity!
However, we must also be like Jesus and give people an attainable vision, where they see His kingdom within reach.

The Call to Impact (vs.16-18)
1. Jesus began His ministry by calling men to have an impact on the world!
  1. How is that significant?
    1. He could have initially invited them to grace, love, forgiveness, salvation, the excitement of watching miracles—because He would provide all these things eventually
    2. Instead He chose to emphasize "being made fishers of men!"
      - You catch fish for money and food, now you will catch souls for God!
  2. Just to note: we know from the overall gospel that Jesus began His ministry on the same note He would leave His ministry (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-19), calling those who follow Him to have a life of impact
  3. As we'll see in the study of Mark...the beginning, end, and all throughout Jesus ministry, He was concerned with raising people up to carry on this ministry of impact, which is bringing people into the Lordship of Jesus!
2. Jesus began His ministry by calling men "to follow" Him
  1. What's significant about Jesus' words, "Come, follow Me?"
    1. It was a call of imitation
    2. Imitating His life-style
  2. Similarly, as disciples of Jesus, we can't back off calling people to follow our life-style!
    1. 1Corinthians 11:1 "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
      - because people need to see Jesus being imitated
      - seeing Jesus being imitated and coming into that relationship of imitation
    2. It is the challenge to all that call themselves disciples of Jesus to become what we can call people to become—we have God's grace to meet this challenge, and because of that we can't shrink from that challenge!
    3. To make a difference in this world, you must first decide to be different—Jesus is nothing like this world!
  3. Something we can miss, Jesus calls them to be "fishers of men," but do you see how Jesus is fishing/trolling for men by doing it?
3. Jesus called them to a mutual commitment
  1. What is significant about Jesus' statement "I will make you?"
  2. If they would indeed commit themselves to follow Him, He committed Himself to their ultimate success.
  3. Jesus had that when He physically walked the earth and He has that spiritually with all of us today as His disciples
    1. Mutual commitment is what Jesus wants with us in our personal relationship with Him
  4. It is also the kind of relationships we need to have with one another
4. Jesus called men of character
  1. What do you notice about their response?
    1. They must have had a tremendous level of respect and humility toward Jesus to follow Him like the did
  2. But it was Jesus who knew who to call—He knew what was in a man!
    1. John 1:35-51 shows the little time Jesus spent with them before this official "calling"
    2. We're not divine like this, but it is true that we can become more spiritually perceptive:
      - Hebrews 4:12-13 show how God's word deals with people's hearts
      - It is valuable to be able to recognize the person who has a great attitude and teachable spirit
      - If we're dealing with the sin of our hearts, we're going to be able to see more clearly into other people's hearts
  3. Jesus called by relating to them
    1. Jesus capitalized on their desire to do something great
    2. Can you imagine that they were a little curious about what it meant to be "fishers of men?"
    3. Also, with His statement, "fishers of men," Jesus spoke in familiar language to them
    4. He also showed them He cared about their interest
    5. Impact begins with individuals
      - People will do awesome things when they feel special—we need to have people we're investing in
      - We might think it would be the most effective use of time to preach powerfully to the masses, but Jesus emphasized changing the world one person at a time
    6. Since Jesus believed individual change is how we change the world, we too must also believe in the importance of individuals
(To have Impact) Jesus Called Men to Rise to The Challenge
1. John 2 shows these guys already spent considerable time with Jesus, even seeing Him perform a miracle
2. We can estimate the amount of time it took from when they first met Jesus until they came to an "immediate" heart to follow Him
  1. They already traveled with Jesus to Cana and Jerusalem, then they went back to fishing
    
    Jesus showed then His greatness and His interest in them
  2. Acts 4:13 it is good to read this verse at this point to imagine how much Jesus must of believed in these ordinary guys.
    1. We actually have one up on them because we're blessed to have an education!
    2. These guys had sin and character issues just like we do, yet went on to have an impact that reaches us today!
    3. That says more about Jesus' vision for them than anything!
3. Along with this, what does Jesus calling them "without delay" say about Jesus?
Jesus Took Action (vs.21)
1. He was a man of initiative—He was proactive—not failing to take action
  1. We need to take initiative to have any kind of spiritual impact on our lost world
  2. It is one thing to have great dreams—awesome prayer requests to God—and another to act on it with faith. God want us to have faithful prayers and to faithfully take action.\
  3. How does it look if we...
    1. Have the prayer to meet someone who gets baptized, and not share with even 2 new people a week?
    2. Pray to be closer to the brothers and sister in the ministry, but you spend little time with them outside of church services?
    3. You pray to have a great walk with God, yet you're praying and reading the Bible daily (listening to Him and talking with Him)?
  4. Jesus took action and so should we!
Jesus: Authoritative not Authoritarian (vs.22-28)
1. Jesus lets people decide for themselves, but He definitely let them know what they would have to do in order to follow Him
  1. Plus, He let them know the consequences if they chose not to follow Him
  2. John 14:6 "No one comes to the Father except through Me."
2. How much authority do we have?
  1. Matthew 28:18-20, if we're living with His mission, we have all His authority to carry it out!
  2. What makes us bashful about speaking with authority?
  3. We cannot let the misuse of authority in the past cause us to be shy about acting properly with it—Jesus didn't and people were inspired!

Conclusion-

Looking at the life of Jesus, we learned how to begin to lives of impact:
1. We must develop character through trials
2. We must carry the message of good news about salvation in Christ – important to be able to teach it to others
3. We must inspire people with the vision God has for them
  1. It is a call of Impact
4. We must take action
5. We must have confidence in God, speaking His word with authority

Gospel of Mark Study

2008-03-31T17:45:00.001-07:00

Main resource used outside the biblical references:

Hedman, Tom. A Life of Impact: Leadership Principles of Jesus. New Life Publications. Toronto, ON: 1993.

Introduction-

Along the lines of helping one another connect more with God through our bible study time together, I'd like to go through the book of Mark.
- We will go through Mark, tying it all into the character of leadership we see in Jesus, who lived a life with the most possible impact!
- One of the greatest points of impact is that He brings us into a life of impact!
  - After all, who wants to live a menial life?

Mark 1

Mark's introduction (vs.1)
1. Mark begins his gospel with a succinct introduction.
2. This book contains the gospel (good news) about Jesus...
  1. The Christ (Messiah)
    1. Illustration: Imagine you're the son or daughter of the most powerful, wealthy, influential person to ever live. What kind of life would you live?
    2. Although Jesus was born into humble circumstances, He came from the most noble birth!
    3. Jesus wasn't born to be some nice moral teacher, nor just a great carpenter, or even having the most worldly fame—He knew He was born to save the world from its sins!
      - Do you believe that the expectations we have for our lives will dramatically affect how we live our lives?
  2. The Son of God
    1. Jesus had high expectations of Himself because He knew He was the only Holy Spirit conceived Son of God!
    2. Similarly, we have all the rights and privileges of a son or daughter in Christ!
    3. Ephesians 2:19
      - 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
    4. 1John 3:1
      - 1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
    5. What are we saying if we don't expect more of ourselves?
John the Baptist's introduction (vss2-8)
1. Do you know the significance of John the Baptist?
  1. God chose to use him to announce Jesus' coming.
2. Jesus did not need this introduction, but what kind of impact did it have?
  1. Someone who gained a lot of influence spoke extremely high of Jesus, urging everyone to listen to Him.
3. Similar for us, it inspires us when someone respected speaks well of us
  1. Also, we can implement this principle by talking one another up in our circles of influence.
God, the Father's introduction (vss9-11)
1. So much can be said from this passage, so what kind of impact do you think this expression from the Father had on Jesus?
  1. Surely He probably felt like He could conqueror the world!
2. Galatians 3:26-27
  1. 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
3. John 17:23, 26
  1. 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me...26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
4. Quote 1John 4:10
  1. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
5. Do you hear God expressing His love to you like a Father to His son? Yes or no, and how does that impact the way we live?
To have eternal impact, first Jesus was prepared (vss12-13)
1. Lets take a quick stab, why did Jesus go through these trials?
2. Look ahead to the next couple of verses: it was right before His ministry began.
3. Also read a parallel passage to show the bigger picture: Hebrews 2:14-18
  1. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
  2. God saw it necessary that Jesus first suffer 40 days of extreme trial—like going to boot camp before the war
  3. Here we see the process God has for developing His leaders, starting with the top leader—Jesus, the One we do all things through!
4. So, what is the benefit of going through trials and temptations?
  1. Jesus went through intense and focused self-denial.
  2. We can't overcome anything till we overcome ourselves.
  3. Jesus first overcame self in order that He could overcome the world!
5. How many of us rejoice when we go through trials?
6. But that is exactly what God calls us to do: James 1:2-4
7. We should rejoice in preparation, but why don't we?
8. Illustration: How much sense would it make for an athlete to make a significant contribution to the team without practicing with the team? Similarly, or how useful would a soldier be to his commanding officer if he never went through boot camp? Wouldn't you be insecure about visiting a doctor who never went through a rigorous and reputable training institution?
  1. With these kinds of things we understand the need for preparation for a person to have impact in those areas.
  2. Why then do we set off to accomplish great feats without the training it takes to prepare?
9. If Jesus needed to prepare for His great feats through intense focus and self-denial, can we expect to reach our goals without preparation?
10. I know the temptation to think highly of ourselves, but we got to think sober—we may think we're standing strong (I'm proud of you who have gone after your physical and academic training), but are you taking seriously your spiritual training.
11. Juma Ikanga, a long-distance runner whose weekly regimen includes 140 miles of high-altitude training: "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare."
12. Jesus went through this intense trial, and as we'll see, it developed a tough attitude in Him toward the spiritual battle
  1. The spiritual war is waging, and all of us must get a tougher attitude—so we too might need to fast a pray.
The person of impact has a message of good news (vss14-15)
1. Is there any greater message than the one Jesus brought?
2. Here is the good news of Jesus' message: "The opportunity of entering God's kingdom is laid before you...change your minds and believe this good news!"
3. What an attractive message that an intimate relationship with God is within everyone's reach!
4. What if Jesus came saying, "Now listen to me! None of you are going to heaven because of your sins. The kingdom of God is close, but none of you are in it yet because of the sin in your life!"
5. Instead Jesus speaks what was clearly on the positive side, an opportunity
6. Although He is upfront that it will come at a cost—what two things are needed from us?
  1. Repentance—literally to change one's mind ("be transformed in the renewing of your minds" -- Romans 12:3)
  2. Belief—holding on to the unseen promises with actions of obedience (James 2)
7. From what He says, and how He said it, what do you think are Jesus' expectations?
  1. Jesus expected people to would respond positively and immediately!
8. God wants us to inspire people to follow Him the same way Jesus did.
  1. Not forcefully jamming the message down people's throats—being forcefully insensitive!
  2. But being forcefully urgent is good—people are inspired to take the first step because they see the way we're going after God. How can we inspire people to be urgent if we ourselves are not urgent?
    1. I don't think God wants any one of us feeling overburdened or else He wouldn't of said "cast all your anxieties on me...My burden is easy and My Yoke is light" (Matthew 10:28-30).
    2. Here we do see Jesus' urgency—I don't gather that Jesus was so laid back about people being saved.
      - He knew "life was like a mist" and "seek God while you have the chance" because the truth is that it may be their last chance or only opportunity!
  3. However, we must also be like Jesus and give people an attainable vision, where they see His kingdom within reach.
    1. So many people feel too guilty and weighed down to see God's good news—they don't see anything good about themselves and so it is hard to believe the gospel.
      - We need to help those kinds of people—like we see Jesus does—becoming weak to the weak!
    2. Others just don't have direction—not knowing the steps to take in order to have the relationship with God that He desires.
      - Also like Jesus, we need to show it with our lives and with God's word!

Some evangelism responsibility verses

2008-03-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it is good to do a little topical study to give you perspective and spur you on. Here are some verses calling all of us in Christ to our responsibility to reach a lost world! I am not saying the list is exhaustive, so anyone can respond with other verses.

20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. -- 2Corinthians 5:20 NIV

7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me -- Philippians 1:7 NIV

19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19 NIV

17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." -- Mark 1:7 NIV

38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Matthew 9:38 NIV

1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: -- Philemon 1

2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker^[a]in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, -- 1Thess. 3:2 NIV

35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. -- John 5:35 NIV

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. -- Matthew 5:14 NIV

23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. -- 2Corinthians 8:23 NIV

2I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings,^[a] just as I passed them on to you. -- 1Corinthians 11:2 NIV

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -- Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -- John 8:31-32 NIV

Jesus teaching us through illustration about God the Father

2008-03-27T16:07:00.001-07:00

Luke 15:11-32

What can you learn about God from this passage?

Where do you find these things?

God allows us to leave, to make our choice—He gives us free will. God will let you mess your life up. Specifically allowing famines to happen in your life.
He may answer selfish requests
The son knew he could go back, just as much God is approachable. He is not holding a grudge and forsaking us, expressing that we will never be called His sons. It is rather the opposite with God.
God will allow us to suffer consequences for our sins. His view is that we learn and grow.
There is security and being taken care of with God
God does not need an explanation. The son was pretty much interrupted. God did not want to spend forty days to talk through all that went wrong
God refuses to be manipulated (by the older brother)
God feels compassion for us
God does not show favoritism
This goes counter-cultural, where sin is not as fun as it seems, whereas true lasting joy is with God
God shows His affection
1. God runs
2. God embraces
3. God kisses
4. Celebrated
5. Forgave
God does not treat us as our sins deserve.
1. When we return to Him with brokenness, He lavishes us with gifts when we deserve punishment.
God is always looking for the lost to come back. He does not give up on anyone.
God throws a party when his lost children return to him
1. He is very happy when this happens
2. He says we must celebrate this occurrence
God even has patience, restoring the ungrateful and self-righteous gently.
Treasures unity
He pleads for us to understand His heart
Since the passage is mainly intended for the application of the former point, we see a quality about God in how He convicts some of the most challenging prideful character, the one that mainly rejects Him, by pleading with the power of His grace.
We can get down on self, not feel worthy, whereas this shows that God does not want us to feel that way. God completely forgets about it and does not hold it against us, keeping a record of it looming over our heads.
There is plenty in God's house
God is not always the calamity creator. Whatever happens, God either causes or allows. However, the blame should not go on God because most predominantly He allows it. We and Satan are to blame for the consequences, not God. We live in a world with consequences because it is fallen.
Being on top doesn't prove righteousness. The fact that God uses you does not prove your righteous.
Dead apart from God

Crave Pure Spiritual Milk

2008-03-23T14:19:00.001-07:00

Introduction:

Focus for the second half of the Spring Semester 2008:

Continue to meet people in the Ignite the Fire evangelism plan
1. We will follow-up with one another more
Focus even more on our relationship with God
1. Mid-week and Sunday school class study of God with a goal to propel you even more in your personal bible study.
2. We don't want "getting close to God" to seem overwhelming
3. We want it to be inviting
  - Like the theme of our year as a church, "Joy of our salvation"

During the last devotional, just before Spring Break, I talked about Spiritual Milk and Solid Food—maybe I communicated the need to move on to solid food, and missed a vital first step?
- As it says in 1Peter 2, we need to crave pure spiritual milk
- <Turn to 1Peter 2>
  - From this passage, we see that it is good to crave!
Some questions to test whether you have a heart that craves pure spiritual milk:
- Do you have a daily time of Bible study and prayer?
- Do you look forward to being with God as you shake the grogginess off in the morning?
- If you have been a Christian a few years, have you read through the entire Bible yet?
- Are you focused in church when the word of God is being preached?
- Does your enthusiasm for knowing God rub off on others?
- Do your non-Christian friends take you seriously when they see your passion and determination to know the Scriptures and draw close to God?
- What is your attitude towards reading books outside the Bible when they are suggested? Are you slow or quick to dive in?

Why would you struggle to see yourself in need of pure spiritual milk?
This morning's bible class will spur you on to crave pure spiritual milk

The Lord tastes good
1. How have you tasted that the Lord is good?
  1. This probably gets into the ways you've discovered the spiritual milk we talked about
  2. We talked about how spiritual milk is the basics of your foundation in Christ. It is the essential principles.
Crave Pure Spiritual Milk
1. First of all, there is a reason it says "pure" or "unadulterated" spiritual milk
  1. What are some examples of what is impure?
2. What does "crave" mean?
  1. to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly
  2. Also "yearn intensely"
  3. We often think of cravings as "to crave sweets; to crave affection"
  4. But do you have cravings for the spiritual milk of God?
3. I personally want to get back to heart that craves...so that...
Grow Up
1. Crave pure spiritual milk...In order to grow up in your salvation
2. This gets corresponds with the importance of growing up in your faith
  1. What would happen if a baby didn't crave milk?
  2. We know that a baby craving milk is something natural to human growth
  3. Similarly, as spiritually young, it is natural that we crave...
  4. Because God's spirit is in us to grow up and be spiritually strong
  5. God's heart is that we're not weak and vulnerable
3. So, from the urging of this God inspired passage,we get in touch with our cravings...(think of your own as I share some here)

Holy Spirit’s Fire through God’s Word

2008-03-01T23:42:00.001-08:00

Start off by describing the physical and spiritual maturity comparison: Birth, infancy, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, mature adult, elderly. That is similar to the process of maturing spiritually.

Read 1Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:11ff and 1Peter 2:2

What is spiritual milk? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does it mean by solid food? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So how does this understanding help us? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How important is the word of God in this process? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How are these verses describing being led by the Spirit through the word?

2Timothy 3:16-17 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

John 16:8 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jeremiah 31:33 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Joshua 1:8 and Psalms 1:2 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

John 6:63-68 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Psalms 119:97, 105 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

John 1:1 and 1John 1:1 and Rev.19:13 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

John 5:24 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other significant passages that show being led by the Spirit through God's word:

Holy Spirit, Part 3: Filled with the Spirit!

2008-02-14T21:23:00.001-08:00

Purpose:

Being filled with the Spirit is equally necessary for all men or women of God.
Start to get in step with how the Spirit wants to fill you.
Make a deeper connection with God and one another.

Do you agree with people who might say that teaching about the Holy Spirit is for the mature?

Main Text: Ephesians 5:15-21

Read the NIV and compare with these two more literal versions to get a good sense of the meaning

One of the most literal versions -- NASB:

15. Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

16. making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

17. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

19. speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

20. always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

21. and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Dynamically equivalent like NIV but a little more literal -- HCSB:

15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—

16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

17 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

18 And don't get drunk with wine, which [leads to] reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit:

19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music to the Lord in your heart,

20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

Disciples are commanded to "be filled with the Spirit," therefore it is not just a good idea for a religious person, but it necessary for all the followers of Christ.
What would you think if I told you this concept (being filled with the Spirit) is a ongoing action?
Paul is described as "being filled with the Spirit" in his conversion (Acts 9:17), but is the concept of "being filled with the Spirit" the same as receiving salvation?

Acts 4:24-31

Of course they weren't saved when "filled with the Spirit" because they had already been saved.
They prayed a bold prayer, not being afraid to let God take control, so He did!
The fruit: fervent evangelism!

Oxford English Dictionary's definition of the Spirit:

Spirit [of God]: The active essence or essential power of the Deity, conceived as a creative, animating, or inspiring influence.

This definition helps us understand that we all desire to be filled with the Spirit. Think about it. We all desire to be filled with the very Spirit of God because we all want to be creative, animated and inspired! Who really wants to be dull, exhausted, bored and boring?

"Being filled" Illustrations-

Lets get into the illustration Ephesians 5 uses…

{Not that we're proud of it, but who has been drunk or witnessed someone drunk on alcohol?}

We know what it looks like to be brought under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
{What influences are controlling you most right now?}
{Do you have any fears about being filled with the Spirit?}
We possibly have some fears about being out of control in a crazy way when we think of being filled with the Spirit? For example, speaking jibberish, hooting and hollering, and rolling on the floor are some images that come to my mind (all experienced in Pentecostalism).
You got to ask yourself, "would we possibly lose control, make a scene, and disgrace ourselves if we were to become 'Spirit-filled'?"
We can't, however, be afraid of this terminology because being filled with the Spirit is so important to our walk with God!

Think about what you're reading here in Acts 4: This was how they were "filled" with the Spirit

What do you think was so significant about their prayer?
What will it take from us to pray like this?
Is there an understanding from what we've been looking at that being filled with the Spirit is very similar with being under the control of the Spirit? Do you see this connection?
Would it change the way we prayed if we knew it would IGNITE the Spirit's fire in us?

{Do you think a person is spiritually mature who others could not describe as being filled with the Spirit?}

You notice how spiritually mature people are often described as giving. There is a spiritual power coming from them that others can sense. It is beyond all the stuff they do. We know there is something inspirational about them. There is something obviously godly about them. We can say they're drinking deeply of the Spirit.

{But can we mature spiritually if we're not being filled with the Spirit?}

Sum it up in your own words…

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?
Why is it necessary for all of us to be Spirit filled?

Zealously have holy expectations

2008-02-13T18:03:00.001-08:00

Introduction—

What does it mean to have standards for your life?

Does everyone have standards?

Deep within your heart, would you rather have people in your life calling you to higher standards or would you rather have people who do not challenge you?

Would you rather have spiritual leaders around you that are trying really hard to not offend people or would you rather have them strive to love like Christ, and zealously have holy expectations for you?

Keep in mind as I get into the lesson that I want to challenge the thinking of the group tonight—not telling you how to think but challenging you to think from God's word in practical areas of your life.
I believe you've seen our hearts for you—I can at least look the brothers in the eye and attest that we've come along way, and I believe you see that I love your souls.
So, you'll know I'm not speaking out of rules and regulations, but out of zeal that you would all be a holy people of God!
Please don't hold back saying "Amen" because it means "Yes, I agree!"

Read Numbers 25

§ Explain and expound a little from the passage:

o The leaders were weak in their convictions and it led the people astray!

o God had them put to death people that they had grown up around, many family members!

o The actions of one man turned away the wrath of God!

o Why? Because Phinehas had the same zeal that God has for His honor!

o The passage even mentions the people by name!

§ I believe there is a whole slew of areas where we can zealously repent and have higher expectations: prayer, worship, serving, loving one another, giving sacrificially (time and money—even fundraisers to advance the gospel), evangelism!

§ However, since the topic ties really well into what is going on in this passage, let's look at…

Have holy standards in the way you date

What does holiness mean? Literally "to be set apart." Also similar, the church literally means "the called out."
You are called to be radically different from the world (1John 2:15-17)!
Share a few points about your dating relationshi
1Corinthians 7:39

i. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

ii. If he must belong to the Lord on remarriage, just as much if someone is married.

2Corinthians 6:14—7:1 (Read 7:1)

i. 14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
17"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
18"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

ii. Do not be yoked—the contractual agreement of marriage is definitely a yoke.

iii. We can take both verses together and see very clearly that God does not want us to marry an unbeliever.

iv. Valid question for all single disciples: Why would you date someone you wouldn't marry?

v. On both sides of the coin: It seems unfair to have these sorts of hidden values. And it is also unfair to express them to someone as a condition.

1. Why would you start down the path of developing an intimate relationship with someone who does not have the Spirit of God? Why would you put yourself in a situation where you could very likely weaken and lose your convictions all together?

vi. <Read 7:1 here>

1. Again, I'm not speaking out of rules and regulations.

2. You're free in Christ; I'm simply a brother challenging you to think spiritually, from God's word.

3. I'm speaking out of an expectation of holiness!

4. You can do a study (I'll even give you the verses) that

Luke 14:25-27

i. 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

ii. You know this verse from the discipleship study.

iii. The heart of a disciple puts God far exceedingly first—no other relationships should contend with God—no other relationship should make you waver in your commitment!

iv. If it makes you waver—holds you back from making Jesus Lord—cut it off!!!

v. "You're too radical!" Do you not hear the words of God? I'm convinced we'd be saying that to Jesus!

Read: Ephesians 5:3-7

i. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

1. From what the bible says here, how much sexual sin is tolerable?

2. Not even a hint—what does that mean to you?

3. Sure you've seen God convert people when someone made the choice to date outside the faith…but you might not have all the perspective.

4. Be warned that sexual sin is exponentially more likely in relationships when you're dating someone who is not a disciple—there is less of an influence to stay pure.

§ For all these reasons (and more) we chose to not give our support to someone making the decision to date a nonChristian—not to say we won't pray for you and have fellowship, but that we simply urge against it.

§ I mainly hope to get you to read God's word and develop deep convictions for how you go about your life.

§ I hope and pray you know my heart…

o I say this out of love for God—we wouldn't be honoring Him if we didn't have higher expectations for all of you.

o I say this out o love for anyone making this decision—guarding your souls from the evil one's schemes!

o I say this out of love for the group as a whole—that we're the salt of the earth, a place of sanctification!

Life-changing Story

2008-02-03T12:09:00.001-08:00

2/3/08 Communion Message

A few years ago someone shared a little fact with me that changed my outlook on the Super Bowl.

Most people don't remember who won, unless it is their team, even then it becomes trivial very quickly--

What I am saying…If you at all get into it, there is a build-up of hype. For a minority, their team wins and they feel a sense of victory, but it very quickly becomes the most trivial thing till it comes around again.

Yet, it is arguably hyped up more than President's day, more than veterans day and memorial day, more than mother's day and father's day, more than MLK day and more than your own birthday, and definitely more than our country's Independence day!

Although about a 3^rd will be watching more for the commercials than the game itself!

More food is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day of the year except Thanksgiving, according to the American Institute of Food Distribution.

The National Retail Federation expects 3.9 million TV sets to be purchased in the days and weeks leading up to today's game.

Our society is weird! Everyone loves to jump on the hype ride!

Yeah, sure we get fired-up about that stuff too, but the Super Bowl just stands out as an even bigger celebration--the most watched event!

Today, we're very much like everyone else, where all of us are gathering together because the Super Bowl gives us a reason to party.

But we're not like everyone else because we all have in common something very significant!

What am I alluding to? We're all a part of the same church?

We all have Jesus in our lives--to whatever extent for you I don't know--but I can guarantee by standing here talking about Him, we all have Jesus in our lives!

Who here has seen the movie 300? Who here has seen the movie Troy? Who here has seen the movie Gladiator? Who hear has read Shakespeare's Henry V? Who hear has been moved by a great war movie?

As years go on it seems to need more hype and sensationalism--examples of sixpacs, cinematography, unrealistic battle scenes--It is how legends are made!

It all appeals to our childlike imagination -- you all are fascinated by some kind of fantasy and action -- if it is not war movies, sports, it is sci-fi thriller (intergalactic battle), even chic flicks have action!

As far as old stories, your heart may be moved -- I'm personally moved by seeing he struggles of humans who have gone before me!

Great old stories of overcoming and of victory especially feed something in my soul!

But does it change me to see the million man march up to capitol hill? Does it change me to see the great bravery of men and women who have fought for political freedoms? Does it change me to hear about great men and women who did great feats, men and woman who changed history with their convictions?

I think it becomes a little part of me, but I think it is so much more common that it all becomes trivial.

What does that mean "something becomes trivial"?

It doesn't mean insignificant, but rather filed as fact without affecting me emotionally.

It happens to all of us.

Sure you may be moved by the same inspiring stories every time you pop it in the DVD player, but it is rare that any of it will really stick with you emotionally for the rest of your life.

For example, I don't easily get emotional thinking or talking about WWII just because I watched a movie or heard about it from my grandpa, but my grandpa can easily shed tears thinking of it!

<Turn your Bible's> We're going to read a few verses that tell us the story of victory and overcoming through Jesus.

Colossians 2:13-15

^{13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.}

Public--happening in the middle of a very large city! Just like the Super Bowl, it caused quite a stir!

It is fact that Jesus die on the cross, an innocent man murdered by your sin (made guilty by your guilt)!

However, the story is one of overcoming that which stands mostly opposed to us--our sin--the power of its condemnation!

The story is one of the greatest victory, for everyone who sees their need for His forgiveness and chooses to be His winning team!

We all get the chance to partake in the communion, where we remember Jesus--remembering who He was in His life, what He did for us on the cross, and the lasting impact He has with His resurrection!

Today and everyday we celebrate the great feat of our Lord, which is never trivial with us who are on His team, the winning team! Because we also

press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me!

Part 2: Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

2008-01-30T14:27:00.001-08:00

Purpose of this study-

Understand the importance of the indwelling for you and others--having the Holy Spirit is a salvation matter.
How do we know we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
The Spirit is how we know we are a people of God or not a people of God.
How do you better understand “being in step with the Spirit?”

Question to ask throughout: What does each passage teach us about the Holy Spirit?

John 1:33

Spirit descended and rested on Jesus when He was baptized by John the Baptist.
Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit--what does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 1:13-14 (also 2Corinthians 5:5)

Sealed with the promised Holy Spirit as a down payment--guaranteeing what is to come!
Biblically speaking, the point in time when you receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the only mention of a salvation that is guaranteed.
Where do you receive the Holy Spirit?

Acts 2:4, 38-39 (also see Acts 10:44; 5:32 and Galatians 3:26-27; 4:6)

The apostles were all “filled with the Holy Spirit,” empowering them to speak boldly and in other languages (on-dwelling of the Spirit, which we will get into more in further studies).
Ref. apostle Peter’s quotation of Joel in Acts 2:17-21: Outpouring from God’s perspective, baptism (overwhelming) from human perspective (pouring water over a coin is a good example).
It wasn’t for show, but had a great purpose: getting the gospel out.
Peter gives them the answer to accepting the gospel personally: Repent (inward transformation) and be baptized (dip, immerse) in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It doesn’t say they all started performing miraculous signs and wonders, speaking tongues, etc., but the receiving was indwelling.
This process describes the point that you receive salvation (John 3:5; Romans 8:9; Titus 3:5)

1Corinthians 12:12-13

Here is another description of a baptism of the Spirit (back to John 1:33 and similar passages), where this baptism by the Holy Spirit is when a person is spiritually born into the body of Christ.
Henceforth, just as a new birth spiritually involves water and the Spirit (John 3:5; Titus 3:5), so baptism is immersion in water (Acts 8:36) and the Spirit (1Corinthians 12:13).
Where actually three stand as testimony of this guaranteed salvation: Spirit, water, and blood (To be inspired with confidence on high read 1John 5:6-12)

Acts 19:1-7; John 7:38-39

They hadn’t received the Spirit, which accompanies forgiveness of sins.
They already believed in a sense higher than most people today mean belief. People today do not have nearly the same level of sacrifice by simply professing faith in Christ, whereas Jews in first century Palestine would have a big challenge (John 8:30-32 is what Jesus said to similar Jews).
They didn’t receive the Holy Spirit when they believed because they hadn’t been baptized into Christ (Romans 6:1-4) and received the indwelling of the Spirit, as we saw back in Acts 2:38-39.
Apollos and the disciples of John the Baptist were still functioning under the Old Covenant, without a full understanding of the New Covenant salvation through Christ, although all the prophets pointed to Him. Really all of them in this context were shown the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:26).

The Major Conversions in Acts: see how all of them confirm HS guaranteed salvation

A. Conversions
1. Acts 2:36-47 First Christian in Jerusalem
2. Acts 8:26-39 Ethiopian Eunuch
3. Acts 16:22-34 Philippian jailer and his family
4. Acts 18:24-26 Apollos
5. Acts 19:1-5 Ephesians
6. Acts 9:1-22 Paul
7. Acts 22:3-16 Paul

B. Questions concerning Conversions
1. What was preached?
2. What was the person's (people's) response to the message?
3. How long did the person (people) take to make the decision?
4. What was their response after baptism?

HOLY POWER WITHIN
1Corinthians 6:19-20

How does this passage aid you in holy, godly living?
The Holy Spirit living in you means you are not your own.

Romans 8:9-17 (especially vs.9 for this study)

What is this passage saying is the significance of the Spirit living in you?
Of course, you’re living in the (physical) world but are not of the world (John 17:9-16), meaning your life, which is as a sinner, is now hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3).
In John 14:23, Jesus says, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

Ephesians 3:14-21

How does the Holy Spirit strengthen us from within?

2Corinthians 3:18 and 2 Timothy 1:7

Two helpful verses hitting on how the Spirit transforms you from the inside out, which we will look at in more detail in the coming lessons, but please be meditating on this in prayer before hand.

SUMMARIZE IN YOUR OWN WORDS {Now ask yourself, has this study accomplished its purpose stated above?}

What is the importance of the Holy Spirit living in you?
How do you know you have the Holy Spirit?
Do you see that your place in God’s family, your adoption as a son or daughter, is confirmed by the Holy Spirit?
How does this help you better be in step with the Spirit?

The Holy Spirit, Part 1: In step with the Spirit!

2008-01-26T22:59:00.001-08:00

Introduction of topic-

What is the key factor to spiritual growth when you read through the Acts of the Apostles?

The Holy Spirit is the greatest factor of spiritual growth in the first century.

I am going to refer to the Holy Spirit with the pronoun "He" for reasons we will get into more later, but just to let you know now He has a mind, will, and affections (Romans 8:27; 1Corinthians 12:11; Romans 15:30)--and many bible versions use that pronoun as well.

So, He is the key character in the book of Acts, the One who miraculously works spiritual growth!

His power is true in the lives recorded in the bible, and it is true for us here today!

The bible calls these fruits of the Spirit--spiritual fruits. <Please be turning to that passage-Galatians 5:16-26>

I want us to begin seeing the importance of noticing the Holy Spirit, where you emphasize Him in an increasing way in your life!

This will be Part 1 of a series

In step with the Holy Spirit

Purpose of this lesson-

1. We must go from acknowledging the Spirit in our lives to actually following Him in a very evident way.

2. We will touch on the importance of producing fruit.

3. Realize the Spirit characterizes your life-style as a Christian. Everyone has a life-style. That is what is meant by the "stepping" idea. Our life-style in the kingdom of God is in step with the Spirit.

Read Galatians 5:16-26

What does "fruit" in this passage convey?

The "byproduct" or "result" of Him in our lives.

Jesus says something important about this in…

Matthew 7:15-20

He is mostly talking about how to recognize false prophets, people who appear to lead us to God but actually do not.

He does compare a good and bad tree--a prophet of God from one that is not of God--both are recognizable by their fruit.

I think this passage is hard because we're all sinners, and the leader who takes arrogance lightly should be avoided the most!

But I think this passage starts to indicate more of what is meant by fruit when we ask the question: what is the key difference between a true prophet and a false one?

Simply the result of a true prophet's teaching and life leads you to God, whereas and the other does not. The former is a deeper connection to God, knowing God more and reflecting His will more. The latter is becoming more delusional about God, more unlike Him, less of the person you see in Jesus and more like the person who rules this world.

Good news is 1John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Let's go back to Galatians 5...

Do you see a good fruit/bad fruit comparison in this chapter?

So the fruit of the Spirit is…

But is that all? Is that an exhaustive list?

No, the point isn't to categorize all that comes from the Spirit because He works in so many awesome, wonderful, and even mysterious ways, such as saving someone from their sins--providing purification of those sins (the whole process of bringing someone into Christ is the Spirit's doing!).

We can also know each one of these in more detail. For example, John 13:34-35, helps us see it as the love of Christ.

But we do know from this passage that the Spirit leaves an indelible mark on us.

But what does verse 25 say is God's will for us?

Since the verse says, "If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit," we must go from acknowledging the Spirit to actually following Him in a very practical, a very real way!

We have this passage and the real life example of Philip (Acts 8), where he was led by the Spirit…

Do you think being led by the Spirit is different for us than the people we read about in the book of Acts? If so, how?

Being in step with the Spirit is an expression of our relationship with God.

2 Illustrations:

<picture a jogging in step with someone> If the two people are "in step," they are matching one-another stride for stride. How is this similar with our relationship to the Spirit?

<picture a yoke of oxen> This concept is used 60 times in the bible. Jesus to take His yoke upon us (Matthew 11:29-30), whereas the apostle Paul tells us not to be yoked with unbelievers (2Corinthians 6:14).

Personal Questions (for reflection and deeper personal bible time):

How are you sensing the Spirit's movement in your life?

How are you not in step with the Spirit?

What "steps" is the Spirit calling you toward that you have been reluctant to step in?

Do you see the connection between producing the Spirit's fruit and being in step with the Spirit? "If I am doing what the Spirit is doing, then I am going to have similar results the Spirit would have?"