I can Tell you Matthew 7:1-13 – Easter

• Today we celebrate Resurrection Sunday- The day that Jesus rose from the Dead.
• The Easter story is simply- Jesus died on a cross, went to heaven and satisfied the wrath of God with his blood, returned to earth to prove he was alive and God in the flesh.
• That’s what Christians believe. It’s outlandish. It’s miraculous and inexplicable. But it changed the world forever. Not just in a spiritual sense but in a physical sense. Christians changed the world.
• 2.3 Billion people, in fact almost a third of the planet believe in some version of Christianity- and we join them today as the Global church
• At our Church we go through the Bible– that’s what we do. We believe that the Bible is the source document for understanding all that God wants us to know about him.
• We don’t worship the Bible- we worship God, but this Bible helps us to understand him
• And so today- we find ourselves in Matthew 17. Its just the natural progression of study
• Let me read it to you Matthew 17:1-13
• I can tell you It’s a very Fascinating story- equally peculiar with the resurrection story-
• There’s one scripture in this that I want us to focus on-
• 17:9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
• In this story- Jesus is showing them something that I think is very significant for
• Let me teach you something and then I can tell you something.
• What’s going on in this story-
•  
• 1.           Why did Jesus tell them to not tell anyone? – Easter
• Because Jesus knew that people are people and if everyone heard about this event- the chances are they wouldn’t have heard the most important message Jesus came to do
• Anyone will tell you- I am not good at keeping secrets- but this one was important.
• The ultimate plane of Jesus was to go to the cross- not just do miracles.
• People, being the way that they are- would be inclined to follow the SIGNS not the SAVIOR if Jesus had not told them to be quiet- I’ve met sign follwers- go to the next
• •Youll notice, the thousands of people who followed Jesus were no where to be found when he went to the cross- they abandoned him. They fled from him.
• Jesus had to go to the cross- but Jesus had enough followers that they could have overthrown Rome,  but as soon as they saw that Jesus was going to the Cross- they were no where to be found- they abandoned him.
• So whatever message you may have heard about Jesus- the message of Jesus is simple
• I have overcome the grave for you to overcome sin and be in relationship with the Father. Leave your sins, be forgiven and follow me all the days of your life.
• And in this story- Jesus says- don’t tell anyone until I have risen from the dead-
• 1 cor 15 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

So now- what can I tell you about this transfiguration story since Jesus rose?

1.I can tell you This is a Recreation of the Sinai experience of Moses for the disciples – Easter

•Ex 19:3-5 Tells the experience of Moses with God on Mt Sinai

•This was a transformational time for the Nation of Israel in that now, the people of Israel would be able know exactly what God wanted them to do and how he wanted them to live because of what happened to Moses on Mt Sinai

•Moses goes up on the Mountain back and forth a few times, he experiences God and comes back and tells the Israelites how they should live- by the telling of the Law

•Exodus 20 lays out the 10 commands that God wants as the cornerstone of the law.

•4 things happened in this interaction: God became tangibly real to the Israelites, Direction and law was given to the Israelites, and Moses was then seen as the obvious leader of the nation of Israel, God was able to speak to his people through moses

•Exodus 20: 20-21 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

•This “Sinai experience” was a redirect for all of Israel- from this point forward they knew who they were and where they were going and it came through Moses

•In the Military- There is a COC- The point where one commander steps down another steps up-standing on a hot parade field- for HOURS people falling out- why? So everyone know whos next in charge- after that- you answer to someone different.

•This is happening right now for the disciples as well, up on a mountain, God speaking, Jesus being transfigured and glowing All the same parts of Moses up on the mountain

• What does it mean to you??
• I can tell you Today, here in this church, you can have a sinai mount of transfiguration experience where you can meet Jesus- get new direction and have your life changed.
• God has brought you here and is revealing himself to you and you can choose what you are going to do with it- you can ignore it, deny it, or embrace it.
• There needs to be change of command in your heart.  He is giving you Direction , telling you Jesus wants to be your leader. I can tell you- leave your life of sin- come to Jesus
• Hebrews 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
• I can tell you- this world creates a bunch of anxiety and problems in our hearts
• Just being alive is enough to create emotional problems with any of us.
• We are not living the existence of our forefathers- life is much more complicated.
• Think about this- there were only 188 million people on the earth when Jesus was alive
• Our population has grown more in the past 50 years than the previous 12,000 years.
• And this truly does create a scarcity for goods services and energy. Everything is at a premium- There’s wars and rumors of wars, pandemics, inflation and all else.
• And if you haven’t submitted to Christ as Lord- this can be a bloodcurdling thought
• I can tell you with Jesus being your leader- you can live a great life

2. I can tell you This is Establishment of Jesus supremacy

•4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

•in this moment, Peter wants to establish what he thinks is the best plan- “all these great men are up here on the mountain, lets set up shop. Everyone can come up here and worship”

•To peter, this is a much better plan than the plan of death burial and resurrection-

•Lets take what God is doing, package it, and this plan will be much better

• Its not unlike what people do today with the resurrection story- lets turn it into something other than what it is- lets package it in a way that we don’t have say what it actually is- lets make Jesus as palatable as possible – I can tell you- this is not good
• Let’s make the resurrection about something else than overcoming sin and getting new life- Lets make Easter about bunnies and families-

•Here’s the other problem tho- Peter is equating Moses and Elijah with Jesus

•To him, Jesus is just the next step in the process- its not the position that Jesus is supposed to be in To Peter- First moses, then Elijah, then Jesus

• This is what people today think as well- Jesus is just another option- (just move to a new country and you can get a new leader- ) But he is not just another option

•The reason that Jesus is up on the mountain, with Moses and Elijah is because Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets but Christ is shown superior

•v2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

•To Peter, they are all equal, but the issue is that they are not all equal Christ is SUPERIOR

•Jews revered Moses almost as much as God- Acts 6:11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

•This was an important part of this process- to establish Jesus as the superior one to Moses and Elijah

•Hebrews 1:1-4 READ

•Christ is superior! He is over the Law, he is the fulfillment of the prophets! This is what He wanted to establish- that he was over all of that

• What does it mean to you
• I can tell you Christ is superior to any and everything that you think your life should be about- Anything you’re holding onto isn’t going to be enough to sustain you
• I can tell you Christ wants to forgive you of your sin- and direct and lead every aspect of your life- he wants to forgive you of your deep and nasty sins and give you life.
• I can tell you Christ is superior over your allegiance to your country– love America- but Jesus first- why we refused to stop worshipping during covid- no way- Christ comes first
• Christ is superior over my life- that’s why I don’t care if I die- I mean I do but I don’t
• Christ is superior over our time, talents, treasures, it’s a full submission to his righteousness
• I use a lot of military examples because they easily translate- The army Told me when, how, what to wear, how to talk, think, for 6 years they owned me even on vacation.
• Inventory Saturday- all day- why? Because we said- that’s why-
• Submitting to Christ is the same- its all day every day 24-7 365

3.I will tell you that this changed the Direction of the disciples

•5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

•The point of bringing Jesus up on the mountain with the disciples was to establish his supremacy and to give them marching orders so they could know what to do

•Quite simple from God- This is my son- listen to what he says!

This is transformational in that these disciples were Jewish and followed Jewish law- but now they were going to follow Jesus- What Jesus said was now their leader

•The disciples need to follow Jesus! They need to follow what he is going to tell them to do! They are the instrument that God is going to use

•Luke 9:35 ESV And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

•As Jesus is talking to them- he is describing to them where the plan of salvation is going- to the cross- after this interaction- that’s where its all going! Salvation after the resurrection.

•These guys should listen to Jesus! Merely being around him, isn’t enough!

• John 8:47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
• What does it mean to you
• Since it’s Easter- and Jesus has risen from the dead- I can tell you that you can change the direction of your life as well by the words of Jesus
• You may find yourself in a directionless existence where you don’t know what you’re supposed to do or how you are supposed to live.
• I can tell you that you can leave today- do nothing and not know what tomorrow holds.
• Jesus wants to give you that direction- Jesus wants to lead you to a new place
• But I can tell you have to submit to him- He’s shown himself to you- don’t build a tent- don’t follow signs and wonders- embrace the direction change that Jesus wants to bring- I can tell you that it’s the best life on this side of heaven.
• This is the salvation I can tell you
• We were born into sin because of Adam, because of Adam we all were born into sin
• God wants to have a relationship with us- but we need a mediator to make it happen
• Jesus came as that mediator- As the one who can bridge the gap between a sinful man and a holy God- He has risen from the dead- I can tell you- Turn to him.
• Jesus went to the cross, paid the penalty for our sin and now, because he has been resurrected- is the only one who can save us from our sins.
• All we need to do is receive him, turn from our sins, and live for him.
• Will you receive him today?

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Transformers       (Romans 12:1-2)              *All verses in NKJV*

Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

– Leading up to this point in Romans, Paul and the Apostles have made clear the fundamental principles of Christianity: Salvation by grace through faith, can’t earn it, repent, walk in forgiveness….

– Romans 12 begins with the word “therefore”. This word goes between all for the things you just heard Paul say, and what you should do about it. It is the “application” word.

– God’s gift of salvation in Christ requires a response. God is not satisfied simply with forgiving our sin; he wants to transform our lives.

– This Christian life is not just spiritual ideas and a system of behavior. It is a practical pursuit of holiness and requires action on our part.

– It is designed not only to inform our thoughts, but to reform our hearts.

– You are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (that’s Eph Ch. 2)

– James 1:22, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

– James also said that a faith (or belief) without works (or actions to back it up), is a dead and worthless kind of faith. If you truly believe something, it should change your life!

#1: This is your reasonable act of service.

– Romans 12:1, I beseech (or urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (or rational) service.

– Do this because of what God has already done for you: because he has shown you mercy, given you salvation, redeemed you and made you a new creation, justified by faith…

– “Your bodies” doesn’t just mean your physical body. It means your total person. All of who you are.

– In the Old Testament, the people had a whole system of sacrificing animals to the Lord. God is not asking that from us today.

– A living sacrifice… lay your life down for God, not to kill it, but to offer it while living in obedience.

– 1 Samuel 15:22-23a, So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. ²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry….

– God’s takes your stubborn self-centeredness, and rebellion to His statutes, very seriously.

– The Lord would rather you simply be obedient to his word, rather than make costly and dramatic sacrifices.

– Your “living sacrifice” is to live your life as he has called you to do, as his word declares.

– Pastor Kevin preached on Sunday and brought a fantastic message out of Matthew:

– Matthew 16:24-26, Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

– Tonight’s sermon fit right into this. “Dying to yourself” means you no longer live to serve your own selfish wants and desires. “Living for the Lord” means you now set His priorities as your own.

– To glorify or worship God with our bodies is to engage immediately and with diligence to what God has called us to do by his word, without concern for the personal cost.

– Like when Pastor Kevin spoke about Paul and Silas being thrown in prison, it is to be willing to suffer. You must trust that the Lord knows what he is doing, even when we don’t!

– 1 Cor 6:19-20, Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

– 2 Cor. 5:9, Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

#2. Be Transformers.

– Romans 12:2a, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

– One of my favorite toys as a kid was Transformers, circa 1985. Robots that turn into cars? Or cars that become robots? Who are they really? “More than meets the eye!”

– Transformers are robots who come to earth to escape the destruction of their home planet.

– When they get to our planet, they shape-shift into everyday things to blend in and not be detected for who they really are. They are aliens to this world, but try to blend in to hide from their identity.

– They are amazing and wonderous creations, set free from destruction, they are “not of this world” but are living in the world… They choose to blend in and pretend to be common things.

– They didn’t want anyone to know who they really were because they knew they would be attacked.

* God has NOT called us to be conformers, but to be transformers!

– They were being conformers, not transformers. Do not conform, and try to blend into the world around you. Transform into the magnificent thing God has created you to be!

– Psalm 139:14, I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

– As Christians, we should not try to transform into something accepted to the world, to blend in or hide? We should be unashamed to be who God created us to be, and accept the consequences.

– John 15:19, If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

– How can we be transformed? By the renewing of our mind!

– So many things in life come down to mind set. Do you really believe it is for you?

– Are you changed? …but do YOU believe you are?

– My other favorite toy as a child was GI Joe. My favorite GI Joe was Gung Ho. (Surprised?)

– Marines are just different than other members of the military, but not how you think I mean…

– Often it is said Marines are tougher, better trained, more disciplined, etc… but this is not always the case. I have met many other services members that are MORE of all of these things.

– The real difference is “mind set”. Marines are taught history and tradition extensively! We were tested on it the same as shooting or physical fitness. Our history and legacy are a large part of who we are. (This isn’t the same on the other services.)

– For the other branches, you say, “I was in the military”, or “I was a soldier”. In the Marines, its “I AM a Marine.” I will always BE a Marine. It’s not something I did, it’s something that I am.

– Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…

– Eph. 4:22-24, ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

– Just like Marines in the physical, Christians should put off the old man and BE the new man that God has created them to be! It’s not something you do, it is someone that you ARE!

– You don’t just “go to church”, you “are the church”!

– You may not always be able to see it, but as soon as someone opens their mouth, their truth will be revealed. Would others know you are a Christian by the words that you speak?

– The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind, and lining it up with the will of God, is the renewing of the whole man.

– Proverbs 4:23, Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

– Phil. 4:6-7, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

#3. Walk in obedience, renew your mind, THEN you will know God’s will for your life.

– Romans 12:2b, … be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

– God has a general will for all of us, and a specific will for your life also.

– God’s general will is easily found in scripture, and easily understood with a renewed mind:

– Matthew 22:36-40, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

– This is the Commander’s intent, what Jesus said was the most important. Love IS action, not words.

– Accept their faults. Forgive them for hurting you. Have compassion for what they are going through. Say something when they are headed towards disaster. It’s what you’d want for yourself!

– Micah 6:8, He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?        (This isn’t an exhaustive list…)

– Think of how this looks, and how many decisions it covers, when you actually walk it out.

– We, as people, love to see others “get what they deserve”. This is not a Christian virtue. This only satisfies the flesh, Show people the same mercy God has shown you!

– 1 Peter 3:8-9, Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 

– The Bible is full of instruction on what God’s will is for His people. Read it, and do what it says!

– God also has a specific will for you, but I can’t tell you what it is.

– Like the bible verse tonight says,

– Because of all of the things God has already done for you, live your life as a sacrifice in obedience to the Lord.

– Renew your mind by reading His word, and be transformed.

– THEN you will know and understand His perfect will for your life.

– Walk in obedience, read your bible, pray and seek the Lord, be still and wait…

– Don’t make a plan and ask God to bless it, ask God for His plan, and it will be blessed!

– alter call –

– prayer –

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My Prison Song Matthew 16:24-28

Matthew 16:24-28 (Nkjv) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” ( Transfiguration)

Recap

• Last Sunday we went over the part that Jesus finally told the disciples that He would suffer and even unto death (Peters reaction)
• The disciples have been following Jesus for a while:
  • They had seen miracles, Heard His teaching, and much more
  • They had also seen the opposition that Jesus was facing
  • The truth He spoke did not go very well with many – He was creating enough enemies as He moved around
  • They are following someone that didn’t have a retirement plan – one that didn’t even have a home
• Matthew 8:18-21 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

And now this statement:

• Matthew 6:24 -Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [[a]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].
• This was a huge request – Leave everything, lose their interests, follow Him…, I will let you know of the plan as we go along , there will suffering even unto death….and I just like I said earlier I will definitely die
• And just as they process this statement, Jesus throws this in as well.
• Matthew 6:25 For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].
• However, if you don’t follow me- you will pretty much lose your life (you are caught in between)
• Put yourself in their shoes- unlike you who knows how the end looks like, they didn’t, yet they still followed Jesus
• This why the Bible talks about Faith- Because only Faith can do this – This is Faith at work
• Hebrews 11:6 Nkjv But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

Let’s get into our current txt”

1. Following Jesus is costly

• In this case, the disciples had to abandon their plans
  • Their day to day lives had to change
  • They had to leave behind what they knew and how they did things
  • Their friends had to change; their common places had to change

• Now that they had known this, there was no way of un-knowing
• If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me
• Everybody knew what Jesus meant when He said this. Everyone knew that the cross was an unrelenting instrument of death. The cross had no other purpose.
• The cross wasn’t about religious ceremonies; it wasn’t about traditions and spiritual feelings. The cross was a way to execute people.
• It was where you worst of the worst were punished to death, the shaming place for offenders
• In these twenty centuries after Jesus, we have done a pretty good job in sanitizing and ritualizing the cross. Yet Jesus said something much like this: “Walk down death row daily and follow Me.” Taking up your cross wasn’t a journey; it was a one-way trip. There was no return ticketing; it was never a round trip
• It like me saying to you today – follow Jesus and you will possibly get the electric chair, if they are kind, they might use a firing squad
• It wasn’t what we have made it to be – Common! (Bumper stickers)
• Galatians 2:20 (NKjv) I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me
• The idea of followers has really been tainted if you look at it through this verse
• Facebook & Instagram has changed the way we follow people
• It would be interesting if one of the disciples came back to life and you told them that you have 2795 followers on FB and 4280 on Instagram, and all you had to do was click a follow or like button
• Followers – Back then hitting the follower button or like button meant that you are ready to bear the full weight of the Cross
• Taking up you cross and following Jesus is an active thing…. The Bible says, take up your cross daily
• Luke 9:23 (Nkjv) – Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me
• Put in on your back, walk the narrow road, and expect great opposition even unto death
• This is a different kind of following – you don’t get to sit and watch other people’s lives while yours is at a standstill – dying
• Young people listen to me – There is a cost to following anyone
• And in this case, when you choose to follow Jesus – He is the only one you can afford to follow
  • He is demanding, The Bible says that He is Jealous of us, you can only have one God
  • You get to choose Him and no one else, no other influences – Just Jesus
  • Following Jesus builds character: following others kills xcharacter
• Before you hit that Jesus follow or like button – you better be sure (Hit it and sign up for worldly rejection, prosecution and even death)
• But if you do, your life will never be the same.
• Matthew 16:27 (Nkjv) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 
• I see on my Facebook reminder; we have been friends for 7 years. We have been following each other this long – has our lives been transformed
• I know of The ONE that was followed for only 3 years and He transformed every person that He encountered and His effect was so huge that He changed the whole world
• Let’s compare our 3 years of following others on social media and choosing from this day forward to follow Jesus for 3 years
• I thought of making the title for today’s message – Follow and die, then live forever
• I love that Jesus tells us upfront what it costs to follow him– Follow me and there is a real chance of death of your old self
  • The fears you have, Anger , frustration Bad habit, secrete sins and addictions
• And this is why it’s sad with all this false agape love that is being preached – You don’t just get to hit a button
  • It comes with a cost however the benefits outweigh the cost – They are truly out of this world

2. Who are you following and who is following you!

• I hear you asking – but the disciples were with Jesus, they got to be one on one with Jesus in person- that different from us today (you guys are asking amazing questions)
• In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are called to go to a certain place and before the end of the chapter, they are in chains having been beaten
• Acts 16:6 (Nlt) – Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,[a] but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
• Paul had a vision about where to go next – and the Holy Spirit lead him
• They are directed to Macedonia and while they were there, they went to find a place of worship
• They find a lady named Lydia and they tells her about the gospel
• And she is saved – her whole Family is saved and baptized
• Acts 16:16-18 (Nlt) One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.  She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Highest God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
• This did not go very well; The Bible says that the town was angry with them, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods
• Acts 16:23-24 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.  So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
• Paul and Silas did not order themselves here, they were led by the Holy Spirit and were obedient ( denying self and taking up the cross)
• And now they find themselves in jail, beaten and tied with chains
• And the most incredible thing happened…
• Acts 16:25-26 (Nkjv) Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
• Earthquake and chains breaking was incredible , but in my opinion the most amazing thing was Paul and Silas behavior, having been beaten with wooden rods –They Prayed and worshipped God in their pain and suffering
• “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me
• They had a response; they were prepared to suffer and also how to overcome – No blaming, no regrets, no maybes, no bad attitude, no return– But a song of Worship to God in the midst of suffering – A prison song!!
• This morning I have a question for you:
  • What is your prison song? – Are you prepared with a Prison Song (No return)
• You don’t get to worship God in such a situation unless you have made a decree to crucify you fresh and carry the cross
• Having a reference of Who God is, believing His word and His ability to keep His promises to the end
• Whether this the literal prison (days are coming) or in situations in our lives, have you decreed to worship God no matter what you face? And if so, are you prepared with a Prison song? –((PAUSE))
• Galatians 2:20 (Nkjv)  I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me. 
• Paul and Silas together – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ( Nkjv) – Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up, But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
• The people that you are following today:
  • Would they encourage you to sing unto the Lord, would they have their own prison song to add to your prison songs? Would chains and door break as you worshipped together in bondage
  • And those who are following you, would they be encouraged to sing in Prison because you are with them?
• Who are you following and who is following you?

3. The good news!

Matthew 16:26(Ampc) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life [his blessed life in the kingdom of God]? Or what would a man give as an exchange for his [blessed] life [in the kingdom of God]?

• This sacrifice comes with great rewards that Jesus is comparing a man gaining the WHOLE world- (that richness) and forfeiting the Kingdom of God as not even close to equal
• He is asking, what are we willing to exchange for a blessed life in the Kingdom of God
• What will one give in exchange for His soul? What are you willing to keep/acquire in lieu of Spending eternity with God
  • My answer is Nothing – Nothing compares to the hope that is Jesus
• The disciples were not willing to save their own lives – even when they didn’t know what the next thing in their lives was
• Today you are in a way better position than they were, and your decision should be easy. You already know how the story ends
• God will come back for those who has given their lives over to Him…and with Him comes rewards
• Matthew 16:25 (Ampc) For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]
• Matthew 16:27(Ampc)For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.
• Closing ….
  • Call for Salvation
  • Call for rededication

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Intro story- when I was called

I knew what the Lord wanted of me

I couldn’t explain why I knew I just did

The call on my life was evident and I could feel it in my spirit

I don’t know if it was fear

Or selfishness maybe

I wanted to be in control of my life

So I rebelled against the word the Lord had given me

I lived a life of complete disobedience to the Lord

I kept running away, far away

I became worse than I had previously been

Even though I tried whatever I could to run

I knew ultimately that I should submit to God and follow the call He placed on me

It took years, I think about 12 years later I finally submitted to His will and not my own

Romans 11:25-36

²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own ^[a]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be ^[b]saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
²⁷ For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”

²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has ^[c]committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?”
³⁵ “Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

³⁶ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

We are wrapping up chapter 11

The main verse I will be focusing on is verse 29

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

But before I get into that I want to give biblical context to what paul was speaking about

Im going to give a quick recap of chapters 9-11 because they all tie together to give the overall them of these 3 chapters

Paul talked about Israel’s rejection of Christ and Gods purpose

Israel’s rejection and Gods justice, Paul discussed the present condition of Israel and that they were in desperate need of the Gospel

Only to have Israel reject the gospel and the Messiah they had all been waiting on

But there is still hope because Israels rejection is not total and it is not final

God is coming back for His remnant

Which brings us to where we are now

Paul is speaking to jews and gentiles

Romans 11:25-28

²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own ^[a]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be ^[b]saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
²⁷ For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”

²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 

Paul is showing both jew and gentile that they are both important to Gods plan

So that way neither of them could boast that the other was more important

Out of Israels rejection and disobedience to God, it allowed Him to open the door for the gentiles to be saved, graphed , and adopted into the kingdom of heaven

Because of their disobedience the gentiles were also called to God

We are now able to have the same privilege that was initially for the jews

God in His infinite wisdom knows what he is doing

In verse 25 it speaks about this great mystery

This mystery is Gods uniting of the Jews and gentiles to accomplish His will

It is the mystery of the Church

Somethings remain a mystery until God reveals them to believers through His Spirit

In verse 26

And so all Israel will be ^[b]saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

There is some controversy as to what this means

One viewpoint says that Paul is speaking about all of Israel from the beginning of time will be saved

No matter what happens they are Gods chosen people and He is going to save all of them

In the most basic that is kind of how it reads out

The next view is that All Israel is referring to the elect of Israel throughout history

Israel will experience a partial hardening of their heart until the select amount of gentiles come to salvation

And after this happens God will come back for His remnant of Jews

Meaning all Israel could be talking about the church, Jews and gentiles

Since gentile have now been brought in and adopted by God

This view fits the context of Romans 9-11

In chapter 9 paul states that God is faithful even though Israel rejected the Christ

Gods promise was to save Abrahams descendants was not based on nationality

But the true Israel consists of jews and gentiles

In romans 10:12

¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Paul says there is no distinction between the jews and gentiles in the matter of salvation

Gods promises were not fulfilled in the nation but in the true believing remnant

Which brings us to verse 29

²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 

Gods gift of salvation is irrevocable

He has called people to come to His kingdom to serve Him and further His will

He has given us the gift of salvation, a free gift. No one can take it

If you have confessed Jesus as your saviour and crucify your flesh to live for Him

Then you have this gift of salvation

So how can we apply this scripture to our lives

Everyone has a call that the Lord has placed in their life

Just like me we all have a choice. Either we will except the call or reject the call on our lives

Once we have given our life to the Lord the call He has placed on you will begin to show

But before we get into the call for ministry he has placed on you

The first call you need to answer is found in this scripture

Matthew 22:37

³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

We must put God above everything

Christians should live with the mindset that His will comes before our own

We must lay everything at the foot of the cross

Our desires, our plans, and our thoughts should all be laid down before the Lord

HE needs to be first in every aspect of our lives

We should be more concerned with living our lives for Him and less concerned about our own comfort and plans

If you call Jesus the Lord of your life everything should fall under subjection to Him

You should want to honor God with your whole life

Not just the Parts you want to give Him

He wants all of you not some of you

Believe me, laying everything at His feet isnt as easy as it sounds

Example(subs)

I still struggle with this sometimes

My flesh wants what it wants but I always remember that God is in control and I’m not

As Christians we must live what we speak and believe or it is worthless

When I gave my life to the Lord I said you direct my life and I will follow

It’s a long process that never ends, but Whatever He asks of me I will do

This is a result of giving Jesus your heart

Fully believing and having faith in Jesus Christ will change your heart

You will begin to see your life and actions changed the more you put Him first

Your desires will change, sometimes your plans and goals will change also

Because you no longer look at life through a worldly perspective

But through the lens of Jesus Christ

His will and His mission will be at the forefront of your mind

To put God first you must change your focus

With all of the negative things that go on in this world it is very easy to get distracted

There are also plenty of internet preachers and people that have their own agenda

That is why if you want to know the Lord and what God wants you must read your bible

You should always read your bible for yourself

Even now, read your bible. Don’t just take what I say

Not that im going to lead you astray, but that way you know for yourself

Story-prosperity gospel

If I hadn’t read the word for myself, I could easily still be where I was

But over time of reading the word I began to realize somethings just don’t align with the Word of God

As Christians we must take His word seriously

Its how we know what He wants

It convicts and corrects us

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Most of the changes in my life have come from reading His word

I read scripture, get convicted and then work on that area of my life

God must be first in your life in every area

Its not always easy, but it is worth it

This is the first call

We also have a another call on our lives

This call uses our giftings and abilities to help grow the kingdom

Even from the beginning of time we were created to work

Genesis 2:15

¹⁵ Then the Lord God took ^[a]the man and put him in the garden of Eden to ^[b]tend and keep it.

Psalm 90:17

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Proverbs 16:3

Commit^[a] your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

We were created to work unto the Lord

We should be using our gifting and call to serve Gods church

Each person has been given an area where they excel at, maybe a few areas

We use these to build the kingdom and serve the church

I was called to be a Pastor

This isn’t an easy task

I hear plenty of people that say they were called to be a pastor

9 out of 10 times you probably weren’t

You get to see about 5% of a pastors job and that’s when we preach

You don’t see the hours of studying

The sleepless nights and all the tears that come with it

The hours of phone calls and meetings with people

Dealing not only with our own problems in life but then taking on the problems of the congregation

Helping people through emotional trauma, injuries, loss of jobs, and even death in their family

And the worst part, spending years pouring into people that have something happen in life then turn the blame on you as if you are the enemy

I don’t say this to exalt myself or other pastors

I say this because if God had not placed this call on my life there is no way I could’ve on my own strength live this kind of life

Not everyone has been called to the 5 fold ministry which is Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers

But everyone is called to an area and it is your place to find out what it is

I don’t know if you know this, but our building doesn’t take care of itself

We have so many ministries and people that make it run

Because people use their skills to help grow the kingdom

Jami has a renovation company

One day he decided he wanted to head the maintenance ministry

He is using his gifts to help grow the kingdom

Maybe you wonder how that helps

Because nothing is broken

You don’t notice it because he will work all day then come to the church to fix things that break

You would definitely notice if no one was doing it though

The same with the cleaning team

You don’t notice its clean, but if the church building was disgusting and never clean you would notice

No one wants to come to a dirty stinky building

People volunteer to teach your kids the bible and how to worship in childrens ministry

We have a team of people that work the landscaping for hours on their own time so our property looks nice

There are so many more ministries that we have

I could probably go on for awhile

But all of them are just as important as the next

You must figure out what you have been called to and allow God to use you in that area

He will bless the work of your hands

If you haven’t figured it out yet, it doesn’t hurt to just serve in another area until it has been made clear to you

If you are not sure what to do, we are having a work party this Saturday from 9-1pm

You can come and I can point you in a direction

One more thing that I want to mention is you also have a call to your family but don’t use that as an excuse to not serve the church

Also don’t use serving the church as an excuse to not serve your family

Whatever call God has placed on your life be sure to use it to help grow His kingdom

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• How do I keep my mind right. Matthew 16:21-23
• Matthew 16:21-23 READ and Explain
• First time Jesus talks about the resurrection- peter pulls Jesus aside to rebuke him, Jesus calls him Satan, and tells him that he has his mind wrong
• Cool hand luke- Dirt in, dirt out, “whats your dirt doing in boss’s hole” “you got your mind right”
• Jesus wont do that- but you want to keep your mind right- you don’t want to be called Satan by Jesus- that was peter’s problem- his mind wasn’t right-  Jesus said that he was and “offense”
• The term offense was bc Peter ‘was not mindful of the things of God’
• Offense- a breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.
• Offense- annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standards or principles.
• Bible Definitions of offense
• Proskope- leading into error
• 2 Corinthians 6:3We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
• Skandalon- leading them into sin creating something that ‘trips them up”
• Skandalizo– enticing them to sin
• 1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
• And then Jesus says to peter- “you are an offense to me” a “stumbling block”
• People say “we don’t want to offend anyone” but they mean it in a “annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standards or principles.”
• People build resentment because they perceive that they have been insulted on their principles
• But this Bible offense is to “lead people into error” or “lead them into sin instead of God”
• Matt 16:23 “You are an offense to Me,” skandalon- you’re trying to trip me up- you’re trying to keep me from going forward- you’re a ‘stumbling block’
• What was happening in this instance- was that Peter was trying to hold Jesus back from what he needed to do– go to the Cross- he wasn’t challenging his principles.
• Ellicott: Peter’s sin lay in the fact that his mind was set on the things of earth, its outward pomp and pageantry, measuring the future by a human not a divine standard.
• Peter says “ 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
• Peter has a plan to keep Jesus from going to the cross- He is this type of Guy- its why he was the one who had the sword when Jesus was going to the crucifixion- He wants to defend Jesus
• It’s admirable- but not what Jesus wants him to do- he challenges him, calls him Satan, says he’s a stumbling block and says “you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.””
• What had sent Peter astray- was not his heart- It’s a good heart he wants to defend Jesus- who wouldn’t? it was that he was thinking with his emotions and not his intellect- he couldn’t see past his own ideas of what anyone would do to defend a friend- but that wasn’t God’s plan
• God’s plan is to send Jesus to the cross to die for all of humanities sins- Peter would have stopped that if he had kept Jesus from Going to the cross- he was an “offense”
• What’s crazy is that Jesus had apparently JUST spoke to these guys about what the plan was-
• V21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
• But shortly after (we don’t know how much time has elapsed) Peter forgets!
• Remember- This is the gent that Jesus encouraged his profession of Faith “on this rock I will build my church” and now he’s not going with the plan-

So how do we get our minds right?

1. First off get it in your mind that It is possible to offend God- under stand “offense”
2. And when we “offend him” its an abomination not a “stumbling block” definition- – properly something disgusting (morally), that is, (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol: – abominable (custom, thing), abomination.
3. Deuteronomy 17:1 “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
4. When we are an “offense” to God not a “Stumbling block” as Peter was to Jesus- its idolatry-
5. ab·hor·rence noun a feeling of repulsion; disgusted loathing. THAT’S the offense to God
6. It’s a sin– its disgusting- not a stumbling block- not a leading into sin- an offense- offensive-
7. Years ago- one aug summer- Gabe’s room stunk- cleaned it out- found lunchbox from last day of school- that little bit of rot stunk up the whole end of the house-
8. as in “that odor is offensive” and that’s what our offenses in the ‘sin’ sense are to go
9. How are we offensive to God? Probably important to not become an offense. Right?
10. The bible lists many things that are an abomination to God- occult practices, unbiblical sexual relations (sex outside of marriage of a man and a woman) cross dressing, unholy sacrifices, bad business dealings, wickedness, injustice, not listening to God, offerings from the unrepentant,
11. Proverbs 6:17-19 has These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
12. Lets go over those real quick- a few to not become an offense
13. Proud look- this is when someone wants their will above God’s will- this would be what Peter is doing in this instance indirectly- he wants his will, not the will of the father-
14. You do this when you don’t consider the Plans of the father- and go with your will (moving)
15. Lying tongue- Seems pretty easy- when you lie or mislead others- God hates it
16. Hands that shed innocent blood- now we don’t really kill people in this day- but people kill people with their words all the time- paint innocent people in a bad light-
17. Heart that devises wicked plans- its when you spend time thinking about how to take someone down- I don’t have time to deal with people- I let God do it-
18. Feet that are swift to evil- that’s someone that continually sins- looks for evil “invents ways”
19. False witness who speaks lies- you didn’t see it, but you have an opinion on it
20. One who sows discord among the brethren- basically doing the first 6 things plus gossip and slander- talking about people and leading others to think things about other people.
21. If people aren’t getting along- and its because of you- God don’t like that
22. Those seven things are a dirty nasty smelling thing to God- he hates them- HATES
23. So it would stand to reason- we don’t want to do those things. Right?

• How do we keep ourselves from offending God? How do we NOT offend God
• We keep our minds on what HE wants- the things that HE loves and HE wants-
• The Word of God is the discerner of your thoughts and intents of your heart!
• This was the issue that Peter had with Jesus- Peter was thinking with his own mind- not with the mind of Christ- what Christ would have wanted- and not what he wanted
• in the Army we knew “the commanders intent” we all knew what the mission was, and how it was to be executed, so if there was ever a slight variation of it- the commanders intent would influence how we accomplished the mission- we knew what he wanted
• And most of us know Commander Jesus’ intent. We lie to ourselves and pretend we don’t but we do. We know what Jesus is about.
• Just like Peter, we quickly forget what he tells us, and move forward with what we think is best for Jesus and us- our own way.
• “for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
• And its natural to think with a carnal mind. Its what we do- we war with the flesh every day
• What the flesh wants v what the spirit wants. What we think would be best v him
• And if you’re not in the battle- then you will lose on the regular. You will find yourself in situations where you did not plan doing things you should not do bc you didn’t control your mind.
• Philippians 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
• And this is normal for the flesh- to set your mind on earthly things-
• What is going on with our job– people at work, etc
• What is going on with other people– why are you so consumed with other people?
• What is going on with our kids– their friends, development,sports
• What is going on with our health- what we’re doing- what is hurting, exercise, diet
• What is going on with our money, retirement, investments, spending, debt
• What is going on with houses, cars, vacations, social media, television, national news, wars, politicians, taxes, gas prices, inflation, Biden, Trump, Pelosi, Etc etc
• And much of this is driven by a media powerhouse that attempts to keep your attention 100% of the time- they create things to consume your mind with- Why do I care about Smith/Rock?
• But The bible says-
• Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
• If we are in the flesh, we cannot please God- and that isn’t to say we can ignore all those things- we just have to constantly be reminding ourselves what we are choosing to focus on
• Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
• What things should we be setting our mind on?
• Not the cares of this world- Mark 4:19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
• And really that’s it, isn’t it? The cares of this world? All those things we talked about
• This is why people love camping- get away from the cares of the world- I hate camping- I like the creature comforts, but its clear that you can make it without anything. Homeless people do
• Its rarely a deep spiritual attack, its when we get so wrapped up in the cares of this world
• It’s like this Russia thing- its sad. Its scary. It’s worrisome. Invasion, nukes etc
• I can learn to speak Russian and still serve God. I can die in a nuke strike and go to heaven
• But what really scares me is, what if I can’t get my coconut keto clusters and watch NFL football because those bring me great joy. I’m a sucker for a fresh pizza and safeway fried chicken.
• Bible people didn’t have 99% of the creature comforts of our day like hot showers- but they still were plagued with worldly thinking. It wasn’t electronic diversionary materialism to them
• 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
• And this needs to be a constant reminder to us as we walk through this world
• Interest rates are rising, inflation is rising, costs are up
• Sometimes you have to remind yourself that we are going to die one day- 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
• This world is so temporary- so is our life. What earthly fleshly things you care about today you will not care about when you are dying. – enjoy today- love what God has given you!
• And its not just thinking about being dead, its having a heavenly perspective. Eternity.
• Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
• Heavenly mansions, union with Christ, eternity with no tears or pain, continual worship.
• You have to set your heart on things above- and what Christ has given you NOW
• Maybe you’ve never set your heart before. To get a job, or lose weight, or get out of debt
• If you really want something, you’ll figure out a way to get it.
• But typically, if you don’t want it, its because you want something else- college- working out- cost me relationships, hanging out, eating fun food- I wanted a great physique. I got it.
• But now I want ice cream and keeping my shirt on.
• But how much more the things of God? 1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.- If you made a decision to attend, serve, give, get rid of sin- you’d do it
• But you don’t want that- you want something else. SET YOUR HEART- Get RADICAL to do IT
• Psalm 91:14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name
• We don’t want to offend God- We don’t want Jesus to rebuke us- SET YOUR HEART
• So we set our mind on what God wants- not on what we want- that doesn’t offend him
• Be renewed by the spirit of your mind, be born again, be set free, be made new in Christ
• Then you will be a spiritual person that can discern what the will of God is in your life-
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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“Therefore Consider the Olive Tree”

Romans 11:11-24

¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their ^[a]fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their ^[b]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! ¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶ For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and ^[c]fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, ^[d]goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Here begins a new section of the discussion, lasting to the end of the chapter. Paul has shown that the rejection of Israel was never total; he now declares that it is not final. A time is to come when a remnant of Israel shall believe, and be restored to the Church.  God has reserved this remnant according to His promise. The gospel could not be preached to the Gentiles until it had first been offered to and rejected by the Jews. Their rejection opened the door for the rest of the world.

Paul uses the illustration taken from the practice of those who ingraft trees. The useless branches, or those which bear poor fruit, are cut off, and a better kind inserted.

The olive-tree was sometimes cultivated, and that cultivation was necessary in order to render it fruitful. The cultivated olive-tree is “of a moderate height, its trunk knotty, its bark smooth and ash-colored, its wood is solid and yellowish, the leaves are oblong, and almost like those of the willow, of a green color. The wild olive is smaller in all its parts.” The wild olive tree was unfruitful, or its fruit very imperfect and useless. The ancient writers explain this word by “unfruitful, barren.” This was used, therefore, as the emblem of unfruitfulness and barrenness, while the cultivated olive produced much fruit. The meaning here is, that the Gentiles had been like the wild olive tree, unfruitful; that they had grown up in the wild and according to their sin nature. The Jews had been like a cultivated olive tree, long under the training and blessing of God.

The process of grafting consists in inserting a young shoot into another tree. To do this, a useless limb is removed; and the ingrafted limb produces fruit according to its new nature or kind, and not according to the tree in which it is inserted. In this way a tree which bears no fruit, or whose branches are decaying, may be recovered, and become valuable. The figure of the apostle is a very vivid and beautiful. The ancient root or stock, that of Abraham, was good. The branches had become decayed and unfruitful, and so broken off. The Gentiles had been grafted into this stock, to restore the decayed vigor of the ancient people of God; and a fruitless church had become vigorous and flourishing. But the apostle soon proceeds to keep the Gentiles from boasting on account of this.

It is true they were broken off; but in order to show that there was no occasion for boasting, he adds that the Jews were not rejected in order to admit others, but because of their unbelief, and that their fate should have a beneficial impression on the Gentiles, but who might be rejected for the same cause.

Paul says to these believers, “You stand by faith” – The continuance of these mercies to you depends on your fidelity. If you are faithful, you will be preserved; if, like the Jews, you become unbelieving and unfruitful, like them you will be also rejected. This fact should repress any kind of boasting, but produce in you the fear of the Lord. Paul says, “do not be haughty” – Do not be prideful of your privileges, so as to produce vain self-confidence and boasting. But fear – This fear stands opposed to the spirit of boasting and self-confidence, against which he was exhorting them. It does not mean terror or horror, but it denotes humility, watchfulness, and solicitude to abide in the faith.

If God did not refrain from rejecting the Jews who became unbelievers, assuredly he will not refrain from rejecting you in the same circumstances. He will be quite as ready to reject the ingrafted branches, as to cast off those which belonged to the parent stock.  Therefore, regard, or contemplate, for purposes of your own improvement and benefit, the dealings of God. We should look on all His dispensations of judgment AND of mercy, and derive lessons from both to promote our own steadfast adherence to the faith of the gospel. Consider both His goodness and severity.

Regard His goodness – The benevolence or mercy of God toward you in admitting you to His favor. This calls for gratitude, love, confidence. It demands expressions of thanksgiving. It should be highly prized, in order that it may spur us to diligence to secure His continued goodness.

Regard the severity of God – The word “severity” now suggests sometimes the idea of harshness, or even of cruelty. (Webster.) But nothing of this kind is conveyed in the original word here. It denotes “cutting off,” apotomian from ἀποτέμνω apotemnō, to cut off; and is commonly applied to the act of the gardener or vine-dresser in trimming trees or vines, and cutting off the decayed or useless branches. Here it refers to the act of God in cutting off or rejecting the Jews as useless branches; and not of injustice, cruelty, or harshness. It was a just act, consistent with all the holiness of a good and just God. It indicated a purpose to do what was right, though the inflictions might seem to be severe.

What’s Paul telling us? We need to learn from the example of the Jewish people and consider their ways, walk in the fear of the Lord removing all haughtiness and boasting, and be faithful. This is a real warning in Scripture. Why are people so quick and willing to believe the promises and blessings of God, but so easily dismiss the warnings? These are real and serious warnings to the people of God.

The very first thing that Paul wants us to know is that we need to consider the natural and fruitless olive tree.  Consider- Gk word “eido” meaning “to know, be aware, have knowledge of, understand”.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a very similar story: Hebrews 3:7-19; Hebrews 4:1-13

Has anyone ever told you a story and prefaced it with, “Pay attention to the story I am going to tell you and do not do what this person did?” I have that testimony in my past. I told my kids my sinful ways, the people I hung out with, that bad company corrupts good morals, the sin that I gave myself over to, the statistics of early drinking and alcoholism and sexual deviancy, the things I did to end up in jail and the precarious situations I put myself in. I told my kids: consider my life and the destruction I reaped from a life lived for myself and my own pleasures. Understand that the wages of my sin created nothing but death in my life. They know about my past sexual sin and drug abuse. I overdosed and almost died. Be honest with your kids and stop trying to make your past look pretty and inviting. Don’t romanticize your sin. The Word does not glean over sin. If you don’t have my history, send your kids to me. I have sat down with some of the kids in this church to share my nastiness that led to destruction.

If we do not learn from the failures of Israel, we are doomed to fall into their same sins. What were their sins?

1 Cor 10:1-12 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us ^[a]tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now ^[b]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[c]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Lust for evil things- long for, covet, desire anything that God has said is not for you. If God said “do not touch” then you do not touch. But Jesus went a step further, He not only said, “do not touch”; HE said keep your heart pure from even thinking about it. You would do well to remember that Satan fell not for what he did- but for what was in his heart.

Idolatry- setting anything above or equal to God or His Word, this includes idolatry of self, self-confidence and exaltation, your own ideas about something, worldly philosophies

Sexual Immorality- ANY sex outside the marriage covenant of one man and one woman

Tempt Christ- to test, scrutinize, prove. To try the Lord, means to let it come to the point whether He will show Himself to be God; in this case: whether He will punish. It’s the “I can do this because I am under grace” people.

The Israelites had, by their longing after the things left behind in Egypt, tested God so that God had asserted Himself in visiting them with punishment, and so Christians must be on their guard not to tempt the Lord by lusting after worldly and physical pleasures from which He by His death has delivered us.  Some of the Corinthian Christians seemed by their conduct, as regards eating and drinking and indulging in sensuality, to long for that liberty in reference to things which they had enjoyed before conversion, instead of enjoying the spiritual blessings and feeding on the spiritual sustenance which Christ had provided for them.

Complaining- murmuring and grumbling; the very opposite of thanksgiving. Complaining shows God we are not satisfied with His provision and is the opposite of gratitude. Do you realize that murmuring will destroy a church? Murmur is a half-suppressed or muttered complaint. It is often a “veiled” complaint under the guise of “I am concerned”. We had a bunch of mutterers when we started a building campaign, “do you know what the pastor did with that money!?” Why do you even care? You are responsible to give- the pastor is responsible to the Lord. Once it’s out of my hands, I don’t care.

The apostles Jude while describing apostates and false teachers:

Jude 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

People do not consider this severity. God is holy and therefore His punishment is just.

 After I told my kids to learn from my mistakes, I told my kids consider the goodness the Lord has shown me, of which my children are reaping a harvest from my faithfulness. His goodness to forgive all my sins and make me a new creation. His goodness to give me a loving and faithful husband, and allowing me to have children after so wrecklessly treating my body. His goodness to use me in His service and giving me beautiful gifts. It makes me want to weep how good He has been to me, knowing I do not deserve any of it. Continue in this same goodness and live a life of gratitude. I hope that I have modeled a life lived in gratitude and faithfulness to the Lord. I love Him with all my heart for all He has forgiven me.

After we come to a full understanding of what happened to Israel, it should squash any ounce of haughtiness or pride, but instead produce in us the fear the Lord.

Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

Paul says, “do not be haughty, but fear”. The fear of the Lord is more than just a respect for God. It is a reverential affection and love for Him and at the same time a hatred for all sin and evil. Godly fear, is consistent with strong faith, great joy, and true courage; is opposite to pride and self-confidence, and is accompanied with real holiness; it takes its rise from the grace of God, and is greatly increased and promoted by the discoveries of His love and goodness.

If you do not hate evil, hate what God hates, sin and unrighteousness, you lack the fear of the Lord. There can never be a truce between the kingdoms of light and darkness, if we are a friend of one we are an enemy of the other. When you do not keep a tight rein on your lips, sins of speech: speaking lies and deceit; slandering, murmuring and complaining you lack the fear of a holy God. Do you realize when you lie, you show kinship to Satan? You are never more like the devil than when you lie. Did you know the word slander is gk “diabolos”? Just because you would say something to someone’s face does not mean you should. God takes our words very seriously and we will give an account. God hates the perverted mouth.

Here’s just a few things of what the fear of the Lord brings:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of the Lord brings instruction. The fear of the Lord prolongs life, is a fountain of life and leads to life. The fear of the Lord is a treasure. The fear of the Lord is strong confidence. The man who fears the Lord is blessed, has riches, honor and life. The fear of the Lord keeps you from sinning. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The fear of the Lord keeps you from envy.

Lastly, be faithful. God requires that His servants be found faithful and fruitful.

I MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAY THINGS like, “I USED to do such and such for God”. And I ask, “why the USED to?” Normally, they “used to” because someone offended them and they left their church. They “used to” because they got tired of people being mean and being rejected. Welcome to following Christ. They “used to” just because they don’t want to anymore. My favorite: They “used to” because “God told me to stop”.  I don’t buy it. I know people that used to believe in the Bible, and used believe God but because of a tragedy or some unanswered prayer, they no longer believe.

Faithfulness to the Lord is until the end. There is no “used to”. The “used to” is death.  

Your gifts are not your own. You are only a steward of those gifts. It belongs to the Lord and He has entrusted you with that gift’s care. You cannot do with it what you want. It is meant to bless others and bring glory to the Father. God expects you to use those gifts until death.

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Rev 2:10 

“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” I Corinthians 4:2

There’s that word that keeps popping up again and again in the life of a saint. You must be found faithful until the end. The unfaithful servant is given the title “wicked”.

Matthew 24:45-51 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food ^[a]in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil (Gk wicked) servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying ^[b]his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The word “wicked” here is not represented of an initial character as in other Scriptures, but rather means “a degeneracy from original virtue, diseased”. In the parable of the wicked servant, he stops doing that which is good right pure and true and begins to sin with the rest of the world. He stops being faithful.

Jesus is returning for a faithful church. It is required in stewards that one be found faithful. “Faithful” is translated in the Greek as one word in every single Scripture it’s mentioned and it’s defined as “trustworthy, sure, true”. It’s from a root word meaning “to have confidence in”; therefore it’s meaning is that God Himself finds you trustworthy and He has confidence in you. How marvelous is that! The Creator of the universe will one day say to His trustworthy people, “Well done good and faithful servant”. Faithfulness includes a fidelity to the Lord Himself and to His Word.

God’s people are clearly commanded in Scripture to live in a manner distinct from the surrounding culture. The goal is not to “fit in” but to “stand out” as people who live by a moral standard given by God.

The greatest thing about faithfulness is that it takes zero talent to be faithful. You don’t have to be highly intelligent and blessed with awesome traits. You don’t have to sing well, preach well, write well, or teach well. You just have to be faithful. Stewardship is until the end. Be honest. What are you letting get in the way? Are you selfish with your time? Have you been offended? Get over yourself. You were an offense to God and therefore have no right to harbor an offense toward anyone. Are you letting pride get in the way?  Humble yourself. Get planted in the church and stop uprooting yourself every few years. You are destroying your ability to produce a good crop. Paul never stopped preaching even from prison and he died alone, with most people forsaking him. Yet he never stopped. Faith is precious and must be protected at all costs. Faithfulness requires discipline, to guard your heart and your mind. Discipline to guard the Word of God. Once you start to distrust God’s Word, you will be cut off. Consider the olive tree. I want to leave you with this story.

John Akhwari was a marathon runner who represented Tanzania in the Olympic marathon in 1968.  He didn’t win a medal. In fact, he came nowhere near. But, in defeat and in pain, he came to represent something much more profound and enduring than many sportsmen achieve in illustrious careers.

Akhwari was never likely to win the marathon, but his chances were wrecked when, perhaps because of the effects of the high altitude, he succumbed to cramps that slowed his progress. If that was painful, then worse was to come after he was involved in a melee of athletes jockeying for position.

Akhwari fell to the ground, gashing his knee and also causing a dislocation. He also smashed his shoulder against the pavement. Most observers, seeing his injuries, assumed he would pull out and go to hospital. Instead, he received medical attention and returned to the track to continue his race.

His pace, of course, was now much lower, but his resolve to complete the event remained intact. Eighteen of the 75 starters had pulled out; he did not wish to add to that number.

And so, more than an hour after the winner, Akhwari crossed the line in last place, cheered home by a few thousand spectators who had remained in the stadium after the sun went down. By the time he reached the stadium, he was limping and the bandage around his leg was flapping in the breeze. He was asked why he’d carried on, and his response has gone down in sporting history. “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race,” he said. “They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

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1 Samuel 12:24

“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

2 Timothy 3:1-4

 But know this, that in the last days ^[a]perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, ^[b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Being Unthankful Gives us an unhealthy perspective

Romans 1:21 – Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

(NLT) ²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused

Job 1:21

²¹ And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Philippians 4:5-7

⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 30:19

“From them shall proceed the voice of thanksigiving and the sound of those who make merry and I will multiply them and they not will be diminished.”

Psalms 107:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD, for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

Ephesians 5:20 – Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

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7,000                                                                                        Romans 11:1-10

• I am sure some if not most of you guys have heard about the movie 300
• Today we are going to talk about a slightly bigger number- 7,000
• This evening, my goal is to make sure that we examine ourselves and know if for sure in our hearts that we can be counted among the 7,000  
  • It’s a great time especially for our men, myself included as we plan on heading on to the Man’s advance
  • It’s a time to self-check, search me oh Lord – that I may be found …and if not show me how
  • What an opportunity to seek Gods face and cry out to Him to see that which lacks or blocks us
• In our reading today:
• Paul is speaking to the Israelites who know the word of God – Pastor Crystals Message
• They know that they are a chosen generation, but they (Israelites) have taken this most precious gift as common
• Its easy to point fingers and condemn these guys but if we do an honest heart check, we will find that we too have at times taken the word of God as common- (Pastor Matts preaching – Christian!)
  • The idea is that men are sitting feasting comfortably at their banquet; and their very sense of safety has become their ruin. They are so secure in the fancied safety that the enemy can come upon them unaware” (Barclay).
  •  The Jews of Paul’s day were so secure in their idea of being the chosen people that the very idea became the thing that ruined them.
• Paul in Romans 11:1 – Has God rejected and disowned His People?
  • He is almost trying to wake them up – tone?
• It’s bad that instead of looking inward, they start blaming God for rejecting them
• The same God who in I Samuel 12 is showing undeniable love to the Israelites
• After the Israelites demanded a King – instead of keeping with God wish to be their everything
•  I Samuel 12:22 (Nkjv) For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people
• How many times in our lives, when things are not going our way do, we take this position?
• After we try on our own- we come to a place and feel like God has left us
• Only if we could sooner than later adopt Paul’s response – Certainly Not!
  • Deutronomy 3:16 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
  • Joshua 1:5 – No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you
• The problem is not God. He is faithful and just. He is true to His word. The issue is you and I
• Isaiah 59:2(Nkjv) – But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear
• Hebrews 10:26(Nkjv) – For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins
• This is our only link- And if we do away with this sacrifice, we are dead in our sins
• Paul continues to support his response (to the question he asked himself)
• For I too I am a Jew – I too have seen what God has done in my life
• I too a chief sinner has seen a God who has not forsaken me and will not
• 1 Timothy 1:15 (Nkjv) – This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 
• Paul is speaking from experience that He has seen God work in his life
• He continues by reminding them of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings
  • Elijah challenges the Prophets of baal – all 450 of them
  • They build an altar and prepare a bull and they agree that whoever call for fire from heaven and consumes the sacrifice, is the true God
  • In 1 King 18 – that they called baal from Morning till way past noon, cutting themselves and no response (Challenge for us …to what length do we go to seek our God)
  • Elijah turn, he set the sacrifice and pours 12 buckets of water so there is no doubt
  • He prays and fire comes from heaven and consumes the sacrifice
  • The Bible says that it licked water from the ground
  • Elijah calls for all the baal prophet to be put to death and there after Jezebel threatens Elijah with death and he runs
  • It’s at this point that Elijah is speaking to God
  • 1 King 19:15-18 – Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.  Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.  It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.  Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
• How do I get counted among this 7,000?
• To be counted among the 7,000 we must be close to God
  • I HAVE KEPT FOR MYSELF  
  • 1 Peter 1:13-16 (Nkjv) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
• To be counted among the 7,000 we must be willing to be alone and different
  • Our Society is screaming with a big voice – conform or die, be an outcast
  • These 7,000 did not compromise, they kept themselves pure
  • They have not bowed to baal or kissed him
  • Romans 12:2 (Nkjv)And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
• To be counted among the 7,000 – We must remember where God has delivered us from
  • I am sure if Paul lived in Elijah time, he would have been considered part of the 7,000
  • Paul’s zeal was from a heart knowledge of what God had done in his life in the past
  • The Israelite forgot about the redemption, the sacrifice and much more that the Lord had done for them
  • Most of the times, when we are asking where God is, it’s because we have forgotten where God found us
  • Deuteronomy 6:12 (Nkjv)then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
• The Sad part of that if we are not alert and aware, we will end up like the Israelites
• Romans 11:8-10( NLT) –  As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[a]  Likewise, David said,“Let their bountiful table become a snare,  a trap that makes them think all is well.
  Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”
• God reserve the right to reveal Himself to those that He wishes and to withhold wisdom to others.
• But those that chooses Him – They get the right to become children of God
  • 1 John 3:1 – See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
• To be counted as one of the 7,000 you must be born again
• John 3 records a story of a man who was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus
• The guy was in the higher ups – Jews council
• Came to Jesus at night – He had seen the miracles and could not deny what He has seen
• Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God
• John 3:3 (Nkjv) –  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Tonight, I would like to invite you to be part of the 7,000 – to be Born again

Play song at the end please – GIVE ME FAITH

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• Matthew 16:13-20 What does it mean to bind and loose?

• 1. We bind and loose when we decide who Jesus is?
• V13-15
• This question right here is the most important question that anyone can ask in their life-
• Jesus comes to Peter- and says- what are people saying about me? Who do you say that I am?
• Now for many people- this question is not one that they ever answer- or should I say- they answer it without answering it by their choice to ignore who Jesus is-
• Now what interesting- is that these people around the region had an opinion of who Jesus was-
• John the Baptist? Elijah? Jeremiah? One of the prophets?
• And all of these thoughts about who Jesus was were centered around who he wasn’t
• All of those mentioned were those who would announce the arrival of messiah
• John the Baptist preached repentance and returning to God- he taught baptism. He called out sin
• Consider John the baptist- They lived at the same time, related by blood, about the same age, had angel Gabriel announce their births, religious and political leaders didn’t care for them, wanted them dead, people followed both of them,
• John the Baptist had a ministry and it was an important one- but it wasn’t he ministry of Jesus
• Consider Elijah- prophetic rebuke of Israel for idolatry that was pagan, baal worship, to turn back to God, Prophesying miracles of rain, oil and meal for a starving widow, raising a widows son from the dead, Message of promise to his followers before he departed, and then he left earth by a chariot of fire and did not die
• Consider Jeremiah- Jeremiah prophesied God’s judgement on Israel and Judah, He pleaded with Israel to repent, the ‘weeping prophet’, Jeremiah was rejected by his own people- he told his own people that God was going to judge them for their sin and rejecting God, he had words of hope for Israel if they repented, that God would be with them-
  so the people at the time had a working knowledge of these three people-
• But here was the issue- they were trying to understand who Jesus was based on THEIR frame of reference instead of considering and listening to who Jesus actually was-
• This is human- this is what we do- we take a limited amount of information and make decisions about who we think people are
• We do it on Social media, books, TV, movies, sports, we make sweeping statements about people on limited information- we don’t even know them- “I know who Justin Beiber is”
• We even do it with people that we somewhat know- we have a short interaction with someone and think that we know them- See at church, read online, You think u know me from the pulpit
• It took me 10 years of deep emotional and physical intimacy with my wife and after 10 years I thought I was just starting to get to know her- but someone sends one tweet and you know everything about them
• I don’t know nothing about Russel Wilson that the news hasn’t told me- I don’t know what he eats, who his friends were in HS, what he’s afraid of, what makes him happy, what his hobbies are.
• But today- still- based on Limited information- people declare who Jesus is-
• Good moral teacher, condemner, prophet,

2. We bind and loose when we declare Jesus is the Christ

• 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
• Simon Peter answers the question with the correct answer- “you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”
• What Peter saw- and what he knew to be true is that Jesus was the “Christ” the anointed one, the savior, the messiah, the promised one, the end all be all.
• This is the one that John The Baptist, Jeremiah, Elijah, David and all the OT prophets promised
• The one- The Savior
• This is what Martha declared- John 11:27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
• This is what the centurion declared- Matt 27:54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
• This is what they accused him of Matt 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
• This is what Paul preached- Acts 9:20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
• To say that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God is to say’ who he is- to declare who he is
• That Jesus is the savior from our sins, that he is the leader of our lives, that he is the current king of our lives and the future king of our heavenly kingdom.
• It’s not his name, its his title. Jesus, who is the Christ.
• What does it mean to you
• Well, first off, if you haven’t you should declare Jesus as Christ over your life. You should submit to his Lordship and follow his ways. You should submit and live for him- receive forgiveness.
• This declaration of Peter was monumental- it was the essence and the reason for Christ’s arrival, death, burial and resurrection- to establish kingship over all the earth
• 1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
• This week- fence bid- met this guy- SGM- Talked for at least ½ hour- so many good stories, share pedigee, where you been. Great conversation- We defend USA- Used to, now has-been
• If you’re not in, you’re not in- you used to be, but if you’re not in- you don’t even get in-
• Being a Christian- that is to say “Christ-ian” is to be Christ-anointed ian- little one
• Basically- A Christian is a little Christ- a little anointed one- and to the Antiochians- who gave them this title- it was to identify them with the party or group they were affiliated with
• The Christians did not identify with the groups around them but were identified as a sub group
• The early Christians were proud to identify with Christ- First century- Nero Crucified, fed to animals and burned as torches those who called themselves Christians- it came at a cost!
• 1 John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
• So for you here today- does that identity mean anything to you? Does it mean something to you that you are a Christian? I know we say it a lot because I want it to mean something when you confess it- (talking to guy this week- got married- became a muslim- just had to say No God but allah and that mohammed was a profit- told me he didn’t believe it- just did it for a passport)
• Pretty crazy- but there’s tons of people like that in the modern day church-
• If I say this- I get this- until its time to forgive, or be committed or live out the Scriptures-
• Confess Jesus as the Christ- live like its true- submit to his lordship and his kingdom

We bind and loose when we build the Church on Jesus Christ

• 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
• Now there has been much discussion about this term “on this rock” throughout antiquity to the meaning of this statement-
• One camp says this refers directly to Peter as the Rock that Jesus would build his Church on- These types typically are from the Catholic camp as a means of supporting papal succession
• The Other camp- which is the biblical truth- is that the Rock by which Jesus is referring is the Rock of the Confession of Jesus as the Christ- and on that Truth is what the Church will be built
• Its impossible to believe that Peter was the rock by which Jesus would build his church when Immediately after Christs ascension- Peter goes and preaches Christ in Acts 2 and doesn’t preach himself. Acts 2:22-24 Speaking of Jesus
• Jesus used one form of the word “rock” (petra) for the rock on which he would build his church, and another (petros) for Peter. According to George Abbott-Smith’s Greek lexicon, “petra” means “a mass of … rock,” distinct from “petros” meaning “a detached stone or boulder.”
• The Rock on which the Church is built is the firm rock confession of Jesus is the Christ
• It’s central to what we do and what we believe as a church
• 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
• Eph 2:19-22 READ
• One- Fellow citizens with the saints and members- we are a group v19
• Two- Jesus is the cornerstone on which all of what we do is build v 20
• Three- we grow into a holy temple in the Lord v21
• Four- We are being built as a dwelling place of God in the spirit v22
• I’m constantly coming back to this because I think it’s the ethos of many-
• You are not a Christian for your benefit- its for the benefit of God
• Yes- we gain and we gather and we get- its just part of the deal- but it’s always been for HIM
• Here’s the truth- the Church is built on Jesus is the Christ- you are being built into the Church for him- The Bible was written by the church and for the church and we’re to build the church on this confession- so therefore how should you live? How should you view the church?
• Jesus didn’t say- and on this rock I will build a following of disconnected individuals who do whatever they want and just say they believe in me
• Church- ekklessia- a religious congregation- and this Chruch- the Church that Jesus built the gates of Hell will not come against it because you can’t bring down the truth of who Jesus is!

We bind and loose when we disdain what God disdains and loosing when we approve what God approves

• 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
• Binding and loosing is originally a Jewish Mishnaic phrase In usage, to bind and to loose simply means to forbid by an indisputable authority and to permit by an indisputable authority
• What that means is that if something was bound- it was indisputable- could not be broken, if it was loosed- it was permitted- by indisputable authority
• If you can’t do something- there’s no way you can do something- if you can- there’s nothing that can stop you from doing it.
• Isaiah 22:22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open.
• Revelation 3:77 ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
• Revelation 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
• Jesus is the rock- He is the Christ- the pathway and the doorway to heaven through him alone
• Jesus Gives Peter these keys and says- ‘this is the key- the entrance into my kingdom- that I am Savior and Lord- you will open the kingdom to people through this message and you will exclude people from the kingdom by this message- this is the key”
• So go and bind and loose by preaching the message of the Christ
• If you bind them from the kingdom by denial- they are bound- and if you loose them into the kingdom by acceptance- they are accepted-
• Peter walked this out in Acts 2 when he preached and welcomed the gentiles into the kingdom
• This authority- given by Jesus was a cosmic authority given by Jesus as a key into the kingdom
• Not to be taken lightly- this idea of binding and loosing is seen in Matt 18 in Church discipline
• Matt 18:15-20
• Explains how Church discipline works- This scripture is not about having church- its about being the church and exerting discipline within the church
• And then he says- 18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
• Whatever you allow in the church will be allowed in heaven and whatever you disallow will not be allowed in heaven- whoever is allowed in the church is allowed in heaven, but whoever is not allowed in the church is not allowed in heaven
• 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
• Jesus is there in the midst of Church discipline- very important stuff
• God approves of the Gospel message of setting people free from the law of sin and death
• We preach that to usher in the kingdom- we welcome people into the kingdom and exclude those who deny it- we bind and loose and hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven

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“How Beautiful are the Feet”

Romans 10:14-21 ¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who ^[a]preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ¹⁸ But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” ¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” ²⁰ But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me. ²¹ But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”

History- this letter was written to persecuted Roman believers. They were under the severe oppression and persecution of the Roman government. At this time, there were multiple gods and temples for worship. The government did not care which god you worshipped, so they did not much care which god the Christians worshipped. However, Christians are appointed to call Jesus “Lord”. Under the Roman empire, only Caesar was permitted to be called “lord”, as this was a sign of ownership and authority. Many Christians were required to attend the pagan temple once a year and proclaim, “Caesar is Lord”, or else they could lose their job, family, or even their very lives. We do not think much about this now- but it was a real threat under the Roman empire to proclaim that Caesar is lord.

What does this mean?

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? The apostle having observed, that whoever, Jew or Gentile, believe in the Lord and confess “Jesus is Lord”, shall be saved; and that the same Lord was ready and willing to dispense His grace, without any difference to them; that hearing they might believe, and so call upon the name of the Lord, and be saved. Paul tells us there can be no true calling upon God without faith, no faith without hearing, no hearing without preaching, and no preaching without a divine mission.

There is no hearing of Christ, and salvation by Him, without the preaching of the Word of God; the most normal way of hearing from God is by the ministry of the Word. Paul shows not only the necessity and usefulness of preaching, but also points out the subject matter of it, which is Christ, and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Acts 4:10-12 ¹⁰ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a ^[a]stumbling block and to the ^[b]Greeks foolishness,

Paul says the message matters. They that preach ought to preach to the glory of God, otherwise men may hear the preacher, and not hear Christ.

Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah:  “Isaiah said, Who hath believed our report?”

Isaiah 53:1-5 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no ^[a]form or ^[b]comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no ^[c]beauty that we should desire Him. ³ He is despised and ^[d]rejected by men, A Man of ^[e]sorrows and acquainted with ^[f]grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. ⁴ Surely He has borne our ^[g]griefs And carried our ^[h]sorrows; Yet we ^[i]esteemed Him stricken, ^[j]Smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was wounded^[k] for our transgressions, He was ^[l]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes^[m] we are healed.

So then faith comes by that report and therefore this report or message is necessary. When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard or believed. And this shows us at once the importance of the message, and the fact that people are converted by the instrument of truth, and of truth only. Even then, Paul says they have not all obeyed the gospel. The fact remains, however, in spite of this universal preaching, that there has not been a universal surrender to the Gospel. 

Isaiah 65:1 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name.

Isaiah long ago prophesied that the Gentiles were to be called. But there was still an important part of his argument remaining – that the Jews were to be rejected. This he proceeds to establish; Paul says that while the Gentiles would be obedient, the character of the Jews was, that they were a disobedient and rebellious people.

Isaiah 65:2-5 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; ³ A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; ⁴ Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of ^[a]abominable things is in their vessels; ⁵ Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These ^[b]are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day

All day long I have stretched forth my hands – Continually, without intermission; implying that their acts of rebellion were not momentary; but that this was the established character of the people. This denotes an attitude of entreaty; a willingness and earnest desire to receive them to favor; to invite and entreat;  But the jews were disobedient –  rebellious, disbelieving, not confiding or obeying. They were gain-saying – speaking against God; resisting, opposing.

The prophet Isaiah proceeds to specify in what this rebellion consisted, and to show that this was their character. The ancient character of the people was that of wickedness; God is represented as stretching out his hands in vain; they rejected him, and he was sought and found by others. Therefore, the rebellious Jews would be rejected; and, that the Gentiles and Jews were on the same level in regard to justification before God.

In the closing part of this chapter, the great doctrine is brought forth and defended that the way of salvation is open for all the world. This, in the time of Paul, was regarded as a novel doctrine. Jesus Himself said, “salvation is of the Jews” to the Samaritan woman at the well. Paul took great pains to illustrate and defend it. And so, with so much zeal and self-denial, the apostles of the Lord Jesus went and proclaimed it to the nations. And from this discussion we may learn the following truths:

(1) The pagan world is in danger of hell without the preaching of the full gospel. They are sinful, polluted, wretched. People are not good, we are not worthy, we are not deserving of grace. The cross does not reveal the innate value of those redeemed, but rather it reveals the character and grace of God. The cross is a display of the hopeless, undeserving, sinful, guilty, rebellious, debased condition of those for whom Jesus died. The magnitude of Christ’s sufferings is a measure, not of the magnitude of our worth, but the magnitude of the repulsiveness of our sin, the horror of our rebellion, and the infinite value of the glory and faithfulness of the God who keeps His covenant. We had nothing good to offer God and were undeserving of what God gave us. This is the very meaning of grace. God was merciful for His name’s sake.

Ezekiel 36:22,32 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. ³² Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!”

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

(2) the provisions of the gospel are ample for all. The gospel is enough. The cross is enough. The blood still cleanses. It is the power to save, redeem, heal, deliver. You do not have to add to it! It is the power to save every wretched individual, if men would just preach the TRUTH of God’s Word and stop sugar coating it, stop adding to and subtracting from His Word. The faith that overcomes sin, the devil and the world only comes by hearing the truth of the Word of God. The message matters.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—^[a]our faith.

People are ONLY converted by the truth. There are many in the church who have not been converted because they have not heard the true gospel of peace. They have merely assented to a system of belief, easy believism, and they remain powerless to overcome sin.

Pastor’s message: it is not “Jesus +”. It is Jesus alone is sufficient for everything in this life.

2 Peter 1:3-4 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the ^[a]corruption that is in the world through lust.

The power of the blood of Jesus is enough to overcome every sin, every addiction, every anxiety and depression. It is the power to be healed in every single area of our life. You do not need a system, or curriculum, or 12 step program. Just the blood of Jesus and the power of the Spirit. Either let His power reign in you to overcome all sin and the enemy or tell Him His power is insufficient to overcome.

(3) the command of Jesus Christ remains still the same, to preach the gospel to every creature. That command has never been repealed or changed. “How shall they hear without a preacher?” Not everyone has the ministry calling of an evangelist, but we are all called to evangelize.

 You are not a missionary to the nations if you are not a missionary first to the ones around you. God will never call you away if you are not reaching those right where you are. Most won’t because they are truly embarrassed of what others think.

How many of you know what the gospel is? I remember Gaalya asked this to her Bible study and many could not accurately give a gospel presentation. One lady said that she just sung over people. Yes, I talk about you behind your back- I want to know how our people are doing. The gospel cannot be summed up in one Scripture. It is not John 3:16 as it speaks nothing of repentance and almost the rest of that chapter speaks to being born again of the Spirit of God. In a nut shell- we are all born into sin and are enemies of God and therefore subject to His wrath. We cannot overcome our sinful nature on our own. We need a Savior, otherwise our destiny is Hell. Jesus came. He was fully man and fully God. He lived a sinless life, and was blameless and innocent. As the innocent Lamb of God, HE came to satisfy the wrath of God and took upon Himself our sin, becoming a curse for us and therefore justifying the wrath of God on mankind. By His actions of obedience and through the shedding of His blood, we have been given a vessel to draw near to the Father and become a son and daughter of God. This way of salvation is for us to repent, turn from our sins in faith toward Jesus, confess Him as Lord and live a life of surrender and obedience to His Word. We are then baptized in water by obedience and live a life daily dying to our flesh and living in accordance with the Holy Spirit. We seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit to help us overcome. We die to our flesh and live according to the direction of the Spirit. (this takes about 1-2 min)

When we look at multiple Scriptures, we get a more clear and accurate picture of the gospel message.

Remember true faith only comes by hearing the true gospel. Preaching the gospel is more than a sentence or smart cliché.

Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Confess- “Homologos”- being in the same place and time as the Word. Ex: TV/movie wedding vows Are they married? Did they mean what they said? It is more than saying words out loud.

The earliest testimony of the church was “Jesus is LORD”. HE is called Lord over 600 times compared to just 25 as Savior. Lord means: having power, authority or control; one who rules. One who is a master to whom service is due, and one who is an owner, the legal guardian of. Jesus being Lord of your life is an important message tour salvation.

Romans 14:7-9For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died ^[a]and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born ^[a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Acts 2:38Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[a]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward ^[a]us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Your first mission field is your family. If my kids go to hell, I have failed. I know some parents that just send their kids away on a mission trip hoping they’ll get saved. Parents- it is YOUR job to teach them the Word of God, not a ministry organization, not the church, not your kids Sunday school teacher. YOU.

Next, your mission field is your neighbors. How are you going oversees to share the gospel, but you refuse to share the gospel with your neighbor? Your classmates? Your co-workers? The area where God has placed you. The grocery store, the gym, the gas station.

I remember a few years ago Francis Chan said he was leaving America and going overseas to an area that would hear the gospel, because here in America we are all catching the same fish. I am telling you the American church is in a bad state, we might all be catching the same fish, but those fish are rotten. People have been lulled into a state of complacency, lethargy and indifference to the surrounding culture. Much of the American church is apostate, she has lost all holiness and looks, acts and sounds like the world. Lukewarm people need to repent, or they will be lost forever.

(4) if the gospel is to be proclaimed everywhere, people must be willing to be sent. “How beautiful are the feet of him that preaches the gospel of peace.” The feet- those who are willing to go and preach the gospel. You have to have a desire to see the lost saved. You have to get over yourself and how you appear to others. You have to be willing to look like a fool for Christ. You must be willing to be persecuted for His name and the Word that you preach.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

ALL- Here in America we are not being beheaded, but it says “ALL”. Do you know why you are not suffering persecution? Because you are not living godly. YOU are conformed to the world instead of conformed to Christ and His Word. You look like the world and the world loves it’s own. You refuse to speak the truth in the face of a perverse world.

Are your feet stagnant? Or ready to go and speak the Word boldly? As Isaiah spoke boldly

Acts 14:3ESV So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Acts 4:29ESV And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

Ephesians 6:19ESV And also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

(5) the church, in training and discipling people for the ministry, is performing a noble and glorious work. Part of the ministry of the church is coming together to be built up, taught, instructed and corrected by the preacher so that we can go out to bring others to the faith. Paul tells the young minister Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:2-3Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers

I was talking to someone yesterday why good doctrine and to know the truth of God’s Word and who Jesus is, is important. The Great apostasy that was prophesied thousands of years ago is a departure from Biblical, Scriptural truths of God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:11-13 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the ^[a]edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

The church body, particularly the preaching of the Word equips the saints for ministry.

(6) Lastly, God will withdraw his favors from those churches that are disobedient and rebellions. Thus, he rejected the ancient Jews; and thus also he will forsake all who abuse his mercies; who become proud, rebellious and wicked. In this respect it becomes the church to remember the God’s works of old; and not to forget, too, that communal sin provokes God to withdraw, and that a church that forgets God must be punished.

Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

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