Engage :: Young Adult Ministry at Antioch

Wiped Away!

2015-03-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

— Colossians 2:14-15 (NLT)

Working at a police department, I see people coming in seeking an expungement of criminal case on their record. They have been acquitted, the case was dismissed or they were pardoned. They want all traces of the offense removed from public access and sealed.

At Calvary, the devil was soundly defeated. The devil does not want you to know it but he will be cast out. Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death. Once we accept Jesus, Satan can longer hold our record against us. He can accuse us but the Righteous Judge sees us through the blood of Jesus and the finished work on the cross.

Our sin is wiped away when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. We no longer have to worry about our past. We have been justified. God has cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness. Our slate has been wiped cleaned!

Don’t let the devil or anyone else hold your past against you or make you feel guilty about what you’ve done—you can stand knowing that your sins have been wiped away, you are redeemed!

A Key to Witnessing

2014-03-11T22:05:00.000-04:00

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

— Colossians 4:5-6

If you flip on the television you will quickly see that the culture today does not put much emphasis on one thing that is a key to witnessing and that is tact. On reality shows, the people seem not to think about what they say before they say it. Whatever comes up comes out. It's not just "reality" show, which are not real, everyday people just seem to have lost civility and tact. Someone defined it as, 'the art of making a point without making an enemy.

The message of the gospel offends. Its very core message is the stark reality of eternity. But as Christians, we don't have to be insensitive to those we approach with the gospel. You have probably seen or heard of someone telling an unbeliever that they were going to hell as they started off the conversation. This approach does not engage the unbeliever but puts them off.

Jesus knew how to talk to people. Although He knew what was in people's hearts, He knew how to engage them in conversation. When He approached the woman at the well in Samaria, He asked her a question. The important thing to do is to open up a dialogue. Listening to what they have to say can help guide you to where they are spiritually. As you continue to listen, you will have opportunities to share the gospel message with them.

Today's Question

2014-03-10T13:38:00.000-04:00

Question for today.

I am most looking forward to ________ when Spring comes!

Witnessing - Why Should We Share the Gospel? Part 1

2014-02-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

Why Should We Share the Gospel?
based on the book entitled, 'Engage, A Practical Guide to Evangelism'

Sharing the Good News in some countries is dangerous. Countries such as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and Sudan are hostile to Christians. They face oppression, cultural isolation, severed family ties and outright physical death.

There is another place that is overtly hostile to the gospel: Our Own Hearts.

Our hearts are the seat of our emotions and motivations and lock us into our daily and overall life directions.

“The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” –Jeremiah 17:9

Our hearts give birth to many vices such as lust, hatred and anger. That is why Solomon gave good spiritual counsel
“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” -Proverbs 4:23

Are all Christians called to share the gospel?
Yes! The Great Commission commands us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..." -Matthew 28:19.

Why do you think many Christians don’t personally share the gospel?
Fear is the main reason why Christian don't share their faith. The reason for that fear takes shape in the following forms.

Fear
1. Fear of giving wrong or confusing information
2. Fear of not being able to respond to questions
3. Fear of outright personal rejection

Here is good news. We have a natural desire to communicate who or what we love. Just look at Facebook, Twitter and the like. Even without social media, we offer a running commentary on song lyrics, T.V shows and movies. To speak of what we love seems to be in our DNA.

Overcoming Fear
1. Recognize that fear is natural
2. Recognize fear is not from God but tool of Satan
3. Love will disperse fear
4. Fear should drive us to a greater dependence on God
5. Fear should increase our desire to become more skilled in sharing Christ
6. Fear can used to drive us to develop sensitivities and skills in sharing the greatest story ever told

We have Purpose

In Matthew 16, Jesus asked is disciples who they thought he was. Peter answered “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”

Jesus responded and said, “upon this rock, I will build my church.”

What do think Jesus meant when He said “upon this rock…?” (v18)
It was Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Messiah that is the “rock.”

more to come...

Witnessing - 'What Is The Gospel?' Part 2

2014-02-11T10:04:00.000-05:00

We know that the gospel is a free gift. We have to receive the gift just like any other. As Paul shows us in Acts 16:31 we must believe. As the study tells us, "Believe means more that just acknowledging facts. Believe means 'to rest you whole weight upon.'" We must believe that Jesus finished the work of salvation on the cross and all our hopes of heaven rest only in Him. That is what it means to 'believe on the Lord Jesus.'

Repentance is the act of changing your mind. The change in your mind is about who is in charge of your life. It is not a change in our mind that we will do better, or we will do less of the things we use to do. This change is a surrendering of control in every area of your life. Before your accepted Jesus as your savior, who believed your were in control of your life. Now through repentance, we surrender that control to God.

As a Christian, we recognize that we could never earn the title. We are accepted by God only because of what Jesus did not for anything we have done or could do. We are humbled when we understand how little we deserve God's grace and his mercy.

The study explains that the gospel isn't just a diving board--but it's the pool. Once we invite Jesus into our heart, He wants us to abide in Him. The study further explains that abiding in Christ means knowing that there is nothing that we can do to make God love us more and nothing we've done that makes Him love us less.

When we accept the gospel and invite Jesus into our hearts, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit marks us as God's own. We need the Holy Spirit to help accomplish the task of sharing the gospel with the world. As the study tells us, 'Sharing the gospel is the natural expression of our relationship with God.'

More Session 1 Reflections

1. In what areas of your life do you want to experience more of the Holy Spirit's power?

2. How is the Holy Spirit changing how you think, what you value and the way you live?

Witnessing - 'What Is The Gospel?' Part 1

2014-02-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

Session One - "What is the Gospel?" Part 1

The word 'gospel' translated from the Greek (euanglion) means 'good news.' The word was used to announce good news. A military commander would send out a 'gospel' announcing a victory. In the biblical context, the gospel is the announcement that Jesus has won the victory over sin and death. We need only to believe and receive it.

The reason we need the good news is because of the bad news. Our sin had left us under a curse of death. We alone could not make good on the debt of sin that we owed. Even though we might think that our sin is not that bad, compared to the holiness of God, the Bible says our sin is like filthy rags.

The Gospel is a gift. One of the difficulties we have with excepting the gospel is because we live in a works mentality world. It is always about what you do. The Gospel, however, is about what Jesus did.

Do you feel like you deserve salvation based on what you do and how you behave?

We can do nothing to earn it or deserve it. Our sin's reward should be death but God's grace allowed Jesus to pay the sin debt that we owed.

What do you think God sees when He looks at you?

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, than God sees Jesus when He looks at you. Not your imperfection but the perfect Christ in you.

Do you feel like if you would do better, God would love you more?

God could not love you anymore that He does right now. Why?, because He could not love Jesus anymore that He already does.

More to come...Part 2

____________________________
Session 1 - Memory Verses

Mark 8:34-35
John3:16
Galatians 4:4-5
Ephesians 2:8-10

______________________________
Session 1 - Reflections

1. Spend time reflecting on What the Gospel is.

2. Make list of what you repented from. Then shred the list knowing that God is willing and able to forgive you.

3. Work on abiding in Christ. Read the devotion "All The Way In."

4. Spend time growing closer to God. He wants to close to you.

All The Way In

2014-02-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

--John 15:5 (ESV)

Have you ever sat by the edge of the pool and watch others in the pool? You can smell the chlorine in the water, you can feel the moisture in the air; however, you have not experienced the water. What about sitting on the edge the pool with your feet in? Your feet are in, you feel the temperature but you are not all the way in. You still have not truly experienced being in the water. To truly experience being in the water, you must get all the way in—not just waist deep but all the way in.

To abide means to dwell, reside or live in a place. We cannot say that we are abiding in Jesus if we are on the outside observing. We cannot say that we are truly abiding if we only have our feet in. If we are going to dwell in Jesus, we must immerse ourselves in Him. Immersion requires full commitment. It is not get in and quickly get out. You must get in and stay in.

Just like the pool, to experience Jesus, we must be all the way in. Being in Christ Jesus is an entirely different experience than being in the world. There are benefits to being in Jesus. Jesus is say in this passage that if you dwell in him, you will bear much fruit.

You will produce those things that you were created to do. The plan that God has for you and the things He wants you to do can only be experience if you are all the way in. Make the commitment to be all the way in and see what God does!

Know What We Believe as Baptists

2014-01-14T14:12:00.001-05:00

When you say, "I am a member of Antioch Baptist Church," what does that say about your beliefs? What do baptist believe that may be different from another denomination. To understand the essential Baptist beliefs and the doctrine of the Southern Baptist Convention, I recommend this book. It will assist you in understanding the biblical foundations of our belief so that you may articulate them to others. You can use the book alone or as a group. The Baptist Faith & Message is authored by Charles Kelly Jr., Richard Land, R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Get it at www.lifeway.com

Single Passion

2013-11-14T07:27:00.000-05:00

“God created me—and you—to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion—namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.”
― John Piper

Straining To Finish

2013-11-13T08:21:00.000-05:00

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14

True Faith

2013-11-12T11:16:00.000-05:00

“True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God's fidelity to His Promises.” ― Francis Chan

Happy Veteran's Day

2013-11-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

Join us in honoring those who served and are serving in our military. We thank them for their service and their sacrifice.

Stand Firm

2013-11-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. – 1 Corinthians 16:13

More Than Birds

2013-11-06T09:38:00.001-05:00

"Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" -Matthew 6:26-27

Light and Love

2013-11-05T08:01:00.000-05:00

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. –Martin Luther King, Jr.

Locating the Exits

2013-11-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. –1 Corinthians 10:13

If you have ever been on a plane, the flight attendants go through their emergency procedures. The one thing they ask the passengers to do is to locate the two exits closest to their seats. They do this so that if an emergency occurs, the passengers won’t be searching for the exits they will be able to immediately proceed to the closest way of escape.

When temptation comes to believers, and it will come, we must know the way to escape that God has provided. Now temptation comes from the devil in a broad sense. The devil tempts us specifically in our area weakness or vulnerability. We must not entertain the temptation when it comes. We cannot say gaze upon it, we cannot hold on to it. We cannot do what Eve did in the garden; “…So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” So we must know, whether it is the off button on your TV remote, the close button on the computer’s web browser or the “end” button on your telephone, we must recognize the way of escape and proceed to our nearest exit.

Follow The Path

2013-11-04T10:46:00.000-05:00

"Stay on the path that the LORD your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy." --Deuteronomy 5:33

Stand in Awe

2013-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

"Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." -Psalm 65:8

Featured Quote

2013-10-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one." –C.S. Lewis

Featured Verse

2013-10-30T12:02:00.000-04:00

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." -2 Corinthians 9:8

He Is Our Source

2013-10-09T20:52:00.000-04:00

If the pail of water is your source,
when it is empty you have nothing.
If the fountain is your source,
when your pail is empty it can be filled again.
Praise God because He is our source.
When we empty our resource, He fills us up again.

God Is Worth Our Trust!

2013-06-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. --Proverbs 3:5-6

God continues to show himself faithful, but when things get tough, it is often so hard to trust Him, even though, He has a winning record. God cares about the smallest things that we do. While God has never let me down, it is sometimes hard to trust. Why is that? We trust the GPS to take us down paths of which we have never driven; we trust the cab driver to take us to destinations that we have never been; we trust airplanes, cruise ships, but we often doubt God. It is hard to trust Him when things are tough I know, but I will say that He will never let you down. I challenge you. I challenge myself, trust Him. He is the creator of the universe, the giver of life and salvation and He cares for you and He cares for me. Trust Him. God is worth our trust!

Casting Cares in Confidence

2013-05-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. --1 Peter 5:6-7

Leaving your car with a valet at a restaurant requires a certain amount of trust. You trust the valet based on the connection with the restaurant you are patronizing. You are confident that they will take care of your vehicle. You would not exhibit that same confidence if someone just came up to you and said, 'I'll park your car for you.'

With God, we can be very confident with casting our cares on Him because He cares for us. He wants us to free of cares so that we can focus on what He wants us to do. If we are going to confident that He will take our cares, we must realize X things about Him.

We humble ourselves under His mighty hand because He is omnipotent. There is nothing in this life that we face that God cannot handle. It is easy to say He can handle it but our action must match the statement. Casting our cares on Him means that we turn it over to Him and leave them there.

We humble ourselves before Him because He is omniscience. He knows everything that you are going through. God is not surprised when you go through a trial or tribulation. Whatever you are going through; however, God will exalt you in due season because you have humbled yourself before Him. This 'due season' is not the by and by of song and folklore. This 'due season' is the specific time of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. You will be exalted then because you humbled yourself. Those who did not humble themselves will not be exalted.

Lastly we humble ourselves before Him because He is omnipresent. God is always there He never leaves us or forsakes us but is a very present help in te time of trouble.

Be confident in casting your cares upon God because you know that He cares for you.

Religion in American Politics and Culture

2013-04-16T15:25:00.000-04:00

I came across this today on the internet. It is an interview with Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is the newly elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. I began listening to the interview and thought that Dr. Moore did an excellent job ariculating the Christian position on a number of today's cultural issues
and responding to the questions from callers. His responses invite conversation and dialogue on these important issues.
I would encourage you to take the time to listen to this interview
The video is below

The Mind of Christ Study - Online Conversation

2013-04-15T20:55:00.000-04:00

Unit One Conversation

It is Day 1 of Unit Two. How is the study going?

Are you finding the time within your schedule for the lessons?

Any thoughts or questions on the first week lessons?

Post a comment or a question and let us know.

Join the online conversation with a question or comment. Click here