09-27-06 The stages of salvation

The stages of salvation:

Vv1-2

Received – Past tense

 

Stand – Present tense

 

By which you are saved – Present and Future tense

 

V 2

Have you really embraced the Gospel?

 

Vv 3-4

The Death Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ was planned by God“According to the Scripture?”

(Rom 5:6, 8; 8:32; 1 Cor 8:11; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Eph 5:2; Titus 2:14; Gal 1:4; Is 52:13-53:12; Ps 16:9-10; 56:13; 116:8)

 

vv. 5-11

There were many Eyewitnesses to the Resurrected Jesus Christ!

 

Vv12-19

The Resurrection is Fact! If it’s not our faith is worthless!

 

vv. 20-34

We have victory in the victory of Christ.

 

 

V 33 see Rom 6:3-14; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13 and Rom 8:10

 

 

Vv35-58

The Resurrection Difference!

 

09-13-06 Uniquely You Part 2 Wednesday Night MBBC Profitable Bible Study

Wednesday Night MBBC Profitable Bible Study

Spiritual Gifts and Personality Profile

September 13th, 2006

 

What kind of personality do you have?

Answer: A good one.

 

Everyone has a good personality! It’s what you do with your personality that matters. You control the use of your personality.

 

Psalm 139:15

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

 

According to the Bible you were woven together in your mother’s womb by God. God gave you your personality and he doesn’t make mistakes. God’s part in the formation of your personality is what we refer to as “nature” and the environment through which your personality was shaped is the “nurture” component.

 

Identifying and understanding your personality should help you as you interact with God and those around you. As a matter of fact, the study of your personality will give you invaluable insight into the personalities of others. You will increasingly find yourself having “Aha” moments as you understand yourself and others more deeply.

 

The Uniquely You Personality Profile is derived from William Marston’s DISC Model of Human Behavior introduced in 1928 through his book The Emotions of Normal People. Mels Carbonell, the author of our study material, very intentionally relates our discoveries from the Spirtiual Gifts Inventory to our Personality Profile with the goal of directing us into healthier relationships and more fruitful ministry.

 

Open your workbooks to page 8 and begin to carefully work through the Personality portion of our study (pp. 8-28).

 

Homework:

        Complete and study Personality Profile.

        Complete attached questions.

09-06-06 Uniquely You Spiritual Gift Profile 1 of 3

Uniquely You

Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts

 

1 Corinthians 12-14 offers an inspired look at the supernatural gifting of individual believers and the role “gifts” should take in the church. For the next three Wednesday’s (Sept. 6^th, 13^th and 20^th) we will explore our own giftedness and how our gifts can best be used to strengthen the church.

 

Every believer is gifted:

1 Cor. 7:7

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

 

Spiritual Gifts are imparted to build up the body of Christ.

Ephes. 4:11-13

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

Read Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 4

 

Complete Spiritual Gifts Profile (pages 3-5)

 

DO HOMEWORK!

08-23-06 1 Cor 12

1 Cor. 12:1-31

Now concerning spiritual gifts, . . .

4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1.      the word of wisdom through the Spirit v. 8,

 

 

2.      and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit v. 8

 

 

3.      to another faith by the same Spirit, v. 9

 

 

4.      and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, v. 9

 

 

5.       10and to another the effecting of miracles, v. 10

 

 

6.      and to another prophecy, v. 10

 

 

7.       and to another the distinguishing of spirits, v. 10

 

 

8.      to another various kinds of tongues, v. 10

 

 

9.      and to another the interpretation of tongues. v. 10

 

11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

12For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 

28And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

 

1 Corinthians 10

FREEDOMS, RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES

1 Corinthians 10

Chapter 8
There is incredible freedom in Christ! In Paul's day the city of Corinth was a religious place. There were lots of temples and many opportunities to enjoy meals sacrificed to idols. Because idols really represented no god, meat offered to them was sacrificed to nothing. There is only one true God. However, then as now, there was potential to confuse and offend a new Christian by exercising one's freedom in Christ. As I participate in the freedom that Christ so dearly paid for, I must keep others in view.

Chapter 9
Paul delineates his rights in the first verses of chapter 9. No doubt it can be inferred that each follower of Christ has “rights,” however, the greatest good for others doesn’t necessarily come through the exercising of one’s rights. So the freedom or rights of a Christ follower should be exercised with the well-being of others in mind. Thinking of others and the impact we have is a sign of maturity and love.

Chapter 10
Is it possible that our freedom and rights in Christ can become idols? If the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, and a primary means to glorify Him is obedience as demonstrated through our commitment to Love God with everything and our neighbor as ourselves, then demonstrating restraint in the exercise of freedoms and rights for the good of others is a means by which we comply with God’s purpose for us. If however our primary focus becomes the exercising of the liberty, freedom, and rights we have in Chris, then it is possible for said priveleges to become idols.


Scripture is AUTHORITATIVE for Matters of Faith and Practice. Vv 1-10

1 Cor. 10:1-2
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

Exodus 13:21-22
The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

1 Cor. 10:3-4
and all ate the same spiritual food; 4and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

Exodus 16:31
The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.

Exodus 17:6
"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

John 4:14
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

John 6:35
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

1 Cor. 10:5
Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:29
your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.


We Must PROTECT our hearts by Refraining from . . . .
1 Cor. 10:6 (NASBr)
These events happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.

Worshipping IDOLS.
1 Cor. 10:7 (NLT)
They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around." So don't worship idols.

Exodus 20:5 (CEV)
Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations.

Engaging in SEXUAL Immorality.
1 Cor. 10:8 (NIV)
We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

Testing JESUS CHRIST.
1 Cor. 10:9 (NLT)
Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.

Grumbling.


We Must Never OVERESTIMATE our Own Strength. Vv 12-14


The boundary of my freedom is the GLORY of GOD.
1 Cor. 10:31
Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God.

In All I Do I Should Strive to IMITATE Christ!
1 Cor. 11:1
And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ's.

Evict the Leaven!

1 Corinthians 5: 6-8 (ESV)
6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

A little bit of yeast makes the dough rise. A "little bit" of sin impacts every bit of our lives. Observing the Lord's Supper is a time for us to allow God's all pervading grace to evict that nagging sin from our lives. Join us Sunday, July 30th at 11 AM as we observe the Lord's Supper.

DEALING WITH SIN IN THE CHURCH

DEALING WITH SIN IN THE CHURCH

1 Corinthians Chapters 5 and 6 (NASBu)
It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. 2You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
3For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Leviticus 18:7-8
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. 8'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.

Leviticus 18:29
'For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people.



1. We Are to DISASSOCIATE WITH CHRISTIANS WHO PRACTICE SIN.
9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

2. We are to
DECIDE DISPUTES BETWEEN CHRISTIAN OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM.
6:1Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 4So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, 6but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.
9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.


3. We are to DECLARE OUR BODY’s OFF LIMITS TO IMMORALITY

Sexual Sin Harms You!
12All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable.

Sexual Sin Controls You!
All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Sexual Sin Is a Gross Perversion of God’s Best for You!
13Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.


4. We are to DECLARE OUR BODY’s THE PROPERTY OF GOD!

Your Body Belongs to Jesus Christ!
15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "The two shall become one flesh."

Your Body Is the Dwelling Place of the Holy Spirit!
17But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.


Galatians 5:1
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Proverbs 5:3
For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;

Proverbs 5:18-19
Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19As a loving hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.



Vs. 1
Greek pornenia for immorality

Vs.2

God's Vision or My Dream?

How Do I Distinguish Between a God-Given Vision and A Self-Generated Dream?

"Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint," Proverbs 29:18. Vision has been defined as a God given picture of His future. Vision is seeing what could and should be rather than what is and shouldn't be. And more than ever God's people need God's vision for their lives.

John Piper, (desiringgod.org) the Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, is a self-described Christian Hedonist and states that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. A God-given vision is obtained as we go hard after God. When we are recieving God's vision into our lives we are delighting and satisfying ourselves in Him. The Psalmist stated it like this, Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

A God-given vision draws you closer to God as you pursue Him and His purpose for your life with everything in you, while a self-generated dream will take you farther and farther from Him as you pursue it. The question to ask as you seek to determine whether your pursuing His vision for your life or your own dream is , "Am I drawing nearer to you Lord?"

The Work of Saving Grace

How Does Saving Grace Change ME?

---

 

The Work of Saving Grace

 

 

1. Saving Grace Creates a New Heart in Me!

REGENERATION

Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace along.  (II Cor. 5:17, John 3: 1-18, Gen. 3:15, Exodus 3: 14-17, Matthew 1:21)

 

Ephes. 2:1, 4 & 5

Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!)

 

Ezekiel 36:26-27

And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. 27And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.

 

 

2. Saving Grace Gives Me a New Direction. (I turn from sin and self toward God.)

REPENTANCE

Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbleth himself for it with Godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk with God so as to please Him in all things. (Luke 13:3, 5, Acts 2:21, 4:12, 5:11, 16:30-31)

 

1 Samuel 7:3

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."

 

 

3. Saving Grace Grants Me a Right Standing with God!

JUSTIFICATION

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith.  (Romans 5: 8-10, 10: 1-13)

 

Romans 5:8-10

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's judgment. 10For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life.

 

4. Saving Grace is Unshakable Trust in God!

FAITH

Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His word concerning Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification and eternal life.  It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a Life of holiness.  (Eph. 2: 8-10, Hebrews 11,John 3: 3-21, 36, 5:4, 10:9, 28-29)

 

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

 

Job 13:15 (KJV)  

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. 

5. Saving Faith Generates a Desire for a New Lifestyle in Me!

SANCTIFICATION

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified, by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them.  This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength which all Saints seek to obtain, pressing after a Heavenly Life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands.  (Romans 6: 1-23, 8: 1-18, 29-39, 10: 9-10-13, I Cor. 6: 19-20, II Cor. 5: 17-20)

 

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? ... And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.                      1 Cor. 6:9, 11

 

to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:                                         1 Cor. 1:2

 

"You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Leviticus 19:2

 

What are the Signs that Saving Grace is Working in Me?

 

1. Obedience to Christ!

1 John 3:9

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

 

2. Overcoming the Pressures and Temptations You Encounter!

1 John 5:3-4

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

 

3. You Are Growing Fruit!

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

 

 

06-21-06 Midweek Profitable Bible Study 1 Cor 1:10 - 3:23

We Are to Be United!

Self-will is at the center of all conflict!

James 4:1-2

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

I. We are United In Purpose: Not Devoted to PERSONAL PREFERENCE. (1:10-17)

What is the church’s primary purpose?

What is the purpose of Martin Bluff Baptist Church?

Our Purpose is derived from the Great Commission and the Great Commandment:

The Great Commission:

Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

The Great Commandment:

Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

At MBBC our purpose is:

1. TO MAGNIFY GOD: We demonstrate our love to God through a lifestyle of worship.

2. BE ON MISSION FOR GOD: We Evangelize the normal person by Proclaiming the

life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

3. JOIN IN MEMBERSHIP: We are called to participate in the community baptized believers known as the church.

4. FACILITATE MATURITY: We are engaged in the dynamic process of encouraging believers to develop Christ-likeness in self and others.

5. ENGAGE IN MINISTRY: We are called to a life of service to Christ and others.

II. We Are United by the Cross (1:18-25)

III. We Are United in Gratitude: Not BOASTING. (1:26-31)

IV. We Are United in Our SUPER- NATURAL Understanding of the Gospel Message. (Ch. 2)

V. We Are United in Facing a Day of ACCOUNTABILITY. (Ch. 3)

Sermon Sunday, June 18, 2006

Identifying and Eliminating

Barricades to God’s Best for Your Life

1 Cor. 10:1-13 NASBu

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3and all ate the same spiritual food; 4and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

6Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." 8Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Five Barricades to God’s Best in Your Life:

1. Craving EVIL.

1 Cor. 10:6 (NASBr)

These events happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.

2. Worshipping IDOLS.

1 Cor. 10:7 (NLT)

They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around." So don't worship idols.

Exodus 20:5 (CEV)

Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations.

3. Engaging in SEXUAL Immorality.

1 Cor. 10:8 (NIV)

We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

4. Testing JESUS CHRIST.

1 Cor. 10:9 (NLT)

Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.

5. Grumbling.

Eliminating the Barricades . . .

By Asking God to Show you the escape. Visualize your life as God intends it!

06-14-06 1 Cor. 1 1-9

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

1 Cor. 1:1-9

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

Understanding your Identity in Christ: Who Am I In Christ Jesus?

 

1. I am CALLED!  Called and Calling  in vv 1 & 2 mean to be “appointed” or “selected.”

 

Paul was appointed or called on the Damascus Road. (See Acts 9:1-15)

Acts 9:15

But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

 

Recount your Damascus Road. When were you called and numbered among the “saints?” How is your life different due to your “calling?”

 

 

Romans 1:6 (NLT) 

    You are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ,

 

 

2. I Am SANCTIFIED! Literally means “to be made holy.” I am one who has been set apart to serve God’s righteous cause and I am destined to share in His eternal kingdom.

Leviticus 19:2

"Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

 

 

 

3. I Am a Saint! A “saint” is chosen, is a priest, is a member of God’s holy nation, is God’s possession (See 1 Peter 2:4-12).

1 Peter 2:9

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

 

 

 4. I Am a Recipient of God’s DIVINE FAVOR!

His Divine Favor is demonstrated through exceptional giftedness. List the gifts delineated in the Bible passage (v. 5).

 

 

5. I Am a TROPHY of God’s Grace! My life is being changed by His Grace.

1 Cor. 1:6 (MsgB) 

    The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

 

In What Ways Has my Relationship with Jesus Christ Changed My Life?

 

6. I Will Be  Declared BLAMELESS when Christ Returns!

 

Day of our Lord is a reference to the Return of Christ.

Joel 2:31

The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.

 

Amos 5:18-20

How terrible it will be for you who say, "If only the day of the Lord were here! For then the Lord would rescue us from all our enemies." But you have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will not bring light and prosperity, but darkness and disaster. 19In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion—only to meet a bear. After escaping the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house—and is bitten by a snake. 20Yes, the day of the Lord will be a dark and hopeless day, without a ray of joy or hope.

 

 

 

7. I Am in FELLOWSHIP With Jesus Christ. (v. 9) See Acts 2:42-47. We are literally able to relate to God through Jesus Christ as personally as we can each other. As matter of Fact it is our Fellowship with Jesus Christ that enables us to be in deep relationship or fellowship with our fellow Christ-Followers.

 

 

 

 

06-11-06 hand out The Heart of God

The Heart of God

Luke 15:1-32

Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such despicable people—even eating with them! LK 15:1-2

 

“The List”

Worthy                                    Unworthy

 

Examine Yourself: Do you have a list? Who is beyond God’s reach in your eyes? Why?

 

Psalm 14:2-3

The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race;

he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding,

one who seeks for God. 3But no, all have turned away from God;

all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one!

 

Romans 3:10-12

As the Scriptures say, "No one is good—not even one.

11No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God.

12All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong.

No one does good, not even one."

 

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.

 

1. God Displays His Extravagant Love for His Own through His Searching!

Luke 19:10 (NLT)

  “And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."

 

Lost - A Word Used by Jesus Christ to Describe someone who does not have a personal relationship with God.

 

Luke 15:3-5

3So Jesus used this illustration: 4"If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one until you found it? 5And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders.

 

Luke 15:8

8"Or suppose a woman has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until she finds it?

 

2. God Displays His Extravagant Love for His Own through His Celebrating!

Luke 15:6-7

6When you arrived, you would call together your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you because your lost sheep was found. 7In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!

 

 

Luke 15:9-10

9And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her because she has found her lost coin. 10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."

 

3. God Displays His Extravagant Love through Us when We Extend His Grace to Others!

Luke 15:11-32

11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13"A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. 14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. 16The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17"When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! 18I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '

20"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'

22"But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.

25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'

28"The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, 29but he replied, 'All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.'

31"His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!' "

 

The Gospel surrounds not a list of ideas, rules or propositions, but a Person.

 

Religion focuses on behavior (“you can’t be acceptable unless you perform and keep rules”).

 

Irreligion focuses on “personal freedom” (“you can be happy apart from God’s rule in your life.

 

The Gospel focuses on personal trust in God’s heroic rescue through His Son Jesus Christ.