WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED THIS YEAR?

 NR 12/30/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    So, here we are at the end of another year.  They go by faster and faster.  What did you expect at the beginning of 2012?  What happened that you didn’t expect?
    Let’s look for a moment at the thought of expectations.  Some people expect others must take care of their every desire.
Entitlement Mindset Produces Ingratitude
    The bigger our sense of entitlement, the smaller our sense of gratitude …. [Our entitlement mindset] has led to a proliferation of lawsuits: when we don’t get something we really want, we sue somebody.
    For example:
The San Francisco Giants were sued for passing out Father’s Day gifts to men only.
A psychology professor sued for sexual harassment because of the presence of mistletoe at a Christmas party.
A psychic was awarded $986,000 when a doctor’s CAT scan impaired her psychic abilities. You have to wonder about this third one: If she really was a psychic, shouldn’t she have known not to go to that doctor in the first place?
Dan Baker and Cameroun Stauth, What Happy People Know (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2004), page 161
    I assume this past week there were many fulfilled and unfulfilled expectations when it came to receiving gifts.
    Just for a smile:  Mother “Fails” Parenting Class
    When our daughter, Kathy, was participating in a parenting class at her church, she explained to her 6-year-old daughter, Kayla, that she was taking a course to help make her a better mommy. The next Sunday, after church, Kayla became upset and had a tantrum because she was not getting her way. Both parents tried to calm her. But with tears streaming down her face and in a loud voice, Kayla announced to her mother, “You told me you were taking a course to make you a better mommy. Well, it’s not working!”
Shirley Ratcliff, “Kids of the Kingdom,” Christian Reader (July/August 2003)
    The end of the year is a god time to look back. Let’s look back at message from January 1, 2012 (a few highlights)
Growing - GET READY TO GROW
Ready, Set, GROW!
Facts About the Redwood Tree
    Up to 350 feet in height, coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth. Commonly known as redwoods and officially known as Sequoia sempervirens, Latin for forever living.  Redwoods grow only on one narrow 450-mile strip of land that stretches from the northern coast of California into Oregon.
    Redwoods have an average life span of 500 to 700 years, but some trees have been known to live 2,000 years.
    Redwoods thrive in the moist climate of the Northern California region which often records more than 100 inches of rainfall a year. Scientists estimate that a large redwood can hold 34,000 pounds of water.
    Redwoods are evergreen conifers, trees that produce cones such as pines and spruces. Rather than leaves, they have green needles that they retain year round. Redwoods reproduce either from seeds similar in size to those found in a tomato, or from spouts that emerge from the forest’s complex root system. Known as one of the world’s the fastest growing trees, redwoods can gain five to seven feet in height each year.
    Redwoods can grow up to 22 feet in diameter. The cinnamon-colored bark that gives the trees their name is usually 12 inches thick, and protects redwoods from insects, birds and fungus. Their bark, which contains plenty of water-based sap, also protects the trees from forest fires. Although redwoods have no natural predators, they have a shallow root system that digs roughly 10 to 13 feet into the ground before spreading 60 to 80 feet outward. Those roots would normally put such tall trees in danger of being ripped free and toppled by high winds. However, each tree intertwines is roots with those of nearby trees, adding strength and stability to the group or grove.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6362654_redwood-tree.html  By Laura Scott, eHow Contributor
    Amazing growth is possible because of the Creator.  Anything that He says should grow will grow because of His power, creativity and provision.  That growth includes every one who is a believer in Jesus, anyone who wants to learn and apply the Biblical promises in their life.
Did you grow this year?
Did you think about growing?
Did you make any efforts to grow?
Do you know that the enemy will do all he can to keep you from growing?
    Note how the huge redwoods make it:  each tree intertwines is roots with those of nearby trees, adding strength and stability to the group or grove.
Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,   20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
    This passage is commonly known as the Great Commission.  It is the challenge to the church to not just sit there, but to get out and do what it takes to reach people with the good news of Jesus.  Note the first word of the passage: Go.  The church is not to hide, but get out to where people are to tell them of Jesus.
    Make Disciples.  A disciple is a learner, a follower.  So, we are to do what it takes to see that we, and then others, become real followers of Jesus, following and applying what He taught.  Jesus said we are to teach people to observe all things He commanded.  So, we are to teach and apply what the Bible says.  That is our commission from Jesus.
    In order to do this, we must continually grow and mature spiritually.  Not be stagnant.
We must continue to:
learn more and apply it.
reach out to others with God’s Good News
show them how they can enjoy the blessings and privileges of what Jesus paid for when He came to this earth.
    This year we introduced a process of continual spiritual growth we call:  Connect2Life.  C2L is a daily Bible reading plan.  It challenges a person to read a chapter and then answer three questions.
1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
3.  How can I help someone?
    As I have been doing this regularly it has caused me to really think about what I’m reading.  I can’t comment on everything in every chapter.  But, I am forced to think about what it is saying and dwell on the practical aspects of the Christian life.
**What does God want me to be doing?
**How does the Bible influence daily life?
**How does my Christian life impact other people?
    I know that some of you have been participating in Connect2Life.  The beginning of the year is a time when people often start a new Bible reading plan.  If you have not been following C2L I encourage you to jump in.  If you follow the plan, in one year you will have read the New Testament and have written something about every chapter.
    A key point to remember as we have been giving an emphasis this year to growing:  Growing spiritually comes as we put in the effort.  The effort includes faithful and consistent church attendance.  It takes advantage of all the opportunities we have: Sunday School, services, mid-week Bible study, etc.  The more effort we put in the more we will learn and grow.  It should be said of all of us that we are growing Christians.
    Discipleship is learning.  But, we must start with learning the basics.  We build on them, they are important.
Coach Wooden Started with Socks
    Players gathering for the first day of basketball practice at UCLA were full of anticipation. They wondered how their coach, John Wooden, would set the tone for the long season to come. They didn’t have to wait long.
    Veterans knew what was coming. But first year players were no doubt perplexed by the initial lesson imparted by their Hall of Fame coach: He taught them how to put on a pair of socks. He did not teach this lesson only once, but before every game and practice. Why?
    Wooden discovered many players didn’t properly smooth out wrinkles in the socks around their heels and little toes. If left uncorrected, these wrinkles could cause blisters that could hamper their performance at crucial times during games. Many players thought the practice odd and laughed about it then. Wooden knew some of them continued to laugh. But the coach would not compromise on this basic fundamental principle: “I stuck to it. I believed in that, and I insisted on it.”  John Wooden was one of the most successful coaches in the history of the game.
    In our desire to grow as Christians, we can easily forget about the fundamentals of our faith. If we do, we run the risk of developing painful spiritual blisters that can hurt us as we run our race.  Discipleship - Keep the focus on Jesus and what He taught.
Lee Dean, Griffith, Indiana; source: espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/wooden
    Are you really familiar with the teachings of Jesus, of the Bible?  It is full of wisdom and practical instructions.  I want to emphasize the importance of actually doing what you learn.  Christianity is not just a bunch of theory, but must be lived out.
    We are called to be servants of the Lord.  Jesus taught on the principle of being a servant.  He said we need to follow that principle.
John 13:12-17 NKJV
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?   13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.   14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.   15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.   16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.   17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Servants Must Be Prepared for Home Owner’s Visits
    There was a fabulously wealthy American newspaper publisher named James Gordon Bennett. In 1835 Bennett started The New York Herald. He had two lavish apartments in Paris, plus a French country estate and a yacht harbored in Europe. He also had three homes in the U.S. even though he hadn’t lived in the country for over ten years. But the servants in each of his homes always needed to be prepared for Bennett’s unexpected arrival. Author Jill Jones wrote: “Each [house] was fully staffed, ready to serve Bennett should he stride in the front door unannounced—the wine cellars were kept stocked, fires roared in the grates, and sheets were turned down nightly.”
    Jesus calls us to be similarly ready for his sudden return.  He also calls us to be constantly ready to serve.  Jesus was always ready to serve when needed.  We must be ready as well.
Jill Jones, Eiffel's Tower (Viking Adult, 2009), p. 199
    Paul expressed the reality of Jesus’ servanthood in his letter to the church at Philippi.
Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,   6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,   7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.   8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.     It was not too big of a sacrifice for Jesus to leave heaven to come to earth.  He took a lowly position, the place of a servant.  He humbled himself and was obedient.
Servants look for something to do.
    Latin American theologian Rene Padilla remembers vividly one of his early encounters with Bible teacher John Stott.
    The previous night we had arrived in Bariloche, Argentina, in the middle of heavy rain. The street was muddy and, as a result, by the time we got to the room that had been assigned to us our shoes were covered with mud. In the morning, as I woke up, I heard the sound of a brush—John was busy, brushing my shoes. “John!,” I exclaimed full of surprise, “What are you doing?”
    “My dear René,” he responded, “Jesus taught us to wash each other’s feet. You do not need me to wash your feet, but I can brush your shoes.”
Tim Stafford, “John Stott Has Died,” Christianity Today (7-27-11)
Matthew 10:24-25 NKJV
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.   25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
    Jesus went through a long list of extremely difficult situations.  He stuck with the purpose of His life.  He obeyed the will of the Father.  We are not above going through the battles of life to do the will of God.
    The Apostle Paul also understood the concept of being a servant, a bond-slave to Jesus.
Titus 1:1-2 NKJV
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,   2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
    Again, the author calls himself a servant.
    Question: what’s the purpose of serving?  Give help, encouragement, promote the Master.  The servant does what the Master wants.
    Paul wrote about the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.  Our knowledge of the truth must go beyond gathering facts.  Disciples of Jesus, His servants, must have Godliness growing in their lives.  Godliness is the result of discipleship.
    Question for disciples:  Are they impacting the lives of others that they also are living Godly and following the truth of the Bible?
    Another question: Are you an admirer of Jesus?  Or a genuine follower?
    God expects action from His followers, His disciples.
No Excuses for Doing Nothing
    In response to those who make excuses why they cannot serve the Lord, Rick Warren writes:
    Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid.
    That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in his service. He will use you too if you stop making excuses.
Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Life," Zondervan (October 2002), p. 233
    LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step.  Discuss and see how we can actually do the things we study.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?

IS CHRISTMAS IMPORTANT?

12/16/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    Is Christmas important?
    Sports fans have heard of Roone Arledge.  He was president of ABC Sports and then as president and chairman of ABC News.  He was an important behind-the-scenes figure in the television coverage of the major events of the last half century, from the Olympics to the boxing matches of Muhammad Ali in the 1960s to the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-80.
Here is a very interesting statement:
    The late Roone Arledge, after a stab at expanding into entertainment with a variety show starring Howard Cosell failed in 1975, told The Daily News in the fall of 1976, “I would much rather have it on my tombstone that I did something important.”
Bill Carter, “Roone Arledge, a Force in TV Sports and News, Dies at 71,”New York Times (12-6-02)
    I know that celebrating Christmas is traditional.  Families have events they have done for years and it wouldn’t seem like Christmas if they didn’t do them.  There are foods they simply must have.  There are things that bring emotions and nostalgia.  People say “that’s what Christmas is all about”.  So, is it chestnuts roasting on an open fire and a white Christmas that makes it all important?
    Is Christmas important?
    And, if so, what makes it important?
    Let’s start out with this: Yes, Christmas matters.
    The story is amazing!  There is nothing routine about the story and all the details of His birth.  The facts and what Jesus accomplished are what makes this whole time important.
**Think about the fact that Jesus was born without a human father.
**An angel came and brought assurance to a heartbroken Joseph when he found out his beloved wife-to-be was pregnant and he knew for sure he was NOT the father.
**Wise men followed the star over a long distance and period of time to worship Jesus.
**Herod tried to deceive the wise men so he could kill Jesus.
** God taking on a human form, God becoming flesh.
    There is nothing boring about this story.  We have become very familiar with it and allowed it to become routine.  Yet, we must proclaim the awesome message.  Salvation from sin is the result of Christ’s coming.
    Think about this.  What if it could be proven that a young woman somewhere today was really a virgin, and with no medical procedures, no human intervention of any kind – what if it she became pregnant and gave birth to a child??  That would be a world-wide story.
    Just because we have heard the story over and over, let’s keep the excitement and amazement that God used Mary to give birth to the baby Jesus.  Remember the response of the shepherds when they heard and saw.
Luke 2
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
    There is nothing routine about this amazing story.  Because here is the foundation for our faith.  It is the foundation for our life and eternity.  Because Jesus came, because He accomplished the full plan of salvation, we can live.
    What did you have before really knowing Jesus?  What did you have with simply a religious routine to follow?  What do the billions of people who only have some kind of religion that rejects Jesus have?
    The world is filled with misery, poverty, pain, rejection, loneliness and failure.  Jesus turns lives around and makes life new.
    Because Jesus came, salvation came to the human race.  This is our time to celebrate the greatest gift, the greatest victory the universe will ever see.
    The birth of Jesus celebrates the solution to the greatest battle ever fought.  It is the battle for eternal souls.
People must recognize their need for salvation.
Genesis 3:7 NKJV
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, . . .
Sin brings shame and a desire to hide it.
Genesis 3:8 NKJV
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Sin tries to blame someone else.
Genesis 3:12-13 NKJV
12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Sin brought separation from God and pain, struggle.
Genesis 3:17-19 NKJV
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
Genesis 3:23 NKJV
therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
God revealed His plan to restore the relationship with mankind.
Isaiah 7:14 NKJV
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
God paid the price Himself.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
We are invited to receive the gift.
Isaiah 55:6-7 NKJV
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
John 1:11-12 NKJV
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Acts 4:12 NKJV
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Romans 10:9-10, 13 NKJV
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.
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
    This is why Christmas is awesome.  Jesus came and provided life to all who will admit their need and accept Him personally.  We must thank God that He has given us this amazing salvation.  The Gospel of Jesus is the message of hope for the world.  It can never be commonplace.  We must never lose passion for living and telling this awesome story.
    I want to read a story, a modern parable made famous by Paul Harvey.
The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey
    The man to whom I’m going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn’t believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn’t make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.
    “I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.” He said he’d feel like a hypocrite. That he’d much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.
    Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound…Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud…At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.
    Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.
    Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them…He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms…Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.
    And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me…That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.
    “If only I could be a bird,” he thought to himself, “and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm…to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand.”
    At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells – Adeste Fidelis – listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.
    And he sank to his knees in the snow.

    Jesus became flesh. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us - and we beheld His glory.  He came to this world and provided a path to eternal life.
    We are going to take time to pray for God to speak to hearts, for God to open doors of opportunity for us to show people the path to life and light, Jesus.  That is an awesome way to celebrate Christmas.  Think of specific people you can pray for.

What Are People Hungry For?

 11/25/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    We have just celebrated the holiday of Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving, where it is common to celebrate with a great meal.  People arrive at the place of gathering hungry for a great meal.  They start hungry and walk away stuffed.  They say things like,
“Oh, I don’t need to eat for a week.”
“I don’t want to look at food for a long time.”
    Then, something interesting happens.  Even though they don’t really feel hungry, a little later in the day, they start to graze the leftovers.  The refrigerator door opens and it is all set out again and the family digs in again.  One of the reason why some don’t like to eat out on Thanksgiving is that there are no leftovers.  I even saw an ad for a restaurant that promised to send you home with leftovers if you eat Thanksgiving dinner there.
    During the grazing time some will say, “I don’t know what I’m hungry for, I’m just looking.”
    After Thanksgiving comes the Christmas season.  The promotion of greed and good deals has already started.  The focus of many on Thursday was as much on when they would head out shopping and plotting their moves in the store as it was on family and dinner.  Some got no sleep, preferring to be the first in line to save money on something they simply could NOT live without.
    So, as Christmas is coming, people are getting hungry for stuff.  They are creating lists and circulating them among their relatives.  This is what I want . . .
    At Christmas, some are hungry for family fellowship.  The really look forward to the gathering of those they don’t often see.
    At Christmas, others really don’t know what they are hungry for.  The question comes up in their thinking:  What really satisfies?  The question actually should be:  Who really satisfies?  Material things always fall short of expectations.
    We seek relationships because that is how God made us.  This is why so many people go from one bad relationship to another, because they are hungry for something and they can’t seem to find it.
    *** (Be sure to get this point) We find the ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction in a real and growing relationship with Jesus.  Out of that we can have satisfying human relationships based on God’s principles.
    So, the key question: what/Who are people really hungry for?  Let’s look at the answer, starting with a quotation from Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
    “I’m hungry for what really satisfies.  I don’t need any fluff.”  Since we were made for real relationship with Jesus, anything short of that doesn’t live up to what we need.  Life makes us weary and we feel the burdens.  We need a connection with Jesus.
    Think of this special invitation from Jesus to all who are weary and burdened.  The sinful nature we inherited and the influences of the world around us bring many problems.  Receiving the promises Jesus made by committing our lives to Him and living in obedience to His teachings, we live in freedom and rest.  Being yoked to Jesus gives us strength to face the difficulties of life.
Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.     What are you going through in life?  What are you tempted with?  Jesus lived on earth and understands what you are facing.  Jesus can empathize with what you face.  Jesus carried the burden of sin on Himself on the cross.  He endured the weight of sin so we can experience victory over it.  God gives us power to say no to temptation.
    Since Jesus knows and understands what we deal with, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence.  Our loving Savior is ready to help us.  We have open and free access to the highest authority anywhere.  Without fear we can come to God for help.
    Please take note: your spiritual enemy will do anything it takes to pull you away from fellowship and connection with Jesus.
Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
    Look at these awesome promises that come from what Jesus did for us.
Again, the question: what/Who are people really hungry for?
    Purpose, a reason to get up in the morning.
    Have you seen the bumper sticker?  I owe, I owe, so off to work I go. If that is the only reason to get up in the morning, life must be a major challenge.
**Is there a greater purpose in living other than simply gaining things and paying the bills?
**Is there a purpose that involves something that makes a real difference?
**Is there a purpose about things that last?
    In Jesus we find our purpose.  He gives us life that is so much more than simply survival.
1 John 5:12-13 NIV
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
    God has promised us more than just an endless existence.  We have a unique quality in life as we live with Jesus here on earth and get to know Him.  Jesus said that we have eternal life, not just hope for something special in the future.  We must develop an active and in progress faith that leads to a growing relationship with Jesus.
    We also have a future hope.  We all recognize the fact that some day we will leave this earth.  What an awesome hope that is.
    This week I read a post on FaceBook by Rich Lemberg, our District Secretary.  He was writing about his mother.  He wrote:
    I was sitting with my mom listening to some hymns and reading some Psalms. She decided to go to heaven. The angels are rejoicing with a great saint. We will miss you mom.
    His father was a friend of mine and fellow pastor who passed away over thirty years ago.  His mom finally joined the Lord and her husband this week.  What a powerful promise.  The family and friends don’t have to be consumed with panic and fear because of God’s amazing promise of eternal life.  This is something we have in Jesus.
    We have purpose in Jesus because what we are involved in will last.  It answers the deepest questions of life.
Again, the question: what/Who are people really hungry for?
    Friends, people who really care.
    I want to put the emphasis on really care.  This is where we as the local church can and must make a strong effort and really be the friends we all need.  I believe we do a good job at that.  We must continue to focus on this so we don’t miss out on caring for one another.     This summer I was the recipient of “Christians acting like Christians”.  When I received the phone call about my brother, Roger, and we headed to Missouri to be with the family, we were the recipients of genuine Christian love.  His friends almost competed to see who could bring us lunch each day.  They did an amazing job of carrying us through the days in the hospital and then through the funeral.  Back here you were doing what you could for us.  When we returned you were very kind to us as we continued to process all that happened.
    It is always a good thing to be guilty of acting like Christians.
Acts 2:42 NIV
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
    One phrase from verse 46 . . . and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
    The church established a good foundation at the beginning.  They devoted themselves, they steadfastly persevered in these important ingredients for being the church Jesus intended.  This included their fellowship and sharing meals. 
    They were together, there was unity.  They focused on the unity and would not let anything mess it up.
    Just what is this Christian fellowship?  There are discussions and debates as to what it is.  Some thoughts:
❏    A bond of common purpose and devotion
❏    Unity in Jesus
❏    A close association
❏    Scripture study and learning
❏    Shared meals
❏    A common fellowship with Jesus through personal salvation
❏    A fellowship with Jesus through the Communion Table which leads to caring and compassion for fellow believers.
❏    Shared spiritual blessings
1 John 1 NIV
3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
    This fellowship is an important aspect of our Christian pilgrimage. Fellowship with Jesus is to emerge in fellowship with other believers.
    I want to read a story written by Erwin Lutzer.  Look for how you can make an application to this point we are talking about.
Lions Attack a Buffalo Separated from the Herd
    Recently I watched a program on the Animal Channel that showed a herd of buffalo and six lions. The lions were plotting to have a buffalo for dinner. Well, they found one buffalo that had strayed from the herd, maybe a couple hundred yards, and they went after that buffalo. So how do a few lions stop a buffalo? One lion grabbed the heel of one back leg of the buffalo, the other on the other back leg. And they just hung on until that buffalo slowed to a stop. Then one lion hopped on his back, another went after his stomach. And from there on you can just visualize what happened. It was gruesome.
    But here’s what shocked me. There were perhaps 100 buffalo, if not more, all standing and staring and watching this go down. I don’t know if buffalo can think. But if buffalo could think, you know what they’re thinking? Boy, am I ever glad that’s not happening to me! Imagine if this herd had decided we’re not going to let those lions get away with anything, and together they ran thundering in that direction with their horns down. Those lions would have scurried away immediately. The lions would never have a buffalo for lunch, if the buffalo stuck together.
    There’s a lesson for us there. First of all, Satan separates somebody from the herd. He makes them mad at the church and Christians, or angry because of some other reason. Once they’re away from the herd, he intensifies his attack. And then when we hear of the spiritual/demonic struggles that a person faces we say to ourselves, Boy, am I ever glad that’s not me! What we have to do as a congregation is to hang together. We have to close in and say we will not allow the devil to do this to our people.
    I think God wants us to humble ourselves, not just before him, but before others. Many people have been delivered from strongholds when they begin to share, and other people intercede for them. It’s in community that God grants victory. The spiritual resources are ours; we just have to use them.
Erwin Lutzer, “A Contested Universe,” Leadership Journal (Spring, 2012), p. 54
    Think of the impact when these principles are fully implemented.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!

What are the key points of this message?

How can we apply this message?

TO SERVE JESUS

11/18/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!!

Facebook Question: What’s Hard about Serving Others?
    While preparing a sermon, a pastor named Kevin Miller posted a question to friends on Facebook: “What makes it hard for you to serve other people?”
    They gave great answers, including:
    “Serving is hard when it doesn’t fit in to my schedule or plan. Like when I want to go for a walk or take a long bath, but my aging parent needs me to sort their meds, run an errand, or simply be with them.”
    “It’s hard when their need seems endless. I don’t want to risk helping/serving because I may get sucked in. Being swallowed up in the serving and not getting to be the me I think I am or should be.”
    “There is such limited energy left after a demanding workday meeting our basic responsibilities (whether with young kids or in the corporate world). How do you balance the need for rest and self-care with serving others?”
    But my favorite answer was this one: “What makes it hard to serve others? Others.”
Kevin Miller, Wheaton, Illinois
    Being a servant is often a challenge.  Sometimes it is fun, often it is simply hard.
    Then, there are times when something motivates you to step up and really do a good job.
Supervisor’s Presence Changes Flight Attendants’ Service
    I read about a man named Joe, an executive who did a lot of business traveling. One day when Joe was on a flight, he commented to himself, I cannot believe this flight crew. They are the most attentive, responsive flight crew that I’ve ever seen. So, toward the end of the flight, he stopped one of the flight crew members and said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you, but I fly a lot, and I have never seen a flight crew this. You are the most engaged, enthusiastic, service-oriented flight crew that I’ve ever seen.”
    The flight attendant got a little smile on her face as she bent down and whispered to Joe, “Thank you, sir, but for that you can thank the woman seated back there in 12B.  You see, sir, the woman in seat 12B is the head supervisor for all of the flight attendants for our airlines. And she’s on our flight!”
    When we really know that Jesus is in our midst, that he is “on our flight”, it has a profound way of changing the way we serve other people.
http://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?searcharea=illustrations&type=keyword&keywordid=4174
African Proverb About How Everyone Can Make a Difference
    If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.
    None of us are too small or insignificant to make a difference.  Let’s talk about serving the Lord.  With His help, we will make an impact.
    Today we are going to use a chapter from Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi.
Philippians 3:1-21 NKJV
No Confidence in the Flesh
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
    There is a spiritual battle going on.  It affected Paul so long ago.  It still impacts the church today.  Paul called them dogs - men who do evil.  Paul experienced great grief in ministry because of those who misrepresented and distorted the message of Christ.  He was also hurt by those who compromised their faith.  Paul wasn’t afraid to accurately tell it like it is.  Those who distort the truth, those who take the Bible out of context to make it say what they want it to say, are the enemy of God.
    There are places where compromise is a good thing.  But, not when it changes the message of the Bible.  They fit into the category of those who do evil.
Keep the World Out of the Christian
    “It’s not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that sinks it. So it’s not the Christian in the world but the world in the Christian that constitutes the danger.”
Evangelist and pastor J. Wilbur Chapman, 1859-1918
Men of Integrity May/June 2004
    Yes, keep the world out of the Christian, don’t let the world take over.  The world worships fame.
    Integrity understands the necessity of rejecting popularity.  One of the problems in our modern culture is the worship of popularity.  If it is popular, it must be just fine.  Many people live by opinion polls.  But, truth is not decided by public opinion.  They forget that the majority can be wrong.
    Paul said that the things that had been so important to him he considered loss, worthless.  It is more important to know and be connected to Christ.  All the other things that seem so important will fade away.
    As Paul matured in the faith, his love for Jesus, the church and the truth of salvation through faith was so intense that he boldly opposed all that perverted the truth.  He expressed this in another letter.
Galatians 1:9 NKJV
As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
    That is a powerful statement that those who preach another gospel would come under God’s curse, doomed to destruction.
Paul’s Desire to Serve Christ
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
    A very important insight and goal:  That I may gain Christ.  Nothing else mattered to him. We see his heart and the core of Christianity.
This is a powerful desire for believers:
**To know Jesus, not just know about Him
**To experience His close presence
**To have His companionship in daily life
**To understand that anything else was garbage
**To comprehend His nature and character
**To have the Word of God revealed so it can be applied in life
**To follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance
**To fully identify with Jesus
    Look at verse 10.
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
    I can’t imagine the power of resurrection.  The power over death to bring life where it doesn’t exist.  Only God can do that.  But, we can experience life that comes from God.
Romans 8:11 NKJV
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
    Life is renewed and transformed.  Miracles come and the power of sin is crushed.
    We would all love to experience this.  What we don’t want to have to experience is the self denial required.  The old nature must go.  God’s righteousness must grow in us.  Paul said he also wanted to know Jesus in the fellowship of His sufferings.  This is the full commitment necessary to impact the world.
    Verse 9 talks about the righteousness that comes from God. This is a right relationship with God and the power of His Spirit.  The result is living correctly by His standards.  This comes from Jesus living in our hearts.  His righteousness is expressed through us.
The High Calling of God
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
    Paul expressed a goal.  He had not yet reached the point of perfection, of all he had hoped to accomplish.  But, he kept his focus.  He saw himself in an athletic competition, pushing to the finish line.  He was giving it everything he had.  He was focused and committed to winning.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NKJV
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
    Paul was writing to Timothy that he had to flee the love of money and pursue righteousness.  Fight the good fight of faith and focus on eternity.  This motivated Paul.  Nothing would sidetrack him from this passion.  His only purpose in life was to do what God had for him.
    Don’t let distractions, temptations, worries, riches or evil desires choke out your commitment to Jesus.  Keep your eyes on the prize.  Some day we will gladly leave the world behind.
    Don’t allow Satan to frustrate you with guilt.  We have been freed us from all of that.
    Keep on growing up in Jesus, maturing in the work of eternity.  Focus on your dedication to Jesus.  Apply the Biblical knowledge you have and gain more.

TO SERVE JESUS
❏    We will face a battle.
❏    Anything outside of eternity is eventually understood as rubbish.
❏    Press on faithfully in your service to Jesus.
    As we mature, we need to increase in our service to Jesus.  Faithful service will see eternal results.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!

What are the key points of this message?

How can we apply this message?

WATER BAPTISM

NR 11/11/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    Water baptism is not just a routine or a ritual.  It is a testimony of belief in and commitment to Jesus.  Serving the Lord is a serious commitment.  When a person is baptized it is a very special time in their spiritual life and growth in the Lord.
Teen Brought Luggage to Her Baptism
    When Texas pastor Jim Denison was in college, he served as a summer missionary. While there he attended a small church. At one of the church’s worship services, a teenage girl came forward to announce her decision to follow Christ and be baptized.
    During the service, Denison noticed some worn-out luggage leaning against the wall of the church building. He asked the pastor about it. The pastor pointed to the girl who had just been baptized and told Denison, “Her father said that if she was baptized as a Christian she could never go home again. So she brought her luggage.”
Raymond McHenry, Stories for the Soul (Hendrickson, 2001), p. 48
    When Jesus died on the cross it was a total commitment on His part.  He did it for us.  He gave us the gift of eternal life, the gift of forgiveness of sin.  Our commitment to Him is just as serious.
    Today I will give a brief outline of baptism.  You have a good outline of the topic in your notes.
    In studying the Bible we find that Christians were baptized.  What does the Bible say about baptism?  Following the teaching of the Bible in water baptism is very important.  As Christians, we strive to do what God’s Word commands.  This includes baptism.
    Water Baptism is one of the ordinances of the church.  What is an ordinance?  It is a thing commanded.  The ordinance is given to us from the Bible, commanded of God.  Because it is commanded by God, we do it.
    When Jesus left this world, He told the disciples to baptize believers.  Water baptism is a matter of obedience to God.
Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
    From the very beginning, the church has been following this command.  On the day of Pentecost we read:
Acts 2:41 NKJV
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
    BAPTISM IS FOR CHRISTIANS.  Baptism will not save you.
    Baptismal Regeneration - this is the term used by some to be a sign that salvation that comes through baptism.  However, baptism does NOT save us.  I John 1:7 says that the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.  It is the blood, not the baptism, that saves.  If you are not already saved, baptism will do you no good, in fact it could hurt you.  You could easily say that you don’t need to ask Jesus into your heart, since a church somewhere has already baptized you.  This is where infant baptism is so dangerous spiritually, because people think they are set, because they were sprinkled as a child.
WHAT DOES BAPTISM REALLY MEAN?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?
    Baptism represents an IDENTIFICATION of the believer with Christ.  We are made complete in Jesus,
Colossians 2:10 NKJV
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
     As Christians, we want to be like Jesus.
Galatians 3:27 NKJV
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
    We identify with Christ’s CRUCIFIXION/DEATH.
Romans 6:3 NKJV
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Verse 6
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
    The old man, the old nature of sin that controls you is destroyed.  We don’t serve sin any more.  It is only through the Blood of Jesus that any person can overcome sin.
    We identify with Christ’s BURIAL.
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:11-12 Living Bible
When you came to Christ He set you free from your evil desires, not by a bodily operation of circumcision but by a spiritual operation, the baptism of your souls.  For in baptism you see how your old, evil nature died with Him and was buried with Him;  and then you came up out of death with Him into a new life because you trusted the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead.
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.
    Baptism is a beautiful picture of the burial of the old nature and the resurrection to newness of life in Jesus.  The old nature is dead, and life is only thorough what Jesus is doing.  Because the old nature was crucified, you can live free from its bondage and terror.
    We identify with Christ’s RESURRECTION.
Romans 6:5 NKJV
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
    We have new life in Jesus.  We have a Christ-like life, NEW!!!!!
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:6 NKJV
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
    The identification is followed completely as the person is immersed completely in the water.  A beautiful picture of what Christ did for us.  He died for us, He didn’t faint.  Total commitment.
THE MANNER/MODE OF BAPTISM
    The Greek word for Baptism literally means dip, immerse.  This was the way the early church baptized.
    There is a Biblical and simple way to answer the question of the mode of baptism.  If you had no previous teaching on the subject (absolutely no previous mental pictures of what baptism should be), and just looked through the Scriptures, this is what you would find:
1.  Baptism requires WATER
Acts 8:36 NKJV
Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
2.  Baptism requires MUCH WATER
John 3:23 NKJV
Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.
3.  The participants go down INTO the water
Acts 8:38 NKJV
So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
4.  Baptism requires BURIAL in the water
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12 NKJV
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
5.  Baptism requires COMING UP out of the water
Matthew 3:16 NKJV
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Acts 8:39 NKJV
Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
THE CANDIDATE FOR BAPTISM, WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
    The person seeking water baptism must first of all be truly born again.  It is only for believers.  In the Bible we find people being baptized AFTER they are saved.  In every situation in the Bible where it says people were baptized it is done in connection with or subsequent to believing in Jesus.
Acts 2:41 NKJV
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 8:12-13 NKJV
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:36-37 NKJV
36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Acts 9:17-18 NKJV
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Acts 10:47-48 NKJV
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Salvation
II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
John 1:12 NKJV
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Acts 3:19 NKJV
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
    When should a Christian be baptized?  The Biblical way was to baptize when a person got saved, ie. Peter at the house of Cornelius.  Christians should be baptized as soon as possible after conversion.
    Baptism is a powerful testimony of what Jesus has done in your life.  It is an outward sign of an inward commitment.

New Life - Growing God’s Way

11/4/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

Don’t Recycle Old Life - Len Sullivan, Tupelo, Mississippi
    In the late 1920s my grandparents married and moved into Grandpa’s old family home. It was a clapboard house with a hall down the middle. In the ‘30s they decided to tear down the old house and build another to be their home for the rest of their lives.
    Much to my grandmother’s dismay, many of the materials of the old house were re-used in their new house. They used old facings and doors, and many other pieces of the finishing lumber. Everywhere my grandmother looked, she saw that old house—old doors that wouldn’t shut properly, crown molding split and riddled with nail holes, unfinished window trimming. It was a source of grief to her. All her life she longed for a new house.
    When God brings us into the kingdom, the old way of living must be dismantled and discarded.
Len Sullivan, Tupelo, Mississippi
http://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?searcharea=illustrations&type=keyword&keywordid=4627&start=11
    Jesus didn’t die on the cross to save us to simply rearrange the old life we had.  He didn’t come to just take the mess and move things around.  He came to make us completely new.  The old things are passed away and all has become new.  He came to help us grow HIS WAY.
    I like a thought expressed by a well known author, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Going Beyond What You Know
    Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.
    God takes new believers and makes them something they have never been. They experience spiritual growth. He takes people who have been following Him for a long time and continues to shape them and make them more and more like Him.  We will continually be experiencing New Life - Growing God’s Way.
    The theme that we have talked about much this year: Ready, Set, GROW!!  We have looked for growth as a church and also personal spiritual growth.  Today I want to talk about our personal spiritual growth using starting out with passages from Proverbs.
Proverbs 14:12 NKJV
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 16:25 NKJV
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
    I always find it interesting when I read these chapters to find these two verses exactly the same.  God must want us to get the point.  Things that seem right in the eyes of humans, things that SEEM right only lead to death.
    Seems right. Humanistic wisdom and reasoning (based on individual satisfaction and benefit as its highest goal) is a poor basis for determining what is true or false, right or wrong, worthy or unworthy. No matter how convincing or well-intentioned our ideas and actions may be, if they are not in line with God’s plans and standards they will likely lead to unexpected consequences and disaster. In the end, doing things our own way (which is one of the definitions of sin, Isa 53:6) will lead to spiritual death. God’s written revelation—his Word as recorded in the Bible—is the only infallible (i.e., perfect, reliable, unfailing) source for determining the right path of life. The human way leads to death; God’s way leads to eternal life.
Fire Bible.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Romans 6:16 NKJV
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
□    Obedience leads to righteousness
□    Sin leads to death.
Here, the Apostle Paul gives a solemn warning to Christians who think they can sin without consequence.  Some believe they can sin and, since they have already repented, they are OK.  However, they are missing a point.  Those who continue to actively sin become a slave to sin. This leads to spiritual death.
Romans 6:21-23 NKJV
21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    What are the results, the fruit of continuing to sin?  Spiritual death.  Believers have been set free from sin and are slaves to God.  This leads to fruit of holiness and eternal life.  Sin brings death, God brings eternal life.
Proverbs 14:14 NKJV
The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.
    Where is your heart?  Is it focused on God?
    The faithless, the backslider describes people who turn away from God with  their hearts and affections.  They become selfish and reject what God wants.  Eventually they will experience miserable consequences of their choices.  Faithfulness to God will bring the rewards God promises.  This reminds me of:
Proverbs 13:15 KJV
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
    Actions bring results.  As we serve God we will be SATISFIED.  In our Bible Study Wednesday we talked about the fact that the evil one continually tries to make us think that we are missing something by being faithful to God, by obeying His Word.  Yes, we are missing something.  To quote a silly old song, we are missing:
Gloom, despair and agony on me.
Deep dark depression, excessive misery.
If it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all.
Gloom, despair and agony on me.
Proverbs 14:34 NKJV
Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
    Do our actions make any difference?  Does righteousness mean anything? Does it really matter?
Righteous:  characterized as honest, generous, steadfast and courageous, merciful and just, covenant keeper, committed to God and living justly among His people.
**Righteousness is grounded in the character of God.
**People are not naturally righteous.
**God credits righteousness to those who exercise faith in Him. In Christ one becomes all that God requires.
**The Christian is to put on the breastplate of righteousness.
**Timothy was exhorted to flee youthful lusts and call on God from a pure heart, and pursue righteousness.
Thoughts from Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
    Our trip to grow in righteousness is a process.  Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, was traveling with him one day when they came to the end of road construction.  There was a sign that said, “End of construction. Thank you for your patience.”
    God is continually working in us to see our righteousness grow.  Whether a nation or a person, righteousness exalts, and sin destroys.  Let God continue to construct you till He has completed His task.
Proverbs 21:2 NKJV
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
    This verse is a great wrap up to this topic today.  It is so common to think that I have it all figured out.  My own eyes.  But, God deals with and checks out the heart.
Discussion questions:
Why is the first part of this verse so true?
What is the result of people who insist on being right?
What is the implication of the second part of this verse?
New Life - Growing God’s Way
The Stories We Love Will Shape Our Character
    Professor Daniel Taylor notes that as a child Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian leader who was executed for resisting the Nazis, was greatly moved by reading a book entitled Heroes of Everyday. It was filled with stories of courageous young people who, with selflessness and clear thinking, often saved others’ lives, sometimes at the cost of their own. And, apparently, shortly before his execution, Bonhoeffer was also reading Plutarch’s Lives, a book that explores the courageous character of ancient figures. Based on Bonhoeffer’s example, Taylor asks:
    Can we doubt that Bonhoeffer’s reading shaped his acting, including his decision to risk his life to save others? Ethics are more formed by the stories with which we surround ourselves, than [just] by the rules that are drilled into us. Tell us what stories you value, and we have a good start on knowing who you are and how you will act in the world.
Daniel Taylor, “Story-Shaped Ethics,” Daniel Taylor Blog (8-8-11); source: Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer (Thomas Nelson, 2010), pp. 18-19
What do we fill our minds with?  The Bible is a good resource to use.  It will shape us.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?

 Missions Follow Up -- SO ALL CAN HEAR

10/28/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    The past two weeks we have had our annual Missions Convention.  Why have a missions convention and why get excited about missions?  Why the effort and sacrifice?
    Let me tell you about a man I met in Brazil.
Picture
    One interesting event when Pastor Richard and I were touring the coastal area.  Richard was thirsty and went to a building where he thought he could buy a bottle of water.  He started talking with the man there who said they didn’t sell water, but would give him some water to drink.
    As we were talking (they were talking and I listening and not understanding) we saw an open Bible on the counter. Richard asked him about it.  The place was not a store but a beach outreach from a church. Richard said he knew the church and the pastor.  The man was a surfer, party-life guy who had gotten saved.  He worked there at the ministry.  The surfer beach is very popular with the youth.  Every weekend the beach is full of kids and there is much sin that happens.  The church has the outreach to minister to the youth.  He showed us a wooden box.  He sat on it and the front is a drum.  He demonstrated and he could get amazing sounds out of it.  They are there to reach a generation of people looking for answers and thinking they will find them in sin.  It was very interesting and again, we ran in to a Christian.  Brazil has many Christians. The Brazilian Assemblies of God has 15 million people.  There are millions more in other fellowships.
    The reason why we have a missions convention, the reason why we have church services and teach the Bible, is because Jesus is the only hope of the world.  Like this young man who found that Jesus filled what he was seeking, millions have found the answer in Jesus.  The last thing Luke records Jesus saying in Acts 1 is this: “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” V.8.
    We are to be witnesses of Jesus and all He did. It starts locally, then spreads out farther and farther and goes to the ends of the earth.  We are to be witnesses because Jesus knew He was the only real hope for the world.
Acts 4:12 NKJV
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
NLT
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
The Message
Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.
WEYMOUTH
And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved.
    This is the footnote from the Fire Bible:
Salvation... in no one else. Jesus’ disciples were convinced that the greatest need of every individual was to be rescued from the consequences of rebellion and opposition against God so they could enjoy a personal and eternal relationship with him. They preached that this need could be met by no one other than Jesus Christ. He is the only one whose perfect and sinless life (Heb 4:15) could have provided the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin once and for all (1Pe 3:18). This truth reveals the exclusive nature of spiritual salvation (i.e., the fact that it comes only one way—through faith in Jesus Christ; see Jn 14:6). It also highlights the church’s responsibility of communicating the message of Christ to every person. If there were other ways to be spiritually saved and to have a personal relationship with God, then the church would not have to face its mission with such urgency. But according to Christ himself (see Jn 14:6, note), there is no hope of salvation for anyone apart from Christ and faith in him (cf. 10:43; 1Ti 2:5-6). This fact is the basis for the church’s need to support missionary efforts (i.e., people and ministries that take Christ’s message to people in other places, nations and cultures).
Acts 4:7 NKJV
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
    Authority.  There must be power, authority to do the miraculous.  The disciples were asked how the healing of a crippled man happened.  Jesus is not limited by political power or the laws of evil leaders.  There is power in the name of Jesus.  Since Jesus never changes, His power is just as strong today.
John 14:6 NKJV
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
    This is a clear declaration by Jesus that He is the ONLY way.  While this may offend some people, it is still the truth.  How will people know this if no one tells them?
Romans 10:13-15 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” 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 preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
    Someone has to tell each individual person about the love and hope found in Jesus.  Someone must tell them the truth of Jesus.  This telling is local, regional, national and worldwide.
    What are the results of telling people around the world of Jesus?  People are changed.  Hope is given where there is no hope.  Eternity comes into focus.
    I have had the privilege of traveling and teaching in three other continents.  I want to share some of my experiences and the insights I have gained.
Brazil
Student ministries, Chi Alpha weekend conference.
Pic: the students had posters with Biblical themes.  Luke 9:62 NKJV
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  They painted their hands and put them to the plow.
Pic: Joyful students ready to serve the Lord.
Pic: prayer time with believers in the local church.  Anxious to seek God.  They expressed great joy in knowing Jesus.
Pic: George’s car.  Speed The Light.  Youth missions program the provides millions of dollars annually to purchase equipment, transportation for missionaries. The kind of vehicle purchased depends on the need.  Here, George lives in Amsterdam, a practical vehicle for the city.
Pic: This Toyota Land Cruiser diesel is what we drove in West Africa.  Four wheel drive, high clearance.  Why is this needed here?  Look at the roads.
Pic: This was my first day there, driving from the airport to Dassa-Zoume, where I would teach.  The main highway was flooded.  It was worse the day before.  Many vehicles got stuck there.  We drove right through.
Pic: BGMC  A well on the campus of the Bible School to provide water.  Water is hard to come by.  This well is a major blessing.
Pic: What are the options for water?  Pumping it by hand and pushing a cart.
Pic:  What were the streets like?  Dirt.  All these men are taxi drivers.  If you want a taxi you will have a motorcycle ride.
Pic: Do you need fuel for your bike?  Here it is at the local convenience store.
Pic: There was road construction going on.  We drove past this every day on the way to the Bible School.  This is how they were mixing cement for the curbs to help control rain runoff.
Pic: More streets.
Pic: More streets.
Pic: This is a street in the large city, Cotonou, where the airport was.
Pic: Do you want electricity?  Here is a local utility pole.
    I show you these pictures to see the setting the people live in.  Nothing was fancy.  No hot water in the motel I stayed in.  Electricity went off multiple times every day.  Medical care was almost not existent.  Yet, as the people find Jesus, there is joy in their hearts.  They love the Lord.
Pic: this is the chapel on campus.  The student body circled it and had a powerful prayer meeting.
    One more picture, transition to Amsterdam.  I spoke at a local church.  I met a young man who was wanting to go into youth ministry.  He had an interesting story.  He grew up there.  He went to Africa on a volunteer program.  He got saved THERE.  He told me that it was much harder to get saved in Amsterdam than Africa.  His goal was to get training and reach out to the street youth of Amsterdam.

    The needs of the world are overwhelming.  We know, we have the answer.  But, it takes effort, it takes sacrifice to get the job done.  A few weeks ago, Kevin Senapatiratne used an illustration about skiing.  Well, I have never gone skiing in my life.  But, as I thought of his story, I thought of something from my life.  Let me borrow and modify his story.
    There is a popular puzzle game called sudoku.  It is a number puzzle.  One day Andrea encouraged me to try it.  I did.  I decided that if I was going to do it I should learn about it.  So, I read about strategy and started out with the really easy ones.  Little by little I learned and got better.
    I make no claim to be a champion, but I can now figure out some hard ones.  The easy ones that I used to do are now boring.  I find myself only doing the hard ones in the book and the easy owes get ignored.  I enjoy the challenge of the harder puzzles.
    That is a good illustration of life.  We need a challenge.  We don’t just want to read about Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot.  Spiritually, we often want to do just the easy things.  But, the task is hard and the battle challenging.
**As we grow closer to the Lord
**As we see the world more the way God sees it
**As we see the need more clearly
*****We want to step out and let God take us to new areas of service for Him.
    God will take us to greater accomplishments for Him than we ever thought possible.
Missions will:
start locally
expand outward
include each one of us

LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!

What are the key points of this message?

How can we apply this message?

Seven Stories - Saul to Paul – Accuser to Apologist

 
10/7/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    Two stories defending the faith.  Our faith in Jesus either can be defended or it is worthless.
Mount Rushmore Points to Its Designer/Creator
    You are hiking in the Black Hills of South Dakota. As you round a hill, you come upon a sight that stops you in your tracks. In front of you are four giant faces carved into stone. Each head is as tall as a six-story building. The faces are a perfect likeness of four American presidents— Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lincoln.
    After taking photos of this magnificent find, what conclusions would you come to concerning its origin? How did these faces appear on this mountainside? What reasonable options are there to explain it?
    Perhaps they happened through chance. Over the years, wind and rock slides combined to produce these four faces. But that seems silly, doesn’t it? We know that Mount Rushmore exhibits the three signs of design: forethought, planning, and intention.
    Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of sculptor John Gutzon Borglum. Borglum wanted to create a memorial of America’s most revered presidents (intention). Borglum and his four hundred workers devised an ingenious method of removing more than eight hundred million pounds of stone created by the blasting (planning). Before the blasting could begin, designers mapped out the size and shape of each president. The presidents’ noses are twenty feet long and rest above mouths that are eighteen feet wide. Each of the presidents’ eyes is eleven feet across. The carvings are scaled to individuals who would stand 465 feet tall (forethought). After fourteen years of work, the four busts were completed, and Mount Rushmore opened to the public in 1941.
    Just as we attribute the design of Mount Rushmore to the work of John Gutzon Borglum, so we ought to attribute the design found in nature and in the human body to the handiwork of God.
J. P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, The God Conversation (InterVarsity Press, 2007)
    Nothing we use on a daily basis just happened.  The home you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, everything came from an idea, a designer and builder.
    Another story.
Buddhism Also Claims to Be the Only Right Path
    In his book The Intolerance of Tolerance, D. A. Carson notes that, at least in popular thought, Buddhism is much more open, flexible, and tolerant than Christianity. But Buddhism also has its hard edges of exclusionary doctrines and beliefs. For instance, when the Dalai Lama was asked whether only the Buddha can provide “the ultimate source of refuge,” he replied:
    Here, you see, it is necessary to examine what is meant by liberation or salvation. Liberation in which “a mind that understands the sphere of reality annihilates all defilements in the sphere of reality” is a state that only Buddhists can accomplish. This kind of moksha or nirvana is only explained in the Buddhist scriptures, and is achieved only through Buddhist practice.
Quoted in D. A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance (Eerdmans, 2012), pp. 116-117
    Our world today emphasizes that everyone is right, as long as they are comfortable with their decisions. Truth and right are what you make it.  They mock Christianity for claiming exclusivity in Jesus.  Yet, any religion claims that they are the right way.
    Jesus did claim that He is the ONLY way to God.  He showed the power of God in many miracles.  The ultimate miracle was His resurrection. He was publicly executed.  The people knew He was dead, killed by experts.  He also showed Himself to hundreds of people to prove He came back to life. The historical documents of this are extensive.
    Why did I take this time to give two stories defending the faith?  Because, as we wrap up this series of Seven Stories, today we are going to talk about the man known as the Apostle Paul.  Paul was a powerful defender of the faith.
    Let me share a term with you so you can grasp it, if you are not yet familiar with it.  The term is Apologist.  This is not someone who apologizes for things.  This is a defender of the faith.
    Dictionary-type definitions:
a person who offers an argument in defense of something
a person who makes a defense in speech or writing of a belief, idea, etc.
one of the authors of the early Christian apologies in defense of the faith.
    Apologetics:
the branch of theology concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity.
    There are modern apologists who study and then write or speak, giving solid reasons for belief in Jesus.
    Let’s look at Paul’s life and see where God took him from and how He used him.
The salvation and calling of Saul, who later changed his name to Paul.  God called him to be an Apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:1-22 NIV
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.     Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi to help them understand what God was doing in and through him as he was in prison for preaching the gospel. Yes, he was a prisoner, but God knew what He was doing and didn’t make a mistake.
Philippians 1:12-26 NIV
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Living Bible: For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying – well, that better yet!
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

    Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Paul fearlessly proclaimed Jesus as Lord and Savior.  He didn’t compromise, but learned how to give the truth without being afraid someone may prove him wrong.

Saul to Paul – Accuser to Apologist
□    There is no person who God cannot reach if they will listen to God’s call and submit to HIM.
□    There is no limit to what God can do through you if you are willing to pay the price.
□    The power of God will overcome lies and resistance to impact lives through a submitted believer.
□    No compromise on truth, for truth stands.

    Before we talk about the life application, I have a question for you.  If you were to close out this message today, what challenge would you give?  What is the key point you think we should take home, learning from the life of Paul?
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?