This Great Salvation (Part 6)

Pastor Rocklyn E. Clarke - Sunday April 22, 2007

© 2007 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.lifechurchministries.org/

 
V Introduction
* Bible Reading 4/15 - 4/21: Josh 11-23; Luke 17:11 - 20:47; Psalm 84:1 - 89:37; Prov 13:5-19
> Review
V New Material
> Preparation
V This Great Salvation (continued)
V God's terms are: follow Jesus! - John 6:24-29; Acts 4:12
V Imitate Jesus in his relationship with the Father - John 17:1-26
* Talk to the Father!!!
* John 17:1-2 - Discuss mission milestones with the Father
* John 17:3 - Eternal Life - the definition that counts
V John 17:4 - Glorify the Father by completing your assignment
* Yes, you have an assignment.
* John 17:5 - Jesus is eternal
* John 17:6-8 - Reveal the Father to others
V John 17:9-19 - Care for the people assigned to you
* Pray for their general protection
* Protect them
* Share your joy with them
* Give them God's Word
* Pray for their protection from the enemy
* Pray for their sanctification
* Sanctify yourself for their benefit
V John 17:20-26 - Care for your legacy
* Promote unity
* Seek the unity of the Church
* Recognize Jesus' glory
* Jesus is still revealing the Father - go and do likewise
V Putting It Into Practice - How do I live out my relationship with God?
V Start by saying yes - Gen 12:1-8
V You don't need to know the future obstacles
* Famine resulting in the trip to Egypt and compromising Sarai
* Family conflict with Lot
* International intrigue - the battle of the kings
* Entangling alliances - the King of Sodom
V There is power in God's Word
* It is the most powerful creative force in the universe - Gen 1
* It accomplishes God's purposes - Isa 55:10-11; 2Tim 3:16-17
V It clarifies and illuminates
* It lights our path - Psalm 119:105
* It judges us - Heb 4:12-13
V It produces faith
* The Gospel has power - Acts 13:38-43; Acts 14:8-18; Rom 1:16
* The Word will do the work. - Rom 10:17
* Start by standing on the Word God speaks to you - Mat 14:25-33
* It is a weapon - Eph 6:17
V Know that God wants to speak to you - expect him to!
* God spoke to Abram - Gen 12 - 15
* God will answer you - Jer 33:1-3
* Ministry of the Holy Spirit - John 14:14-27; John 16:5-15
V Respond to God - Gen 12:1-7; Gen 15
V Separate in order to remain obedient - follow Abram's example:
* He separated from his father's household
* He separated from Lot
* He separated from the King of Sodom
V Abram spoke to God - Gen 15
* God's initial call implied that Abram would have offspring
* God withholds the answer to draw Abram into a deeper relationship
V God's proclamation of promise follows Abram's separation
* Women leave their fathers' households to join their husbands' households. They become dependent on their husbands.
* Men leave their civilian lives to join the military. They become dependent on the army / navy / air force
V Accept your place in God's family.
* Become like little children - Mat 11:25; Mat 18:1-6; Mat 19:13-15
V New Babies
* breathe and cry right away.
* hear from their parents right away.
V Newborn Christians - 2Pet 2
* should start praying right away.
* should expect for God to talk to them right away.
* should start reading God's Word right away
V Enhance your ability to hear God's voice by reading his Word
V You need all of God's Word
* The greatest two commandments would be enough for sinless men and women.
* Our sinfulness hinders our ability to understand God's Word.
* It's easy to misunderstand one verse.
* It's hard to misunderstand all scripture.
* Like a radio tuner.
* If you're not trying to understand God's Word you're not interested in his will.
* If you're not interested in God's will, Jesus' lordship in your life is questionable.
V We have no problem studying subjects that we find meaningful:
* Convicts studying law in the prison library
* Women studying how to improve their relationships
* Read God's Word with the intention of understanding it and practicing it.
V Look to Jesus - Num 21:4-9; John 3:13-18; John 6:35-40;
* If he's Lord, then act like it - Rom 10:9-10
* Baptism - Rom 6:1-14; Col 2:11-15
V Listening to his voice - John 10:14; John 10:27-29
* God spoke to Jesus after his baptism - Mat 3:13 - 4:2; Mark 1:9-13; Luke 3:21-22; Luke 4:1-2
* Embrace what Jesus died to obtain for you - Philip 3:1-14; Rom 6
V Characteristics of those who embrace the relationship and follow Jesus:
V 2Cor 5:11-15 - They are committed to the Lord's mission
* Live for Jesus, not for yourself
V Let go of our self-love (narcissism)
* The Rich Fool - Luke 12:16-21
V Common television sitcom fare
* "The Office", "Seinfeld", "Friends", "Frasier", "I Love Lucy", "Home Improvement"
V Life is a complex system pervaded by unintended consequences. Only God can guide us through them properly.
* Our sinful independence encourages more independence.
* This is true even when we're at our best
* Doing your own thing is death.
V Pleasing God must be more important than pleasing ourselves
* Luke 22:42; John 4:27-38; John 6:38;
* Jesus changes everything; you must be born again - John 3
V Faith - Heb 11:1
V Talk and act like a son/daughter
* Sonship first - then brotherhood
* Sunday service is like Thanksgiving - we should all be together.
* Gratitude - Luke 7:36-50
* Walking with God - Gen 5:18-24; Heb 4:14-16; Heb 10:19-22; Heb 11:5-6; 1Pet 2:4-5
* Talking with God - 2Cor 3; 1Pet 1:17
* Love for God - 1Pet 1:8-9;
* Love for others - Mat 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; 1John 3:18
* Obedience / faithfulness - Luke 12:35-48
V Walking in the light - 1John 1:5 - 2:6
* Exposing your actions
* Exposing your thoughts
* Exposing your motives
V Expectation - Mat 9:18-26
* you are vulnerable to God disappointing you
* Fruitfulness - Mat 7:15-20; Luke 13:6-9
V When you pray bare your heart to God and learn to understand his.
* Prayer is not wishing - it's must be based in God's Word.
* Pray - Father I want to lead others to spiritual maturity.
* Following Jesus means committing your resources - Mat 25:1-13
V Some abandon salvation.
* If your hand offends you - Luke 9:43-48
* Disqualified - 1Cor 9 (ref. Luke 12:48)
* Impossible for the enlightened to return - Heb 6:1-20
V Can you lose your salvation?
* Can you divorce your husband/wife?
* Can you abandon your children?
* Can you turn your back on your parents?
* Can you reject your friends?
* Experience God through fellowship with his children
* Join the "family business" - expand the Kingdom - Mat 28:18-20
V Reach out to others who will receive what you have
* Don't try to use other good behaviors as substitutes for outreach.
V Keep taking baby steps until you can take bigger steps.
* Forget about yourself and give your life away
V Overcome resistance to getting involved in other people’s lives.
* Paratroopers have to overcome their fear of heights/falling
* Swimmers have to overcome their fear of sinking/drowning.
* Navy SEALS have to overcome fear of tied hands and feet.
* Keep a notepad and pen so that you can stay in touch with the people you meet.
V Let your relationship with God grow as you actively commune with him in new situations.
* Spiritual growth is not about how "spiritually pretty" you can become.
* Spiritual growth is about increasing your capacity to do God's will.
* Keep your eyes on the Kingdom harvest prize.
V Distinguish among (reference Doug's chaos code)
* ministry prep
* ministry - relationship building
* ministry - no explicit evangelism
* ministry - explicit evangelism
* ministry - conversion
* ministry - follow up
* ministry - discipleship
V Discussion Questions / Topics
V Reflect on Heb 5:7-10; John 17:1-4
* Why were Jesus' prayersheard? What does this mean for you?
* Can you have a relationship with God without listening to him?
* Can you have a relationship with God without talking to him?
* Do you know God? Do you know Jesus? Do you have eternal life?
V Reflect on Gen 15:1-8
* How did Abram respond to God's promise? How did God respond to him?
* Has God made any promises to you that are taking a long time to happen?
* What happened when Abram believed? What does this mean for you?
V Reflect on Isa 55:6-11
* What does this passage say about God's Word?
* Can God's Word fail to accomplish his purposes?
* How have you experienced God's Word working in your own life?
* What Bible passages have been especially meaningful to you recently?
V Reflect on Rom 10:5-17
* Have you ever felt reluctant to call on God? Why or why not?
* If you call on God will he put you to shame?
* According to vs. 17 where does faith come from?
* Describe the last time you believed something as a result of hearing God's Word. What did you do about it?
V Works Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings (repeated from last week)
V Review the current prayer partnerships in your life group.
* Make sure that everyone has someone to pray with on a weekly basis.
* These can be long-term assignments or your can rotate them.
* If you rotate them, the assignments should last at least one month.
V Review the list of people you are praying for in your life group.
* Make sure that everyone knows who to pray for and how to pray for them.
* Make sure that the people who need salvation are getting prayed for every day by the members of the group.
V Review each person on the list of people you are reaching out to.
* Has anyone invited him/her to lunch/dinner or some other informal activity along with at least one other life group member?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a life group fun event?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a life group meeting?
* Has anyone invited him/her to a Sunday service?