The glory of the old way of doing church is fading
Old covenant has fading glory - 2Cor 3:1-18
New covenant - Jer 31:31-34
Apostles carve out new territory in existing systems and structures. They articulate the needed changes whenever the old system conflicts with the new one.
The gift is for everyone - Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-32
New Material
Preparation
Main Passage
NIV
Hebrew Study Bible
KJV
The Message
NASB
RSV
Exegetical Idea
Subject
Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why
Complement
Developmental Questions
Explain It: What does this mean?
Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
Homiletical Idea
Purpose of the Sermon
Make it plain
Use accessible language and modern parables
Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.
Following Jesus (continued)
Misc
How do I follow Jesus? (continued)
What does it take to keep Jesus on the "throne"? (continued)
Being in his presence (continued)
Jesus makes it possible for us to enter the Father's presence
Old Covenant - Heb 9:1-10
New Covenant - Heb 9:11-28
Approach the throne - Heb 4:14-16; Heb 10:19-22; 1Pet 2:4-5
Knowing God
Boast about knowing the Lord - Jer 9:23-24; 1Cor 1:31; 2Cor 10:17
"They will all know me" - Heb 8:1-13
Spectators don't know or understand the Lord.
Walking with God - Gen 5:18-24; Heb 11:5-6
Faith - Heb 11:1; Mark 11
Believe and act on what God says - Gen 12 - 15
Talk and act like a son/daughter
Sonship first - then brotherhood
Expectation - Mat 9:18-26
you are vulnerable to God disappointing you
Obedience / faithfulness - Luke 12:35-48
Become like little children - Mat 11:25; Mat 18:1-6; Mat 19:13-15
New Babies
breathe and cry right away.
hear from their parents right away.
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
Some abandon salvation.
No one can snatch them out of my hand - John 10:27-30
If your hand offends you - Mat 5:27-30
Disqualified - 1Cor 9:24 - 1Cor 10:13 (ref. Luke 12:48)
Impossible for the enlightened to return - Heb 6:1-12
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?
Spiritual Maturity - Heb 6:1-12
Following Jesus Leads to Spiritual Maturity
Accountability
Stability
Taking Responsibility For Your Own Growth
Taking Responsibility for Ministry
Reproducing Yourself
Obstacles to Spiritual Maturity
Focusing on life's worries, riches, and pleasures - Luke 8:4-15
Failure to focus on the things of the Spirit - 1Cor 2:6-12; Col 3:1-10
Misunderstanding what spiritual maturity is
Spiritual maturity is not sinlessness
Spiritual maturity is a lifestyle of effective engagement (i.e. engagement that produces real results).
Spiritual Consumerism
Accountability / Holiness
To God - Blamelessness (not sinlessness) - Gen 6:9; Gen 17:1
To other believers
Walking in the light - 1John 1:5 - 2:6
Exposing your actions
Exposing your thoughts
Exposing your motives
Consistent availability - Heb 13:7, 17
Sunday service PLUS life group
Not - one church for Sunday and another for life group
You should develop intimate friendships and accountability with the same people you fellowship with on Sunday.
Stability - Eph 4:10-17; James 1:2-4
Taking Responsibility For Your Own Growth - Philip 3:1-15; Heb 5:11-14
Learning lifestyle vs. Entertainment lifestyle
Fight until the fight becomes automatic. Wounded people are not always able to fight, but once they experience healing they must learn to do the fighting that they’ve been avoiding and keep fighting until they automatically hold their ground.
Dramatize the “impossible switch” (ref Staples Easy Button)
Sabbath discipline - prioritizing the Lord
Taking responsibility for ministry - Mat 6:33; Luke 9:23-25; Rom 12:3-8
Pleasing God must be more important than pleasing ourselves
Luke 22:42; John 4:27-38; John 6:38;
Your actions and words should build up others - Eph 4:29; 1Pet 4:11
The New Testament writers weren't trying to write "scripture".
They were trying to serve other believers.
In doing so they produced scripture - 2Pet 3:15-16
Your life should produce "scripture"
Charles's recollection at the retreat
My own frequent sharing of things Bishop said to me
"I trust you with souls"
Taking Responsibility For Reproducing yourself
Fruitfulness - Mat 7:15-20; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-8
God has promised you spiritual offspring
Pray - Father I want to lead others to spiritual maturity.
Define evangelism, followup, discipleship
Work in the vineyard
Require maturity from individuals in the congregation.
Three Phases
Developing godly habits
Turning godly habits into skills
Combining godly habits and skills into your ministry
Have you made the “maturity decision” yet?
Godly Habits Of Highly Effective Believers
Relating to God - Prayer
Talking with God - Jer 29:11-14; 2Cor 3; 1Pet 1:17
Hearing from God boosts assurance of salvation
Get started
God wants to speak to you.
God is able to speak to you.
God is able to make you confident that you've heard from him.
Trust him to do this as you approach him.
Say "Speak Lord - your servant is listening" - 1Sam 3:1-18
Start with praise and thanksgiving (use Psalms as a guide).
Take time to listen.
Write down the thoughts that come to you.
God wants to meet your needs
Children use their parents' resources.
We get to use God's resources.
Keep borrowing God's car and he'll give you one of your own.
Life is God's training program for you.
God wants to share the universe with you.
Apostles make plans with God's resources in mind.
Sometimes God wants us to narrow down the possibilities before we come to him for guidance. Make a list of alternatives with pros and cons. Propose the best solutions to God while allowing him to completely override your selection. God requires that we avoid laziness and inertia in the process of hearing from him.
Warn about saying "I hope" during prayer.
Relating to God - Worship
Gratitude - Luke 7:36-50
Love for God - 1Pet 1:8-9;
Relating to God - Learning and Doing His Word
No flying "by the seat of your pants"
Discipline your though life according to God's Word - Rom 12:2
The Bible
Discuss origins, translation, etc.
Discuss inspiration - plenary, verbal, etc.
Discuss versions, translations, paraphrases, etc.
Relating to Believers - Fellowship
Love for others - Mat 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; 1John 3:18
Sunday service is like Thanksgiving - we should all be together.
